tribuneindia...Chandigarh

C H A N D I G A R H
& V I C I N I T Y

Thursday, July 23, 1998

weather n spotlight
today's calendar

Former Miss India Manpreet Brar (second from left) flanked by top models, Priti and Ayesha, at a press conference on the eve of the fashion show to display the NIFD designer collection in Panchkula on Wednesday.

Professional firm to advise Administration
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — A professional consultancy firm will be engaged to suggest a plan for the development of land in Chandigarh and its optimum utilisation...

CBI to probe question
paper leakage
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — On a request made by the Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University, Prof M.M. Puri, the local branch of the CBI has taken over the investigation of the alleged "leakage of question papers of B.Sc Part-II (Hons School) part III in one of the examinations of the university held in May".

Permanent Lok Adalat for UT
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Union Territory of Chandigarh has taken a lead over rest of the states by setting up first permanent Lok Adalat under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987...

Top models in city
PANCHKULA, July 22 — Top names in the modelling industry of the country converged on the city today to take part in "Haute and Kool" fashion show to be organised by the National Institute of Fashion Design tomorrow...

Jail conspiracy case transferred to CJM
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, today allowed the revision petition filed by Baljit Singh, one of the accused in the Burail jail blow-up conspiracy case...

Experts on breast cancer to meet
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — Forty eminent experts on breast cancer, including surgeons, oncologists, radiotherapists, pathologists and radiologists will take part in a consensus symposium to be held at the PGI on August 1 and 2...

Protest against price rise

Career guidance week

Tributes paid to General Buch

College centre inaugurated

News analysis

Corporation Beat

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Professional firm to advise Administration
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — A professional consultancy firm will be engaged to suggest a plan for the development of land in Chandigarh and its optimum utilisation.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Administrator of Chandigarh, Lieut-Gen BKN Chhibber (retd) at the UT Secretariat today. The meeting was convened to review the progress of various ongoing projects.
The engaging of a professional consultancy firm, a press note of the Administration said, has been necessitated in view of the increased incidence of encroachment on public land in the periphery of the union territory
The Administrator stressed the need to regulate the development of the periphery in accordance with the basic plan of the city and in consonance with development in neighbouring satellite towns of SAS Nagar and Panchkula. The Adviser to the Administrator was asked to draw up a coordinated plan for development of periphery and seek cooperation from Punjab and Haryana so that the periphery could be developed according to a plan.
The Adviser apprised the Administrator of the progress of various ongoing projects. It was decided to identify those pockets in the city where there was problem of disposal of rain water and needed improvement in the drainage system.
The Engineering Department was asked to improve the condition of all roads linking Chandigarh with Punjab and Haryana besides ordering removal of all unauthorised structures along these inter-state roads.
The need for accelerating the development process in the union territory was emphasised. The basic stress was on development of sectors 48 to 52 and the Administration was asked to draw a time-bound plan to develop these sectors expeditiously.
The Administration was also asked to provide all necessary assistance to the municipal corporation in maintaining cleanliness and for garbage disposal because of increased workload on account of rainy season.
By another decision, the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) was asked to increase frequency of bus service to SAS Nagar and Panchkula. The Home Secretary, Mrs Anuradha Gupta, also briefed the Governor about the progress of Kalagram which is being set up by the North Zone Culture Centre.

CBI to probe question paper leakage
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — On a request made by the Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University, Prof M.M. Puri, the local branch of the CBI has taken over the investigation of the alleged "leakage of question papers of B.Sc Part-II (Hons School) part III in one of the examinations of the university held in May".
Mr O.P. Sharma, an inspector at the local CBI office, has been entrusted with investigation of the case.
In his request to the CBI Director, Professor Puri had stated that following the publication of a news report in a local daily, he had appointed a commission of enquiry consisting of two senior professors of the university to look into the matter immediately. The professors have probed the matter and have urged him to hand over the enquiry to the CBI "if the complete picture with concomitant consequences is to be ascertained."
"Some of their tentative inferences cannot be proceeded with within the existing university structure," wrote the Vice-Chancellor to the CBI, and added: "The enquiry commission has further found out that paper-III and IV of the same class the examination for which was yet to be held, were also available with some of the students, including the journalist who passed them on to the enquiry commission. To obtain a copy of the question paper each student who could get it could do so by allegedly paying Rs 10,000 for it. Only an agency such as yours can lead to appropriate deterrent action."
In a letter the Vice-Chancellor sent to the CBI Director, Professor Puri said that the enquiry commission had prima facie, found that it was an organised racket operative in the university for the past few years and the university had no machinery of its own which could unearth it. Professor Puri said the findings of the commission suggested that it was not only in the mathematics (Hons School) but also in other subjects that the leakage of question papers had taken place.
The Vice-Chancellor told the CBI that although the alleged beneficiaries of the leakage had been identified, the suspects responsible for the leakage could not be ascertained.
Professor Puri wrote to the CBI that the incident about the leakage of question papers had eroded the credibility of the university. The CBI could help restore and enhance its reputation without much loss of time.

Campus Beat
Seats for electronics course filled
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — All seats in UT and general pools for first year electronics and computer engineering at Punjab Engineering College were filled on the first day of counselling for general categories here today.
Students who had obtained ranks between one and 500 were interviewed today. Admission for various reserved categories have already been completed on the preceding two days.
The course in electronics engineering had 27 seats in the UT pool and 17 seats in the general pool. Computer engineering had 14 seats in UT pool and eight in the general pool. There are a few vacancies in the mechanical engineering and electrical engineering courses. All seats in production, metallurgy , aeronautical and civil remained vacant.
Only one out of 39 seats in the Chemical Engineering Department was filled. There are also seats vacant in the College of Architecture, Prof D.K. Vohra, co-ordinator of admission, said.
Protest rally: Members of the Panjab University Non-Teaching Employees' Federation organised a rally in protest against non-payment of arrears of revised pay scales and ADA.
Mr Dharam Paul Sharma, president, said employees were demanding cancellation of the allotment orders of a house to an assistant manager in the press "which was arbitrary".
Chairman: Mr Jeewan Kumar Sharma has taken over as chairman of Department of German Studies. He had been to Germany on a UGC scholarship. He has been on the guest faculty of the University Business School.

Permanent Lok Adalat for UT
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Union Territory of Chandigarh has taken a lead over rest of the states by setting up first permanent Lok Adalat under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi, Executive Chairman of the Chandigarh State Legal Services Authority, today gave a formal approval to the setting up of the Lok Adalat. He also approved the appointment of Mr S.K. Sardana, Member-Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority, as Lok Adalat Judge.
The Lok Adalat Judge has also been authorised to associate a serving or retired judicial officer or a member of the legal profession having at least 10 years experience (practice) or a local social worker of repute who is engaged in the uplift of the weaker sections of society.
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, who is the chairman of the local Legal Services Committee, has agreed to provide suitable accommodation in the District Courts complex for the permanent Lok Adalat.
Dr Justice Adarsh Sein Anand, a Judge of the Supreme Court and Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority, had in a demi-official letter in December suggested that Lok Adalats should not remain intermittent or occasional in character dealing mainly with motor accident claim cases.
"The time has now come that now we should work out the modalities for establishing permanent and continuous Lok Adalats in all the districts and a separate room is earmarked for a permanent Lok Adalat in every District Courts complex," Dr Justice Anand suggested.
The regular court functioning in such districts then will be in a position to refer the cases relating to matrimonial disputes, landlord-tenant controversies, commercial disputes and other such related matters which are criminally compoundable offences to these permanent Lok Adalats in terms of Section 20 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

Crime File
Two brothers booked for assault
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — As many as three residents of the Labour Colony, Sector 31, were allegedly beaten up by two brothers of the colony on Monday night.
According to police sources, those beaten up were Sohan Lal, Somi and Prem Parkash, son and brother-in-law of Sohan Lal, respectively. Prem Parkash had been admitted to the PGI with serious head injuries.
The sources said the trouble arose when Somi had an altercation with two brothers — Vijay Kumar and Satish Kumar — near the Kalibari Temple. As soon as Sohan Lal along with his wife and brother-in-law, Prem Parkash, arrived they were allegedly attacked with stones by the assailants.
The police has registered a case against the two brothers.
Two held: The police has arrested two persons — Gagandeep and Udaypal — on the charge of assaulting Jagdish, a resident of Sector 45, here.
Jeweller duped: The police has registered a case against two unidentified persons for "duping" a Mani Majra-based jeweller.Sources said two persons came to the shop of Mr Sikandar Lal on Monday on the pretext of buying some silver ornaments. As Mr Sikandar Lal was displaying the ornaments, one of them asked him to fetch a glass of water. When he came back with the glass of water, he found one of the boxes missing from the displayed ornaments.

PANCHKULA
A highly-decomposed body of a woman, aged around 30, was found at Berwala in Morni late on Tuesday night. The identity of the deceased could not be ascertained by the police.
A post-mortem was conducted at General Hospital here. However, the cause of death could not be confirmed as the post-mortem report is yet to be given to the police.

Corporation Beat
Four in race for MC chief's post
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Punjab Government today sent a panel of IAS officers to the Chandigarh Administration for consideration for appointment to the post of Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh (MCC).
According to sources, four names had been sent to the Administration for replacing the present occupant, Mr S.K. Gathwal, a UT cadre IAS officer, who is likely to be repatriated to New Delhi.
Those whose names figure in the panel include Mr Chhabilendra Roul (1985 batch), Mr Bibekanand Sarkar (1986 batch).
While Mr Sarkar is the Additional Secretary, Home, Mr Roul is working as Special Secretary, Vigilance.
The other two names that figure in the panel are Mr S.S. Gill/Additional Secretary, Home; and Mr S.P. Singh Special Secretary, Science and Technology. Both belong to the 1988 batch.
It may be recalled that the Home Ministry had recently decided in principle to allocate the post of Commissioner to an officer of the Punjab cadre.
The Punjab Government and the BJP had been urging the ministry to allocate the post of the Commissioner to Punjab as the Punjab Municipal Act applied to the union territory. It was felt that the Punjab cadre officer, well versed in the municipal Act, would be in a better position to understand the problems of the newly formed civic body.

News analysis
Major shift in CPM line?
By Gobind Thukral
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — It is now clear that the CPM, the major partner in the left grouping, will make a major shift in its political line. At the 15th party Congress here, the party, which played a leading role in the formation of the United Front and its government at the Centre, had adopted a line of equi distance from the BJP and the Congress, taking them as two equally-placed enemies. With the BJP now leading the coalition government, the CPM is coming round to the idea that secular and democratic forces have to come together. In other words as the deliberations of the central committee meeting held in Delhi from July 16 to 18 showed, the party would be ready to support the Congress in the formation of an alternative front and a possible government at the Centre.
Both, CPM General Secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu emphasised that the dangers from the BJP were too serious to be ignored. Nuclear tests, bad relations with the neighbours, a drift in economic policies, rising prices and increasing unemployment, besides the threat to further communally divide the country, they said were strong reasons to rethink over the previous thesis of equi-distance. There was prolonged and heated discussions on this. Some Central committee members feared that any political adjustment with the Congress could dilute the party's approach on basic economic issues. It is gathered that the draft political resolution which the Central committee finalised and which is still to be made public, notes this serious reservation. Also, between now and October when the CPM meets for its 16th party Congress in Calcutta, the choice with the major Left party would be more limited.
Both Mr Surjeet and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan at their meetings with Congress leaders have urged the party to reconsider some of the major economic policy parameters and accommodate the views of the Left parties. Mr Surjeet had a meeting with Congress President, Sonia Gandhi and Mr Bardhan had a long meeting with Dr Manmohan Singh where economic issues dominated. These leaders pointed out that some of the changes brought forward during the Rao regime ( 1991-96) and good bye to the public sector and other shifts in the name of liberalisation which have pushed the country into a quagmire, would have to be reconsidered. Dr Manmohan Singh explained the economic changes and emphasised that these were needed at that time. These discussions were not conclusive, but both sides could now clearly see each other's line. "We may have to support a Congress-led government at the Centre in order to get rid of the BJP. But there has to be a very clear agreement on the basic economic policies", a senior CPM leader explained later.

Informed sources also said these exploratory meetings, which were being held at various levels also noted what Mrs Gandhi wanted a long-term understanding among secular and democratic parties and a common front. There was another irritant in the states where the Left ruled and the Congress was in the Opposition and vice versa. Adjustments with other parties led by Mr Laloo Parsad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav and issue of adjustment with the AIADMK and DMK in Tamil Nadu were also discussed, but more in passing.
Interestingly two junior Left parties, RSP and Forward Block, do not share this enthusiasm of the elder brothers and these parties point that the left must not unlearn what it had gathered during the short-lived friendship with the Congress in 1969. The CPI suffered heavily later. But the draft political resolution of the CPI prepared for its 17th Congress in Chennai in September emphatically says the Congress has undeniably a major role to play in fighting the communal and reactionary BJP government. This despite many opportunist alliances having failed in the past, the CPI notes that both at the national level and the state level , the Congress has to play that role in a leading manner.
CPM leaders now clearly note that the United front has become weak and splintered. There is need for accommodation and adjustment with the Congress. The Left denied the Congress that kind of role just a year back, thinking that the United front would emerge as the leader. This changed attitude comes after the bitter lesson; from the Lok Sabha election that came up after the fall of the Gujral government.
These are certainly major irritants, one being the economic policies of the Congress. The two sides will have to make big adjustments if any long term relationship is to come up. A time-serving alliance like Congress supporting from outside would not do even for a short time. An alliance just to defeat the BJP would also not work. The left leaders were told that they should think on long term basis as the Congress leaders were told to make that they should rethink on the basic economic formulations and policies that concern the Left and their other allies.

Top models in city
Tribune News Service
PANCHKULA, July 22 — Top names in the modelling industry of the country converged on the city today to take part in "Haute and Kool" fashion show to be organised by the National Institute of Fashion Design tomorrow.
Some of the models who will walk on the ramp include Helen Brodie, Shweta Menon, Bipasha Basu, Manpreet Brar and Ruchi Malhotra. The show will be choreographed by Aparna and Tanya from a Delhi-based agency.
Ms Ritu Raghvanshi, director of the NIFD, told a press conference that models would be displaying designer collection of students of the local institute. The collection had been designed by over 200 students as part of their curriculum.
The show will consist of 10 rounds, featuring both Western and Indian attires.
Helen Brodie became immensely popular after featuring in the Asha Bhonsale's number "Janam Samjha Karo" which ruled the popularity charts in 1997. She is now working in a film, "Monsoon" besides appearing in several advertisement campaigns.
Shweta Menon featured in the Amir Khan — Devgan starrer "Ishq". She also has "Shikari" with Govinda, "Bandhan" with Salman and "Raftar" with Akshay up her sleeve besides campaign for private business houses. Manpreet Brar is a former Miss India and a VJ on a popular music channel of the satellite TV.
Ruchi Malhotra is a former Miss Asia Pacific and is now featuring in "Tanav", a teleserial on air. Bipasha Basu, a Ford supermodel and starring opposite Abhishek Bachhan in an ABCL production is expected to reach UT by tomorrow, organisers said.

Jail conspiracy case transferred to CJM
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, today allowed the revision petition filed by Baljit Singh, one of the accused in the Burail jail blow-up conspiracy case, urging that the investigation of his illegal detention may be given either to the CBI or to the vigilance department.
He had stated that the orders of the magistrate were prejudicial to his interest.
Mr Bedi ordered that the case be transferred to the court to the Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Baljit Singh in his revision petition had stated that a fair and impartial investigation could not be expected from the police officials charged with torturing him were senior police officers. The SHO himself was an accused.
The case will now come up for hearing on July 28.

Experts on breast cancer to meet
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 21 — Forty eminent experts on breast cancer, including surgeons, oncologists, radiotherapists, pathologists and radiologists will take part in a consensus symposium to be held at the PGI on August 1 and 2, Dr S.M. Bose, convener of the symposium, announced here today.
Dr Bose said that the experts will discuss and finalise recommendations for breast cancer management. Lectures on all aspects of breast cancer will be followed by discussions and subsequently these recommendations will be brought out in a book form.
He said that breast cancer was the second most common cancer affecting females in India and there had been steady rise in its incidence. It had overtaken cancer of uterine cervix in Mumbai.
In spite of great strides in the management of breast cancer, there had been considerable controversy in the management of breast cancer, Dr Bose added.

Protest against price rise
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — Members of the local unit of the Mahila Congress held a dharna in the Sector 17 Plaza to register their protest against the rising prices of essential commodities here today.
The protesters went around the area striking ladles on metal utensils and raising slogans against the BJP Government at the Centre for not controlling the spiralling prices which had placed many commodities out of the reach of the common man.
Led by Mrs Shareshta Mehta, president, of the local unit, the agitators held up traffic for half an hour at the Sector 17 traffic lights. She said that never before the prices had been allowed to go up so high.
She claimed that a large number of workers from the city would be joining the rally which would be led by Mrs Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on July 28.
Other issues raised at the dharna included the non-passage of the Women's Reservation Bill, harassment of residents by local cops, rising incidents of shootouts in the city and poor upkeep of civic amenities.
Mrs Amrita Kohli, Mr Sunil Parti and Mr Ram Pal Sharma, senior leaders of the party, spoke.

Career guidance week
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — All vocational guidance units in the employment exchanges and university employment information and guidance bureaux in Haryana will organise a career guidance week from July 27 to 31.
During the week school, college and university students will be acquainted with the guidance facilities available in the employment exchanges and occupational information will be provided to them so that they may plan their future career judiciously according to their abilities, interest, aptitudes etc.

Tributes paid to General Buch
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 22 — Rich tributes were paid to Lieut-Gen Gurbachan Singh Buch at a condolence meeting organised by the Indian Exservices League Punjab and Chandigarh today.
The meeting was presided by Major-Gen Narinder Singh (retd.).
Commissioned into 19 Lancers in 1942, General Buch retired as Army Commander of Northern Command in 1980. On retirement he published a book on Indian soldier. In January, 1982, he was elected president of the Indian Exservices League.
He was also the spirit behind the reinstallation of statue of Major Bhupinder Singh, MVC, on the Ludhiana-Ferozepore Road in Ludhiana after it was removed from Bharat Nagar Chowk.

College centre inaugurated
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 21 — A centre of Wigan and Leigh College has been set up at the Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School complex here.
The academic session of the college was inaugurated by Mr Vinay Pasricha, director of the college yesterday.