SPORTS

Union Club register first victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, July 9
Union Club registered their first victory when they defeated Royal Bengal Club 2-0 to earn full points in a Group II preliminary league match of the Delhi Soccer Association Open Clubs B Division Football League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium on Wednesday.

Union Club took the lead in the 15th minute through Achainta. Outside left Rajat scored the second goal in the 57th minute to complete the tally. Both the teams have scored three points from four matches.

Earlier, the match between New Friends and Columba’s Youngsters could not be played at the Ambedkar Stadium due to a sudden downpour. The match will be played on Monday.

Both the matches scheduled to be played at the Nehru Stadium were washed out. Paschim Heroes were to meet Shakti while Goodwill were to clash against Nivia.

Both these matches will be played on July 11.

Lodhi Club came from behind to defeat Young Sports 2-1 on Tuesday. Young Sports led by a goal at half time. Zulfiqar scored the goal in the 28th minute.

In the second half, tension mounted as players of both the teams went for each other than the ball. Two players each of Lodhi and Young Sports were shown the red card by referee Mohd. Gulzar, and sent out.

In this tense atmosphere, Pankaj pulled off the equaliser for Lodhi while Tarun got the match winner.

In Group II, Rohini Club prevailed over Ajmal 1-0. Mukesh slotted in the match-winner. Rohini registered their fifth victory to tally 15 points while Ajmal have earned just three points from four games.

Golden Stars were held to a 1-1 draw by Goodwill. Manoj opened the account for Goodwill while Devender equalised for Golden Stars. Golden Stars have earned four points from four matches while Goodwill also have as many points from four matches.

Thursday’s fixtures: Golden Stars vs Lodhi Club (3.45 pm); Delhi Students vs Youngs Sports (5 pm)—Ambedkar Stadium. South India vs Ajmal Club (3.30 pm)—-Nehru Stadium East ground.

Manav Das maintains lead in golf
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, July 9
Manav Das of Ambala returned a card of 2-over 74, but that was enough for him to maintain his lead over others at the end of the second day’s play in the four-day IGU categorized second Jaypee Open Amateur Golf Championship at the 18-hole Jaypee Green Golf Course at Greater Noida.

Though Manav Das could not repeat his performance of Tuesday, he did look in good nick when he made birdies on holes 3, 4 and 9, but a double bogey on hole 6, and bogeys on holes 10 and 13, robbed him of a nice lead over other leading amateurs. Manav finished the day on a total score of 143.

The best score of the day came from former India captain Kapil Dev who played even par. Kapil made a quiet start, playing the first three holes level par and made birdies on holes 4 and 6 on the front nine and holes 11 and 14 on the back nine. But bogeys on holes 5,9,10 and 16 restricted him from putting up a better show under rough and heavy conditions. Kapil’s score for the two days was 149.

Jaskirat Singh Dullet of Chandigarh seemed much inspired by Kapil on the course with the India junior golfer also playing even par, and jumping to the second spot with a total score of 145. Jaskirat bogeyed thrice on holes 3, 5 and 7 on the front nine, but he made a late charge on the back nine, making birdies on holes 15 and 16.

Vikrant Chopra and Shiv Kapur were tied with Jaskirat at the second spot while Keshav Misra stayed four strokes behind the leader with his total score at 147. Keshav played 4-over while Shiv Kapur never looked to take the heavy weather conditions into his stride, and bogeys on holes 6,7 and 15 and a birdie on hole 2 saw him finish the day with 2-over 74. Vikrant shot one-over 73.

The course played longer than the yardage of 7343, the longest in India, because of the heavy weather conditions and higher rough. It truly played to the championship levels with the lowest score of the day being level par.

Out of the 86 players making it to the main draw, only 40 could qualify for the last two days’ rounds, following a cut applied at the end of the second day’s play. This championship is the season opener for the IGU categorized list of golf events for the calendar year 2003-2004.

Sahara to sponsor Indian hockey

New Delhi, July 9
The Sahara Group will sponsor the Indian hockey teams for the next eight years. Indian Hockey Federation president K.P.S Gill and the Sahara Group chairman entered into agreement to this effect.

The agreement comes into force at a time when Indian hockey was on the upswing, but without of a sponsor, after Castrol pulled out of their commitment. OSR

Top 23 teams for DSA ‘A’ Division League
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, July 9
Top 23 club teams will participate in the Delhi Soccer Association ‘A’ Division Open Clubs Football League Championship, beginning at the Ambedkar Stadium on July 15.

The preliminary league matches will be held in three groups and two top teams of each group will qualify for the Super League, which will be played on a round-robin league basis.

The top two teams from the Super League will earn promotion to the Senior Division next season.

The registration of the players will be completed on July 12. The DSA has constituted a league sub-committee with Mr Magan Singh as convenor and Mr Kishori Lal as chairman. 

MAF asks HUDA to scrap outdated rules
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 9
The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), which claims itself to be a pioneer in urban development, is being criticised for its alleged cumbersome rules and policies. These rules are proving to be a stumbling block and contributing to corruption and delay in the execution of works, entrepreneurs allege.

The Manufacturers Association Faridabad (MAF), a leading entrepreneurs’ association, has now decided to take up the matter with the HUDA authorities.

The president of the MAF, Mr Navdeep Chawla, told the NCR Tribune that a majority of the rules and regulations of the authority regarding industrial plots are very old and need to be changed to meet the present requirements.

The present procedures concerning the sale and transfer of plots are proving to be a deterrent and had been causing unnecessary harassment and delay in the work, Mr Chawla said.

He demanded that all rules and regulations be changed and liberalised so that it could give a fillip to business and commercial activity. It is really a hard task to get completion certificates.

The present system has been forcing many applicants to bribe the officials concerned so that there is no further delay in comp0leting their work.

He said there is a complex set of rules and these are being used as a cover to delay the movement of files deliberately. There is hardly anyone who would guide the applicant in the proper direction.

Demanding that the norms for the transfer of plots or land be simplified, he said a large number of plots meant for industry are lying vacant because of the cumbersome procedures. Business activities suffer in the end.

He claimed that several big companies and organisations would have started their operations in Faridabad by now had the rules been simpler.

Mr Chawla said the MAF wanted business and property to be made a “mortgageable” item so that entrepreneurs could avail of the opportunities to get finance and loans from banks and funding agencies.

As there has been a general slump in the manufacturing sector, especially those of machinery and ancillaries, the service sector, which, he said, has the maximum potential to provide jobs and revenue, needs to be promoted by simplifying the rules of sale and purchase of land and property.

He said a memorandum in this regard will soon be sent to the top authorities in Chandigarh.

He added that the industrialists have repeatedly reminded the district authorities and the state government for the construction of a flyover at Badarpur border as early as possible.

The trade, business and industry would continue to suffer till a smooth and easy access is provided to the national Capital, he said.