TOP STORIES

R-Day parade route being sanitised
New Delhi, January 22
With just three days before the annual Republic Day parade, the Delhi Police in cooperation with several other security and intelligence agencies have started the onerous exercise of sanitising the route, taking into preventive custody scores of suspected troublemakers and drawing up a long list of suspects with terrorist links.

An Army jawan gives a shine to the emblem on the staff car of the Chief of the Army Staff at the Republic Day press preview at India Gate on Wednesday. —  Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

• Traffic police advice to avoid certain areas

More teeth to consumer forums
Ghaziabad, January 22
The consumer protection law has been amended to give more teeth to the Consumer Protection Forum. The chairmen of consumer courts have been vested with the powers of a first class judicial magistrate. This will empower them to issue interim stay orders and order attachment of property.

Lawyers get ransom letters
Sonepat, January 22
At least seven lawyers, including Mr Prem Atrey, president of the District Bar Association, Sonepat, Mr Ranbir Singh Dahiya, president of the district unit of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), and Mr Kamal Hooda have received threat letters, asking them to hand over Rs 28 lakh as ransom within 25 days, failing which they will be eliminated.

Life of crime begins at 8, curse TV soaps
Noida, January 22
It is hard to believe that a group of eight to 10 years old could commit crime like hardened criminals. But a gang of children of this age group has carried out a number of thefts in Noida, the police said.

Light at the end of the foggy tunnel, finally New Delhi, January 22 After three weeks of blinding fog and bitter chill, which disrupted air and rail traffic, the residents of the Capital today woke up to a bright and sunny day. They felt on cloud nine, so to say, as this has been the longest spell of cold in January in 40 years. Out of the woods, basking in the sunshine. — Photo by Anil Sharma

COMMUNITY

Central nod for vermiculture project in Jhajjar
Jhajjar, January 22
The Centre had approved the launching of a special project, titled ‘sustainable agriculture development by adopting vermiculture’ under the Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) in Jhajjar district. The project, the first of its kind in Haryana, is likely to cost Rs 963.30 lakh.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON PANIPAT
Power cuts pinch industry, common man
Panipat, January 22
The power crisis has thrown life out of gear in the city. The manufacture and exports of handloom products and blankets are likely to be affected badly. In fact, the Power Department seems to excel in making the citizens “powerless”. There is a saying in the city that if you want to establish an industry here, first install a generator set. 

BSNL – connecting India, but disconnecting villages?
Panipat, January 22
Contrary to its punchline, “Connecting India”, the state-controlled Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) seems to excel in “disconnecting India”. At least this is true in the case of over 20 villages of the district, which have been out of touch with the rest of the world for several days now.

Major gain in enrolment of IT assessees
Sonepat, January 22
The campaign of the Income Tax Department to increase the enrolment of assessees has achieved good results in Sonepat district. According to official sources, the number of assessees has gone up to about 38,000 as compared to only about 9,000 in 1995. 

Cong activists submit memo against demolition
Faridabad, January 22
Several women activists of the district unit of the Congress Party, led by its president, Ms Sharda Rathaur, submitted a memorandum to the authorities protesting against the demolition of more than 500 jhuggis and houses in Azad Nagar of Ballabgarh sub-division here recently.

Postal unions demand transfer of employee
Faridabad, January 22
Various postal department unions, including the circle and divisional units of the All India Postal Employees Union (AIPEU), have demanded immediate transfer of an official of the accounts department at the Head Post Office here.

Fog causes mishaps, 22 hurt
Sonepat, January 22
At least 22 persons were injured, four of them seriously, in two different road accidents occurred on account of the dense fog and zero visibility near here today. According to a report, as many as 10 persons were injured when a Haryana Roadways bus collided with a jeep coming from the opposite direction between Sisana and Silana villages, about 25 km from here. 

DELHI DIGEST
Main hall opened at Gurdwara Mata Sundri
New Delhi, January 22
The main hall constructed at Gurdwara Mata Sundri was opened today by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president, Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna.

CRIME

Schoolgirl’s charred body found in Anand Vihar
New Delhi, January 22
Under mysterious circumstances, the charred remains of class X student of Saint Lawrance School in Geeta Colony were found in Anand Vihar area late last night by the police.

Heroin worth Rs 2 cr seized
New Delhi, January 22
With the arrest of four persons, including two women, the Narcotics Branch of the Delhi Police today claimed to have seized heroin worth over Rs 2 crore. The suspects were involved in separate cases.

117 cases of liquor seized
Panipat, January 22
The Excise Department staff on Tuesday impounded a canter on the Pasina road and seized 117 cases of liquor, including five cases of whisky.

BUSINESS

BHEL employees awarded for excellence
New Delhi, January 22
To promote and nurture the culture of excellence in the organisation, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) presented `Excel Awards’ (2001-02) to its employees, for their meritorious achievements in various fields.

EDUCATION

CAMPUS
US bachelor degree: WIU to bridge the eligibility gap
CONSIDERING that students wishing to go abroad for higher education have to complete 16 years of formal education, the Western International University (WIU), New Delhi Campus, has now started special ‘Bridge’ for the 16th year.

• Education Channels

• Photography from Pearl

• Aria Finishing School

• Blast - 2003

Punjab Police may hand over four schools to DAV
Rohtak, January 22
The Punjab Police have proposed to hand over management of its four more senior secondary schools to the DAV Managing Committee. This was disclosed by Padmashri G. P. Chopra, president of the DAV College Managing Committee, while inaugurating the first-ever Mahatma Hans Raj Inter-DAV Schools Youth Festival here today.

COURTS

Plea on selling liquor at general shop dismissed
New Delhi, January 22
A plea seeking clarification whether liquor vends could be opened in residential areas under the Delhi Government’s recent excise policy, liberalising the sale of wine, whisky and beer, was dismissed by the Delhi High Court yesterday.

SPORTS

Gurmeet stars for R R Gym
New Delhi, January 22
Skipper Gurmeet Singh played a fine all-round role (3 for 22 and 50) to help Rohtak Road Gymkhana defeat Super Star Club by six wickets and entered the final of the seventh Sahibzada Ajit Singh Cricket Tournament at the Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce ground, Pitampura.

• Vijay Dahiya to lead

• Northern Rly crush Railway Board

BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmia being welcomed by vice-chairman of the National Cricket Academy C K Khanna before the Working Committee meeting in Delhi on Wednesday.

Team TVS Racing retain position
New Delhi, January 22
Team TVS Racing retained their national championship position at the MRF National Motocross Championship 2002 for the third time in a row. C Vijayakumar of Team TVS Racing dominated the final leg and was declared the Best Indian racer.

Judo Federation to hold trials
New Delhi, January 22
The Judo Federation of India (JFI) will hold open selection trials on January 25 at 10 am at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The selected judokas will attend a national coaching camp in preparation of forthcoming international events.

Mt Carmel beat Modern
New Delhi, January 22
Mt Carmel School beat Modern School, Vasant Vihar, 3-1 in a Group B match of the ESPN Inter-School Soccer League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

ADMINISTRATION

NDMC to provide better civic amenities
New Delhi, January 22
Revision of tariff in respect of property tax, grant of rebate in late payment surcharge, mechanisation of removal of garbage and solid waste, launching of cleanliness awareness campaigns, development of area around state emporia buildings, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, augmentation of sewerage and maintenance of electric sub-stations are some of the major decisions taken in the monthly meeting of the New Delhi Municipal Council, held here yesterday.

Death of cattle: Two suspended
Rohtak, January 22
Taking cognisance of the reports published in a section of the Press regarding the death of over 70 milch cattle in nearby Mungan village during the past ten days due to a mysterious disease, Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has ordered suspension of a Veterinary Surgeon and a Veterinary Livestock Development Assistant (VLDA) with immediate effect as they “failed to discharge their duties with prudence”. 

CM lays stone
New Delhi, January 22
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of a bridge on the Jaitpur Road near Badarpur. The bridge will be built over the irrigation canal in Mithapur.