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| Thursday,
July 31, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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MC admits to shunting
out cows Chandigarh, July 30 A person accompanying the convoy to transport the cows on July 25 night, on condition of anonymity, said five or six trucks and a Gypsy with an officer had gone to the area to leave the cows from where the deaths had been reported. He did not say whether the cows had been thrown into the gorge or they fell as soon as released from the trucks carrying them. Mayor Subhash Chawla after meeting Municipal Commissioner M.P. Singh, said, the vehicles had been sent to shunt out cows as per a 40-year-old policy, also in place during the five-year tenure of the BJP. Mr Chawla said only an inquiry would be able to confirm whether the cows found dead were those shunted out by the Municipal Corporation. The Sirmaur SP said during investigations it was found that 60 cows were to be shunted out in the forests of Haryana but for some unknown reason 26 of them were allegedly thrown into a gorge. The report quoted him saying that four of the 26 survived with injuries and were taken away by farmers of nearby areas. The officer charge of handling cattle whom the Himachal Police is looking for, Dr M.S. Kamboj, was said to be on leave today. |
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Downpour triggers landslides in Morni Morni, July 30 The first spate of landslides was witnessed here after a downpour in the area for almost eight hours last night. In all, landslides occurred at 16 places along the Panchkula-Morni road . At Seelo Dhaulaghat and Badiyal, the landslides resulted road blockade. Huge rocks came sliding down the fragile Shivalik hills after breaking a retaining wall constructed along the hills to check soil erosion. The lateral cutting of roads and toe-cutting of rocks for widening the roads, coupled with large-scale deforestation, has made this area vulnerable to soil erosion and landslides. Several years ago, when the Public Works Department (PWD) had planned to widen and extend the roads, the Forest Department had objected to it because of the fragile nature of the hills. The matter had even been taken up with the Union Ministry of Environment before the final nod was given. Today, at least seven “bhoj” (blocks of villages) — Naggal, Balag, Koti, Kothi, Rajpura, Pota and Palasra — which have over 50 hamlets beyond Seelo Dhaulaghat remained cut off till late this evening. Five landslides took place near Mandhana village and hamlets of Thana, Kheda Bagola and Gadiani. Six landslides occurred between Berwala and Gadiani, and two culverts had almost over a foot-high mound of stones and earth as a result of the landslides. Locals say that it was only in the morning after the rain stopped that they noticed the landslides and informed PWD officials. Over 100 labourers were engaged to clear the road. Mr Baljit Singh, a resident of Teekri village, said no vehicles could pass beyond Seelo Dhaulaghat until a part of the road was cleared by the PWD men around noon. Children could not go to school because of the landslides. The sarpanch of Mandhana, Deena Nath, said frequent landslides caused problems. |
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Cops yet to record statement of DIG
Chandigarh, July 30 The allegations and counter-allegations by the civil and defence authorities regarding the accident have put the UT police in a fix over how to handle the case. The FIR about the accident does not carry any names. The official vehicle of the DIG was not bearing the number allotted to it by the registration and licensing authority. In fact, it had a fake numberplate. When contacted, an official of the UT Police in Sector 26 police station said he was ignorant about the matter. The fact has not been mentioned in the FIR. The written statement issued by the DIG has put a question mark over the management of traffic in the city. Traffic lights start functioning after 7 am senior officials of the UT Police admit. The registered number of motor vehicles in the city has crossed the mark of six lakh. Thousands of vehicles carrying children to school, ply on the city roads in the morning. Even CTU buses start functioning at 6 am. Heavy traffic without traffic lights for an hour in the morning can lead to accidents. Second, a check on senior civil as well as defence officials is needed to prevent them from driving their official vehicles. The DIG says he was driving the official car, but no efforts have been made by the police to verify whether he possesses a valid driving licence or not. The blank FIR registered in haste seems to have left ample space for a compromise between the Army personnel and the DIG. The timing of the accident, 6.40 am as claimed by the DIG in a written statement, indicates that he was in hurry as Shatabdi Express leaves for Delhi at 6.50 am. He was on his way to the railway station when he met with the accident. The Army, too, is to be blamed for violating the orders of Punjab and Haryana High Court that all school buses carrying children should be painted in yellow, the driver and conductor of the bus both should have a driving licence, there should be first-aid kit in the bus and the driver/conductor should attend refresher courses in driving at regular intervals. This judgement was passed by Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice Satpal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the Namit Kumar versus the UT Administration case.  |
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PU lets down its toppers Chandigarh, July 30 The function was organised to honour the toppers in all departments, including BSc (honours), MA and M Sc courses. The university also honoured winners in various cultural events and editors of the university magazine. Special additions had been made by including winners of prizes in academic, extra-curricular, contests and participation in community-based social service. The university collects a special fee meant for the award function. The function was last held during the tenure of Prof Anirudh Joshi who was the Dean during 1993-1998. It happened only once later during the tenure of Prof R.S. Grewal. The Dean’s office also used to send wishes for birth anniversary and examination to students in their rooms through hostel wardens. The university also used to extend invitation for the award ceremony to parents of meritorious students. Prof Joshi said besides the normal functions, painting contests for campus students and “kavi darbars” were also held. Inter-hostel light music competition was also organised to promote camaraderie. He said the university had an annual convocation which featured toppers in all courses. Students from affiliated colleges were also included. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof K.N. Pathak, said he would look into the issue and ensure the revival of the event. Malwinder Singh Kang, president of the Panjab University Students Union, said the function had not been held since long which reflected on the interest of university officials in events concerning students. A prize distribution function was always eagerly awaited by the students. Prof Nirmal Singh, Dean, Students Welfare, said winners in cultural events were honoured in functions concerned. He said he would look into the details of the case for other toppers. An MA (History) topper who was awarded a gold medal in 1997 said she had not received the award for her M Phil which she topped in 1999. “An award function is a life-long memory which a student cherishes. The university should honour its bright students,” she said. |
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Police all
set for challan drive Chandigarh, July 30 Sources in the police department, however, maintained that the possibility of the challan drive being deferred by the Chandigarh Administration could not be ruled out. In his petition, the former Head of Panjab University’s English Department, Prof D.C. Saxena, had sought directions to the Chandigarh Administration against implementing the reported notification regarding the change of address in the registration certificates. Professor Saxena had also sought directions to the administration for formulating a practicable and humane scheme for implementing the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act without causing harassment to the citizens. He had pleaded that interim stay should be granted in the matter so that the residents could get the addresses changed without facing inconvenience. Terming the notification “illegal”, the petitioner had added that a fee of Rs 220, already charged from motor vehicle owners, should be refunded. |
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Man at liquidator’s office in police net Chandigarh, July 30 The accused, K.K. Dutta, was arrested by the local police today. Krishan Singh, a peon, has also been arrested in this connection. The police is on the look-out for two officials of the firm allegedly involved in the theft and sale of the computer parts. Dutta is a resident of Sector 19 while Krishan Singh stays in Sector 7. As per police sources, Dutta, the then senior technical assistant at the liquidator’s office, was sent to prepare an inventory of one of the three units of the firm in August 1998 along with Krishan Singh. On September 4, the two employees along with the general manager of the firm, D.K. Kapil, and its deputy general manager P.K. Verma, besides a peon, allegedly entered a unit of the firm without authorisation and took away 150 cartons of computer parts costing about Rs 1.50 crore. The firm was put under liquidation in 1997 and a liquidator was appointed by the high court. All three units of the firm were sealed and a private security agency was appointed at the units. The sources said Dutta along with the firm officials reached the unit located in Gurgaon but were stopped by security personnel. Dutta reportedly told them that he was entering the compound as an authorised official of the liquidator’s office. They entered the firm’s compound by breaking the official seal and took away the computer parts in a taxi. The security staff reported the matter to the owner who reported the matter to the official liquidator. The matter reached the Department of Company Affairs in New Delhi. The incident was also reported to the Central Vigilance Commission and an inquiry was conducted. It is learnt that Dutta took voluntary retirement in 2000. In February this year, on the direction of the court, a three-member committee headed by SSP Gaurav Yadav was formed to investigate the matter. After investigations, a case was registered with the economic offences wing of the police on May 5. Dutta has been booked under Section 409,
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Tom remembers Punjab connection Chandigarh, July 30 As our quintessential Indian splashes the winning smile and confesses his love for Faiz and Ghalib, comfort dawns upon the heart. Every detail about Tom is reassuring — he shares your roots, your ideals, your history. Indeed Tom has always been fascinated with the Indian history, which, he feels, is replete with inspiration for civilizations. No wonder he played with ease the towering Maulana Azad in the Sayeed Alam production “Maulana Azad” that traces the lesser known aspects of the leader’s life. In Chandigarh to announce the launch of an acting workshop on the behalf of Cine Scope, Tom informed, “The play opened to an enlightened gathering at Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, in December. It was a solo performance in which the Maulana shares experiences with his secretary, who features nowhere. The role was challenging on all fronts. I had to be careful about historical details as also about emotions the character inspired. Many Maulana contemporaries were watching me. But the standing ovation confirmed that I had justified history. The production has been invited by England and Pakistan.” Coming back to roots, Tom referred to his Punjab connection. “My father was born in Sialkot. I was raised in Mussoorie, not too far off from here.” Not many know that Tom taught at a mission school in Jagadhri (Haryana) before taking the film route. A nostalgic Tom remembers, “There was something very warm about Jagadhri. I remained a teacher there until the day I watched Rajesh Khanna romance Sharmila in Aaradhna. That was the beginning of my addiction to cinema.” Fuelling this addiction was the stint at Film Institute, Pune, where Tom received an offer from Satyajit Ray, who signed him up for Shatranj Ke Khiladi. For those who typecast Tom in the foreigner villain’s role, it’s important to know that Ray chose him for his mastery over Urdu. Recalls Tom, “The most challenging scene in the film has me playing the interpreter between Richard Attenborough and the mother of Wajid Ali Shah. I am translating Urdu into English and vice versa. That scene is the loveliest scene I’ve ever shot.” Having studied Urdu for 12 years, Tom has written an Urdu script for a film he wants to make. Interestingly, the film which traces the friendship of a padri, a maulvi and a pandit, has been inspired by a Faiz Ahmed Faiz couplet: “Ek fursat-e-gunaah mili woh bhi chaar din; dekhe hain hamne haunsale parvardigaar ke.” The film will feature Naseeruddin Shah, Benjamin Gilani, besides Tom. Also associated with Benjamin and Naseeruddin in the theatre group, Motley, Tom has worked in countless English productions, where he has played powerful characters of Robert Clive, Mountbatten, Henry Lawrence and General Dyer. Largely satisfied with the range of characters he has played, Tom’s only regret is that he could not master the art of making people laugh. “I am bad at comedy,” says the actor, who will shortly feature in three films — “Hawaein”, a film set in the backdrop of 1984 riots, directed by Amitoj Mann; Asambhav, a thriller by Rajiv Rai and Aitbaar, a Vikram Bhatt film that also features Amitabh Bachchan. |
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‘Silly’ objections stall lecturers’ deputation Chandigarh, July 30 Official sources in the UT Administration indicated here today that most of the objections related to procedural matters which, strictly speaking, did not fall within the domain of the Central body. As far as the UT Administration was concerned, the only requirement involving the selection of college lecturers from Punjab and Haryana for deputation was to secure a formal approval from the UPSC. The rest of the process, including calling for panels of lecturers from Punjab and Haryana, their selection for posting in UT colleges and issuing of formal orders posting them in the city colleges was done by the UT Administration as laid down in the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. Official sources said that the UT Administration had sent the list containing the selected lecturers to the UPSC for approval but the UPSC had made a back reference. “We are preparing a detailed reply explaining the position under the existing rules and regulations,” the sources said, adding that “we hope that the list would be cleared soon.” In the meantime, the Administration has begun preparing for hiring guest faculty for the colleges in case the selected list of lecturers is not approved by the UPSC. As many as 32 lecturers from the two states were selected last month for posting in UT colleges. Of these, 13 lecturers were from Punjab and the remaining 19 were from Haryana. The lecturers picked up for appointment were to teach 13 subjects, including chemistry, physics, physical education, English, music (vocal), political science, commerce, economics, geography, music (instrumental), public administration, zoology and history. The selections were made by a committee headed by Mr Dilip Kumar, DPI (Colleges) and consisting of experts in different subjects. The UT has a total of 374 posts of lecturer of which 224 belong to the UT cadre, 90 to Punjab and 60 to Haryana. The selections made by the Education Department will take care of this shortfall as regards Punjab and Haryana posts. as regards UT posts, 29 candidates belonging to SC and OBC have already been selected by the UPSC but their formal appointment is held over pending a clarification from the government of India. Official sources said that if cleared by the UPSC, the appointment of the deputationists from Punjab and Haryana would be for three years. However, the Administration was in touch with the Union Home Ministry for an extension in their deputation period because it was not a deputation in the normal sense of the word. A provision for posting deputationists from Punjab and Haryana in the ration of 60:40 existed in the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, under which Chandigarh UT was created. Posting of deputationists from Punjab and Haryana remained stalled for several years after certain lacunae in the UT rules came to the notice of the Administration. The Administration has since amended the Chandigarh Educational Service (Group-B Gazetted) Government Arts and Science Colleges Rules allowing posting of deputationists in UT colleges. |
Exposed electric cables pose danger to life Chandigarh, July 30 Hanging at a precariously low height where any casual passer by can inadvertently fall a prey to the danger, the electric cables pose a potential danger to human life. Apart from posing danger to life, the loosely connected wires are also causing a great deal of trouble in power supply to showrooms in the area. So bad is the condition that Utkaliaka, the emporium of Orissa government, often goes without electricity whole night. Owners of the showrooms in Sector 35-D, said the area came under the SDO, subdivision No 7. Mr S.K. Nanda, manager, Utkaliaka, said, “We have been complains repeatedly but the electric cables continue to hang loosely threatening us as also the visitors to the sector. Power supply has become extremely erratic. Electricity goes off at least for three hours every day. Our complains have not yielded any result. Some electricity department’s workers come but they never repair the fault completely. I wonder what they are waiting for. Casualty can occur at any time.” Meanwhile, other showroom owners added that they have escaped danger many a time. “These wires are very strong and powerful. They are hanging at a very low height where anyone passing by can come in contact and even die. This problem is not personal. It pertains to human life,” said one of them. The danger has been doubled in the wake of the monsoons, which further charge up the wires and add to their fatal dimensions. Meanwhile, when contacted, the man on duty in the 11 KV substation, Sector 35-B, said their office had not received a simple complain in this matter. When posted on the matter, he said the office would immediately get the fault repaired. |
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CBI inquiry sought into death of cows Chandigarh, July 30 “The Mayor should be booked for the death of cows found dumped in a gorge in Himachal,” BJP councillor Gian Chand Gupta, flanked by party president Yashpal Mahajan, councillors Kamla Sharma, Rajesh Gupta, general secretary Purushottam Mahajan and National Kisan Morcha general secretary Shyam Ji Bhaskar, said at a press conference. Mr Bhaskar said he would bring the National Animal Welfare Board Chairman, Justice Ghuman Mal Lodha, to the city to have the matter investigated. The attack on the Mayor comes a day before the General House meeting of the municipal corporation which is likely to come under the shadow of the death of cows, allegedly dumped by the municipal corporation of Chandigarh in the forests of Himachal Pradesh. Reacting to the allegations, the Mayor said “I am ready to get a CBI inquiry done into the affair and the person booked who might have been behind the death of the cows.” Mr Chawla said he was ready to have an open discussion on the issue at the House meeting. The leader of the Opposition in the municipal corporation, Ms Kamla Sharma, demanded a CBI inquiry into the Chandigarh Club episode also involving the Mayor and sought his resignation on moral grounds. Ms Sharma alleged that she had been denied her right as a councillor to ask a question on the club episode permissible under Section 63 sub-Section 3 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act as the matter related to municipal corporation. Mr Chawla, when asked, said the rejection of Ms Sharma’s question has been communicated from the Commissioner’s office on the ground that personal issues could not be brought on the floor of the House. The Mayor said he had not personally rejected the question and was even ready to discuss the issue in the House, if rules permitted.
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UT plans golden jubilee
celebrations Chandigarh, July 30 This was stated here today by the art and culture committee of the Municipal Corporation Chairperson, Ms Amar Kulwant Singh, after its meeting which discussed the preparations in detail. The committee decided to write to all market associations, asking them to inform the corporation about their need to hold events in each market and organise festivals on the pattern of those held last year in Sectors 17 and 22. Ms Amar Kulwant said she had asked the Chief Engineer of the Chandigarh Administration to improve the condition of the park in Sector 9. The committee could not take up other issues as it was informed that it had not been allocated funds for the year and the non-Plan budget had been exhausted. A resolution to correct the anomaly was passed, stipulating that 50 per cent of the amount earned by community centres would be transferred to the committee. The matter was then discussed with the Mayor, who assured the committee chairperson that some budgetary arrangement for the committee would be made soon. |
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Selling treasure for survival Chandigarh, July
30 Recovering from
kidney transplant, property-cum-antique dealer Rajiv Bhasin needs
money, a lot of it, to buy medicines. “Every month I have to buy
medicines worth Rs 15,000,” he says. “Obviously I do not have that
kind of money. That’s the reason why I am being forced to sell off
my collection.” Bhasin, now putting up in Sector 11, Panchkula,
started young. So young that he does not even remember when. “I was
still a boy when I started collecting coins,” he reveals. “I
seriously do not recall when my hobby became a passion.” Real
estate business gave Bhasin more time, and freedom, to pursue his
passion. Leaving behind the comfort of his house, he travelled from
one country to another, contacting goldsmiths and other mongers in the
process. “Most of the time people do not realise the worth of their
own possessions,” he asserts. “For them, a medal is just a gold
article to be sold to a goldsmith in the hour of need. That’s where
we get our stuff from at nominal price.” The process, however, is
not simple. “You should have thorough knowledge about medals and
coins. That is why I read a lot of books,” he maintains. The price
an antique can fetch is directly proportional to its rarity, he
discloses. “But till I suffered from kidney failure, price was the
last thing on my mind,” he insists. Sitting on a bed, surrounded by
old clocks, phones and paintings lit by a chandelier, he points at
scores of gold, brass and silver coins, along with medals from the
18th century and even older. “I am willing to sacrifice all this for
survival.” He adds: “On Monday itself, I sold a gold coin to buy
two small vials of medicines. The pain kills me and tears roll down my
eye, but then.... Now I am offering a medal with Mohindra College,
Patiala State, inscribed on one side and Viceroy Lord North Brooke on
the other. I am sure it is a unique piece and will fetch me enough
money to sustain my treatment for some time.” With fading eyesight
due to medicine, a son still studying in college and wife who remains
mostly at home, Bhasin’s only hope to save his treasure is
assistance from some non-government organisation. |
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30-page inquiry report into Ranbaxy fire Chandigarh, July 30 As a result of the fire and blasts, five persons lost their lives, while several others were injured. Thereafter, separate complaints alleging human rights violation and for compensation for victims were filed by the Lawyers for Human Rights International (LHRI) and the Mohali Gram Welfare Association. Giving details, Mr Verma stated that “it is not possible to determine with certainty whether mechanical or human failure had led to the fire. Thereof, it is not possible for me to conclude by giving categorical reasons whether such explosions or fire can be avoided in future.” While talking about the safety of Ranbaxy employees and residents of SAS Nagar, Mr Verma said: “The members of the factory can be better advised to get safety devices updated for the safety of the employees and residents of SAS Nagar.” Giving details, Mr Verma added that it was mentioned in various reports that Ranbaxy had failed in its duty to ensure the safety of workers and general public and to stop the leakage of toluene gas. The reports also raised questions over the routine checks of the system. Meanwhile, the counsel for the Lawyers for Human Rights International, Mr T.S Sudan, has submitted a memorandum carrying signatures of 221 witnesses and statement that fire and explosions took place due to human failure. The hearing on the case has been fixed for August 6. |
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Muslim settlers threat to demography, says BJP SAS Nagar, July 30 Mr Grewal said the “madarsa” culture was spreading in the state which was a matter of grave concern. He said in the Kishangarh area in Bihar, the Muslims had become a majority. The result was that non-Muslims were finding it difficult to cremate bodies and were compelled to bury these. Mr Grewal said there was a need to inquire into the development but stressed that the hand of Pakistan’s ISI into the organised settlement of Muslims in the state could not be ruled out. He said state leaders on the BJP would meet the Union Home Minister soon and urge him to visit the state to assess the situation. In reply to a question on possible poll alliance, Mr Grewal said the BJP already had an alliances with the SAD. If need be alliances with other “like-minded parties” could be forged but only after consultations with the SAD, he added. Mr Grewal, who is also all-India vice-president of the Kisan Morcha, said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee genuinely wanted to protect the interests of farmers. He had recently reduced the interest rate on loans for farmers. He also announced a Rs 600 crore package for sugarcane growers. He said around 1,000 farmers from the state would visit Delhi on August 2 to thank the Prime Minister. He, meanwhile, demanded a separate agricultural policy for the state. |
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PUDA begins demolitions after 2 yrs of HC order SAS Nagar, July 30 The colony, which encroaches over two acres of prime land in Sector 71, is one of the oldest in the township. It has 276 jhuggis, which were removed today. The rest of the structures, owned by 102 persons, who have a stay order from the court, had to be spared by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) team. Interestingly, most jhuggi owners in the colony do not live here, preferring better localities in the township, and have given out their jhuggis on rent. Baldev Singh, a former Punjab police employee, better known as jhotte kutt owns 30 jhuggis here and reportedly collects rent from those living here. Similarly, Karnail Singh, Parminder Kaur and Jaspinder Singh are some of those listed in the PUDA files as owners of a majority of jhuggis here. The rent varies from Rs 500 to Rs 1000 per month and many of those residing in these colonies have been paying rent now for over 10 years now. Led by PUDA Junior Engineer Sukhpal Singh the drive was undertaken today in accordance with an order passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2001, vacating the stay orders of 33 persons regarding demolitions. Stating that the subsequent official procedure took over two years before the orders could be implemented, a PUDA official mentioned that over a 100 more petitioners have in the past 10 years been granted stay by the court in a similar case. ‘‘These stay orders start from 1993 with the last one ordered in 2002. Till these stay orders are vacated, the demolition process in Jhotte Kutt Colony cannot be carried out beyond what has been done today,’’ he said. The drive started at 9 am in the morning. The jhuggis were scattered in the colony and were removed according to their location listed in the PUDA survey carried out in 2002. Residents of Sector 71 have been over the years demanding the removal of the colony where many of the slum-dwellers rear cattle for a living, leading to filth and stink in the colony. |
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EATING OUT Chandigarh, July 30 But what about food and the quality of service? Says Mr Lalit Bhatia, an IPS officer who is a regular for the past five years and happened to be at the eatery today during lunchtime, “The hotel is as good as its name — regent. And I have tasted one of the finest dishes here and experienced prompt service provided in an excellent ambience.” Pink Pearls, the restaurant, the bar and the banquet hall have been host to a number of lively parties and quiet twosomes ever since the joint came up 11 years ago. You have a variety of delectables to choose from Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines. Savour the smart salute of the watchman and go on to be helped by the liveried waiters as notes of soft instrumental music fill the dimly-lit carpeted room. For starters, there is a tongue-tickling range of typical Indian coolant drinks like jeera pani, lassi, masaledar chaach and the special mango lassi. Then there is the halka phulka chaat and kabab, besides the usual shorbas (soups). From the Indian kitchen, there are delights like veg and non-veg tikkas and kebabs, straight out of the tandoor. The traditional fare spiced up in the handi includes dhaba chicken, murg makhani, gosht korma and veg treats like kadai panir, navratan korma and mushroom do piaza. Complement them with Basmati pulao and rotis/parathas/naan, peppered with salad and raita. For those who prefer Chinese food, the specialities are chicken chilli, fried rice, chowmein, manchurian and spring rolls. And off the Continental hot range is grilled fish, baked veggies, lemon chicken and sizzlers. Round up with a scoop of ice-cream or the breezy soda and juice. |
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BSF post lying vacant Chandigarh, July 30 Though an Additional Director-General (ADG) was posted here initially, he was moved out within two months, ostensibly because he had no exposure to the BSF. Since then no ADG has been posted here. Sources reveal that another officer of the rank of ADG at BSF Headquarters in Delhi has been given the dual charge of this post, while a Deputy Inspector General is holding the fort here. “When a new headquarters is set up, a lot of administrative work and co-ordination is required and there are any number of problems to be sorted out,” a source remarked. “If the head of the family is not there, naturally there are difficulties,” he added. While there may be administrative hitches, the source, however, asserted that on the operations front, things are fine. Selection for this post is made by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a panel of names of eligible officers is forwarded to it and final clearance for the appointment is accorded by the Prime Minister’s Office. Mr K.K. Kashyap, an IPS officer, was the ADG here. With the coming of the BSF to Chandigarh, the city has emerged as a major centre for paramilitary forces. It was already a major military centre. The office of the Central Reserve Police Force’s Additional Director General (north western region) is located here. |
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Sewerage choked Chandigarh, July 30 Overflowing sewage has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies which can lead to an epidemic. Complaints to the authorities concerned to set right the damage have fallen on deaf ears. |
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Erring cops sent to Police Lines Panchkula, July 30 |
2 girls hurt in mishap Chandigarh, July 30 As per information available, Urvashi (17) was driving the scooter and Kulwant (21) was riding pillion. Urvashi who sustained a leg fracture reportedly told the police that the truck (HR58 1493) rammed into their vehicle from behind. Kulwant sustained injuries on the arms. Meanwhile, the driver of the truck, Gurcharan Singh, a resident of Gurdaspur district, has been arrested under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC. Theft Man held AMBALA Teacher, wife booked 4-yr-old killed |
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One more held in Gagandeep case SAS Nagar, July 30 According to the SP, Mr Harcharan Singh Bhullar, Mandeep was caught from Adarsh Colony, Naya Gaon. He reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation. The other accused, Balwinder Singh and Anita, are still at large. |
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Drug peddler held, opium seized SAS Nagar, July 30 According to the Superintendent of Police, Mr Harcharan Singh Bhullar, the accused, Varinder Singh of Manouli, was stopped by the SHO, Sohana, Ms Raka Ghira at Madanpura T-junction during a special checking drive. Varinder was on a motor cycle. He was frisked by DSP Daljit Singh and over 1.25 kg of opium was seized from his possession. During interrogation, he told the police that he used to buy opium from a person in Panipat and sell it at higher rates here. |
MARKET
SPOTLIGHT — 7
THE callous attitude of the local administration and Municipal Corporation in improving the basic amenities in the inner market of Sector 7 is telling on the health of the market. The shopkeepers lament that lack of road engineering in the market is proving to be fatal for road users — around 50 accidents take place on an average due to a “virtually” unnoticeable road divider near the Sector 7 petrol station. Being an old established market, business has not been bad for many. Few traders lament that pavements in front of their showroom-cum-flats (SCFs) are in need of urgent repair. Mr Amar Nath Sharma, president of the Sector 7 SCF Market Welfare Association, said due to the damaged pavement, an aged customer visiting his shop fell when he accidentally stepped on to a damaged part of the pavement. The general secretary of the market association, Mr Ashok Kumar, laments that around Rs 3 lakh had been sanctioned for street lighting and another Rs 3.40 lakh for laying of new pavement. An active member of the Market Welfare Association, Mr Amar Nath said the Mayor of the corporation, Mr Subash Chawla, and the local Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Pawan Bansal, had visited the market in January this year and assured all possible help. The business men are equally unhappy with the traffic police for not challaning wrongly-parked vehicles in front of their shops. “We had got the parking space in the market increased. But still youngsters visiting the market park their vehicles in a haphazard manner. A road divider near the Sector 7 petrol pump does not have any road sign to warn the approaching motorists at night, said Mr Ashok Kumar, adding that during the night hours a number of vehicles hit the road divider as their eyesight was blocked by the headlights of the vehicles coming from the opposite side. The market needs an extension counter of bank or an ATM branch, and a post office. The market caters to all the needs of the residents of Sectors 7, 8 and 9. No parking: There is shortage of space in front of the booths in the market. This has badly affected the business of this market. People visiting the market park their vehicles on the road leading to Madhya Marg. This often leads to congestion, said Mr Ramesh, a shopkeeper running an stationery business from a booth. The area in front of the booths need to be developed for marking, said Mr Harpreet, a frequent visitor to the market. Blind exit from residential areas: A major headache for the shopkeepers was the inner sector roads which opened in front of the market. Motorists coming from the residential areas often collided with vehicles moving on the main road passing in front of the market. The shopkeepers demand some type of warning signs at the accident prone spots. Absence of public lavatory: There is no public lavatory in the rear of SCF ( from Nos. 1 to 44 ) of this market. Space has already been marked for the lavatory but the construction is yet to begin. Dirty back lane: The back lane of this market is in a deplorable condition, particularly during the monsoons. It has been covered with wild growth. The market welfare association has written to the authorities concerned a number of times demanding to put concrete on the back lane so as to avoid waterlogging. “No one has ever turned up to look into the problem”, said a trader. Even during slight showers the open area becomes slippery due to waterlogging. It has also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. |
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24-hour AirTel Connect opens Chandigarh, July 30 AirTel has over 1,50,000 customers in Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Panchkula. They will be able to buy new connections and recharge their cards, 24 hours a day the year round. Recharge cards of AirTel, Delhi, will be available for Delhi customers roaming in Chandigarh. A special value-added services counter has been set up for GPRS and MMS facilities. |
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Spice announces contest winner Chandigarh, July 30 |
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