TOP STORIES

Sarna spikes appointments
Getting down to business
New Delhi, July 24
Meaning business from the word go, the unanimously elected Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee president, Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, today cancelled the recruitment of over 900 persons and suspended the promotions of employees in various gurdwara-run institutions immediately after assuming office.

New DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna with former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra at a press conference in the Capital on Wednesday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

• Executive Committee members

Meerut erupts over ‘custody death’ 
Meerut, July 24
Several people today gathered at the Eves Crossing in the heart of the city and protested against the death of a Municipal Corporation sanitation worker. The angry crowd pelted stones on the police officials and blocked the main road of the city. Several people and police personnel were injured in the incident. The mob even set ablaze a police jeep and smashed windows of some vehicles.

SYL Canal to be completed, come what may: Chautala
Rewari, July 24
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has asserted that after the verdict of the apex court, no power on earth could prevent the completion of the SYL Canal as well as the flow of the long-withheld rightful share of its waters into Haryana. He made this announcement at a massive rally in Bawal, 14 km from here on Tuesday.

Head Constable clubbed to death in police station
New Delhi, July 24
Head Constable Paramhans of the Civil Lines police station was bludgeoned to death by a person who was brought to the police station as he was making a nuisance atop the roof of the Metro railway station under construction in the area late on Tuesday night.

Ministers stumped by CM’s sop
New Delhi, July 24
The chief minister’s desire to extend unemployment allowance to youth domiciled and educated in rural Delhi has opened a Pandora’s box for her in general and her Cabinet colleagues in particular.

Haryana curbs on plot registration
Faridabad, July 24
In a landmark decision that could have far-reaching implications, the Haryana Government has banned registration of residential plots measuring fewer than 1,000 square yards, located in private colonies.

Ban on goods vehicles from July 27
New Delhi, July 24
The Delhi Police today clamped a ban on entry of all inter-state goods vehicles into the national Capital from July 27.

SAFFRON TALK
Vinod Khanna plays the spiritual franchiser
New Delhi, July 24
For a man who has renounced greasepaint for the more greasy world of politics and jettisoned a flourishing career in the tinsel world for the Osho brand of spiritualism, the visit to Oshodham in New Delhi today was an exercise in self-acceptance and enlightenment.
His master’s voice.

IN PARLIAMENT
Power shortage increased by 3.1 per cent
New Delhi, July 24
Power shortage in the national Capital has increased by 3.1 per cent during the first fortnight of July. The power supply position in Delhi was by and large comfortable with marginal shortage of 1.7 per cent, Minister of State for Power Jayawanti Mehta said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.

Sheila leaves for London to ink pact
New Delhi, July 24
Delhi and London are expected to ink the Friendship Agreement to forge greater links between them and open avenues for exchange of ideas and experiences during Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s visit to that country on the invitation of the Mayor of Greater London. The Chief Minister left on a day’s tour of that city today.

COMMUNITY

HVP demands special drought package 
Rewari, July 24
Mr Surender Singh, former Member of Parliament and general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) has urged the Union Government to provide a special package of Rs 2000 crore to Haryana to tackle the catastrophic drought situation now prevailing throughout the state.

Demand to declare Meerut drought-affected 
Meerut, July 24
Political parties here intensified their movement against the decision of the state government not to declare Meerut a drought-affected district. In his bid to convey a message to the Chief Minister, Miss Mayawati, the Lok Dal youth wing divisional unit arranged a ‘Buddhi Shiddhi yajana’ (mind purification Yajana).

Couch potatoes go without cable fare
New Delhi, July 24
Avid television viewers in the Capital, hoping to catch the news update or latch on to their favourite flick on a movie channel, were cut up today when blank screens greeted them today.

Cable operators demonstrating in support of their demands at Jantar Mantar in the Capital on Wednesday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Delhi Govt orders survey on damage to kharif crops
New Delhi, July 24
The Government of NCT of Delhi has ordered a survey to assess the damage to kharif crops and vegetables due to drought-like situation in the Capital.

CNG woes will be over by Dec: Naik
New Delhi, July 24
The Centre today said the CNG crisis in Delhi would be over after a Rs 522 crore CNG dispensing infrastructure became operational by the year-end.

Rs 8.61 crore for winner of Playwin Sikkim Super Lotto jackpot 
New Delhi, July 24
Mr Bimal Gajmer, a resident of Gangtok in Sikkim, has hit the jackpot and emerged as the top winner of the Playwin Sikkim Super Lotto, bagging Rs 8.61 crore.

NCR BRIEFS
Telenet follows VSNL, slashes ISD rates 
Faridabad, July 24
Bharti Telenet, Haryana, a licenced private fixed line service operator for Haryana circle, has also announced up to 40 per cent cut in the ISD rates. The company is providing telephone service under the name of `Touchtel’ at present in Gurgaon and Faridabad in the state.

EDUCATION

CAMPUS
Teachers in a tizzy over UGC directive on appointments
The new academic session in Delhi University has finally got under way with students getting down to the more serious business of attending classes. However, with barely a week having passed in the new session, teachers are already a disappointed lot.

• IGNOU takes the cake

• Justice for SCs

• IT for schoolkids

• Learn & earn

• TASMAC degree

• Books by Roy Bhaskar

NCERT bid to streamline textbook distribution
New Delhi, July 24
After the schools and the students crying themselves hoarse over the non-availability of textbooks, it is now the turn of retailers to protest.

COURTS

‘Technology-driven courts for speedy justice’
New Delhi, July 24
Overburdened judiciary and the consequent delay in the conclusion of cases has for long been a cause for worry. To counter this phenomenon, there is a need for the evolution of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) was what emerged as the solution from a daylong seminar at the Amity Law School.

SPORTS

Mount St Mary’s hold Tagore International
New Delhi, July 24
Hosts Mount St Mary’s School and Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, played a 1-1 draw in a senior division match of the Bro Mahony Inter-School Football Tournament in the Capital. Tagore International took the lead in the 12th minute through their striker George Avpam.

Chandrashekhar a match-winner: Goel
Rohtak, July 24
The highest wicket taker in Ranji Trophy and former left arm spinner Rajinder Goel has said that B.S. Chandrashekhar richly deserved the honours of being declared Wisden’s Indian Bowler of the Century.

In fine fettle, Karun Chandhok closes in on third place
New Delhi, July 24
Karun Chandhok continued his fine form of the past few race meetings at the Rockingham Speedway in Northamptonshire with third and sixth position in Round 9 of the Scholarship Class of British Formula 3 race. The 18-year-old from Chennai is all set to give a shot for the third position, being just two points adrift of third placed Stephen Colbert, according to information available in Delhi.

Junior spikers train in Thailand
New Delhi, July 24
A 15-member Indian junior volleyball team is at present in Thailand for training-cum-competition with the Thailand volleyball team till July 31. The team will leave for China on August 1 for training-cum-competition with the Chinese team till August 10.

NCR BRIEFS
Ishan Bakshi hits unbeaten century
New Delhi, July 24
A brilliant unbeaten century by Ishan Bakshi (101, 10x4, 2x6) and devastating bowling by Luv Shorey (4 for 38) helped Young Friends defeat St Marks School, Janak Puri, by 11 runs and enter the quarter-final of the first Master Prabhu Dayal Memorial Under-15 Cricket Tournament at the Ashok Vihar ground.

• Ajay Chautala hails Kapil Dev

• R P Cricket Academy beat Sumit Academy

• Alaf Khan is no more