TOP STORIES

Sops for cops on Raising Day
New Delhi, February 16
The Capital’s police force received several concessions on its Raising Day today and these were announced by none other than the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, who was the chief guest at the function held at the New Police Lines here.

Delhi Police commandos at the Raising Day parade in the Capital on Saturday. —Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Only two Faridabad industrial houses care for ozone layer
Faridabad, February 16
The programme for implementation of the Montreal Protocol, which envisages protection of the ozone layer by checking the emission of Chloro Floro Carbon (CFN) gases, seems to be on paper only in the state of Haryana. 

Gang of international conmen busted
New Delhi, February 16
With the arrest of five persons, the Delhi Police today claimed to have busted an international gang of cheats who would impersonate wealthy businessmen, strike deals, plant ‘drugs’ on the victims and negotiate with the ‘police personnel’ for their ‘release’.

Rewari custody death case finally goes to CBI
Rewari, February 16
Taking action on a writ petition filed by Miss Neeru Aggarwal, along with her minor sister and brother, seeking appropriate proceedings in the case of custody death of their mother Sita Devi Aggarwal and sister Sarika Aggarwal at Dharuhera Police Station on November 20, 2000, Mr Justice V M Jain of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has transferred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Man mowed down in Noida, mob goes berserk
Ghaziabad, February 16
One youth was killed and four others were injured in separate road accidents in Noida yesterday. After the death of the youth in Phase-II area, angry crowd damaged a number of vehicles by pelting stones. They also blocked the traffic.

As usual, men shy away from anti-AIDS drive

Jhajjar, February 16 The fortnight-long family health awareness campaign, targeted at people afflicted with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), has proved to be a damp squib due to the low turnout. The official records show that the camps received only a token response. Moreover, the response of men to the camps was so poor that the main objective of the drive seems to have been nullified.

MCD told to list steps to clear Hindon of carcasses
New Delhi, February 16
The Delhi High Court has asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to inform it about the steps the corporation is taking for flaying and disposing of the carcasses near the Hindon Air Base, where six MiG aircraft have been lost over the years due to bird hits.

COMMUNITY

GETTING AWAY
Riot of colours in snow-clad Garhwal

About eight hours drive from Delhi is the Valley of Flowers National Park, Chamoli Garhwal. A visit to the valley is an enthralling experience for any tourist, as he will be welcomed by the riot of colours set amidst the pristine surroundings of the snow-clad Himalayan ranges. The Valley of Flowers is a glacial corridor, eight kilometres in length and two kilometres in width, and is surrounded by high mountains on three sides. The Garden of Indra in Paradise.

Poverty of ideas: Jhuggis on land earmarked for community centre
The residents of Outram Lines, Kingsway Camp, have been peeved about the huge jhuggi cluster in their area. They claim that even after several written complaints and applications, nothing has been done to improve their living conditions. The 1.97-acre land in the area has been originally earmarked for a shopping and community centre, but for more than eight years, some jhuggi-dwellers have occupied the land. Over 400 jhuggis could be seen in the area.

OPTICAL ILLUSION: Models wearing glasses during the Optics 2002 Fair at Pragati Maidan in the Capital on Saturday. —Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

SEARCH WITHIN
Bringing out the Mahatma’s anguish 
The National Gandhi Museum is holding an exhibition on its premises under the title, The last phase of Mahatma Gandhi’s life, (From October 21, 1946 to January 30, 1948.) So much has been written about him, that one does not expect any new revelation in this partial display of his life and times.

Use of women in risque ads decried 
Sonepat, February 16
It is time the society stopped treating women as a commodity and misusing them in almost all advertisements. These views were expressed by Dr Ranbir Dahiya, an associate professor of surgery, PGI and Medical College and Hospital, Rohtak at the annual function of the women cell of Government College at Gohana town, 35 km from here, yesterday.

Seatbelts not needed in low-speed zones, feel motorists 
New Delhi, February 16
The Delhi Traffic Police drive to make passengers in the Capital use seatbelts as part of ensuring more discipline on the roads has left those who were challaned fuming. And there are over 1,000 persons who had been fined so far for not adhering to the traffic rules, especially the diktat of the traffic police to fasten the belts while on the move.

NCR BRIEFS
Rapist sentenced to seven-year jail term
Faridabad, February 16
The Court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr S. C. Goyal, has sentenced a person to seven years of imprisonment on charges of raping a girl at Daulatabad village about three years ago.

Institute dupes students Held after 13 years Photo sessions Factory gutted

Liquor seized Loans not repaid Inter-college contest Man shot dead

CRIME

Eight of  robbers’ gang arrested
New Delhi, February 16
The West district police arrested eight robbers from Patel Nagar and seized one imported revolver, one indigenous revolver, a country-made pistol, 12 live cartridges and a knife.

Newly-wed woman  commits  suicide
Noida, February 16
A woman who was married May last year committed suicide in Vishanpura village under Sector 58 police station. Her body was found lying on a wooden bed while the door was locked from inside.

EDUCATION

DELHI DIGEST
NDMC school gets another block
New Delhi, February 16
An additional block of Navyug Public School was today inaugurated by MLA and Vice-Chairperson of New Delhi Municipal Council, Mr Ram Bhaj. The inauguration was followed by a colourful function organised by the school students. The school is run by the NDMC.

• Painting contest

HEALTH

BODY & MIND
Ministry gears up to nip plague rumours in the bud
As the alarming news of the plague-like cases spreads, the Union Health Ministry has started a fire-fighting exercise. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr C.P. Thakur, has allayed fears on the break-out of plague in some villages of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal.

Medical meet Breaking shackles

Cancer threat President-elect

Faridabad, February 16 It's a virtual breakthrough in microbiology and laboratory research. The Vibles Specialised Microbiology Laboratory and Research Centre (VSML), a pathological testing centre network here, has come out with a fast culturing technique for samples of blood, urine, pus etc, therapy cutting the culture reporting time from existing 48 to only 8 hours. Dr Vinod Kaul, Director, Vibles Laboratory.

SPORTS

New Delhi, February 16 The two star Indian women weightlifters, Kunjarani Devi and Karnam Malleswari, figure among the top 15 weightlifters of the century out of a list of 100 published in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Annual Book 2001. The list has been compiled by IWF life president, Gottfried Schodl, from a list of the top medal winners of the century. Iron will: Kunjarani Devi, Karnam Malleswari

Leading athletes for Inter-Bank Sports Meet
New Delhi, February 16
The Banks Sports Board (Northern Region), under the aegis of the Indian Bank Association, will organise the eighth Inter-Bank Sports Meet in New Delhi from February 18 to 23. Many renowned national and international sportspersons will participate in the six-day meet.

BCCI appoints Sunil Khanna as manager
New Delhi, February 16
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Sunil Khanna, joint secretary (sports) of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), as administrative manager of the Indian cricket team to play against Zimbabwe in the two-Test and five One-day International series, according to BCCI vice-president C. K Khanna.

• DSA League opener