TOP STORIES

FOLLOW-UP
Tension builds as SC okays gurdwara raze
New Delhi, January 30
With the Supreme Court upholding the Delhi High Court order on the demolition of Nishan Sahib Gurdwara in Nizammuddin East, there is considerable tension amongst the members of the Sikh community in the National Capital Territory and this could well lead to a confrontation with the residents’ association which has been behind the move.

The interior of the Nishan Sahib Gurdwara at Nizammuddin East.

THE PUNJABI PANACHE: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with the Bhangra team of Punjab.

Delhi ties itself into knots on CNG issue
* Bandhu punctures Maken’s claims
* SC deadline on CNG expires today
New Delhi, January 30
In what would be music to the ears of environmentalists and the green lobby, the past year has seen an appreciable drop in the pollution levels in the Capital. Quoting the Central Pollution Control Board report, Environment Minister Deep Chand Bandhu on Wednesday said the ambient air quality had improved dramatically.

Spat over cricket passes spills into parking lot
New Delhi, January 30
The Delhi Traffic and the Delhi and District Cricket Association were embroiled in a spat on the eve of the fifth one-day international match between India and England, to be played at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in the Capital on Thursday, with the former claiming that the DDCA had “fraudulently” used its insignia on parking labels.

THE ACHIEVERS
Disabled, Thou Shall Overcome
New Delhi, January 30
He was crippled in a mishap, paralysed below the waist. But undaunted he got back on his feet through sheer grit and, of course, the right treatment. Having exorcised his inner demons, today Iqbal Deep Singh is a successful businessman with a thriving export trade.

Sonepat trains: Hard to catch, harder to travel by
Sonepat, January 30
There is great deal of resentment among passengers, mostly daily commuters, over the holding up of a Delhi-bound passenger train (2 PGM) daily at the Sonepat railway station. According to a report, the train is held up daily at 7.06 a.m. to allow a goods train to pass.

COMMUNITY

Doordarshan show leaves a good taste in your mouth Faridabad, January 30

‘Swad Lajawaab’ is Doordarshan’s own cookery show. It has a Faridabad connection as well. The show has been directed by a resident of Faridabad and shot at a hotel in Surajkund. Telecast on Sunday noon on Metro channel, it is the only programme of its kind being aired by the DD at present. While ‘Swad Lajawaab’ had been facing competition from the cookery programmes, being telecast by other leading channels including Star Plus, Sony and Zee, the director of the programme, Mr Ashwini Sharma, claims that it does not interfere with other popular programmes on the rival channels.

BON APETIT: ‘Swad Lajawab’ director Ashwini Sharma (Middle) with host Kanupriya and chef Deepak Wahi.

NCR BRIEFS
Hindu Engg College students on indefinite strike 
Sonepat, January 30
The students of Hindu Engineering College went on an indefinite strike yesterday to register their protest against the alleged threat of dire consequences given to them by the warden of the hostel.

Villagers hold key to progress: Defence Secy
Noida, January 30
The former UP Chief Secretary and present Defence Secretary, Dr Yoginder Narayan, said that for any development it was essential to involve villagers. Without their participation, nothing could be realised and “the ideal with which Greater Noida was set up, appears to be nearing its fulfilment”.

Bhikaji Cama District Centre to be given a face-lift
New Delhi, January 30
The Bhikaji Cama District Centre in South Delhi will be given a face-lift and holistic measures would be taken for its upgradation. The MCD has been asked to remove all unauthorised structures and encroachments from the centre.

MCD to refurbish ‘necessary offices’
New Delhi, January 30
After inaugurating parks, community centres and roads, the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi has now started focussing on the slums, the traditional vote banks. As a first step, it is now concentrating on improving the conditions of public toilets in the slums of the Capital. The public toilets in the slums are being maintained by a Non-Government Organisation, Sulabh International, and to keep the toilets clean, the corporation gives money to it.

We’ll make UP farmer well-off: Rajnath
Noida, January 30
My aim of being in politics is not to form the government, rather I am committed to the reconstruction of society, said UP Chief Minister Rajnath Singh, addressing a public meeting at Javer yesterday evening. He said it was the politicians who were responsible for corruption in the country.

Saint Dadu Maharaj’s incarnation anniversary
Rewari, January 30
The 458th incarnation anniversary of the great Saint, Dadu Dayalji Maharaj, founder of the Dadu Cult in the country, will be celebrated from March 12 to 22 at Shree Dadu Dham Nraina in Rajasthan.

Briefly....

• Admissions cancelled

• Medical exam result

CRIME

Man stabbed to death over a trivial issue
New Delhi, January 30
The Roop Nagar police have arrested a person, who stabbed to death his neighbour over a petty issue of paying dinner bill at a Dhaba on January 25. The police said that both Praveen (21), who runs a milk dairy and his neighbour, Ashraf (21), had gone to a dhaba and had dinner. After the dinner the duo started arguing over a issue that who will pay the dinner bill. Finally, their friends interfered and pacified them.

• Leader dies in road mishap

• Murderer nabbed

• Old man murdered

X-rated cassettes seized
Jhajjar, January 30
The district police have seized 85 pirated and 27 pornographic cassettes from two shops in Haripura Mohalla at Ward No. 10 here today. Two persons were arrested in this connection. According to the police, Mr Suresh Kumar, MD of Super Cassettes Industries at Noida, complained that Ravinder and Anil, two shopkeepers in the town, were selling pirated CDs, using the trade mark of their company.

• PISTOL RECOVERED

• STOLEN CARS

Pehalwan’s front man nabbed
New Delhi, January 30
The West District police today claimed to have nabbed a dreaded criminal, Sanjay Tyagi, who was operating at the behest of his gang leader Krishan Pehalwan, who is presently incarcerated at the Central Jail in Rohtak. Sanjay is said to have been responsible for at least half a dozen murders, including that of several Delhi and Haryana policemen.

EDUCATION

Anugoonj to reverberate on GGSIPU campus from Feb 1
THE third Anugoonj Youth Festival of the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) is scheduled from February 1 to 3. Renowned Kuchipudi exponents, Raja and Radha Reddy, will be the chief guests at this year’s fest and will inaugurate it on February 1 at the university auditorium.

• IIPM’s Network

• AIFUCTO Concerned

• Khalsa Seminar

Teachers threaten statewide stir
Rohtak, January 30
The Haryana Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations has threatened to launch a statewide agitation if any attempt was made to tamper with the workload norms. The HFUCTO apprehended such tampering at a meeting of the Vice-chancellors of various universities in the state held here this afternoon.

SPORTS

G.M.S.S. Boys team from Jalandhar celebrating after winning the final of the 30th Nehru-Nestle Junior Hockey Tournament. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Kapil Modi wins gold in FEI World Dressage title
New Delhi, January 30
Kapil Modi, astride Russian stallion Domino, won his fourth consecutive gold medal in the PSI FEI (International Equestrian Federation) World Dressage Challenge Championship held at 61 Cavalry Ground from January 27 to 30. Kapil and Domino collected 486 points to win the gold.

DLF changes par for Hero Honda Masters
New Delhi, January 30
A big surprise will be waiting the Asian PGA as well as the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour pros when they assemble for the Hero Honda Masters 2002, scheduled to start at the Arnold Palmer-designed DLF Golf & Country Club from February 13, 2002.

IA, Punjab and Sind Bank win
New Delhi, January 30
Indian Airlines flew past Delhi XI 4-1 in the fourth Chhatrapati Shivaji All-India Hockey Tournament for the Dhyan Chand Cup at the Shivaji Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday.

JRA rout Canon in Teri Cup
New Delhi, January 30
JRA (Jassal Ranganathan Associates) beat Canon by three wickets in the ninth Teri Cup Cricket Tournament organised by TERI (Tata Energy Research Institute) at the Teri Oval in Gurgaon.

• Cricket trials for UK-bound

Huda’s auction of kiosks raises eyebrows
Gurgaon, January 30
The Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) appears to have bitten off more than it could chew by going ahead with its decision to auction some disputed kiosk plot sites in the old judicial complex.