Friday Gurgaon_June 15-21, 2012 by Friday Gurgaon

15-21 June 2012

Vol. 1 No. 43  Pages 24  ` 7

RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319, Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2012-2014

Laying The Next Hub

inally work will start on the Sohna Road Project, to set in place the next Residential cum Commercial Hub. If lessons have been well learnt, especially from MG Road, this could be a game changer. ...Pg 9

The Badshah Nallah

his Drain is the mother drain—storm cum sewage hole—of the City. While some work is afoot to address long standing problems, the first rain will tell the tale. ...Pg 10

Art As Inspiration

Feature on the appreciation of Art, and its inspiration for our lives. ...Pg 18

Office Chi

eng Shui is applicable to the office environs also. Take a few tips to make your work place a happier abode. ...Pg 19

Gurgaon II

ontinuing our update of the New Sectors, we feature Zones 3 and 4 Sectors 81 to 98, and 99 to 115 respectively. ...Pg 21

Car Gangs - Busted In the City’s administration, the agency that has made the most difference on the ground is the Police. The Traffic Police has been pro-active in pointing out, following up on, and ensuring various actions needed by multiple agencies, for better traffic flow; it has been strict in enforcing driving rules, including campaigns against drunk driving; and it has positively taken on board volunteers for road safety and management, as and when needed. Now, the crime branch too have made siginificant progress, in ensuring there will be a lower crime rate, in a key area. While Gurgaon has not seen the violent crimes and kidnappings of yore, for some time, there has been a stready increase in multiple other crimes over the past many months – molesting of women; snatchings of purses and jewellery and cash; and the stealing of vehicles. There has been some clear action taken for women safety, especially around the MG Road area. And some new recommendations are currently being discussed. Snatchings are more difficult, and are also not undertaken by ‘gangs’ only. This challenge remains. What had alarmingly escalated was the number of car and bike thefts. The Special Task Force of

the Gurgaon Police have done themselves proud by apprehending various culprits quickly, and in the process breaking up various gangs – many of them inter-state. This is not about brute force. It shows the finer side of the City Police; a finer side of some dedicated men who work day and night to make our City safer. Here is the story.

{ Hritvick Sen / FG }

urgaon, the land of the rich and wealthy, is also the land of easy pickings. At least for car lifters. According to Gurgaon Police’s data, around eight cars are stolen or taken at gun-point everyday. And the saying that ‘bigger is better’ has been adopted whole-heartedly by these car-

jackers. Fortunately, the scary trend, of not finding your big sedan where you parked it at night, may be at an end. With the major arrest of two vehicle ‘recievers’ and forgers, and the crack-down on car-jacking gangs, the City’s police may well pat themselves on the back for a job well done. Contd on p 5 

As We Sow

So Shall We Harvest PRAKHAR PANDEY

{Inside}

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An ill-maintained Rain Water Harvesting Structure in Sukhrali Pond

Hero MotoCorp Gurgaon-Harvesting with care

{ Abhishek Behl / FG }

City is yet to find answers for its civic issues. The water supply to the existing population is inadequate, with about half of the population being dependent on mainly untreated water supplied by tankers during the dry season. The rainfall pattern has also changed, and more intense but erratic rains have become the norm in the City – leading to water-logging in many parts.

opulation overload and uncontrolled urban expansion in Gurgaon has put immense pressure on the natural resources of the Millennium City, particularly on ground water – that is being pumped by thousands of borewells, putting a question mark on the very survival of the City. Gurgaon in fact

is being touted as another Fatehpur Sikri in the making; but in this case it is not the emperor, but a host of stakeholders—including the administration, the builders, and last but not the least, the citizens—who would be held responsible for its ruin. The addition of 58 more sectors in ‘New’ Gurgaon/Gurgaon II has further aggravated the problem, as the existing

Every year the ground water is receding by metres, as more than 30, 000 borewells— both legal and illegal—suck out over a hundred million litres a day. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment says that this City could turn dry in a few decades, if corrective action is not taken at the earliest. Contd on p 6 

15-21 June 2012

RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319 Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2012-2014 VOL.–1 No.–43  15-21 June 2012

Editor:

WORKSHOP  NIGHTLIFE  FOOD  MUSIC  ART

Date: June 16 Time: 9 pm onwards

Atul Sobti

nd runner-up Miss India 2002, Tina Chhatwal, is holding Workshops for women that entail a comprehensive course for budding models. The long course Workshop will include classes on speech and diction, ramp and stage presence, make up, dressing, hair and skin; the week long short course will include the essentials of grooming. Contact: 0124 2715000, 0124 2715100

xperience the Saturday Night fever with a heady mix of rock & roll, and freshly brewed drinks.

Sr. Correspondent: Abhishek Behl Correspondents:

Coming Up

Hritvick Sen Maninder Dabas

Sr. Photographers: Prakhar Pandey Jit Kumar Sr. Sub Editors:

Anita Bagchi Shilpy Arora

Sr. Designer:

Amit Singh

Designers:

Virender Kumar

Workshop

Learn Guitar @ Magic Creations, Uppal Southend, Sohna Road Date: Till June 30 Time: 10:30 am to 1:30 pm Price: Rs. 3,800

Sr. Circulation Execs.: Himanshu Vats Syed Mohd Komail Circulation Execs.:

Pankaj Yadav Sunil Yadav Manish Yadav

Accts. & Admin Mgr: Deba Datta Pati Head – Sales & Marketing:

Ankit Srivastava

Sr. Ad Sales Exec:

Bhagwat Kaushik

Sr. Exec Media Marketing:

Vikalp Panwar

Ad Sales Exec :

Amit Agarwal

Consulting Art Editor: Qazi M Raghib Editorial Office 213, Tower A, Spazedge, Sector 47, Sohna Road, Gurgaon 122001, Haryana Phones: +91 124 421 9092/93 Emails:

editor@fridaygurgaon.com letters@fridaygurgaon.com contributions@fridaygurgaon.com subscription@fridaygurgaon.com circulation@fridaygurgaon.com adsales@fridaygurgaon.com events@fridaygurgaon.com marketing@fridaygurgaon.com Friday Gurgaon (Weekly) edited, published and printed by Atul Sobti on behalf of Arap Media Ventures Pvt. Ltd. from 213, Tower A, Spazedge, Sector 47, Sohna Road, Gurgaon 122018, Haryana.

Music

Parikrama Live @Zura, Sector 29 Date: June 22 Time: 9:30 pm onwards

DLF Phase I Date: June 15 Time: 10:00 pm to 5:00 am Entry: Rs. 1,000 per person (full cover)

opular Rock Band Parikrama performs live, with their trademark style of fusion music – with instruments like mridangam, tabla and flute; along with the guitar, drums and keyboards.

Music

Hindustani Vocal Concert @Epicentre, Apparel House, Sector 44 Date: June 21 Time: 7:30 pm

FG Invites Citizens n Are you interested and concerned

about civic and social happenings and issues around you? n Are you motivated to do something positive for society? n Are you interested to also write, and express what you see, hear, feel? If yes, write to us at letters@fridaygurgaon.com, with a brief background of yourself, with contact number(s). 2–8 March 2012

Vol. 1 No. 28  Pages 24

`7

{ Abhishek Behl / FG }

{Inside}

It lives in two urgaon is a paradox. the Naunequal halves, whereinthe Great as tional Highway-8 acts Wall. The core Divide – like the Berlin the new subbut of the City is rotting; – with malls, gated urbs shine like stars and clubs setting colonies, golf courses never before seen a standard of life

he third in our astrology series – featuring Libra, Scorpio and Saggitarius.

...Pg 16

Tantric Art

e feature

Shobha Broota, a 68year old ‘young’ and energetic artist.

...Pg 17

Master Recipe

Prakhar PaNdey

Astrology

in India. forces that It is this flux of extreme balance – the is threatening to unraveland helpful for a balance that is natural and for civiliwith; great cities to evolve attain glory. sations to develop and urban core, the Gurgaon’s rotting within the City, concretised villages hinterland that and the vast rural is under once comprised Guru-gram, – under and 210 Panchayats threat of being submerged Nagar, Manesar); of a Millennium the new identity that cover 291 villages. a week with in ‘New GurgaFriday Gurgaon spent City, with its capital Meena, checkthe role of the State on’. It is here that Deputy Commissioner will is executed – ensure that the forces comes into play; to ing how the State’s that has known all the populace. of development touch in this historic area, since the Commissioner Gurgaon Deputy some form of governance of Being is the point man of Guru Dronacharya. power, P.C Meena, who in the Dis- time capital seat of the State Administration close to Delhi, the Gurgaon is much been influenced by trict, concurs that the District has also developments itself. The District political and social more than the City the Gurgaon viz. includes 3 sub-divisionsPataudi; 5 teh- taking place there. Contd on p 8  ,and (North and South) Pataudi, Farukh sils (Gurgaon, Sohna,

Please Visit Us At en Emergency Servicem www.fridaygurgaon.com Ask Your Newspaper Vendor For Friday Gurgaon. M

asterchef Top 5 Vijaylaxmi shares a Recipe exclusively for FG readers.

...Pg 18

little, for so long, with so We have done so much,do anything with nothing. to we are now qualified

Let’s Be Civil

avan Choudhary, Managing Director of Vygon, speaks on the need for residents to become responsible citizens. ...Pg 21

Regular Features Food Take

...Pg 6

Cinema Listings & Helplines ...Pg 7 The Week That Was

{ Hritvick Sen / FG }

service worth its lmost every significant call-in. Whether it salt has a telephone information is food (or liquor) delivery, civic and reservations, services, bookings on cells... there is a line facilities, grievance call in. But when there which people can or a fire – there is an accident, a robbery that people dial is only one type of service Services. in a hurry. Emergency themselves count people Most haven’t had a fortunate that they for they had to ask situation in which these in work who help; but for the people is distraught people services, helping ther it is Police

100 – Police

Emergency Line

Police Control Location: The main Mini-SecretarRoom (PCR) in Gurgaon’s lines chirping, phone iat. Wireless sets staff they’re set down, ringing as soon as papers – the very rushing about with air hums with activity. who is the Inspector Rishipal, the Operations, says senior in-charge of given day, we receive seriously, “On any a 3,000 calls.” In between 2,500 to from which he can closed glass cubicle the day-tomanages he survey all activity, PCR. “We have stateday operations of the equipment, and I can of-the-art servers and one of the has Gurgaon safely say that in the country.” most advanced PCRs

uitar lessons, that include the fundamentals, with a stepby-step guide on different chords, strings etc. The lessons gradually move to the advanced techniques of playing the guitar at different levels.

Skating Days @ISkate, Ambience Mall, NH8 Date: Till June 30 Time: 11:00 am to 8:00 pm

rishna N presents Hindustani Vocal, Carnatic Krithis and a few original compositions from his Classical Rock Band - Mohan Ki Leela.

Art

Art to a Whole Space @The Pllazio Hotel Date: June 13-23 Time: 11 am onwards

Nightlife

Bollywood Sunday @ Club 18, DLF City Phase I Date: June 17 Time: 9:00 pm to 1:00 am

synthesis of neoclassical architecture and contemporary art by Sakshi Mahajan. The interiors of the venue will be adorned with works of art, to complement the different spaces of the artists. The Exhibition will showcase a portfolio of prints by 11 prominent artists, including Thota Vaikuntam, Suhas Roy, and Jyoti Bhatt. It will include paintings, mixed media, photographs, etchings and sculptures.

nd the weekend on a grooving note with DJs Mayank & Samantha, as they spin Bollywood & commercial tracks.

Nightlife

Cheese Monkey Mafia Live @Power Play Sports Bar, MG Road Date: June 17 Time: 8:30 pm onwards

Trippy Saturday @Spot Lounge & Bar, Tower-B, Global Business Park, MG Road Date: June 16 Time: 7:30 pm onwards J Aditya gets you grooving, to make your Saturday fun-filled, with some of the most happening and popular commercial music.

Nightlife

Friday Fever with Nikhil Chinapa @ Guvment - The Bristol Hotel,

eat the heat in a chilled out way. Experience skating on real ice. Besides skating, there is broom ball, ice curling, ice stock, snow fights and much more. Contact: (+91) 124 4665555, (+91) 8826893824

Chef Vijaylaxmi TOP-4, MASTER CHEF INDIA-2

15% Discount for FG Subscribers

COOKING CLASSES

 Baking  Italian cuisine  Continental cuisine

Nightlife

319

RNI No. HARENG/2011/39

For The Other Half

Tina Chhatwal’s Finishing School Workshop @Epicentre Date: Long Course-June 17-30; Starts from Rs. 20,000 Short Course-June 24-30; Starts from Rs. 14,000 Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

Chill Out

Printed at Indian Express Ltd. Plot No. A8, Sector 7, Gautam Budh Nagar, NOIDA – 201301, Uttar Pradesh The views expressed in the opinion pieces and/or the columns are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Friday Gurgaon or Arap Media Ventures Pvt. Ltd.

ormer MTV VJ Nikhil Chinapa promises to get the crowds grooving to his new avatar of techno DJ. Nikhil will be behind the console, playing some of the best electronic acts.

Fashion

 Master Chef Kitchen’s selected recipes Limited

heese Monkey Mafia is all set to entertain you with its sixth edition of Open Mic, Stand Up Comedy. Enjoy the evening as comedians, pros and amateurs alike, have a crack at your funny bone!

Nightlife

Saturday Night Live @ D Beer Factory, MG Road

Regular & Weekend Classes

Seats Only

Form a group (minimum 4 people), to learn cooking from Chef Vijaylaxmi. She will come to your house to conduct the classes of your choice. Call her now and invite her to your place.

C eleb W atch

15-21 June 2012

Xpressions

akeup maestros Simmi Ghai and Shival Ghai hosted a party at Hops n Brew, to mark the first anniversary of Simmi Ghai’s hair academy – Xpressions. The students of the Academy showcased the makeup magic, with their creativity for party makeovers. They also displayed the art

Danza Dance

horeographer Swati Mohan presented a dance theatre production, “In Retrospect” at Epicentre. The show began with the protagonists Swati Mohan, Archana Chaturvedi, and Virkein Dhar dancing to the rhythm of electronic music. This was followed by an amazing show by over 60 dancers, who danced with balance and energy to popular numbers. The Founder and Creative Director of Danza Performing Arts, Swati said “For me, a closure has happened. A closure to an era, be it in my personal life, in the life of my students, or with Danza. I sense a new beginning with this closure.”

of body painting, tattoo making, and nail art – using Swarovski and bold summer colours. Simmi Ghai and Shival Ghai awarded scholarships to the best talent. DJ Sushant kept the bash alive, as he stirred up some retro numbers. Famous models Aditi Tyagi, Khushboo Goel, Amy, Purvi Ahuja, Suajay Choudhary, and Tarun Dhiman walked the glam parade, and flaunted the makeovers and body art. Celebs Jaspreet, Pooja, Aamer Zakir, Saurabh Malik, Atika Gaur, Sonia Sharma, Ruth Chauhan, Elizabeth Sharma, Grace Tharchin, Bishow Shreshtha Shanti, and stylists Shubhankar and Karan Singh Chabhra were also spotted.

Fiesta Latina

ntrepreneurs Riyaaz Amlani and Sid Mathur, along with Sunil Chopra (aka DJ Chops) – leading DJ in Latin America, and Shalu Chopra – Founder of Mundo Latino hosted, ‘Salsa Preciosa’ in a popular nightclub. India Fiesta Latina had workshops on dance forms – Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Tango, and Belly dancing. The party lovers were seen enjoying the night, to the tunes of Salsa, over a Latin menu of cocktails and snacks. We spotted Interior Designer Ayaaz Basrai, Kirti, DJ Cheenu, and DJ Amit.

DJ Kamya Brews It

opular DJ Kamya performed at one of the renowned microbreweries in the City. The party revellers had a gala time, as they danced to her beats. She enthralled the guests with her eclectic mixing skills.

Expat Earth Night

nterNations Gurgaon, an expat community in the City, hosted a bash at Earth-Italian Lounge And Bar, Sector 15. Over 65 expats, including Birgit Gairola, InterNations Ambassador Gurgaon, and diplomats graced the event with their presence. The crowd enjoyed famous rock and roll numbers, belted out by DJ Dheer. “Earth-Italian Lounge And Bar is a perfect place to host stupendous parties, as it combines a perfect mixture of urban and modern, and a perfect blend of classic and contemporary,” said one of the guests.

Columbia Medical Education

ecognising the need to address the intricacies faced by deaf children, Columbia Asia Hospital organised a Medical Education Programme for Paediatricians. The Programme dealt with the early detection of hearing loss and interventions focusing on cochlear implants. Dr. Shomeshwar Singh, Cochlear & BAHA Implant Surgeon, and Dr. Vikas Taneja, Chief Paediatrician of Columbia Asia, were the key speakers for the occasion. The medial education programme, attended by almost 100 Paediatricians, laid emphasis on the facts, causes, and remedies of hearing loss/hearing impairment in children.

R eviews

15-21 June 2012

FOOD

cinema

Rooted In Nature

Darkness, No Light

{ Aalok Wadhwa }

{ Vijay Kumar }

he most known thing about Roots - Cafe in the Park is its fabulous location, in a standalone hut in the Leisure Valley Park compound. What I do not expect is the fresh, healthy and delightful vegetarian (with some egg breakfast dishes) fare that comes my way. With the mercury touching 42°C, I get into a rustic shack with a sparse yet tasteful décor, and huge air-coolers. I am greeted by Vinod Dami, part seasoned cook and part hiker, who manages the restaurant. Once seated, I ask him what he recommends, and he replies that everything they serve is top notch. He elaborates: “Everything, including the chopping of the vegetables, is done from scratch, for every order – in the true spirit of serving healthy food with natural ingredients that are locally sourced.”In Italy, Roots would be called a slowfood restaurant, and would be much in demand. However here, confesses Vinod, many customers do get impatient – as they wait for the straight off the chulha dishes. I start with mango panna (Rs. 40), which captures the made-byDadima taste. Rejuvenated, but with yeh-dil-mange-more intentions, I order the bel sherbet (Rs. 40) too – which competes with the panna for the top spot. I have heard rave reviews about the breakfast served to morning joggers in the park, and make that my first port of call. The poha (Rs. 50) highlights how a simple dish can become a masterpiece, when prepared with quality ingredients. Interestingly, it departs from tradition by omitting its haldi colour. It is light (with no evidence of oil), flavourful, and crunchy – with veg-

Roots - Cafe in the Park Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Park, Leisure Valley, Sector 29, Gurgaon Phone: 8800772611 Timing: 8 AM – 9 PM

etables and sautéed peanuts. The upma is a cousin of poha, with the same remarkable textures and flavours, but is made from semolina. The moong dal chilla (Rs. 50) is soft on the inside, and crisp on the outside. The scrambled egg with toast (Rs. 60) is a no-fuss prepa-

BOOK

An Unsettling Portrait { Alka Gurha}

n this remarkable book about slum dwellers, Katherine Boo chronicles a disturbing account of life in Annawadi - a slum near Mumbai’s International Airport. Coming from a Pulitzer Prize winner, ‘Beautiful Forevers’ highlights the life of slum dwellers – and is replete with photographs, video recordings, audiotapes and interviews of the slum residents. In many ways, the book is reminiscent of the movie, “Slumdog Millionaire’, as it exposes the shocking disparity between the rich and the poor in a graphic manner. At first the book appears to

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity Author: Katherine Boo Publisher: Penguin Books Price: Rs. 499 GENRE: Non-Fiction

be a fictional account, but it soon becomes evident that this is a factual documentary, chronicling the lives of the residents of Annawadi. The book begins with an absorbing prologue, and goes on to narrate stories of Abdul, a rag picker, and many others. While the prose is appealing, the narrative is unset-

ration, with the slightly dense and rough texture of the homemade bread being the star. But the best is yet to follow, as I order Roots’ Nepali platter (Rs. 170).I am served an elaborate meal consisting of freshly steamed tingmo bread, a white milk-based vegetable curry, red alu sabzi made with Sichuan peppers (called timur peppers in Nepal), and a timur chutney. The combo is an epicurean adventure. The soft bread has a melt-in-mouth texture, the Sichuan peppers with potatoes make the palate tingle, while the white gravy soothes. Together they create a symphony of tastes. The fitting finale is the solar panel cooked kheer (Rs. 50), which is chilled, and has the creamy consistency and mouthfeel of phirni. It is very difficult to find any fault with the food here. The breakfast, the lunch platters, the drinks and the dessert are all of sterling quality. More importantly, the food is all natural, straight-off-the stove, and light. Add to it the location, and what you have is an irresistible choice for a meal – especially during mornings after a jog, or during the winters. u

tling. According to Boo, this slum sits beside a ‘sewage lake’ so polluted, that pigs and dogs resting in its shallows have ‘bellies stained in blue’. This makeshift settlement is ironically hidden by a wall that displays an advertisement slogan for elegant floor tiles – ‘Beautiful Forevers’. And hence the title. This hard-hitting book has some distressing accounts: of impoverished migrants forced to eat rats, of a girl covered by wormfilled boils (from rat bites), and of a teenager who gulps rat poison when she can no longer bear the miseries of life. The book is a result of exhaustive research and hard work. The writer visited several slums, and consulted more than three thousand public records, obtained through the Right to Information Act—from Mumbai police, public hospitals, electoral offices, city ward offices, morgues, and the courts—in an attempt to paint the real picture. Katherine needs to be applauded for her painstaking research and stark intimate portrayal of the dark underbelly of Mumbai. The deep rot at the heart of the System, which has failed to provide any succour for slum dwellers, leaves the reader unsettled. u

verything about Shanghai is dark: the theme, the script and the settings. The Director, Dibakar Banerji, known for his deft handling of off-beat themes (for example Khosla Ka Ghosla) seems to have gone overboard by painting everything in this movie in various hues of dark. Sample this: even the Chief Minister’s office (which normally has a lot of light coming in during the day) is shown poorly lit; and that too with the Chief Minister operating from a table in a dark corner! The question therefore is: Can dark be beautiful? The word Shanghai is used to connote urban development; and the ugly dealings of the politicians who seem to be keen to pursue this task at any cost (it has no scenes shot in Shanghai). We have had cinematic scripts in the past showing how the land sharks grab land from the poor, and how our hero battles it all. Shanghai is different, because it has no glamour, no drama, no punch-laden dialogues, and no hysteria. Therefore, Shanghai, despite its intentions, does not impact the audience in the manner in which Govind Nihalani’s Ardhsatya did several years ago. Shanghai Shanghai does have its moments. It is short (less than two Directed by: Dibakar Banerjee hours); the song Bharatmata CAST: Emraan Hashmi, Abhay Ki Jai has enough sarcasm in Deol, Kalki Koechlin its lyrics to make every Indian GENRE: Political Thriller squirm; and the portrayals are restrained and dignified. Emran Hashmi stands out the best in the movie. Playing the role of an amateur videographer shooting amorous interactions, Emran imbues his role with just the required amount of crudity and conscience. And unlike in other films of his, where he is always on the prowl for a lip-lock, in Shanghai he turns down this opportunity even when the lady in the scene leads him on! Abhay Deol, as the Tamilian bureaucrat, does well in a flat role, while Kalki Koechlin carries the same expression throughout the movie. The others in the cast do justice to what is demanded in the script. If only Dibakar had tweaked the story (supposedly based on a Greek movie ‘Z’), to include elements that make an audience sit up, and that awaken their latent conscience... In its absence, Shanghai becomes a well produced documentary. u

FG F I R S T Master Recipe Vijaylaxmi – Masterchef (Season 2): Top 4

Caramel Fruit Vada Ingredients

For The Vadas 100gm Udad dal paste 100gm Moong dal paste 2pieces Banana 2tbsp Sugar 2tbsp Sesame seeds 1tbsp Ginger candy, chopped ½ kg Oil to deep fry vadas Pinch Of salt For the Caramelised Fruit ½ cup Sugar 5 pieces Strawberries 1 piece Apple 1piece Pineapple 1 Cinnamon stick 1 Star anise 2tbsp Butter Decoration 1cup

Whipped cream

Method

 Mix all the vada ingredients together. Dip the bananas in the paste and deep fry. Let it cool.  Heat butter in a pan till it becomes brown. Add the fruits and cinnamon (Don’t cook for more then 2 minutes). Turn off heat.  In serving bowl, arrange the caramelised fruits. Place the vadas along side. Top with whipped cream.  Serve cool

15-21 June 2012

 Contd from p 1 The trend of buying big, flashy cars started off in Punjab, and then ‘infected’ its cousin Haryana. After the looting of multi-crore cars in Punjab, Haryana—and especially Gurgaon—woke up to the threat. Quite recently, the Punjab Police had cracked a car-jackers’ gang, and recovered over 51 luxury cars – which the gang were in the process of selling. The cars were valued between Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 4 crores, and stolen from Punjab, Haryana, Gujrat and Karnataka. Over the past few months, the Gurgaon Police has broken car theft gangs with metronomic regularity. And with each case, the suspects/perpetrators have grown more desperate, going to the extent of even shooting at the pursuing policemen.

Special Task Force

Hidden away in a small, unmarked building in Sector-10 is the Special Task Force of the City Police, called Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA)-IV. Heading a tight-knit 20-member unit is Inspector Sanjeev Balhara. His group has been single-handedly responsible for putting out of action several of the car-jacking gangs terrorising the City. “Our role is not limited to solving car cases. We take on anything that the thana police is unable to crack, or if something is out of their jurisdiction; or if a particular crime spree is to be stopped. We were told to take urgent action on the rising car theft cases, and we did crack several of the major gangs,” he says. Where are the car thieves coming from? It seems from the villages, and migrant labour, of North India. “Please remember that these people are not uneducated. Rather, they are young, and have an education of at least ClassX to Class XII,” Balhara says. “The bike-lifter gang we caught had members who were in college. Some of them are intelligent enough to scope out their targets, make a plan of attack, and execute decisions on the fly.” Some of them are even well-off to sustain a middle-class lifestyle, but the lure of better things drives them to steal vehicles. How do they get the expertise to steal cars and bikes, especially high-end ones? “It’s ridiculously easy to take someone’s car, Among the vehicles stolen, how many were taken at gun-poin? “The violent incidents are a minority. Satish and his cohort were the major wheeler-dealers who coordinated and ordered the snatches,” Balhara recalls. “The majority of the thefts were done without anyone knowing what happened until it was too late.” Gunpoint snatchings have a high chance of something going wrong, or passers-by taking notice – so it is not the preferred modus operandi. Who are the major gangs? “They didn’t have names per se.

C over Story

Car Gangs - Busted if you know how to disable the security system,” says a police officer who was tasked to bring down the car thefts. “One of the most popular methods is to tilt the car up. The security system assumes the car is being towed, and disables the autolock. Then you disconnect the power source from the security system, and pick the lock at your leisure. The older cars (without security systems) are even easier. You just need to take out the window’s beading, then stick a ruler inside till the lock lever pops open. In bikes, making a key takes five minutes. Another old-fashioned method is using a worn-out key, which takes lesser time in older cars and bikes.” Balhara says, “Most of the criminals we catch have spent time in the lock-up. These are young people who have some education, but not enough to guarantee a job that can sustain a family. When they come here and see the fast life for themselves, taking a ‘shortcut’ does not seem immoral. “When they spend time in jail, they pick up new tricks of the trade, and get new contacts. After they get out—in three to six months—they have the skill-set to pull off major heists and car-thefts.”

Defusing Security Tech

All the modern technology and security systems seem to fail in front of these audacious car thieves. As one police officer puts it, “The experienced carjackers know which neighbourhood has good cars, and when a new car has been added to its parking lot. If a new car has not been installed with a decent security system and a GPS tracker, you can bet your money that it will be stolen within a month.” And if the car thieves are unable to crack the security system on the spot? “There have been cases where they just tow the car away, so that they can disable the car security at their leisure. There is nothing that the car thieves won’t do, or a line which they won’t cross.” Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Maheswar Dayal says, “Yes, there were a couple of gangs which were desperate enough to take shots at the police. But they were organised gangs, whom we have taken down.” He related that the gang of two car-thieves, Mukesh and Satish, which the Gurgaon Police broke on May 30, had the audacity to ask their customers which cars they wanted – and in which colour. Then, they contacted the car-jackers on their list, and ‘placed their orders’. Satish, according to the police, was the mastermind, who took care of—forged—the documents. Between Satish and Mukesh, the gang had cleared more than 250 cars off the streets of the City. Which cars are the most preferred ones? “Mahindra Bolero, Tavera and other off-road

class of vehicles There were are taken to Uttar Pradesh and otha couple of er nearby states, says DCP Maheshgangs which Dayal. Each were desperate war of these cars get a enough to take perfect set of documents, and are shots at the – Maheswar Dayal, even modified by Deputy Commissioner police. local ‘chop-shops’, of Police (East) which alter the cars’ appearance capable vehicles are the most before sending them off to UP sought-after. Then, there are and Rajasthan. But now, with the arrest of the luxury vehicles. In this segment, Audi takes the top spot, the ‘receivers’, and the breaking apart of major gangs, DCP Dayal besides BMWs.” All these cars have two desti- is confident that the streak of nations – if not for the City. For cars getting stolen will stop. the Boleros, Taveras, Scorpios, Some of the gangs will always Safaris and other off-roaders, operate, but the organised Bihar and Jharkhand have inter-state gangs, which have the largest number of buyers. been terrorising the City till “These car-jackers have such now, have hopefully come to good networks that they can a halt. get forged documents, which will pass almost every visible Bike-lifters examination. Only a database Just recently, the Gurgaon check would reveal that these Police made the biggest raid cars have fake registration,” ever, when it cracked down on say officials. And the better a bike-lifters’ gang. They recovered 65 motorcycles on the spot, and reckon the total liftA volunteer Road Safety Offiing to be several times the curcer, Mohit Saxena, has seen his rent haul. The members of the share of criminals when he was gang were from Delhi, and vilworking at an NGO reforming lages near Gurgaon – such as criminals. “It is a vicious circle. Jhajjar, Fazilpur and Rewari. The youth have nowhere to go Balhara says that none of the once they are inside the gang. apprehended were above 22-23 The flashy life is like a drug just years of age, and were college an inch away from the grasp of students. “Their motivation these youth . They don’t have to steal bikes was to have a the time or the money to spend good time with their girlon education—especially higher friends. They went overboard, education—and so are bereft of and as with all inexperienced well-paying jobs. So they take culprits, left enough clues to be up this stealing and thievery as caught by us.” a ‘part-time’ job. When they are The sad fact is that most of sent to jail, they pick up the ‘sethe gang-members are very rious skills’. Rather than help in young people. A policeman in reforming them, the time at the Sector 9 says, “I have seen, and penitentiary provides them with stopped, kids of Class VIII the tools of the trade.” Is there and IX stealing bikes and an alternative? “None, as far Honda Activas. What can one as I can see. The reformation do? They can’t be punished, has to come from within. Only so I let them off with a reprithen can we help,” he says. mand. If I recognise the per-

son to be a repeat offender, I call in the parents as well as the victim, in front of the kid, to shame him into not doing such activities.” Some time ago, this officer came across a series of bike thefts. The department had a stroke of luck when a woman, who was a victim of chainsnatching, recalled the number of the bike the perpetrators were riding. “It was a UP number, with everything written in a long, low script. We spread the word amongst our informers to find out if men riding such a bike had been seen. Luckily, an auto-mechanic called us saying that two youth came to his shop on a bike matching the description. When the police nabbed them, they were surprised to find that the perpetrators were young men who worked in a reputed BPO in Udyog Vihar. “To our consternation, they said that they robbed and stole bikes for fun in their break time. When the bike’s petrol ran out, they dumped it and returned to office in time for their work!” It is unwritten, but true, that the bigger car-theft gangs have operated in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Bihar. ‘Employees’ or experienced car-thieves, were shifted to newer hunting grounds such as Gurgaon. It is fortunate that we caught them, says a police official. And when the gangs have been taken down, the forgers and the chop-shops have disappeared too, opines DCP Dayal. “But we are on their trail, and they will be brought to justice soon.” The bigger picture is that the unholy spurt of cars getting stolen left, right and centre will see a grateful pause.” Of course, this is not to say that vehicle thefts have come to a stop. “Jo ikke-dukke Splendor wale chor hain, unhen bhi pakad lenge,” remarks a policeman. u

15-21 June 2012

C over Story

 Contd from p 1 With the rate of extraction far exceeding the recharge of underground aquifers, many areas in the City have witnessed the ground water level plunging to almost 300 feet. Hundreds of tubewells have become defunct, and thousands of citizens are facing a daily crisis, as the City’s Administration struggles to find a solution to this scarcity of water. Urban water experts say that the neglect of traditional ponds, called johads, indiscriminate wastage of water, failure to recycle water, and uncontrolled pumping of water, has brought Gurgaon to such a pass. If the situation is so bad, then can this City pull back from the brink of disaster? The answer is yes. But the roadmap to ensure that Gurgaon does not become another Fatehpuri Sikri would require the government agencies, particularly the MCG, HUDA and private colonisers, to co-ordinate their efforts, and embrace rainwater harvesting – both as a policy and a practice. The citizens also need to show more responsibility in using this precious resource, that is getting scarcer by the day, say experts. Right now, it is evident that the government agencies are working in a compartmentalised manner. Like the inadequate premonsoon preparations, HUDA and MCG are way behind schedule in building and maintaining the rainwater harvesting structures in the Millennium City. What is more surprising is that not only the government agencies, but many Resident Welfare Associations are also not interested in maintaining their Rainwater Harvesting structures, according to Radhika Kohli of SURGE – a Gurgaon based organisation that has been working in the field for the last couple of years. Kohli says that rainwater harvesting is a perfect solution for Gurgaon’s water woes, as this could easily recharge the dwindling water table. In addition, the problem of water-logging, that has been a perennial problem in many areas, would also be resolved – as rainwater could be directed to aquifers through the use of intelligent rainwater harvesting system. This solution, however, needs a concrete plan, and its implementation in a cohesive manner. Last year, the Munici-

Sukhrali Pond

As We Sow

So Shall We Harvest

pal Corporation of Gurgaon commissioned a Rainwater Harvesting Masterplan from Jamia Millia Islamia. The Plan then suggested the points where rainwater harvesting structures could be set up in the entire City. MCG Superintending Engineer Y.K Garg says that they have built 69 structures, based on the Jamia recommendations, that call for around 300 wells based on the injection technique. The rest of the structures are to be built by HUDA and private colonisers, says Garg. However, this agency and area based approach is not something that could resolve the water crisis of Gurgaon, particularly recharging of the aquifers, opines Sushmita Sengupta, Deputy Programme Manager of Centre for Science & Environment (CSE). She instead recommends that the Millennium City should emulate Chandigarh, and adopt a sector-wise Rain Water Harvesting system. “The Municipal

What is Rain Water Harvesting?

Rain Water Harvesting refers to collection and storage of rainwater, and other activities and interventions aimed at prevention of losses. The rainwater thus can be directly stored, or fed to aquifers, to recharge the same. Need for it With erratic rainfall, and that too restricted to a couple of months, harvesting helps in tapping the rainwater in an optimum manner. Quantity of harvesting The total amount of water that is received in the area in the form of rainwater is called Rainwater Endowment. Out of this, what can be harvested is called the Water Harvesting Potential. It can be calculated using a formula: Water Harvesting Potential= Rainfall x Collection Efficiency Factors like Runoff Coefficient and First-flush

Corporation of Chandigarh has given us a pilot project, and the same could be replicated across the City,” she says. In her opinion, the government agencies in Gurgaon, civil society, NGOs and citizens will have to come together, to ensure that rainwater is harvested systematically. The emphasis on co-ordination is increasingly being stressed, because poor planning and maintenance of water harvesting structures could lead to disaster, opines Jyoti Sharma, President of FORCE, an NGO that has been working for this cause for the last seven years. FORCE has built many Rain Water Harvesting structures in Gurgaon, some of which have been quite successful; but some have not borne fruit due to poor maintenance. One such project is the Rain Water Harvesting system built inside the Sukhrali pond, that comprises four major rainwater harvesting wells, and a connecting pipe

that diverts rain water from Iffco Chowk to this pond. While this MCG funded plan was excellent, it has come to naught because of poor maintenance, says Sharma. “The authorities need to take care of the maintenance seriously, because once the borewells are clogged with silt they become useless,” she says. The condition of the harvesting structures in this pond is representative of the situation in the entire Gurgaon, says Kohli of SURGE. Consequently, her organisation has designed structures keeping into mind poor maintenance! A recharge well built by SURGE in Udyog Vihar Phase 4 has been able to resolve the water-logging in the nearby park and surrounding area. Suresh Goyat, an expert working with SURGE, says that Gurgaon’s soil strata is ideal for ground water recharging. “If harvesting is done smartly, then it could greatly improve the ground water table, that is dwindling fast

ban water experts, as well as social activists of Gurgaon. Salahuddin Saiphy, a Programme leader in water management with Sehgal Foundation working in the Mewat region, says that check dams built in some villages have helped in storing of water, as well as in improving the groundwater level. He however says that a proposal to build harvesting structures aligned with storm water drains in Gurgaon is hanging fire, as HUDA has not approved the plan yet. The storm water drains inside the HUDA sectors carry large amount of water to Badshapur Nallah, leading to wastage. “This water can be saved, stored and harvested, to build upon the groundwater level of the City,” says Saiphy, adding that this could resolve many problems. Along with harvesting, Jyoti Sharma of Force says that conservation of water is equally important. “There is need to prevent wastage of water; we need to recycle it, and use it in the lawns,” Sharma says. The implementation of Rain Water Harvesting regulations in the government and private buildings has also become a joke, she quips. Kohli agrees to this, saying that the majority of houses and buildings that require harvesting system do not have the same. In many cases, borewells shown for harvesting are being used to suck water, she reveals.

Rainwater Harvesting: The technology

With the water table receding to hundreds of feet in many areas of Gurgaon, experts have come up with different designs for harvesting structures. Sushmita Sengupta says that the design of the borewell will depend on the topography, soil structure and amount of money that is available for the project. Based on recommendations by the Jamia Millia Islamia, MCG is building harvesting structures comprising of injection wells that directly pump water into the aquifers. This technique, while quickly boosting the water table, has its share of critics – with SURGE recommending a different design. Contd on p 7 

Sector 17 A Wastage are taken into account while measuring Collection Efficiency. Methods of Harvesting Storing water for direct use, and for recharging aquifers Special Precautions It must be ensured that the rainwater being harvested is free of pollutants, and is not contaminated. To ensure that it is clean, it is important that the catchment is kept clean, there is provision for first-flush of rain water, and sedimentation takes place before recharging. Cost of Harvesting The cost of a harvesting project depends on the topography of the strata, and the extent of excavation. In Gurgaon, SURGE is building a recharge well for around a lakh of rupees, while Hero has built its unique structures for around Rs. 2 lakhs a piece. Sehgal Foundation is offering low cost options for around Rs. 30 to 40 thousand rupees for a structure.

Hero MotoCorp in the City,” he says. He adds that old parts of Gurgaon, like Sectors 4, 7 and 9, are the low-lying areas, and the water table is still quite high there; the problem lies in ‘New’ Gurgaon, particularly DLF and other coloniser areas, where the water has been extracted at a very fast rate. The density of population being high in ‘New’ Gurgaon, has also led to this water crisis. R.S Rathee, President of Gurgaon Citizens Council, suggests that in addition to artificial recharging, efforts should be made to revive the ponds, as well as build check dams along the foothills of the Aravallis. This is supported by ur-

Hit and Run

Car licence plate no. DL6CJ9364 was involved in a hit and run case on Sohna Road, on Wednesday June 13th. 2 FG employees on a bike were hit from behind by the car, which then sped away. Both were thrown off the bike, and were injured - fortunately there was no other car just behind. The driver/owner are advised to visit Gurgaon (Sadar) Police Station immediately, where a complaint has been registered.

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 Contd from p 6 HUDA claims to have accepted the design of Sehgal Foundation, that calls for a recharge well taking in rain water naturally. Most of the organisations and NGOs have come up with their own patented design, which they say is the most suitable. Radhika Kohli of SURGE says that design has to be flexible as it is in their case.“We have designed a two stage filtering mechanism, after which the water is taken to a depth of 40 feet. Here, natural percolation takes place and water seeps into the aquifers,” she informs. Some experts, however, suggest that the choice of design should be based on local conditions. The experience of Hero MotoCorp, that has plants in Dharuhera as well as on the Hero Honda Chowk in Gurgaon, clearly supports this argument.

Success and Failure: Hero MotoCorp and Sukhrali projects

Vikram Kasbekar, the Manufacturing Head of Hero MotoCorp, says that while injection wells were quite successful in the sandy soil of Dharuhera, the clay in Gurgaon proved unsuitable for this. The Hero Group had to involve a Rajasthan based expert to develop and design a different harvesting structure for its Gurgaon plant – and the results have been exemplary, says Kasbekar. Not only are his costs down but the waterlogging inside the Plant has reduced substantially, and the water table is also stable. Rainwater harvesting, if done well, can be quite successful, as has happened in the case of Hero MotoCorp in Gurgaon and Dharuhera. On the contrary, if the approach is to just build the structures and let them do the job themselves—like it has happened in the case of Sukhrali pond—then failure is inevitable. Fail-

ure of a rainwater harvesting system in a traditional village pond speaks about the poor state of traditional water bodies in the Millennium City. For the last several years, this pond has been dry, barring a couple of weeks during the monsoons. However, as per an expert report by FORCE, that was involved in building of the harvesting system, the natural catchment of the johad has been completely disturbed. The slope of the natural terrain has been altered, by construction of roads and dwelling units. Hence, the rainwater runoff tends to flow away from the pond, rather than into it. A canal flowing several metres away from the lake was one of the sources of water earlier. Additionally, water used to flow in from the surrounding area. However, because of construction activities around the lake, it has been cut off from the canal. The revival of this pond could have a major impact on the ground water level in the area.Poor maintenance and upkeep has led to the failure of the entire Project. The situation has come to such a pass that while one of the wells is being used for sunbaking of cow dung cakes, the other three are choked, and made useless! In comparison, the harvesting system at Hero Corp’s Dharuhera plant, that collects the runoff from office buildings, has been quite successful. CSE’s Sush-

mita Sengupta says that the water table has been constantly maintained at the Dharuhera plant, and there has been no major dip. In Gurgaon, Kasbekar says that they did a major redesigning exercise, and built 18 wells to capture the runoff from roofs. The new structures consist of 18 inch naked bore up to 300 feet, packed with gravel of different size. The two-part collection chamber is used for settlement as well as filtration, after which the water flows into the aquifers, he adds. Interestingly, the Gurgaon plant also has an artificial pond, that stores the surface water during the rains. This water is later treated, and used for various activities in the factory. It is thus clear that regular maintenance, upkeep and sense of ownership is what differentiates the two projects, and ultimately decides their success or failure.

Natural Rainwater Harvesting: Revival of johads

It is not necessary that expensive rainwater harvesting structures need to be built, to recharge the aquifers and store water. Experts suggest that check dams in the Aravallis, and the revival of traditional johads—that are almost extinct in Gurgaon—could do the trick. Sharad Goel, a prominent businessman and social activist says that all the MCG villages in Gurgaon had at least two johads. “Unfortunately, most of these are either encroached upon by land mafia, or have become landfills or sewage dumps,” says Goyal. While he is ready to adopt the Sukhrali pond for revival, using his own funds, the government agencies are not forthcoming in their support. “I have filed an RTI with the MCG, asking for details of ponds in the City, and their upkeep and maintenance. But I have got no reply,” he alleges. His allegations are supported by an expert who has been working with government agencies in Gurgaon for a long time. “There is no data about drain network, water harvesting structures, ponds—and even land—with the government”, he says. The threats to traditional ponds and lakes are manifold, and as per a CSE study these include: encroachment of the waterbodies- both planned and unplanned/unauthorised; mining activities in the catchment area; pollution of the waterbodies/catchment; disposal of untreated/partially treated sewage; groundwater decline leading to fall in the level of lakes; absence of administrative framework to manage the water body. Three major water bodies in Gurgaon and Faridabad—the Surajkund Lake, Badkhal Lake and to some extent Damdama Lake—have dried up, due to the above said reasons. In addition, several village ponds have vanished, due to this onslaught of urbanisation – that has left nothing in its wake except glass and chrome buildings.

Storage Vs Recharge

The decision to either store water or recharge the water table depends on the pattern of rainfall in a region. If rainfall is continuous, then water storage could be a better option, as in the case of Southern and Eastern states. However, in a City like Gurgaon, where rains come only during 3 to 4 months of the monsoon season, it is better to divert it for recharging the aquifers, suggests Sengputa of the CSE. She says that it is not feasible for water to be stored in Gurgaon throughout the year. At the level of individual houses, she however suggests that water storage could be an option, for maintaining greenery and other household uses.

Punyanvi By Nature { Shilpy Arora / FG }

“E

asily three generations,” says Satinder Kaur (Kiran), recollecting how long her family has been living in the City. “My ancestors migrated to Gurgaon in 1947. After getting married, I moved to Punjab. But the 1984 riots brought me back to this City, along with my family. We chose to settle down in Gurgaon as it has always been a peaceful place,” says Satinder, a social worker. Today, the three generations of the Singh family live together in a house at Sector 56. The high-spirited Singh family from Punjab has mingled so well in the cosmopolitan culture of the City, that it proudly calls itself Gurgaonite by heart. Satinder’s husband, Daya Singh, is a political activist. While recounting his journey from the troubled state of Punjab to the budding city of Gurgaon, he says, “Settling down in Gurgaon was not an easy decision. However, it turned out to be quite a pleasant experience, as the City has been peaceful, spacious, and developing at a fast rate. This has helped my sons set up their own business here.” Daya Singh proudly talks of his political work during the 1990s, to promote communal harmony and national integration. He also plans to hold a March in September 2012, from Srinagar to Delhi, for the same cause.

A United Family

For Satinder’s daughter-in-law, Dupinder Kaur, marrying into a big family was a welcome change. When asked about her view on the joint family, she says, “Ours is not a joint family. It is a united family. Here, I have learnt to love and live together,” smiles Dupinder. Dupinder and her husband, Tarunvir Singh, acknowledge the efforts of Satinder Kaur and Daya Singh in inculcating right values in their son, Kamanraj Singh. “My child is more active than other kids, because he has more people to talk to than his peers. This is the major advantage of living in a united family,” says Tarunvir. While Tarunvir runs a factory of automotive parts in Rewari, Dupinder works for the upliftment of the underprivileged women and children – to carry forward the dream of her mother-in-law to bring

Government Speak

As usual, government agencies in the City, particularly HUDA and MCG are slow in taking action on the ground, while they claim that work is going on to build a robust Rain Water Harvesting System in the City. In a special meeting held on Wednesday, on the issue of water conservation and harvesting, MCG Commissioner Suresh Rajpal, who chaired the meeting, informed that 69 water harvesting structures have been made functional in the City. He also issued instructions for the re-assessment of these harvesting structures, and called for collaboration between different agencies, to conserve and harvest rainwater. HUDA Administrator Praveen Kumar, who had earlier told Friday Gurgaon that his agency plans to build 500 such structures in its sectors, reiterated his resolve – while adding that more emphasis will be put on recycling of water. The District Administration, on its

grass roots development in the City.

What needs to be done?

While describing his development vision for the City, Daya Singh says, “In the span of 20 years, the City has emerged as an engine of economic growth. Today, it offers better facilities than Delhi.” He, however, strongly suggests for the formation of a union of Gurgaon and a cluster of small cities around it. “Gurgaon has to tap the potential of emerging cities such as Rewari, Taoru, Sohna, Manesar, and Bhiwadi to deal with the issues of electricity, water, and sanitation. I think this region JIT KUMAR

has a potential to become an economic powerhouse of North India,” feels Daya Singh. Daya’s younger son, Deenpreet Singh, 25, stresses on the need to improve the state of civic infrastructure in the City. According to Deenpreet, the problem with Gurgaon is that the growth here has taken place without the support of the government, rather than because of it. “How will it become an economic engine without having basic public services, and ensuring the safety of its citizens?” The lack of cultural activities bothers Dupinder, the mother of five-year old Kamanraj Singh. “There are hardly any cultural activities taking place in the City. Despite the fact that some private companies have initiated ambitious projects, there is hardly anything for the kids to learn. It is extremely difficult to set up a place like India Habitat Centre in Gurgaon, without the support of the authorities,” says Dhupinder. Regardless of all the topsy-turvydom, the Singh family feels the City has given them enough exposure to cosmopolitan culture, and enormous business opportunities. “Gurgaon has become a success story in the entire North India,” smiles Daya Singh. u part, is planning to build three check dams under the Integrated Watershed Programme, at villages Ghamdoj, Haria Hera and Mandawar. A decision on this regard has been taken in Chandigarh, and these projects will cost around Rs.16 crores. Despite the ‘resolve and commitment’ shown by the government agencies, it is clear that not much work has happened, to ensure that the ensuing monsoon will be a better experience for the Gurgaon denizens. Neither have the storm water drains been cleaned, nor is the sewage network in prime shape. Rain Water Harvesting structures in many areas have been left to their own fate, even as authorities go on a new construction binge. It is clear that the shocking tale of last year’s monsoon—comprising choked drains, waterlogged roads and spread of malaria—will repeat this year, thus putting a question mark on the Millennium tag of this City. u

08 { Abhishek Behl / FG }

C ivic/Social

15-21 June 2012

fter much delay, the crucial stretch between Rajiv Chowk and Badshahpur on the Sohna Road is all set for a major facelift, with HUDA deciding to spend almost Rs. 45 crores on this Project. This 5 kilometre stretch of Sohna road has assumed significance on account of a large number of offices, commercial buildings, and residential complexes that have come up in the past couple of years. In fact, this stretch is on its way to become the next commercial and residential hub of Gurgaon, after MG Road. HUDA has recommended that the tender for this Project be given to Atlas Construction Company. HUDA Executive Engineer Hari Dutt Sharma, under whose Division this Project comes, told Friday Gurgaon that Atlas being the lowest bidder is most likely to get the job. “This project has been sent for final approval to officials in Chandigarh, and work will start as soon as the formalities are completed,”

Laying The Next Hub says Sharma. The Project involves strengthening of the existing carriage way, construction of a central verge, footpaths and service lanes on both sides, and fixing of a kerb and drain channel on the 60 meter wide Master Road. It will also involve improvement of related civil works on the Road, and the contractor shall be liable for a 3-year mix defect liability free of cost. Sharma says that the way this Road is being built will resolve the traffic problems on this busy stretch, as the local residents can first take the service lanes before getting on the Master Road. “The main carriageway is being strengthened, to ensure that the wear and tear caused by the movement of heavy vehicles on this Road is minimised,” says Sharma. Sohna Road is part of the highway to Alwar. The inner and main roads will also have proper demarca-

Green Belt Footpath Drain Channel

Maintenance of Road

To ensure that the newly built Road does not crumble within months of construction, HUDA has stipulated that the contractor will maintain the road for a period of three years from the date of completion. The maintenance will include repair of any potholes or depressions, repair of any damaged work, bad workmanship and defective work/design – which will all be done by contractor at his own cost. If the contractor/agency fails to repair the road within an agreed timeline, then penalty will be levied.

Service Lane

Main Road Central Verge Main Road

Service Lane Drain Channel Footpath Green Belt

SOHNA ROAD PLAN - 5.25 kms, Rs.44.49 crores, 60 m width fice near Hero Honda Chowk, says that improvement on this stretch is much needed, as traffic has increased manifold. “We hope this work is completed soon, and people can make use of this stretch to commute comfortably,” adds Singh.

THE WEEK THAT WAS ♦ Special investigation in progress to help punish the guilty, for the heinous activities they committed against girl children (many handicapped). This crime was unearthed when a few girls ran away from the Rohtak ‘child welfare centre’ of an ‘NGO’ – Apna Ghar/Suparna Ka Angan. The ‘NGO’ also operated in Gurgaon. ♦ DLF launches a ‘private fire station’ in Cyber City, with two 90m hydraulic platforms from Finland. Fire Chief is SK Dheri, who has recently retired as the Fire Chief of Gurgaon. The current platforms available with the Administration are both of 42m height. There would be 25 firemen initially, going up to 40. Another fire station is planned in Phase V (near STP). The highest building in DLF/Gurgaon is currently 90m – with new buildings planned as high as 180m. ♦ The DC, PC Meena, has directed the concerned and public to maintain status quo within 900m of the 54ASP Air Force Station (Ammunition Depot). There would also be no demolitions, whatever the stage, as of February 10, 2012. The illegal activity, apart from construction, would also relate to digging of bore wells. ♦ Ashok Kumar Verma, Addl. Dist. & Sessions Judge, and Presiding Officer, Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court, Gurgaon, has been promoted as Dist. & Sessions Judge. ♦ The Administration recommended registering an FIR against Earth Infrastructure Ltd., for selling plots illegally in District Gurgaon, without taking a valid licence from the Town and Country Planning Department. This pertains to Internet advertisements made for Earthcopia – 1 and Earthcopia – 2 at Sectors 112 and 107. The firm has clarified that it has a licence in another subsidiary company name. ♦ Haryana turns down Delhi’s pleas for water. SC issues notice to Haryana Govt. on illegal mining. ♦ Peacocks dying, near Aravalis, allegedly due to excessive heat and starvation. 12th class student commits suicide, due to poor marks in exam. A driver is found killed near Ambience Mall – the car is stolen. 1 person is killed, and 6 injured in road rage on Sohna Road, near Badshahpur. 2 persons have been arrested for this. 2 persons on a bike are killed, as truck hits them on highway. 3 gang-rape accused are arrested. A runaway couple is shot at by the girls’ relatives. The girl’s sister and brother-in-law are arrested. A team from the National Commission of Women meets the couple in Pataudi. There is a suicide bid by a rape accused in prison. 2 local ‘children homes’ – Arushi Home and Ujjwal Niketan – get notices, for non-registration. 3 persons are held, for stealing a car from driver by force. 6 are held for land fraud. A moneychanger is duped of Rs 2.3 lakhs. Police raid illegal guesthouse in Sector 38 that was housing 11 foreigners. ♦ Luxury buses are now planned for Haridwar and Dehradun/Rishikesh, Katra – after the Jaipur and Agra proposals. An upgradation plan for Gurgaon Railway Station is in progress. The Manesar-Palwal section of the KMP Expressway may be completed by October. BJP Vyapar Sammelan takes place in City.

Realtors Smile

tion, as the contractor will have to lay thermoplastic paint width-marking on the central line of the roads. Good quality manholes, and signboards of various sizes, will also be installed, to ensure that driving is a pleasant experience for both the residents as well as those passing through this Road. Proper levelling, and provision of ducts and RCC pipes, will also ensure that waterlogging during the monsoons does not take place. In addition to civil works, this Road is also likely to get smart street-lights, and underground cabling will be done for this purpose. When asked how much time this Project will take to complete, the HUDA official assures that it will not take more than nine months for the upgradation of the Road. In case of any delay, the contractor will have to pay penalty to HUDA; and officials

say that strict instructions have been issued to the contractor to stick to the timeline. Sarvesh Kumar Joon, a HUDA official, says that strict watch is being kept on new and ongoing projects, to ensure that there is no delay in completion of work. He further revealed that the road stretch from Subash Chowk to HUDA City Centre will also be upgraded, to ensure that people can travel easily and faster between these two crucial stretches. Locals say that the onset of monsoons will further delay this Project. “We want this Project to be taken up at the earliest, so that people living on this road can breathe easy. Presently the traffic situation is very bad, and accidents happen every day,” says Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Badshahpur. Vikram Singh, who regularly passes through this busy stretch while going to his of-

The upgradation of this stretch on Sohna Road is likely to give a major push to retail and office space on this Road. Real Estate dealers says that the rentals and prices are likely to go up, as soon as the Project is completed. There is abundant supply of office space on this Road, but there has been low offtake – which will now change. Predicting a better future for Sohna Road, Sanjay Sharma of Qubrex says that rentals will rise from the current Rs. 60 PSF to Rs. 80-85 PSF, following upgradation. However, the unlocking of the real potential of this area will take place only when the last mile connectivity is improved. His solution is to either extend the Metro rail to Sohna Road, or to run an efficient feeder service from HUDA City Centre to Badshahpur via Subash Chowk. In his opinion, the development of the Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) will further help Sohna Road deliver the promise of becoming the next commercial cum residential hub of the Millennium City – after MG Road. u

As of June 14, 2012 All Prices in Rs/kg.

Food Take Area/ vegetables

Palam Vihar

Sector 54

South City 1

DLF City Phase 5

Sadar Bazar

Sector 23

Safal

Reliance Fresh

Potatoes (old/new)

Onions

13.90

9.90

Tomatoes

10.90

9.90

Cucumbers

15.90

Cauliflower

Bitter Gourd

Brinjal

Ladies Finger

Mushroom

L istings

15-21 June 2012

CINEMA

Qasam Se Qasam Se Time: 10:30 am Chakradhaar Time: 1:20 pm Chhota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan Time: 10:10 am The Avengers 3D Time: 8:30 pm Prometheus – 3D Time: 6:00 pm, 11:15 pm Men In Black 3 - 3D Time: 3:50 pm Address: 3rd floor, MGF Mall, MG Road Ph: 0124- 4530000 Website: www.pvrcinemas.com

THIS WEEK Big Cinemas , Palam Vihar, Gurgaon Shanghai Time: 10.20 am, 3.45 pm, 9.30 pm Rowdy Rathore Time: 10.45 am, 1.40 pm, 4.30 pm, 7.20 pm, 10.15 pm Ferrari Ki Sawaari Time: 11.15 am, 12.40 pm, 2.00 pm, 4.45 pm, 6.15 pm, 7.40 pm, 10.30 pm PVR: Ambience Premier Ferrari Ki Sawaari Time: 10:40 am, 1:30 pm, 4:20 pm, 7:10 pm, 10:00 pm Rock Of Ages Time: 10:30 am, 1:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 10:55 pm Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted 3D Time: 10:30 am, 12:40 pm, 2:50 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:10 pm, 9:20 pm Shanghai Time: 10:45 am, 1:10 pm, 3:35 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:25 pm, 10:50 pm Rowdy Rathore Time: 10:00 am, 3:20 pm, 6:10 pm,

11:30 pm Prometheus – 3D Time: 12:50 pm, 9:00 pm Address: 3rd Floor, Ambience Mall, NH-8 Website: www.pvrcinemas.com PVR: Ambience Gold Ferrari Ki Sawaari Time: 11:40 am, 2:30 pm, 5:20 pm, 8:10 pm, 10:55 pm Rock Of Ages Time: 2:15 pm, 10:00 pm Shanghai Time: 11:45 am, 4:45 pm Rowdy Rathore Time: 7:10 pm PVR MGF: MGF Mall Ferrari Ki Sawaari Time: 10:00 am, 11:50 am, 1:45 pm, 3:40 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:25 pm, 9:20 pm, 11:10 pm Rock Of Ages Time:11:00 am, 1:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 9:00 pm, 11:30 pm Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted 3D Time: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 9:55 pm Shanghai Time: 10:45 am, 1:10 pm, 3:35 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:25 pm, 10:50 pm Rowdy Rathore Time: 10:55 am, 12:50 pm, 2:40 pm, 4:35 pm, 6:30 pm, 8:20 pm, 10:15 pm

Food Bank

howcasing its social responsibility, DLF Foundation recently distributed food items at a construction labour camp at Village Ghata, Gurgaon - catering to around 5000 labourers and their families. “We have committed ourselves to provide storage and distribution of the food items to the needy. This is the weakest link to the adoption of a free food bank in the country. Due to deficient and inefficient storage and distribution facilities, lakhs of tonnes of food are wasted in the country every year - which could otherwise go to the poor and the underprivileged,” said Lt General Rajender Singh, CEO DLF CSR & Foundation. The DLF Food Bank initiative takes up from an international initiative started by International Food Banking Network in USA. DLF Foundation – the philanthropic and social responsibility arm of real-estate major DLF Limited – has initiated a partnership with Aidmatrix Foundation, for providing free food items to the underprivileged sections of society - including construction labour, slum dwellers

PVR Sahara: Sahara Mall Ferrari Ki Sawaari Time: 10:30 am, 12:20 pm, 5:30 pm, 10:40 pm Shanghai Time:10:00 am, 3:10 pm, 8:20 pm Rowdy Rathore Time:1:20 pm, 4:10 pm, 7:00 pm, 9:50 pm DT Mega Mall: DLF Phase I Men In Black 3 – 2D (U/A) English Time:10:00 am, 12:10 pm, 02:40 pm, 04:50 pm, 07:00 pm, 09:10 pm, 11:20 pm Chhota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan Time: 10.30 am Arjun-The Warrior Prince Time:12:15 pm, 04:25 pm Vicky Donor Time: 01:25 pm, 06:15 pm, 08:35 pm Men In Black 3 – 3D (U/A) English Time: 02:15 pm, 06:25 pm, 08:45 pm The Avengers 3D Time: 11.00 pm Doctor on Call

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and underprivileged school children. The Food Bank’s warehouse and operations are located in at DLF Phase III (Gurgaon). Sourcing, procurement, salvaging and distribution are already taking place, with an initial commitment to provide sustained nutritional food access and delivery to 5000 vulnerable families, for a period of three months. This will later be scaled to many more vulnerable populations.

This initiative was also supported by IFBN and DFB, and reputed organisations like Cargill India, Reliance Foundation, DLF Foundation, Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and Aidmatrix Foundation.

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15-21 June 2012

S pecial F eature

The Badshah Nallah Gurgaon’s Shame

PRAKHAR PANDEY / JIT KUMAR

Near Sohna Road

Near NH8

Badshapur Nallah – Some work in progress at the NH 8 and Sohna Road points.

6. Man has striped singlet. 7. Another curly tendril. 8. Brick missing from path. 9. Window blind changes. 10. Beetle disappears.

1. Butterfly vanishes. 2. No.3 changes to â&#x20AC;&#x153;8â&#x20AC;?. 3. Signpost longer. 4. Tree loses twig. 5. Snail appears.

Solutions Spot The Difference

Spot The Difference

Fill in the grid so that every row, column and coloured box contains ALL the numbers from 1 to 6. Bonus clue: which number should go in the circle: 1 or 4?

Solutions

Solution 03/17/11 342. The six possible combinations with the numbers 2, 3 and 4 are shown.

Kids Brainticklers

15-21 June 2012

Kid Corner

15-21 June 2012

The Good Carpenters

K id Corner

designing and measurements involved in carpentry, and actual woodwork. The kids made creative items, such as a small staircase, study tables, and drawers. The children took the finished creations back home. The Workshop was conducted by Yukti Creation.

oving away from the conventional singing and dancing workshops, a Carpentry Workshop for kids was held at the Epicentre. The children learnt how to use basic carpentry tools,

Fastrack Lesson

iny tots at Fastrack School made beautiful greeting cards and wall hangings for their mothers from waste-paper pieces. The aim of the Programme was to teach students to make use of waste material.

Baking with a Master

two-day Workshop was conducted at the World of Kidz, wherein Master Chef (Top 4) Vijaylaxmi taught tiny tots the art of baking. Children learnt to bake pizzas, cup cakes, pies, tarts, and cookies. Kids took home whatever they prepared in the classes.

Ceramic Comes Alive

et Alive organised a Ceramic Workshop for kids, led by renowned ceramist, Rekha Bajpe Agarwal. The Workshop gave kids a comprehensive introduction to the craft of clay work, and taught them about the basics of pottery. Exploring the beauty of terracotta, the kids learnt about the basic techniques used by potters to create magnificient clay pots.

Shri Ram Grooms Leaders

Leadership Programme was conducted by the Shri Ram School, Aravali, in partnership with the Aspen Institute, India. The School took students of Grades IX to Grade XII to Rishikesh, where, apart from enjoying adventure sports, students also participated in various plays and leadership building activities.

Compiled by Shilpy Arora, email: shilpy.arora@fridaygurgaon.com

Pathway To Internationalism

athways School celebrated ‘International Day’, to promote internationalism among the students. Being an international school, Pathways has children from 55 different countries. The Chief Guest for the occasion, H.E. Joao Cravinho, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to India, was welcomed by the School Director Paramjit K. Narang, the teachers, and the students. The School buzzed with parents, grandparents, and students, dressed up in outfits of different countries. There were 18 stalls of various countries—India, Japan, Holland, Russia, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, Namibia, Denmark, France, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Ukraine, Germany, and Maldives—displaying their culture, food, tradition, famous locations, birds, and flags. Students from the Primary School performed a magnificent cultural program, depicting the cultures and traditions of different countries.

MRIS Cricket Camp

Banyan Clay Play

t was an opportunity for the children to give their imagination free reign, when the Banyan Tree World School organised a Clay Modelling Workshop for its students. The teachers taught the children how to make different shapes and designs, with the help of moulds. While the little ones played with coloured clay, the older students made various innovative clay models.

anav Rachna International School, Sec. 46, organised a Cricket Summer Camp in the School playground. 35 boys from across the NCR participated in the Camp. During the Camp, Kishore Kumar, Sports Officer, MRIS46, emphasised on the physical fitness and technical aspects of the game. The beginners were introduced to the fundamentals of the game. A bowling machine was also used, for practice. The young cricketers were given T-shirts, caps and appreciation certificates.

Swiss Excel @ Martial Arts

tudents of Swiss Cottage School excelled at the 6th Delhi State Inter School Martial Arts Championship, 2012. The Championship was held at St. Mary’s Senior Secondary School, New Delhi. Vikas of Class VII won the Gold medal in the 35 to 38 KG category, while students of Class VII—Paramjeet , Aayush Kataria, and Devang—won Silver medals. Deepanshu and Aayush of Class VIII won Bronze medals. The Principal of Swiss Cottage School, Col C.R. Jakhar, said that he was confident that his students would bring home more medals in all the categories in the next championship. The School is keen on promoting Martial Arts, for honing physical skills, besides teaching lessons in self-defence.

K id Corner

15-21 June 2012

Ryan In The Wild

yan International School, Sector40 organised a five-day trekking excursion camp to Nainital. The students enjoyed adventure packed sports, which were a real test of nerves. Ryanites were accommodated in cottages and luxury tents. The students were divided into two groups – Red Indians and Green Gorillas, headed by teachers and teams of expert trainers and instructors. Each group trekked in the wildness, and learnt to lead from the front. The students participated in various adventure activities, such as caving, rock climbing, zip line, and rappelling. After the strenuous activities, they enjoyed several games, face painting, and Samba – an orchestra by the little Ryanites.

Bharti Hindi Expo

hiranjiv Bharti School, Palam Vihar conducted an Exhibition, showcasing the “Indispensable Presence of Hindi and Sanskrit in the Contemporary World”. The Exhibition was inaugurated by Trilok Tripathi, Head of Department of Hindi, Modern School, Vasant Vihar. Charts and models unfurled the history of Hindi literature, from the Vedic age to the contemporary times. Students recited shlokas in Sanskrit. School Principal Mrs. Sangeeta Saxena praised the students and teachers for organising an informative show.

Literary Flourish

Artistic Strokes

Another chance

Jtin Chawla, III-B, Gurugram Public School

Riya Saxena, IV-B, DPS

Bhumika Kohli, III-C, Sanskriti School

Compiled by Shilpy Arora, email: shilpy.arora@fridaygurgaon.com

How often we wish for another chance To make a fresh beginning. A chance to blot our mistakes A change failure into winning. It does not take a new day To make a brand new start, It only takes a deep desire To try with all our heart, To live a little better And to be always forgiving And to add a little sunshine To the world in which we’re living So never give up in despair And think that you are through For there’s always tomorrow And the hope of starting new. Vishal Yadav,

Class III, Swiss Cottage School

K id Corner

15-21 June 2012

There is something to learn from every tale, even from the funniest ones. Amar Chitra Katha tells you stories from a Telugu classic that are full of humour and wisdom.

The Better Half

Star Fun

9 to 5

Animal Crackers

Tiger

Two Wise Men

Dogs of C-Kennel

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Atullya Purohit, V B, Blue Bells Model School

15-21 June 2012

Y oung A dult

A Love Story B

eing on the other side of 25, I see marriage invites and relationship status updates all the time on my Facebook wall. With all these happy new beginnings on the scene, I have very closely watched some of the love stories – the modern day relationships. I have been trying to decode this never ending puzzle. These are not simple Karan Johar kind of love stories, but complex emotions that many of us must have experienced sometime in our lives. The puzzle I want to decode is - what is the secret behind attraction, or an instant bond, between two people? What is it that makes us fall for some people and not for others? Is it just a flow of hormones when you see a good looking guy or a girl? I would like to share a love story.

devastated; she can never imagine that she was being lied to. But she is emotionally so dependent on him that she cannot even imagine her life without him. Seeing her hurt and pained, Arun realises his mistake. He makes a promise that he will never repeat such a mistake, and asks for a second chance to prove his love. Piya is broken but still in love with him; so she agrees to give him that second chance. But some things have changed in her heart, from that very moment – as if the pure, untainted lens through which she has viewed Arun, is suddenly cracked. She feels that her love has got adulterated. Arun feels guilty for what he has done to her; on seeing her in pain, his heart also breaks. He tries his best to make everything all right, but circumstances 2002, Summer: are against him. One Who knows how long I’ve loved issue gives rise to another. Innocent, trusting Piya shifts you, You know I love you still. One year passes in this from a small town to a big Will I wait a lonely lifetime? dissatisfying and resentful city, with dreams of finding situation between them. success, love and happiness If you want me to I will. College is about to finish, in her life. At the age of 19, ---- The Beatles and she will return to her she is fairly independent and home town. The more he headstrong; but she also has a unique innocence to her personality. She looks at the tries to hold on, the more she slips away. Piya is now world with a lens that is still untainted, and far from frustrated, and really sad, after a year of struggle to reality. She appears like a child who has been jolted from make things work out between them. She decides to her deep sleep, to confront the imperfect and ugly reality move out. He keeps pursuing her, trying to convince her. of this world – which she just doesn’t seem to understand He waits for her – but she does not return. or believe. When her heart begins searching for love 2006, Summer: she meets a naughty, witty, small town-yet-street-smart Piya and Arun have accepted the guy, Arun. They have an instant connection – as if they past, and are now friends. They live in different parts are meant for each other. After a few days of casual of the country. She is pursuing her MBA, and he is dating and hanging out as friends, they discover that working at an IT firm. When they talk, both remember they feel good about each other. Feelings translate into their happy days together, as the cherished memories of a bond, and the bond into love. Things are beautiful for pure ‘first love’. Arun is now into another relationship, a few months, until one day when a misunderstanding and discusses all his love-life problems with Piya. She is shatters everything. Piya discovers that Arun is trying calm and patient, as always. This time Arun is serious to use her to pursue a common friend of theirs. Piya is and mature in his relationship. Even after so many years, when he speaks to her today, he still feels the same connection, the same warmth and the same chemistry. They are also more comfortable with each other now. But he knows it’s futile to want her back; because somewhere, he also loves his current girlfriend (It’s a two years long relationship now). Somehow his heart wants them both.

youth

Taniya Gupta, First India School of Business

Today, Gurgaon has some of the best business schools in the country. The City is truly a Silicon Valley. One can live life lavishly here. Although life becomes very hard at times, as people are not able to take out time for family and friends. One thing that is missing in most of the colleges of the City is the cultural life. There is a need to create cultural clubs in all the institutes.

speak

I feel the major issue in Gurgaon is safety for women. Despite the mushrooming of world class malls and corporates, the City has poor civic infrastructure and can’t even provide basic facilities like water and electricity. I think there is a lot Gurgaon can learn from South India. Jayshree Acharya, KIIT

2011, Winter: Arun is getting married to Anjali— his girlfriend—after a seven years long relationship. He has fought with his family for this alliance for several months, and today finally the date has been decided. Six months from today he will be a married man; but somehow the news isn’t still sinking within. His first thought goes to Piya – even today. Sitting in his couch at 11:30 pm, with the air conditioner at full blast, he is sweating. He calls Piya. His heart is heavy. It’s an unknown pain he is experiencing after a long time. It feels like the first day when he had seen Piya. Suddenly he feels he can’t breathe anymore. He just wants her back now; he wants to go back in time and change everything. His heart doesn’t understand his logic anymore. He doesn’t know why, after so many years, he can’t stop thinking about her. He picks up the phone and dials her number. Piya: Hello. Arun: Hi. Piya: Hey, how are you? Arun: I am good. Are you busy? Piya: No, no, tell me. Long time. How are you? Arun: Listen, I have to give you some news. Keep yourself free in February. You are coming for my wedding. Piya: (After a moment of awkward silence) Wow! Great! Congratulations. Arun: Yes, yes. After a lot of trouble I convinced my family. Even Anjali had lots of trouble at her place. So book your tickets in advance, ok? Piya: Arun, I won’t come. You know why, so don’t ask me the reason. I wish you a happy married life. Take care of her. Arun bursts into tears, and they talk for two long

hours, grieving for their happy times together. Such are the puzzles of modern day love stories. Sometimes we know our soul mate is somebody else, but we marry another. At times, people fall for two people at the same time. At times people fall in love outside their marriages. I believe love can never be destroyed. If you truly love somebody you will continue to love them in some form or the other. Love changes its form with the passing of time, and the changes in one’s life. We can be in love with our long lost ‘puppy love’, even after we get married and start a family. Of course, we love our partners (husband/wife) too,;but somewhere in our moments of solitude we grieve the absence of our ‘lost love’. I wonder if this is just a romantic ideology of the dreamy soul, or a ‘normal’ human phenomenon. Ever wondered why our heart always craves for the love after we have lost it? And why our heart takes the love it receives for granted? What is that mysterious magnet that makes you hang on to some people for years, or even for a lifetime? As Elizabeth Gilbert, of Eat, Pray, Love, rightly says “Intimacy has certain natural laws that govern the emotional and sexual experience of two people; and these laws cannot be budged any more than gravity can be negotiated with. To feel physically comfortable with someone else’s body is not a decision you can make. It has very little to do with how two people think or act or talk – or even look. The mysterious magnet is either there, buried somewhere deep behind the sternum, or it is not. When it isn’t there (as I have learned in the past, with heartbreaking clarity) you can no more force it to exist, than a surgeon can force a patient’s body to accept a kidney from the wrong donor.

Lipi Patel

Lift Your Head

s in my bed I lie low, I ponder where did our environment go? Is it lost in the sky that is now full of lead? Is it lost with those striped creatures which are now dead? Is it lost in those drops that now bring acid rain? Is it lost in the branches of those trees on the plain? Is it lost among the disasters that the world fears? Or is it lost behind our own mother earth’s tears? And then I wish, That as I gaze at the sky, it’s blue once again, that no creature of earth would wince in pain, that as rain pours, it would rejuvenate, that all the beautiful trees would now stand straight, that disasters would become easier to survive. And that our mother earth would stronger thrive.

Vaishali Gauba

15-21 June 2012

Annus Horribilis

his year was to herald the end of the world. Well, it looks likely to record the end of the EU – and certainly, the EU way of life. The first casualties have been the ‘weaker’ countries in the EU. If the EU does not break up, the ‘stronger’ too will be indelibly scarred. Societies are normally most vulnerable when most citizens believe that they no longer need to work hard, when their basic comforts are taken for granted, and when their future income and welfare too is guaranteed. That is the time when indulgence comes easy. There was talk of a 4-day week in EU; and probably a 4-hour workday to follow. (Maybe they should have insisted on the UK coming in. The Beatles were very clear that 8 days a week was not enough…). The only significant exception is Germany. But why should it stick its neck out? Why should it sacrifice so much? Are the rest, and the world, willing to give it some special status and terms? Will that start to bring back World War memories?

EDITORIAL Atul Sobti

So is there world-realignment in the making? For years, even decades, we believe that what is current will take a long time to change. And then change happens in front of our eyes. We register it years later. Many of us have seen the era of the US-Soviet fight for dominance – though ‘from afar’. It was hardly a globalized world then – in terms of connectivity in any form. The US has had a fairly small (by historical standards) undisputed global leadership position. It is clearly already in a fight for dominance with China. This promises to last longer. And the outcome will change the world dramatically - say 25 years from now. The crisis in Europe will only hasten that. The era of western (US/Europe) dominance – over centuries - is now playing itself out. It will be fascinating to be witness to this transformation – to this saga of How The West Was Won. Something has got to give. The US is too busy trying to steady its own ship. It also gets itself caught up in one major war all the time. This is a perfect time for China to make the EU move. Starting with the setting up of a West Europe Trading Company, it can slowly hold economic

LETTER TO THE EDITOR It is most heartening that all Senior District officials met recently, to specifically take stock of their preparedness for the monsoon. Friday Gurgaon is happy to have pro-actively brought this to the notice of the Administration, and to the public. See our story “Waiting For A Rainy Day” in our June 1 to 7 issue (also viewable at fridaygurgaon.com).

Comment

onderful read. I loved W the way this article is presented,

Saru Singhal on the article The Illusion

reat information, good GBhupinder prospects, Singh Bawa

on the article, Move South to Sohna

Great stuff!on theAmiya Jha editorial, What’s In A Pill?

sway over most of Europe. There is nothing really now—if there ever was—to hold the Portuguese, Irishmen, Italians, Greeks, and Spaniards together. Adversity has made that obvious. In India, we often go back centuries, to vicariously bask on our days of glory. However, we now believe that our time too has come – that the golden age has returned. Unfortunately we have put all our eggs in one basket called cricket. The only hope now is that cricket somehow helps out the economy also – as it has the entertainment industry. It is a different matter that the economy captain(s) and team insist on repeatedly getting out ‘hit wicket’. We have managed to snatch economic defeat from the jaws of victory. We have just been warned again. For the last 5 years specially, we have lived and spent as if there were no tomorrow. Power has corrupted; power has put party before country. The way forward is therefore to first acknowledge the serious issues at hand, and then to work hard and smart in many areas. There is no short cut, no ‘bonus’ left. In fact, the demographic dividend should not now become a demographic millstone. Over time, we will recover; but we should have learnt that: We should never think of any Asia Union, or even a SAARC one; We should look within, so that all states/ citizens prosper – maybe this is now the time for the East, in India also; and We should emulate China, and learn from history, by setting up a West England Trading Co. The lesson for us Gurgaonites is that we need to be less indulgent. An EU moment is never far off. We may think of ourselves as the Germans of the Indian Union: but firstly, we are not; and secondly, our fortunes are inexorably tied to our Union - we will sink or swim with fellow Unionites. This has been a horrible year for many countries and citizens (most were bowled, due to a weak defence; or caught, playing an ambitious shot). It has not yet played out. Hopefully next year ’13 will be lucky for some. u

FAMOUS QUOTES You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your tricks of war. Napoleon Don’t find fault, find a remedy. Henry Ford In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman. Margaret Thatcher I always turn to the sports page first. The sports page re-

cords people’s accomplishments; the front page nothing but man’s failures. Earl Warren To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. Thomas Alva Edison

Don’t be afraid of death so much as an inadequate life. Bertolt Brech The person who has lived the most is not the one with the most years but the one with the richest experiences. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Divide and rule, a sound motto. Unite and lead, a better one. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Love is a dirty trick played on us to achieve the continuation of the species. William Somerset Maugham

All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them. Galileo Galilei

Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. P. J. O’Rourke

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15-21 June 2012

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Grapes provide their best nutrients and taste when they are enjoyed fresh. Fully ripened grapes have the highest concentrations of antioxidants, and are also the tastiest. Select grapes that are plump, intact (attached firmly to the stem), and free from wrinkles. Just before consuming, grapes should be washed under cold running water. After washing, either drain the excess water, or gently pat them dry. Unwashed grapes can be stored upto 5 days in a refrigerator. For best results, loosely wrap in a paper towel, and place them in an airtight container or plastic bag.

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Nature’s Wonder Food of the week: Grapes or Vitis vinifera

respiratory, immune, inflammatory, blood sugar regulation, and nervous systems. According to Ayurveda, grapes have a cooling effect, and have a pacifying effect on the Vata and Pitta dosha in the body. Being soft, yet heavy to digest, grapes increase the moistness of body tissues. The mild laxative properties help in easy bowel movement. Grapes are considered in the treatment of excessive thirst, fever, respiratory problems, vomiting, gout, liver disorders, excessive burning sensation, dryness, emaciation and hang-overs. The primary ingredient of Drakshasava – a medicinal wine, taken in small therapeutic doses - is red grapes. Like Chyavanprash, it is considered to be an excellent anti-stress and anti-aging tonic, which rejuvenates and generates a sense of physical, mental and emotional well-being.

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The sheer abundance of antioxidants in grapes is staggering - the total number of different antioxidant nutrients in grapes runs well into the hundreds. What makes things interesting is the combined presence of these antioxidants with anti-inflammatory agents, antibacterials, and an ever-lengthening list of phytonutrients. In addition, grapes are an excellent source of free radical-scavenging manganese, providing 0.66 mg per cup (or 33% of the RDA). They are a very good source of bone-healthy Vitamin K, and heart-healthy Vitamin B6 and potassium; as also energy-producing thiamin (Vitamin B1), and immune-supportive Vitamin C. Cardiology is one area where the list of benefits from grapes is truly impressive. Grapes help in the better regulation of blood pressure and cholesterol; and provide an increase in blood levels of glutathione - a critical antioxidant nutrient. Fibre is essential for a healthy colon. Grapes provide approximately 1 gram of fibre in every 60 calories(or one cup). The twin benefit of antioxidants( flavonoids and anthocyanins) and fibre is one reason for the increased interest in grapes, for colon cancer research. Despite their sweet taste profile, grapes have been classified as a low Glycemic Index (GI) food – with GI values ranging between 43-53. Several studies have connected grape intake to better blood sugar balance, better insulin regulation, and increased insulin sensitivity. However, overweight and diabetic people should be a little cautious while consuming grapes, as they are a rich source of sugar and contain 61 calories per cup (92 gm). u Registered Holistic Nutritionist (Canadian School of Natural Nutrition) For education purposes only; always consult a healthcare practitioner for medical conditions

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Indian Gooseberry (Amla), taken with an equal amount of sugar crystals (Mishri) is a good remedy for acidity.

15-21 June 2012

A rt

Art As Inspiration { Srimati Lal }

t is not expected that everyone would immediately understand the eclectic -- and often mysterious -- inspirations that generate Fine Art and Poetry. And yet Art, the Muse, and the mystery of the creative font remain subjects of fascination for most human beings. They wish to take a painting home, to brighten-up the environs, or inspire the tired soul. In this essay, I will attempt to delineate what makes up Art's inspirational process. As we traverse Life, from the trauma of birth to passing into the eternal mystery, we look essentially for one thing: Happiness. It is a commodity that seems rather elusive to many; and not, to some others who are more simple in their

Golden Goddess with Parrot and Dove

New York Street Pop Art

Warli Tribal Painting

approach, it is an integral part of their daily experience. A sociological change in our complex millennium is worth noting in this context. With a general collapse of conventional religion in modern society, Fine Art -- which includes all things beautiful -- seems to have become a just replacement for the solace and comfort—and happiness— previously found in spiritual tenets and places of worship. In our search for happiness, we tend to forget that Happiness rests in the very experience of being alive; "Suffering is a misunderstanding of Life" would be another way of putting it. We should aim to surround ourselves with objects that generate this essential joi de vivre; yet often, one's selection of Art reflects one's state of mind. A depressed soul tends to wear dark, drab colours – and chooses similar items. The common element in all artistic masterpieces that hang in the world's greatest museums is their evocation of Beauty. The subject of the Art need not necessarily be 'pleasant' -- take the great Spanish master Goya's powerful paintHoli Bouquet ing on War, 'Saturn Devouring His Sons';

Matisse

Kalighat Lady with Parrot

or our own master-Modernist Souza's unnerving Chemi- of an exaggerated palette, cal Futurist Heads. But the fact is, all brilliant artists and the confidence of the convey Beauty in their works -- via a combination of natural, uninhibited brushimagination, vision, colour, harmony, balance and stroke—centuries before form. 'modernism' visited the west. What comprises the energy that actually generates I feel a thrill and rush such great masterworks? of adrenaline when I Artists must be true to their instincts, and pay obei- observe: the 'echoes' besance to all the natural forms that have genuinely in- tween a secular 20th-C spired them. As an artist, I am personally indebted to Matisse masterpiece, and the intricate and gem-like brilliance of Indian Folk Art an ancient religious K a; and medieval illuminations --- of Orissa and Kalighat the psychic rhyming of Patachitra paintings; Madhubani's abstract raptures; symbolic swirls of ancient the poetic delicacy and sweetness of Indian and Islamic Tantric Mandalas, and miniatures; the wild flamboyance of Kutch tribal designs Van Gogh's circular patand embroideries; and the stunning glow of stained-glass terns in his 19th-C Dutch windows. I have been awestruck by the manner in which Starry Night-sky; and the Tribal women-artists of the remotest Indian deserts and evident inspiration of Tantric Mandala design villages paint and embroider life-affirmations in Indian Warli tribal wallbrave, shockingly-iridescent colours – that seem to amply compensate for their daily poverty and struggle. I am always amazed to note how happy the best of our Folk-artists appear to be -- with glowing smiles illuminating their weatherbeaten faces. Just visit any Crafts Fair to confirm this observation. Vivid, auspicious symbols shine like constellations upon their spontaneous artworks, like dream-chronicles painted in the most saturated colours of their mindscape --- euphoric with Life's sheer adventure. There is a power in the purity of Art's lines and colours, that rejuvenates the mind and the body, evoking a healing energy that can create a virtual Renaissance. Beauty is not a trivial attribute --- it is, in fact, a high nuance of Nature, 'Prakriti'. Understanding and achieving happiness though an absorption of this Beauty requires 'Sadhana', a high discipline. Starry Night The kaleidoscopic Indian folk-art palette contains the most Modern use of colour. I first saw the gold-framed canvasses of Matisse and Van Gogh in art, in Keith Haring's New York Pop-Grafitti 1990s the glittering halls of the 'advanced' western world's most street paintings. affluent museums when I was a child. However, the art In his seventies, Picasso had said that he "wanted to of the east, a highly-evolved art, had already mastered re-learn how to paint --- from his infant children." One all the complexities of figurative distortion—the beauty must never lose the dream-like, lucid, magic realm of childhood -- that time when we see everything in its purest, best light. My very first visual memory is, in fact, of a wild red rose blooming in the garden of my home in Kolkata. Soon after, at the age of five, my memory was emblazoned with the dazzling sparkle of vast stained-glass windows in the chapel of my first school. Perhaps this is why, decades later, I still paint wild flowers, and dream of angelic women, saints and goddesses – in flamboyant arabesques and jewel-colours. My most sincere advice to all aspiring and established artists is simply this -look towards your own country's most ancient Folk-heritage – just as Jamini Roy, Amrita Shergil and Matisse did. You will need nothing else for 'modern' aesthetic inspiration. u Rabari Kutch embroidery Artist, Writer and Curator

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15-21 June 2012

Office Chi { Bhavana Sharma }

Do’s

Don’ts

Make your office entry inviting. Beautiful items (such as fresh flowers) attract positive chi. n Place your desk in a 'command' position, facing the doorway, with a wall behind you for support. Centre yourself by placing an earth element (like a nature poster) behind you. n Place red objects (such as candles) on the South corner of your desk, to attract recognition for your efforts. Crystals have the same effect, if placed in the South, or on window sills. n Position your computer on the West side of your desk, to enhance creativity – or on the Southeast, to generate income. n Place a plant in a red pot on the East side of your desk, to encourage good health and to energise your workspace; or in the Southeast for wealth. Bamboo and money plants are top picks. n Strategically place symbols of good fortune — the dragon, phoenix, unicorn and turtle — in your workspace. n Place a peacekeeping symbol (such as a rooster) in a central part of the office, to discourage backstabbing. n Place the fax machine, telephone or computers in the 'wealth' area (the Southeast), to encourage more business. n Place an aquarium in the North, to activate business success. Black and blue fish absorb negative energy. Water also promotes good health. n

place is the North West wall. Hung here, the painting transforms into a he ancient Chinese philosophy potent feng shui tool, and activates the of feng shui dictates that people luck of the magnificent chi. The best can harness the natural forces art to have around the office is landscape paintings. These of nature—or chi—to will create balance, promote prosperity, and we will enjoy harsuccess, health, and monious working relaharmony in any envitionships with our colronment. We can even leagues. A good idea get our office reveris to place a mountain berating with positive feature in front of us; energy, by balancing a carpet of flowers in a the elements around field is also excellent, as the area. this symbolises a bright Firstly, we need to unencumbered space avoid abstract art that in front of us. We can has too many sharp hang paintings of fruits edges, and colours that on the Eastern wall, as clash with the elements this promotes and acon the wall. Art that tivates the chi of that suggests metal could zone. Paintings of fish be harmful, when hung can often bring about on the East or South Lucky Office Colours feng shui energies, but East. Art that records Red represents aggressivenot those depicting wild the tragedies of our ness in business. animals – such as tiage, can set up negative Orange: co-operation and gers. These will cause vibrations. If we wish collaboration. unhealthy quarrels and to hang portraits of Yellow: clear thinking. mental disturbance. u kings and queens, or Blue-green: reflection. Author, Tarot Card the founder of our Purple: creativity . Reader company, the best

n Hang large mirrors in the reception, as chi entering the office will be reflected back outside. n Sit with your back to the door, because, symbolically, business enters through it. If you can't move your desk, attach a mirror on your monitor, so you can see people approaching (thus limiting your vulnerability). n Face your desk towards the stairs, storage rooms, elevators, escalators, or toilets – which are thought to be distracting. n Keep cacti or sharp plants on your desk, as they create fierce chi. n Be careless with files. They represent your past, present, and future business, so they should be stored efficiently – to encourage future success. n Work in a cluttered space. Get rid of anything old (calendars, post-its), or items that harbour bad memories. n Allow broken or faulty equipment to be visible. A dripping tap, for example, signals a slow drain on resources. n Leave dead flowers (or rancid water) in the office, as they have a symbolic effect on wealth. n Keep brooms and mops in sight, as they're thought to 'sweep away' success; same for cables and cords, as their presence represents and creates a sense of chaos.

Song & Dance Seasons { Alka Gurha }

t a time when Bollywood celebrities are descending on the small screen, the coming months promise to be a star studded bonanza – especially with ‘Jhalak Dikhla Jaa’ on Colors, and ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony Entertainment Television. Singing and dancing are back with a bang! ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’, the Indian version of BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’, is back with its fifth season – and the excitement continues unabated. With the exception of Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya, the other contestants belong to the entertainment industry. The list of contestants includes Darsheel Safary (of Taare Zameen Par), Isha Sharvani and Ravi Kissen from the Hindi film industry. Television actors who are on the list include Gurmeet Choudhry (Punar Vivah), Karan Grover (Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli), Giaa Manek (Saath Nibhana Saathiya), Meghna Malik (Na Aana Is Des Laado), Pratyusha Banerjee (Balika Vadhu) and Bharti Singh (Comedy Circus). The fifth season of ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’ will see actress Pratyusha Banerjee, known for playing Anandi in ‘Balika Vadhu’, transform from a typical bahu to a glam diva. Apart from Bol-

lywood’s dancing queen Madhuri Dixit, and choreographer-turneddirector Remo D’Souza, filmmaker Karan Johar will be the third judge. What does Karan know about dancing, you ask? Well, I am equally clueless! Meanwhile, ‘Indian Idol’ has roped in Asha Bhonsle as the fourth judge of the popular singing reality show. In the first two episodes, Sunidhi Chauhan, who recently got hitched to music composer Hitesh Sonik, looked charming, and music director Salim Merchant was relatively silent. The relief from Anu Malik’s pedestrian ‘shayari’ was short lived. In the second episode itself, the inimitable Anu Malik and his ‘impromptu couplets’ were back to torment the viewers.

Kapoor and Priya Sharma Kapoor married to other people. Worse, Ram’s second wife will be Priya’s sister Ayesha! Surprised? Well, it is an Ekta Kapoor show after all. If dead men can turn up alive, and grandmothers can outlive the oldest person in the country, then the hero

marrying his ex-sister-in-law is hardly surprising. Apparently, Ram’s stepbrother Siddhant gets Ayesha pregnant, and then breaks off his relationship with her. Ram, being ‘Ram’, does the right thing and marries Ayesha. Do they live happily ever after? When Ekta launched the show last year, it promised to be a different, ‘mature love story’. It is now a fascimile of any other saas-bahu serial. u

Laughing St It seems that sob stories, and tales of courage of the common man, have become a staple on reality shows. ‘Indian Idol 6’ is cashing in on the fact that Indians love emotional stories of struggles endured by small town contestants. As a result, we have a heart-rending tale of a divorcee trying to make it big, a barber’s son dreaming of becoming a famous singer, and a small town businessman struggling to make ends meet while his daughter realises her dream. If highlighting miseries is the new mantra to push TRP’s, brace yourself for more – whether you maango or not! Finally, how can we not talk about the much discussed leap in ‘Bade Ache Lagte Hai’ on Sony? News is that the show’s storyline will take a leap of about five years, and see both Ram

So of course it’s difficult to learn the English language...and learning to spell can be pure guess work... Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine. A backward poet writes inverse. A man’s home is his castle, in a manor of speaking. Reading while sunbathing makes you well red. When two egotists meet, it’s an I for an I. A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it is two tired. Santa’s helpers are subordinate clauses. Once you’ve seen one shopping center, you’ve seen a mall. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead-to-know basis. What’s the definition of a will? (It’s a dead giveaway.) In democracy your vote counts. In feudalism your count votes. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress. Every calendar’s days are numbered. He had a photographic memory that was never developed. Acupuncture is a jab well done. A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

New Seconds Hub

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JIT KUMAR

15-21 June 2012

who checks out the market quite regularly, bought a second-hand table tennis table of Stag for Rs. 4,000. The market value of a new table is around Rs. 40,000. “It was like hitting the jackpot,” smiles Akshat. From Durian 8-seater sofa

{ Shilpy Arora / FG }

f you are on the lookout for furniture to liven up your homes or offices, but popular brands are way beyond your budget, check out the furniture market at Badhshahpur. Luxury comes cheap in this second-hand furniture market, that has mushroomed along the Sohna Road. The market is a one-stop destination for imported furniture, as well as electronics, antiques, and musical instruments. There are some 10 shops, that have something for everyone. From students, to families and office-folk, the market receives customers from all across the City. When asked about the profile of buyers, M.K Jajoria, who claims to be the first vendor to set up a shop in the market, says, “Recently we supplied furniture to the nearby police station. People from posh colonies such as DLF Phase V and Palam Vihar also visit the market, to buy furniture and artefacts. Used electronic items are also attracting a large number of customers.” The market is also frequented by musicians, as guitars and drums—and even consoles—are sometimes, available in the market. Professor K. Babu from Nirvana Country has been a customer for nearly four years. “I visited this market for the first time in 2008, when I was running a music class for the underprivileged children. I wanted to buy a set of drums, and an acoustic guitar, for the batch. Since buying new instruments was out of reach,

sets, and Samsung Frenchdoor refrigerators, to IFB automatic washing machines and Greenply office furniture, many branded goods are readily available in the market. Besides, the vendors make sure the items are in a good condition. They also offer warranty on some goods. “We always make sure that the items are in a good usable condition. Even while purchasing used furniture, peo-

I checked out this Badshahpur furniture market, and bought a guitar, a set of drums, a dholak, and a flute – all for under Rs. 6,000. One trip to this market gives me a chance to explore different items, and they are all easy on the pocket,” says Babu. Rekha Tiwari, a regular buyer, seconds that. She just bought her son a study table for just Rs. 2,200, while her daughter Namita picked up a wooden magazine stand for Rs. 400. “One can easily find furniture for the kids’ room – such as bunker beds, study tables, computer cabinets, and book racks. Last year, I bought a bunker bed for Rs. 2,000, and a computer table for Rs. 700, both in pretty good condition,” says Rekha.

Brands Available

A sharp-eye shopper can, in fact, find amazing deals on furniture, antiques, and electronics. Akshat, a student,

ple are brand conscious. We have tied up with the scrap dealers in big condominiums, who make available branded items to us,” says Ramchandra, a shopkeeper.

Money Matters

When compared to other second-hand furniture markets in the City, the Badshahpur market turns out to be the cheapest. A sofa set that will cost around Rs. 50,000 in a second-hand furniture store at Sikanderpur, will cost Rs. 18,000 to Rs. 20,000 at Badhshahpur. We also found an imported timber wood bed set for Rs. 25,000, and an 8-seater dining table for Rs. 10,000. One can also buy electronic goods, such as microwaves, for Rs.1,100; a fully-automatic washing machine for Rs. 4,000; and a branded full-capacity refrigerator for Rs. 7,000. Fitness equipment, like treadmills, can be bought under Rs. 6,000. However, it is prudent to always try out the items before making a purchase. Open up the drawers in cabinets, check out the support system of couches, and sit on the chairs. “Don’t buy soft woods like pine lumber, and always get the old furniture refurnished,” advises an interior decorator who visits the market quite regularly. u

Haryanvi Made Easy

Get a taste of the local lingo 1. My dog is hurt. Maare Kutte ke chhot lage se. 2. I need a doctor for him. Manne ek dactar chaiye se uss tai. 3. Is this a hospital for animals? Yo haspatal janwara ka se ke? 4. How can I take my dog there?

Apne Kutte ne kyunkar le ke jaau? 5. Can we go in a cab?

Ke hum gaddi main ja sake se ke?

6. When will my dog get well?

Maara Kutta kadd tai thik ho jaaga?

15-21 June 2012

R eal E state

Gurgaon-II: Taking Shape There are almost 4 distant parts of Gurgaon II. Sectors 58 to 67 are the farthest South-East of Gurgaon, across the SPR/Golf Course Extension Road, upto Sohna Road. Sectors 68 to 80 are from across Sohna Road to NH8. Sectors 81 to 98 are across NH8, and upto Manesar. Sectors 99 to 115 are behind ‘old’ Gurgaon – and upto Delhi border. This is Part II (Zone 1&2 were covered last week). prakhar pandey

Zone 3 Sectors 81 to 98

{ Hritvick Sen / FG}

he current buzz in real estate is more on the Southern Peripheral Road (from the Faridabad Road junction, across Sohna Road, and onto NH8). This area envelopes Sectors 58 to 80. However, work is now apace, on the other side of NH 8 – just after the Kherki Daula toll plaza. “The development is good. And fast.” In the oppressive June heat, two men are braving the afternoon sun under a hurriedly put-up shamiana in Sector 82. All around them are brochures and flex-boards, of upcoming housing projects. “We

have apartments and houses tailor-made for every strata of society, in the new sectors,” says Ankit, a property dealer, while wiping perspiration off his brow. In their ever-hungry quest to accommodate more people, the builders of Gurgaon have moved beyond the inner City – creating new sectors on the fringe. The rate at which new buildings are coming up here is amazing. There are a plethora of builder sign-boards everywhere. At a number of points there are sleek branch offices of the developers, and of property dealers. Lower down the pecking order are the hastily-put up tents. And they are not twiddling their thumbs. Every two minutes or so, one or

two cars drive up, after checking out the area – to know the rates of the apartments and the builder colonies. “It’s going to take three to four years for the developers to start handing over apartments. This whole area needs to be developed before habitation can begin,” says a realtor from Philby Real Estate. “Residential housing will be in Sectors 81 to 95, (and then from 99 to Sector 115 towards Dwarka). The Sectors 96, 97 and 98 will be devoted to Industry,” he reveals. The DLF hoarding boasts of housing 10,000 families in its apartments, in the New Sectors. Vatika, which is building a mini-city, promises to have schools, markets and everything a family could need, within its township. And other developers are promising to raise the bar, for a better living in the New Sectors. Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has constructed wide, sixlane roads, leading up and down the new constructions.

Proper street lighting has been put up in these areas, although there is not even a tea-shop to be seen outside the villages. At some stretches, the road makes unexpected Ubends, where the villages or the farmers have refused to let go of the land. Wherever you see farming, assume that the farmer has created a ruckus over selling of his land, we are told. A HUDA official confirms that the road-laying work in Sectors 8195 has already started, and will be completed soon. Adarsh, a villager buying a fan in Naurangpur, says, “It is good to see development in these areas. But it is a little bit disheartening to see shiny

new roads for residents who will not be living here any time soon, while we have kachcha roads since so many years. The Zila Panchayat has not made any road repairs in our village for the last five years.” There is a steady stream of buyers coming to the New Sectors, to buy their dream home. The speed of construction activity is truly mind-boggling. The roads are wide and welllit. Other amenities are going to be taken care of by the builders in their mini-cities. But, like Gurgaon currently, will the villages remain neglected, and be an eyesore, near the well-appointed mansions and condominiums?u

Sanjay Sharma of Qubrex says that a majority of buyers here are investors. “Most of the people have invested here as prices are still less compared to other parts of New Gurgaon,” says Sharma. Currently the going rate in this area is between Rs. 3,200 and Rs. 8,000 PSF for premium properties. These Sectors still have a lot of catching up to do with the rest of the New Sectors/Gurgaon II, as tall residential buildings stand amidst green fields, and are connected by kuccha roads. Real estate analysts however says that these sectors will ultimately come out winners, as they are the closest to Delhi, have proximity to the International Airport, and the rates are significantly lower. The NPR will ensure seamless movement of people from Delhi to Gurgaon, and upto Manesar. The planned metro connectivity in the future, along with the transit rail project, could also be a major booster for growth. Around 6 to 7 million

square feet area will be developed as office and retail space in the commercial corridor. While buying an apartment in this area could be a profitable proposition, analysts point out that a time horizon of at least 5 years should be kept in mind. Most of the builders have slowed down construction, owing to lack of infrastructure development, and the slow pace of NPR. Sharma says that while Sectors 81 to 95 have reasonable connectivity with National Highway 8, the Sectors from 99 to 115 are a little cut off. This could lead to sluggish growth. The quality of support infrastructure and civic services, and the ability of the developers to deliver quality projects on time will ultimately decide whether these New Sectors turn out to be the promised land. With existing Gurgaon already challenged, how will these New Sectors be provided the basic services on a sufficient, timely basis? The Master Plan has only some answers. u

Zone 4 Sectors 99 to 115

{ Abhishek Behl / FG }

hile the expansion of Gurgaon along the Southern Peripheral Road, particularly on the Golf Course Extension Road is taking place rapidly, the Sectors coming up on Dwarka Expressway—also called the Northern Peripheral Road (NPR)—are following a slow growth trajectory. Real estate analysts say that this sluggish development, particularly in Sectors 99 to 115, is due to the delay in the construction of the NPR. In addition, the infrastructure development by HUDA in these sectors has yet to take place. However, the builders in these sectors are banking upon the completion of NPR by the end of this year, and are selling plots and apartments to buyers on that premise. Insiders however say that early completion of NPR is unlikely, as parts of land on which this Road is coming up—in New Palam Vihar, Kherki Daula

and some other areas—is under litigation. “It is unlikely that this issue will be resolved soon. Not only the Road, but sector level infrastructure is yet to come up,” says Sanjay Sharma of Qubrex. He adds that with Courts taking a more humanitarian stand on land acquisition and siding with farmers, the solution could be further delayed. The infrastructure in these sectors is also pretty basic, with only village roads available right now to connect the huge apartment complexes that have come up in the area. In fact there is still no sign of the Master Road Network, Master Sewage Network and other basic facilities that have to be built by HUDA, as the external development agency. Some of the builders who have projects in Sector 109 to 113, falling near villages Chauma and Bajghera off Palam Vihar, will benefit from the close proximity to Delhi, as well as a developed eco-system nearby. The major projects in this area

include Diplomatic Greens by Puri, Mahindra Aura, and projects by Rahejas, Chintels and Sobha Developers. However a huge ‘unauthorised colony’ in the form of New Palam Vihar, surrounding these posh condominiums, lack of sewage and storm water drains, and poor roads need to be taken care of urgently. The slow speed of infrastructure development by HUDA and other government agencies has in fact become a cause of concern for the builders. Many of them had announced the projects in the hope that NPR will be completed by 2012. Nayan Raheja, Executive Director of Raheja Group, in an earlier interview with Friday Gurgaon had said that the slow growth of infrastructure, particularly in these sectors, was affecting real estate companies badly. He had even said that despite the lack of infrastructure, his company will handover the flats to buyers, as they did not want to delay possession. HUDA officials meanwhile say that plans are on the anvil to develop roads, sanitation, sewage and storm water drains in these sectors soon. While HUDA works out plans for these sectors, the builders are outdoing one another in announcing new projects – despite the fact that there is little hope for proper development of this area over the next 5 years.

22 { Alvise Armellini, Alexandra MayerHohdahl / Brussels / DPA }

he European Commission has issued a fresh set of recommendations, on how European Union (EU) member states should handle their finances and fix their economies, as the bloc struggles to get a handle on its economic crisis. Key extracts for the countries that have most been in the limelight.

SPAIN

While praising the progress already made, the Commission believes that Spain still needs to reform its tax system; accelerate pension reforms; further clean up its banking system; open up regulated professions and the retail sector; and improve its educa-

{ Helmut Reuter / Rio de Janeiro / DPA }

lobal investment in renewable energy soared last year, to a new record level of 257 billion dollars, according to a report that the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) recently released. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner sees this new level, up 17 per cent with relation to 2010, as great news in the run-up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), that is set to be held in Rio de Janeiro next week. “This sends yet another strong signal of opportunity to world leaders and delegates meeting in June at the Rio+20 Summit: namely, that transforming sustainable development from patchy progress to a reality for seven billion people is achievable, when existing technologies are

he UNEP and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), recently released two global reports on renewable energy sources. Here are some of the key facts: - China was the largest investor in renewable energy with 52 billion dollars, closely followed by the United States at 51 billion dollars. - More than 200 million households, and many public and commercial buildings, use solar collectors for their

{ JT Nguyen / New York / DPA }

overnments have made significant progress in implementing only four of 90 goals to improve the environment – which had been found degraded by human activities, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said. The four goals met in recent decades are: the elimination of the use and production of ozonedepleting substances; the removal of lead from fuel; increasing access to improved water supplies; and boosting research to reduce marine pollution. UNEP unveiled the study

15-21 June 2012

EU’s Eco Advice tion system to better young people’s job prospects. In its report, the Commission notes that “the tax-to-GDP ratio in Spain is among the lowest in the EU”, and criticizes tax breaks for homeowners. “Tax policy (has been) driving up household debt and feeding the housing bubble in Spain,” it said. It warns that, unless more steps are taken to rein in spending, public debt will rise over 100 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020. It also takes a swipe at wasteful spending by regional administrations, noting that, over the last 20 years, 48 commercial

UNEP Report combined with inspiring policies and decisive leadership,” Steiner says. Investment in renewable energy has experienced a six-fold increase since 2004, and the 2011 figure is 94 per cent higher than that for 2007 – the year before the global economic and financial crisis broke out. The report, “Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment”, released in Rio, excludes large hydroelectric plants – of which Brazil is currently building the world’s third-largest, Belo Monte, in the Amazonian state of Para (in a controversial project with an estimated investment of 12.4 billion dollars). Besides the UNEP report, the Renewables 2012 Global Status Report was also released by the network REN21. According to this research, 16.7 of the global

Renewable Energy hot water. - 27 countries have feed-in tariffs (FITs) in place; at least 65 countries have policies in place to support renewable power generation. - In 2011, China was again the world leader in the installation of wind turbines and thermic solar devices, as well as the leading producer of hydroelectric power. - In India, investment in re-

Environment on environment goals ahead of the International Conference on sustainable development, to be held June 20-22 in Rio de Janeiro. Known as Rio+20, the meeting this month follows up the Earth Summit, which was held in 1992 in Rio. UNEP said some progress had been made on 40 of the 90 goals – such as expansion of protected areas, and efforts to reduce deforestation. Little or no progress was reported on 24 goals, including climate change, fish stocks, desertification and drought. “If current trends continue, if

airports have been built, with only 11 making a profit.

GREECE

The main message—coming ahead of June 17 elections—is that the country needs to stick with unpopular economic reforms and deficit-trimming measures, if it wants to continue receiving bailout payments from the EU and the International Monetary Fund. The Commission did not offer specific policy recommendations for Greece, since it considers that countries under bailout programmes have already been given their marching orders. demand for energy is currently covered with renewable sources. Total investment in solar power rose by 52 per cent to 147 billion dollars. In fact, solar generation surged past wind power to become the renewable energy technology of choice for global investors in 2011, according to the report. Solar energy attracted nearly twice as much investment as wind power. With falling prices, renewable sources of energy are increasingly becoming competitive, with relation to fossil fuels like coal and gas. Photovoltaic module prices fell by close to 50 per cent in 2011, and those of onshore wind turbines by around 10 per cent. Sinking prices are good for consumers, although not so much for manufacturers – “a number of whom went out of business or were forced to restructure” according to the UNEP report. u newable energy rose by 62 per cent last year, to total 12 billion dollars. - In the United States, 12.7 per cent of total domestic electricity came from renewables in 2011, up from 10.2 per cent in 2010. - In the European Union, renewables accounted for more than 71 per cent of total electric capacity additions in 2011. Solar facilities represented 46.7 per cent of new capacity that came into operation last year. u current patterns of production and consumption of natural resources prevail—and cannot be reversed and decoupled— then governments will preside over unprecedented levels of damage and degradation,” UNEP executive director Achim Steiner said. Governments have yet to finalize a political declaration and outcome document, slated for the close of Rio+20. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he is “cautiously optimistic” that further talks in Rio would reach agreement on the final document. He cited progress in the draft document – but serious gaps remained. u

ITALY

The technocratic government of Prime Minister Mario Monti, a former EU Commissioner, won praise for a “determined and wide-ranging” response to Italy’s debt and growth problems – including strict austerity measures, pension and labour market reforms. The report mentioned Italy’s underdeveloped south; tax evasion; high taxes on labour and low labour market participation; poor schools; productivity and competitiveness problems; “significant infrastructure gaps”; lack of competition in transport and energy; excessive red tape; and a weak justice system. It highlighted how Italy wasted the pre-crisis years, by not taking appropriate action.

FRANCE

Highlighting a well-known policy challenge for newly elected Socialist President Francois Hollande, the Commission notes that the “public deficit remains too high, and debt is growing.” The report reiterates previous EU warnings, that the country is likely to need additional austerity measures, to meet its deficit target of 3 per cent of gross domestic product by next year.

G lobal It advises “a move away from labour towards environmental and consumption taxes”, and a reduction in tax breaks to make the system more “growth friendly.” The Commission also urges pension and labour market reforms, and points to “suboptimal” competition in the retail and network industries, as well as “significant” competitiveness challenges for French business.

GERMANY

It may be Europe’s star pupil in terms of economic performance, but Germany did not escape critique from the Commission – which warned that the financial powerhouse “faces a number of problems in the medium to long term.” Among the issues it pinpointed is the country’s ageing population, its “piecemeal approach” to addressing enduring vulnerabilities in its regional banks, emerging skilled labour shortages and competition problems in areas such as the railway sector. It also took Germany to task for not tackling more ambitiously its labour market, financial sector, education system and taxation policies related to marriage and family. On the latter subject, the Commission also pointed out its system of child care allowances, which it said “risks creating an additional disincentive to work for parents.”u

G lobal

15-21 June 2012

Types of Mommies { Jenny Tobien / Berlin / DPA }

others come in a variety of types – ranging from overanxious mother hens to fashion conscious caffe latte drinkers. Here’s a list of the most common types. Best-Friend Mom: The young, or young at heart, mother. Prefers casual clothing and aims for the sister-look with her daughter. Swapping clothes and tandem visits to the hairdresser are the norm. The best compliment is “You two look so similar”, or “I thought you were the older sister.” Her kids can think she’s “very cool”, but some also find her very annoying. Often says: “You

don’t have to keep any secrets from me.” Caffe Latte Mother: Prefers gentrified city districts. Her partner “does something in media”, while she spends her mornings in child-friendly cafes. Likes to sip on soya frappuccinos, and orders “baby lattes” (a glass of frothy milk) for her child. Often gets angry when the ecologically friendly food runs out at the day-care centre, or when cyclists block the path of her luxury pram.

Helicopter Mom: A variation of the mother hen. A Helicopter Mom constantly circles around her children and her mothering instincts dominate. She monitors her

Almost from birth, she begins to dread the day her child will move out. Tiger Mother: This type of mother has her roots in the Far East, and is best personified by Amy Chua – author of the book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. The ChineseAmerican Yale Professor values

Nintendo’s Wii U

technology is designed to bring all its devices into the same ecosystem, allowing gamers to switch from tablet to phone to Xbox, or to use them in conjunction with each other. Sony displayed a similar concept with its Crossplay. That prompted tech columnist Dan Ackerman to ask a once-inconceivable question.

Europe’s Night Watchmen { Thomas Burmeister / Lausanne, Switzerland / DPA }

20 years ago, there were very few night watchmen in Europe. But now the job has made somewhat of a very evening, Renato Haeusler makes his comeback in several countries. Johannes Thier is a bank clerk by profession; way up to the belfry of Lausanne Cathedral. but in his spare time, he’s A stunning view over Lake a watchman in the town Geneva—as far as the Alps— of Bad Bentheim in northawaits the 54-year-old. eastern Germany. Since Yet he has no time to enjoy 2004, he’s been the head it, as he’s here to work. The of an association of moment the Cathedral’s bells European watchmen, fall silent, Haeusler’s job EUNTZ, founded in 1987. begins. He raises his hands to The association has 160 his mouth, and calls out “C’est members in more than le guet! Il a sonne dix!” (This 60 cities in 10 European is the night watchman! It’s 10 countries. The criteria for o’clock). joining are strict. Five times a week, from 10 The historic role of pm until two in the morning, watchmen in European Haeusler fulfills the role of society has given rise Lausanne’s night watchman. to plenty of anecdotes. After five hours of sleep, For example, watchmen he goes to his day job – as also have had the task of a teacher in a school for enforcing pub-closing time blind children. laws. A few were known to Although it is lonely in do that by joining in and the belfry—30 metres above drinking, until everyone else ground—Haeusler isn’t was drunk. bothered. He’s often asked why It was also not unknown he goes to the trouble of being Renato Hausler keeps time in a medieval Swiss church for night watchmen to play Lausanne’s watchman. a more amorous role in a “Somebody has been doing this job every night for the last 600 years. It town’s life. One piece of advice older watchmen makes me very happy to be part of a tradition, sometimes passed on to younger colleagues, was to make sure they did not wake the mother of any that dates back to the Middle Ages,” he says. When the father of two daughters took on the job young woman they were wooing. u

coercion and drill when it comes to bringing up a child. Her children are always dressed properly, and should preferably know how to play the violin in pre-school years, as well as speak a second or third language. In the Western world, this type of mother is also known as a Monster Mom. Chaos Mother: Is an advocate of the anti-authoritarian style of parenting. Strict rules are taboo - children should discover

their own limits. Creative chaos dominates at home. Wild playing, climbing, getting dirty - her child can do what he/she wants. Mama and Papa prefer their kids to address them by their first names. Their children often grow up to be either artists or completely bourgeois - a form of rebellion in itself. Mommaddy: A style of mother that is becoming more

common. This single parent mom must have a talent for organisation. She’s both mother and father to her child, and often has a full-time job. Her children learn how to be independent at a young age. She loves her child above all else. u

Long Live The Console

{ Andy Goldberg / Los Angeles / DPA } etting gamers loose at the annual E3 trade show is remarkably similar to letting a bunch of excited teenage girls into Justin Bieber’s dressing room. This time around, Nintendo’s innovation is the Wii U - a tablet-like controller, that will create new game playing modes. But few expect it to be as big a hit as its predecessor. Microsoft also has something to crow about. Its SmartGlass

child’s activities on Facebook, and parks her minivan directly in front of the school gate – so her teenage child does not have to take public transport to his/ her ballet or flute class. Likes planning her child’s day in detail, and would be quite happy planning his/her entire life.

“Have we arrived at the point at which new game consoles are not required?” he asked on the tech site Cnet.com. Traditionally the industry has innovated in long cycles, and the next big wave is likely to include convincing 3D and virtual reality experiences. John Carmack, a guru developer responsible for such groundbreaking titles— as Doom and Wolfenstein, was

displaying a prototype headmounted device at the show— that reportedly allowed total immersion into a 360-degree 3D-gaming environment. “I felt like I was literally standing in the game, with full 360-degree vision and interactivity throughout the scenario,” said a CNN reporter who called it “the most amazing experience” of the massive trade show. “I only had a few minutes inside the game, but the potential and payoff for this virtual reality head-mount was truly astounding.” u

Adolescents’ Addiction { Julia Kirchner / Berlin / DPA }

ccording to Klaus Woelfling, Co-director of the Outpatient Gambling Addiction Department at Mainz University Medical Centre’s Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, when trying to determine whether a child is addicted to computer games or the internet, parents should not just consider the amount of time the child spends at it. More important are the situations in which adolescents sit in front of a computer screen - “for example, when they’re stressed or have personal problems”, says Woelfling. Some addicts spend a constant amount of time in front of a computer, but that period is of heightened intensity. This means they feel an urge to use their computer on a particular occasion, or always at the same time. A further sign of addiction is preoccupation. If parents feel their child’s life revolves around computer games or online chats, they should speak to the child about it. Computer addicts display withdrawal symptoms when denied access to a PC. “Parents might receive threats if the PC is removed from the child’s room,” Woelfling notes. Confronted with their addiction, addicts typically deny that they have a problem. So parents should proceed cautiously. It is better to say, “I think you’ve got an addictive disorder”, than “You’ve got a real addiction,” he says. If signs point to an addiction, parents should try to take their child to a Counselling Centre. A conversation will then determine whether the child is ready for treatment. “You can’t treat anyone against his or her will, though,” says Woelfling. u

15-21 June 2012

G -scape Jit kumar

Ice Skating

Ambience