TOP STORIES

Sparks fly in House over DVB
New Delhi, December 20
The privatisation of Delhi Vidyut Board came up for discussion in the Assembly with the Treasury Benches and the Opposition trading charges on a day when the House unanimously passed the Bills providing for an upward revision of the pay and allowances of legislators, ministers and the Leader of Opposition.

• Four Bills passed

Panel soon on female foeticide
New Delhi, December 20
A high-power committee, comprising legislators and experts, would be constituted to review and suggest measures for granting equal rights to women and curbing the increasing incidents of female foeticide and infanticide. The resolution in this regard is likely to be passed tomorrow before the four-day winter session of the Assembly comes to an end.

Trouble brewing in DLF City
Gurgaon, December 20
The relations between residents of the posh DLF Qutab Enclave – commonly known as DLF City – and the DLF Group, the promoters of the he colony, have reached a flash point.

Losing one’s childhood in the alley of life 
New Delhi, December 20
Right at the door-step of a public school in the Capital, where hundreds of privileged children are being groomed for bright careers, Raja and his sister Rani are learning the primeval lesson of survival on the street, the only school they will perhaps ever attend. And the only one they can afford.

23 landlords held for not giving tenant information
New Delhi, December 20
In the wake of the attack on Parliament, the Delhi Police have launched a tenant-verification drive in the Capital and arrested 23 landlords for not complying with the directions of police, given several times in the past.

Bansi Lal takes a pot shot at Chautala’s industrial policy
Gurgaon, December 20
The former Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, has come down heavily on the industrial policy of the Haryana Government led by Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

Dengue death in Faridabad

COMMUNITY

Haryana sits up, takes note of farmers’ plaints
Sonepat, December 20
The Haryana Government is contemplating holding an inquiry into the complaints of the farmers alleging inadequate and erratic supply of canal water and its non-availability in the tail-end villages in this district.

Three days a week in Sonepat!
Sonepat, December 20
Frequent holidays and five-day week in offices have adversely affected the working in most of the government offices in the city and elsewhere in the district.

Corporator awaits oath of office 45 days after poll
Faridabad, December 20
Mrs Sitma Devi, who had been elected a member of the local municipal corporation from ward No 3 here about one-and-a-half months ago, is still waiting to be administered the oath of office.

‘Guru stood for freedom of religious worship’
New Delhi, December 20
In connection with the Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, the ninth Guru of the Sikh community, a big congregation was held today from early hours of the morning at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib under the supervision of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). Devotees started flocking to the venue from the wee hours.

CRPF Band to perform at landmarks
New Delhi, December 20
The CRPF Band will perform at India Gate, Qutab Minar and Red Fort Ground in the Capital on December 22, 23 and 24, respectively, between 3.00 pm and 5.30 pm as part of various programmes of the 62nd CRPF Day celebrations.

SNAPSHOT
Jagaran for festive spirit
A grand Bhagwati Jagaran was organised by the local Welcome Club at F-Block of Laxmi Nagar today. The event was inaugurated by famous astrologer Jai Prakash Lal Dhage Wale.

• Marriage of a kind

NCR BRIEFS
Adamant mayor holds darbar, corporators stay away
Faridabad, December 20
Despite the “uncooperative attitude” of elected members of the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF), the Mayor, Mrs Anita Goswami, continues to hold open darbars. About 22 complaints were tabled at the darbar held by the Mayor at the Ballabgarh office today. No corporator participated in the darbar today also.

CRIME

SPCA officials caught taking bribe from agent
Cruelty to animals in question
New Delhi, December 20
Two officials of the Delhi Society for Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SPCA) were caught red-handed by officials of the anti-corruption branch today while accepting Rs 1,500 as illegal gratification from a commission agent.

• CRUSHED TO DEATH

• ‘STOP AID TO NEPAL’

• 3 KG HEROIN SEIZED

• CRIMINAL STABBED

Spurious liquor seized, three of gang held
Gurgaon, December 20
The district police claimed to have busted a gang involved in manufacturing illicit liquor at Sheetla Colony here.

EDUCATION

Meet to discuss Geelani issue on Monday
New Delhi, December 20
A meeting of the Managing Committee of Zakir Hussain College (Evening) has been convened on Monday next to discuss the situation arising out of the arrest of Abdul Rehman Geelani, a lecturer in the Arabic Department, for his alleged involvement in the sensational terrorist attack on the Parliament House on December 13.

IGNOU to hold workshop

Cultural contest

CULTURE

A rebellious melange of abstract and realism 
Very few artists call a spade a spade, or paint a spade a spade, if you will. Francis Newton Souza has become popular in Delhi because of his blunt style of painting.

ARTSCAPE
Defence Colony emerging as an art corner
Go to the Defence Colony and you will find many art galleries springing in its ‘D’ area. D-23, is Krishna's Collections, Vadhera at D-38, D-39 is Om Gallery, D- 42 is Gallery-42 and one more emerging in the same area. All have come up recently and doing good business.

Picasso view for Rs 20

Hospital stays without power for three hours
Sonepat, December 20
Inpatients and their relatives of the local 100-bed civil hospital had a harrowing time yesterday evening as the hospital remained without power for almost three hours. At least one of the inpatients got hurt as he fell down from the bed in the darkness.

SPORTS

Coach Nurton Captain Will Fegen Manager Alan Willows

Sherborne take on National Sports today
New Delhi, December 20
Sherborne School First XI of England will take on National Sports Cricket Club in a limited-over cricket match at the National Stadium ground in Delhi on Friday.

Delhi to host National Women’s Boxing Championship
New Delhi, December 20
The second senior National Women’s Boxing Championship will be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi in the last week of December. More than 150 women boxers from all over India are expected to participate in the event.

Delhi beat J and K by three wickets
New Delhi, December 20
Delhi pulled themselves back from the brink to turn the tables on Jammu and Kashmir and score a three-wicket victory in the North Zone Under-22 Cricket League at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi on Thursday.

Eighteen teams for DSA-SAIL League
New Delhi, December 20
Eighteen teams, divided into two groups of nine teams each, will take part in the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)- SAIL Senior Division Soccer League Championship starting at three venues on December 24.

DSA trials to select Under-16
New Delhi, December 20
The Delhi Soccer Association will conduct an open selection trial-cum-coaching camp at the Ambedkar Stadium to select the Delhi State Under-16 team for the Sub-Junior National Football Championship for the Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy to be held at Shillong from January 8.

Kapil Dev inaugurates basketball court
New Delhi, December 20
Former Cricket Player Kapil Dev inaugurated the newly constructed basketball court at I.P. Extention in National Victor Public School.