TOP STORIES

300 gas cylinders explode in residential pocket
Meerut, July 17
More than 300 LPG cylinders exploded when a delivery truck rammed into an electric pole, causing a fire in the congested Nousendi area on Garh Road in the city this morning.

An overcast sky, a slight nip in the air and an invigorating breeze brought out the jaywalkers in the Capital on Thursday. — Tribune photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Dwarka property dealer’s murder case cracked
Jhajjar, July 17
The district police claimed to have solved the murder case of a Delhi-based property dealer with the arrest of an accused. The money transacted in a property deal is stated to be the reason behind the killing. The accused, Suresh Sangwan, who was remanded in four days’ police custody by a local court in Bahadurgarh yesterday, disclosed the involvement of six more accomplices.

Unmindful of the rain, a fresher coyly walks into her college on the second day of the DU session in the Capital on Thursday. — Tribune photo Mukesh Aggarwal Students entertaining seniors on the second day of the new session at Maitreyi College in the Capital on Thursday. — Photo Kamal Singh

MONUMENTAL FOLLY
ASI, civic body told to produce original files
New Delhi, July 17
The Delhi High Court today asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to produce before it the original files pertaining to the sanction of the construction plan of a building near the historic Jantar Mantar here, allegedly in violation of the provisions of the Ancient Monuments Act.

SURGING AHEAD
Panipat’s exports up by Rs 50 crore
Panipat, July 17
Despite poor industrial infrastructure, lopsided government policies and worsening law and order situation, the handloom capital of the country has done it again on the export front with orders touching Rs 1,250 crore, up by Rs 50 crore over that in fiscal 2001-2002.

Social activist moves court on selective demolitions
Faridabad, July 17
It seems that the authorities follow different norms for different people when it comes to taking action on encroachments.

With phones on the blink, BSNL lets go of rent 
Sonepat, July 17
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has decided not to charge any rent from telephone subscribers for the period when their telephones were lying disconnected. They have been promised re-connection without the payment of their bills.

Bus driver gets a thrashing, blocks traffic
Sonepat, July 17
The traffic on the telephone exchange road was blocked for more than half-an-hour last evening by a Haryana Roadways bus driver after he was beaten up by two motorcycle-borne youths.

POLITICS

Interest rate cut on farm loans motivated: Cong
Rohtak, July 17
The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has said that the Centre’s decision to reduce interest rate on agricultural loans up to Rs 50,000 was politically motivated and aimed at gaining dividends in the coming Assembly elections in five states and to the Lok Sabha a year later.

Third Front accuses BJP, Cong of stoking communalism

New Delhi, July 17 The Third Front of political parties in NCT of Delhi said the Delhi Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) were equally guilty of stoking communalism. The constituents of Third Front on Thursday held a demonstration to protest the alleged miscarriage of justice in the trial of the perpetrators of communal riots in Gujarat. Activist of the Third Front sitting on dharna to demand punishment to those involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots at Jantar Mantar in the Capital on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

COMMUNITY

Power Dept to give the stick to errant staff
Gurgaon, July 17
The Chairman of Haryana Power Transmission and Distribution Corporation, Major-General (retd) Bhoop Singh Rathi said here that his department’s aim is to improve relations with the consumers and purge itself of the possible corrupt practices of the employees.

Rains expose inadequacy of drainage facilities in Sonepat
Sonepat, July 17
The worst-ever waterlogging that paralysed the normal life of people living in the low-lying areas of the city during the current spell of rains has not only exposed the inadequacies of the existing drainage system but also the working of the civic administration.

Sushma concerned over imbalance in male-female ratio 
Sohna(Gurgaon), July 17
The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, today expressed concern at the decreasing population of women in the country, leading to an imbalance in male-female ratio. She also inaugurated a three-day health camp here.

National consultation begins to harness youth power
New Delhi, July 17
The national consultation on “Youth For Development-Vision and Focus” began today at the India International Centre, New Delhi. The two-day national consultation programme will mark the final stage of the deliberations that was initiated through the four regional workshops on the theme in different parts of the country.

NCR BRIEFS
Ice factories closed for using impure water
Rewari, July 17
Invoking Section 2 (e) of the Prevention of Epidemics Act 1897, the District Magistrate, Mrs Neerja Shekhar, has ordered the closure of three ice factories in the district with immediate effect.

Van Mahotsav inaugurated

Stadium demanded at Rohtak

DELHI DIGEST ‘School Sudhar Yojana’ discussed New Delhi, July 17 The headmasters of 47 MCD schools today met the Union Minister of State for Sports, Mr Vijay Goel and discussed the ‘School Sudhar Yojana’, a project the minister has taken up to give a facelift to MCD schools in the Capital.

CRIME

Youth shot dead in revenge killing in Gohana 
Sonepat, July 17
In a case of revenge killing, a group of people reportedly shot dead a youth, identified as Ramesh, while he was going towards his fields near Chaudhary Devi Lal Nagar of Gohana town, 35 km from here yesterday. According to a report, the accused reached the spot by a car and started indiscriminate firing on the youth, who was released from jail about two months ago.

EDUCATION

SPECIAL FOCUS ON ROHTAK
MDU Executive Council meet two days before teachers’ elections condemned
Rohtak, July 17
Several academicians and leaders of social organisations have condemned Maharshi Dayanand University’s move to hold the meeting of the Executive Council (EC), the apex body of the university, just two days before the elections of teachers’ representatives to the council.

COURTS

Harkat man sentenced to life imprisonment 
New Delhi, July 17
The Additional Session Judge of Patiala House Court, Mr N.K. Kaushik, sentenced Mohammad Akbar, area commander of Harkat-ul-Ansar outfit in Doda, to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25, 000 and in default three years of rigorous imprisonment.

Consumer forum orders payment of Rs 56,000 to farmer
Sonepat July 17
The district consumer forum has ordered the payment of Rs 56,000 to a farmer by the owner of a seed selling shop as compensation for supplying sub-standard quality seed of turnip (Shalgam).

CULTURE

ARTSCAPE
Celebrating the diversity that is India
After the resounding success of the `Legends of India’ DMA Annual Music Festival, held in May in New Delhi, the first fine arts exhibition organised by Dipayan Mazumdar and Associates (DMA), ` Legends of India - Canvas 2003’, opened at the Radisson Hotel Delhi here on Friday. The exhibition features some of India’s foremost artists whose paintings celebrate the diversity that is India, touching upon a variety of subjects ranging from landscape, mythology, and spirituality to the seasons.

MUSIC ZONE
Divine pleasure with ‘Mahamantra Gayatri’
Mahamantra Gayatri, a musical creation for lovers of devotional music, is the latest offering by Music Today and Isha Music. Dedicated to Goddess Gayatri, the ‘Mahamantra Gayatri’ is sung by Jeetendra Singh and Shubha Mudgal, narrated by Manu Ji.

Opening the canvas for budding artists

Bharatnatayam is her passion

HEALTH

Ganga Ram Hospital  recognised as research centre
New Delhi, July 17
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India, has accorded recognition to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital as a research organisation. With this, the hospital has become the first private sector hospital of Delhi to have attained such a status.

Personalised cardiac care on offer in ‘Healthy Heart Week’ 
New Delhi, July 17
The entire network of Apollo Clinics across Delhi NCR has announced the launch of yet another unique initiative aimed at inculcating awareness among consumers about their state of health. ‘Healthy Heart Week’, a week long initiative began today across all the Apollo Clinics. The programme will aim to highlight the risk factors and symptoms associated with heart related ailments.

SPORTS

12-member Indian team for Yoga World Cup
New Delhi, July 17
A 12-member Indian Yoga team left for Porto City (Portugal) to take part in the 12th Yoga World Cup to be held from July 18 to 20. The team was given a warm send off by adviser to the Yoga Confederation of India (YCI) Yashovardhan Azad.

B.B.Stars rope in a sponsor
New Delhi, July 17
Many local football clubs are finding it difficult to run the show without the support of a sponsor, and no wonder, more and more clubs are trying to rope in sponsors, though only a few of them succeed.

Sonnet Club annex cricket trophy

New Delhi, July 17 Sonnet Club trounced Lal Bahadur Shastri Club by 45 runs to annex the inaugural R C Sharma Under-15 Cricket Tournament trophy. Vishu Tomar was adjudged the man of the match in the final. The Sonnet Club team who won the R C Sharma Memorial Cricket Tournament trophy.

Royal Rajput slams century
New Delhi, July 17
Royal Rajput cracked an unbeaten century and Amit Tewatiya hit an unbeaten 60 to help Kutub Cricket Nursery beat BCA by six wickets in the Adventure Cup Cricket Tournament.

Sachdeva School shine in judo