TOP STORIES

CNG crisis: Centre robbing Peter to pay Paul
New Delhi, April 8
Replying to the adjournment motion (which eventually failed to pass muster) moved by the BJP to discuss the shortage of CNG buses in the Capital, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday cited the Supreme Court’s observations in its April 5 order to call that party’s, and by extension the BJP-led NDA Government’s, bluff.

Even though there were fewer buses on the roads on Monday, the traffic was hardly smooth as more people opted for their personal conveyance. The scene at the busy ITO intersection in the Capital on Monday. —Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

• Pollution level expected to dip

CNG CONTROVERSY
Delhi jumps on ULSD bandwagon
New Delhi, April 8
A beleaguered Government of NCT of Delhi has extended tacit support to the transporters’ demand that the Centre should issue an ordinance allowing the use of ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) as an alternate fuel. 

Naik hopeful of defusing row
New Delhi, April 8
The Union Petroleum Minister, Mr Ram Naik, is hopeful of finding a way out of the CNG logjam on Tuesday itself. “I have set up an inter-ministerial group to study the Supreme Court order and suggest a way out,” Mr Naik told the NCR Tribune.

At MDU, once a lecturer always a lecturer
Rohtak, April 8
The Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) is perhaps the only institute in the country where a large number of teachers would retire as lecturers even after putting in 25 years of service. 

AIDS centre for high-risk Gurgaon
Gurgaon, April 8
Gurgaon has finally got its Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre to control the spread of Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The centre, which became functional in the District Civil Hospital on Saturday, will be financed by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) with the assistance of the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Fake IAS officer ‘knew’ Pak who’s who
Sonepat, April 8
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) sleuths have reportedly recovered more than 200 visiting cards of various ministers, political bigwigs and judicial officers of Pakistan during search operations at the Defence Colony residence of Abhikar Raj, who was arrested in Sonepat recently. 

COMMUNITY

INTERVIEW
Property tax, illegal colonies, MCD schools top priority of Mayor-designate
New Delhi, April 8
Rationalisation of the property tax structure, regularisation of all old unauthorised constructions and improvement of education in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi-run schools are the priority areas of Ms Jaishree Panwar, the Congress nominee for the Mayor’s post in the civic body.

Cong workers asked to gird up their loins 
Sonepat, April 8
Overjoyed with the success of the Congress in the municipal elections of Delhi, the party leaders in Haryana have started reactivating the workers to fight the future assembly elections in the state. 

Fix support price at Rs 800 a quintal: BKU
Sonepat, April 8
The Haryana unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has urged the Central Government to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat at Rs 800 per quintal while taking into consideration the cost of production of wheat.

L-G asks CBI to probe liquor deaths 
New Delhi, April 8
Amidst reports of a tardy probe by Delhi Police into the deaths of some persons due to alleged consumption of spurious liquor, Lieutenant Governor Vijai Kapoor on Monday directed that the case be handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough probe, even as unconfirmed reports put the death toll at 10 in various parts of the Capital.

Corporator couple seeks justice from CM
Faridabad, April 8
The suspended Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Shiv Charan Lal Sharma, and his Corporator wife on Sunday began their political campaign to `disprove’ the charges of fraud levelled against them and to revoke their suspension.

FACE TO FACE
‘The very existence of the industry is at stake’
The septuagenarian industrialist has literally seen the growth of Delhi over the years - from the traumatic days of Partition to the information super highway of the 21st century. There were hardly any industries in the Capital at the time of Partition of the country and the city witnessed an influx of large number of refugees.
Delhi Factory Owners’ Federation president J R Jindal.

Metro operations to be fully computerised
New Delhi, April 8
With the work on the metro in the Capital in full swing, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has launched a programme for the complete computerisation of all its activities in the operational stage.

New building of EPF office coming up in Gurgaon
Gurgaon, April 8
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation is a model department that provides various benefits to the working section of the society, the Union Minister of Labour, Mr Sharad Yadav, has said.

Bhupi Chawla performing at the Punjabi Musical Dhamaka organised by the Punjabi Ekta Manch in the Capital on Sunday. —Photo by Anil Sharma.

Residents force closure of beer shop 
Noida, April 8
Persistent opposition from the public has forced the authorities to close a beer shop near a school and a residential colony in Sector 19-B/93, JA here.

NCR BRIEFS
House of Dalit sarpanch set on fire 
Panipat, April 8
Tension gripped Chichrana village, about 15 km from here, following the alleged burning of a house of the village Sarpanch, Mr Om Parkash, by certain miscreants on Sunday night. 

Bodies found 4 killed in mishaps Fire in spinning mill Sarpanch assaulted

Incumbent unseated Power theft Councillors in dock

• Tension over demolition

CRIME

Petrol pump worker robbed of Rs 1.64 lakh
Jhajjar, April 8
An accountant of a petrol station was robbed of Rs 1,64,500 when he was going to deposit the amount in a bank in Bahadurgarh town here today. According to sources, the accountant, Mr Satish, left for the bank in the morning on his bicycle with a bag containing the cash for the New Haryana Service Station, situated near Tikari border owned by former local MLA and Congress leader Suraj Mal.

2.5 kg heroin seized from two gangsters
New Delhi April 8
The Narcotics Cell of the Delhi Police today apprehended two members of an inter-state gang and recovered 2.5 kg heroin worth Rs 2.5 crore in the international market.

EDUCATION

Major changes in Haryana school calendar
Jhajjar, April 8
With a view to improving the quality of education in the state, the Secondary Education Department has introduced a series of reformative changes in the annual school calendar and the examination pattern from the ensuing academic session.

HEALTH

India IVF Centre, a ray of hope for childless couples

New Delhi, April 8 A new era in the treatment of infertility has begun with Dr Najma Heptullah, Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, dedicating the India IVF Centre and Research Institute to the millions of childless couples of the country here today. Hope springs eternal: Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha Najma Heptullah dedicating the India IVF Centre and Research Institute to the nation.

Truck Yatra on AIDS awareness
New Delhi, April 8
The Truck Yatra on AIDS care awareness organised by World Vision India, an international relief and development organisation, reached here today. As a part of the World Health Day initiative, the yatra was flagged off from Jaipur on Sunday and is on its way to Bangalore where it will culminate in the form of the 2nd International Conference on HIV/AIDS.

SPORTS

American Express lift Cathay Pacific Trophy
New Delhi, April 8
American Express beat Pearl International by six runs to lift the Cathay Pacific Cricket Sixes Trophy at the National Stadium in the Capital. The tournament witnessed keenly-contested matches. In the first semi-final, American Express defeated New Airways by 12 runs.

Hans Raj clinch Jivanjor trophy
New Delhi, April 8
Hans Raj Model School, Punjabi Bagh beat Frank Anthony Public School by two wickets in the final of the Jivanjor Trophy Cricket Tournament at the Bal Bharati Public School ground, Pitampura in the Capital on Monday.

Rajender helps Delhi Admn win
New Delhi, April 8
A swashbuckling knock of 58 off just 52 balls with two sixes and six fours by Rajender Bhardwaj and deadly bowling by Narender Malik (3 for 21) helped Delhi Administration XI beat Khelkood Samajik Utthan Samiti, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) by six wickets to enter the pre-quarter-final of the 12th All-India Om Nath Sood Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Khalsa College ground in the Capital on Monday.

AAFI forms committees
New Delhi, April 8
This is the year of the Asian Games as Pusan in South Korea is getting ready to host the mega event from September 29 to October 14. The Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) is sparing no effort to train the Indian athletes for the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth Games, to be held in Manchester (England) from July 25 to August 4.

Rahul ’s century goes in vain
New Delhi, April 8
A quicksilver century knock of 107 off just 90 balls with 18 boundaries by Rahul Deewan went in vain as Gold Star Cricket Academy lost to Ganga International Cricketers by eight wickets in the final of the fourth Chacha Nehru Memorial Under-16 Cricket Tournament at the Ashok Vihar ground.

Ten Sports offer live fiesta
New Delhi, April 8
Ten Sports, the new sports television channel, has lined up a series of interesting sports programmes for the month of April, including a heavy dose of cricket. On April 9 (Tuesday), the Sharjah Cup cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be beamed live and on April 11, the Pakistan vs New Zealand match will be telecast live.

Sports Corner
Pankaj stars for Chand Khanna Club
New Delhi, April 8
A fine all-round performance by Delhi Ranji Trophy player Pankaj Joshi (2 for 26 and 59 n o) helped Chand Khanna Club beat Young Subhania by eight wickets and enter the semi-final of the third Sheetal Prasad Jain Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Mohan Meakin ground.

ADMINISTRATION

Market Committee officials suspended
Rewari, April 8
Mr Alok Nigam, Chief Administrator of the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board, has suspended Mr B. S. Rathi and Mr Subhash Chand, secretary and supervisor respectively of the Market Committee, Rewari on the directions given by Mr Balwant Singh Maena, Chairman of the board.