TOP STORIES

CM says ‘no’ to Ahulana panel
Sonepat, December 21
Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has declined to begin negotiations with the 21-member committee, set up by the panchayat of Ahulana and some nearby villages, to resolve the issues related to recruitment in Ch Devi Lal Sugar Mills, registration of criminal cases against some of residents and allied matters.

Metro: Cong slams Khurana’s appointment
New Delhi, December 21
Hitting out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for appointing Delhi Pradesh BJP president Madan Lal Khurana as Chairman of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Congress today described it as an act of cowardice.

Congress to challenge mill closure in HC
Sonepat, December 21
The Congress has decided to challenge the decision to close down Ch Devi Lal Sugar Mills at Ahulana village in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This was announced by Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, president of the All India Youth Congress, at a rally organised in support of the demands of Ahulana villagers at Gohana town, about 35 km from here, yesterday evening.

Draft of DJB reforms before March 31: CM
New Delhi, December 21
Roadmap for restructuring the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) will be drawn up before March 31, 2003, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit told the National Development Council today. Outsourcing of works would be a key component of the reforms, she said.

Mirror, Mirror...: Cosmetician Vandana Luthra and cine star Pooja Batra at the opening of a retail store for personal care products in the Capital.

GHAZIABAD
One killed in firing on court premises 
Ghaziabad, December 21
Considerable panic was caused on the court premises here today when members of two gangs reportedly exchanged fire killing one and injuring another in what is being claimed as a continuation of a gang war.

Senior citizens’ centre turns into a den of ruffians
New Delhi, December 21
A unique recreation center, Anita Dayal Recreation Centre for Senior Citizens, constructed five years back at Sriram Nagar, Shahadara, for the benefit of senior citizens, has turned into an amusement centre for a gang of ruffians thanks to the official apathy.

Theft of an ocular kind
Faridabad, December 21
It was a theft of a different kind. Some persons took away the eyes of a person who had died. The relatives of the diseased had wanted to donate his eyes. Kishan, 60, a resident of NIT area, died after an illness.

COMMUNITY

BJP MP accuses Chautala of harassing his relatives
Sonepat, December 21
Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, a BJP Member of Parliament, has said that he is not afraid of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and there is no question of yielding before him at any cost.

Delhi-bound trains held up to let goods trains pass
Sonepat, December 21
Train services on the Sonepat-Delhi section of the Northern Railway remained disrupted for about an hour, stranding thousands of passengers, particularly the government servants, schoolteachers, businessmen and employees of private firms, at Sonepat and other nearby railway stations yesterday.

Mayawati’s visit unnerves officials
Meerut, December 21
The flying visit of the Chief Minister to Sisala Khurd village would have taken a different turn had she reached there few hours earlier. Looking at the existing condition of the Panchayat Ghar and the co-operative office of the village in the afternoon, many of the officials would surely have become the targets of her ire.

SEARCH WITHIN An Xmas love story There are parents nowadays who are upset about the ways of their children and don’t know what to do. There is no end to the headaches some sons cause to their fathers. There is the story of such a son in the Gospel of Luke (Chapter 15). It is usually titled, the story of the prodigal son.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON REWARI
Steeped in history, the district is well on a progressive path
Rewari, December 21
The district of Rewari, which lies at a distance of 82 km in the south-west of Delhi, is an important and ancient historical town of Haryana. Like the national Capital, it has a glorious history and has been witness to the rise and fall of great kings and rulers.

GETTING AWAY
The unparalleled mystic beauty of Bageshwar, the abode of gods
Bageshwar (the abode of gods), a quaint town in Uttaranchal, abounds in legends, festive happenings and mind blowing surroundings. Situated at the confluence of rivers Saryu, Gomti and latent Bhagirathi lies the holy township of Bageshwar; also revered as the pious land associated with Lord Sadashiva, the redeemer of all sins.

Schemes to popularise use of solar energy launched
Rewari, December 21
The Department of Non-Conventional Energy of Haryana, in close collaboration with the Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, has launched several schemes to popularise the use of solar energy-operated appliances so as to reduce the load on conventional energy sources in the state.

• Urdu poet honoured
• Boy missing since Dec 13

CRIME

Dacoity averted, five held New Delhi, December 21 With the arrest of five persons the West district police today claimed to have averted a dacoity at a paper merchant’s house in the Civil Lines and busted a gang of inter-state dacoits who used to loot posh houses by either befriending domestic servants or by planting their known people as servants.

No concrete clue to DU reader’s murder
New Delhi, December 21
The police are on the lookout for the suspects who allegedly killed a reader in the Department of Botany, Swami Shardhanand College, on Friday afternoon. The deceased, identified as M N Singh (55), was murdered by four unidentified armed assailants who intruded into the college premises while the election for the Academic Executive Council was on.

Prostitution racket in Paschim Vihar busted
New Delhi: The West district police today claimed to have busted a prostitution racket at a parlour in Friends Tower in Paschim Vihar with the arrest of three girls and boys.

Youth’s body found in basement
Noida, December 21
The body of 17-year-old Yoginder Singh, who had been missing from Khoda Colony since yesterday, was found hanging in the basement of a building under construction in Prakash Nagar today.

BUSINESS

Bank launches drive to recover NPAs 
Panipat, December 21
Following the promulgation of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Ordinance, 2002, banks have started tightening the noose around defaulting borrowers. Acting as per the provisions of the ordinance, intended to recover NPAs, the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), on Thursday, forced a defaulter to repay the principal along with the interest to the bank.

NFL strives to end moneylenders’ hold on farmers 
Panipat, December 21
Under an ambitious plan to rid the farmers from the shackles of moneylenders, the National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) and the ICICI Bank propose to start a loan scheme for farmers that will enable them to buy fertilisers.

EDUCATION

‘Sur Puraskar’ for MDU professor
Rohtak, December 21
Dr Baij Nath Singhal, a senior professor of the Hindi Department, Maharshi Dayanand University, has been conferred with ‘Sur Puraskar’, the highest literary award of Haryana Sahitya Akademi for this year. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a citation.

Singapore team visits Apollo International School
Sonepat, December 21
A two-member team of the Board of Governors of United World College, Singapore, visited Apollo International School at Bari village, about 15 km from here, yesterday. According to a report, the team was headed by Chairman John Kirkham. The members of the team were accompanied by Mr Vikram Chand, a member of the board.

Hefty PTA fund in violation of rules: Vidrohi
Rewari, December 21
The Haryana Janata Dal (U) President, Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, has expressed grave concern at the annual collection of a hefty amount from students by way of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) funds in the local government Senior Secondary School for Boys in utter disregard of departmental norms.

COURTS

Judge dismisses plea for anticipatory bail 
Rohtak, December 21
Mr Shiva Sharma, special judge, Rohtak dismissed the pre-arrest bail application of Mr Jagi Dass, Forest Officer, against whom a criminal case under Section 13 (1)(e) of Prevention of Corruption Act was registered by the State Vigilance Bureau on December 5.

HEALTH

BODY & MIND
50 m Indians have erectile dysfunction
A group of urologists from Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospitals, recently assembled at Apollo Hospital to announce the formation of the Delhi Andrology Society (DAS). The society will strive to standardise treatment of human sexual dysfunction and infertility on a scientific basis.

Human Papiloma DNA test at AIIMS

Max speciality clinics

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SPORTS

Advani opens Munirka sports complex
New Delhi, December 21
The pond, which made India proud in producing famous swimmer Khazan Singh Tokas, is in news again. The historical pond is now in the shape of a multipurpose sports complex named Baba Gangnath sports complex. The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Lal Krishan Advani inaugurated the sports complex today. Mr Anand Kumar, Minister of Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation was the chief guest.

City Club collect 8 points
New Delhi, December 21
The first match of Senior Division Football League 2002 was played between City Club and Soik-Shadra FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the Capital. The match was drawn a goal-less. It was certainly a dull-match. Now City Club have 8 points in five matches and have one more match against Indian National FC, which will be played on December 29.

Meerut University in NZ inter-varsity final
Meerut, December 21
An unbeaten century by Sachin Yadav 134 (12x4, 6x2) and unbeaten 37 by Subhodh Makhuri and their 87-run stand for the 7th wicket helped host Chaudhary Charan Singh University Meerut defeat Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University, Kanpur by 150 runs in the semi-finals of the North Zone Inter-Varsity Cricket Championship at Bhamashah Ground here today.

HCL score over Coca-Cola
New Delhi, December 21
HCL Technologies defeated Coca-Cola by 6 wickets in a super league match of the Luminous Cup, played at CSG II, yesterday. Aditya Kishore of HCL Technologies was adjudged Man of the Match. He played the cameo role in scoring 68 runs in 61 balls.

• Orient Craft in semis

An encore by Rajat
New Delhi, December 21
It was an action replay by Rajat Mathur. His fine knock of 89 no in just 71 deliveries helped Sapient Corporation defeat JRA by 8 wickets and enter the final of Second Eventus Cup. He was awarded the Man of the Match.

ADMINISTRATION

Vehicle verification counter set up
Rewari, December 21
The police here have set up a motor vehicle verification counter which will be directly linked to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) at Delhi through a hotline.