TOP STORIES

Consumer Day Sops 
Competition makes BSNL sit up
Gurgaon, March 15
With the private operators turning the heat on the Gurgaon circle of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the Nigam has decided to widen the canvas of its services which include the setting up of a call centre in the city probably by June.

BJP seeks minister's dismissal A day after it charged Industries Minister Deep Chand Bandhu with manipulating the voter’s list to include ‘bogus’ votes, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) team on Friday met with Lieutenant Governor Vijai Kapoor and sought the minister’s dismissal. Earlier in the day, the party also held a sit-in to press for its demands.

Cong levels swindling charge Allegations are flying thick and fast as the BJP and the Congress brace up for the battle of the ballot. Not to be undone by the BJP’s allegation of manipulation of electoral roll, the Congress has accused the party of swindling public money to the tune of Rs 70 crore in the name of regularisation of additional constructions made in residential colonies.

A woman caddy during the Royal Challenge Indian Open 2002 at the Delhi Golf Club.— Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

All in the family
New Delhi, March 15
It’s a tale of one municipal ward, two families, three elections and loads of politics. Denied a ticket by the Congress, OP Kaushik (60) is contesting as an independent against his old foe and brother-in-law Mahesh Chandra Sharma (67) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP.) Their political rivalry dates back to 1983 when Kaushik defeated Sharma to become councillor.

Admission file of MBBS student at PGIMS ‘missing’
Rohtak, March 15
The MBBS admission record of Mridula Yadav, daughter of Dr D. R. Yadav, officiating Director, Pt B. D. Sharma Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, is missing since the filing of a civil suit by Dr Jagdish in the court of the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Rohtak, on February 28.

A mahakumbh of test-tube babies
New Delhi, March 15
After the Mahakumbh that landed India on top of the destination-to-be lists, here is another one, though with a little difference. And this one may have the holier-than-thou conservatives frowning, but for the thousands who pine for an heir, it spells music.

In Haryana, Lady Nicotine rules
Faridabad, March 15
Smoking is banned in public places. That’s an old hat. Banned it is, but only on papers. Who will implement the order of the Supreme Court that calls for a ban on smoking in public places? As a matter of fact, the order is violated right under the nose of the guardians of the law in the various districts of Haryana.

RAF mans sensitive areas to check Ayodhya backlash
New Delhi, March 15
Security was beefed up in Delhi on Friday with the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and para-military personnel being deployed in sensitive areas, in view of the possible fallout of the proposed ‘shila daan’ by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Ayodhya.

Some respite: auto strike off, fares will go up
New Delhi, March 15
The auto and taxi fares in the Capital would be revised next month in view of the CNG price hike, the Delhi Transport Minister, Mr Ajay Maken, said here today. The government also agreed to grant time to the striking autos and taxis for installing electronic meters, thus ending the two-day-old strike, which had hit the daily routine of the commuters in the Capital. 

• Pahelwan ready to surrender

COMMUNITY

IN PARLIAMENT
School dropout rate in Capital 15 pc
New Delhi, March 15
The dropout rate in the Capital stands at 15.23 per cent, the Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Ms Rita Verma, informed the Rajya Sabha. She added that the government had adopted various strategies to address the problem of dropouts.

Budget: Roll back cries rend the air
New Delhi, March 15
Various industry associations have begun crying hoarse on the hikes in the rates of various taxes and duties in the Union Budget. The Delhi Stainless Steel Cutlery Association has urged the Union Finance Minister to reconsider his decision to impose excise duty on cutlery goods.

INLD Youth Wing members disenchanted with seniors 
Gurgaon, March 15
Members of the Youth Wing of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are disheartened by the conduct of senior politicians and bureaucrats in the state. They allege that only the Chief Minister and his two sons have any say in the affairs of the party and the state.

Temporary sheds become a headache for R. K. Puram residents

New Delhi, March 15 Travelling without tickets in trains is rampant among commuters alighting at Sonepat railway station, thanks to the failure of the ticket collectors to apprehend such persons. Although ticket collectors have been appointed at the station, none of them turns up when the incoming and outgoing trains arrive at the platforms. As a result, the passengers, even when they don’t carry any ticket, pass through the main gate without fearlessly. It is also alleged that some passengers even take away huge consignments of goods in the absence of any ticket collector at the main gate.

An example of everything that is wrong with the Railways
Sonepat, March 15
Travelling without tickets in trains is rampant among commuters alighting at Sonepat railway station, thanks to the failure of the ticket collectors to apprehend such persons. Although ticket collectors have been appointed at the station, none of them turns up when the incoming and outgoing trains arrive at the platforms.

Lt-Governor reviews work on water main at Sonia Vihar
New Delhi, March 15
Lieutenant Governor Vijai Kapoor today reviewed the progress of construction of the 270-cusecs raw water conveyance main from Murad Nagar in Uttar Pradesh to Sonia Vihar. The meeting was attended among others by officials from the UP Jal Nigam, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) and Government of NCT of Delhi.

Sheila wants to  make Delhi a dream Capital
New Delhi, March 15
The Planning Board of the Government of NCT of Delhi has in the draft 10th Five Year Plan emphasised “targeted development” of the NCR in order to address the issues of harnessing modern technology to upgrade the technical capability of departmental functioning. 

SPEAKING OUT
Pray listen to the senior citizens at least, DTC
The DTC issues the photo I-cards to the concessional pass holders. The I-card is valid for one year. After a year, the pass holders are required to renew their cards.

NCR BRIEFS
Model ESI hospital in each state: Sharad 
Rewari, March 15
The Union Labour Ministry has decided to set up a 100-bed model ESI hospital in each and every state of the country. The hospital, which would be equipped with all modern facilities on the pattern of the AIIMS will fulfil a long-standing requirement of the state employees and workers.

Dadu cult to hold Chadder Dastor meet
Rewari, March 15
The Chadder Dastor (mantle regulatory) ceremony of Swami Gopal Das, the presiding saint of the Dadu Dham Naraina, the virtual headquarters of the Dadu cult in the country, will be held at the Dadu Dham Naraina in Rajasthan on March 22.

• Fire at Shastri Bhawan

CRIME

Truck robbers at it in Mewat
Faridabad, March 15
Criminal activities, including looting of trucks carrying goods, seem to have become an organised activity in some parts of the Mewat region, which is otherwise known for its backwardness. Some villages falling in the Hathin sub-division and nearby areas have become infamous in this regard.

Doctor of GTB Hospital commits suicide 
New Delhi, March 15
Dr Ashish Gupta (30), posted in the pediatrics department of Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, reportedly committed suicide on the hospital premises on Thursday night. He was found dead in his car parked in the hospital complex. The doctor had injected some poisonous medicine. 

SPORTS

Hindustan Club emerge DSA League champions

New Delhi, March 15 Hindustan Club played a spirited game to dethrone defending champions Indian Nationals by a lone second half goal, and emerge champions, in the final of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Senior Division Football League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Friday. Sameer Jung despated a powerful shot into the net in the 20th minute of the second half to settle the argument in favour of Hindustan Club, who should have otherwise won the match by at least three goals.

Indian Nationals (in black and white jersey) and the Allwyn Hindustan (in white), battling it out for supremacy in the final of the DSA Senior Division Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Friday. —Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Talkatora Swimming Pool renamed
New Delhi, March 15
After hockey wizard Dhyan Chand, it’s now politician Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s name to adorn a sports facility. The Union Government had recently renamed the National Stadium as the Maj. Dhyan Chand National Stadium, to honour the late hockey legend.

• Health Fitness Run

SPORT CORNER
Sachin Rana hits 160 for R P Academy
New Delhi, March 15
A fine unbeaten knock of 160 by Sachin Rana and a well-struck 50 by Mohit Vadera helped R P Cricket Academy beat Indian Air Force by 69 runs in the first Krishna Verma Memorial League-cum-Knockout Cricket Tournament at Palam II ground.

• Agarsen Club to play in Pepsi Cup

• Rakesh Shukla is match referee

TYCA to meet Airlines  in SAIL Trophy final
New Delhi, March 15
The Trans Yamuna Cricket Association (TYCA) will clash against Indian Airlines in the final of the SAIL Trophy Cricket Tournament at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on March 17 (Sunday).

Deepak Bhatnagar hits century
New Delhi, March 15
Deepak Bhatnagar hit a blazing century but his knock went in vain as Little Master lost to National Stadium Cricket Club (NSCC) by one wicket in a Super Division match of the DDCA League at the National Stadium ground.

SAR Group enter Teri Cup last eight
New Delhi, March 15
SAR Group beat Orient Craft by 35 runs to enter the quarter-final of the ninth Teri Cup Cricket Tournament at the Central Secretariat ground. Rajeev Rana of SAR Group, who cracked a stroke-filled 81, was adjudged the man of the match.

Annapurna team flagged off
Rohtak, March 15
Chief of Army Staff Gen S. Padmanabhan flagged off the Indian Army Annapurna – 1 Expedition team from New Delhi today. The expedition team, constituted from the gallant mountaineers of Army Adventure Wing, is led by Lt-Col S. C. Sharma.

ADMINISTRATION

Landlords told to give details of tenants to police
Rohtak, March 15
The District Magistrate, Mr Anil Malik, has directed landlords and house owners of residential premises in the district to provide full particulars of their tenants immediately to the Station House Officers (SHO) concerned within seven days.

Charges for home delivery of LPG cylinders fixed
Panipat, March 15
The District Magistrate, Mr M. R. Anand, has fixed the additional transport charges for supply of refilled LPG (cooking gas) cylinders over and above the prevalent retail price for making home delivery to consumers beyond municipal limits.