TOP STORIES

VIGILANCE BUREAU BEING SOUNDED
MC chief runs into roadblocks on scam
Panipat, July 10
The road scam running into several lakhs of rupees, which was detected by the Municipal Council chief, Mr Sanjay Bhatia, recently, is likely to be probed by the Haryana Vigilance Bureau. This development follows the decision of Mr Bhatia to approach the Vigilance Department, urging it to collect samples of seven roads in the re-carpeting of which serious irregularities were allegedly committed.

Beneath the veneer: DTC employees giving final touches to the Delhi-Lahore bus, which is scheduled to leave on its first trial run on Friday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

TETE-A-TETE
English is the lingua franca the world over: Chautala
Sonepat, July 10
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has refuted the allegation that his government is out to harm the cause of education by withdrawing the recognition given to privately managed schools in the state.

CUL-DE-SAC
Promised bypass, parallel to Mathura Road, languishing
Faridabad, July 10
The proposal for revival and construction of a bypass to ease traffic congestion on the main Mathura Road (National Highway 2) is hanging fire. Although several lakhs have been spent, the project is still in a nascent stage.

SKIRTING THE LAW
CBI raids premises of NDMC brass
New Delhi, July 10
The CBI officials today carried out searches on residential and official premises of senior NDMC officials on charges of alleged irregularities in regularising illegal constructions.

• RAF withdrawn from Dalit basti

Alterations to DDA flats get the nod
New Delhi, July 10
Considering the problems faced by flat allotees – in view of the additions and alterations that had been undertaken — the Delhi Development Authority has decided to allow additional covered area in the DDA flats, subject to certain general conditions. The nodal ministry approved the proposal yesterday.

Car driver knocks down girls, flees
New Delhi, July 10
Three persons, including two girls, were injured this evening when the autorickshaw in which they were travelling was hit by a Ford Icon car near Sangam Cinema in R K Puram.

• 17-yr-old stabbed by ex-school mate

Rain brings pain New Delhi, July 10 The Capital received showers for the second day today. While the temperature dipped, rain brought with it the usual misery of clogged drains, traffic jams and power cuts. The rain also claimed a life when a 55-year-old died in an incident of roof collapse. The house at Jahangirpuri which collapsed during the rain, killing one person in the Capital on Thursday. — Tribune Photo

POLITICS

Sheila reveals poll mantra
New Delhi, July 10
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says the Indian National Congress walks the talk unlike the Bharatiya Janata Party. “The INC has delivered on its promises of revamping the transport sector, reforming the power sector, giving clean air and building flyovers. The INC swears by development, and development it will be when the party seeks the mandate of the people,” she said after returning from the party’s conclave in Shimla.

Training session for BJP legislators from today
Jhajjar, July 10
A three-day training session for the Bharatiya Janata Party legislators from Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana begins in Chandigarh from tomorrow to discuss the strategy for the next year’s general elections.

COMMUNITY

Water table recedes to 30 feet in Sonepat paddy fields
Sonepat, July 10
It might have rained in buckets in the region in the past two days. But this temporary phenomenon might not have helped the paddy growing areas of the Ganaur, Sonepat and Rai blocks in the district where the underground water table has gone down up to 30 feet during the past one decade.

Working streetchildren meet the Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit. The meeting, organised by PRAYAS, was held at her residence in the Capital on Thursday. — Photo by Kamal Singh

DSGMC apprises Sheila of Punjabi teachers’ woes
New Delhi, July 10
The secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Prof Harmohinder Singh, has written to the Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, apprising her of the problems faced by the Punjabi language teachers.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON ROHTAK
Highest rainfall in July since 1995 floods the district
Rohtak, July 10
The district recorded 42 mm rainfall on Wednesday, the highest in the month of July since 1995 when the district had experienced devastating floods. Last year, the total rainfall recorded in July in the district was only 9 mm. Almost all localities, including the commercial areas and the university campus, were under deep water yesterday. The depth of the water ranged between six to ten feet in some places. The old city, situated at a high altitude, was practically marooned.

NCR BRIEFS
Two killed in bike accident
Sonepat, July 10
Two persons including a schoolteacher sustained serious injuries when a motorcycle on which they were riding slipped from the road near Khandrai village about 40 km from here yesterday.

• Commuter injured
• Widespread rain
• Fake ISI-marked items
• Delhi Archbishop against VHP’s demand

Massive anti-encroachment drive in West Delhi
New Delhi, July 10
A massive anti-encroachment action was carried out jointly by the Enforcement Branch, Works and Building Department of West Zone today. The action was in compliance of the orders of the Delhi High Court in the PIL, titled Federation of Residents Welfare Association, Rajouri Garden and others versus the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and others.

Accident insurance cover for Haryana scribes
Faridabad, July 10
An accident insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh has been provided to all members of the Haryana Patrakar Sangh in the state.

CRIME

Cops turn the heat on Bawaria gangs
Ghaziabad, July 10
Concerned over the increasing incidents of looting by Bawaria gangs in this district and adjoining Noida, the police forces of the two districts have formed four special teams each, to nab the suspects who have struck terror in some of the villages and residential colonies.

Two auto-lifters held; 150 duplicate keys seized
New Delhi, July 10
The south district police today claimed to have arrested two auto-lifters who were active in the district and used to steal foreign cars. The police also claimed to have recovered one Santro car, one motorcycle, one scooter, two mobile phones, Rs 20,000 and more than 150 duplicate keys from their possession.

One held for making fake medical equipment
New Delhi, July 10
The Economic Offences Wing today claimed to have arrested a person who used to manufacture fake apparatus of a Russian company used for medication purpose.

BUSINESS

National council’s move to usher in ethical real estate practices
New Delhi, July 10
The National Real Estate Development Council, a body represented by more than 35 leading business houses and financial institutions in the field of construction under the patronage of the Union Minister of Urban Development, today announced certain measures to purge the construction business of immoral and unethical practices on the part of those in the trade.

Garment technology fair begins New Delhi, July 10 The Union Minister of State for Commerce, Mr Vidyasagar Rao, inaugurated the fourth edition of the ZAK Garmentech International in Pragati Maidan here today. Based on the theme ‘Technology for the post-quota era’, the fair will be held till July 13 and will provide a platform to the global technology players to showcase their products and services to meet the challenges of the post-quota era. A participant at the ZAK Garmentech International 2003 at Pragati Maidan in the Capital on Thursday. — Photo by Kamal Singh

BSNL accord with MTNL on network coverage
Rohtak, July 10
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has reached an agreement with Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited regarding the network coverage area of pre-paid Excel service of BSNL in Delhi. The BSNL cash card holders would enjoy the roaming facility in Delhi also within the next three days.

CULTURE

ARTSCAPE
An artist making a mark with cultural crossings
ARTIST Anil Revri, who has 27 solo exhibitions to his credit in India, Europe and the United States, is happy that Indian art is finally being taken seriously. The artist who was in the city to preview his paintings, which will be on display at the Corcoran Gallery, Washington, D.C., claimed that Indian artists and art are now being recognised worldwide as “serious art and not just handicrafts”.

• Exposing corruption in Indian politics

Legends of India comes to the Capital THE Capital will host a fine arts exhibition, ‘Canvas 2003,’ as a part of the ‘Legends of India’ series between July 11 and 17. The exhibition showcasing the works of Somanath Banerjee, Aparna Caur, Manjit Bawa, Sanjay Bhattacharya and Anupam Sud among others is to seek unity in the diversity of the country. ‘Younf Mystic’ by Neeraj Goswami.

Dream girl turns Draupadi
DESPITE the years, Hema Malini will continue to remain the ‘Dream girl’. After her stellar screen performance and acting prowess, she has earned great reputation as a classical dancer.

HEALTH

Three medical stores sealed after raids
Sonepat, July 10
A 14-member team from Haryana Drugs Controller’s office, headed by Senior Drugs Controller Ashok Jhamb and drug inspector from Karnal Dhoop Singh Dahiya, conducted surprise raids at medical stores being run in private nursing homes and clinics in different parts of the city yesterday. The team sealed three medical stores for serious irregularities.

SPORTS

DTC ride to DDCA A-II Division title

New Delhi, July 10 The Delhi Transport Corporation team emerged champions in the Delhi and District Cricket Association A-II Division League Championship for the season 2002-2003. DTC cricket team captain Mahesh Sharma and vice-captain Bhuwan Chand Kandpal receiving the DDCA A-II Division Championship trophy from DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan at the awards function at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground.

DIGEST
Uttaranchal Sports bag cricket title
New Delhi, July 10
A strokeful century by Sandeep Gautam (103) and an all-round display by Annirudh Kumar (71 and 3 for 60) helped Uttaranchal Sports beat Delhi Eaglets by 126 runs and annex the second I D Paul Memorial Cricket Tournament title at the Apex Public School ground.

• Moonways U-19 Cricket

• Varun Mangi stars for ASPM Academy

Cash bonanza for Delhi Under-17 team
New Delhi, July 10
The Delhi and District Cricket Association presented cash prizes of Rs 5,100 to each of the Delhi Under-17 team members, who emerged the national champions defeating Uttar Pradesh in the final to lift the Vijay Merchant Trophy, at the annual awards function held at the DDCA ground.

Tika Ram, CRZ dominate athletic championship
Sonepat, July 10
The athletes from Tika Ram Girls Senior Secondary School and CRZ School dominated the three-day athletic championship in the girls and boys sections respectively. Nearly 250 boys and girls participated in the athletic championship, which concluded here last evening.

Jagjeevanjit bowls Tytler School to victory
New Delhi, July 10
A deadly bowling spell of 4 for 21 by Jagjeevanjit Singh and half centuries by Sudhansu Arora (52, 5x4) and Rishabh Jain (50, 2x4) helped J D Tytler School beat R P Cricket Academy by two wickets to win the first Bhavan Cricket Tournament at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan School ground.