TOP STORIES

Team Delhi wants to give development a human face 
New Delhi, December 22
To change the face of Delhi by pursuing development with a human face appears to be the theme song of “Team Delhi” led by Sheila Dikshit as the government on Monday set out an ambitious agenda in the Lieutenant Governor’s address to the newly elected Assembly.

Poor visibility sends air, rail traffic for a toss
New Delhi, December 22
A thick blanket of fog that caused visibility to drop to a mere 100 meters greeted the Capital’s denizens on the first day of the week.

Wading through fog. — A Tribune Photograph

Who blew the whistle?
Home Ministry probing escape of ‘ISI’ agents 
Sonepat, December 22
The officials of the Union Home Ministry have started investigating the alleged escape of two ISI agents, namely Ramphal and Ramesh, from a house rented by them on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road. The duo had escaped just before the police swooped down on their premises.

New Friends Colony murder: The painter did it
New Delhi, December 22
With the arrest of five persons the South district police claim to have solved the robbery-cum-murder case of 65-year-old Mrs Narula, the wife of a retired colonel, in the New Friends Colony on December 13. During the break-in, the accused had also tied down Mr Narula, his servant Shatrughan Roy and a property dealer Sandeep. In the melee, Mr Narula and Shatrughan also sustained minor injuries.

Coping with rush
Third track to Sonepat awaits sanction
Sonepat, December 22
The Northern Railway plans to lay a third railway track between Sabji Mandi, Delhi and Sonepat in order to cope with the increasing traffic on Delhi-Ambala Section. The draft of the project, which is estimated to cost over Rs. 118.72 crore, has reportedly been sent to the Railway Board for necessary sanction. 

Disruption on DUK section
Sonepat: The fog continued to disrupt life for the sixth consecutive day in the city and elsewhere in the district, badly affecting the train schedule on DUK section. According to a report, almost all the buses running on the inter-state routes were also delayed due to poor visibility. The vehicular traffic was the worst affected, with motorists driving with headlights on.

Centre told to respond to queries on CAS

COMMUNITY

Actress Nandita Das in a thoughtful mood during a conference organised by Action Aid to highlight the plight of the homeless during winter in the Capital on Monday. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal Shopkeepers of Tilak Nagar industrial area and Meenakshi Garden protesting against the demolition of their structures by the DMRC in the Capital on Monday. A Tribune Photograph

India-Pakistan friendship balloon flight at SAARC proposed
New Delhi, December 22
The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has approved an India-Pakistan friendship balloon flight, proposed by Mr Vishwa Bandhu Gupta, at the SAARC venue in Islamabad, Pakistan.

No end in sight to row with UP over agricultural land 
Panipat, December 22
Another year has passed without any tangible result. The district administration appears to have failed to resolve amicably the dispute with Uttar Pradesh regarding thousands of acres of agricultural land on the banks of the Yamuna.

Chautala criticised for retrenchment of workers
Sonepat, December 22
The Haryana Pradesh Janata Dal (U) president, Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, today strongly criticised the Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, for fooling the people of the state by promising to provide 40,000 new jobs to the youths in the coming year.

Special Focus on faridabad
Violations of cable TV Act go unchecked
Faridabad, December 22
Although the district administration has warned of taking action against any violation of the Cable TV Network Act by the local cable operators following a petition in the high court by a local resident, the move in this connection by the authorities seems to have failed to satisfy the petitioner who feels that the violation of the Act had been blatantly going on and the authorities had admitted to certain points raised by him in the petition in the reply submitted by the administration to the court.

FACE TO FACE
Small man’s big dreams
He may stand just four feet two inches tall but he has straddled the theatre scene in the Capital like a colossus over the last few decades. Almost everyone who has followed the theatre scene is familiar with the diminutive giant who has played important roles in various productions.

in parliament
Nanavati Commission to inquire into unauthorised colonies
New Delhi, December 22
The government has set up the Nanavati Commission to inquire into the circumstances in which the unauthorised colonies had come up in Delhi after March 31, 1993, despite the government’s resolve not to countenance any such colony, the Urban Development Minister, Mr Bandaru Dattatreya, told the Upper House.

Senior citizens’ security still a matter of concern in Capital
New Delhi, December 22
Assault on women, daylight armed robberies, looting and attacks on senior citizens saw a significant rise during the year despite the best effort of the Delhi Police to curb and contain crimes in the national Capital.

Brotherhood Day organised at Lotto Farm
New Delhi: The World Brotherhood Organisation (WBO) organised its annual Brotherhood Day at Lotto Farm in which dignitaries of different diplomatic missions stole the show by winning maximum prizes.

Martyrdom anniversary of Sahebzadas on Dec 26

New Delhi: The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee informed that the martyrdom anniversary of Sahebzadas of Guru Gobind Singh would be observed at Gurudwara Mata Sundari on December 26. The programme will begin with the recitation of Sukhmani Sahab and Nitnem. Shabad Kirtan and Asa di Vaar would be performed by Bhai Harjit Singh and Gurdeep Singh. A portrait of Shaheed Jathedar Santok Singh was unveiled at Baba Baghel Singh Museum at Gurdwara Bangla Saheb in the Capital on Sunday.

NCR Briefs
Labourer killed after falling from school building 
Sonepat, December 22
A labourer was killed when he fell down from a school building (under construction) on the Sonepat-Rathdhanna road, about 2km from here yesterday. According to a report, the victim has not yet been identified and the police have sent the body for the postmortem examination. A case of negligence has been registered with the police and further investigations were in progress.

Five injured in group clash Youth attempts suicide

Demands of ex-servicemen

CRIME

MBA turns to crime to support lavish lifestyle
New Delhi, December 22
With the arrest of three youths, the South district police today claimed to have busted a gang of purse-snatchers. The suspects were identified as Gaurav Khanna, a business graduate, Vikas Sharma, doing his post graduation, and Mano Sharma, a clerk with the PWD in Haryana.

BUSINESS

Farmers sell produce at Dilli Haat
Sonepat, December 22
If the farmers get information about the markets and marketing facilities of their produce grown with traditional methods and indigenous inputs, they can easily compete with the service personnel, traders and industrialists in ensuring regular income through farming.

Highway tourism is the in-thing in Gurgaon

Gurgaon, December 22 The concept of highway tourism appears to be picking up in the private sector, at least in Gurgaon. The new hotspot is the E-Zone (Entertainment Zone), inaugurated a few days ago, in Gurgaon along the Delhi-Jaipur national highway. Located at 24th Milestone, it is billed as “a family entertainment park” as it provides a spectrum of entertainment avenues for the entire family. An entertainment zone at Gurgaon.

Hair oil co fined for failing to blacken grey hair
Bhiwani, December 22
A youth of the local Krishna Colony who wanted to blacken his grey hair was duped by a Delhi-based hair oil company. The youth approached the consumer forum which fined the company.

CULTURE

Maity’s creation bears testimony to his many moods 

New Delhi, December 22 Gallerie Ganesh in the Capital’s Shridharni Gallery for the next nine days will host a delectable fare for the art lovers. While the year is slowly winding its way back, Paresh Maity’s spectacular work paves into the regions of celebration. Paresh Maity’s spectacular work on display at Gallerie Ganesh in the Capital’s Shridharni Gallery. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal

SPORTS

Oxford bag Subroto Cup
New Delhi, December 22
Oxford School, Aizawl (Mizoram) asserted their supremacy when they edged out Government Senior Secondary School, Carnicobar 5-3 via tie-beaker in the under-17 final of the Subroto Mukherjee Cup Football Tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium on Sunday.

Winners of the All-India Club Golf Championship with the trophy at the Jaypee Greens Golf Club.

Chowrasia lifts Tata
Open Golf title
New Delhi, December 22
SSP Chowrasia won a dream title as the second edition of the Rs 15 lakh Tata Open Golf Tournament, an event of the Hero Honda Golf Tour, provided enough excitement to everybody. Trailing by a stroke on the last hole, Chowrasia made an amazing putt to tie with Ashok Kumar and won on the first play-off hole to win back-to-back titles after the NCC Open victory last week.

Abhishek Choudhary hits century
New Delhi, December 22
A racy century by Abhishek Choudhary and deadly bowling of 6 for 57 by Ajay Chauhan helped Gyan Bharati South Delhi Academy draw with DAV, Shalimarbagh and earn 11 points in the two-day Aviva Young Achiever Under-13 Cricket Tournament at the Gyan Bharati ground.

Sandeep Malhotra stars in Nehru Cricket
New Delhi, December 22
An all-round display by Sandeep Malhotra, who scored an unbeaten 55 (4x6, 54, 34b) and took three wickets for nine runs, and an explosive unbeaten 78, studded with 15 boundaries off 63 balls, by K S Bedi enabled Raymond XI defeat Parliamentarians XI by 262 runs in the annual Raymond Trophy Cricket match played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Jamia Millia down Deshbandhu

New Delhi, December 22 Devastating bowling displays by Rashid Hussain Khan (4 for 14), Amij Nethani (2 for 5), Bharat (2 for 11) and Sajit (2 for 17) helped Jamia Millia Islamia defeat Deshbandhu College by eight wickets in the opening match of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Inter-College Cricket Tournament. Chairman of Bhagat Singh College Dalbir Singh inaugurated the tournament. Principal of the college Dr Jitinder Kaur was also present.

Chairman of Bhagat Singh College Balbir Singh conducts the toss in the presence of principal Dr Jitinder Kaur before the opening match of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Inter-College Cricket Tournament at the Bhagat Singh College ground.

Inter-varsity squash championship
Rohtak, December 22
Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, and Osmania University, Hyderabad, won their opening matches of the All India Inter-University Squash (men) Championship, which commenced here at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) today. Jai Narain Vyas University defeated Anna University Chennai by 3-0 margin, whereas Osmania University beat Kolkata University by 3-2 margin.

Top teams for Shakuntla cricket
New Delhi, December 22
Top 12 teams will participate in the fourth Shakuntla Devi Memorial Cricket Tournament for Under-19 to be held at the Sumit Dogra Academy ground from December 25. Sonnet will take on Hansraj Model School in the opening match.

• Cavalry win polo title

• Under-11 Chess tourney