The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SPORTS

Kapil Modi wins gold in FEI World Dressage title
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 30
Kapil Modi, astride Russian stallion Domino, won his fourth consecutive gold medal in the PSI FEI (International Equestrian Federation) World Dressage Challenge Championship held at 61 Cavalry Ground from January 27 to 30. Kapil and Domino collected 486 points to win the gold.

Maj. S. Shivdas of 61 Cavalry, astride Rampage with 454 points, lifted the silver while Maj. Sandeep Dewan, astride Tamara, logged 390 points to bag the bronze.

The competition was judged by international judges from Germany and Sweden. The World Challenge is sponsored by Performance Sales International and is held in over 40 countries worldwide, with over 400 riders participating in it.

The Indian team, comprising Kapil Modi, Maj Shivdas, M.S.

Rathore and Vishal Bishnoi, had a collective score of 1462.

Though the team results have not yet been declared, the Indian team are all set to win the bronze. Modi, Shivdas and Rathore are also the probables for the 2002 Asian Games in Pusan (South Korea).

The Indian team stand a very good medal chance in the Dressage event of the Asiad.

Other results: Test A: Gold: Maj. Sandeep Dewan astride Tanala 379 points; silver: M. S. Rathore astride Tulsi 345 points; bronze: Husna Tara Prakash astride Boomerang 340 points. Test B: Gold: Maj. Sunil Shivdas astride Shogun 340 points; silver: Nb. Ris Gulab Singh astride Napolean 329 points; bronze: Vishal Bishnoi astride Pronto 297 points.

Kapil Modi, the multiple National Dressage champion, is trained by Dr Petushkova, the World and Olympic dressage champion.

DLF changes par for Hero Honda Masters
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 30
A big surprise will be waiting the Asian PGA as well as the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour pros when they assemble for the Hero Honda Masters 2002, scheduled to start at the Arnold Palmer-designed DLF Golf & Country Club from February 13, 2002.

Unlike the last edition, this year’s Hero Honda Masters will be played on a par-71 course, instead of the normal par-72 that the DLF Golf & Country Club is.

The par-5 18th, which was very much reachable in two shots, has been made a par-4. It will play to 490 yards with the tee pushed ahead slightly.

Several other tees have been pushed back to make the course far more challenging than the one on which India’s very own Arjun Atwal won with an impressive aggregate of 18-under 270.

The total length of the par-71 course now stands at 7,151 yards, instead of the earlier 7,070 yards. The other big change would be the par-5 ninth, which will now measure 607 yards after the new championship tee added a whopping 40 yards to the hole.

“It will now definitely be a three-stroke hole,” said Karan Bindra, Head Pro of DLF Golf & Country Club. “Unless the wind is really behind you, reaching the green in two would be impossible,” he added..

The changes found enthusiastic support from none other than India’s No 1 player, Jeev Milkha Singh. “I played from the new tees and must admit that it almost felt like a different course.

It is no longer easy and would provide umpteen challenges to the pros. 12-under would be a more realistic winning score this year,” said the Hero Honda-sponsored Jeev who played the course during his detour to India between his European Tour commitments lastweek.

“We thought that the 18th was too easy a hole for the pros with their latest technology equipment. It would have robbed the premier event of the country from some final-hole thrills and spills.

Most of the professional golfers who have played the course from the new tees have appreciated the changes,” added Col Kapil Kaul (Retd), General Manager, DLF Golf & Country Club. The Hero Honda Masters 2002 will be a US $-300,000 event on the Asian PGA Davidoff Tour. The tournament is sponsored by Hero Honda Motors Ltd.

IA, Punjab and Sind Bank win
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 30
Indian Airlines flew past Delhi XI 4-1 in the fourth Chhatrapati Shivaji All-India Hockey Tournament for the Dhyan Chand Cup at the Shivaji Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday.

Altaf (two), Samir and Brojan Singh were the scorers for Indian Airlines while Prabhakar scored the lone goal for Delhi XI.

In another match, Punjab and Sind Bank beat Indian Oil 4-2. Rajender, Saranjeet, Sanjeev Dang and Kulwinder Singh scored the goals for the Bankmen while Lakhwinder Singh struck a brace of goals for Indian Oil.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Syed Shah Nawaz Hussain formally inaugurated the tournament on Wednesday while Delhi Minister for Health Dr Ashok Walia presided over the opening ceremony.

Thursday’s fixtures: BSF vs Northers Railway (11 am);

Indian Oil vs Delhi XI (1 pm); Indian Air Force vs Air India (2.30 p m)—Shivaji Stadium.

ADMINISTRATION

Huda’s auction of kiosks raises eyebrows
Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, January 30
The Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) appears to have bitten off more than it could chew by going ahead with its decision to auction some disputed kiosk plot sites in the old judicial complex.

Huda’s move to go ahead with the auctions about two weeks back as well as its earlier step to go in for public auctions of disputed sites in the same old judicial complex, was questioned by the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum (DCDRF).

A perusal of the matrix of the issue, coupled with the Huda’s move, suggests that the government’s agency was in a hurry to go ahead with the auctions, disregarding the financial risk.

Huda had auctioned a number of sites in the judicial complex more than a decade back. Those who made the highest bids, allegedly did not deposit the balance amount in the deals. Consequently, Huda initiated the proceedings and resumed the sites.

Those affected, moved the DCDRF and the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The issue is sub-judice. However, the High court in some of the cases ruled that the balance amount be deposited without interest.

Huda recently decided to re-auction the disputed sites. Maybe, as part of the strategy to gauge the mood of the original claimants and the possible response of the court, it decided to auction sites (including the undisputed ones) in batches in the old judicial complex. It fixed one day for August 20 last year, for the open auction of some of the sites, including the disputed ones.

More than half a dozen original claimants moved the local DCDRF on the issue and sought order directing stay on the auction proceedings on August 17.

Huda went in appeal before the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (SCDRC) against the order of the DCDRF. The SCDRC stayed the order. The plaintiffs, however, filed for the vacation of the stay order of SCDRC or the stay of the auction proceedings.

Consequently, the SCDRC amended its order by allowing the auction proceedings to go on, but injected a proviso that they “were not to be confirmed till further orders”.

The DCDRF fixed a number of dates in connection with the proceedings. Huda, however, did not file a reply in the case.

In the meanwhile, it fixed another date, i.e. January 15 for the public auctions of more sites, including some other disputed ones in the same complex. Again, four original claimants of the sites appealed to the DCDRF against the move with regard to the kisok sites 18-21.

The DCDRF cited the SCDRC’s earlier order in the disputed cases, having the same legal status. It had encumbered the Huda’s move by allowing for the auction of the disputed sites but reserved the status of confirmation of the auction proceedings “till further orders”.

Owing to the demonstration by the original claimants, the authorities did decide against holding the auctions for the dispute sites on the spot. However, the point is that Huda had made all preparations to auction them and also listed them in the advertisements, inviting the prospective bidders.

The cases relating to the resumption of the sites from the original claimants have not been dismissed by the court.

For the record, the parties interested in taking part in the public auctions have to deposit a surety/entry money to take part in it.

In case, the original claimants of sites win the legal battle, the surety/entry money will have to be coughed up by Huda along with compoundable interest. But from the perspective of the fresh bidders who made the highest bids on the disputed sites, they are in a win-win position.

As the proceedings of the auction will not be confirmed, and the legal row may stretch on for years, they will have successfully blocked the deal in their favour.

In case, Huda wins the case, it will get the sites at a present rate, notwithstanding the possible appreciation in the land price in Gurgaon, few years down the line.

However, if it loses, it would get its surety/entry money back along with compoundable interest.

In any case, the successful bids would always be low as the sites were encumbered on account of the dispute on them.

The upshot of the matter is that the state government will be the loser on account of the misplaced enthusiasm of its surrogate.