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City briefly comes to virtual standstill
CTU buses keep off the road; collection of bills hampered; power to industry cut
Chandigarh, January 9
Those travelling on CTU buses in the city, Kharar, Ropar, Panchkula and SAS Nagar were stranded today and few of them could reach work in time due to the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. pen-down-tool down strike by the central organisations of UT and MC employees and workers.

Commuters stranded at the ISBT, Sector 17, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Photo Manoj Mahajan

Adamant traders to widen stir
Chandigarh, January 9
The Sector 17 market today remained closed between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in protest against the paid parking system. The Sector 17 traders Association and the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal joined hands to ensure a “successful” bandh and held an “impressive” rally during the two-hour shutdown.

Sector 17 traders and employees take out a rally during a bandh against paid parking in Chandigarh on Wednesday.  — A Tribune photograph

Shelterless reject temporary roof
Chandigarh, January 9
In a country where millions of people are shelterless, about 300 families did not shift in a temporary shelter provided to them by the Chandigarh Administration here today on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The illegal jhuggies of these families were demolished and they were asked to shift to the temporary shelter in Maloya village.

PU answersheets to get new look
Chandigarh, January 9
Panjab University has decided to change the format of the answer-sheet of the annual examination to tackle fraudulent marking on the flaps. The university plans to introduce the new format of answersheets from the forthcoming annual examinations.

Corruption putting off investors: Dhaliwal
Chandigarh, January 9
All pervasive corruption and red tape and lack of transparency in the functioning of the bureaucracy is putting off potential foreign investors in India.

COMMUNITY

Bitta wants Assembly poll deferred
Chandigarh, January 9
Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, President of the Anti-Terrorist Front, today said it was not the ripe time for holding Assembly elections in Punjab because of the tension on the border. He appealed to the Election Commission to defer the Assembly election till the situation eased on the border.

Ex-servicemen seek better deal
SAS Nagar, January 9
The Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab and Chandigarh, today criticised the government for depriving ex-servicemen and serving soldiers of various benefits and failing to give them a fair deal.

Fire Dept in a state of ‘war-readiness’
Chandigarh, January 9
The Chandigarh Fire Department is in a state of “war-readiness” amidst India and Pakistan a massing their troops on the border and missiles of both trained at each other.

Sohan Lal Vaid	Shyama Negi

KNOW YOUR COUNCILLORS
He rode piggyback on predecessor’s popularity
Chandigarh, January 9
Mr Sohan Lal Vaid, Congress Councillor from ward No 14, rode piggyback on his predecessor Kishan Lal’s popularity as one committed to the people.

Chaudhary defends house tax
Panchkula, January 9
The INLD General Secretary, Mr Pradeep Chaudhary, has criticised opposition parties for making adverse statements over the house tax policy in the township.

Villagers block traffic
Kharar, January 9
About 200 villagers under the leadership of Mr Rajbir Singh Padiala, Vice-President, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, sat in dharna and blocked vehicular traffic for about two hours near Bhagomajra village on the Kharar-Morinda road today. Residents of Bhagomajra, Rurki, Peer Sohana Barauli, Mamupur, Gharuan, Ghoga, Bassian, Malikpur Deh Kalan and Batta villages sat in dharna to protest against erratic power supply.

She strengthens communication across borders
Chandigarh, January 9
The ring in her voice says a great deal about her character. At the very outset, one can make out that Baroness Helena Kennedy greatly values conversation. This is not just because as a leading criminal law practitioner back home she knows the significance of good communication, but also because she, as a goodwill ambassador of Britain to India, sincerely wishes to strengthen communication across borders.

Baroness Helena Kennedy at the British Council Library in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Cops teach a lesson
Panchkula, January 9
During the ongoing road safety campaign, senior police officers educated students and teachers of different schools in the township, here today.

• Truck drivers get lessons on rules

YOUNG VOICE
Dedicated to social service
Determination to get the execution of the works pending with the UT authorities concerning the welfare of his sector best describes the underlying personality trait of Mr Vijay K Puri, general secretary of the Residents’ Welfare Association, Sector 61.

Fire in electronics shop

Rickshaw-pullers pulled up

Water supply

CRIME

Fake ‘director’ arrested
Chandigarh, January 9
The local police arrested a man for pretending to be the director of a television serial. Ajay Andley had placed an advertisement in a leading English daily for interviews for selecting male, female and child characters for a serial to be shot in Shimla.

Harpreet Singh Ahuja, alias Ajay Andley, in police custody on the charge of posing as TV serial director in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

5 booked in dowry case
Panchkula, January 9
For demanding dowry and causing harassment to a newly wed, the Panchkula police has booked five Chandigarh residents under Sections 406, 498-A of the Dowry Act.

Ex-minister booked for forgery
Chandigarh, January 9
The local police registered a case of forgery, criminal conspiracy and cheating against a former Haryana minister and a Joint Director of the ITI, Haryana, besides others, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act here yesterday. The case was registered on the complaint of a DSP (Vigilance), Haryana.

PGI security contractor booked for fraud
Chandigarh, January 9
Acting on the complaint by the PGI Medical Superintendent, Prof A.K. Gupta, the local police today registered a case of forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code against contractor of the PGI security agency, Punjab Security and Detective Company, Mr J.P. Singh. He was charged with submitting fake bank guarantee certificate to the PGI authorities.

BUSINESS

MARKET PULSE
Water purifiers launched
Chandigarh, January 9
Nuvac Appliances Pvt Ltd today launched its complete range of hi-tech vacuum cleaners and water purifiers in Chandigarh and Punjab.

Harish Verma (left) MD of NUVAC shows his product at a press conference in Chandigarh on Wednesday.
— A Tribune photograph

EDUCATION

PTA National Award for Madhu Bahl
Chandigarh, January 9
The PTA National Award was conferred on Ms Madhu Bahl, Principal of Kailash Bahl DAV Centenary Public School, Sector 7, at a ceremony held in New Delhi on January 6.

Students point accusing finger at firm
Chandigarh, January 9
A delegation of final year students of Punjab Engineering College today alleged that they were being harassed by DTDC Worldwide Express Courier through whom they had sent their application packets to U.S. universities for higher education.

Bal Shree award for St Kabir lad

HIGH COURT
Pre-arrest bail for police body chief
Chandigarh, January 9
Directing that the President of the Haryana Police Welfare Association, allegedly implicated in a criminal case at the instance of Haryana’s Director General of Police, will not be arrested, Mr Justice M.L. Singhal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion to the Advocate General for January 31.

• Court fee refund

Sweety Bajaj, 3 others get bail in rape case
Chandigarh, January 9
A local politician, Sweetie Bajaj, and three others reportedly involved in a rape case of minor girl, were today granted bail by a local court. The four were granted bail on the furnishing bail bonds of Rs 50, 000 each by the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr S.S Bhardwaj, in this evening.

DISTRICT COURTS
NDPS accused denied bail
Chandigarh, January 9
A local court today dismissed a bail plea moved by Surinder Singh, an accused in a NDPS case. It was alleged that on February 22, last, the city police recovered 1kg opium from the accused near the PGI. The case against the accused was registered at the Sector 11 police station.

• Five-day remand
  
  

CULTURE

Kim magic to heighten V mania
This is for the consumption of all those in the city who want more of the Channel V magic. While veejay Yudi is already in town to support his team in the hunt for girl pop singers, he will be joined by the ravishing 21-year-old veejay Kim tomorrow. Kim, who arrived in Chandigarh late tonight, will visit the famous haunts of Chandigarh, looking for fresh talent.

Channel ‘V’ unloads masti in city
Chandigarh, January 9
Channel ‘V’ is here at last! It was a great experience to have them over here at the JD Institute of Fashion Technology.

ALL FOR CHANNEL V: VJ Yudi with students at the JD Institute of Technology in Chandigarh on Wednesday.

‘Baithak’ is five
Chandigarh, January 9
The Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35, today celebrated the completion of five years of its baithak programme. Organised with a view to in calculating interest for Indian classical dances and music among city residents, the programme was kicked off in 1996 with recitals by maestros like Shahid Pervez and Uma Dogra.

HEALTH

NGOs asked to put in their bit
Mental Health Programme inaugurated
Chandigarh, January 9
‘‘There is a need for NGOs to come forward and cooperate effectively with the District Mental Health Programme like they do in the State AIDS Control Programme,’’ stated Mr Karan Avtar Singh, Finance Secretary-cum-Secretary, Health, UT Administration, while inaugurating the District Mental Health Programme at the Civil Hospital, Mani Majra here today.

Good emergency services their forte
Chandigarh, January 9
We have all seen ambulances whizzing pass us on busy streets and hope that we are never in a situation in which we will require it. Wishful thinking! Because, at some point of time in our lives, a near and dear one may need to be rushed to an emergency.

Hospital staff gate rally today
Chandigarh, January 9
The General Hospital Sector 16 Class IV Employees Union has decided to hold a gate meeting tomorrow following what they called was a refusal to accept their demands by the Hospital Medical Superintendent when a delegation of the employees met him here today.

SPORTS

Adventure festival from Feb 2
Chandigarh, January 9
The 8th National Adventure Festival will be organised from February 2 to 9. This was stated by Mr Ram Niwas, secretary of the National Adventure Club.

• Trials for National School Games

• Selection trials

• St Kabir win
  
  

Applications invited for house allotment
Chandigarh, January 9
The House Allotment Committee of the Chandigarh Administration has invited applications for the allotment of “higher and lower categories of houses” from “eligible employees”.

Nodal officers to supervise works
Panchkula, January 9
The district administration has appointed nodal officers to supervise all development works being carried out in different gram panchayats under the Sampuran Gram Rojgar Yojna (SGRY) within the district.

Unauthorised rehris removed from Sector 23
Chandigarh, January 9
The local police in a drive today removed at least 25 unauthorised rehris from near Sector 23D temple.

Land for 23 societies
Chandigarh, January 9
The estate office wing of the Chandigarh Administration today issued an allotment letter, allotting land to 23 group housing societies.