C H A N D I G A R H

Who received kickbacks?
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — It is not that the government authorities do not know about the racket being run by those who received benefits under the rehabilitation scheme of the Chandigarh Administration.

A view of the silted portion of Sukhna Lake, which has been recently surveyed. It is in this portion that wet dredging would be taken up by the Dredging Corporation of India, probably during the next financial year. — A Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan.

Wet dredging of Sukhna still far cry CHANDIGARH, March 13 — With just 18 days to go for the current financial year , the work on wet dredging of Sukhna Lake still remains a distant reality. Though the Department of Forests and Environment has given a “conditional go-ahead”,yet the work has been delayed for want of identification of the silted area to be dredged.

Plan to set up IT industry in Sector 67
SAS NAGAR, March 13 — Sector 67 here measuring over 130 acres in the southern part of the town, has been replanned to attract Information Technology industry as part of special incentives being offered by the State Government to bring Punjab on the IT map and software exports.

Ex-Chairman’s bail plea dismissed
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — The anticipatory bail plea moved by former Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission, Mr L.D. Kataria, accused of demanding money from a candidate, was today dismissed by the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi.

COMMUNITY

Senior officers discuss city problems
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — A meeting of councillors and senior police officers to discuss various problems in the city was chaired by Mr S.K. Singh, IGP, at the police headquarters here this evening.

I was his favourite nephew
OVER the last 50 years of my lifespan, I had got used to addressing many persons uncles. Even before my transfer to Chandigrh in 1995, Colonel P.S. Gill, while also being a recipient of this endearment, always had a special place in my heart. After the transfer, his magnetic personality and fatherly concern had outshown our all other interests and social engagements in the city, and we preferred to visit him as often as possible, and each visit to his farmhouse only brought us closer.

Modern complex not 'modern': MP
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — The local MP, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, last night released the telephone directory of the Residents Welfare Association, Category I of the Modern Housing Complex in Mani Majra.

• Baby show

CRIME

Two booked for cheating
SAS NAGAR, March 13 — Two shopkeepers of Phase VII have been booked by the police for cheating a resident of Phase V of Rs 2 lakh by promising to get him a visa to Germany. According to the information available, Vikramjit Singh, a resident of Phase V, in a complaint lodged with the police, alleged said that Ravinder Singh and Jagjit Singh of Preet Sweets took Rs 2 lakh in two instalments in March and May past year on this pretext.

BUSINESS

Awards for small savings agents
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — To honour small savings agents, who had done commendable work during 1998-99 in the union territory by collecting Rs 65.68 crore, a conference was held here today.

Rehriwalas demand pucca booths
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — A procession under the leadership of Mr Harmohan Dhawan, a former Union Minister, was taken out by rehriwalas from the Nehru Park in Sector 22 to Matka Chowk in Sector 17 in support of their demands for pucca booths.

Confusion over Rs 500 notes
KHARAR, March 13 — Even as rumours spread in the area about the authenticity currency notes of Rs 500 denomination, the State Bank of Patiala, Kharar branch, is accepting these notes.

• ‘No Rs 500 notes, please’

Seminar on pension at Punjab Tractors
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — A seminar on employees’ pension scheme was organised at Punjab Tractors at SAS Nagar today where the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Mr M.L. Meena, was the chief guest.

EDUCATION

Bees attack schoolgirls
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — A swarm of bees created panic in the local Sacred Heart Convent School today when it attacked and stung 15 students. The incident took place around noon at the school premises.

Students given prizes, rolls of honour
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — As many as 181 students were awarded academic prizes, six others were presented rolls of honour and 44 students were given college colours for their outstanding performance in sports and cultural spheres during the 18th annual prize giving function of Government College, Sector 46, today.

Students’ strike from today
CHANDIGARHMarch 13 — The students of Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic Medical College, Sector 46, have decided to proceed on an indefinite strike in support of their demands from tomorrow.

Second night school opened
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — The second night school of the UT Education Department was inaugurated today evening at Government High School, Mauli Jagran, for rag-pickers of the colony.

CULTURE

Aesthetic display of 484 works
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — The Adviser to the Administrator of Chandigarh, Mrs Vineeta Rai, today inaugurated the annual art exhibition at the Sector 10, Government College of Art, here.

Music group seeks names of artistes
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — A local music promotion group at a press conference here yesterday announced that interested artistes could give their names for a data bank, which would be provided to the musicians seeking talent.

HEALTH

Hepatitis-B vaccine administered
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — A total of 291 patients were examined and given free medicines at a free medical camp organised by UT branch of the Indian Red Cross Society at Balwari-cum-creche, Kumhar Colony, Sector 25, here today. Of the total patients examined, 72 children were immunised.

Workshop on AIDS from today
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — The State AIDS Control Society, Chandigarh, is organising a two-day workshop on “Collaborative role of NGOs in the implementation of the National AIDS Control Programme” at the UT Guest House on March 14 and 15. The workshop will be inaugurated by the Adviser to the UT Administrator, Mrs Vineeta Rai.

Secretary offers to help contain corruption
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — "The evils of corruption and crime have become so widespread that another movement like the freedom struggle is needed to eradicate these from our country. It will be a great achievement even these evils are contained or minimised." This was said by Mr Harjit Singh, Secretary-Health-cum-Director-Ayurveda-and-Homoeopathy, Punjab, here yesterday.

Consumer health seminar
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — The Citizens Awareness Group will organise a seminar on "Consumer Health'' and an exhibition of posters on Consumer Awareness at the Sector 22 Health Centre to commemorate World Consumer Day on March 15.

Ayurvedic college staff’s plea to VC
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — Teachers’ Staff Coordination Committee of the local Shri Dhanwantri Ayurvedic College submitted a memorandum to the Panjab University Vice-Chancellor today emphasising their long pending demand of pay since the affiliation of the college to the university in 1992.

SPORT

MP ready for title defence
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — All these men have come from Madhya Pradesh with the sole aim of defending the title at the 14th Senior National Baseball Championship which began here today at the Panjab University grounds.

7-wicket win for Adviser’s XI
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — UT Adviser’s XI beat Haryana Officers' XI by seven wickets in a cricket match played here yesterday. Batting first, the Haryana team lost the vital wickets of Vivek and Rajeev soon.

ADMINISTRATION

New phone exchange in Khuda Lahora
CHANDIGARH, March 13 — A new 1000-line E-10-B type German-made telephone exchange will be commissioned in Khuda Lahora village, west of the PGI, according to a Telecom Department press release here today.