The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has recorded ten new cases of Meningococcemia in the Capital, taking the total number of persons who have contracted the disease to 94 since January this year, officials said. Three cases have been reported from north Delhi zone, two from Shahdara south, one from Connaught Place and one each from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, MCD's Health department officials said. The disease has claimed 11 lives so far, out of which four were reported from the Capital, while seven were from the neighbouring states of UP and Haryana. However, MCD Health Officer N K Yadav said there was no need to panic and that the number of cases reported this year was lesser than the corresponding period last year. In 2007, 129 cases of meningococcemia were reported while in 2006, more than 200 such cases were reported. "

You would soon forget about the men handing out small slips every time you take your vehicle to a municipal parking slot. If the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has its way, you would instead pay a lump sum and get an annual parking token. And you can use a parking lot under MCD jurisdiction for as many times as you wish for the course of the year. The proposal was mooted at a meeting of the MCD's remunerative projects cell on Tuesday. A concept paper is expected to be presented in a few days. Leader of the House Subhash Arya told Newsline that a concept paper on the plan would be brought out soon. "The system will be totally computerised,' he said. "This will be an effective strategy against unauthorised parking lots. The cost of the yearly token will be Rs 1,000 for two-wheelers and Rs 2,000 for cars.' The coupon would enable one to use any MCD parking lot for the whole year, Arya said. "The token will be renewed at the end of each year.' For the MCD, the benefit comes in that the scheme will raise its coffers withy earnings by doing away with unauthorised parking slots, Arya said. For Delhiites, it would mean a relief from "errant parking contractors', known to charge at their whims, he said. At present, even parking for a few minutes entails paying the minimum fare

The Delhi University is finally looking beyond its boundaries. In a move bound to bring relief to many, the university is planning to open up its libraries to students from other institutes. The decision, awaiting final approval from the university's academic council, will benefit a number of students studying in other universities, say officials.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), it seems, is spending most of its time devising new plans every month to handle parking in the city instead of solving the problem. This time it has more to to add to the further chaos. After parking was decentralised zone-wise few months back to keep a better check on parking mafia, the civic body is again centralising the payment, tendering and collection of parking fees. Remunerative Project Cell (RP)