TOP STORIES

BHATTI MINES
Gold mine for colonisers, hell for dwellers
Reports that the site of former Bhatti mines is to be converted into a landfill have raised the ire of environmentalists. And for several thousand families of former employees of the Delhi Administration-run mines, which were closed down in 1990, it will be a double whammy if they are evicted from their homes as well.

Cold comfort: A group of labourers warm their hands near Kashmere Gate as cold winds sweep the Capital on Tuesday night. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Respresentatives from various organisations hold a rally in support of women’s rights at Jantar Mantar in the Capital on Tuesday. — Tribune Photo

Only electronic meters will drive govt to talks
New Delhi, December 10
The Department of Transport of the Government of NCT of Delhi says there will be no let-up in the drive to impound autorickshaws that do not have electronic meters. “Install electronic meters first; negotiations can come later,” is the word from the government.

Getting a building map no mean task in Faridabad
Faridabad, December 10
Getting an approval for a building map for the purpose of construction from the authorities has become a tedious job, thanks to the complexity of the norms and rampant corruption associated with the process.

ASI impounds car, puts himself in the driver’s seat!
Sonepat, December 10
The Rai police have registered a case against an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police (ASI), Mr Ram Phal Chahel, on the charge of misusing powers. The ASI impounded a car but did not register the case. Instead, he started using the vehicle himself.

350 LPG cylinders looted from godown
Rewari, December 10
In a daring strike, about a dozen armed desperadoes looted 350 LPG cylinders, including 342 empty and eight filled ones, worth about Rs 3 lakh from the godown of a gas agency on the Dharuhera-Nandrampur Bas Road near Dharuhera in the wee hours of Monday. They decamped with the booty in a truck.

Murderous jailbird caught
Noida, December 10
At 4 pm yesterday, Sub-Inspector S D Singh got a tip-off at Police Chowky Bilaspur, Dinkaur that Biram Gujjar of Pachayatan village was lying in wait with his accomplices to kill Khushi Ram Kumhar as soon as he would pass through a canal after closing his shop.

Delhi-Panipat train timings changed
New Delhi, December 10
The rake of 1/4 DPM passenger train running between Delhi and Panipat will be converted into an EMU rake tomorrow for the convenience of passengers. The timings of this train will be revised somewhat. The new timings will be as follows: Train No. 1DPM will depart from Delhi Junction at 12.50 pm to reach Panipat at 3.50 pm.

COMMUNITY

SONEPAT
Chautala anti-urbanites: HVP
Sonepat, December 10
The general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP), Mr Rajiv Jain, has criticised the decision of the state government not to regularise the unauthorised residential colonies in the state. He said there was the apprehension that the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, in order to implement his anti-urban people policies would soon order the demolition of these colonies.

‘Temperamental’ Yamuna devours land
Sonepat, December 10
Several hundred acres of cultivable panchayat land in Manoli village along the Yamuna had been in the possession of farmers of Uttar Pradesh following the fast-changing course of the river during every monsoon.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON GURGAON
Greens join protest against HAU centre closure
Gurgaon, December 10
Environmentalists have joined various social organisations and bodies concerned with the farmers in opposing the decision to wind up the local Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) (Agriculture Science Centre) of Chaudhary Charan Hisar Agriculture University (HAU), adding to the discomfort of the government.

Govt plans to make Gurgaon first choice of MNCs
Gurgaon, December 10
The state government intends to make Haryana the first choice of multinational companies in the country for services related to information technology like software development and hardware production.

Place of worship gives DLF residents the jitters
Gurgaon, December 10
Residents of the posh DLF City have started realising the truth after spending a fortune that all that glitters is not actually gold. The residents of Phase III of DLF City, considered to be the colony of the well-heeled, have been shocked on account of the illegal construction of a place of worship.

IN PARLIAMENT
Services of Home Guards not to be regularised
New Delhi, December 10
The government is not going to regularise the services of Home Guards as this will alter the basic voluntary character of the organisation, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

NCR BRIEFS
Half-burnt body found
Sonepat, December 10
The police have found a half-burnt body of a man, identified as Krishan Jangra, from a field in Anwali village, about 40 km from here, on Monday. According to a report, the body has been sent for a post-mortem examination at PGIMS, Rohtak.

Kisan Sammelan

Car stolen

CRIME

International phone racket unearthed
New Delhi, December 10
With the arrest of nine persons, the Special Cell of Delhi Police today claimed to have busted an international racket, which had defrauded Airtel, a cellular phone company, of Rs 40 lakh.

Two who robbed trader nabbed 
Noida, December 10
The Noida police today claimed to have arrested two criminals who had snatched Rs 1.14 lakh from a trader in Jahangirpur on December 8 after shooting at him and injuring him seriously. As much as Rs 1.13 lakh has also been seized from the criminals.

Woman held for abetting rape in Delhi Cantt
New Delhi, December 10
The police have arrested a woman on charges of helping two persons, including a sepoy, to rape the wife of a Hawaldar in the Delhi Cantonment area in South-West district on April 7.

BUSINESS

Samsung to set up factory for fridges in Noida
New Delhi, December 10
Digital technology leader Samsung India Electronics Ltd today announced its plans of setting up a refrigerator manufacturing facility in the country. This refrigerator facility, to be set up in Noida, will be Samsung’s fourth overseas refrigerator manufacturing facility and the fifth in the world. The other Samsung refrigerator facilities are located in Korea, China, Mexico and Thailand. Samsung India will be investing $ 25 million for setting up this facility at Noida, the construction work for which commences today.

Strike by truck operators  worries exporters
New Delhi, December 10
The ongoing strike by the truck operators at the Inland Container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad has left the garment exporters anxious. The president of the Exporters Association, Mr H. K. L. Magu, said that the truck operators had not called off the strike despite the assurances given. He pointed out that the exporters were likely to face major financial problems because of the delay in supplying their goods to overseas markets.

EDUCATION

School holds ‘bal mela’ 

COURTS

Two acquitted of firing on cops
Jhajjar, December 10
The court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Diwan Chand, acquitted two persons of firing on the police party during an operation to get a petrol station owner, Sant Lal Pahwa, of Jhajjar released from the custody of six miscreants who abducted him in October 1998.

CULTURE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
Mall culture catching on in the NCR
Shop till you drop, continues to be the mantra. But when just about everyone seems to be talking about the economic recession and a life that moves in the fast track, good old leisure shopping has been relegated to things “we-used- to- do”. Freebies and saving schemes are to lure the conservative consumers, but for the nouve riche, who has taken a peep into the show windows across the globe, the shopping experience is just as important as the product.

All that glitters Crystal Facets of India

Nature’s beauty regime Fabrics with earthy tones

HEALTH

REWARI
Conference zeroes in on ultrasound in gynaecology
Rewari, December 10
The first Haryana state-level conference and workshop on “Basics in Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology” was held under the joint auspices of the Rewari Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (ROGS) and the Federation of Obstetrical and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) here on Sunday.

SPORTS

Nivia Mughals, City Club earn full points
New Delhi, December 10
Walled city giants and former league Champions, Nivia Mughals Sports Club and City Football Club, earned similar victories over their respective opponents to collect three full points in group A and B of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Annual Open Clubs Senior Division Football League Championship being played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (East) ground here today.

Jeev falters on final day, gets Nationwide Tour card
New Delhi, December 10
Ace Indian Golfer Jeev Milkha Singh faltered on the final day of the US PGA Tour Qualifying School at La Quinta, California, when he returned a card of five-over 77 at the treacherous Stadium Course. 

A get-together for cricket enthusiasts 

New Delhi, December 10 The Former Cricketers’ Association (FCA) organised a dinner at Taj Mahal Hotel on Sunday night to bring together a number of test players. The spokesperson of the FCA said that the association is going to be an organisation by the cricketers, for the cricketers and of the cricketers. AULD LANG SYNE: Ponty Chadda, Rakesh Handa, Ajay Khanna and others at the FCA get-together in the Capital.

Communication emerge singles champions at CRPF badminton
New Delhi: Communication Sector defeated Manipur and Nagaland Sector by 15-2 and 15-12 and emerged champions in the singles of the 4th Inter Sector Badminton Tournament– 2002, concluded at Group Centre, CRPF, Jharoda Kalan here today.

Ansal sports club enter finals 
New Delhi, December 10
Ansal Sports and Cultural Club defeated G M Traders, Delhi, by 3 wickets in the semi-final of 5th Suntan Cricket Cup, 2002 played at Airport Authority Cricket Ground on December 7. G M Traders won the toss and chose to bat first.

ADMINISTRATION

HC moved for nod to use 80-litre CNG cylinders by buses
New Delhi, December 10
The Federation of Delhi Bus Operators (FDBO) on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court for a direction to the Union Government and State Transport Authority (STA) of Government of NCT of Delhi to grant them permission for using CNG cylinders of 80 litres’ capacity in their buses.