TOP STORIES

Multiple civic authorities hampering growth: CM
New Delhi, March 11
The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dikshit, has blamed the multiple civil authorities in the national Capital for impeding the city government’s efforts to accelerate economic growth.

EASING CONGESTION 
Four-lane highway to link Sonepat with Dharuhera
Sonepat, March 11
Haryana has proposed a four-lane express highway for connecting Sonepat on National Highway 1 with Dharuhera on the Jaipur highway. According to official sources, this will decongest the traffic on the Delhi-Gurgaon highway.

Salman faces rap for assaulting lensman
Gurgaon, March 11
The Gurgaon district police lodged an FIR last evening against cine actor Salman Khan for allegedly hitting and intimidating a local photographer when the actor was here for his shooting around ten days back. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Kuldeep Singh Siag, informed that Salman Khan had visited the DLF City Centre on March 3.

A model displays the Spring-Summer ensemble unveiled by Anshu Modi at the launch of her studio in the Capital on Monday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

CAUGHT IN THE ACT 
Three PWD officers in vigilance net
Sonepat, March 11
In a daylong exercise on Monday, three officers of the PWD (B and R) were caught red-handed while accepting bribe from a contractor by a vigilance team headed by the city Magistrate here.

Dr Dhindsa, Dr Gandhi nominated MDU court members 
Rohtak, March 11
The Haryana Governor and Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University has nominated Dr Kuldip Singh Dhindsa, a senior scientist at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, and Dr Yayati Madan G. Gandhi, former Professor, Political Science Department, as members of the court of the university for three years from March 24.

Pirated books worth Rs 3 cr seized
NEW DELHI: The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police today seized a huge stockpile of pirated books worth Rs 3 crore during raids on godowns in North West Delhi. Three persons were arrested.

Noida cuts interest rate on deposits
NOIDA: The Noida Board has reduced the interest rate on installments by two per cent. This decision will be effective from March 10 for new schemes of the authority. Applicants under the old schemes will have to pay interest at the old rates. 

Four rounded up during demolition
Faridabad, March 11
The demolition squad of the district administration was active in Sector 28 here today. It removed several encroachments in the Housing Board Colony of this sector. At least four persons who resisted the drive were rounded up by the police.

 

POLITICS

Chautala imposing reign of terror: Bansi 
Sonepat, March 11
The Haryana Vikas Party Supremo and former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, said that the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, was trying to impose a reign of terror in the state by implicating his political rivals in false and fabricated cases. 

HVP to go it alone in next Assembly poll
Sonepat, March 11
Mr Bansi Lal, supremo of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP), has ruled out any alliance with any political party for contesting the next Assembly elections in the state. Talking to mediapersons at Kharkhauda town, 19 km from here, on Sunday, he reiterated that this party would go it alone in the poll.

Poll alliance yet to be decided: Sangwan
Sonepat, March 11
The BJP ‘High Command’ is yet to decide its policy on poll alliance for the next Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Haryana. This was stated by Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, MP and the vice-president of the Haryana unit of the BJP, at a press conference held at his residence at Gohana town, 35 km from here.

COMMUNITY

HOOKED: Visitors at Convergence India 2003, which was inaugurated today at Pragati Maidan in the Capital on Tuesday. — Tribune Photo Union Minister of State for Home I. D. Swami releases the audio cassette of Swami Surendra Budhiraja produced by T-Series in the Capital as musician Anand Raj Anand and Pradeep Gangal look on.

PM asked to roll back hike in fertiliser prices
Sonepat, March 11
Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, MP and vice-president of the Haryana BJP, has requested the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to roll back the hike in diesel and fertiliser prices as proposed in the Union Budget.

JD(U) calls state budget ‘deceptive’
Faridabad, March 11
The Haryana unit of the Janata Dal (U) described the state budget for the year-2003 as highly `deceptive’ and an indicator that new taxes in transport and power sectors would be imposed in the near future.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON GURGAON
Understanding the needs of children
Gurgaon, March 11
Heritage School organized a thought provoking interactive session by an array of professionals on pre-school education. Dr Samir Parekh, consultant psychiatrist with Max Healthcare and various leading schools of Delhi, spoke on the topic, “Understanding the Needs of Play School Children.”

Memorising is simply an art, says expert 
Gurgaon, March 11
The man lived up to his reputation. At the end of the day, no one appeared to be disappointed. Mr Mahavir Jain (29), a memory consultant, has already etched his name in the Limca Book of Records for memorising 80,000 words from the Oxford Dictionary, including their page numbers.

Subhashini Devi’s demise a great loss to women’s education
Sonepat, March 11
Renowned social reformer Subhashini Devi, who expired after a brief illness in Appolo Hospital in Delhi on Monday, was cremated today on the premises of Kanya Gurukul Khanpur Kalan near Gohana. She was 88. She is survived by two daughters.

SONEPAT
Petrol pump loot bid foiled, 5 held
Sonepat, March 11
With the arrest of five persons, the police claimed to have foiled an attempt to loot a petrol pump on the Sonepat-Rohtak road near Kalupur village, 3 km from here, last night. According to a report, the arrested persons were identified as Dalbir alias Bholu of Machhola village, Pawan alias Monu of ‘Four Marla’ Colony, Ram Tirath of Barwali village, Ajay alias Vikki of Housing Board Colony in Sector 15 and Ram Phal of Arya Nagar.

• Two hurt in mishap
• BC Sangh rally
• RI for holding  illegal arms
• Bansi’s plea to farmers

7 held for photocopying answer sheets
Rohtak, March 11
An official team led by SDM G. L. Yadav raided a photocopying shop located near Durga Bhawan temple here today and nabbed the shop owner along with his six aides allegedly indulging in taking out copies of solved question papers.

• MDU council meeting
• Admission date extended

DELHI IN PARLIAMENT
Proposal to levy property tax on embassies shot down
New Delhi, March 11
The government has shot down a proposal of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to levy property tax on embassies of various countries in the Capital, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

NCR BRIEFS
Labourer blown to pieces as cylinder goes off
Noida, March 11
One labourer was blown to pieces as a nitrogen gas cylinder exploded in a gas store in Harula Market in Durga machinery store. Ajay Kumar (37) from Bihar had been working in a gas store, which supplied gas cylinders to factories.

• Maruti auto fest

• Naukriguru-AAFT in tie-up

• Sarpanch booked for  embezzlement

• BSNL mobile service

CRIME

Cricket betting racket unearthed
New Delhi, March 11
With the arrest of four persons, North-East district police today claimed to have unearthed a cricket betting racket. The suspects were allegedly operating the racket during the India-Sri Lanka World Cup match played in South Africa.

• Man dies of  electrocution

• Youth knocked down
  
  
  

VAT: Exporters fear rise in costs
New Delhi, March 11
Exporters of the northern region have expressed concern over possible rise in costs and procedural difficulties with the introduction of VAT in Delhi.  



Traders of Chandni Chowk taking out a protest march against VAT From Red Fort to Bara Tuti in the Capital on Tuesday. — Tribune Photo

CULTURE

GLITZ&GLAMOUR
Showcasing dreams with a droll sense of humour
Life is about dreams, and man’s ability to achieve them, reason why Rajat and Poonam Banerjee chose to stage their dreams, which scores of others could identify with. The week gone by saw the Capital enjoy a comedy, ‘Dreamsellers’, produced under the banner Gatearch.

A scene from the play 'Dreamsellers', staged by Gatearch.

The business of looking good
The business of beauty is profitable as also creative. With good looks and groomed personas being the order of the day, teaching beauty has become a serious vocation. Says Bharti Taneja of Alps Academy of Hair Design and Beauty, “With more and more women becoming career-oriented, the world over and the perennial time constraint has thrown up enormous opportunities for professionals in the beauty fields to fulfil their innate desire to look and feel beautiful.

Film on gender roles in Asian performing arts
The Asia-Pacific Performing Arts Network (APPAN) will screen ‘The Sacred and The Profane’, a one-hour film on the theme of the male-female role in Asian performance arts here on Wednesday. The Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha and President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Dr Najma Heptullah, will be the chief guest on the occasion.

For women only! Don’t miss reading these tips for Holi

SPORTS

India-Pak match sends TRP for a six
New Delhi, March 11
The World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan on March 1 has put cricket on top of the heap among television viewers. The match, shown live on DD National and SET Max, delivered a high TRP of 15.37 in all TV homes and 21.78 in cable and satellite homes.

Air Force, Navy to clash in final
New Delhi, March 11
Indian Air Force (IAF) will take on Indian Navy in the final of the 51st Inter-Services Cricket Tournament. In the semi-finals played at Palam A and Palam B grounds, Air Force trounced Army Red by seven wickets while Navy sunk Army Green by 18 runs.

Sidharth bowls Collage Sports to victory
New Delhi, March 11
A devastating bowling performance by Sidharth Verma, who claimed four wickets for 35 runs off nine overs and a quicksilver 47 by Farman Ahmed helped Collage Sports Management beat Lal Bahadur Shastri Club by five wickets in a league match of the fourth Roshanara Cricket Tournament at the Roshanara Club ground.

Tarun Ahuja shines
New Delhi, March 11
A match-winning all-round performance by Tarun Ahuja (60, 3 for 17) helped Rajender Nagar Colts beat Kranti Star by 145 runs in an A-I Division match of the DDCA League at the Kalindi College ground. 

• Vineet hits ton

• ICICI down Xansa

• DSA official bereaved

• Ram Lal Anand beat Khalsa, finish third

• ONGC to meet Bright

Joginder stars in GE win
New Delhi, March 11
Joginder Singh scored a smashing 68 off just 37 balls with 11 boundaries to help GE Capital beat ICICI Bank by 50 runs in a Super League match of the tenth Teri Cup Cricket Tournament at the Teri Oval.

ADMINISTRATION

Walia orders improvement of road conditions
New Delhi, March 11
Concerned over the state of roads in the Capital, Delhi Minister of Urban Development A K Walia has issued orders for improving their condition within a month. The minister was inspecting various roads in the Capital.

Ex-minister flays ‘tough’ tax recovery drive
Rohtak, March 11
A former minister, Mr Subhash Batra, has condemned the tough posture adopted by the district administration against the house tax defaulters. In a statement here today, Mr Batra alleged that the district authorities had adopted undemocratic means for the recovery of various taxes.