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Sheila rewards Sikhs with heritage centre New Delhi, January 4 Addressing Sikh entrepreneurs here last evening, Mrs Dikshit said her government would erect a memorial to the martyred ninth Guru, Teg Bahadur, in Delhi.’’Its foundation will be laid by next month. The government will begin construction as soon as the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) submits the design of the proposed memorial,’’ she told the Punjabi Industrial Society which felicitated her for her re-election as Chief Minister. Mrs Dikshit also accepted a spot request for a Punjabi Heritage Centre, which she said would become a key attraction for tourists. ‘’Without Sikh support we could not have won so many seats both in the 1998 and 2003 elections. I also promise setting up of a chair after the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, at the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University,’’ she said. Besides, the Delhi government would mark the 400 years of compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib, the primary Sikh scripture, across the Capital, Mrs Dikshit added. In his address, DSGMC president Prehlad Singh Chandok said Sikhs overwhelmingly supported the Congress because of their ‘’disenchantment’’ with the BJP. ‘’Almost 98 per cent Sikhs voted for the Congress in the December elections. This happened because the BJP had refused to accept the community as a minority,’’ Mr Chandok, a close associate of then President Giani Zail Singh, said. He also praised the Congress for what he called its recognition of minority character of the Sikh community outside Punjab. Mr Chandok, whose election as DSGMC president in September last year ended the Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD)’s hold on Sikh religious affairs in the Capital, warned party leaders from Punjab against interference in the community matters in Delhi.
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Tenth Guru’s birth anniversary observed New Delhi, January 4 Head Granthi Giani Hem Singh delivered Shabad Vichar, recounting the Sikh history and the life and achievements of Sarvansh Dani Sahib Guru Gobind Singh. The Nagar Kirtan was taken out in the morning from Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, which was led by Nagara and followed by Panj Piaras and Guru Granth Sahib decorated in Palki Sahib. Office bearers and members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) participated in the Nagar Kirtan. Also participating were the students from all the branches of Guru Harkrishan Public School and other Khalsa-aided schools. The procession passed through Pandit Pant Marg, Ashok Road, Parliament Street, Connaught Circus, Regal Building, Panchkuian Road, Kalawati Hospital, Gole Market before terminating at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in the evening. On the occasion, DSGMC President Prehlad Singh Chandok exhorted the devotees present at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib to follow the teachings of Sikh Guru
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Three generations dedicated to dance New Delhi, January 4 Three generations of the legendary Sarabhai family presented their dance ballet, `Two lives in dance & two more’ with Mrinalini and Mallika Sarabhai’s extraordinary performance along with that of Mallika’s children, Revanta and Anahita. The surprise guest of the evening was President APJ Abdul Kalam. He sat throughout the presentation and gave a standing ovation to the performers. Along with the president, the audience clapped and cheered the Sarabhais not only for the presentation but also for contributing to Indian classical dancing and culture. The dance ballet was based on the story of the three generations, down the years, and their fight to keep alive the spirit of dance. The President and the audience felt nostalgic when Mrinalini Sarabhai (wife of the late Mr Vikram Sarabhai) performed on stage and recounted how she took up dancing. It was an evening to cheer and feel blessed with talents like Anahita and Revanta. Both the children of Mallika have kept the flag flying high and given a continuity to the legacy of the Sarabhais. The party was well attended by top corporates, ambassadors and VIPs from diverse fields. Singing exponent Shubha Mudgal, Bollywood star Suresh Oberoi, young politician Alka Lamba and the Swedish Ambassador were some of the guests at the party. The party witnessed the leading stars of the corporate cosmos swinging to the hot and happening music belted out by the DJ. The number of guests swelled as the evening proceeded over wine and cheese. Mr Satish Tandon, MD Alfa Laval, was very enthusiastic about the success of the show. He thanked all his corporate counterparts for attending the party and making it an eventful evening. |
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Scribe’s husband claims Rs 1.5 cr in damages New Delhi, January 4 Taking cognizance of the petition filed by Avadesh Kumar, the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal has issued notices to Joginder Singh, who was allegedly driving the Santro car and its owner Gurcharan Singh. Both are residents of Jangpura in South Delhi. Mrs. Kanchana was reportedly hit by a Santro car on September 26, 2003, while crossing the road on foot near Pragati Maidan, where she had gone to file her income-tax return. A day later, she succumbed to her injuries at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. She was more than six months pregnant at the time of death. The petition, filed through counsel Anurag Kasana, claimed that Kanchana was an “extraordinary young journalist with a flourishing career” and that Kumar had become handicapped without her. She had become pregnant 13 years after their marriage, he said and grieved that she could not deliver the baby.
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Max temp still six degrees below normal New Delhi, January 4 Budhajayanti park still not safe for couples New Delhi: The police are hunting for two unidentified youths and their associates who reportedly molested two girls, who had came to Budhajayanti Garden along with their boy friends. The victims and their friends, Manoj and Chandra Ballabh, were in the reserved forest area when they lost their way. They met two youths who demanded Rs 50 to help them find their way out of the jungle, the police sources said. On the way the other associates of the suspects joined them and forced the girls to accompany them. Manoj and Chandra resisted, but they were overpowered. After they stepped out of the jungle, Chandra made a call to a PCR with the help of a passer-by. The police immediately cordoned of the area and combed it, but the youths were not to be found. The girls have now returned to their residence in Gurgaon. According to one of them, she was molested by the youths. However, she freed herself from the clutches of her captors and reached Gurgaon. A case of molestation has been registered and is being investigated, the sources said.
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Short shrift New Delhi, January 4 When contacted, Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf said he had neither been invited nor informed. “I have no knowledge about such a meeting,” he told this newspaper. “This has not happened before,” he added in response to queries about his being kept in the dark and the ‘interference’ of Raj Nivas in the affairs of the Government of NCT of Delhi. It was decided in the meeting that the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will re-deploy the buses plying on the Shahdara – Tis Hazari – Trinagar route in areas hitherto not connected by public transport to ensure optimum utilisation of the Metro. Also, more buses would be pressed into service to fetch commuters to the Trinagar Metro Station. The meeting was called ostensibly to optimise public transport in the Capital by achieving better integration of the Metro with the road transport network. Accordingly, the Lieutenant Governor asked the officials to draw up a plan to fully utilise the Metro by weaning away commuters from time-consuming road transport to the clean and efficient Metro. The Lieutenant Governor also asked the officials present to avoid the duplication and wastage of resources involved in having bus routes parallel to the 12.8-km-long Shahdara – Tis Hazari – Trinagar corridor of the Metro. He also stressed the need for augmenting bus connectivity to the Trinagar Metro station. This was not the first instance when the Lieutenant Governor summoned the officials concerned. On an earlier occasion, on the directions of the Lieutenant Governor, both DMRC and DTC had jointly identified 20 bus routes along the operational Metro track which have since been modified to suit the needs of the Metro. |
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Special Focus on SONEPAT Sonepat, January 4 Many consumers alleged that the bulk quantity of the rationed commodities supplied to nearly 341 fair price shops in the urban and rural areas of the district finds its way into the black market instead of reaching the poor and downtrodden families for which it is meant. It is estimated that around 25 per cent of the ration cards in the district are bogus while another 20 to 25 per cent card holders do not draw their rations regularly. Thus, the supplies of rationed commodities for about 60 per cent ration cards are at the disposal of the fair price shops owners who sell them off in the open market at high profit. Thanks to the nexus between unscrupulous ration shop owners and corrupt officials of the department concerned, the massive racket in the Sonepat’s Public Distribution System (PDS) is flourishing while the poor keep making endless trips to the ration shops only to be often turned away on some pretext or the other. Some of ration card holders also complain that most of the depot holders keep the commodities stored in their godowns and sell them at profit in the market. They have time and again made complaints to the authorities but no action has yet been taken against the erring depot holders. It is also alleged that periodical artificial shortages, created by the diversion of ration items lead to the harassment of the masses. It is common knowledge of the authorities that whenever the prices of rationed items go up in the open market, most of the depot holders divert them for sale in the black market in connivance with certain officials. The state government and the district administration have failed to evolve any formidable system of enforcement which could ensure that the subsidised ration supply reaches the people for whom it is meant. Another problem plaguing the Public Distribution System of this district is the large number of bogus ration cards that are in circulation but the authorities go on issuing new cards. The beneficiaries of the bogus ration cards are the owners of the fair price shops who sell off in the open market the bulk quantity of rationed commodities which are not drawn by the BPL families. While the department concerned is plagued with malpractices, the higher authorities do not bother to conduct the raids on the depots functioning in the urban and rural areas of the district. Kerosene is perhaps the most thriving racket. The bulk quantity of the kerosene is being sold to the halwais and commercial establishments in the black by most of the depot holders and surprise raids on the halwais and other commercial establishments are likely to expose the scandalous working of the department and misdeeds of the officials as well as owners of the fair price shops. It is also alleged that the whole system of the fair price shops is based on the motive of blackmarketing. The modus operandi of the fair price shop owners is to earn profit from the subsidised ration items which they can sell off at the market rates. The amount thus earned by distributing supplies of the commodities at the fair rice shops is too meagre to attract them. |
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Louis Braille’s birth anniversary celebrated New Delhi, January 4 Mr Rami Rabbi, Assistant Information Officer, American Embassy was the chief guest. While paying homage to the inventor, Mr J. L. Kaul, Secretary General of the Confederation, said that Louis Braille made the written words accessible to the blind and the system this benefactor had created was magical by virtue of the fluency with which the blind person is able to move his or her fingers on the Braille Line. He further said that the education of the blind could only be promoted through providing Braille Text Books promptly to blind students and stressed that it was the responsibility of the national and state governments to take necessary steps towards this end, which they are not fulfilling. This could be achieved if the government agencies like National Book Trust, Children Book Trust and the NCERT took a policy decision to make available to the blind students Braille Textbook. He regretted the indifferent attitude of the various government agencies and appealed to the government to take immediate steps to remedy the solution. On this occasion, the Braille editions of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s “Meri Ikyavan Kavitaen” together with his embossed photograph as well as “Louis Braille Kaa Vyaktitva Aur Krititva” by Dr V.P. Verma were released. Aids and appliances were distributed amongst the needy blind persons and quarterly pensions to the tune of Rs 1,200 were also given away to elderly blind persons by courtesy of the Helpage India. |
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Sarpanch arrested for misappropriating wheat Sonepat, January 4 He was arrested while transferring 30 quintals of wheat in a tractor-trolley to the Sonepat foodgrains market for sale. According to a report, the police have registered the case under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and further investigations were in progress. It is stated that the Station House Officer, Mr Ishwar Singh, received a secret information about the transfer of wheat meant for the ‘Food for Work Programme’ to the foodgrains market by the sarpanch. He organised a `nakabandi’ to apprehend him. When the tractor trolley loaded with wheat passed through the area of the nakabandi, it was impounded and the sarpanch was taken into custody. Case registered against liquor vend:
According to a report, the police are still investigating into the case and no arrest had been made in this connection so far. It is stated that Mr Satyavan, a resident of Khewra village, was an alcoholic. On Friday evening, he fell down in the street after consuming liquor. The residents informed his parents about his condition and was later, rushed to the local civil hospital, where he was declared brought dead. According to another report, the police have arrested one Phool Kunwar, a resident of Ahulana village, under the Excise Act and recovered 15 bottles of country-made liquor from his possession. The police have registered a case against him. Prisoner held:
According to another report, Mr Mange Ram, a resident of Pinana village was run over and killed near Gohana Railway Station, about 35 km from here yesterday. The GRP has sent the body for the postmortem examination. Building Inaugurated:
Theft:
Agitation threatened:
According to a report, a decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the association held here yesterday. Representatives of the privately managed schools from all districts in the state took part in this meeting. The meeting urged the state government not to closedown schools, which were unable to fulfil all the rules and regulations at present. If such schools were ready to fulfil the conditions set by the government they should be granted temporary recognition. |
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delhi digest New Delhi, January 4 Spread over an area of 1500 sq mts, the exhibition would include various categories of food-both raw and processed, beverages-both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, as well as the equipment industry. Among the major attractions of IFDE India 2004 will be the ‘Spirit Club’ which comprises national and international alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage companies promoting their products among the visitors and offering them samples to test the beverages. Ensuring that this show continues to reflect the market it serves, live demonstrations highlighting new products from the show and sector specific tasting of products are sure to be the hub of the activities. Concurrent with the exhibition, seminars and conferences highlighting the most topical subjects facing the industry have been lined up concurrently to create public awareness about the products and encourage food aficionados to take a perfect rip down to the gourmet lane. Khurana felicitated:
He said, “I am grateful to the citizens of the Capital who had supported me over the years. I won the Assembly election with heavy margin this time also. I am indebted to them. If I get a chance, I will work for them again,” he said. The function was attended by leaders of the Arya community including Baljit Singh, Aditya, Dr J.P. Gupta, Arya Mitrabajaj, Captain Ashok Gulati, Vikas Gogia, Ved Prakash, Om Prakash Mahendru, Shankar Dev Arya and Anivash Arya. The organiser of the function, Mr Anil Arya, assured that the Arya community would always support Mr Khurana in all his activities. |
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sonepat briefs Sonepat, January 4 According to a report, there was a tremendous response to the immunisation programme. People lined up braving the biting cold before the medical centres and make shifts units since morning to get their children immunised. Launching the campaign, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Balwan Singh, said that special emphasis would be on the areas with low routine coverage, urban slums, areas having confirmed polio cases and areas having large influx of migrant population this year. For covering the children in these areas, mobile teams had been pressed into service and supervision of these areas had also been strengthened. Employees of the Health Department would go from house to house in the afternoon to find out whether the polio drops had been given to all the children below five years. Trains delayed:
Traffic on the National highway No 1 and other state highways also remained disrupted for several hours. Vehicles plied at slow speed and the drivers used headlights in the thick morning fog. The District Magistrate of Sonepat, Mr Balwan Singh, promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC and closed down all schools till January 10 throughout the district on account of continuing cold and chilly weather conditions. |
Dacoity at petrol pump foiled New Delhi, January 4 The suspects were identified as Ajay, Shahid, Shafik, Sameer and Amin. The police arrested them while they were planning a dacoity at a petrol pump near Bhairon Temple. The police had information that Ajai, a notorious robber, was active in South Delhi. A special team was constituted to arrest him and the members of his gang. The arrested criminals had fixed a meeting in the MCD park near Bhairon Temple. The police team was strategically posted and managed to arrest them after a brief chase. A country-made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered from Ajai’s possession. Shafik and Sameer were carrying knives. During interrogation they disclosed that they had assembled there with an intention to commit dacoity at a petrol pump.
The arrested suspects have previous records of criminal activities. They were also involved in committing robbery in running buses, the police said. |
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SHOWCASE Dhampur Sugar Mills has introduced branded pure, natural and chemical-free Gur in the market. Made from fully mature and select varieties of sugarcane, Dhampure Gur is packed through an automatic pack and seal plant at the site of manufacture without any manual handling. Hence, it is cleaner and healthier with its original taste, flavour, colour and purity. Apart from being a traditional sweetener, Gur also has medicinal value as it contains the goodness of minerals and vitamins inherently present in sugarcane. Airtight Tea Containers:
Godrej’s two tea brands, ‘Godrej Noble House’ and ‘Godrej Chai House’ takes a giant leap in value added packaging in the tea industry with the launch of their new unbreakable ‘airtight containers.’ This innovative packaging, which is the first of its kind in packaged tea, helps retain the aroma and freshness of tea for a longer period. Unlike ordinary packaging, which is thrown away after use – these new environmentally friendly containers give the consumers an opportunity to create an interesting and colorful collection of “airtight containers,” for their kitchen. Wet look styling gel:
The Brylcreem range of products include ‘Wet Look’ styling gel for a sleek wet shine, ‘Ultra Strong’ styling gel for a very firm hold, ‘Protein Plus’ hair creams and ‘Dandruff Control’ creams and gels with climbazole, which fights dandruff. Destination for taste hunters:
The manager of Piante, Mr Manish, says “At Piante we have completely replicated the old traditional flavours and have given our customers the taste of home made achaar, murabbas and chutnies.” For a wrinkle-free skin:
Cholesterol free ghee:
Cooktops:
Spectra, Euro and Astra, Sunflames three variants of the premium range of cooktops have spring-loaded tempered glass top for extra safety. Flawless in performance, Spectra cooktops are ISI marked and have detachable drip trays that collect any spillage while cooking. Dil Se Dil Milao Offer:
Digital inverters:
With their “No Tension, No Fikar,” concept, Xe-Bec digital inverters promises to be the best option during those electricity scarcity days. Range of pepper sauces:
In addition to the red and the green pepper sauce, three newer Tabasco sauces, ‘Garlic’ pepper sauce, ‘Chipotle’ pepper sauce and ‘Habanero’ pepper sauce are going to be marketed in India. LPG-based products:
The new gas-based room heaters chimney has been developed to provide immediate heating using the kitchen gas cylinder. It is fitted with wheels and slot for gas cylinder to make it potable without wires or pipes. It has a multi-spark battery operated ignition switch. For music lovers:
Tracksuits for winters:
Made from finest fabrics like PC fleece, micro, nylon, polyster and pure cotton, the material is a perfect shield from shivering cold by maintaining body temperature at the required level. |
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