TOP STORIES

Delhi readies to take on Kolkata
New Delhi, September 5
It is the pride of India. An engineering marvel. A great leap forward for Indian science. And Delhi’s answer to Kolkata. It is better than the dream we dared to dream, gushed Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit after inspecting the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC’s) brand new coaches and interacting with the consortium’s team of engineers.

Metro set to hit the track
New Delhi, September 5
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has completed civil works on the Shahdara-Tis Hazari (8.3 kilometre) section.



Caught between two doors: Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who protested yesterday against the Centre’s move to dilute her powers, visited the Metro Rail coaches in the Capital on Thursday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Can Delhi University afford this road show?

New Delhi, September 5 Rallies and dharnas marked the end of campaigning for the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) elections today. Last week, all other activity in the university had ceased as candidates ‘reached out’ to students. The elections have become a showcase for political parties wanting to flaunt their strength. According to Prof Khanna, Chief Election Officer, “The DUSU elections are a learning process for the voters and the candidates.” Even though the elections in the past have thrown up many political upstarts, a comprehensive look at the current election reveals the futility of the so-called learning process. Beauty Spot: Despite directions to the contrary, the city walls are plastered with the posters of DUSU candidates. — Tribune Photo

MCF dissolved, unhappy councillors may move court
Faridabad, September 5
The dissolution of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, by the Haryana Government has rattled the majority of the councillors who had launched a campaign to oust the Mayor, Mrs Anita Goswami. The dissidents have dubbed the decision as ‘murder of democracy’ and intend to challenge the order in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Wanted now, but once the rules were bent for him 
Ghaziabad, September 5
Roshan Singh, an informer of the Ghaziabad police, today carries a reward of Rs 30,000 on his head for his alleged role in disposing of Delhi Corporator Atma Ram Gupta's body.

Class X student abducted
Meerut, September 5
A class 10 student was kidnapped from the busy Mawana Road on the outskirts of the city by four armed persons when he was going to school on his moped today morning.

When inspectors say ‘no’ to plum posts
Ghaziabad, September 5
In crime-infested Ghaziabad district, it is said, police inspectors vie with each other to corner plum postings. It is, therefore, a trifle surprising that one inspector has refused to take charge of the Dholana police station.

COMMUNITY

HVP prepares to play ‘youth card’ in coming poll
Panipat, September 5
The Haryana Assembly elections may still be two years away, but the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) has already decided to the play the “youth card” to the hilt and channel the energies of the “dissatisfied youth” in the run-up to the elections. And with this in mind, the youth wing of the party is being reconstituted and youth rallies have already been held at Ambala, Yamuna Nagar, Kurukshetra and Karnal.

Making a quick buck with bogus muster rolls
Sonepat, September 5
Most of the irrigation schemes undertaken by the Irrigation Department in this district are ridden with corrupt practices and have come in handy to for certain officials of the department in making a quick buck.

Delhi govt to offer free legal aid to workers
New Delhi, September 5
The Government of NCT of Delhi will offer free legal aid for the 20-odd lakh workers and their families and host Lok Adalat for settling longstanding disputes pending with labour tribunals, courts and conciliation authorities. The Free legal Aid Cell will be run by the Delhi Labour Welfare Board in collaboration with the Delhi Legal Services Authority. 

Inmates assault guards in Meerut jail 
Meerut, September 5
Several inmates of the district jail here attacked jail guards during search operations, confined three guards in a barrack and beat them up brutally on Tuesday night. Soon after the clash broke out, the Senior Jail Superintendent rushed to the premises but failed to quell the uprising even with the help of the PAC for three hours.

• Poisoned inmate returns from hospital

Buddha Club chief defends conversion
Rewari, September 5
Mr Satya Prakash Jarawata, president of the Haryana unit of the All India Lord Buddha Club, has reacted sharply to the comments of RSS activists expressed over the recent conversion to Islam of 40 members of a joint family of the Balmiki community in Birsika and Jaurasi villages of the Nuh subdivision of the Mewat area of Gurgaon district.

‘Toll tax issue not behind murder’
New Delhi, September 5
The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Mr Ram Babu Sharma, has categorically denied that the controversy over the privatisation of toll tax was behind the recent murder of Mr Atma Ram Gupta, a senior corporator from Tri Nagar.

Gandhi Nagar shop gutted  New Delhi, September 5 Property worth thousands of rupees was gutted in a fire that broke out in a four-storey building housing a garment shop in the wholesale cloth market in Gandhi Nagar early this morning. No loss of life has been reported. The fire broke out at 3.15 am when the market was closed and everybody was asleep. The fire was noticed by a night watchman who informed the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). A number of fire fighters were rushed to the spot. They took hours to control it. A spokesman of the DFS said that its personnel faced difficulty because of the narrow streets in Gandhi Nagar. The site of the fire in Gandhi Nagar. — Photo by Anil Sharma

DELHI DIGEST
Demolition drive in Lajpat Nagar 
New Delhi, September 5
There was tension in Lajpat Nagar market when a joint team of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the local police began an anti-encroachment drive. The anti-encroachment drive was undertaken after a number of complaints were received by the MCD from the residents of the area and the customers.

New name for Tata Power

Lighting meet

NCR BRIEFS 40 teachers honoured Jhajjar, September 5 On the occasion of Teachers’ Day today, the district administration honoured 40 teachers for their outstanding performance in the field of education and co-curricular activities. While remembering former President S. Radhakrishanan on this occasion, speakers at a function lauded the role of teachers in shaping good citizens. HRD Minister M. M. Joshi with a group of teachers on Teachers’ Day.  Bravery award entries Bid to set woman afire Held for impersonation Three held with arms Mass copying alleged   New train to Sonepat

CRIME

Seven loot conductor, passengers of DTC bus
New Delhi, September 5
Seven armed robbers boarded a DTC bus on Mudrika service, looted the conductor and passengers today morning near Delhi Cantonment and escaped with the booty. The incident occurred around 8.30 am. Seven persons armed with knives boarded the bus in Moti Bagh.

BUSINESS

Fest for foodies at Hotel Ashoka
New Delhi, September 5
For the foodies the next three days in the Capital’s Ashoka Hotel are something to watch out for. Encouraged by the response that ‘Dilli ka Khana’ elicited from the people in the Capital, the Delhi Tourism, Transport and Development Corporation has roped in Ashoka Hotel to play host to ‘Dilli ka Utsav’, an event which is aimed at offering the people the best of Delhi cuisine.

EDUCATION

12 back from Children’s Earth Summit 
New Delhi, September 5
Age is no bar when it comes to raising the voice to draw attention to environmental concerns. Twelve young, but distinguished, achievers came together on a common platform to share their experiences at the Children’s Earth Summit at Johannesburg, South Africa.

NCERT launches helpline
New Delhi, September 5
The helpline culture finally seems to have caught up with the National Council of Education Training and Research (NCERT). With the launch of their helpline today the NCERT aims at bridging the gap and becoming more accessible.

CULTURE

ART SCAPE
He sees beauty in scrap and makes it come alive

His paintings are called “Spirit of Scrap” and he loves scrap. Any type of waste material, either from industrial or domestic activity, is utilised by him, seeking to reach a balance with nature through the consumption of such wastes. This scrap is fixed on a board and turned into a painting with a thoughtful combination of colour and geometry. A pastel, ‘Yamuna Teer Vihari’, by Bandana Jha.

Mithila folk art Moods of nature

Crew from Gujarat

Budding journos told  to stick to realities The stage was occupied by the people belonging to various genres of media at FOCUS 2002, a two-day festival, organised by the Department of Mass Media and Mass Communication, at Indraprastha College for Women, on September 4 and September 5. Film actress Nandita Das surely hogged the limelight in her short stay at the inaugural session. Bollywood personality Nandita Das and Ajay Kumar from Aaj Tak at the inauguration of FOCUS 2002.

AAFT to produce films on digital format

New Delhi, September 5 The Asian Academy of Film and Television is producing 23 short films on a digital format. The muhurat shot of these short films was taken on Wednesday in a ceremony held at Marwah Studios. Films and television programmes are well known for educating and informing the masses. A mahurat shot of a short film, “Jai HInd”, which is being produced by the AAFT.

SPORTS

National Bowling Championship  in Delhi
New Delhi, September 5
The third edition of the ColorPlus National Bowling Championship will be held from September 6 at the HotShots bowling alley in South Delhi. The Rs 60,000 prize money tournament is being held under the aegis of the Bowling Federation of India. Cricket stars Murali Kartik, Nikhil Chopra and Vijay Dahiya will be the guests of honour at the opening ceremony at the 3.30 on Friday.

Salwan enter Ramjas final
New Delhi, September 5
Salwan Boys’ School trounced Salwan Public School by 47 runs and entered the final of the first Ramjas Inter-School Under-17 Cricket Tournament at the Ramjas Sports Complex.

FCI to meet Delhi Audit
New Delhi, September 5
Five times former champions Food Corporation of India (North Zone) and defending champions Delhi Audit will clash in the final of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) Institutional League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium on Friday at 4 pm.

Sportspersons honoured with Governor’s cash award
Faridabad, September 5
Several sportsmen from Faridabad district were awarded with ‘Governor’s Cash Award’ for their brilliant performance in the year 2001-2002. While the total money awarded to players from the district had been about Rs 3.40 lakhs, the skaters from here dominated by sharing an amount of Rs 1.67 lakh as prize money.

Sports Minister hails Sachin
New Delhi, September 5
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Vikram Verma on Thursday congratulated Sachin Tendulkar on surpassing Sir Donald Bradman’s record of 29 Test centuries, and on the occasion of playing his 100th Test match at the Oval.

• Chabiganj School lift softball title

ADMINISTRATION

Motorists to be fined for giving alms
New Delhi: The Delhi Traffic Police has issued directions to all motorists not to encourage or indulge in any activity that hampers traffic flow and jeopardises the safety of road users at traffic junctions.