TOP STORIES

Gurdwara Polls
Akali manifestos harp on same string 
New Delhi, June 19
The promises have virtually remained the same even seven years after they were made. And, the promises have made a comeback in a new form, with three Akali parties in the fray today pledging to fulfill them if voted to power in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee polls.

To elect or select: Sikh intellects debate gurdwara affairs
New Delhi, June 19
Even as the DSGMC poll is 10 days away, the Sikh intelligentsia debated whether elected or selected representatives were the best persons to manage the affairs of the community.

National Akali Dal nominee Paramjit Singh Pamma after opening his campaign office at Namdhari Colony in the Capital on Wednesday.

Congress MLA indicted for power theft
New Delhi, June 19
Congress legislator Jaspal Singh has been held guilty of large-scale power theft, meter tampering and manipulation of electricity bills by Lokayukta Justice R.N. Aggarwal. Besides, he has also held him accountable for failing to maintain the norms, integrity and conduct that ought to have been adhered to by a public functionary.

You can’t get away with unpaid power bills now!
Rohtak, June 19
Electricity consumers in Haryana will have to submit a self-assessment certificate regarding the payment of electricity bills while procuring a ration card, a driving licence or an arms licence, getting vehicle registration done or managing loans for fertilisers and seeds.

NCR SPECIAL
NCR role crucial in national security

New Delhi, June 19 Straddling as it does the supply lines between ordnance factories as far away as West Bengal; the home-base of its tank regiments in the heart of the subcontinent; and the western front, the National Capital Region of Delhi plays a strategic role in the defence of territorial integrity. Breach of security at New Delhi Railway Station.

PANIPAT
Admn teaches premier school a lesson 
Panipat, June 19
The fate of hundreds of students of a premier school—MJR Public School—hangs in the balance after the demolition of the school building by the authorities here today. In a major demolition drive, the District Town Planning Department, in close cooperation with the district administration, razed the school for violating the Control Area Act and misusing agricultural land for commercial purposes.

COMMUNITY

Water crisis to be solved by next year: Sheila
New Delhi, June 19
Delhiites can look forward to better water availability in the forthcoming year, promised the Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, here today. She said the water crisis in the Capital would be over by next year when the availability of water would increase from the Tehri dam in Uttaranchal.

Park opening: Cong MLAs protest CM’s omission
New Delhi, June 19
Competitive politics of an avoidable kind, between the executive and the Centre’s nominee, took an unseemly turn today when some Congress legislators, taking an exception to the omission of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit from the list of invitees to the inauguration of Millennium Park near Sarai Kale Khan two days back, submitted a memorandum to the Lieutenant-Governor protesting against the “indecorous incident”.

Army to remain on border till Pak withdraws forces: Jana
Rohtak, June 19
Mr Jana Krishnamurthy, national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reiterated that the Army would remain stationed on the border till Pakistan withdrew its armed forces back to the peace zone. Addressing newsmen here on Tuesday, Mr Krishnamurthy said that though Pakistan had assured the international community to stop supporting the terrorists, the cross-border terrorism still existed in India. 

Jails bursting at the seams with crime on the rise
Ghaziabad, June 19
Looking at the speed with which crime has been on the ascendant and keeping in mind the increasing number of criminals, the state government will have to set up new jails in western UP because the existing jails are already overcrowded with criminals and undertrials.

Hooch deaths: Pall of gloom in Kabri
Panipat, June 19
Even as the toll in the hooch tragedy in Kabri village rose to three today, a pall of gloom has descended on the village and the demand for the closure of the liquor shop has picked up momentum. Today, two more victims, Suresh and Hans Raj, were rushed to the civil hospital here. However, they are stated to be out of danger.

• ‘No troops’ pullout now’

10 lakh saplings may run to seed
Faridabad, June 19
The target of planting about 10 lakh saplings in the district in the coming monsoon season may not be difficult to achieve but what is doubtful is their survival. Owing to the lack of proper care, the survival rate of the saplings, planted on earlier occasions, has been very poor so far.

Delhi Police get 1,612 new recruits

New Delhi, June 19 A batch of 1,612 personnel, including 84 women, who have been specially trained to combat terrorism and deal with disaster management, today graduated to join ranks in the Delhi Police. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Police Commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma and Joint CP Kiran Bedi during the passing-out parade of 70th batch of recruits in the Capital on Wednesday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Excise staff seek a fair deal in promotions
Rewari, June 19
Mr Amar Singh Yadav, president of the Excise and Taxation Ministerial Staff Association of Haryana, criticised the top brass of the department for their alleged apathy towards the ministerial staff in various districts in departmental promotions.

Sena plans Pandits’ return to Kashmir
New Delhi, June 19
Shiv Sena activists will meet members of the Kashmiri Samiti here in the Capital tomorrow to chalk out plans for the return of the Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. In a press release, the Shiv Sena officials said that they were contemplating sending an equal number of Shiv Sena activists along with the migrants to the valley.

CRIME

10 hurt in clashes in two villages 
Sonepat, June 19
At least 10 persons, including six women, were injured in clashes that took place at Shahpur Turk and Jatheri villages of this district on Tuesday. According to a report, five persons, including three women, sustained injuries in a clash between two groups on fetching of water from a public tap at Shahpur Turk village.

Autopsy report: Police, docs pass the buck
New Delhi, June 19
Almost 20 days after the body of Pankaj Mishra was found hanging in his West Vinod Nagar residence, the family members of the deceased are still clueless whether the death was a result of murder or suicide.

Teenager raped by two villagers
Rewari, June 19
Two village youths allegedly smothered the mouth of a teenaged girl when she was returning home after answering the call of nature in a field in Pranpura village, about 20 km from here, early in the morning on Monday. She was forcibly taken to the house of one of the youths and shut up in a room where she was repeatedly raped by the youths till evening.

Hunt on for bank robbers
New Delhi, June 19
The police today sought the help of the Haryana police in tracing the seven armed desperadoes who had looted the Vaish Cooperative Bank branch in the Azadpur Subzi Mandi area in broad daylight on Tuesday.

BUSINESS

Kundli: The industrial landmark that was not to be
Sonepat, June 19
The Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) complex at Kundli village, along the Haryana-Delhi border—the much touted growth centre, has neither witnessed any improvement in the quality of life nor growth of industrial culture, due to the failure of the authorities to provide basic amenities to the industrialists.

EDUCATION

CAMPUS
Anxious students playing a waiting game
With the last date of submission of forms being over, the more operative part of admissions to colleges in Delhi University has begun. For admission seekers, the week beginning on June 19 (the last date of submission of forms) will characterise a nervous waiting game till the time the first admission list is announced.

South or North, the debate continues Seminar on Multimedia Awards to students

Grooming classes Admission alerts

CAMPUS SCENE
Delhi varsity sells 14 lakh forms
New Delhi, June 19
Delhi University has managed to sell more than 14 lakh admission forms (compared to only 12 lakh last year) as the admission process came to an end today. The next week will decide the fate of students as the cut-off lists of various colleges are expected to come out on June 26.

YOUNG VOICE
Plenty of problems on our campus
Pradeep Solanki, President, South Campu s, a final year Bcom student of Motilal Nehru College, doesn't have big dreams to chase. All he wants to be is a successful businessman. “The problems on our campus are many and at times I can't cope with them”, says Solanki.

MDU teachers flay Reader’s suspension
Rohtak, June 19
The Maharshi Dayanand University Teachers’ Association (MDUTA) has described the recent suspension of Dr N. K. Rattan, Reader in English Department, by the Executive Council (EC) of the university as ‘a misuse of the administrative powers’ by the university.

SPORTS

Prem Chand to compete in Asian Games
New Delhi, June 19
Flexing his muscles has been a way of life with Prem Chand Degra. His “body beautiful” has earned him many a coveted title, including the Mr Asia and Mr Universe crowns. But he had faded into self-imposed oblivion after winning the Asian Championship title in Delhi in 1996.

Gautam Gambhir hits century for Chand Khanna

New Delhi, June 19 India ‘A’ player Gautam Gambhir hit a sparkling century of 108 and an all-round performance by Sumit Dogra (38 and 3 for 27) enabled defending champions Chand Khanna Club beat New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) by 75 runs and entered the semi-final of the sixth Lala Hariram Aggarwal Memorial Day-Night Cricket Tournament at the Karnail Singh Stadium in the Capital. Mr Mange Ram Garg giving away the Man of the Match Award to Gautam Gambhir in the Lala Hari Ram Memorial Day-Night Cricket Tournament.

Ishan stars in Tyagi Academy’s win
New Delhi, June 19
A fine all-round performance by Ishan Kumar (96 not out and 2 for 24) guided Tyagi Sports Academy to a seven-wicket victory against Baptist School in a league match of the S R Malhan Memorial (Under-16) Cricket Tournament at the Tyagi Public School ground.

Sheetal, Shruti sail  into semis
New Delhi, June 19
The first four seeds expectedly qualified for the singles semi-finals, but in contrasting styles, on day three of the ITF Women’s Circuit Masters Tennis Tournament at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association courts in the Capital.