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TOP STORIES

Babus jittery over golden handshake offer
Central Government employees await details of VRS
Chandigarh, February 6
The Voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) benefits unveiled yesterday have made Central Government employees ‘’insecure of being declared surplus’’ in the absence of any transparent definition of ‘’surplus staff’’.

Setback for guest-house owners
Chandigarh, February 6
Guest house owners running their business from residential areas in the city today suffered another setback after a Special Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed their application seeking alternate sites.

Advani, Sonia to halt in city today
Chandigarh, February 6
Over 500 police personnel besides the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) will be on their toes tomorrow as two VVIPs with Z-plus security , leader of the Opposition in Parliament and President of the Congress, Ms Sonia Gandhi and the Union Home Minister, Mr L. K Advani, will be in the city tomorrow.

National Child Award for city girl
Chandigarh, February 6
A local girl, Kriti Puri, has been awarded the National Child Award for exceptional achievement in 2001.
Kriti Puri receives the National Child Award for exceptional achievement, 2001, from the Vice-President, Mr Krishan Kant, in New Delhi on Tuesday.

COMMUNITY

Regional meet of women sarpanches opened
Chandigarh, February 6
Today could well have been the ‘women empowerment day’. A day-long visit of Mrs Suman Krishan Kant, wife of the country’s Vice-President, to the city, was made to coincide with the inauguration of the three-day Regional Meet of Women Sarpanches and Transformative Politics at the Panjab University today.

Dr Poornima Advani, (Right) Chairperson, National Commission for Women, with Ms Pam Rajput, president, Mahila Dakshata Samiti, Chandigarh, at the regional meet of women sarpanches organised by the Centre for Women Studies, PU, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photo

Education vital for women empowerment: Mrs Kant
Chandigarh, February 6
The eventful last decade of the 20th century witnessed very active and multifaceted efforts in various national and international fora towards a human face development, based on the principles of equity, equality, sustainability and empowerment with special focus on women.


The wife of Vice-President Krishan Kant, Ms Suman Krishan Kant, addresses students on the issue of women empowerment at a seminar held on the topic at MCM DAV College, Sector 36, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photo

Jacob lays stress on IT, e-governance
Chandigarh, February 6
Further positioning Chandigarh as an information technology hub, the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), laid stress on use of e-governance in the city the IT-friendly changes brought about in the city, while speaking at a conference on e-governance ICT Nasscom World Trade Centre, Mumbai, today.

New turn to driver’s murder case
Dera Bassi, February 6
The murder case of Mr Raghubir Singh, a factory driver, who was stabbed to death by some employees of the same factory on January 26, today took a new turn with the brothers of the deceased accusing the factory owner of being involved in the crime.

Focus on police role in atrocities’ cases
Chandigarh, February 6
Police officers were asked to take prompt action on receiving of complaints a regarding atrocities on persons belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes at a seminar organised by the police on “Prevention of Atrocities on Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe” here today.

Cong was behind ‘anti-Sikh’ riots: Jain
Chandigarh, February 6
Former BJP MP from the city Satyapal Jain has accused the Congress of being allegedly behind ‘’anti-Sikh’’ riots in the country and said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s friendship had stood for Hindu-Sikh unity.

Woman dies after falling from scooter
Chandigarh, February 6
A 64-year-old woman, Ratan Kaur, a resident of Phase XI, died after she fell from the Kinetic Honda she was riding pillion near the roundabout of Sectors 27, 28, 29 and 30 this afternoon. Ms Surjit Kaur, daughter of the deceased, was driving the scooter.

CRIME

Murder accused surrenders
Kharar, February 6
Onkar Singh, the main accused in the murder case of Kaka Singh, a SAD supporter of Naya Goan village, yesterday surrendered in the court of Mrs Preeti Sahni.

Two hit-and-run cases reported
Chandigarh, February 6
During the past 24 hours, the local police received two complaints of hit-and-run cases. A cyclist, Mr Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Bapu Dham, was allegedly hit by a Santro car (HR-04-B-0002) in Sector 7 last evening. The cyclist received injuries and was admitted into the General Hospital, Sector 16. The driver sped away in the car from the spot.

Head constable in police net for graft

MARKET PULSE
Power invertors launched
Panchkula, February 6
Microtek International, an IT peripherals company, launched ‘EcoPower’ — it’s series of power invertors, here today. During the initial phase, the company has launched model 650 VA and model 1,250 VA. “These products have been designed by our research and development team in technical association with Motorola-approved design house in Taiwan”, said Mr Rajesh Gupta, CEO of the company.

Maruti remains ‘favourite’ despite hike
Chandigarh, February 6
A week after the hike in its car prices, Maruti has recorded a sale of around 250 cars during this period in the city. The increase in the prices — 800, Omni and Esteem have made these cars dearer by around Rs 2,000 to Rs 9000.

Mega-show today
Chandigarh, February 6
In tandem with a local fashion store, the National Institute of Fashion Design will organise a mega-show on the Panjab University campus, here tomorrow.

EDUCATION

Hans showers melodies on PU crowd
Chandigarh, February 6
Panjab University is suddenly making news. This time for a very different reason. After a recent date with Harbhajan Mann, the campus today rose to welcome another star performer in the “sufiana” Hans Raj Hans. The occasion was “Jhankar — 2002” celebration and the venue was Student’s Centre grounds. As expected, melody and rhythm was in the air.

Punjabi pop singer Hans Raj Hans performs during “Jhankar” programme held at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — Tribune photo Parvesh Chauhan

PCCTU members hold rally
Chandigarh, February 6
The teachers working in non-government aided colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh and members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) organised a rally outside the office of the DPI (Colleges), Punjab, here today, to protest against the non-implementation of their demands.

Members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union hold a protest rally outside the office of DPI (Colleges), Punjab, in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photo

Fashion show at Home Science College
Chandigarh, February 6
It will be three days of music, fashion and cultural events during “Moments 2002” extravaganza to be held at the Government Home Science College, Sector 10, here from February 8 to 10.

PU Results

HIGH COURT
SP, 2 others get bail in kidnapping case
Chandigarh, February 6
Allowing bail to Punjab's Superintendent of Police Preet Pal Singh Virk and two other police officials in a 1993 kidnapping case, Mr Justice M.L. Singhal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the lower court hearing the matter to conclude the trial as expeditiously as possible, preferably within six months of receiving a copy of the order.

• Don't sack ad hoc teachers
• Summons to SSP

HC dismisses doc’s plea
Chandigarh, February 6
Dismissing a petition filed by a doctor seeking the setting aside of orders declaring him unfit for promotion to the post of Associate Professor under the Assessment Promotion Scheme, Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the High Court today ruled that nothing had come on record to show that “the selection committee had committed any illegality or material irregularity”.

Letter against Country Club illegal: HC
Chandigarh, February 6
Declaring illegal a letter asking the Country Club in SAS Nagar to stop activities relating to its setting up, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ruled that no order would be passed against it without giving a reasonable opportunity of hearing.

DISTRICT COURTS
Mahant withdraws case against PPCC
Chandigarh, February 6
A former MLA of Ludhiana, Mr Nirmal Singh Mahant, today withdrew the civil suit filed by him against the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee( PPCC).

• Bail denied

Studio ordered to pay compensation
Chandigarh, February 6
The consumer court today directed Roshan Studios to pay a compensation of Rs 400 to a city resident for causing physical and mental harassment to her along with cost of litigation.

HEALTH

PGI surgeon honoured
Chandigarh, February 6
Dr N.M. Gupta, Professor of Surgery at the PGI, has been appointed Honorary Consultant in Surgery to the armed forces for a period of three years.

SPORTS

Sodhi: A role model in hockey
Chandigarh, February 6
Achievements in the past one year have motivated the younger generation to shine in hockey with renewed zeal and dedication. India had won a series of prestigious hockey matches in seniors, under 21, juniors and sub-junior.

Gurinder, Jagdish, Nirmaljit win
Chandigarh, February 6
The Chandigarh Powerlifters have performed exceedingly well in the Inter-zonal National Federation Cup and Masters Powerlifting Championships held at Titlagarh (Orissa) from January 31 to February 3. According to Mr H.S. Bansal, secretary of the Chandigarh Powerlifting Association, Gurinder Singh won a bronze medal by lifting a total weight of 517.5 kg. He also won a bronze medal in deadlift.

• Annual athletics meet

MCC looks up to Admn again
Chandigarh, February 6
The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) has once again been left to look up to the Chandigarh Administration for setting up a solid waste treatment plant-cum-15 mw power station for want of unavailability of Rs 28 crore for equity participation in a Rs 140 crore waste-disposal-cum-power project.

Show-cause notice to be issued to contractor
Chandigarh, February 6
Municipal Corporation Chief Engineer V.K. Bhardwaj here today decided to issue a show-cause notice to the parking contractor to explain alleged violation of terms and conditions amidst a fresh complaint of charging parking fee at the entry itself.