Akali leaders petition Advani on DSGMC poll
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3
In their continuing effort to wrest control of the cash-rich Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), ahead of the Assembly elections here, leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today urged Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani to ensure that annual elections to the religious body be held on time.

At a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, to thank him for according the second language status to Punjabi in Delhi, the Capital’s Akali leaders stressed that the annual elections to the DSGMC ought to be held as per schedule on July 24 when the one-year term of the present committee comes to an end. The SAD and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are political allies. Both the Delhi BJP and the Delhi Congress have claimed credit for espousing the cause of the Punjabis in the national Capital territory of Delhi and for “struggling” to get the second language status for Punjabi.

Their request apparently comes in the wake of the reluctance of DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna (considered close to the Congress) to hold annual elections. Mr Sarna became the DSGMC president on July 24 last year for a one-year term after 35 of the 51 newly elected members chose him the leader of the committee which commands sweeping influence over Delhi’s large Sikh population. At that time Mr Sarna also had the blessings of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra who was then leading the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal.

In an open challenge to Mr Sarna’s authority, senior DSGMC vice-president Shamsher Singh Sandhu, however, had earlier this month announced the election date while officiating in his absence. Mr Sarna was on a business trip abroad. He had asserted that the DSGMC chief was free to challenge his orders legally or call a general house meeting to elicit the views of the members over the annual elections if he considered they should not be held on time.

Mr Sarna, who has so far refused to merge his party with the united SAD, has described Mr Sandhu’s election announcement as ‘’illegal’’.

Support for the DSGMC chief, however, appears to have waned with only 18 members turning up at an emergency meeting called by his party last week following the so-called rebellion in the committee.

BREAKTHROUGH
Contract killer nabbed near Noida Golf course
Our Correspondent

Noida, July 3
The Sector 39 police on Wednesday arrested a contract killer, who had accepted a supari of Rs 2 lakh for committing a murder. A countrymade revolver and cartridges have been seized from him. He had been sent to jail earlier for kidnapping a young woman.

According to the SP (City), Mr Vijay Bhushan, the Sector 39 police learnt that the contract killer was seen in the area. Though Mr Rakesh Patiwal, Station Officer of the Sector 39 police station, and his team had raided many places, they could not trace him.

Subsequently, the police learnt from an informer that he was waiting for someone near Noida Golf Course in Sector 38.

When the police team surrounded him he tried to scale the Golf Course boundary wall, but was nabbed by the cops. A countrymade revolver and some live cartridges were seized from his possession.

The criminal identified himself as Sushil, son of Ved Prakash of Sihani Gate, Ghaziabad. He had been hired on contract to murder someone and an amount of Rs 2 lakh was fixed as the supari. Sushil was told to come to a spot near the golf course to collect the amount and the name and address of his victim.

According to police, Sushil had shifted his operations to Delhi, Noida and Faridabad, after the Ghaziabad police turned the heat on him. He is known to be a good marksman and has admitted to his involvement in many crimes. The police are investigating into the incidents and are on the lookout for the man who had reportedly commissioned the contract murder.

DC institutes probe into charges against MC chief
Our Correspondent

Jhajjar, July 3
The tenure of the local Municipal Committee Chairperson, Mrs Usha Bansal, seems to have run into heavy weather as the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Mohinder Kumar, today handed over a probe into allegations of financial irregularities against her to the ADC and the SDM, respectively. Mr Bharat Bhushan, MC member, also resigned today in protest against the functioning of the MC chief.

Sources said at least six members had filed a written complaint to the DC last evening in which they demanded an inquiry into the functioning of the MC chief. They alleged that the Chairperson was involved in scams and financial irregularities.

It is noteworthy that these members had also spearheaded a stir against Ms Bansal some time ago. They had to withdraw the affidavits containing allegations against her following the intervention of a local INLD leader and former district chief of the party, Mr Balwan Suhag.

However, the sources said certain members who were opposing the Chairperson met the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, about a week ago at a function in Bahadurgarh. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the leadership of Ms Bansal. These members, including Mr Bharat Bhushan, Mr Sant Ram, Mr Sultan Singh, Ms Vinod Rani Saini, Mr Rajiv and some others, have been opposing the MC chief. They reportedly informed the CM about irregularities in the floating of tenders and use of substandard material in the construction work. These councillors have also alleged embezzlement of funds sanctioned under the NCR scheme.

Taking congnizance of the complaints this time, the DC handed over the inquiry into allegations of misappropriation of NCR funds to the ADC, Mrs Suprabha Dahiya, and the SDM, Mr Anurag Agrawal. They would investigate other allegations also.

Is a diet worth Rs 2.50 sufficient for 
a mother-to-be?
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 3
Is a diet worth Rs 1.43 a day adequate to check malnutrition in children up to the age of six years? Or, is a ration worth only Rs 2.50 a day good enough to help a woman deliver a healthy baby? Yes, it is possible if the official records of the Anganwadi project here are to be believed.

As part of the six schemes that are in operation in the district for the welfare of poor children and women in the district, there are already about 880 Anganwadi kendras here. Spread in all subdivisions, the number of such kendras (centres) include 184 and 98, respectively, in the urban and rural parts of Faridabad subdivision. Ballabgarh has 125, Palwal 181, Hathin 150 and Hodal 142 such centres, at present.

Anganwadi centres spent about Rs 2.84 crore on various expenses, especially on meeting the supplies of food items to the beneficiaries during the year 2002-2003.

While there is hardly any physician who would agree that the food given to children or pregnant women at Anganwdi centres is sufficient to keep them in the pink of health, the authorities claim that each child at these centres gets at least 300 calories and 10 gm of protein daily. If any child is found malnourished, the diet provided to such a beneficiary was upgraded to the cost of Rs 2.86. It is stated that the diet or food items provided to a pregnant woman at such a centre was worth Rs 2.50 daily. The items distributed include pulses, gram, wheat, crushed wheat (daliya), biscuits and two types of snacks, which include a sweet and namkeen item. The weight of the alpahaar (namkeen) varies from 72 gm to 142 gm for children while it is 124 gm for a woman. The sweet item weighs about 74 gm to 150 gm per beneficiary. There are about 69,795 children and 16,964 women who have been receiving the ``largesse’’ under the scheme at these centres in the district. The district has a population of about 22 lakh. It is reported that the ration supplied to such centres does not reach the beneficiaries many times. When the beneficiaries do not reach the centres, the ration due to them is not provided. Sometimes, the ration to be distributed at these centres reaches the shops

NO TAKERS
Posts vacant in schools despite court orders
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3
Despite the Delhi High Court orders to ensure ‘zero (teacher) vacancy’ in the schools run by the Delhi Government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi before the commencement of the academic session this year, neither the state government nor the MCD have done the needful. Advocate Ashok Agarwal alleged the Delhi Government and the MCD had deliberately failed to take necessary steps to fill the posts of teaching staff in their schools as per the time schedule laid down by an earlier order of the high court. The authorities had failed to ensure that there would be ‘zero vacancy’ position by April 1 in case of Delhi Government schools and July 1 in case of MCD schools, he said.

There was a shortage of 2,831 teachers in MCD schools as on August 31, 2002, and a shortage of 2,345 posts in the state government schools as on April 22, 2002, Mr Agarwal claimed. Such inaction was tantamount to contempt of court, he added.

On December 20, 2001, the high court, disposing of a PIL filed by NGO Social Jurist, through Mr Agarwal, against shortage of teachers in such schools, had laid down a time schedule for filling up vacancies for year 2003 onwards to ensure ‘zero vacancy’ position. The authorities were directed to adhere to the time schedule. Now, Mr Agarwal plans to take legal action against the Delhi Government and the MCD in this regard.

3rd cut-off seals fate of most students
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3
The third cut-off list released by the Delhi University here today failed to provide relief to the students. The drop in the cut-off is marginally lower, with admissions to most courses over.

There is a decline in the cut-off for subjects like Hindi and Sanskrit. However, the cut-off in Economics Hons. in Hansraj remains at 88 percent, while most other colleges have filled the seats for the course. In Gargi, the cut-off for Hindi Hons. has come down from 64 per cent to 60 percent. Sanskrit cut-off has come down to 45 per cent in Deshbandhu, Gargi, Hansraj and Janki Devi Memorial. For B A pass courses, the cut-off has dipped by just one to two per cent in most colleges.

Likewise, for B. Com Hons, the decline has been marginal. In PG DAV, the cut-off has plunged from 81.5 to 80 per cent; in SGGS College of Commerce, it has slipped from 86 to 85.50 per cent. In the science stream, admissions to courses like Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics Hons. are over in most colleges.

In Deshbandhu, the cut-off for Biochemistry, a popular course, has dipped from 79 to 78 per cent whereas in all other colleges the admission to the course is over. Mathematics Hons cut-off in Sri Venkateshwar College had come down to 84 from 85 per cent. The admission list for the SC/ST and Physically Disabled candidates was also put out today.

5-year-old rape victim taken by protestors 
to SSP’s office

Ghaziabad: A five-year-old girl, who was raped in Dasna town today, was taken in a procession to the office of the SSP who has sent her for a medical examination. He has also ordered the Mussori police to nab the culprit.

Flood protection works incomplete as rains are here, well almost
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 3
Many of the flood protection works undertaken by the Irrigation Department are still incomplete along the Yamuna and elsewhere in the district even though the pre-monsoon showers have already hit the area.

According to a report, the officials claim that the work on various flood protection schemes is going on a war footing but the residents of nearby villages say that the same has been slowed down on one pretext or the other.

The main reason for this, the residents point out, is the delaying tactics adopted by the officials concerned as they are waiting for the heavy rains and floods to set in to mint money by undertaking bogus works and preparing bogus muster rolls of labourers.

Many residents alleged that work on flood protection schemes under various water service divisions has not started for want of funds. Sanction to many works was delayed and the calling of tenders, thereafter, was also delayed.

Not a single ring bundh has been repaired or strengthened for want of funds. The central government, it is stated, has failed to release the grant-in-aid for the purpose. The flood protection works are to be completed by June 30 as per the norms of the state government but most of the works are yet to be carried out.

There are 45 villages in the district where the ring bundhs exist. Of these, 23 villages fall in Gohana subdivision, 18 in Sonepat subdivision whereas four in Ganaur subdivision.

The villages falling under the jurisdiction of Gohana subdivision include Kheri Damkan, Puthi, Wazirpura, Katwal, Bilhillan, Isapur Kheri, Mahmoodpur, Kathura, Kakana, Anandpur Maja, Baroda, Busana, Bichpari, Butana, Ahulana, Kahlpa, Rindhana, Nizampur, Jagsi, Dhanana, Khanpur and Mundlana.

The villages in Sonepat subdivision are Bidhlan, Ridhao, Khanda, Sehra, Rohna, Prahladpur, Sohti, Qumashpur, Gopalpur, Matindu, Hullaheri, Naina Tatarpur Majra, Jat Majra, Khurampur, Dahesra, and Jajal.

The villages falling under Ganaur subdivision include Ram Nagar, Khizarpur Ahir, Bhoglpur and Purkhas.

Deputy Commissioner Balwan Singh has already undertaken an extensive tour of the areas where flood protection works are going on. According to him, the embankments of the Yamuna are being strengthened and stone studs constructed and repaired to check the erosion of land on the Haryana side.

The Yamuna changes its course during the rains every year and the land in the Khadar tract is eroded by it at several points. The erosion has become a nightmare for those living in the villages along the river, particularly the poor farmers. Every year, a large number of them become landless.

Official sources revealed that several hundred acres of cultivable land along the river’s embankments are subject to constant erosion. The annual loss is estimated at around Rs 100 crore. Since the 1964 floods, the state government had been implementing anti-erosion and anti-flood measures like construction of bundhs and stone studs. The Irrigation Department has constructed stone studs at Bega, Memarpur, Garhi Asadpur, Baroli, Dehesra and some other places to divert the flow of the Yamuna, which is menacingly advancing towards the Haryana side. 

Noida land rates likely to be hiked
Our Correspondent

Noida, July 3
The allotment rates of land for various categories are likely to be hiked in Noida. A proposal to this effect is understood to have been readied for approval and put on the agenda of the 116th Noida Authority Board meeting slated for July 7.

Indications are that the increase will be between 10 to 20 per cent. Noida administration’s rates for residential plots vary from Rs 3,300 to Rs 14,000 per square metre. The authority, which was about to declare new schemes for residential, commercial and institutional plots, has suddenly stopped all announcements.

Senior officers of the authority, on instructions from the state government, are understood to have decided to first review the price structure of plots under various categories before making the public announcements of various schemes.

A meeting under the Additional CEO, Mr K. S. Pandya, was held yesterday to review the rationality of the price structure of Noida plots. The consensus at the meeting was in favour of hiking the prices of the plots in view of the increasing cost of infrastructure like roads and other developmental works.

The current rate structure of plots under various categories was established during September 2001. Rates of plots in residential schemes were hiked from Rs 2,800 to Rs 3,300 per square metre and the highest increase in rates was from Rs 7,000 to Rs 14,000 per square metre.

Now all these rates are likely to be further hiked from 10 to 20 per cent, according to indications available. Similarly, the three-tier rates in industrial sectors are also likely to be increased as also those in the institutional areas, it is learnt.

Power reforms yielding results: Maken
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3
Mr Ajay Maken, Delhi Minister of Transport, Power and Tourism, today said that privatisation of power distribution initiated last year has yielded encouraging results. He said that it was the only recourse available to reform the erratic power sector.

He was speaking at the interactive session on ‘Delhi Power Reforms: Taking Stock’, organised by the CII (NR), Delhi State Council, here today.

Mr Maken, however, said that lot more needed to be done to achieve uninterrupted power supply. First of all, power thefts had to be checked. He also suggested a change in the attitude of the workforce, and urged for more transparency on the part of the departments concerned.

He claimed that the power scenario had changed for the better from what it was last year, though the effects were yet to be pervasive. He assured that the reforms would be felt all over Delhi very soon.

He called on the private companies to focus on reforms rather than to concentrate only on profits. It would help in earning public trust and would allow the regulatory authority to carry out reforms in a more concrete manner, he said.

In his address, Mr R. V. Shahi, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India, said that the availability of power was not an issue as far as Delhi was concerned. The central government had ensured that about 3800-4000 MW of power had been made available to Delhi. He lamented that the pace of reforms could have been better.

Mr Shahi mentioned that a lot needed to be done by the Delhi Transco to set an example for other states. He said that the ministry had identified loopholes and said they would be done away with in a limited timeframe. He also called for stringent action to curb power thefts and demanded that they be treated as a social crime. Losses due to power thefts were to the tune of over Rs 3,000 crore.

Law keepers in Gurgaon on a public relations drive 
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, July 3
The police here are out to improve the sagging image and its credibility among the public. The police authorities are taking measures to improve the image of the force, the thrust of which is to put the constabulary on a tight leash of disciplinary code of conduct.

Also, the thrust is on improving the investigating and inquisitorial skills of the personnel. The authorities have also made moves to enlist the support of retired IPS officers, especially those residing in Gurgaon.

They would be asked to give pep talks to the constabulary on various aspects relating to the functioning of the force.

According to the district police chief, Mr Kuldip Singh Sihag, the first step to improve the image of the force would be to send a strong signal to maintain discipline, both departmentally and in dealing with the public.

In fact, this effort is on for the past few months. The authorities have got cases registered against police personnel where they have been found colluding with anti-social elements and breaking rules.

The Station House Officers (SHOs) have also been directed to regularly brief the constables on the need to maintain discipline.

However, the authorities appear to be more concerned with advancing the investigating skills of the Investigative Officers (IOs).

In the past, there have been cases where charges against criminals have been diluted due to the prosecution lacking evidences.

The criminals are let off the hook leading to the perception among the public that they are “invincible” and that police presence in the polity is only ceremonial.

According to reports, criminals have also started taking benefit of modern technology to accomplish their nefarious designs.

BSES to invest Rs 4,000 cr to improve distribution
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3
The Bombay Suburban Electric Supply (BSES) says it will invest Rs 4,000 crore to improve the distribution of electricity in the NCT of Delhi. BSES distributes electricity in South and East Delhi. The two subsidiaries are named BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna respectively. The Reliance Group is the promoter of BSES.

Chief Executive Officer Himadri Banerjee on Thursday told mediapersons the investment would be made over the next three years. The annual investment will be in the range of Rs 900 crore.

The BSES expects to get Rs 600 crore from its share due from the Government of NCT of Delhi on account of the reforms which the latter had initiated last year. The Government of NCT of Delhi would have to release the money from the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme set up to aid restructuring of the power sector.

The BSES will have to raise the remainder of the funds. Banerjee would not comment on how the company proposed to raise the remainder of the funds.

“The deployment of funds will begin as soon as the government releases money,” Banerjee told the delegates to the conference hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII.)

Panchayat wants courageous SP to be honoured

Sonepat: The gram panchayat of Bhatgaon village has lauded the role of the police team led by Superintendent of Police Paramjit Singh Ahlawat in arresting two armed gangsters after an encounter. In fact, the panchayat has urged the state government to honour the SP and other members of the police party. Mr Ram Mehar, Sarpanch of the village, said the SP personally launched the operations against the criminals who had hidden themselves in sugarcane fields for evading arrest. They were captured by the SP during the search operations.

NCR BRIEFS
Panchayat deposits Rs four lakh 
Our Correspondents

Sonepat, July 3
The Gram Panchayat of village Murthal has deposited Rs four lakh in the office of the district development and Panchayat officer on Wednesday so as to seek a matching grant of Rs 12 lakh from the state government for the construction of a new government girls college in the village.

According to the MLA and Chairman of the Hafed, Mr Suraj Mal Antil, the amount was collected by the residents of different villages in Rai Assembly constituency for seeking a matching grant according to the rules framed by the Haryana Government. He disclosed that the district administration has also sanction Rs 5.40 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojna for the construction of four rooms in the college. This amount will include the Gram Panchayat share of Rs 1.35 lakh. The classes in the college will commence from July 15 as announced by the Chief Minister, Om Parkash Chautala, while inaugurating the college last week. Initially, the college would be run from the Government Senior Secondary School in the village.

Auto thief gang busted, two vehicles recovered

Greater Noida: The Dehat police have arrested three auto thieves and recovered two vehicles and a country-made revolver from them in the Greater Noida area. According to SP (Rural), Umesh Kumar Srivastava, a number of gang engaged in vehicle theft were active in the Greater Noida area. Under D. K. Sharma, the Special Operations Group, Dadri, was asked to end this menace.

During a routine check at the Railway Road, Dadri, the SOG found a Maruti and its occupants behaving in a suspicious manner. When the occupants were interrogated, it was found that Kishen of Nai Abadi, Dadri, was the leader of the gang. Other criminals in the group were identified as Chanchal and Pammi, both of Gautam Puri, Dadri.

They were involved in auto thefts in and around the national Capital, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Dadri. A country-made revolver and live cartridges were also recovered from them. Based on their information, another vehicle was seized by the police. The members of this gang disposed of the vehicle in Bulandshahr after duplicating its documents. 

DELHI DIGEST
Subhash Chopra elected Speaker
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3
Subhash Chopra was elected the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. He was elected on Thursday by the legislators after the House was convened for the day-long special session.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit proposed Chopra’s candidature and Naseeb Singh seconded the proposal. Chopra was elected by voice vote after the BJP legislators were marshalled out of the House for shouting against the water and power crises in the Capital.

Chopra represents the Kalkaji constituency in the Delhi Assembly. Chopra succeeds Prem Singh who stepped down after the All India Congress Committee appointed him president of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC.)

Mango festival: The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) Limited will host the festival of mangoes on Saturday and Sunday at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium.

DTTDC Managing Director Rajeev Talwar on Thursday told mediapersons that mangoes would be exported to China after signing of pact with that country.

Over 500 “uncommon” and “commercially popular” varieties of mango will be showcased. Visitors will have to pay a nominal sum for entry into the venue.

BJP alleges corruption: Member of Parliament Anita Arya and others of the BJP courted arrest on Thursday to protest against the policies of the Government of NCT of Delhi. The demonstration was a part of the campaign launched by the BJP earlier this week.

Addressing her supporters in Karol Bagh, which she represents in Lok Sabha, Arya said rice and cereals sold through the authorised ration shops were finding their way to the open market.

Second language status to Punjabi hailed: The Punjabi Sikh Naujawan Manch, in its meeting chaired by Jathedar Karan Singh, welcomed the decision of the

Delhi Government to grant Punjabi the status of second language in Delhi. The ‘Manch’ gave the credit to Ms Sheila Dikshit and Mr Madan Lal Khurana.

Over 80 per cent people in Delhi understand and speak Punjabi, said Jathedar Karan Singh. He said that differences among people of different communities could be solved only by promoting brotherhood in our society.

Mr Raja Singh Sethi, president of Shiromani Gurdwara Sewadar Committee, requested the Delhi Government to use Punjabi to write the names of bus stops, railway stations, courts, bus terminals, schools
and colleges all over the national Capital.

Load-shedding announced: The New Delhi Power Limited (NDPL) has announced load shedding on July 4 due to maintenance of various substations in Adarsh Nagar zone 503 between 9am to 4pm.

Attempt to loot liquor vend prevented 
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 3
The police foiled an attempt to loot a liquor vend by a group of miscreants in the Subzi mandi area here last night. According to a report, the police have also arrested five youths from the spot, identified as Rakesh alias Goldee, Vinod alias Paratha and Pradeep, all residents of Railway Colony, Anil and Raju alias Chhilka of Garrhi Ghasita area of this city.

The police have registered a case under Sections 399 and 402 IPC against them. During their interrogation, the arrested youths have confessed to their involvement in theft committed in the office of an insurance company in this city.

Body recovered: The Government Railway Police (GRP) recovered the body of a man lying on the railway track near Jahri village between Sonepat and Sandal Kalan railway stations last night and sent it for the postmortem examination.

According to a report, the body was identified as Luxmi (60) of Jatwara Mohalla in this city. It is stated that he was crossing the railway track when he was run over by the train.

Passenger killed: A passenger, identified as Jai Singh, died on the spot when a three-wheeler overturned near Silana village, about 15 km from here last evening. According to a report, the victim was going from Nakloi village to Jasore Kheri village. The police have registered a case against the driver of the three-wheeler, is absconding. The body has been sent for the postmortem examination.

New Rotary Club office-bearers: Mr Satpal Jain, president of the Rotary Club Uptown, Sonepat and other office-bearers were installed at a function held in the Shubham Garden here last night. According to a report, Mr M. L. Aggarwal, a former governor of the Rotary International was the chief guest on this occasion. The office-bearers of the club pledged to work for the welfare of the society.

ADC assumes office: Mr Rajiv Ranjan replaced Mr R P Bhardwaj as the new Additional Deputy Commissioner here yesterday. Mr R P Bhardwaj has been transferred to Panipat. According to a report, the post of the ADC had been lying vacant for the past six months since the transfer of Mr R. P. Bhardwaj. 

LPG cylinder explodes

New Delhi, July 3
A building in Greater Kailash (M-Block) partially collapsed when a LPG cylinder exploded. Reportedly, there was a leakage in the cylinder and it exploded when one of the family members lighted a gas stove. However, no casualty was reported. Three fire fighters were rushed to control the fire, which was doused within a few minutes, a spokesman of the Delhi Fire service said. TNS

CRIME

Gang of carjackers busted 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3
With the arrest of five persons, including a receiver of a stolen property, the North-West district police today claimed to have smashed a gang of carjackers and solved more than 10 cases.

The police also claimed to have recovered two country-made weapons and a button-actuated knife from their possession. The police received a tip-off that three persons would be heading towards Mangolpuri area for committing some crime after stealing a Maruti Zen car from Lajpat Nagar. When the police spotted the car and tried to stop it, the occupants tried to escape the dragnet. After a brief chase, the police intercepted the car. The occupants were later identified as Ramesh alias Dana (25), Jaivir alias Sanjay alias Hari (29), residents of Trilokpuri and Harish Kumar Sharma (24), resident of Badarpur.

On sustained interrogation, the trio revealed that they wanted to rob a businessman in the Mangolpuri industrial area. Based on their information, their associates Dalip Singh (43), resident of Rohini and the receiver Rishabh Sharma (34), resident of Kotla Mubarakpur were apprehended. The accused committed crimes in areas such as Mayur Vihar, Ashok Nagar, Malviya Nagar, Timarpur and Kotla Mubarakpur.

In another case, the North-West district police have arrested two robbers-cum car thieves in the Prahlad Pur area. With the arrest of Vinod Gujjar (22), resident of Dabri and Nilesh Kumar Dubey (27), resident of Gurgaon, the police claimed to have solved four cases and recovered an illegal weapon from their possession. The accused had looted Rs 5.9 lakh from a petrol pump in Rewari and were involved in other dacoity cases.

Boy killed: Eleven-year old Ashwin Gupta was killed after he fell into an open ventilation shaft on the rooftop in the Laxmi Nagar area recently. The police said that the incident occurred when Ashwin was playing on the rooftop of his four-storeyed building.

The boy accidentally fell into the open shaft, which was uncovered. He was immediately rushed to the Walia Nursing Home, where he was declared brought dead. The family of the victim alleged negligence on the part of the owner of the building.

Yamaha plant being upgraded
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 3
Yamaha Motor India, a leading mobike manufacturing company here, has started upgrading of its plant to enable production of four stroke motorcycles. According to spokesperson of the company, the unit here has rescheduled its production to four days a week to facilitate the process. This, he said, would enable the setting up of the required infrastructure at the plant and to utilise the non-production days to train the workers, so as to acclimatise them to the modifications and improvements being undertaken.

A company official stated that the Faridabad plant catered only to the two-stroke motorcycles, at present, but the upgrading would not only accommodate the production of the existing range of four stroke models, but also include the new models that were on the anvil.

After becoming a hundred per cent subsidiary in India, Yamaha Motor India had announced to introduce two new models every year. It is claimed that the upgrading of the plant was being undertaken in anticipation of the future demand. It is also stated that the plant had implemented a new environment, health and safety management system as per ISO-14001 and OHSAS-18001.