Happy New Year 2012

Info-Edmonton Wishes Happy New Year 2012 to all our Readers!

Alberta drivers slowest in Canada to adjust to winter driving, insurer says

A driver gets ready for a tow truck to pull his car out of the ditch

near Sherwood Park in April 2011.

EDMONTON - Alberta drivers are the worst in Canada at making the switch to winter driving, show statistics released Wednesday by insurance company Aviva Canada.

The greatest increase in auto claims frequency by its customers in winter compared to the rest of the year occurs in Alberta, with a 66-per-cent increase. The numbers don’t reflect industry-wide figures, but only Aviva’s customers.

“This is 66 per cent more frequency as compared to the rest of the year for the province of Alberta when winter comes as opposed to summer or spring,” said Mauro Convertini, Aviva Canada vice-president of auto claims.

“Given the expansiveness of Alberta highways between major centres, you’ll find the storms come fast and heavy and typically cover the roads and create inclement-weather conditions for drivers pretty quickly.

“The other part of it is that Alberta does not have a mandatory snow tire policy, and the makeup of vehicles predominantly in the Alberta community is rear-wheel/front-wheel drive trucks. They typically need more preparedness for the winter season. The drivers of those vehicles underestimate the need for snow tires.”

New Brunswick is second at 60 per cent; followed by Nova Scotia at 53 per cent; Ontario and Quebec at 44 per cent; Prince Edward Island at 41 and Newfoundland and Labrador at 37 per cent.

Across Canada, Aviva sees an average increase of 49 per cent in customer auto claims between December and February. The company says icy roads, whiteouts and other winter hazards helped account for more than $37.1 million in auto-collision claim payments last winter.

According to a recent survey commissioned by Canadian Tire, Albertans are the least likely to outfit their cars with winter-rated tires. Of those surveyed in Alberta only 28 per cent indicated they head into winter with appropriate tires. By comparison, almost 40 per cent in other regions install winter tires.

Edmontonians tested by 2011’s weird weather

EDMONTON - Generations from now, grizzled old Edmontonians might sit their great-grandchildren down and regale them with stories about the wild weather of 2011.

It tested the endurance of the heartiest citizens. January alone had six months worth of snow — 64 centimetres — forcing the city to move mountains while marooning cars under windrows. All told, the 2010-2011 winter season saw thermometers dip below the -20 C mark 63 times, 50 per cent more than usual.

As the icy, muddy mess melted and froze again, potholes abounded, forcing the city to fill countless dings, divots, and ditches.

Spring showers burst some city sewers, leaving pools and puddles that became breeding grounds for millions of mosquitoes. The city sprayed pesticide to kill the bloodsuckers. Armies of aphids followed, raining sticky goo on windshields everywhere.

Summer wasn’t even hot. Between May and August, temperatures hit 25 C just 14 times, about half the number of warm days as usual.

But the year ended with a pleasant final quarter. Local farmers reaped a plentiful harvest, city construction workers made up for lost time, and Edmonton flirted with 30 C in the second week of September, the warmest days of the year. It was even hot enough to finally melt the last pile of snow at the city’s west-end storage facility.

Snow didn’t fall again until mid-November, another weird weather record. As always, Edmontonians nervously waited for what would come next.

Skating rinks open for balmy Christmas Day

EDMONTON - Above-freezing temperatures and barely a skiff of snow on the ground — this isn’t shaping up to be a greeting card Christmas Day.

Edmonton International Airport has less than half the 16 centimetres of snow it had last Christmas Eve, and when the last gifts are unwrapped, the mercury is expected to hit 5 C downtown, far higher than the -10 C reached in 2010.

While that might appeal to weather-weary adults, it isn’t going over well with kids.

“I sort of wanted to go skiing. I don’t like it that there’s no snow,” 10-year-old Kent Maclure said Friday, a day so mild a hotdog vendor set up outside City Hall.

“It just doesn’t make it as fun.”

He and his brother Mark, 12, might sit inside and watch hockey on Christmas if conditions stop them from doing their favourite outdoor activities, which last winter included building a snow fort as high as the first storey of their house.

The appropriately named Will Snow, 12, also wants more holiday precipitation.

“I’m kind of disappointed. It’s not really a Canadian winter without snow,” he said, adding proper amounts of the white stuff improves the surface at his community league rink.

“Without the snow, it gets kind of chippy. There are a whole bunch of cracks in the ice. I think the snow fills in the cracks.”

However, people will be able to try out any skates they find under the tree at two of Edmonton’s most popular outdoor rinks after crews overcame the elements to inaugurate the ponds in Hawrelak and Rundle parks.

“We have been working extra people, extra shifts, getting the snow off, long hours, no breaks, just so we can get it open for Christmas,” park leader Wayne Sager said.

“That’s when people really want it.”

The ice is thick enough to hold a pickup plow truck, but too thin to support watering vehicles, so staff have done the best they can to create a smooth skating surface by spraying hoses from the shore, Sager said.

“It’s warm, warm, warm. We’re really happy we’re even getting them open.”

The two ponds began operating at 2 p.m. Friday and will be available daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The outdoor Victoria skating oval, built on grass to provide what Sager describes as Edmonton’s best ice, opened two weeks ago and can be used by the public most days from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Tobogganing hills maintained in city parks remain closed because there isn’t enough snow.

This includes A.C.T. Hill and Walton’s Mountain in Rundle Park, Government House Park, Gallagher Park, Emily Murphy Park and Castle Downs.

Craig Turner, assistant manager of Totem Outfitters, said overall sales of sports equipment such as cross-country skis are down.

“I don’t mind driving on the clear streets, but I also have a young daughter I want to take out sledding, so I hope it snows a couple more feet. The hill near our house in Mill Woods, it’s almost bare.”

His wish might soon be granted. Chris Scott, a meteorologist with The Weather Network, agreed December 2011 has been mild.

“We’re some six degrees above normal for our average high … That’s quite significant,” he said.

“There’s a bit of white, but there’s not enough to take a snowmobile on or even toboggan on.”

The balmy weather might turn cold in hurry by the middle of January.

“Based on history in central Alberta, things change very quickly,” Scott said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised at an abrupt pattern change, where it’s mild for the next 10 days or two weeks, then it’s like a band snapping and we go down to the minus teens or 20s.

Santa ready for trip around the world

His sleigh has been inspected, his bag of toys has been scanned, and his reindeer have successfully completed their takeoff and landing tests.

Santa Claus has been cleared for takeoff from the North Pole, Transport Canada announced Friday, and now eager present-seekers can track the man in red's flight through the skies.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) is once again providing detailed updates on Santa's movements on its website, www.noradsanta.org or by contacting 1-877-Hi-NORAD starting at 6 a.m. ET. Trackers also can send an email to noradtrackssanta(at)gmail.com.

Norad "Santa cams" are positioned around the world and this year, the command centre also is offering a Santa-tracking app for mobile devices. Tracking opportunities also are offered on Facebook, Google+, YouTube, and Twitter.

Like any pilot, Santa had to pass a series of flight and medical tests before Transport Canada cleared him for flight.

"I'm very happy Santa has passed these latest tests," Mrs. Claus wrote in a text message sent to Transport Canada. "I made sure he focused on his tasks, not emptying the cookie jar or surfing the web too much, lol."

Santa's journey is expected to be smooth as usual, said Norad Capt. Jeff Noel in an interview with Global News.

"In all the years and centuries that Santa's been on the go, there's been no responsibility whatsoever for him ever missing a Christmas Eve," Noel said.

Only Santa knows his route, so Norad can't predict when he'll hit any particular home, Noel said. But one important detail is known.

"He usually arrives only when children are asleep. So in most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9 p.m. and midnight."

While the technology for tracking Santa evolved, the tradition is more than 50 years old.

In 1955 a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co., advertisement misprinted a telephone number for children to call Santa. The number put children through to Norad's predecessor's operations hotline. The director of operations at the time had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa so the children who called were given updates.

It became a well-received tradition.

Top 10 movies of 2011

The year in movies will be remembered as a year of apocalypse: the colliding planets of Melancholia, the gathering (and perhaps imaginary) storm of Take Shelter, the vicious rebellion of monkeys in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the peaceful reunion at the other side of the river in The Tree of Life, plus various other assorted explosions, battles, and whatever Michael Bay might have been up to. But the best films were movies about something more lighthearted. They were movies about the movies: the glory of silent films and the imagination of the earliest filmmakers. The world wasn't ending in 2012. It was just looking back.

1. The Artist: An enchanting and unusual film - a black-and-white silent movie - that will have you tap-dancing out of the theatre. French director Michel Hazanavicius borrows from several Hollywood legends and prototypes (including A Star Is Born, Singing in the Rain and Sunset Boulevard) for this ingenious fable about a silent star whose career fades with the advent of talkies and a young starlet who sees her celebrity explode at the same time. It's a tribute to artful silent cinema, but it's also a sweet love story that is wonderfully told in the faces (including that of a terrific Jack Russell terrier named Uggy) of its charming cast.

2. Hugo: Martin Scorsese redefines 3-D in this astonishing family film about a young orphan who lives in the clock tower of a Paris train station in 1930. There's a Dickensian drama in his life, but the movie's plot - all gears and gimcracks - is mostly in service of a tribute to the history of movies, especially the genius of French pioneer, Georges Melies. Scenes from some of Melies' 500 films pay loving and joyful homage to the magical early years of cinema.

3. The Descendants: Alexander Payne's masterful control of tone is what makes this comic tragedy surprising: We may know where the plot is heading, but moments of sudden grief and surreal humour alternately surprise us and provide constant delight. George Clooney, showing the cracks in his smooth surface, has never been as good as he is in this tale of a Hawaiian lawyer who learns that his comatose wife had been cheating on him.

4. The Tree of Life: Reclusive director Terrence Malick emerges from hiding with this magisterial epic about a childhood in Texas under the control of an angry and disappointed father (a fine performance by Brad Pitt), and also - steady now - the very foundations of the universe itself. The poetic, visual storytelling relies on small moments (billowing curtains, a sudden butterfly) to build a slow but moving masterwork.

5. Margin Call: An A-list cast - including Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci and Jeremy Irons - anchor this smart examination of the American financial crisis. First-time filmmaker J.C. Chandor immerses us in a hermetic world of greed and amorality, as the first signs of economic collapse are detected at a New York investment bank and everyone must run for cover. The choice between coming clean or making one last killing is a darkly apt metaphor for predatory capitalism.

6. Bridesmaids: The funniest raunchy comedy of the year, with Kirsten Wiig as a perennial bridesmaid helping a friend organize her wedding. The film has its share of low laughs - the bridal-dress poop scene is a classic of its sort - but it's also infused with a sense of female intimacy. You learn a lot about the conventions of women's relationships (she who organizes the shower, rules the friendship), and also discover, if Hollywood is listening, that there's a gold mine of humour there.

7. Shame: Michael Fassbender gives perhaps the bravest performance of 2011 in this tragic, forbidding and graphically sexual tale of Brandon, a New York City businessman who is addicted to sex. British director Steve McQueen, who is also a visual artist, makes New York into a gleaming nocturnal prison for Brandon, whose illusive relationship with his sister (Carey Mulligan) adds to the sense of unease and sexual adventure.

8. Rango: A chameleon comes to a dying Western town (called Dirt), poses as a sheriff named Rango, and cleans up the bad guys - not to mention a scheme to steal water that wouldn't have been out of place in Chinatown - in this wonderful animated comedy. Johnny Depp shows great comic chops as the voice of Rango, and director Gore Verbinski fills the screen with offbeat jokes, delightfully oddball characters, and a pretty relevant moral, to boot.

9. Drive: A Hollywood staple, the car film, gets a European twist in this existential thriller about a mysterious stunt driver for the movies who doubles as a getaway man for criminal gangs. Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn creates a mood of noble pessimism - another salute to the genre - and Ryan Gosling portrays the driver as a kind of anti-superhero. The result is the essence of cool.

10. Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen's time-travel love letter to a golden age in France is set at a time when tough-guy writers like Hemingway and creative madmen like Dali were at the creative centre of the world. It's a light concoction - the message is that the past is always bathed in nostalgic idealism - but it's hugely entertaining.

Honourable mentions (in alphabetical order): The Adventures of Tintin, Cafe de Flore, Contagion, Hanna, The Ides of March, Moneyball, The Mill & The Cross, Our Idiot Brother, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Take Shelter.

FOUL CONTENT

Court asks networking sites to face trial

New Delhi, December 23
In yet another blow to 21 social networking sites, including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and YouTube, a Delhi court today issued summons to them for facing trial for allegedly webcasting objectionable contents.
Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) Sudesh Kumar took cognisance on a private criminal complaint and has directed the Centre for taking “immediate appropriate steps” and also file a report in the court by January 13.
The court’s order came three days after another court in a civil case had restrained these sites, including Facebook, Google and YouTube from webcasting any “anti-religious” or “anti-social” content promoting hatred or communal disharmony.
The magistrate has summoned the accused companies to face trial for allegedly committing the offence punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Fall in love with an Edmonton winter

When Coun. Ben Henderson was in Finland last February he visited a café on the Baltic Sea where everyone was sitting outside in -15 C weather.

“It was designed in a way there was no wind, it captured the sun,” he said. “And we haven’t done stuff like that.”

A WinterCity Strategy to be unveiled Jan. 19 will focus on public spaces, infrastructure planning, livability and tourism — everything from colours of buildings to treatment of light and snow.

“People, I think, have fallen out of love with winter in Edmonton,” said project manager Susan Holdsworth. “We don’t really speak of winter positively.”

Holdsworth said some planning was done in the 80’s, but died off until the push for winter festivals came about four years ago.

And while that has been successful, Holdsworth said there is more to be done throughout the entire city in order to make it authentic — for everyone.

“For it to be a real tourism destination, we have to really love it.”

Airport screening changes set to be revealed

OTTAWA — Air passengers heading to the United States will soon find it easier to get through security checks as the federal government will announce Thursday changes to the screening process at Canadian airports.

Little was released Wednesday about what the changes entail, but cabinet ministers are being trotted out at seven Canadian airports for the announcement.

Announcements are scheduled for Calgary, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa, La Baie, Que., Enfield, N.S. and at the country's busiest airport, Toronto's Pearson International.

The changes stem from the new border security agreement Canada and the United States announced earlier this month. Specific details of the changes will be announced Thursday.

The border agreement, known as Beyond the Border, included provisions and project proposals designed to get goods and travellers across the border faster and with less red tape.

Among the proposals in the agreement was more opportunities for Canadian travellers to obtain NEXUS cards, which allow for faster clearance at border crossings.

The agreement also committed both governments to invest funds to create more lanes for faster clearance at air and land crossings.

As well, beginning next year, the two countries will use the record of exit from one country as a record of entry into the other.

But some proposals in the deal drew criticism from opposition parties, which raised concerns about privacy issues arising from some proposals, including one that will see the two governments start collecting biometric information about passengers.

Dehradun “The History of Beautiful Doon Valley”

In the past hundred years or so the Doon Valley has undergone several revolutionary changes that would be good to recapitulated so that the future drift of the city can be put into right perspective.

Let’s take the demarcation year as 1900.This was the year in which the first train from Haridwar reached Dehradun Railway Station. This landmark year began the process of making the valley more accessible for the rest of India, and particularly the British. 1900 was a significant year also because it saw the abolishment of the District Postal System as now Dehradun came under the umbrella of the All India Postal Network set up by the then British government. The valley’s first radio station, too, became functional in this year in the Kutchery Compound through persistent efforts of the then District Magistrate A.J.K. Hallow. Later this station was closed down once nationalization of radio broadcasting took place during World War I.

Another landmark year for Doon was 1901, when telephone bells began ringing in the valley. But television had to wait till the year 1975 when the Mussoorie TV Tower was built.

The 19th century also saw the construction of a motorable road to Dehradun, though Mussoorie waited for the next century. It was in 1920 that the first car, a Ford T model was driven up to Kulri via Jharipani by Col E.W. Bell, son-in-law of ‘Swetenhams and owner of the Clouds End Estate. The present Mussoorie Road was built uptil Bhatta by 1930, King Craig by 1936, and after independence in 1954 it reached Library and in 1957 it reached Picture Palace.

The economy of the valley was primarily agricultural and was given a tourist boost by the visit of the Indian princes and the British during summers etc. It was only with the coming of electricity, in the year 1909, when the first bulb was lit on May 24, 1909, at Mussoorie, and in Doon in 1918, that the economy underwent a change.

The beginning of the 20th century saw the setting up of many national level institutions in the valley, In 1901, the then Viceroy Lord Curzon set up the Imperial Cadet Core impart military training to Princes and college students. In 1922, the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College (RIMC), now Rashtriya Indian Military College, was started at the same campus. RIMC was set up to train young Indian boys of aristocratic background for entry into Royal Military Collage, Sandhurst, in England.

In 1906 the Forest Research Institute was started at Chandbagh Estate where the Doon School is now located. In 1930, the Railway Staff College was set up in the present Chetwode building of IMA. The college closed down within a year or so due to financial constraints.

This campus was later (in 1932) selected for the establishment of the Indian Military Academy.The next towering institution to be set up in the valley that changed its very economic fabric was the ONGC. Most of the major schools and colleges in the valley were set up in the 20th century, though missionaries had started opening schools in the valley in the 1850s. One of the first schools to be set up was St George’s College Barlowganj, in 1853. American Presbyterian Mission Boys High School and Dehra Christian Girls’ Boarding School (CNI) are the two early schools that have a reputation even today.

The Doon Valley was amongst the first places in India to have a school for the blind. Sharp Memorial Blind School was opened in the early part of the century.Soon after Independence, the government established the Central Braille Press in 1951, which was followed by the setting up of NIVH in 1967. In the field of education for the handicapped there were many pioneers. Amongst them was Late Prof Ulfat who founded the Nanhi Dunya Movement. Another was Padma Bhushan Puran Singh Negi who pioneered the publication of books in Braille for the blind.

Today the Doon Valley is well known for public schools. The foundation for public schools was laid down with the setting up of The Doon School by Sir P.R. Das of the Indian Public School Society. Lord Willingdon, the then Viceroy of India inaugurated the Doon School in 1935 and its first head master was A.E. Foot, a science teacher at Eton College, England.

Architecturally the skyline of the valley has changed drastically over the years. Most of the prominent landmarks and shopping malls were built by philanthropist businessmen of Doon, who were amongst the leading families of Doon.One such family was that of Seth Bhagwan Das.The family floated the first Indian Bank in the valley known as Bhagwan Das Bank Ltd. The then chairman of the Bank, Seth Nemi Das built the Jugminder Hall (Town Hall), Women’s Hospital Wing at the Doon Hospital and the only Sports Pavilion in the city. During the 1930s, the three local bodies of the valley were headed by three philanthropists, who were mates from their school days at AP Mission School – Rai Bahadur Choudhary Sher Singh, Rai Bahadur Ugrasen and Barrister Darshan Lal. Rai Bahadur Chaudhary Sher Singh was the chairman of the District Board. As chairman he took development to the rural areas. Most of the major roads in the villages were built during his time. He also opened many schools in the villages.

Rai Bahadur Ugrasen was the chairman of Dehradun Nagar Pallika. He built the two main shopping malls, Manda House Complex on a part of old Nashville Estate and Astley Hall Shopping Mall on Rajpur Road. He is also credited with bringing piped water into Dehrdaun municipality. Barrister Darshan Lal was the chairman of Mussoorie City Board. He increased the power generating capacity of Bhatta Falls. During his chairmanship the Dehradun-Mussoorie Road was extended up to Kingcraig from Bhatta. He was also instrumental in building the Landour Clock Tower.

After Independence, the citizens of Doon honored the builders of the Doon valley, by naming prominent roads and chowks after their names. One of the most important landmarks of the Doon Valley, the Balbir Tower (Clock Tower) was built to commemorate India’s independence. It was a collaborative effort of the Dehradun Nagar Pallika and Lala Sher Singh and Lala Anand Singh, leading businessmen of their times and was named after one of their ancestors who was also an honorary magistrate in his days.

The foundation stone was laid on July 2, 1948, by the then Governor of UP, Sarojini Naidu. The Clock Tower was completed in 1953 and was inaugurated by Lal Bahadur Shastri. It has a unique hexagonal architecture lending it heritage value.

The colossal philanthropic achievements of the earlier years was in subsequent years added to by shopping complexes, corporate houses, government buildings and high rise structures. Astley Hall, Mansa Ram Bank building and Manda House have been replaced by Windlass Shopping Complex, Plazas, Janpaths and shopping arcades.
Dehradun Pin Code 248001 and Dehradun STD Code 0135
Dehradun Map

Sale of Chinese goods ‘threat to economy’

Dehradun, December 16
Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli today said the increasing use of Chinese products was a matter of concern for the country.
Addressing a workshop organised by the Himalaya Parivar, a non- government organisation in Dehradun, Chamoli reminded that while 80,000 square kilometres of the Indian territory was still in the Chinese possession in the aftermath of the 1962 war, Chinese were now trying to destroy the Indian economy by flooding the Indian markets with its products.
Another key speaker Suryanarayan Jha said India had failed to strengthen its borders with China. He said China had been repeatedly troubling India. “It shows Arunachal as part of China and continues to irritate India on one pretext or other”, he said.

Oz envoy assures security to students

Preneet raises issue of transport concession for Indians in Victoria, New South Wales
Patiala, December 16
The Australian government has given its firm commitment to ensure proper security and safety to students studying in Australia. The assurance was given by Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and Secretary, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Dennis Richardson during a meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur in New Delhi today.
Giving details of the meeting in Patiala, MP Singh, Additional Private Secretary to Preneet, said, "While discussing several bilateral issues, the Minister raised the long-pending issue of the transport concession to be extended to Indian students in the Federal States of Victoria and New South Wales. The authorities in these two Federal States have been consistently refusing to grant concessional transport facilities to Indian students, which are normally enjoyed by the Australian students, despite the fact that Indian students pay much higher fees compared to domestic students."
Responding to the matter, Richardson assured that the matter of granting transport concession to Indian students would be taken up suitably with the concerned authorities in the Federal States for their consideration, in view of the fact that the Indian students pay comparatively higher fees than the local students.
"Richardson informed Preneet that the Australian Government has undertaken extensive review of the international education sector, including re-registration of international education providers with a view to ensure that international students get quality education in Australia", stated Singh.
After the meeting, Preneet expressed her satisfaction regarding the measures put in place by the Australian government to improve the safety and security of the Indian students in Australia. She, however, impressed upon the need that the proposed measures were followed through and resulted in a qualitatively improved experience on the ground for the Indian students in Australia.

Cancer not linked to Malwa water: Chief Secretary

Cites an ‘exhaustive’ survey conducted by govt in affected areas; PTU expert rubbishes claim
Chandigarh, December 16
Disparaging reports linking high prevalence of cancer to brackish water in Malwa belt of Punjab,India Chief Secretary SC Agrawal has said a Health Department report had found that there was no link between water and the disease.
Speaking to The Tribune on the sidelines of a two day workshop on "Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Services" that concluded here today, the Chief Secretary said the Health Department carried out an "exhaustive" survey covering the people in affected Malwa areas, including Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Ferozepur, Moga, Barnala, Faridkot and Sangrur districts. "No link between cancer and the quality of water was found," he said.
Agrawal said, "We agree that the belt definitely has high incidence of cancer, but the total average is far less than the national average." He quoted a national average data of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Delhi, which showed that there were 10 to 40 persons per lakh in Punjab who had been found suffering from carcinogenic diseases against the national average of 90 to 100 persons per lakh.
Countering the Chief Secretary's claims, Kheti Virasat (NGO) chairman Chander Prakash said the "government claims defied the ground reality". An Assistant Professor at Punjab Technical University in Jalandhar, Prakash said, "I am surprised at the findings of the report. In the past, a Guru Nanak Dev University (Amritsar) study confirmed the presence of uranium in water samples. It also reported heavy presence of fluorides, which is evident from the condition of the residents' teeth in Malwa belt."
Subsequently, a Punjab Agricultural University (Ludhiana) report pointed out the presence of arsenic, which is also associated with cancer, he claimed. A Central Pollution Control Committee report, too, indicated that the water in Malwa belt was unfit for consumption.

Britain gets its second Punjabi MP

Britain has a second Punjabi-origin MP following Seema Malhotra’s victory on behalf of the Labour Party in the Feltham and Heston bypoll. Malhotra told The Tribune that she is a product of multi-cultural Britain, was born in the UK to an Indian-origin father and a mother who is a retired teacher.
After they came to the UK, her parents started a community shop in Hounslow. She is now one of the five NRI-origin MPs sitting in the UK House of Commons.
Her ancestors were from Multan, but her parents’ families settled in Jalandhar and Delhi and she still has relatives in Jalandhar. “Please let me know when you write about me so I can tell my relatives in Jalandhar,” she said.
Malhotra (39) secured a majority of 6,203 votes over the ruling Conservatives, a swing of 8.6%. She said she is one of the two Hindu MPs in the Commons, adding, “I would say that the Labour represents the whole of Britain, is much more diverse and has a greater commitment to equality and diversity.”
“My parents came to England in the 1960s with very little money. They are typical of many Asians who came here for a better life for their children,” she said.
Malhotra grew up in the Feltham area, close to London’s Heathrow airport. She was active in local politics from a young age and was an adviser to Labour’s Harriet Harman, when she was the leader of the Opposition in 2010.
Conservative critics point out that the turn-out for the Feltham and Heston bypoll was unusually low at 28.8%, the lowest in a bypoll in 11 years.
The chair of the Conservatives, Pakistani-origin Baroness Warsi, commented, “I am concerned about the level of political engagement. It can’t be right that on 12,000 votes, a constituency can be won.” She added, “Byelections generally have low turn-outs at this time of year, when it’s cold and just before Christmas and people are thinking of other things.”
The Liberal democrats came third in the bypoll with deputy leader Simon Hughes commenting, “What happened here was what normally happens in a byelection. People protest against the government, so government parties take a hit [and] the opposition normally moves forward.”

Jalandhar Connection

• Seema Malhotra, 39, was born in the UK to an Indian-origin father and a teacher-mother, who is now retired
• Her parents’ families settled in Jalandhar and Delhi and she still has relatives in Jalandhar
• She is now one of the five NRI- origin MPs sitting in the House of Commons

Edmonton ranked 19th most dangerous Canadian city

The most dangerous cities in Canada are in the western part of the country, according to the latest rankings from Maclean's magazine.

As was the case last year, the two most dangerous spots in this annual list were, Prince George, B.C., and Victoria. Prince George earned the dubious distinction of most dangerous.

"Year after year, western cities dominate the rankings as the worst for crime," the magazine said in a statement Thursday. "And, in reverse, the most populous cities in Ontario and Quebec consistently score well."

Prince George was cited for its gang wars, its drug problems and for being home to Cody Alan Legebokoff, a 21-year-old who police allege has murdered at least three women and a 15-year-old girl.

Victoria, meanwhile, was shown to have particularly high rates of robbery and sexual assault in comparison to the rest of the country.

The rankings were derived by assessing crime data from Statistics Canada from 2010, looking specifically at homicides, sexual assaults, aggravated assaults, robberies, vehicle thefts and break-and-enters.

Saskatchewan's two biggest cities were also among the country's most dangerous cities, according to the rankings, with Saskatoon placing third and Regina fifth. Red Deer, Alta., was fourth.

Maclean's looked at Canada's 100 largest metropolitan areas for its rankings.

Other cities of note included:

• Winnipeg, deemed the ninth most dangerous city;

• Vancouver — 18th;

• Edmonton — 19th;

• Montreal — 22nd;

• Windsor Ont. — 35th;

• Calgary — 50th;

• Toronto — 52nd; and

• Ottawa — 74th.

• Caledon, Ont., was judged to be the country's safest location in these rankings, followed closely by a few other Ontario communities, such as Centre Wellington, Halton Region and Nottawasaga.

Alberta’s future closely linked to Asia, Mar says

Province’s new envoy heads to Hong Kong in January

EDMONTON - Whether through energy, agriculture or investment, the key to Alberta’s economic future lies in growing markets across the Pacific Ocean, the province’s new representative to Asia says.
In his first media conference since being defeated in the Progressive Conservative leadership race, Gary Mar said he will heading to Hong Kong in early January with a mandate to increase exports and investment in the province.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Alberta, but I will say there is great competition. Albertans are not the first to recognize the importance of this marketplace,” he told reporters Wednesday.
“Other jurisdictions, countries and states are also interested in working in this area, which emphasizes the need for us to have a strong and co-ordinated approach.”
The Asia representative is a newly created position by the provincial government. Mar, who previously served three years as Alberta’s envoy to Washington, will oversee the province’s six Asian offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Tokyo and Seoul. He said he will also spend time in other Asian regions, such as India.
Opposition parties have criticized the fact that no other candidates were considered for the job, which will pay Mar a salary of $265,000.
Mar, 49, said one of his greatest challenges will be to increase awareness of Alberta and its various products throughout Asia. As an example, he said he recently met with officials from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, who are interested in exporting beef to China.
“I asked them if they would be interested in buying ham from Yunnan, and they said, ‘Where’s Yunnan?’ And I said, ‘Precisely,’” Mar said. “Just as Canadians are not able to distinguish Yunnan province, where the ham in China is very famous, neither can the Chinese distinguish Alberta from the rest of Canada.
“There is very little understanding of Alberta in Asia overall.”
Mar said the value of Alberta’s exports to Asia last year was approximately $6.5 billion, though it’s also been pegged as high as $8 billion. Regardless, he said Alberta enjoys some advantages in getting a bigger piece of that marketplace, in particular its energy reserves.
He said China is currently the No. 2 consumer of oil in the world and is on track to increase demand as more people buy cars. However, he acknowledged for Alberta to become a large-scale supplier to Asia, the development of new infrastructure such as the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline must become a “national economic priority.”
In the meantime, a pipeline for natural gas to British Columbia ports is in the works, which should help Alberta since Asian prices for that commodity are much higher than in North America, Mar said.
He said there will also be demand for Alberta coal, food and wood, and the province could see increased tourism. In addition, he said he plans to encourage more Asian investment in Alberta industries.
“There is tremendous potential but you have to be there to make that happen.”
Media were informed prior to the news conference that Mar would not answer questions on the PC leadership race, and he stuck to that plan.
“I’ve lived my yesterdays and I’m thinking about my tomorrows,” he said.
The Ralph Klein-era cabinet minister was considered the front-runner for much of the campaign and held a seemingly insurmountable lead after the first ballot, but then watched as Alison Redford squeaked past him on the Oct. 1 second ballot. He has never offered an explanation as to what he thinks happened.
Mar said during the campaign that after three years in Washington he wanted to come home and would run as an MLA regardless of how he fared in the race.
Asked Tuesday why he was now taking another position outside the country, he became emotional, saying he wanted to help ensure Alberta’s economic prosperity for his children.
“It’s with mixed emotions,” he said, choking up. “This province has been my family’s home for over 100 years and I want it to be my family’s home for the next 100 years. By taking on this responsibility I can help make that happen.”

Mar named Redford's man in Hong Kong

EDMONTON - After falling short in his bid to become Alberta’s new premier, Gary Mar’s consolation prize is a new $264,500 a year job as the province’s representative in Asia.
The former cabinet minister ­accepted the job offer from Premier Alison Redford, who narrowly beat Mar two weeks ago on the second ballot of the Progressive Conservative leadership race.
“I think Gary has a long record of public services and he served us very well in Washington,” Redford said. “I think it really shows that when the province had a political priority we needed to achieve, it was worth having someone that had perspective from both elected office and the civil service, and understood how government worked.
“As we move opening up Asian markets, and dealing with the pipelines, making sure we’re building those relationship to the Far East, then I think it’s important to have someone there we can have a very dynamic relationship with, and will represent the province well.
There had been considerable speculation about the next move for the 49-year-old Mar, who has not spoken publicly since suffering a stunning defeat in the leadership contest Oct. 1. He said during the campaign that he would run as an MLA in Calgary even if he lost the race, and Redford indicated she would welcome him into cabinet if he won his seat.
Mar was unavailable for comment Friday, but released a short statement explaining his change of mind.
“Premier Redford and I had discussions on what my future would entail, which included potentially running for office and serving in cabinet. Upon reflection, I see this as both an exciting and challenging opportunity and this is my way of serving Albertans. I am honoured and humbled that Premier Redford has the confidence in me to lead our province’s efforts in opening up new markets in this region of the world.”
The position is similar to the one Mar held for three years as Alberta’s envoy in Washington, during which he met with federal and state lawmakers to promote the province’s energy sector.
Political advocacy will again be one of his duties in Asia, but the job description is much broader, said Mike Deising, spokesman for the new ministry of International, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Relations.
Mar will be based in the Alberta government’s office in Hong Kong, from where he will oversee the province’s five other Asia offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and Taiwan.
“The goal is to establish Alberta as the marquee Canadian province in greater Asia,” Deising said.
“In Asia, we are really trying to raise the brand awareness of Alberta, and ­everything we have to offer in the way of energy, lumber, information and communication technologies. And there is also a kind of ambassador side to the job, starting to establish enhanced relations at the diplomatic level.”
Deising said that while the Asia ­offices have been around for awhile, Mar’s position is new. No other candidates were considered for the job.
“We’ve known for awhile that we needed to do something more in Asia, we knew we had Gary Mar available, we knew he would be good at it and that he wanted to do it, and the pieces all came together.”
Mar talked at length during the leadership campaign about the importance of expanding Alberta’s presence in Asia at a time when the province’s main export market, the United States, is still struggling economically.
Alberta’s exports to Asia were worth almost $8 billion last year, a number that is expected to rise since China and India are two of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Deising said.
“Enhancing our presence and cultivating new opportunities in Asia are critical for our province,” Redford said in a statement Friday. “Gary is a proven relationship builder and he will foster a new era of co-operation between Alberta and Asia. I believe Alberta’s future economic success will be closely tied to our ability to expand into new and burgeoning markets.”
Mar’s appointment drew criticism from at least one opposition party.
“Gary Mar needs to get a real job,” NDP Leader Brian Mason said in statement. “He moves from one plum government job to another in between attempts to acquire high political office.
“Alison Redford has embraced pork-barrel politics with this ­patronage appointment. These international positions, if they are needed at all, should be filled by merit, not by ­patronage and cronyism.”
Mar will be paid a base salary of $264,576, similar to his pay as the Washington envoy. The premier’s annual base salary is slightly more than $200,000, although one-third is tax free.

BMO rolls out free coin counting machines

EDMONTON - As banks try to outdo each other in an escalating battle for new business, BMO Bank of Montreal is offering a new high-tech way for people to turn bulging piggy banks, penny jars and change purses into cash.
The bank is rolling out free coin-counting machines in all its new branches, and in select remodelled locations.
While St. Albert’s Mission Hills branch received one of the machines in the summer, Edmonton now has a do-it-yourself coin counter at the Oliver Square branch, which held its grand opening on Saturday.
“Customers love the fact that they don’t have to roll their loose change anymore,” said branch manager Patrick Dorey.
“It’s one of those things, you don’t realize how much loose change you have in your home until you come into a branch and drop it off and I don’t know about you, but I hate wrapping coins.”
Users empty their coins into a receptacle on top of the machine — which is about the size of a compact washing machine. It counts coins at a rate of up to 4,100 per minute and shows a running tally on a viewing screen. It prints a receipt for the total which can be exchanged for cash or deposited into the user’s BMO account.
The machine is free of charge to use and available for non-BMO customers as well.
“Customers love it, because it’s new and different,” Dorey said. “I had a customer here yesterday who had $2,400 in loose change that they had been collecting for years and they had no idea what to do with it. They actually came to the branch, dropped it all in and they deposited it into a savings account for their daughter’s university fund.”
BMO announced in April it was putting free coin counting machines in all of its new branches and in select remodelled locations. The bank said transaction fees for similar services can run above nine per cent of the total.
So far, there are 48 coin counters across the country with more coming in 2012, said BMO spokeswoman Laurie Grant.
Grant said the counters have been so popular that people phone the bank to find branches that offer one.
The gadgets are the latest wrinkle in a growing competition for storefront customers that has seen banks staying open longer in the day and on weekends. Banks, such as BMO’s Oliver Square branch, are also changing the layout of their locations to make bankers more accessible and visible to the public, and customers dealing with tellers no longer have to stand.

Lewis Estates death is homicide 45

EDMONTON - A man found shot near a playground in the west end is Edmonton’s 45th homicide this year, police say.

The man, believed to be in his early 20s, was found lying in the snow shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday, between the sidewalk and a playground near Picard Drive and Proctor Wynd.

A second individual cared for him before paramedics and police arrived, Insp. Brian Nowlan said at the scene. The man was taken to the University Hospital, but police later said he died at 1:29 a.m. Thursday morning.

An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday morning, which will determine the cause of death.

Early reports indicate that a vehicle may have fled the area right after the shooting.

“If there is a vehicle involved, we want to find that vehicle. The people inside could quite possibly be armed and very dangerous,” said Nowlan.

A heavy police presence surrounded the playground and adjacent field on Wednesday evening. One police car was parked on the field a short distance away from the playground.

Several more police cars surrounded a black car that was parked next to the playground on Picard Drive.

The gang unit was notified of the shooting but are not actively investigating the incident at this time, Nowlan said.

Four dead in murder-suicide near Claresholm, Alberta

CALGARY – RCMP say a suspicious incident that closed down one of southern Alberta’s busiest highways is a case of a triple murder-suicide.

Officers received reports of gunshots fired around 3:30 AM MT along Highway 2 just north of Claresholm near Township Road 130.

They discovered two men and a woman dead as well as two others suffering from critical injuries. Two vehicles were also found in the northbound lanes of the highway. Four of the victims were found inside one vehicle.

RCMP say it appears a man shot four people before killing himself. Two of the victims, a man and a woman, died at the scene. Another man was transported to Foothills Hospital in Calgary by STARS air ambulance. He later died.

A second woman was taken to hospital by ambulance. She has been treated for her injuries and is expected to recover.

Autopsies will be performed on all four victims, who were in their early 20s.

The names of the victims won't be released until their families have been notified. RCMP are not saying how the victims were related.

However, The Charlottetown Guardian is quoting unnamed sources that say two of the young men were from Prince Edward Island: Mitch MacLean, 20, of Cornwall, and Tanner Craswell, also in his early 20s, of Charlottetown.

The newspaper also identified the person in hospital as Shayna Conway of Charlottetown.

"It was pretty horrific," said RCMP Sgt. Patrick Webb.

"Our investigators on the scene are trying to make heads or tails out of not only what is there, but also why this came about."

Brent Chimko, who lives in the Claresholm area, said people in the community were abuzz about the violence.

"It is pretty shocking," Chimko told Global News. "I have never seen anything like this. I have seen traffic accidents on the highway that have been bad, but nothing quite like this."

Police have towed away a green Pontiac Sunfire an an SUV with the side and back windows blown out.

RCMP say they're not looking for any suspects, and no charges will be laid in this case.

The highway was reopened Thursday afternoon.

Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton have best spirit of giving: charity

An online charity says it's hard to beat Ontario and Alberta when it comes to giving.
CanadaHelps.org, a portal that funnels donations to various Canadian charities, says Toronto is the country's most charitable city followed by Calgary and Edmonton.
Ottawa and Vancouver round out the top five, but Montreal at sixth gets kudos because it saw a 200 per cent increase over last year.
The most popular sector for donations this year have been religious, followed by social services, health and international.
Environment ranked only 10th on the donation list, but did see the highest increase in donations at 40 per cent.
The four Atlantic provinces all saw a drop in the amount of money donated in 2011.

Alberta wind storm damages estimated in the tens of millions

CALGARY- A destructive wind storm that passed through Southern Alberta earlier this month continues to backlog insurance and trades companies.
The Beiseker Fire Department has had to be creative to replace the roof on their hall while they wait for builders.
The damage was so severe, the fire department has had to leave the building and set up a temporary station at a local service shop.
“It sounded like a freight train coming through. Two loud bangs and then it all just peeled right off,” says Jim Fox.
It’s a similar scene in nearby residential areas; homes are still roofless and trees lie on the ground.
Even sign companies can’t keep up with the demand. They estimate up to 1,000 canopies and signs were ripped to shreds during the storm.
“Some not so bad, others huge!” says Joanne Ruston, SpeedPro Signs. “20 foot canopies that are 20 pounds were falling off. In some cases even to get out to measure and take a look at the damage is hard because of the demand.”
AMA insurance says the storm likely caused more damage than any previous wind storm in history. To date, they’ve opened 739 claims, ringing in at approximately $5.7 million.
Intact Insurance doesn’t have their final numbers yet but is cautioning residents to watch for leaky roofs; some homeowners may not even know their home was damaged.
“We see the most damage between north of Crossfield to Lethbridge, so we’re talking over 200 kilometres in range,” says Ron Briggs.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada does not yet have a total damage estimate – that will likely be released next week.
It’s expected to run into the tens of millions of dollars.  

New taxi agreement is good for passengers but cab drivers say bad for them

EDMONTON - A system that, for the past five years, has determined where cab drivers can pick up and drop off passengers is about to change.

When the Leduc-based company, Airport Taxi won the contract to serve the Edmonton International Airport in 2006, its drivers weren't allowed to pick up passengers in Edmonton, and Edmonton cabbies couldn't take an airport fare back.

An agreement reached on Wednesday between City Council and the airport authority will see that the next company to win the contract serving the airport when the current one is up in May, must have a license for its drivers to serve in Edmonton, as well, though.

That means more cabs on city streets, which is a win for passengers, but has a lot of cab drivers up in arms.

"We are issuing 100 new addition licenses for the taxi industry in return for having the Edmonton International Airport available to Edmonton taxi drivers," says Councillor Amarjeet Sohi.

50 of those new licenses will be for regular cab plates, while the other 50 will be for accessible cab plates, which some drivers say there is not enough demand for.

"There's very few people calling handicapped vans. They end up taking regular trips. It becomes totally pointless adding more into what's already congested," says taxi driver Naz Goray.

Drivers who normally service the airport are also upset, saying they're losing their bread and butter.

"The city council look like they giving the people who can't even cover the city of edmonton more job...and taking our job away (sic)," says Airport Taxi driver, Ali Dhorre.

The new cabs are expected to hit city streets this spring. Those selected for the new plates will have 60 days to bring the new cabs into service.

City Council is also looking at one other change: in most major cities around the world, passengers simply flag down a cab to get a ride. Here in Edmonton, though, there are restrictive rules as to where a cab can pick up a fare. City councillors say they want to loosen those rules and will be talking more about how to do it this spring.

Edmonton Eskimos QB Ricky Ray traded to the Argos Toronto

Monday, Dec. 12, 2011
Edmonton - Ricky Ray is heading East.
The Toronto Argonauts acquired the veteran quarterback from the Edmonton Eskimos for quarterback Steven Jyles, kicker Grant Shaw and the second overall selection in the 2012 CFL Canadian College Draft.
"Our mission since 2010 has been to build the Argos into a consistent and credible football team," Argos general manager Jim Barker said in a statement. "This trade moves that process along and demonstrates our commitment to re-establishing Argos football in this city. While we gave up a lot, we felt it was important to be aggressive and go after what we needed.

"This trade is an investment by our organization in the future of the Double Blue and in its new on-field leader, Ricky Ray."

Edmonton GM Eric Tillman said he didn't enter the off-season intent on trading Ray. However, he added the Argos' dogged pursuit of the veteran quarterback resulted in a deal that Tillman believes makes the Eskimos younger and improves their Canadian content.

"They were very aggressive," Tillman said. "We were not looking to trade Ricky and were very reluctant to do so."

But Jyles won't be handed the Eskimos' starting job. Tillman said Jyles will have to compete in training camp for the No. 1 position against veteran Kerry Joseph and youngsters Matt Nichols and Eric Ward.

Ray wasn't immediately available for comment. The Argos will officially introduce their newest addition Wednesday morning in Toronto.

The 32-year-old Ray had spent his entire nine-year CFL career with Edmonton, leading the Eskimos to two Grey Cup championships over that span.

"I would like to thank the Edmonton Eskimos and their fans for nine years of good memories and for giving me the opportunity to play for such a good organization and win a couple of championships," Ray said. "While it's tough to leave all the people who have helped me in my career, I'm excited to move forward, take the next step in my career and come to Toronto, an organization with a rich history and tradition where we will have another chance to win a Grey Cup.

"I look forward to working with Jim Barker and (head coach) Scott Milanovich, a young, good coach who helped Montreal win championships. I hope to win some more championships with these men and my new teammates in Toronto."

The trade was Barker's first since relinquishing head-coaching duties to concentrate on being Toronto's full-time general manager. Barker hired Milanovich, the former Montreal Alouettes' offensive co-ordinator, to assume the head coach's job.

The acquisition of Ray gives Toronto a much better fit under centre for the type of offence Milanovich likes to run. Veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo, very much a drop-back passer, anchored an Alouettes offensive unit that helped the team win consecutive Grey Cup titles in 2009 and '10.

The six-foot-three, 210-pound Ray is a lot like Calvillo and more of a pure passer while Jyles' best asset is his mobility and ability to use his feet to escape pressure or extend plays. Ray is one of the CFL's top passers, having amassed over 40,000 career yards with a completion average of 66.8 per cent with 210 touchdowns and just 130 interceptions.

He also immediately improves a Toronto offence that struggled this year, finishing at or near the bottom of several offensive categories. And with the Argos hosting the 2012 Grey Cup - the 100th anniversary of the CFL's title game - the club desperately needs to prove to its fan base that it will indeed contend for a championship.

Ray gives Toronto its first bona fide quarterback since veteran Damon Allen retired following the '07 season. But he comes at a cost as Ray is one of the CFL's highest-paid players, having multiple years remaining on a deal that reportedly pays him in the neighbourhood of $400,000 annually.

Ray finished third in CFL passing this season with 4,594 yards, registering 24 TD strikes against 11 interceptions as Edmonton finished tied with B.C. and Calgary for the CFL's best record at 11-7.

Toronto had re-signed Jyles to a long-term deal earlier this month. The six-foot-one, 202-pound Jyles began his CFL career with Edmonton in 2006 before being traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders prior to the 2008 season.

He was traded to Toronto from Winnipeg in March 2011 but spent the first half of the season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Jyles was the Argos' starter for the second half of the season after incumbent Cleo Lemon was released. In eight starts, Jyles completed 124 of 218 passes for 1,430 yards with seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Toronto finished last in the East Division standings with a 6-12 record.

Local hockey coach pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of teen

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Former Spruce Grove teacher and hockey coach, Robert Paolinelli, entered a guilty plea on Wednesday to a sex related charge against a teenager.

When asked as he was leaving the Stony Plain courthouse if there was anything he'd like to say, the 42 year-old just replied with "no comment."

On October 9th, Paolinelli was charged by Stony Plain RCMP with sexual exploitation, sexual assault and forcible confinement in connection with an incident which allegedly occured six days earlier. Because of Paolinelli's guilty plea, the Crown will be withdrawing the sexual assault and unlawful confinement charges.

Global News has learned Paolinelli has resigned from his teaching position.

He formerly coached hockey in Spruce Grove, and had been coaching hockey in St. Albert at the time he was charged. The crimes he has been accused of have left those who played for him especially shocked.

"I was surprised to find out that he was charged," says one former player who did not want to be identified. "He was just a nice, young guy who liked to make friends with the players and have fun.

"There was no indication of anything when I knew him. If there was, I'm sure, or I hope, people would've come forward. But I don't think this case or cases like it in the media are reason to be suspicious of every hockey coach around," he adds.

Those who work with victims stress the importance of being vigilant without being paranoid, and urge young victims to always come forward in situations of abuse.

"Letting kids know that it's not all right for people to touch them or to hurt them where they don't want to be touched or hurt," says Karen Smith of the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton. "So kids are coming forward. It's still really difficult because very often the person that is touching them is someone they love and trust."

The facts of what really happened in Paolinelli's case will be determined by a judge at an upcoming sentencing hearing.

Meanwhile, Paolinelli is also being investigated by Prince Rupert RCMP on what they describe as allegations of historical sexual assault relating to his time as a coach with the Prince Rupert Minor Hockey Association. 

100 yrs of history, glory of capital Delhi

New Delhi, December 12
The political and cultural capital of several empires, Delhi today celebrated 100 years of its re-emergence as the capital of modern India.
Even though Delhi is wrapped in centuries of history, it was the British Empire that gave the city -- also called Lutyens’ Delhi -- its modern-day capital and seat of power, New Delhi. It was proclaimed as the capital of British Raj on December 12, 1911, shifting from Kolkata, by then Emperor of India George V, thereby returning to the historic city its lost glory.
And with a view to introduce people to New Delhi’s rich heritage, the Delhi Government and cultural agencies have hosted an array of events, exhibitions, cultural performances and other festivals that give a generous peep into its exquisite history.
“The foundation of the British Capital was first laid in December 1911 by two leading 20th century British architects, Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. However, it was not just Lutyens’ work but that of many other unsung architects that made New Delhi what it is today,” said AGK Menon, convener of the Delhi chapter of the Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Lutyens laid out the central administrative area. At the heart of the city, he built the Rashtrapati Bhavan, four bungalows inside the President's Estate, India Gate and the Hyderabad and Baroda palaces at India Gate. Sir Robert Tor Russell built Connaught Place, the Eastern and Western Courts, Teen Murti House, Safdarjung Airport, National Stadium and over 4,000 government houses.
The Secretariat building which houses various ministries of the Government of India, including the Prime Minister Office was designed by Herbert Baker. He also designed the impressive North Block and South Block.
E. Montague Thomas designed and built the first Secretariat building of New Delhi, which set the style for the bungalows that followed. The other bungalows of New Delhi are the work of architects like WH Nicholls, CG and FB Blomfield, Walter Sykes George, Arthur Gordon Shoosmith and Henry Medd.

It was due to Lord Hardinge that Lutyens’ Delhi got its landmark roundabouts in the central region. Lutyens had initially designed the streets at right angles. WR Mustoe, director of horticulture, was responsible for the roadside planting work on New Delhi'savenues. In fact, Mustoe and Walter Sykes George landscaped and planted Lutyens' Mughal Garden.

Though there was no official ceremony to mark the occasion today, a book on the history of seven cities of Delhi ‘Red Fort to Raisina’, edited by JP Losty, Union Minister Salman Khursheed, conservation architect Ratish Nanda and ‘Seminar’ publisher Malvika Singh was released by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

‘Dastann-e-Dilli', an exhibition on the city, will be inaugurated by Dikshit and Lt-Governor Tejinder Khanna on Wednesday. Organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the exhibition will showcase the culture of Delhi through photographs and lithographs from the ancient to modern times. The inauguration of the exhibition will be followed by ‘Mehfil-e-Dilli’ with performances by renowned Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan and a Thumri recital by Kumud Jha Diwan.

The ‘Dilli Ke Pakwan Festival' is already running at Baba Kharag Singh Marg. The national capital will also host year-long celebrations beginning January to showcase its rich cultural heritage.