C H A N D I G A R H

Deceptive signboards to mislead investors
ZIRAKPUR, Jan 11 — Colonisers and property dealers operating in this town continue to mislead intending buyers of plots with boards announcing ‘‘formal approval of colony awaited’’ or ‘‘to be approved by PUDA’’, although the Subdivisional Magistrate has instructed them to remove such deceptive signs.

Jacob’s visit boon for police
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The first visit of the UT Administrator, Lt Gen J. F. R. Jacob, to the Sector 26 police lines proved to be a boon for the force with the Administrator sanctioning a community centre which will benefit over 1, 000 families.

First rainfall of the season
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The city and its surrounding areas received the first rainfall of this millennium and also the ongoing winter season in the early hours today, thus breaking a dry spell lasting exactly a hundred days.

Lohri items flood markets
SAS NAGAR, Jan 11 — A wide variety of the Lohri-related items, including delicacies, are available in the markets of Chandigarh and SAS Nagar with a variation in the prices as compared to last year. A variety of packed Lohri delicacies are also on sale.

Minister’s Secy denies threatening tenant
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — Denying the allegations of pressurising and threatening a Sector 15 tenant by posting police personnel, Political Secretary to the Punjab Co-operative Minister R.S. Brahmpura, Mr Charanjit Singh, along with another defendant, has stated that the security has been provided to him by Punjab state.

COMMUNITY

Road Safety Week begins
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — Despite the drizzle, a large number of people turned up at the inauguration of the Road Safety Week at the Sector 17 Plaza here this morning. The week was formally inaugurated by Mr S.K. Singh, Inspector-General of Police. The event is being held in cooperation of the Traffic Warden Cell.

GMCH website from tomorrow
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, is all set to go hi-tech with the launch of its website on the National Informatics Centre's server on January 13. It will be inaugurated by the Administrator of UT, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd).

Mauli Jagran booths in pitiable condition
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — Crores of rupees, spent by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) on the construction of 70 booths in the Mauli Jagran rehabilitation colony here seem to have gone down the drain, if their pitiable condition is any indication.

Passenger alleges harassment on bus
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — For a professor teaching in Samrala , it was a humiliating experience aboard a Haryana Roadways bus on January 4. Dr Rajinder K. Singla lives in Sector 42 here.

Homoeos threaten fast
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The students of Homoeopathic Medical College, Sector 26, have decided to continue their strike and start fast if the matter is not solved by the management at the earliest.

Health centre under construction
DERA BASSI, Jan 11 — The construction of a 30-bed community health centre as part of the Civil Hospital here has gathered speed. Nearly half the construction work, which was started on November 4, has been completed.

CRIME

Proclaimed offender gets bail
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — Proclaimed offender Manjit Kaur, accused of occupying a vacant Chandigarh Housing Board House without authorisation, was today granted bail by the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.K. Goel.

UP resident held with poppy husk
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The police has arrested a resident of Uttar Pradesh and recovered 10 kg of poppy husk from his possession.

Case against trader
KHARAR, Jan 11 — The Kharar police has registered a case under Sections 406 and 420, IPC, against Surmukh Singh, proprietor of Surmukh Industrial Corporation Ltd, Balaungi, following orders passed by Mrs Neelam Arora, Judicial Magistrate, Kharar.

CULTURE

Impressive Punjabi play
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — The angst, frustration and indignation of belonging to a lower caste was brought about impressively in a poignant Punjabi play titled Jooth, staged to a packed hall at the English Auditorium, of Panjab University this evening.

HEALTH

Leprosy elimination plan chalked out
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — While the prevalence rate of leprosy among the indigenous population of the city is 0.1 cases per 10,000, but it is 3.67 cases per 10,000 if the migrant population which comes to the city from five endemic states is included.

ADMINISTRATION

Projects worth 1.5 cr approved
SAS Nagar, Jan 11 — Estimates worth over Rs 1.50 crore for development projects in the township were approved at a meeting of the Municipal Council held here today. Completion of development projects worth Rs 9.78 lakh at Silvy Park in Phase 10, which initially attracted objections from some councillors, was also passed.

Gupta ISTC Principal
CHANDIGARH, Jan 11 — Dr. Rupinder Gupta has been appointed as Principal of the Indo-Swiss Training Centre (ISTC). He takes over from Mr. P.S. Malhotra. Both are ‘F’ grade scientists in the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, of which the ISTC is a part.