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| Tuesday,
May 13, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Media taken for a
ride Chandigarh, May 12 Many of them, who did not have lunch because of the meeting of the
executive of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) and a
subsequent Press conference in the afternoon at Punjab Congress
Bhavan, made no secret of their feelings when they were told that
“they will have to accompany the CM to Zirakpur where the important
announcement would be made”.
Surprised at the turn of events, newsmen started making guesses as
to what could be so important that the CM wanted to disclose half an
hour after the President of the state unit of the ruling party had
addressed the media about the proceedings of the first meeting of the
PPCC executive committee. They argued that a trip to Zirakpur would
delay their copy.
They were in a fix. Some insisted on knowing about the announcement
to be made. Since they did not get any satisfactory response except
that they “would miss something big”, they decided against going
to Zirakpur.
Those who decided to be a part of the Chief Ministers’ entourage
were requested to get into waiting airconditioned cars. Accompanied by
escort vehicles, the entire cavalcade reached Zirakpur causing
disruption of vehicular traffic on the busy Chandigarh-Zirakpur Road.
The much awaited announcement came as a shock. They were told that
the Punjab Government had also notified that the ban on raising of
structures within 900 metres periphery of a defence installation had
lapsed.
Since a portion of the area falls in the jurisdiction of the
Patiala parliamentary seat which is represented by Mrs Parneet kaur,
wife of the Chief Minister, the entire exercise was to publicise the
notification already highlighted in the print media a few days ago. |
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No schemes for migrants: Verma Chandigarh, May 12 Justice O.P. Verma (retd), today unveiled his two-pronged agenda to maintain the beauty of ‘City Beautiful’. On his first visit to the UT Secretariat, the UT Administrator said: “A message has to go among the public that the Administration means business and it will not allow violation of laws.” An officer remarked that Justice Verma was in total grip of the situation and was comfortable in both Hindi as well as English. He had come with specific points and had done his
homework
The first endeavour of the Chandigarh Administration should be to secure vacant land and save it from encroachments, Justice Verma said, while asking the Finance Secretary and Deputy Commissioner to give a detailed presentation on the problems of encroachment in the city on Friday. Justice Verma said: “We have to reach a consensus after discussing all problems threadbare”. He said that the Administration must identify vacant land which is vulnerable to encroachments and guard it properly either by fencing it or by planting trees. The Administrator said while accepting the reality that migrants in the city would continue to come in, the Administration has to implement the law of the land also. Care should be taken that no such scheme should be taken up which may encourage migration to the city. Taking up another issue of stray cattle menace in the city, Justice Verma said the Chandigarh Administration as well as Municipal Corporation have to launch a drive to maintain the original character of the city which was envisaged as free from the cattle menace. A fine should be imposed on the cattle owners. Justice Verma remarked: “If New Delhi could be freed from the menace of stray cattle, why can we not do it in Chandigarh?” Stressing upon the need of providing transparent and accountable Administration, Justice Verma said that the Administration should ensure that number of grievances of people are minimised and people should have faith in the grievances’ redressal system. The Administrator asked the Chairman, Chandigarh Housing Board, to ensure quality construction in the dwelling units constructed by the Chandigarh Housing Board. He said that no compromise in construction quality would be tolerated and people should be given a choice on opting for finished or semi-finished houses. Taking a serious view of sewerage and water pipeline running side by side in rehabilitation colonies of Chandigarh, the Administrator asked the Chief Engineer, Municipal Corporation, to immediately prepare an estimate for laying a fresh water pipeline in that colony so that these pipes could be segregated. It may be added that certain cases of cholera were reported last year due to mixing of sewerage residue in the water pipeline. Justice Verma asked the Health Department, Municipal Corporation, and Chandigarh Police to launch a concerted drive to check the sale of cut fruit. Taking cognizance of a news item that illegal taxi-stands are mushrooming in the city, the Administrator asked the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation to conduct a survey of taxi stands, and if required regularise some more taxi stands, keeping in view the expansion in population. Justice Verma asked the Deputy Commissioner to frame a scheme of allowing certain agencies or individuals, if they are willing to assist the people in vehicle registration and driving licence for certain fee. He said that these agencies or individual agents should be made accountable for any lapse. Prominent among those who were present in the meeting included Home Secretary, Mr R.S. Gujral, Finance Secretary, Mr Karan A. Singh, Chairman, Chandigarh Housing Board, Mr GK Marwah, Inspector General of Police, Mr Rajesh Kumar, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Mr MP Singh, Chief Engineer of Chandigarh Administration, Mr Puranjit Singh, and Chief Engineer of Municipal Corporation, Mr V.K. Bhardawaj.  |
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Centre pulls up states for not submitting UCs Chandigarh, May 12 While presiding over the regional conference of state secretaries of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Department of northern states held here today, Ms Binoo Sen, Secretary of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Department, Government of India, warned Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal that if they failed to submit the UCs by the end of this month, the further release of the funds for various projects would be stopped. As per the details available, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have not submitted the UCs for Rs 1.225 lakh and Rs 38 lakh, respectively, allocated to them in 2001-02 for the National Ram and Buck Production Programme and the Rabbit Development Programme. Jammu and Kashmir has submitted UC against these programmes for just Rs 11.34 lakh as against the total allocation of Rs 46.09 lakh. The Punjab Government received Rs 5 lakh in 2001-02 for the preservation and development of pack animals, but failed to initiate the project. Punjab has not returned the surrender certificate to the Union Government. Jammu and Kashmir also received Rs 15.85 lakh under this scheme, but has not yet submitted the UC. Mrs Sen said her department was still waiting UCs from Haryana and Punjab for Rs 22 lakh and Rs 8.55 lakh allocated to modernise their slaughterhouses. Interestingly, both states could not initiate the project in 2001-02. Subsequently, the Union Government had to revalidate the funds in the preceding year. UT Chandigarh had also failed to submit the UC of this project that had already been completed. She has warned Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh to submit the UCs for the funds utilised under “Assistance to state poultry/ duck farms” by the end of this month or return back the grant. Rajasthan had received Rs 77.79 lakh, Uttaranchal Rs 80.20 lakh, Uttar Pradesh Rs 104 lakh and Himachal Pradesh Rs 59.87 lakh. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal and UP have also failed to submit UCs for two components of centrally-sponsored scheme of “Assistance to States for Feed and Fodder Development”. These states were allocated Rs 157.01 lakh for the establishment of fodder bank and Rs 103.51 lakh for the enrichment of straw/cellulosic waste. She has sought an explanation from these states with full details of cattle affected, number of functional cattle camps, number of fodder depots operating, quantity of feed and fodder distributed (weekly report, depot wise), status of drinking water availability for animals, status of milk procurement and disease problem in animals. Meanwhile Mrs Nita Chaudhury has asked northern states to maintain monthly utilisation register of the ongoing progress for the national project for cattle and buffalo breeding (NPCBB). She revealed that the northern states had failed to submit their micro plans, UCs and physical progress for the NPCBB. Similarly, the integrated dairy development project (IDDP) did not turn up to the expectations of the policy makers in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal as these states had failed to utilise Rs 976.02 lakh. |
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Chandigarh to
hike college fees Chandigarh, May 12 While Punjab has announced a 10 to 15 times increase in fees and other funds chargeable from college students from the next academic session, the hike proposed in Chandigarh appears to be less than 60 per cent. “We have no immediate proposal to make college and university education expensive. Last year, we had proposed a marginal increase in college and university fees, “ says Mr Dhanpat Singh, Commissioner, Higher Education, Haryana. “But this proposal was sent back to us by the Finance Department, saying that the fee hike would be considered after watching what steps are taken by the neighbouring state. Now when Punjab has announced a steep hike in the college and university fees, we may move the proposal again. In our case, the increase, if any, will not be more than 25 to 35 per cent.” Mr S.Roy, Secretary, Education, Himachal, told The Tribune over the telephone that there was no proposal to make higher education expensive. The tuition fee was last raised about four years ago from Rs 11 a month to Rs 15 a month. In Himachal we do not have many private colleges. In different categories of students, including those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, tribals and girl students, the fee and other funds taken are refundable,”. As such higher education would remain the cheapest in Himachal he added. From the coming academic session, a student going to a government college in Chandigarh may have to shell out Rs 100 a month against Rs 60 to Rs 70 now. After the revision of tuition fees, annual charges and other funds, Himachal shall continue to be the cheapest for college and university education in northern states. Mr Dalip Kumar, DPI (Colleges), Chandigarh Administration, confirmed that an increase in
charges from Rs 45 to Rs 100 a month was proposed. For example, the Chandigarh Administration proposes to raise the tuition fee from Rs 45 to Rs 100 a month. The practical fees and funds charged on a monthly basis for subjects like geography, psychology, music (instrumental and vocal), fine arts and physical education are proposed to be increased from Rs 20 to Rs 30 a subject. Similarly, the electricity and water charges are proposed to be increased to Rs 25 a month from Rs 15 a month now. The dilapidation fund would be revised from Rs 10 to Rs 15 a month. The administration also proposes to revise the annual funds like college magazine fund (from Rs 50 to Rs 75), house examination fund (from Rs 60 to Rs 100), identity card fund (Rs 10 to Rs 25) , Book replacement fund (Rs 10 to Rs 20) and library security (Rs 100 to Rs 250). Similarly, the hostel room rent may be revised from Rs 60 to Rs 100 a month. |
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Police fails to nab
runaway magistrate Chandigarh, May 12 On escaping from his Sector 22 residence, the Magistrate was booked by the police for escaping from “lawful custody “ on a complaint lodged by the SP (CBI), Mr R.S. Bhatti. The notice has been sent to the Airport Authority of India (AAI), police department of neighbouring states and intelligence agencies. Teams of the Chandigarh police were reportedly assisting the CBI in searching the judicial officer. While the judge remained elusive, the city was agog with rumours that he had been arrested near Nadha Sahib in Panchkula. However, the local CBI office and the CBI spokesman at Delhi denied that Bhardwaj had been arrested or he had surrendered. The CBI officials also denied that some staff members of the arrested District and Sessions Judge, Jalandhar, Mr A.M. Gupta, had been arrested from the Jalandhar courts, Unconfirmed reports said that a stenographer, peon and an almadh in the court of the Sessions judge had been questioned by CBI sleuths. Sources in the CBI said raids were being conducted at different places in the region. The arrested Sessions judge was being questioned by CBI sleuths. Some records of the cases decided by Mr Gupta had been taken in possession from Jalandhar.
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Admonished schoolgirl attempts suicide SAS Nagar, May 12 Monika, a student of Class VIII in Sant Isher Singh Public School, Sector 70, was
immediately hospitalised and according to the doctors attending to her, her condition is said to be
stable.
According to the information provided by the parents, Mr Chander and Mrs Kusum, Monika was allegedly slapped by her Punjabi teacher, Mrs Satbir Kaur, during the Punjabi period. ‘‘The Punjabi teacher thought that Monika has checked the homework on her own and forged the teacher’s signatures. While Monika kept telling her that the teacher had signed her copy, Mrs Satbir Kaur apparently insisted that she had not. Monika was then slapped by her,’’said her mother, Kusum, a housewife. “Then the Punjabi teacher called the English teacher, Ms Rashmi, who on hearing the problem also slapped Monika.” The matter then reached the Principal, Ms Harjit Kaur, who, also according to the parents, slapped her. Monika then went to the bathroom and came back to the classroom. “She told one of her friends that she is not feeling well as she has drunk a complete bottle of cleaning liquid in the bathroom. The girl then raised the alarm.’’says Mr Chander who works for general insurance. According to the parents’ version, the school’s PT teacher then left Monika home without bothering to take her to the hospital. Along with a relative and some neighbours, I brought her to the dispensary in Matour. Here she was made to vomit and since she was losing consciousness we rushed her to the Civil Hospital in Phase VI.” her mother said. On the other hand the school authorities state that it was the school teacher who directly took Monika to the hospital in Phase VI. ‘‘No one from the school even came to ask how she was. One person was sent with the bottle of the cleaning liquid when the doctors asked about what exactly she had consumed,’’allege the parents. The school authorities when contacted stated that Monika had not taken any bathroom cleaning liquid at all and according to the doctors she was fine.” The doctor on emergency duty who had admitted the student, refused to comment stating that she had given Monika the treatment required. |
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Dr Suri appointed PGI Dean Chandigarh, May 12 A number of important decisions were taken at the meeting, which was presided over by the Union Health Minister, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, who is also the Chairperson of the PGI. The meeting was followed by an Institute Body meeting. After the setting aside of Dr O.N. Nagi’s appointment as Dean by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the post was lying vacant. It is reliably learnt that though the name of Dr R.J. Dash, the seniormost doctor at the PGI and the head of Endocrinology Department, was discussed but with his retirement due in August this year, it was decided to appoint Dr Suri. Though the controversy over the appointment of Dean seems to have been settled, but a case pertaining to seniority issue between Dr Suri and Dr Sarla Gopalan, the Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, is pending in the court. The controversy over the headship of the Surgery Department between Dr J.D. Wig and Dr R. Minz has not been resolved as the governing body was against the creation of a separate department.” Since the creation of a new department would have financial implications, the members felt that the issue should be settled amicably by accommodating Dr Wig and Dr Minz,” said a governing body member. A proposal was placed to redesignate the Kidney Transplant Centre as department of Renal Transplant Surgery, so that Dr Minz could be made its Head, resolving the controversy. Dr Wig had earlier approached the court against the appointment of Dr Minz as the head of the Surgery Department by the Health Ministry. The Annual Report of the PGI for the year 2001-2002 was placed before the governing body was not approved as some members pointed out that only one part of the Audit Report had been attached and some of the serious audit objections were not there. The PGI has now been asked to present the report along with the entire Audit Report before the Standing Finance Committee (SFC), after which the governing body will consider it at its next meeting,” said a member. Regarding an agenda item involving the death of a
patient, Mohinder Kaur, allegedly due to negligence of doctors, the PGI Director pleaded that the inquiry was yet to be completed. Contrary to expectations, the issue of VCD controversy at the Cardiology Department involving two doctors was not raised by anyone at today’s meeting. The controversial issue of the PGI Project Implementation Committee overstepping its jurisdiction also came up for discussion. The minister is learnt to have said that such irregularities should not be committed in future. It was also decided to advertise all posts of doctors which had not been filled. The PGI has also been asked to place before the governing body the request for 40 Assistant Professors for consideration of their ad hoc period for next promotion. |
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Seema Chaudhary takes over as MC chief Panchkula, May 12 Mrs Seema Chaudhary promised that she would work for the betterment of Panchkula and assured that the face of the township would be changed for the better in the next two months. While asking for the support of other Councillors, she said her priority areas would be to improve the sanitation facilities, so that township gained the distinction of being the most beautiful town in Haryana. She said she would conduct a survey of the township and assess the problems and solutions. She said an exercise to do away with Congress grass menace and for removal of debris from all vacant plots and along road sides would be carried out shortly. The notification of Mrs Seema Chaudhary’s election as President was issued by the state government on May 7. Today, a joint bank account in the name of the Executive Officer, municipal council, Mr O.P. Sihag and Mrs Seema Chaudhary was also opened after she assumed the office. Later addressing the councillors, Mr. O.P. Sihag said the council was hoping to provide the best services, in spite of certain constraints. He said as against 549 posts demanded for the council, only 104 had been sanctioned and most services were to be privatised. He said the sanitation and the maintenance of street lights had been given on contract, and attempts were being made to improve these services. He said the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) had failed to transfer funds to council (75 per cent of extension fee from all developed sectors, approximately Rs 8.15 crore). He admitted that there was disagreement between the two sides over deductions (if any) to be made, while conceding that the MC was plush with funds. |
Zoo probe: VB postpones digging Chhat Bir (Patiala), May 12 A team of the bureau comprising Mr Amarjit Singh, SP, Mr Bakshish Singh and Mr Harpal Singh, both inspectors, reached the zoo office at about 1 pm. However, only one veterinary doctor, Dr M.P. Singh, had turned up for the exhuming operation. While two others — Dr Jaspal Singh and Dr Nirmal Singh — could not join the operation since they had to attend a meeting in Punjab Bhavan in Chandigarh. During its over one hour stay in the zoo, the team questioned Mr Neeraj Gupta, a wildlife warden. The team also visited the office of the Deputy Director of the zoo, sources said. While interacting with mediapersons, the SP said they had to postpone the digging operation because of the absence of two veterinary doctors whose presence was compulsory for the medical verification of the remains. The bureau team was here to conduct investigations into the charges of smuggling of skins, jaws, claws and bones of carnivores — levelled against the former Chief Warden (Zoos), Punjab. The bureau team restrained some press lensmen when they tried to click their photographs. |
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Steps to encourage farmers to adopt dairy farming Chandigarh, May 12 This was disclosed by Ms Binoo Sen, Secretary of the Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Department of the Central Government, in the regional conference of state Secretaries of the Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries departments of northern states held here today. She said the states should improve the breed of milch cattle, increase fodder production and improve the health conditions of animals. She highlighted various schemes framed by the Union Government for this and asked the states to send their projects as soon as possible for approval. Reviewing the ongoing progress of various schemes of these departments, she asked the state governments to ensure timely completion of the projects. Ms Nita Chaudhury, Joint Secretary of the Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Department of the Union Government, said the objective of the conference was to obtain inputs from the field before framing a comprehensive policy for the modernisation of the livestock and dairy sector. She emphasized on making dairy farming a viable proposition. Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, Punjab Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries, while presiding over the conference, said livestock diseases proved to be a serious impediment to the development of livestock and dairy industry. Its economics and viability depended on the effectiveness of disease control measures and the status of the health of livestock. He explained that in rural Punjab, dairy farming did not require much infrastructure, since most of the facilities were already available with the farmers. He stressed upon the need to improve the finances of the farmers engaged in this allied profession. He also advocated mandatory training or refresher course at regular intervals for the officials of the departments. The minister said under the Adarsh Gram Scheme, 140 villages had been selected from each block of the state where special awareness camps had been organised so as to motivate the farmers to improve the breed of livestock, eradicate prevailing diseases, enhance the quality of produce, explore new marketing opportunities and decrease the cost of production so that milk and meat products could compete in the international market. He revealed that in the ensuing year, 140 more villages would be covered under the scheme. Mr D.S. Jaspal, Principal Secretary to the Punjab Government, said the State had introduced prawn farming for the first time with a view to provide new options in fish farming and to make aquaculture popular in the state to benefit the farmers with additional source of income. The Secretaries and Directors of the Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Departments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir participated in the conference. |
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Waiting for the auspicious time Chandigarh, May 12 The battle between manoeuvres and unfavouring stars is being witnessed in Punjab BJP's urgency to enter the nearly-complete Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Bhawan in Sector 37, its to-be office. Closeted in a small accommodation in MLA flat number 46 in Sector 3, the party had started construction of a 7000 square yard palatial office on May 9, 2001 to take the entire party operation there but the star position after May 26 does not allow it to do so. The newly-built office, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Bhawan, is likely to be completed either by the end of July or early August, a time when entry will be inauspicious and they will have to wait for another six months. The party has now found a via media to organise a pooja on May 26 on the building which is still incomplete. Another big state-level function with participation from BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishan Advani is likely to be held in August (an inauspicious time). The BJP Punjab unit President Brij Lal Rinwa told the Tribune today "The pooja on May 26 is being organised as for the next six months it will not be possible to find an auspicious time to allow the party to function from the new building." So the pooja and political functions have been separated. The party, however, does not want to miss a political opportunity on the occasion of pooja. BJP's national political big wigs Sanjay Joshi, Sangh Priya Gautam and Rajnath Singh might attend the pooja, according to Mr Rinwa. Final touches are being given to the Rs 2.25 crore building. The basement plus three-floor building has seven rooms and a hall on the ground floor for the party office bearers, offices of morchas and cells on the first floor and residential accommodation on the entire second floor. The residential area has separate dormitories for women and men apart from six rooms and a dining hall. An interesting part of the building is that that the two ideological poles represented by the BJP and the Communist Party of India seem to converge here in the sense an architect who built the CPM office in the city has also designed that of the BJP. |
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Cong councillor backs sweepers’ stir Chandigarh, May 12 Mr Sharma today joined the agitators and assured them to take a five-member delegation of sweepers to the All-India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi to represent their case. The sidelined Congress councillor found an opportunity to redress the grievances of sweepers to the All India Congress Committee General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai who came to Rajeev Gandhi Bhavan to flag off a truckload of drought relief, sent by the Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress, to Rajasthan today. Mr Sharma is reported to have sought an appointment with Ms Gandhi within next 10 days. Mr Sharma, who also supported the demands of sweepers in the last Municipal Corporation House meeting, has apparently supported the Sweepers’ Union to embarrass the Mayor for taking a decision that could erode the traditional vote bank of the party. In an apparent bid to be seen winning over an estranged vote bank, Mr Sharma asked the sweepers to efficiently do their work to strengthen their fight against contract system and also to keep off the BJP. Addressing the agitating sweepers Mr Sharma opposed the sanitation under contract system. The Sweepers’ Union also submitted a memorandum to Mr Sharma, who is also a party General Secretary to be handed over to Ms Kidwai. Mr Sharma assured the Sweepers’ Union that their demands would be sent to the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee President B.B. Bahl along with a letter in their support. The estranged Congress General Secretary also assured them that he would take up their issues on the party fora. The letter handed over to Ms Kidwai reminds the party General Secretary of Ms Sonia Gandhi’s efforts to get the contract system withdrawn wherever the Congress is ruling. It said recently Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot withdrew the contract system. The letter also said the Mayor had not even called sweepers for talks since they sat on a chain fast on April 23. |
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Inspection wasn’t
conducted ‘properly’ Chandigarh, May 12 Talking to TNS, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Rajesh Kumar, said the inspecting officer had not gone into the details of the cases and should have thoroughly looked into the matter. The IGP gave his comments after going through the contents of the inspection report forwarded recently by the SSP. “It appears that the DSP did not go into the details of the cases and rushed to submit his inspection report”, said an official. The inspecting official in his report had stated that at least 11, cases which had been sent as untraced, could not be compounded by the police.He had reportedly said that it was illegal to close the cases and they should be reinvestigated as most pertained to offences of cheating and forgery. The IGP said though he had yet to go through all the cases, in one of the cases the person had died. Two cases had been settled by lok adalats and five were under investigation. Sources said the IGP had written to the Superintendent of Police (Operations), Mr H.G.S. Dhaliwal, to look into the matter. Mr Dhaliwal refused to comment on the issue. Inquires reveal that an untraced case was sent to court for compounding. The police do not have power to compound a case and the power is vested with the court. In case there is no evidence the case is sent as untraced. The sources said some of the cases mentioned in the inspection report by the DSP had been cancelled by the orders of the court. However, the police had powers to reinvestigate the cases. |
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Maruti insurance to cost less Chandigarh, May 12 Maruti car owners would be major beneficiary after the deregularisation of the market, as the percentage of claims amount was lowest as compared to other cars, said Mr Jagdish Khattar, Managing Director, Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) here today. He was in the city to launch Maruti finance scheme for the financing of the company models. Talking to the Chandigarh Tribune, he disclosed that since the company was offering insurance at the time of purchase in collaboration with Bajaj Allianz and New India Insurance, it was expecting that the Maruti car owners would have to pay less premium once the markets is deregulated by the IRDA. He admitted that though the insurance companies were incurring heavy losses in the auto- insurance business due to high ratio of claims because of accidents and third party claims. However, he said, if the company-wise ratio of premium to claims was worked out, the insurance companies were not incurring losses in case of Maruti models due to lower percentage of accidents, say, per lakh cars as compared to other models. Mr Khattar said if the insurance companies had to pay up to 300 per cent claims of the premium in case of other models, for Maruti models the ratio was not more than 50-60 per cent. He said, once the market was deregularised, the company would be able to offer car insurance for lower premium than other models. Dr N.K. Nagal, Senior Divisional Manager at Oriental Insurance Company, admitted that insurance companies were suffering huge losses due to the payment of large amount to accident victims , hit by insured vehicles. The amount could be anywhere between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh as per the decision of the courts. But the government was not allowing to enhance premium. Another official of the company said: ‘‘Since the private players are not ready to provide third party insurance cover under the existing premium rates, the IRDA has agreed to revise premium rates.’’ He said undoubtedly, in particular cases, the insurance companies and manufacturers could offer insurance cover at lower rates, but in most of the cases, and in the upper segment, the premium would have to be revised upward. ‘‘How could a car owner buy an insurance cover for Rs 50-70 lakh by just paying Rs 5000 to 6,000 annually, though he had paid up to Rs 10 lakh for the vehicle,’’ he asked. |
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‘Involve ex-cops to check underage drivers’ Chandigarh, May 12 The Association has also requested the school principals to identify the students coming to the institutes on motor cycles, scooters, and cars. According to association chairman Bhim Sen Sehgal, the principals were also being asked to verify the age of the students from the school records before informing the authorities for enabling them to act against the violators. This, Mr Sehgal asserts, would rule out the possibility of students riding high to the schools after procuring fake licenses, or original ones after forging age certificates. He added that the school heads were also being requested to write notes to parents beseeching them against permitting the students from driving down to the school. “The intention is to involve the parents in helping the police and other authorities to prevent accidents and the youngsters from committing offences,” Mr Sehgal adds. The appeal to the school authorities and the parents against permitting adolescent riders is significant as road accidents involving underage drivers is on rise in the city, according to sources in the Police Department. Sources maintain that almost three to four mishaps occur every week and may minor accidents, where no one is seriously injured go unreported, they add. |
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Parking space unfriendly to physically challenged Chandigarh, May 12 With the traffic police restricting them to park their vehicles just in front of their offices in Sector 17, they had been forced to walk long distances, Mr Mohit Batra, whose both legs were amputated two years ago, told the Chandigarh Tribune here today. He said though the physically challenged had been provided free parkings but it was at a distance from the office. Mr Batra narrating his experience said today he parked his vehicle in front of the Punjab Mandi Board with the consent of the SHO, traffic, but when he came out, the three-wheeled vehicle had been put on the pavement. The Mandi Board employee said though the contractor had no objection to his parking of the three-wheeled scooter but the traffic police did not heed. He could not take out his vehicle without the help of others as cars were parked in front of the scooter dumped by the traffic police on the pavement. Mr Batra said each parking lot should have a place for them for their convenience. |
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Police remand for Jindal SAS Nagar, May 12 Mr Bhullar said the medical report of Surinder Jindal had shown that he was not tortured either physically or mentally and he had made up the whole story to tarnish the image of the police. “He is an invertor thief. He goes to companies who manufacture invertors and takes them on credit. He sells them to other people and when the company people go to collect the money he vanishes from the address given,” said Mr Bhullar. |
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FAUJI BEAT To motivate schoolchildren to join the Army, “Know your Army”, workshops are held by various formations from time to time. Besides creating awareness among children about the Army, these workshops inculcate a spirit of adventure and discipline in them. At these workshops, schoolchildren are not only familiarised with the Army, but are also given a chance to handle weapons and ride on tanks. Some of the enthusistic boys and girls are made to fire miniature rifles. They are also exposed to adventure activities such as trecking jungle survival and crew cooking. These workshops lay emphasis on learning through fun, and entertainment. The schoolchildren, by and large, by show keen interest in the Army life. Some of them are so thrilled by this exposure they make a decision to opt for the Army. Health scheme contribution rates Big Mohinder Singh( Retd.), President of the Indian Ex-Services League (IESL), New Delhi, says, “Even before the introduction of the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) with effect from April 1, 2003, the Government enhanced its contribution rates. It is quite strange that an order of the government, which had he approval of the Cabinet, was changed, thus enhancing the rates manifold on the plea that there cannot be any disparity between civilian pensioners and defence pensioners. The amazing part is that this order has been enforced even without referring the new proposal to the Cabinet Committee that had approved the first order”. He further says, “The enhanced rates are beyond the reach of even officers, what to speak of personnel below officer ranks (PBORs). This will deter many defence pensioner, especially the older group, from becoming members of the scheme. This may result in the failure of the scheme”. The proposal of the IESL that the ex-servicemen should at least allowed to pay contribution in instalments is under consideration at the Army Headquarters. The terms and conditions of the defence personnel being much harder than those of the civilian employees, a comparison between them should not be made. This was never done during the British regime. Ironically, the defence pensioners are at a great disadvantage as compared to their civilian counterparts in several respects. To name only one, former retire much earlier in age and most of them do not get 50 per cent of their pay as pension. Yet, whenever any advantage is sought for them, the bureaucrats go all out to scuttle it.
Hospital admission Earlier, when a jawan from an outstation got his wife admitted to the Command Hospital, Chandi Mandir, he had to make arrangement for his stay somewhere outside the hospital. This cost him quite an amount of money, which he could hardly afford. In a new work culture introduced at this hospital by its Commandant Maj-Gen B. Sadananda last year, the emphasis continues to be on providing better services to the patients whose satisfaction is their sole mission. One of the welfare measures adopted by him a few months ago was to also admit the husband of a woman patient coming from an outstation in the hospital for the duration of her stay here for treatment. This saves him from incurring unnecessary expenditure.
Tracker dog Of all animals, dog is known to be the most faithful. When properly trained, it can be of immence help to man. No wonder then, the Army dog No. 31A2, named as Mala, of 3 Army Dog Unit, located at Leimakhong in imphal, has been awarded the Chief of the Army Staffs Commendation Card for detecting two improvised explosive devises (IEDs) near Lamlai police station in Manipur last year. Mala handler ALD (ADT) Amrendra Kumar, has also awarded GOC-in-C’s Commendation Card for training the dog so well that it could save many lives. The Army and police tracker dogs have proved their usefulness as detective beyond any doubt. |
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Leaf from history One lakh mango trees, mostly langda, malda, dussehri and desi, exist in an area a little more than 100 acres says the chowkidar of a mango grove in Rajendra Park in Sector 2. The next large plantation, according to him, is of about 80,000 trees on the land between Industrial Area Phase I and Chandigarh. Whatever the veracity of these estimates, one thing is clear: the man who lives with the trees is definitely in awe of them. But few in Chandigarh know of the grove along the road dividing the Industrial area from the town. Even fewer are aware of the grove at Rajendra Park. And it is only the garden-conscious that know that mango plants, as also plants of many other sorts, can be obtained from the Government Nursery at Sector 23.
Actually, at Rajendra Park, which is named after President Rajendra Prasad who had come to inaugurate Chandigarh on October 7, 1953, a large jungle had been planted. It consisted of amla, margosa and Bauhinia purpurea. Since the sub-mountaneous plains of Punjab were already famous for their delicious mangoes and the Chandigarh villages were dotted with mango groves, it was also decided to have a national mango garden at the Rajendra Park which would contain the best varieties of seedling mangoes. The national mango garden somehow got lost in the files of the government but a large mango forest did come up at the Rajendra Park and it yields a considerable supply of mangoes each year. Mango tree has been part of the Indian culture since the earliest of times. Its tasty fruit, sometimes full of succulent pulp and at others giving out sharp but pleasant smelling juice and has always attracted the imagination of Indians. So much so that mango was considered the king of all fruits. The emperor Akbar, according to one of the Birbal-Akbar stories, is said to have eaten all of a bunch of mangoes, pulp, stone and skin while his queen only sucked out the juice and let the stone and skin be. As Ghalib, a fan of mangoes like almost everyone else, said, “aam meethe hon aur bahut se hon.” When a friend tried to make fun of him by pointing out a donkey who had turned his face away from a spread of mango skin, “gadhe bhi aam nahin khate,” [even donkeys do not eat mangoes] Ghalib replied “gadhe hi aam nahin khate” [only donkeys don’t eat mangoes]. Mango wood was used in the sacrificial fire [havan] in days gone by. The leaves were woven into beautiful and auspicious “bandanwar”, decorations above the main door of the house which were supposed to invite good fortune into the household. The shape of the mango fruit, the “kairee” or “amiya”, was considered a symbol of fertility. It continues to be one of the more popular of decorations for women’s clothing and designs made by women on the outer walls of their houses. Mango leaves were also used by the accomplished painters of the pre-chemical dye era to produce a beautiful yellow colour. Much of the yellow used in Pahari paintings comes from the mango leaf. Persuading a green leaf to yield a yellow colour was done with the help of a cow. That holy animal performed the role of a bio-converter for the painter. Mango leaves were fed to a cow. The subsequent liquid excretions were gathered in a pan and dried in the shade. When all the liquid had evaporated shining crystals of colour were left behind in the pan, which on dissolving in water provided the requisite yellow colour for the painter. I wonder why no one calls this shade of yellow “mango yellow”? |
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Sector 69 in state of neglect: forum SAS Nagar, May 12 In a letter to the ACA, PUDA, Mr Yogesh Gupta, the president of the forum, said here today that there was lots of congress grass in the area which had become breeding place for mosquitoes. The parks in the sector were in a state of neglect. Some of the plants and shrubs were withering away due to lack of proper watering. Some of the sewerage pipes were choked and many manholes did not have covers. Streetlights were not functional in some parts of the sector, he alleged. Mr Gupta said a number of jhuggis had come up in the area which should be removed. The sector was also facing the problem of stray animals which were destroying plants maintained by residents. He demanded that a community centre should be constructed in the area. Members of the forum also met the Superintending Engineer of the PSEB here and brought to his notice that residents’ complaints were not being registered by the board office. They said the complaint office remained locked after office hours and during the day, staff on duty failed to register the complaints. Mr Gupta said there were frequent power failures in the area and complaints of voltage fluctuation were also received. |
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Good Samaritan
in police custody Chandigarh, May 12 Mr Sharma told TNS that when he was controlling the steering a PCR gypsy came and policemen sitting in it said that the car (CH01 J 7431 had been stolen from Sector 21 and its owner, Mr Rajan Chopra, had lodged an FIR. On seeing the PCR vehicle, the youth escaped and the PCR staff caught Mr Sharma. His saying that he was innocent did not move the policemen and he was booked under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC and remanded to a two-day police custody. Officials from SD College and the family of the victim today went to the IGP to lodge a complaint about the police action. |
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Save Sukhna One way to stop the silt from flowing into the Sukhna is by constructing a 10 feet wide and 8 feet deep drain along the periphery of the lake. This will ensure that the water coming into the lake will first fall into the drain and settle down and so, the silt will also settle down there. Only the overflow will go into the lake. The drain can be at a distance of about 100 metres from the lake. It has to run all along the place from where water comes into the lake. Swatantar Singal, Executive Engineer,
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Kainth PSB (SC, ST) Assn chief Chandigarh, May 12 The other office bearers elected included general secretary Sarwan Kumar, Sr vice-president Surinder Singh, vice-president Mohan Lal Rali and treasurer Mrs Kusum. Earlier, Ch Jagjit Singh, Local Government, Parliamentary Affairs and Labour & Employment Minister, Punjab, inaugurated the conference in which delegates from all over the country participated. |
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Johal elected
ad hoc convener Chandigarh, May 12 Overseas Congress Chairman (north America) R.L. Bhatia has been asked by Mr Natwar Singh to inform Ms Bhondi about the appointment of Mr Johal. Mr Johal visited India in the second half of April and met All-India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president H.S. Hanspal, Mr R.L. Bhatia and senior ministers of Punjab. |
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CTYC sends relief to Rajasthan
Chandigarh, May 12 The truck was flagged off by All-India Congress Committee General Secretary, Mohsina Kidwai in the presence of the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee President B. B. Bahl, MP Pawan Bansal, Mayor Subhash Chawla and CTYC President H. S. Lucky from Rajeev Gandhi Bhawan, Sector 35. |
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Migrant labourer found dead Chandigarh, May 12 |
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Smuggler gave fake notes to jeweller SAS Nagar, May 12 According to the information, the police raided the premises of the jeweller in Sector 8 and his residence, but he escaped. The police stated that Kashmira Singh claimed to have had fake currency notes worth Rs 5 lakh out of which he was stated to have burnt Rs 1.3 lakh. The rest he gave to the jeweller. |
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While talking to Chandigarh Tribune Dr Gurvinder Singh Samra of Guru Tegh Bhadhur Hospital at Kartarpur, claimed that he had proof of nexus between judicial officers and a senior police official. He said this was just the beginning of what he had in his possession. He claimed that he had documentary evidence to prove nexus between certain judicial officers and senior police officials involved in cheating unsuspecting litigants.
