TOP STORIES

Deadly diesel
CSE wants check on diesel mania, says fumes are lethal
New Delhi, January 23
The Centre for Science and Environment has come out strongly against the rising number of diesel cars, demanding the government take steps to make them expensive to check the rising risks from diesel fumes, which could even cause cancer.

A Black Cat commando keeping vigil during the full-dress rehearsal of the Republic Day parade in the Capital on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal

Gurgaon writer drags Khakee director to court
Gurgaon, January 23
A local court has issued notices to the producer of Bollywood film, Khakee, for February 10, in response to a petition charging the producer with indulging in irregularities and illegalities in the production of the film.

In a nutshell
Shalimar Express has narrow escape
Ghaziabad, January 23
The railway line behind Kela Bhatti, between Ghaziabad Junction and Hindon river, suddenly gave in while Shalimar Express was passing over it. The train had left Ghaziabad station at 11.45 am and was passing over track no 3.

Jhajjar: A town that literally stinks
Jhajjar, January 23
The small town of Jhajjar, though a district headquarters with a population of around 40,000, virtually stinks. The town is divided into 15 wards, but the municipal committee is unable to keep the streets and roads clean. Mounds of garbage can be spotted in almost every open apace.

Marathon of Hope For some there is no finishing line… New Delhi, January 23 The Canadian High Commission will host its annual Terry Fox Run on Sunday, February 8, 2004. The run will be flagged off by the High Commissioner, Ms Lucie Edwards, at 10 am from the front lawns of the High Commission. Terry Fox, who at the age of eighteen was diagnosed with bone cancer. As a result, his right leg was amputated above the knee. Terry was so deeply moved by the pain and despair of other cancer patients that he decided to run across Canada, a distance of more than 8,000 km, to raise funds for research.

POLITICS

Bansi’s son feels the pulse of Sonepat voters
Sonepat, January 23
Even as the Haryana Vikas Party’s supremo and former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, is doing his best to capture power in the state in the coming Assembly elections, his son Mr Surinder Singh has also entered the fray by extensively touring the state in general and the Sonepat Parliamentary constituency in particular.

COMMUNITY

Republic Day dress rehearsal as good as the real thing

New Delhi, January 23 Except for the missing VIPs, the dress rehearsal for the Republic day parade, which took place here today, was a spectacular show of what the audience across the country will witness on the 26th of January. A Delhi state tableau during the full dress rehearsal of the Republic Day parade at Rajpath in the Capital on Friday. — Tribune Photo

Sonepat shivers in biting cold
Sonepat, January 23
Sonepat experienced another cold day today following the torrential rains throughout last night. According to a report, the sky is still overcast with dark clouds and more rain is likely in the region.

Delhi Govt provides humanitarian aid to 4-yr-old rape victim
New Delhi, January 23
Following the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission, the Delhi Government has given Rs. 50,000 in humanitarian relief to a four-year-old tribal girl, who had been allegedly raped by a truck driver here last year.

soya food
Dilli Haat visitors find a wealth of health in four-day festival
New Delhi, January 23
Consumers visiting Dilli Haat, today experienced an educative, unique, and informative Soy Food and Health festival. The event, sponsored by the American Soybean Association, was inaugurated by Mr Michael Riedel, Agricultural Attache, American Embassy.

Rs 3-lakh compensation to accident victim’s family
Sonepat, January 23
The Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Judge of the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal of Sonepat, Mr J S Jangra, yesterday awarded a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the family of Sandeep, a mechanic of Haryana Sheet Glass Company and ordered the National Insurance Company to pay the amount of the compensation to the victim’s mother and wife.

Sonia urged to suspend dowry-tainted Hooda
New Delhi, January 23
The women wing of the Congress in Haryana, “Haryana Mahila Suraksha Samiti”, submitted a memorandum to the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, demanding the suspension of primary membership of Bhupender Singh Hooda, Leader of Opposition in Haryana.

• Drug pusher held

• Man stabbed to death

• Held for stealing bag

• Meet on Indian culture, science

Sonepat civic services the pits
Sonepat, January 23
Sonepat, an industrial township and a district headquarters has become a byword for poor civic services with heaps of garbage, choked drains, sewers and to cap it, poor streetlighting in the interiors.

Ncr briefs
BJP sets up district bodies
Bhiwani, January 23
District president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Tara Chand Agarwal announced new bodies of various cells of the party in the district. The new members are as following: Dr Ravi Kant—district president, Medical cell, Sukhpal Singh—Legal cell, Ram Avtar Sankrodia—Commercial cell, Laxman Thathera—Backward class cell president and general secretary, Laxmi Narain Dhanania—Traders cell, Sagar Mal Singhla Siwani—Industry cell and Sanjay Kamra—general secretary.

• Birth certificates to be dispatched

• Seminar to promote safety in units

SPEAKING OUT
According to a news report published in NCR Tribune (January 11), Prof J.S. Rajput, Director, NCERT, had condemned the Delhi Government for its decision to discontinue the use of NCERT textbooks for Classes 1 to VIII in government schools from the academic year 2004-05. This criticism by Prof Rajput does not fit his credentials of being an educationist and the head of an apex educational organisation of the country. Rudderless. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal
Aping Western culture Ending the lottery menace	Disciplining private schools Vulgarity in paintings