TOP STORIES

MCD ELECTION
BJP bid to get its act together
New Delhi, March 16
With barely a week to go for the March 24 civic elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday went into an overdrive and brought together on a platform Madan Lal Khurana and other Members of Parliament from Delhi (with the exception of Sahib Singh Verma) to project a united face and smother all speculations to the contrary.

• Case against Cong MLA, BJP candidate

For Big 2, small is beautiful
New Delhi, March 16
Even as the candidates are busy campaigning for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls, there seems to be little clarity as to the shape of the next civic body, which would assume office on April 1, for the next five years.

Faridabad Dy Mayor, spouse in the dock
Faridabad, March 16
In a dramatic development, the senior Deputy Mayor of Faridabad, Mr Shivcharan Lal Sharma, and his wife, a corporator, have been booked in a case of fraud. The case has been filed on a complaint by Mr Bachoo Singh Teotia, an elected member of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF).

Miss Annie Thomas, former Miss India-World, during the inauguration of “Zak Jewels 2002”. —Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

CAMPUS
It may be curtains for unviable MDU depts
Rohtak, March 16
The Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) plans to discontinue those departments that have become unviable over the years. The departments proposed to be closed include the departments of Rural Development, Defence Studies and Statistics. 

Jhajjar kavi sammelan, officially yours
Jhajjar, March 16
Clerks and officials of government departments in the Bahdurgarh sub-division and elsewhere in the district here have a new job in hand – selling tickets. The tickets are for the kavi sammelan being organised by the Haryana Tourism in the Goriyya tourist complex here on the eve of Holi, dubbed ‘Holi Ki Umang, Hasya Kavion Ke Sang’. 

Citizen’s Alliance for Gurgaon
Gurgaon, March 16
“Citizes’ Alliance”, a voluntary organisation, having the former Lt-Governor of Delhi, Mr Tejendera Khanna, as its patron, today opened its chapter of service to the residents.

Arhatiyas protest tenders
Faridabad, March 16
Agents (arhatiyas) of mandis at Hodal, Palwal and Hassanpur have protested against the manner in which tenders for loading and unloading of foodgrains have been released by the Food and Supply Authorities.

School that gives a bad account of itself
Gurgaon, March 16
A well-known city school has directed the parents of its students to open a saving account with a nationalised bank to deposit the fee. If they do not open the account, they are at liberty to leave the school, says the Principal.

COMMUNITY

Bansi Lal takes credit for SYL verdict
Rewari, March 16
Mr Bansi Lal, former Chief Minister and Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) supremo, has asserted that following the Supreme Court verdict as well as the dismissal of the Punjab Government’s appeal by the apex court, the decks have now been cleared for the completion of the SYL canal in Punjab in a stipulated period of one year. He said this while addressing a rally at Bawal, 14 km from here, today.

GETTING AWAY
There is a fair treat at the hilltops in Champawat

New Delhi, March 16 As the temperature in the plains rising with the each passing day, it is time to take a break and visit the mountains and enjoy the mystic beauty of nature. Natural streams flowing from the mountaintop, through the narrow gaps amongst the boulders and gushing with force as they hit the plains are a scene to watch. Folk dancers in a fair at Varahidevi Temple, Devidhura.

Devi Lal statue adorns Sonepat bus stand chowk
Sonepat, March 16
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, unveiled the life-size statue of former Deputy Prime Minister Tau Devi Lal at the main bus stand chowk here today.

Panipat to be a beauty spot
Panipat, March 16
The district administration, in cooperation with the public, has launched a special drive to make Panipat a green and beautiful town, said the Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. R. Anand, today. He was talking to mediapersons at the monthly press conference.

SEARCH WITHIN
Suffering is a divine touch
These are days when the Christians in every land observe the Lent period. It is a time when they reflect on the sufferings of their Lord on the Cross, suffering underwent voluntarily for the redemption of the human race. One theme of the cross is redemptive suffering. 

NCR BRIEFS
Rs 29.86 lakh disbursed in aid
Faridabad, March 16
A financial aid of Rs 29.86 lakh has been provided to various persons under different schemes of the social and welfare department of the state in the district during the current financial year.

Marble shops demolished Lovers end lives Theft on PGI campus

186 cases settled Rs 1.21 lakh donated Ticketless passengers

• Road named after Rajmata

CRIME

Youth attacks mother, sister over property
New Delhi, March 16
Hashim, an unemployed youth, with a mob of 30 others attacked and injured his mother and sister over a property dispute on Friday evening in the Gautampuri area in East district. The injured Saira and Shahjahan were admitted to a nearby hospital and were discharged after being administered first aid.

EDUCATION

Centre for Sikh Studies in Khalsa College
New Delhi, March 16
In a move to encourage research in Sikhism and understand comparative studies with other religions, a Centre for Sikh Studies and Comparative Religions was today set up in SGTB Khalsa College in the Capital.

HEALTH

New policy on Indian medicine opposed
Jhajjar, March 16
The National Integrated Medical Association (NIMA) has opposed the new health and Indian systems of medicine (ISM) policy, which is likely to be tabled in Parliament in the current session by the Union Health Ministry, terming it prejudicial and uncalled for. 

SPORTS

Comes the challenge, comes the man: Vijay Kumar, who leads the field on the third day, in action at the Royal Challenge Indian Open Golf in the Capital on Saturday. —Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Vinod, Vishal win in qualifying rounds
New Delhi, March 16
Vinod Sridhar and Vishal Punna set themselves in line for berths in the main draw of the India F2 Men’s Futures Tennis Tournament when they crossed many a hurdle, at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association courts in the Capital on Saturday.

India F2 Futures Tennis Tournament in Delhi
New Delhi, March 16
The $10,000 India F2 Futures Tennis Tournament will be held at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association courts from March 18 to 23. Players from 23 countries, including hosts India, will participate in the tournament.

Ferreira to feature in ESPN online
New Delhi, March 16
Cue sport legend Michael Ferreira, the three-time world amateur billiards champion, will appear on the Harsha Online, the interactive one-hour programme pioneered by ESPN Star Sports on March 18 (Monday) at 10.30 pm.

Hanish Arora slams  double century
New Delhi, March 16
Former Under-19 player Hanish Arora slammed an unbeaten double century (212) off 113 balls with 22 fours and five sixes and claimed two wickets for 41 runs to help Taj Group of hotels beat Pizza Hut by 141 runs and enter the final of the 13th Inter-Hotel Cricket Tournament at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in the Capital.

• Inter-Chamber Cricket

ADMINISTRATION

Order to file case against HVPN  employee
Panipat, March 16
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. R. Anand, today ordered the registration of a case against an employee of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) who has allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1,000 from a consumer of Noorwala village for changing a burnt electricity meter. The order was passed in the meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee here today.

Ban on  loudspeakers in Panipat
Panipat, March 16
Observing that indiscriminate use of loudspeakers, amplifiers and such other equipment have become a great source of nuisance for the public and especially to the student community, the District Magistrate has ordered strict compliance with the Section 3 of the Punjab Instrument (Control of Noises) Act 1956 in the district.