& V I C I N I T Y
Sunday, December 6, 1998
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C H A N D I G A R H & V I C I N I T Y |
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Sunday, December 6, 1998 |
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Strike by CTU men hits commuters CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — Commuters were highly inconvenienced following a lightening strike by the members of the CTU Workers Joint Action Committee in the morning here today. Trains run late by hours CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The damaged rail track between Ambala and Delhi affected the punctuality of trains running North from Delhi, as all trains were delayed by several hours, leading to harassment for commuters for the third consecutive day today. |
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Chhibber
inaugurates immunisation drive Jerath's
remand extended ASC
celebrates 238th anniversary 25
nursing cadets join MNS Bhullar
heads UT Istri Akali Dal Katia
molestation case adjourned Children
welcome winged visitors Exhibition
by women entrepreneurs School
function Bhog
in memory of Khanna victims |
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Strike by CTU men hits commuters CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — Commuters were highly inconvenienced following a lightening strike by the members of the CTU Workers Joint Action Committee in the morning here today. The protesters have also resolved to go on strike on Monday. The three-hour strike from 9 a.m was held in protest against the recruitment of 70 drivers and conductors, the interview for which was going on in the office of the Director, Transport, on a contract basis. The agitators were assailing the administration for non-acceptance of the long- standing demands of the union. Bus services were, however, normal in the afternoon. The entire fleet of the CTU was parked on the roads leading to the office of the Director, Transport in the industrial area and the road leading to the causeway was also blocked, resulting in disruption of traffic to the station and the areas beyond it. Commuters, including office-goers and school children, were stranded at various bus stops in the city. Many could be seen voicing their protest at such strikes, the inability of the strikers to use other means of protest rather than harassing the people. Mr Kanhaya Lal, Mr Waryam Singh, Mr Narain Singh and Mr Jagdish Singh, leaders of the committee while addressing the slogan shouting protesters in the Industrial Area said that the CTU management was "anti-employee" and despite agreeing to implement certain demands had backtracked. The leaders said no
overtime had been paid to the workers for the past nine
months and the dues ran into crores. As a result of this
the employees were facing hardship and in case the dues
were not cleared by December 9, they will not work in
double shifts and go on strike. |
Trains run late by hours CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The damaged rail track between Ambala and Delhi affected the punctuality of trains running North from Delhi, as all trains were delayed by several hours, leading to harassment for commuters for the third consecutive day today. The maximum delay was a whopping 15 hours as Jhelum Express running between Pune and Amritsar and Dadar Express which runs between Mumbai and Amritsar were late by 15 hours each. Besides the two trains, the two pairs of prestigious Shatabdis between New Delhi and Chandigarh and the Swaran Shatabadi between New Delhi and Amritsar were delayed by nearly four hours each. All other trains, including long-distance trains, were running late between four hours and 11 hours. Last night the New Delhi — Chandigarh Shatabadi, scheduled to reach here at 8.15 p.m. reached close to midnight, thus causing harassment to women travellers and old people besides causing anxiety to their relatives, who had no information about the arrival of the train. Besides this, autorickshaw drivers fleeced passengers at the station. The position may not be better tomorrow as the Railways have cancelled 10 trains; terminated two trains midway and diverted several trains away from the Delhi-Ambala section. The diversion carried out today delayed thousands of rail passengers, leading to crowding in roadways buses. Taxi drivers lashed enough by ferrying people. Above all the movement of goods trains and mail was seriously hampered. Following the diversion today, all trains from Delhi and bound northwards for places like Amritsar, Jammu, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Bathinda had to take a detour either eastward of Delhi from Shamli-Saharanpur or eastward of Delhi via Rohtak-Jind-Narwana-Jakhal-Dhuri to reach their respective destinations in the North. A communication problem between Jakhal and Ludhiana stations further aggravated the problem, thus making trains being slowed down on that section, leading to further delay, railway sources said. Besides this, the alternate five routes have their own set of trains and goods trains too. Usually the routine trains on the alternative routes are not stopped or delayed to accommodate the additional trains. The diversions which are more than 100 km extra have caused delay and several people have reportedly cancelled their tickets. The delay is so much that the Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabadi that was scheduled to reach here at 10.20 a.m. chugged in almost four hours behind schedule. The same was the case with Himalayan Queen, arriving three hours behind schedule. Kalka Mail that reaches Chandigarh in the morning was two hours and 30 minutes behind schedule while Himachal Express from New Delhi to Una was late by three hours by the time it reached Ambala this morning. Paschim Express running between Mumbai and Amritsar was late by five hours while Malwa Express between Indore and Jammu was late by six hours by the time it reached Jakhal on its upwards journey. Shane-e-Punjab connecting Delhi with Amritsar was late by seven hours while Barauni Express that runs between Barauni and Amritsar was delayed by 11 hours. Besides Dadar Express, Swaraj Express, Pooja Express, Jammu Mail and the Muree Expres, among other major trains were also running late. The pairs of these trains running downwards are going through the Ambala-Delhi section and have a semblance of punctuality. One of the tracks between
Ambala and Delhi had cracked at nearly 100 places and it
was being expected that repairs would be over by tomorrow
morning. However, the restoration of traffic will be done
after testing, according to sources. |
Cop's life no bed of roses CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — On duty round the clock, all through the year, life for a traffic policeman is not a bed of roses. Add to that the reputation of cold, hardened iceberg and notorious for the ruthless ways he employs to burn big holes in our pocket for no fault of ours. For no fault of ours? This spells trouble for these men in uniform, monitoring the sea of traffic at 63 different points in the city. Every time these men perform their duty, challaning traffic violators, they are rewarded with a volley of abuses. As if this is not enough, most of the "educated'' Chandigarh public heads straight to lodge a complaint of being wrongly challaned. An enquiry ensues and a transfer follows. It does not end here. Each time these duty-bound men stop a lady, the fear of being charged with harassing her lurks in their minds. Says Surinder Singh, a Sub-Inspector: "When somebody is stopped for violating the rules, the modus operandi is to keep us sweet. If we insist on fining them, they launch into a vitriolic attack immediately.'' These policemen take all this in their stride even going to the extent of justifying the public's behaviour. Azad Singh explains: "A challan is bound to pinch the violator. This angers him and he abuses and argues. We have heard these so often that they have become part of our duty.'' Subhash Chander, a cop, says: "Most of the time people do not stop even when signalled. In an attempt to dodge us and get away without a challan chit, they end up hitting us. A colleague, Gurmeet Singh, was injured while trying to stop three motor cyclists who sped away after hitting him.'' An observation all traffic policemen have made is that more men commit traffic violations while young boys jump red lights and zip around without helmets to get the kick that goes with being "offenders with impunity''. An interesting fact that has come to light is that though very few women indulge in violating rules, yet they cannot resist the urge to follow suit if they see somebody flouting them. Coming to traffic, the big problem comes from cyclists and rickshaw pullers who throw caution to the winds, don't bother for rules and for policemen, and end up causing accidents. They don't fear a thing as they do not hold licences and driving tests are not for them. These men of substance do more than just challaning. Giving directions, helping in case your car breaks down, sometimes even lending money in case the fuel tank is empty. These 'icebergs' melt too when they are convinced that the violation was done unknowingly and the offender is genuinely sorry for the act. Posted at the railway crossing, Mangal Singh, another Sub-Inspector asks: "If people can rush to our bosses to condemn us, why can't they do so when we go out of our way to help them? Why does that go unnoticed? There should be some incentive to do good and a few words of praise go a long way.'' The DSP, Mr Devinder Singh Thakur, is a busy man listening to all the complaints that come in and yet he instructs his men to keep up the good work. He justifies, that "about 30,000 vehicles take to the road each year but the police force remains the same. Some stringency is essential to man this increasing traffic." This has resulted in the number of accidents coming down though the challan graph has shown a steady rise. The number of accidents has come down from 340 last year to 294 this year. Fatal accidents have fallen from 120 to 101 this year while the non-fatal cases have fallen to 194 in 1998 from 220 of 1997. This has happened despite manpower shortage. Mr Balbir Singh, SP (Traffic), says: "A proposal for more force is pending with the government. Meanwhile people must realise that they need to stick to the rules for their safety, irrespective of police presence. They need to save themselves, save others and make a safe Chandigarh.'' The whole perception of
the public towards the police force needs to undergo a
sea change. As one of them puts it: "The public
needs to realise that the police is there to help them
rather than foment trouble. If they don't, tough times
lie ahead for those in the profession.'' |
Daler returns disappointed CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The Punjabi pop supremo, Daler Mehndi, is both disappointed and disillusioned. He could not, in spite of best of his efforts, keep his date with his own people for a programme in his mother tongue and for promoting his own folklore and culture. "I would not have been so disappointed had it happened to me elsewhere in the country. I always thought Punjab is my home, people love me here, and I would always be welcome to perform here, not for business alone, but to return love and affection showered upon me. "I will return to Punjab, perform in each small town," vows Daler, saying people love him and want to listen to him. The disappointment of Daler Mehndi is understandable. His show at Dasehra ground at SAS Nagar scheduled for this evening has been cancelled as the "police could not provide necessary security cover for such a show." The Subdivisional Magistrate of SAS Nagar, Mr M.P. Arora, said that permission granted earlier was withdrawn because of the unavailability of police personnel. Daler, however, says that organisers of the show were unable to "bribe" the people at the helm of affairs properly. "I always felt proud of Punjab. I never thought such a thing would happen to me in my own Punjab. I always cherished pleasant things about my Punjab. I am extremely disappointed. I do not want to tax the organisers for this last-minute cancellation. I have returned the entire fee I received from them. "Ever since we arrived here yesterday, we all have been trying our best to convince people who matter to allow the show to go on. But here everyone talks big and promises to get things done in a go. They talk big and promise moon but actually cannot do a thing. They have excuses to make up for their non doing. For the show I had in the city, I am presenting a cheque for Rs 1 lakh to the Chandigarh Police. I was planning to do the same for Punjab police after my SAS Nagar show. "I am a self-made man. Born in Bihar, I in on my own humble way has tried to serve my mother tongue Punjabi by taking it not only to every nook and corner of the country but all over the world. Even those run worldwide music channels, including MTV and Aqua, try to speak Punjabi after listening to me. I am, perhaps, the only one who has produced four successful albums. For all this, I never had any government support. When the Government is doing so much in other areas, why not do something for preserving folklore and culture of the nation? Instead, the organisers and artistes like me suffer the way we did this time,". Daler has more than one reasons to be disappointed. Two truckloads carrying his music systems were impounded by SAS Nagar municipal committee. He was asked to pay an octroi of Rs 1.37 lakh. The trucks were released this morning only after he paid Rs 32,000 as octroi. He wants the government to frame guidelines to regulate such shows. Unless organisers are given clearance, they should not be allowed to advertise. "The organisers of my show, who got initial clearance, spent so much on advertising and other things that even after I refunded my guest fee, would still end up in a big loss. It is a big setback to art, culture and folklore". Daler wants that in each town, city and at district headquarters, there should be a big open air theatre where artistes could come, pay their fee and organise their shows without running after one department or the other. The famed singer maintained that people in different departments, without demanding money directly, were acting as "sophisticated and sweet terrorists", who instead of gunning down artistes and performers like him were killing "culture and folklore everyday". Daler offered to contribute to the state by organising shows all over the state. "I, as a humble artiste, can contribute to the state by organising shows. The proceeds could go to the state exchequer but not to the pockets of people who matter," he added. He says he will return to Chandigarh on December 26 when he performs at the Sector 17 Parade Ground. "I do not know when I will return to Punjab. I am booked till June. By that time I will have bookings till December. But I will definitely come back, perform everywhere in Punjab. Of the 600 shows conducted outside Punjab, I have done only 12 to 17 shows in Punjab so far. I come here not for business but to be with my own people, to sing in my own mother tongue and serve my own culture. I do not expect anything from the government. But at the same time, the government should not create obstacles in my way". Daler Mehndi and members
of his troupe visited The Tribune office late in the
evening. |
BJP-led govt will fall on its
own: Pilot CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — Senior Congress leader and former union minister, Rajesh Pilot said here today that the BJP allies would start deserting it (BJP) within four weeks. Some of the BJP allies had already started realising that the BJP was a sinking ship and it was the right time to desert. Some of the allies were not attending meetings of the coordination committee. When asked whether his party was in touch with any of the BJP allies Mr Pilot said he had no information in this connection. When asked why his party was reluctant to form a government by dethroning the BJP-led Government, Mr Pilot said the Congress President had made it clear that the party would not work for toppling the government. He said he was sure that the BJP-led Government would collapse on its own. He said his party had clearly told the BJP-led Government that any mishap at Ayodhya or any other part of the country on December 6, the day when Babri Masjid was demolished, would not be tolerated. Though BJP ministers like Mr L.K. Advani had assured that peace would be maintained, it was difficult to believe them. He said he would urge the government to bring a Bill in the current session of Parliament for ensuring the market rate for land acquired by the government for developing industrial focal points or other development purposes. Mr Pilot, who was accompanied by Mr Sant Ram Singla, General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, and Mr Santokh Singh Randhawa, a former PCC President, said he would also like all restrictions imposed by other states to buy landed or other property should be withdrawn. He said his party would
make its stand known about Udham Singh Nagar after the
report of the committee constituted by the Union
Government under the chairmanship of Mr George Fernandes.
He said there was nothing wrong with the celebrations
organised by the Punjab Government in connection with the
Khalsa tercentenary. |
Chhibber inaugurates immunisation
drive CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The National Immunisation Day to combat polio got off to a start here today as the Rotary Club, Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Department of Health, Chandigarh Administrations and other non-government organisation (NGOs) organised a rally in Sector 17. The UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen BKN Chhibber, inaugurated the pulse polio programme by administering polio drops to three kids — Varun, Vandit and Dhruv. The Administrator emphasised on the need to motivate people to ensure that no children below the age of five remained without immunisation against polio. He said NGOs and the Health Department should specially ensure immunisation of girl children and children living in the slums and villages on the periphery of Chandigarh. Former President of Rotary International, Mr RK Saboo, gave an overview of the pulse polio drive. Dr G. Vajralingam, Finance Secretary, UT, spoke about the preparations made by the UT Administration to make the pulse polio programme a success. A total of 265 pulse polio immunisation booths would be set up in slums, colonies, rural and urban areas along with 50 mobile booths to cover each and every house and lane of the city and sensitive areas like construction sites, brick-kilns, the bus stand and the railway station, among other places. An estimated 1.10 lakh children under the age of five in the union territory are to be administered polio drops during the annual two-day pulse polio immunisation programme scheduled to be held across the country on December 6 and January 17. Meanwhile, in a statement, Prof Lata Kumar, Head of the Department, Paediatrics, PGI, said in the past some parents, especially from the affluent sections of society, felt their children did not need these extra drops as they had already received the recommended immunisations. This attitude was not correct as polio was a very serious illness that would occur in all strata of society, she added. The District Family
Welfare Bureau, Health Department, Chandigarh, organised
an on-the-spot art competition on the theme " Pulse
Polio — new age India" at the Government
College for Boys, Sector 11, here yesterday. About 800
children took part in the competitions. |
Jerath's remand extended CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The Duty Magistrate, Mr A.K. Bishnoi, today extended the police remand of K.K. Jerath, Chief Engineer (under suspension) of the Chandigarh Administration, until tomorrow. He directed the Vigilance department to produce Jerath in his court tomorrow at 12 noon. Jerath was produced before the Duty Magistrate because the Ilaqa Magistrate, Mr Jasbir Singh, had proceeded on leave. Jerath, against whom the Vigilance department had registered three separate FIRs, had surrendered in the court of the Duty Magistrate on November 27. He was remanded in police custody for nine days by Mr Jasbir Singh. This nine-day police remand has expired today. Opposing the police remand, counsel for Jerath, argued rather vehemently that was the Vigilance department so incompetent that it could not conclude the interrogation of Jerath during his nine-day-long police custody. And when Mr Bishnoi quizzed officials present in the courtroom about the documents they had recovered from Jerath, they replied that all documents were in the possession of the prosecution. The Magistrate, then, directed officials of the prosecution to produce the gemini in the court. Continuing his arguments Jerath's counsel told the court that main reason why the Vigilance department was seeking further police remand was that the Home Secretary, Mrs Anuradha Gupta, who is also the Chief Vigilance Officer, was inimical to Jerath. It was for this reason that Jerath had impleaded the Home Secretary as one of the respondents both before the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court in his applications for anticipatory bail. That the high court and the apex court did not allow the request of Jerath is a different matter. "The fact that the Home Secretary has a personal vendetta against Jerath is proved by the fact that Jerath is made to sit on a bench outside the room of the Investigating Officer so that officials of the Engineering department who sit in the adjoining rooms could see how they could be humbled if they took cudgles with the Home Secretary," the counsel asserted. Continuing his arguments cogently and coherently, counsel said that the bias of the Home Secretary against Jerath was further established by the fact that there were still as many as 40 more officials and persons who were named in the diaries recovered from the houses of the three alleged middlemen by the Income Tax department. They are Mr S.S. Dhir (Superintending Engineer), Mr Mohinder Singh (Executive Engineer), Mr C.J. Rai (Executive Engineer), Mr M.L. Bhardwaj, (Subdivisional Engineer), Mr R.S. Chaudhary (Subdivisional Officer), Mr Tandon and Mr Grover (both Junior Engineers), to name only a few. All these officials were moving about freely. The Home Secretary was gunning only for Jerath. He brought to the notice of the Duty Magistrate that Jerath's house was raided both by the CBI and the Income Tax department. Both agencies had taken away all documents, including those pertaining to his movable and immovable property. Therefore, the Vigilance department had nothing to recover from him. He also cited the Supreme Court ruling in the famous Hawala case in which the apex court had held that diaries were no conclusive evidence. It was for this reason that prominent leaders like Mr L.K. Advani were discharged by the apex court. The Vigilance department, too, did not have anything except certain diaries written by the alleged middlemen. He further clarified to the court that Jerath had nothing to do with the placement of orders. The orders were placed by the Director, Purchase and Disposal, of the Union government. The material was inspected by him and the payment was, too, made by him. Let the Vigilance department produce any documents which could show that Jerath had any role to play in this process. Seeking five days' further police remand, the Public Prosecutor earlier repeated, more or less, what he had stated at the time of the last date of hearing. He told the court that Jerath was the prime suspect. His house was raided on November 20 and 21 by the Income Tax department, some jewellery and substantial cash was recovered from his possession. The details of the assets recovered from Jerath's house was passed on to the Vigilance department. Acting on that information, the Vigilance department had registered the FIR against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Public Prosecutor also said that Jerath's anticipatory bail applications were rejected by Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court. He contended that the prosecution was yet to ascertain from Jerath where did he stay in the past nine months after the rejection of his anticipatory bail pleas by the high court and the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, counsel for Jerath moved two applications before the Duty Magistrate. In these he stated that the Public Prosecutor had made a specific statement before the court that the prosecution did not want any police remand for Jerath in connection with FIRs no 2 and no 3. Therefore, he should be treated in judicial remand for these two cases. The magistrate issued
notice to the Administration on these applications for
tomorrow. |
ASC celebrates 238th
anniversary CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The Army Service Corps (ASC) celebrated its 238th anniversary at the headquarters Western Command, Chandimandir today. A large number of serving and retired officers attended the get-together at the station. Lieut-Gen H.B. Kala, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, graced the occasion and extended his felicitations and greetings to all ranks, ex-servicemen, civilians and their families. He commended the impressive record of the corps in the fields of adventure and sports. Major-Gen C.P. Tiwari, Major- General, ASC, Western Command, conveyed his heartiest greetings and best wishes to all ranks, retired personnel and their families. He stressed that all ranks must live up to the motto of the corps 'Seva asmakam dharma'. The ASC was the oldest and largest of the administrative components of the East India Company in 1760 in the three presidencies of Bengal, Madras and Bombay. It was formed into a formal supply and transport corps in 1901. The basic function of the corps encompasses provisioning the supply of all grades of petroleum products and rations to the armed forces in various parts of the country and certain paramilitary forces. The transportation functions extend from the remote mountains and jungles to the deserts and riverine terrain. Besides different types of motor vehicles, animal transport still remains the main mode of transportation in inaccessible terrain. The ASC provides air maintenance in Northern and Eastern theatres to troops deployed in far-flung areas cut off due to natural calamities. The challenge of maintaining troops at 22, 000 feet with mercury dipping to minus 50°C has been successfully met by the corps.Maintaining troops in Jammu and Kashmir under the prevailing insurgency operations, the ASC units have discharged their duties with the highest traditions of the Indian Army. The role of the corps
personnel while working with various UN missions in
foreign countries was also appreciated. |
25 nursing cadets join MNS CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — It was a big moment for 25 nursing cadets of the 33 batch when they were commissioned in the Military Nursing Service(MNS) at an impressive passing out parade at the Command Hospital, Western Command today. Lieut-Gen H.B. Kala, GOC-in-C, Western Command, commissioned the cadets in the rank of Lieutenant in the MNS. The officers will be posted at various military hospitals in the country. General Kala said nursing was a noble profession that renders selfless service to mankind. The MNS was doing a yeoman's service in ameliorating the sufferings of the wounded and sick soldiers. He called upon them to maintain the fine example of drill and turn out as well as cheerfulness. Lieutenant N. Sajila was awarded the Command Hospital's gold medal for being adjudged the overall best cadet. Lieutenant Gita Rawat, Lieutenant Kiran Bisht and Lieutenant Deepa Mol were presented with the gold, silver and bronze medals for standing first, second and third, respectively, in academics. A large number of senior officers of the command besides the proud parents of the cadets were present on the occasion. Earlier, Lieutenant Col K.K. Gill, Principal Tutor, said the cadets underwent three years of intensive training after their induction in 1995. As many as 725 students
have left the portals of the school so far. |
Bhullar heads UT Istri Akali Dal CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The women's wing of the local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal was formed with Mrs Amarjit Kaur Bhullar being nominated as its President. Mr G.S. Riar, President of the unit, told the press here today that the formation of the Muslim, Christian and Hindu (Sehajdhari Sikh) wings was on the anvil. The formation of the Sectors 27, 40, 25, colony number five, colony number four, Khuda, Lahora, Manimajra, Raipur Kalan, and Palsora women's wing units would also be announced in the next few days. Mr Riar appealed to the President of the local BJP to end the infighting in the party. He said the BJP councillors were not allowed to sit in the office of the Senior Deputy Mayor and SAD workers not included in any of the sector-level committees. He also said that being
the coalition partner, they should have a say in the
spending of at least Rs 75 lakh of the Rs 2 crore made
available under the MP Local Area Development Fund. |
Katia molestation case adjourned CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 (PTI) — The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today adjourned the Katia molestation case to December 22 after the Public Prosecutor mutually agreed with defence counsel to provide them advance questionnaire for further examination of the seven accused persons. A French tourist, Katia, was allegedly kidnapped and molested by seven youths, including the grandson of slain Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on August 31, 1994, at SAS Nagar, near here. As many as 37 witnesses were examined by the prosecution in the case before evidence was closed on October 7. Katia's statement was left
unrecorded as she did not depose before the court despite
several summons. |
Children welcome winged visitors CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — A function to welcome the migratory birds was organised at Sukhna Lake by the Environment Society of India today. As many as 250 birds were counted at the lake. School children numbering around 500, from four states with placards in their hands, marched down to the beat of a children's band group of Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 19. While students presented songs and dances, the society organised a painting, quiz and bird identification competition to mark the occasion. ESI President, Mr S.K.
Sharma, urged the Chandigarh Administration to create
watch towers and carry out effective conservation
exercises to attract more birds. |
Exhibition by women entrepreneurs CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — A two-day exhibition-cum-sale by women entrepreneurs began at YWCA, Sector 11, here today. It was inaugurated by Mrs Meenakshi Dutta Ghosh, Chairperson, CITCO, and Chandigarh Housing Board. Items of all dimensions and prices were available at the exhibition. Though most stalls were dealing in woollens with the advent of winter, yet colour entered via the traditional tie and dye items of Rajasthan. Other stalls dealt in bed covers, table linen, ready-to-wear suits, embroidered stuff and crochet jackets in all colours. Pearls from Hyderabad embedded in gold sufficed for jewellery requirements. Non-cancerous child care products were also available. Also being marketed is a
spray for weight loss which ensures a loss of about 6 kg
in a month. For the religious-minded, a cassette with 700
'shlokas' from the Gita is also available. Various game
stalls have also been put up. |
School function DERA BASSI, Dec 5—Deepmala Public School celebrated its annual day, here today. Many recreational items such as folk songs, dances and a fancy dress competition were organised by students. Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, presided. He announced a financial aid of Rs 51,000 to the school and gave away mementoes to the outstanding students. Dhruv dressed as a pandit
stood first in the fancy dress competition. Nitin as Capt
Kanwaljit Singh and Sunaina as a 'banjaran' stood second
and third, respectively. |
Bhog in memory of Khanna
victims CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — A "sarv dharam prarthana sabha" will be held at A.S. College, Khanna, on December 7 in memory of those killed in the rail accident near Khanna. The college had served as
a base camp for taking care of the dead and their
belongings. Mr Tarsem Bahia, Principal of the college,
said bhog in the memory of the deceased would be held
after the "path" of all religious scriptures
such as Guru Granth Sahib, the Gita, the Bible and the
Quran. |
'Concept of integral education
good' CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The annual function of Sri Aurobindo School of Integral Education, Sector 27, was held at Lecma Theatre. Dr G. Vajralingam, Finance Secretary, U.T., was the chief guest. Appreciating the concept of integral education, he added that its adoption by the NCERT was a positive step. The cultural performance of children, he said, was far above the level for their age. Earlier the Principal, Mrs
Indu Maitra, spoke about the achievements of the school
in a short span of four years. |
Youth Parliament contest results CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — A prize distribution function of the state level Youth Parliament competition was held in Government College of Education, Sector 20, here today. The Director of SIE, Dr H.C. Sharma, stressed that such competitions were important for strengthening the deteriorating social fabric of the country. Mr Satya Pal Jain, member of Parliament, was the chief guest. He gave away prizes to students. The results are follows: Model
schools: GMSSS-10, GMSSS-16 and GMSSS-37, GMSSS-21
and GMHS-38; Rural schools: GSSSS-38, GSSS-Karsan,
GHS-Dadu Majra; Urban schools: GSSS-47, GSSS-27,
GSSS-20. Bank officer jailed CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — Mr B.L. Singla, Additional Sessions Judge, Hisar, has sentenced a manager and another official of the Primary Land Development Bank at Bhiwani to four years' imprisonment each and a fine of Rs 2,000 each. The Haryana State
Vigilance Bureau had caught Vijay Singh, manager, and
Purshottam Das, LVO, PLD Bank, while accepting Rs 300 and
Rs 600, respectively, as illegal gratification for the
sanction of a loan of Rs 5,000. |
CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The driver of a Panjab University bus and his friend were nabbed by the police while they were allegedly carrying three cases of liquor in the official bus this morning. The driver, Sunil, and his friend, Hardev, were nabbed near Nehru Park. They have been booked under Excise Act. Arrested: A resident of Bapu Dham Colony, Durga Dass, was arrested for allegedly teasing and threatening a teenaged daughter of Badri Prasad. A case under sections 509 and 506of the IPC has been registered. The Sector 26 police has arrested a theatrical beggar, Satpal, who used to actually harass motorists to part with money. Satpal, hailing from Kurukshetra is addicted to liquor and used to lie in front of the vehicle while begging. Meanwhile, in a separate case Babu Lal of Bapu Dham colony has been nabbed by the police for allegedly creating nuisance in public after consuming liquor. Jewellery stolen: A sum of Rs 1,500 and jewellery has been stolen from the Sector 43 house of Babu Ram. In another incident a Bajaj Chetak scooter (PB-03-9533) owned by Subhash Kanta has been stolen from his Sector 37 residence. Six injured: Six persons, including four women and a child, have been injured in four different road accidents in the city in the past 24 hours. A pedestrian, Sonu Preet, a resident of Sector 38 was injured when she was hit by a motor cycle. Jyoti of Sector 36 sustained injured when her scooter banged into a stray cow. Baljinder Kaur was injured when her scooter skidded. A scooter driven by Jasbir Parmar banged into a cycle, injured Parmar, his child and his wife. Panchkula Cop killed: A Chandigarh Police constable, Gurbaksh Singh, died after the motor cycle by which he was riding was hit by an unidentified vehicle near the Topiary Park on the main road dividing sectors 5 and 6 here on Friday night. The deceased, a resident of Ramgarh, was returning home when the mishap took place. The police has registered
a case under Section 304-A of the IPC. |
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