TIMES CITY* THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010

GOVT TRYING TO CHALK OUT PLANS TO ENDSPECTRUM DEFICIT, SAYS KAPIL SIBAL I 7

SUPREME COURT CLEARS WAY FOR ACQUITTEDSINGAPOREAN COUPLE IN DRUGS CASE I 4

Mumbai: The Mehtas losttheir four-year-old daughter ina freak mishap at a condolencemeeting at Borivli on Sunday.However, within hours, thefamily decided to put theirgrief behind and help someonein need. They donated theirchild’s eyes to a public eyebank, with the belief that hermemory would live on.

Vishwaa (4) had accompa-nied her mother to a relative’scondolence meeting at Borivlion Sunday, when a wooden dec-orative prop fell on her. The girlsuccumbed to injuries at hospi-tal. Her parents decided thatthey would not let her death goin vain and contacted the SirJamshedji Duggan Govern-ment Eye Bank at JJ Hospitaland donated her eyes to a recip-ient, whose identity has beenkept confidential.

Vishwaa stayed at PuneetNagar in Kandivli (West) withher elder brother and parents.Her father, Jitu, works in achemical manufacturing com-pany, while her mother is ahousemaker. Vishwaa’s fatherand brother did not attend themeeting at Kora Kendra Hall inBorivli (West).

At 7.15 pm, when the meet-ing was to end there was a loudnoise. “Vishwaa had been play-ing by herself while her moth-er was in the hall with her cou-sins. Vishwaa may have tuggedat one of the many props—fig-ures holding spears and don-ning turbans—all over the ven-ue or accidentally touched itwhile playing,” a senior Borivli

police official said.The police said that the

prop, which was very heavy, fellon the girl’s head. When peoplefound her lying on the ground,she was bleeding from the nose.Vishwaa’s mother was calledand the girl was taken to a pri-vate hospital and then to Bhag-wati, where the doctors de-clared her dead.

The Mehtas donated Vish-waa’s eyes through the JJ Hos-pital’s eye bank on Monday.

“We have registered a caseof accidental death as Vish-waa’s parents said they had nocomplaints. We are yet to re-cord statements as they are in astate of grief,” the police said.Police sources felt the childshould not have been left alone.

Within Hours, Borivli Family Decides To Donate Eyes

Borivli’s Kora Kendra Hall where four-year-old Vishwaa Mehta died aftera heavy prop fell on her, while she was playing, on Sunday evening

A N Samarth

4-year-old girl dies in freakmishap at condolence meet

�Call eye bank to get eyes ofdeceased retrieved

�Procure valid death certif-icate quickly

�Close eyelids and coverthem with moist cotton till eyebank team arrives

�Switch on air-conditioner

�Raise donor’s head by sixinches

�Keep family’s consentready, as it is mandatory

�Eye bank team arrives. In 30minutes, cornea harvested,stored in preservative mediumand taken to eye bank. Corneatested, evaluated and distrib-uted, as per Eye Bank Associ-ation of India rules

GIFT OF LIFE Nitasha Natu TNN

Mumbai: The state has noti-fied its ‘best-5’ policy for ICSEstudents even as the contro-versial formula is being heardin the Supreme Court.

In a notification dated De-cember 2, the government hasmade it clear that while SSCstudents will use the formulato seek college admissions,their ICSE counterparts canexercise two options to calcu-late their final percentage.

“The best-5 criterion shallbe made applicable to stu-dents passing ICSE examin-ations,” the notificationstated. “But the (best) five sub-jects shall be restricted tothose from Group I and GroupII (as per the ICSE curricu-lum) and not Group III sub-jects. If the (ICSE) students

want to incorporate the marksof subjects from Group III,they will have to take the aver-age of all seven subjects in-stead of the best five subjectsonly,” it added.

The new notification doesnot change the government’sstand but underlines its deter-

mination to push through thebest-five norm for students ofother boards in a way thatplaces SSC students at an ad-vantage.

This year, during admis-sions, the debate had risenover the gradation for subjectsunder Group III of ICSE boardwhere 50 marks each are givenfor external and an internalexam, as compared to 80:20 ra-tio for other subjects underICSE as well as SSC boards.

“Some students realizedthat their total with the best-5criterion was lower than theiraverage of all seven subjects.So, the apex court had provid-ed the option of choosing thehigher-mark option (for ICSEstudents). The state govern-ment is applying the same log-ic now,” said Carl Laurie, prin-cipal of Christ Church School,Byculla.

Best-5 in SC, but statenotifies ICSE students

Shreya Bhandary & Sandeep Ashar TNN

Mumbai: An Uran collegethat admitted a student to aspecialised graduation coursethough he failed to score 45%,the minimum eligible marks,is in trouble. The Bombayhigh court on Monday de-manded to know how the col-lege granted admission andasked the University of Mum-bai to initiate action againstthe trust.

The admission to the stu-dent, Swanand Agharkar, inUran Education Society’s Col-lege and Management andComputer Science seems tohave been granted for “extra-neous considerations”, ob-served a division bench of Jus-tice P B Majmudar and JusticeMridula Bhatkar. Agharkarscored 43% marks in his HSCexaminations and was admit-ted in 2009 for the Bachelor ofScience (Information Tech-

nology) course, for whichwhere the minimum eligibili-ty criteria is 45% marks.

The court suggested thatthe varsity should initiatecriminal prosecution againstthe trust which runs the col-lege so that it “would be a les-son” to other colleges whichindulge in corrupt practises.

The judges have also sum-moned the chairman of thecollege management, who is alocal builder.

“Agharkar was wronglyadmitted to the course and theuniversity came to know of itonly while verifying and scru-tinizing the forms of enroll-ment received from the col-lege,” said advocate RuiRoderigues, counsel for Mum-bai university. “It is the princi-

pal’s duty to grant admissionsto students eligible and by ad-mitting Agharkar the collegecommitted a gross violation ofthe provisions,” added Rode-rigues.

Though Agharkar was ad-mitted in 2009, the irregulari-ty came to light only in 2010when he had already complet-ed one-and-half years of thethree-year graduate course.The University in September2010 cancelled Agharkar’s ad-mission and sought an expla-nation from the college au-thorities for “spoiling theacademic career of the stu-dent for no fault of his”.

Agharkar's lawyers urgedthe court that the college andthe university was to blameand sought orders to continuewith his course. The judges,however, refused to grant anyimmediate relief and sched-uled the matter for hearing onDecember 21.

College courts trouble foradmitting pupil with 43%

Shibu Thomas TNN

NO RELIEF FORSTUDENT EITHER

Mumbai: Even though domestic air-lines have slashed fares, it’s wiser tobook tickets in advance in case you arechalking out your Christmas and NewYear plans.

Those planning to take a flight outduring the fag end of the month maynow be spared the trauma of digging toodeep into their pockets, but will stillhave to shell out more than the airfaresdecided upon by carriers on Sunday.

According to tour operators, the fal-lout of the decision to lower spot fares by15-25% will be best felt during the Christ-mas and New Year weekends. “You maynot have to pay Rs 30,000 for a Delhi-Jai-pur flight but the ticket rates will still bemore than the usual off-season rates. Forinstance, it’s advisable to book tickets toGoa for Christmas on Tuesday itself. Dil-

ly-dallying on the decision would meangearing up for a Rs 10K shocker,” a Fort-based travel agent said.

Officials said the slashed airfareswill benefit people who have no choicebut to go in for last-minute bookings.“Sunday’s decision is a relief for those

flying in emergency. Due to unavoidablecircumstances, many were forced to payas much as Rs 45,000-50,000 for a returntrip to Delhi. It is the end of trauma forsuch passengers,’’ the agent added.

While industry experts are debatingwhether the DGCA or the ministry is au-thorised to dictate fares in a highly com-petitive market, most agree that a “cap”was needed. “An average benchmarkhas to be maintained or else the fareswill turn predatory,” said Pradip Lulla,managing director, Cupid Travels.

Some operators said that it is the dis-tinction between a low-cost carrier(LCC) and full-service flights that has tobe maintained. “These days even LCCscharge as much as full-service carriers.The new rule will help demarcate thetwo and regulate prices in a way which isfair to both passengers and airlines,’’said R Rateria, MD , Cirrus travels.

Planning to fly out for New Year?It’s advisable to book in advance

CASHING IN ON SLASHEDFARES MAY PROVE COSTLY

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: The police arresteda gym instructor on Mondayafter a woman alleged that hehad “touched her inappropri-ately” during her workoutschedule last month.

“The accused, Nitish More,was released on bail on Mon-day. The 31-year-old complai-nant, who is working in a realestate firm, alleged that Moremolested her inside a Khar fit-ness centre in November. Weare investigating the case,” apolice officer said.

“The complainant, whostays with her husband in Ban-dra, had opted for a yearlymembership package offered

by the gym. She said that shehad reported about the allegedincident to the gym manage-ment. But after they failed totake any action, she ap-proached us and lodged acase,” the officer added.

According to sources, thefitness centre managementturned a blind eye to the com-plaint as the accused was per-sonal trainer to several high-profile members. “It was natu-ral for the gym management todevelop cold feet as pulling himup would have proved costly,” asource said. However, Moretold the police that he was inno-cent and that his actions wereunintentional. “He told us thathe was just helping the com-plainant in her workout,” aninvestigator said.

Gym trainerarrested formolesting

woman

RELEASED ON BAIL

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Cellphone oper-ators have long denied theirtransmitting towers atopbuildings or on highwayshave any adverse bearing onthe health of humans or ani-mals, despite several studiesacross the world concludingthe contrary. Now a report forthe Department of Telecom-munication by a faculty ofthe Indian Institute of Tech-nology, Powai, reinforceswhat scientists have longheld—that areas around cell-phone towers are high-radi-ation and consequently high-risk zones. Moreover, it rec-ommends that India, whichhas very “relaxed radiationnorms’’, must raise the safe-ty bar.

Girish Kumar, professor,electrical engineering de-partment of the Powai insti-tute, who visited rooftops ofseveral buildings and mea-sured radiation on placeswith cell towers mounted,said: “These towers transmitradiation 24x7, so people liv-ing nearby will receive 10,000to 10,000,000 times strongersignal than required for mo-bile communication. In In-dia, crores of people reside inthese hig radiation zones.’’

Kumar noted the cellphone industry was becom-ing “another cigarette indus-try, which for long kept claim-ing smoking is not harmful.In fact, cellphone/tower radi-ation is worse than smokingas one cannot see it or smellit, and its effect on health isnoted after a long period ofexposure. Unfortunately, allof us are absorbing this slowpoison unknowingly.”

For instance, Kumar vis-ited the apartment of a ladydetected with cancer a yearafter a cellphone tower wasinstalled in the vicinity. Ahand-held broadband radi-ation monitoring device, tak-en near the windows, detect-ed radiation levels werearound 0.007069 W/m2. Indiahas adopted a radiationnorm of 4.7 W/m2, but thestudy noted serious health ef-fects at as low a level of 0.0001

W/m2. Though India adher-es to the radiation densitylimit set by the InternationalCommission on Non-Ioniz-ing Radiation Protection (IC-NIRP), Kumar observed Indi-ans faced an added threat:

radiation from multiple tow-ers. “One should know the ac-tual radiation pattern (unfor-tunately not made public) tocalculate exact radiationdensity at a point,’’ he noted.One of the first steps he rec-

ommended was tighteningradiation norms and reduc-ing number of towers. Manycountries in the world haveadopted much stricter maxi-mum radiation density val-ues of 0.001 to 0.24 W/m2.

Cell towers likely sources ofradiation, disease: Report

CELL SHOCKINGCancer Risk Use of mobile phones for more than years poses a risk of brain cancer.Children and teenagers are five times more susceptible as their brainis not fully developed and radiation penetration is much deeper

ON THE SPOT� At a farmhouse near Delhi-Gurgaontoll naka, with 4 cell towers, theowner said output of most fruit treesdrastically reduced in two years

� Residents of Usha Kiran,

Carmichael Rd, alleged 3

cell towers on neighbouring

Vijay Apts, subject them to

maximum radiation

� At Khar bridge,

power density and

radiation was way

above the

permissible limits

InfertilityStudies confirm cellphone radiation candrastically affect

male fertility. Studieshave found 30% spermdecrease in intensive mobilephone users, in addition todamage of sperms

NeurodegenerativeDiseasesPeople living nearmobile phone basestations are also atrisk of developingneuropsychiatric problems asheadache, memory loss,nausea, dizziness, tremors,muscle spasms, numbness,tingling, altered reflexes,muscle and joint paint,leg/foot pain, depression, andsleep disturbance. More severereactions include seizures,paralysis, psychosis and stroke

Skin Damage Radiation from celltowers and mobilephones affects

human skin. It canresult in an increase in mastcells, leading to the clinicalsymptoms of itch, pain, edemaand erythema. It also may beinstrumental in higherconcentration of the

transtyretin protein, which hasan important role in causingnervous diseases likeAlzheimers

Interference WithOther GadgetsRadio frequency exposure fromcellular phone base antennas

and mobiles can affect patientswith pacemakers, implantablecardiovascular defibrillatorsand impulse generators

Melatonin ReductionMelatonin, a vital neuro-hormone, regulates ourcircadian rhythm. Studies withanimals show a reduction inmelatonin levels following

radio frequencyradiation exposurefrom cell phones

and cell towers.Turning off transmittersresulted in a significantincreased melatonin levelswithin few days

Ear & Eye DamageRadiation emitted bymobiles maydamage thedelicate workings ofthe inner ear, and long-term and intensive use formore than four years and forlonger than 30 minutes a daycreates high risk of irreversiblehearing loss. Frequent use ofmobiles can also damage thevisual system

Sleep DisordersUse of handsetsbefore going to bed delays and

reduces sleep, andcauses headaches, confusionand depression. The findingsare especially alarming forchildren and teenagers as theyuse cell phones at night andkeep the phone next to theirhead, it may lead to mood andpersonality changes,depression, lack ofconcentration and pooracademic performance

Graphic: Yamini Panchal

Study For DoT Says India Should Tighten Norms TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Want to knowwhen the Metro line from Ver-sova to Ghatkopar will be fi-nally ready for public use?Pose this question to the part-ners implementing the pro-ject and you will get two dates.

While the Mumbai MetroOne Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), whichis building the Rs 2,356-crorefirst line, insists that it will be

ready by June-July 2011, offi-cials of the Mumbai Metro-politan Region DevelopmentAuthority (MMRDA) are surethat we may have to wait tillnext Diwali.

When contacted, MMOPLdirector K P Maheshwarisaid, “We are targeting themiddle of next year for finish-ing the line.” On the otherhand, MMRDA commission-er Ratnakar Gaikwad said,

“We will be happy if it (thefirst line) is ready by Diwalinext year.”

When pointed out the dis-parity, MMRDA officials werequick to point out that accord-ing to the agreement the dateof completion was 2012. Ma-heshwari, however, said,“The Metro rail is a large in-frastructure project. A differ-ence of one or two months isquite okay.”

Metro partners give conflictingdates of project completion

Ashley D’Mello TNN

The Council for IndianSchool CertificateExamination (CISCE) isconsidering changing themarking pattern for GroupIII subjects. “The counciltold us that they mightchange it from 50:50 to80:20, like other subjects,so that students inMaharashtra don’t suffer,”an ICSE school principalsaid.

New Pattern

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