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| Monday,
April 9, 2001, Chandigarh, India |
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Electronic timers to be
installed for streetlights Chandigarh, April 8 Giving this information, a senior official of the electrical division of the MCC said that 10 such timers had already been installed a fortnight ago in and around Sector 17 and the authorities are monitoring the performance of the same. It is for the first time that such timers are being used in the city. The test experiment carried out earlier before placing the order for these had been successful. The new timers are not only more fiddle-proof, but will also ensure better management of the
streetlights. A decision to replace defective mechanical timers with electronic timers was taken keeping in view the problems faced by the MCC on account of frequent sabotage and fiddling by miscreants. Since these timers have a system like a watch, it is very easy for miscreants to change the set timings or to cut wires. The official further explained that the timers installed in the existing pedestal will cater to a circuit comprising 25-40 poles in a given area. The MCC has under its jurisdiction as many as 300-350 such circuits with a total of approx-imately 16,600 streetlights. To ensure extra safety, the same will be installed in an iron box . The system operates on digital technology and cost of one such timer is Rs 2000. The on and off timings of these lights are generally set in accordance with the season. For instance the timings in summer are 5 am and 7 pm, respectively. There are at present 600 mechanical timers to operate the streetlights. Since some of these are lying out of order, nearly 20 per cent streetlights are non-functional. With the replacement of these timers, the problem will be solved to a large extent. As regards the complaints of people regarding streetlights remaining on during day time, the official said that many a time the employees switch these on while repairing that particular circuit to ensure that some fault is
rectified. The new MC chief, Mr Manmohanjit Singh, when contacted, said that a drive had already been started to repair the non-functional streetlights. He said there are problems because of shortage of staff to man these lights and also due to difficulty in detecting faults in underground cables. Meanwhile, necessary instructions to replace missing covers of all junction boxes with PVC/acrylic sheets in place of cast iron sheets have been issued so as to eliminate the possibility of theft and the danger the protruding naked wires pose to animals and human beings. |
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TRIBUNE FOLLOW UP Chandigarh, April 8 Sources add that though after Tribune Vigil report, restraint in felling of trees was visible, the situation has come back to square one with a full-grown sheeshum tree being cut on the PGI campus today. The tree, located in the area between the swimming pool complex and Type III houses beyond the gurdwara was cut to make way for an electric pole. The sources add that many trees have also been pruned in the process. Meanwhile, sources have said that the PGI Director had asked the Engineering Department of the institute to give an
explanation regarding the indiscriminate felling of trees. The department, in turn, has justified the action, saying that only dry trees have been cut. Hundreds of trees have been cut to make room for ‘‘development work’’ during the past six months amidst allegations that this was completely unauthorised. While the institute authorities insist that since the PGI is an autonomous body, it does not require any permission for felling trees, forest officials assert that prior permission is required before any sort of felling is carried
out. Officials of the Engineering Department, which also houses the horticulture wing of the institute, has claimed that all this is being done to provide better healthcare facilities. And that there is a choice between preserving the environment and providing better healthcare
facilities. Environment specialists, on the other hand, assert that providing a clean green environment in the hospital is part of providing good healthcare facilities to its patients. |
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Villagers want more price for
land SAS Nagar, April 8 Villagers allege that there has been a violation of standing orders of the Revenue Department on uniform compensation rates and the criteria for fixing the land price is questionable. They say that different yardsticks have been used to fix the land prices. Members of the Mauli Baidwan Gram Panchayat say that, while the Deputy Commissioner has recommended a compensation of Rs 10 lakh per acre for the land to the north of the
Chandigarh-Landhran road and near Sectors 70, 71 and the Industrial Area, Rs 8 lakh per acre has been fixed for the village land near Sector 68 where Mahindra Knowledge Park is coming
up. Mr Balwinder Singh, a land owner of the village, said fixing the land price according to proximity to the road link between Sohana and Mauli Baidwan was wrong. While the land to the west of the road has been priced at Rs 10 lakh per acre, the land of Mauli Baidwan on the other side of it has been priced at Rs 8 lakh per acre and that of Sohana at Rs 9 lakh per acre. He said, as the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) had already started building a dual carriageway along the village, the land prices here should have been at least Rs 10 lakh per acre. The dual carriageway is to be linked with the Zirakpur-Patiala
highway. Villagers said the land-price fixation committee could also have recommend a suitable land price in view of the proximity of the village to the Focal Point Industrial Area of Phase IX
here. Another villager, Mr Bhag Singh, said the criteria of taking average registry prices in a year was also not justified. Mr Balwinder Singh said the land price within the village ‘pherni’ was about Rs 90 lakh per acre. The pervious Congress government, under the village land pooling scheme, had urged villagers here not to sell their
land. After acquiring the land, PUDA would sell it at exorbitant prices. Mr Balwinder said, after deducting development charges and taking land-wastage factor into account, the compensation made upto about to Rs 40 lakh per acre. He said the price fixation committee had also ignored an earlier judgement of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on uniform land price. |
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Recommendations of the price fixation committee THE price of land to the north of the Chandigarh-Landhran road and near Sectors 70, 71 and the Industrial Area has been recommended at Rs 10 lakh per acre. For the land along the Chandigarh-Landhran-Fatehgarh road, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh per acre has been recommended. For the fertile land of Sohana village, the District Collector has recommended a price of Rs 9 lakh per acre and Rs 7.50 lakh for the barren land. For the fertile land of Mauli Baidwan, Raipur and Lakhnour villages, a price of Rs 8 lakh per acre and for the barren land there, a price of Rs 7 lakh per acre has been recommended. |
Lawyers protest demolition of chambers Chandigarh, April 8 The District Bar Association has strongly condemned yesterday’s demolition by the Estate Office and complained that the administration had done a volte-face on its decision of allowing space for the advocates for makeshift chambers in the courts premises with its
consent. The president of the Bar Association, Mr N.K. Nanda, said, “Advocates are observing an indefinite strike from tomorrow” and added, “no visitors will be allowed to enter in the court premises during the strike”. Meanwhile, the Subdivisional Magistrate (Central), Mr Prithi Chand, when contacted, refuted the allegation of the District Bar Association, and said that the bar had no legal right to know about the demolition drive in advance, so there was no question of sending the advocates any notice. He added that the Estate Office had removed only illegal makeshift chambers in the courts premises and it was the duty of the office to do
so. Mr Amar Singh Chahal, the president of the Lawyers for Human Rights International, said that it was disappointing that hundreds of advocates in the courts did not even have a place for practice. He complained that it was the responsibility of the administration to do
so. The president of the Young Sikh lawyers, Mr N.S. Minhas, said “Every year, the administration spent crores of rupees on various projects. Yet it is not taking the lawyers’ chambers problem seriously. He added that “If the administration is undergoing a financial crisis, it can collect money from the lawyers and build a new building within the courts premises”. Jasminder Pal Singh, an advocate, said, “There are only 108 chambers in the district courts, which were allotted in 1986. After that, there has been manifold increase in the number of advocates, but the number of chambers remain same. Therefore, the advocates have no other choice but to go in for a makeshift chamber. The president of Lawyers for Social Reforms, Mr Arunjeev Singh Walia, added the administration had no right to remove the makeshift chambers, as the it had failed to provide vacant chambers and slots to even those advocates who had submitted Rs 1,000 four years ago.
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Cognac-eyed Lisa heading for the
stars Chandigarh, April 8 All courtesy Mr Jaspal Singh Kandhari of Coca Cola, Lisa Ray’s second visit to the city was quite unlike her previous fly-by halt. Many might remember that the Lakme model Lisa was in Chandigarh on December 21 last year to launch the Lakme Beauty Salon in Sector 9. But this time around, the porcelain-complexioned actress appeared quite distinct to what she did in December. Where her last visit was monitored in that she had to just sit back and have Lakme experts make over her face, this visit revealed the very-springy side of the girl. She had been especially invited by Coke to lend the finishing touch to its red alert summer promotion campaign. So all through the day, Coke had Lisa interact with consumers — from the excited kids of YPS in SAS Nagar to the lucky couples whose houses the actress visited. After a hectic day, Lisa looked stunningly beautiful in her beige-brown dress, at the dinner hosted at PCA Club, SAS Nagar, by Coke. That was where The Tribune did a little talking with the Bengali damsel who has now been in the world of glamour for nine years. From the hot Bombay Dyeing model posing in skimpy towels to a composed lawyer of ‘Kasoor’, Lisa has grown at her own pace. And this despite the fact that film offers kept flooding her all this while. Today Lisa is being noticed for her powerful performance in Vikram Bhatt’s thriller ‘Kasoor’. Though the movie has not fared well at the box office, Lisa is being appreciated for the intensity and earnestness she injected into her character. Congratulate her and she passes the credit to Vikram Bhatt, “I am the director’s actress. Vikram drew out my emotions and helped me explore dormant skills.” After years of hide and seek with cinema, Lisa chose to do ‘Kasoor’ because of its young set up. While Lisa talked about ‘Kasoor’ she did not fail to mention the tough time she had speaking Hindi on the sets. Though in the film Divya Dutta did the dubbing for her, (with Ashutosh Rana doing the rest of the helping), the Polish-Bengali girl is now working hard on her diction. “Language is the first thing I need to conquer. I am trying very hard.” Keeping details of forthcoming projects close to her heart, Lisa only threw one hint: “The next one is in Telugu. Tell me how it is when you see it.” Even in her starry success, Lisa looked very humble that night. With her humility, she won over all the guests at the PCA Club. Talking about acting as a fulfilling experience, Lisa said: “Acting can be quite draining, but all the effort is worth it, because it is also very fulfilling in the end.” Being a model, acting must not have come easy to Lisa. But she was harbouring the acting skills all this while. “I have done a number of performance-oriented advertisements. So I am not totally a novice in the world of acting. Also, it is an unjust accusation that models cannot make good actresses,” stressed Lisa. After all the attention that ‘Kasoor’ has showered on Lisa, she still misses her modelling assignments. In heart of hearts, she still wants to pursue the career which began with the Bombay Dyeing ad, which she considers her all-time favourite. “I also love doing Lakme and Sprite,” Lisa said, adding that she was looking forward to some television projects. “Television is more personal. I enjoy working there. Modelling will also remain. I have some Lakme shoots lined up,” said Lisa, who has been on television often — sometimes shaking a leg in Daler Mehndi’s Har taraf tera jalwa and sometimes hosting BPL Oye. But that’s not all. Lisa’s latest role is that of the brand ambassadress for Rado watches. She is also a writer, a painter and an art collector (a Subhash Roy painting being her favourite possession). All these roles apart, Lisa is still not what she grew up wanting to be — a lawyer (as she comes from a family of judges and lawyers). ‘Kasoor’, however, has done Lisa some good. Thanks to the film, Lisa had the “reel experience of a role she desired in real life.” |
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CHANDIGARH CALLING Primary school students troop out of a shop selling school uniforms in Sector 47. In an adjacent shop two employees arrange liquor bottles on the shelves. Yes, this is a new liquor shop that has come up barely 50 metres from the main gate of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Primary School situated across the street. There is yet another primary school of the Air Force, barely 70 metres on the right side of the liquor shop. A couple of teachers and the headmistress of the KV primary school sitting in the shade of a tree appeared a worried lot as they could virtually see the employees working inside the liquor shop which is also equipped with its own ahata (small bar). A social worker, Mrs Sood, could be seen talking to the shopkeepers. She says that the principal of the main Kendriya Vidyalaya in Sector 47, Mr M.P. Mahajan, had also approached the administration as the liquor shop was barely a stone’s throw from the primary wing of the school. Mr Mahajan said he was concerned about the ill-effect the behaviour of the drunken lot would have on the primary schoolchildren. Shopkeepers gathered around the Tribune team on Saturday voicing their concern about the liquor shop coming up close to a residential area. The shop and the ahata is located in a shop-cum-flat. The most concerned appeared to be the owner of a school uniform shop adjacent to the ahata. A number of children and women could be seen coming out of the shop (see picture) . And manning the counter was a lady. The market committee of Sector 47-D has threatened to stage a dharna if the liquor shop is not shifted. According to Mr D.R. Arora, General Secretary of the Market Committee,” a general category shop has been converted into a wine shop. It is situated in a residential area with primary schools barely a stone’s throw away”. Sentinel joins the worried Principal and the teachers in the refrain: “No liquor shops near schools please”. Water meters Ever since the formation of the Municipal Corporation, the condition of civic amenities in the city has gone from bad to worse, be it roads, sanitation, cleanliness or water supply. Its dealing of matters concerning general public is very casual. Earlier the Chandigarh Administration used to replace the defective water meters at its cost and charge the consumer monthly rent, besides a fixed security. But after the charge of water supply was handed over to the Municipal Corporation, it enjoined upon the consumer to get the defective water meters replaced at his cost. The meter is installed after it is checked by the corporation against an inspection fee. Nothing wrong with that. but even after the consumer has paid the meter cost from his pocket he is still being charged the monthly rent which is obviously unjustified. May be the Municipal Corporation has an answer to this.
Confusing What is the pin code of the Sector 29 post office ? The answer is 160029 and 160030. How a post office can have two different pin codes ? Painted on the letterbox outside the post office is the new pin code 160029 while its main signboard behind the letterbox mentions 160030 as the pin code. The picture alongside taken by Manoj Mahajan on Saturday is self-explanatory. Now it depends upon the public to guess which of the pin code is genuine.
New OPD Last week when the Union Health Minister, Dr C.P. Thakur, formally inaugurated the new OPD complex at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, it was yet another feather in the cap of Mr S.D. Sharma, one of the seniormost and most accomplished architect of the city. Mr S.D. Sharma, who is the brain behind a number of major institutional buildings in and around the city, is also credited with designing the Advanced Paediatric Centre at the PGI besides some other recent additions to the PGI complex. Mr Sharma, who started his career as a member of the team of architects of the Capitol Project with Le Corbusier, has also designed the NIPER at SAS Nagar besides several other complexes.
Four-laning, at last The commuters between Chandigarh and Panchkula can now breathe easy with the four-laning of the road connecting the two cities. Traffic snarls, which used be a routine affair earlier putting the commuters to a lot of inconvenience, now seem to be a thing of the past. All said and done, the Chandigarh Administration acts only when problems get out of hand.This is clear from the completion of the four-laning project, which had been hanging fire for several years. Sentinel only expects that the administration completes the ongoing projects on time so that the general public can heave a sigh of relief. This is the least we can expect from the bureaucrat-dominated administration.
Predators at dawn Notwithstanding the in-built system and cost constraints, it is a fact that whichever be the agency for keeping the Zakir Rose garden presentable, the job is done fairly well. Only a regular visitor and a keen observer, however, would know what the place lacks and how with little extra effort the “city lungs” can provide more to those who care to visit it, particularly, at dawn. The place was spruced up shortly before the Rose festival and cleaned thereafter earlier this year and yet again, more recently, after the farmers left. A lot has been done. Much more needs to be done. The lighting, for example, definitely needs improvement. The low light in the concrete pill-boxes is enough, only just. There are several corners as well as the two bridges over the stinking nullah that need more lighting. One comes across senior citizens with torches (besides transistors) on the walk-ways to save themselves from tumbling over small heaps of soil or construction material carelessly left there. In the pre-dawn twilight all one sees are shadowy figures or silhouettes. This also brings in the question of security and safety. On April 3 around 5.20. a.m. the eerie silence was pierced by shrieks and cries of help from some women walkers. As two people ran towards them over ploughed lawns shouting and warning, the predator at dawn melted into the dark recesses of the garden leaving the two women breathless, scared and mercifully unharmed. The Chandigarh Administration should arrange some more strategic lighting yet allowing fair identification of those who walk, jog, stretch etc. Not all the bulbs in the light pill-boxes are lit. Several are fused. A couple of Chandigarh Police beat constables inside would provide a sense of security. One suggestion to men and women: each one would do well to carry an identity card or a slip of paper with address and telephone number, if any. The rude interruption of April 3 should serve as a warning to the Administration and walkers to be be alert and on guard at dawn and dusk.
Wadali humility The presentation by Puran Chand and Pyare Lal Wadali at Tagore Theatre last week was divine...without exaggeration. The singers created a spiritual aura all around by melodious rendering of the poems by the best Sufi saints, including Baba Farid and Baba Bulle Shah. Such was their magic that almost all the people in the gathering were seen crying out of bliss. Another thing which enthralled was the singers’ humility. When the two had just finished singing Charkha, the chief guest for the occasion, Mr L.M. Goyal, got up to leave. With Mr Goyal, many others sitting in the front row left. Confused by the sudden movement (which happened around 8 p.m.), the two singers also stood, prepared to leave. It was only later when someone from the gathering requested them to continue that they sat again. The sequence was repeated every time a major chunk among the audience got up to leave, but each time the singers were held back by the remaining crowd which was thirsting for more of Sufi magic.
Publicity hungry What is in a name? Ask the local Congress men, who believe everything is there in the name. Whatever the occasion — dharna, party meeting or criticising or hailing the party leaders — the Congress men’s only passion (or is it obsession) seems to be to get their names printed in the newspapers. The moment the events are over, the newspaper offices are innundated with telephone calls from the small-time politicians pleading with the reporters that at least their names should appear in the newspapers. The latest instance of this “telephonic sycophancy” was the rally of the Youth Congress here on March 28.
Will the politicians do something worthwhile to get their name in the print?
— Sentinel |
Child knocked down and killed by
Qualis Chandigarh, April 8 According to information available, Diwakar, a student of Class I in the Sector 45 Government High School, was playing in a ground across Colony No 5. While the children were playing cricket, the ball went flying on to the road. The unsuspecting victim went to fetch the ball when the speeding car coming from the Sectors 44-45 side hit him and sped
away. Passers-by rushed the child to the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital where he was declared as brought dead. Eyewitnesses of the accident, Som Nath, Parshu Ram and Ram Kehar, in their statements to the police said that they were able to note down the partial registration number of the car, 2153. |
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Uttaranchal Cong flays delay
in delimitation Chandigarh, April 8 Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Rawat alleged that the state government had failed to depute five members of the state Assembly to cooperate with the Election Commission authorities to delimit the constituencies even after the formation of the state more than four months ago. Demanding the
announcement of an economic package for the state on the pattern of Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh, Mr Rawat urged the Central Government to restore the “special category status” to the state. The non-restoration of this status, had hit development activity and played havoc with the economy. He demanded that the report of the Justice B.N. Dikshit Commission, entrusted with the responsibility of selecting a new capital in place of the temporary capital of Dehra Dun, should be expedited. He accused the interim government of misguiding the people on the issue of whether to have a new capital. Similarly, the process of division of assets and liabilities with UP was yet to start, he added. |
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Chetna jaloos on April
28 Chandigarh, April 8 This decision was taken at a general body meeting of the federation held in Sector 38 here today. The members of the federation will assemble in Sector 46 and take out a candlelight procession to Punjab Raj
Bhavan. The main demands of the federation include the delinking of the clause of removal of the additions and alterations from the ownership rights to the general power of attorney(GPA) holders and the regularisation of the additions and alterations that are structurally sound and did not encroach upon public land. Besides, they are demanding charging the conversion charges on the Punjab pattern at 5 per cent. |
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‘Need for spiritual education’ Chandigarh, April 8 Mr Kesho Ram Nandwani, zonal head of the order, stressed the need for imparting spiritual knowledge to children to make them ideal citizens. |
One arrested
in abduction case Chandigarh, April
8 It is learnt that the police party led by Inspector J.S. Cheema arrested Rajesh alias Raka, who had helped the accused elope last week. The case was transferred to the crime branch yesterday, following the failure of the police to nab the 17-year old girl and her beau, Arvind Kumar. Following the transfer of the case to the crime branch, the police parties have been dispatched to Ludhiana in Punjab and to district Azamgarh in Uttar
Pradesh. While the native village of Arvind is in Azamgarh, his father, Sita Ram is working in Ludhiana. Sources have also informed that a police party is also likely to be dispatched to Jammu tomorrow. Meanwhile, it is also learnt that there was another person accompanying Arvind and Rajesh, when the former had enacted the kidnap drama. |
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Man suffers burns Chandigarh, April 8 Surinder Kumar, who was staying in a rented accommodation along with his brother-in-law Ram Pal, is reported to have been injured when he fell on a container of kerosene. The cigarrette butt in his mouth caused the fire. It is alleged that the victim was drunk and had also been under the influence of some drugs. He was rushed to the PGI and is learnt to have sustained 20 per cent
burns. Opium seized: The police has arrested Govind Kumar and seized 450 gm of opium from his possession. He was arrested from the Shivalik nursery, Mani Majra, last evening and the two have been booked under Section 18 of the NDPS
Act. Two arrested: Sanjay and Vijay, both residents of Sector 52, were arrested by the police for gambling from different parts of Sector 52 yesterday. A case under Sections 13-A, 3 and 67 of the Gambling Act has been registered against
them. Burglary: Cash worth Rs 400 and a group photograph was stolen from the house of Ram Krishan in Colony No 5 after breaking open the lock. A case under Sections 454 and 380 of the IPC has been registered at the Sector 34 police
station. Four booked: The police has booked Shalu, a resident of Sector 9, Panchkula, and three other youths on the charges of criminal trespassing and issuing of threats. It is alleged that the accused went to the house of Mr Ravinder Singh, a resident of Sector 27-D, on the April 6 night and after breaking the windowpanes with hockey sticks threatened him. A case under Sections 427, 452, 506 and 34 of the IPC has been registered. SAS
NAGAR Killed: A motor-cyclist, Dalvinder Singh, was killed after he was hit by an unidentified truck near Sohana last night. A case under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC has been registered. |
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