 |
|
| Sunday,
October
19, 2003,
Chandigarh, India
|
|
||||
|
Perfect pictures with precision SAS Nagar, October 18 If still photography can ever come close to the magic and life of a moving image it is now, thanks to Internet and digital imaging. Many of the photo journalists working for international photo agencies have by now perfected the art of transmitting images to their clients across the world even as they sit in the corners of the stadiums tirelessly focusing on each and every ball that is bowled. “It is amazing. What we do is click hundreds of photos each day and since now everything is digitalised and can be saved in chips we delete the ones don’t want and retain the ones that we think are good among them. These are then transmitted through Internet using mobile telephones from the ground itself to our head office in Tokyo and then they work on them a little and in less than 10 minutes the picture is on the server,’’explained Aman Sharma who is working for Associated Press. “But covering a sports event is also most mechanical and business like. In covering other events like the Gujarat riots or something else, one puts one’s heart into clicking.’’he added. But for some other photo journalists covering sports, specially cricket, is a wonderful experience. ‘‘I would prefer to click a sports event rather than political rally any day. It is much more interesting and has more appeal. Today anywhere you go on the streets everywhere people are talking about cricket and not what statement a particular politician made,’’ said Mr Kamal Kishore of Reuters. Many of these photographers armed with their extremely intimidating and costly equipment are also touching up their photos on the laptops before putting them on the server. ‘‘I use photoshop here and while there is tea break or something I touch up the photos a little and send them in. It all happens at the ground during the match,’’added another. |
||
|
A Kiwi fan’s passage to India SAS Nagar, October 18 Stating that he has followed the New Zealand cricket team across the world in 11 tours, Shaw points out that he might be well into creating a new world record for being the biggest fan ever. ‘‘I have been to seven rugby world tours and three net ball tours also, but cricket remains my first love,’’ he said. ‘‘I am also the first Kiwi fan to witness four centuries in a test match twice. The first one was at Perth,’’ he said. Shaw moves about the stand throughout the day, swaying two Kiwi flags. ‘‘ I love the emotion that my kind of love for my team evokes in Indian crowds. I love them. I was here in 1999 and followed the Indian team to Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Gwalior etc.’’ An accountant by profession, Shaw says that he has the best boss in the world. ‘‘He allows me to retain my job despite the fact that I remain out of the country for six months in an year.’’ he said. A bachelor, he quips he is looking for a nice Indian woman to marry. ‘‘I have attended 67 test matches and 135 one-day matches till now and very soon it might be a world record,’’ he said. Having picked up some typical Indian words’ he breaks into “India hai hai” and “Ganpati Bappa moriya” after short intervals and enjoys the emotions his cheering evokes amongst Indians. |
||
|
Contest winners’ date with cricket stars
Chandigarh, October 18 The contest, which was launched just prior to the ongoing cricket testmatch, was named ‘Join the Huddle’ consumer contest. Both Rahul Dravid and Zaheer did not stay long and refused to talk to mediapersons. According to Mr Tanmaya Vats, Head of Pepsi operation, Northern India, “Pepsi has been a pioneer in bringing fans closer to celebrities”. The participants were: Anshuman Vikram, Lalit Rana, Smaksh, Maninder, Ishjiv, Sharan, Vivek, Nisheet, Renu, Jessica, Ravi, Harsh, Sonia, Karanpreet, Rahul, Shrey, Varun, Jatin, Karan, Rajiv, Harpreet, Mohit, Samay, Tanveer, Akshay and Tvesa.  |
||
|
Labourer dies in building collapse Zirakpur, October 18 Hailing from the Sadi-Panchgawan area in Amritsar district, Gurmeet Singh died while Shukat Yadav, Mangru, Shaifal and Lal Mohammad, all belonging to Bihar, sustained injuries. Gurmeet Singh was taken to a private hospital in Panchkula but was later referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, where he died. Lal Mohammad was discharged from the hospital today. According to eyewitnesses, Gurmeet Singh, an electrician, was on a job when the shuttering plates on the roof of the first floor came down. Unable to bear the weight of the debris and other construction material, the floor also caved in. Interestingly, no case has been registered. Only inquest proceedings have been initiated. While talking to the Chandigarh Tribune, Tara Devi, an eye witness who also sustained minor injuries in the accident, said the workers got struck inside. There was commotion in Zirakpur that the case was hushed up by the coloniser in connivance with the police. The wife of the deceased had allegedly been given huge money as compensation for not getting an FIR registered against the coloniser and the contractor. Meanwhile, ASI Maam Raj, the investigating officer, said a DDR had been recorded on the complaint of Meenu, wife of the deceased. A visit to the site revealed that the coloniser had removed the debris with the help of an earth mover. There was hardly any sign of a building collapse. The employees, security guards and the labourers were tight-lipped about the incident. Mr Vikash Singal, the coloniser, admitted that one worker had died and four injured in the mishap. He however, denied hushing up of the case. He apologised for the misbehaviour of any of his workers and employees with The Tribune cameraman. |
|
Car rally winner held amid high drama SAS Nagar, October 18 The three, including Sandeep Sidhu, winner of this year's Raid-de-Himalaya car rally, were arrested allegedly following firing in the presence of a police team, which had come to look for them on a complaint by Sandeep's mother last night that they had gone missing. Sandeep Sidhu, son of Mr Chanan Singh Sidhu, a former MLA, and his wife Usha Sidhu are allegedly involved in a land dispute with Mr Inderjit Singh Randhwa, brother of a Punjab MLA. According to the police, they were contacted by Sandeep’s mother at about 3 am, saying that her son had gone to leave his two friends and not returned back. She alleged that he had been kidnapped by Randhawas. Following this, a three-member police party started a search for Sandeep Sidhu. ‘‘We even searched a camp near the disputed land, but there was no one there. We
Mr Narinder Singh said, ‘‘We decided to check the hospital building. We woke up the chowkidar who told us that there had been a cross-fire between
Randhawas camp and Sidhu’s residence throughout the night. While we were still questioning the chowkidar, we heard shots being fired from top of the building. We realised that it was Sandeep with his friends. But despite requests that he should come down and give his weapon to the police, he refused stating that till the SSP, Ropar, or the DGP, Punjab, is called he will not get down.” Two hours later, Sandeep was forcibly caught by the police and brought down and taken to the police station at Mullanpur Garibdass where a case was registered against him and his two friend from Ludhiana, Davinder Singh and Jaspal singh. Talking to The Tribune, Mr Inderjit Singh Randhawa repeated most of the events as were told by the police. But according to Mr Chanan Singh Sidhu, his son had been saved by the police this morning following a cross-fire between him and musclemen, allegedly employed by Mr Randhawa at the camp near the disputed land. ‘‘My son is a liscenced holder of this weapon and was simply trying to retaliate when armed men started firing at him," he said. ‘‘The dispute remains in the tehsildar's court here and although it was decided once in favour of the Randhawas, I have asked the matter to be considered again,’’ said the SDM Kharar, Mr S.S. Gill. |
|
CBSE chief for holistic approach Chandigarh, October 18 Saying that though the CBSE had taken steps to make learning a joyful experience, it was struggling to create an environment conducive to attracting the best people in the profession and retaining them. “Education does not function in isolation anymore. One needs to cultivate four traits to become a good administrator — fact, act, tact and contact,” he said. Only when all four elements are interwoven that the imparting of education becomes meaningful. Discussing the shifting focus of the CBSE from marks-based evaluation towards a holistic approach, Dr Ganguly urged the participants to lay more emphasis on Continuous and Comprehensive (CC) certificate which is based on the overall assessment of a child’s performance rather than his score in the final examination. “This is one step towards the implementation of the grading system proposed by the CBSE about two years back,” he said. He the CBSE was awaiting its acceptance. Dr Ganguly refuted the allegation that classroom teaching had become almost redundant as far as students competing for various entrance examinations was concerned. He said in a country which had about 37 education boards, adding 50 or 60 per cent marks of the board score to the entrance test marks as suggested by a section was practically not feasible. “Since there is no standardisation or uniformity in the evaluation process of all boards, the suggestion is not feasible,” he explains. About the future plans, Dr Ganguly said the CBSE had declared this year and the coming academic session as “Years of Training” for teachers. “The teachers, mainly first-generation CBSE teachers, will go through an intensive orientation programme with the main emphasis being on developing communicative skills and strategic leadership programmes,” he informed. Another proposal of the CBSE is the introduction of “Shiksha Net” which will be implemented in about 18 months, Dr Ganguly informed. “The aim of the programme is to reach out to all far-flung areas of the country through the public website, intra-net and extra-net,” he said. “We are also focusing on making vocational courses more meaningful. We might eliminate courses which have become redundant and introduce courses like fashion designing and garment manufacturing as elective subjects,” he added. |
|
Su-30 training at High Grounds soon Chandigarh, October 18 Sources told ‘The Tribune’ here that the courses on Su-30 would replace the training modules on the MiG-23 and MiG-27 aircraft, which are currently being run at the High Grounds. The High Grounds houses the MiG-23/27 TETTRA (Technical Type Training) School. The Su-30 TETTRA School is located at Pune, home base of the Su-30 squadrons. The move to shift the Su-30 training programmes here comes in the backdrop of the IAF deciding to re-position one of the Su-30 squadrons from Pune to Halwara, near Ludhiana. The TETTRA schools are responsible for teaching all technical and engineering aspects of various aircraft to IAF personnel. The curriculum includes an indepth study on an aircraft’s airframe, engines, avionics and weapon systems. Sources said the IAF had decided to terminate the technical training programmes related to the MiG-23, which have been going on for the past 20 years. “Since the IAF is phasing out MiG-23s, there are very few aircraft of this type left in service,” an officer said. “The Air Headquarters, therefore, decided that it was no longer practical to continue training personnel on this type,” he added. The IAF had earlier decided to move a Su-30 squadron from Pune to Chandigarh. The MiG-21 squadron based here earlier was moved out to accommodate the Sukhois. In the meantime, according to sources, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) at the Chandigarh airbase, who is responsible for controlling all flying and associated activities, was posted as the Station Commander of an IAF base in the south-western sector and an officer from the transport stream was appointed as COO. Given the vast difference in the operating parameters of fighters and transports, this made it impossible for a fighter squadron to operate from Chandigarh. As per IAF convention, the COO at all major airbases is a fighter pilot so that fighter operations can be undertaken from any base. Sources said since the number of MiG-23s, a couple of squadrons of which are based at Halwara, is decreasing, the IAF decided to move a Su-30 squadron there. Unlike the Chandigarh airbase, which is primarily a transport airbase housing two transport squadrons and a helicopter unit with provisions to accommodate an operational fighter squadron, Halwara is purely a fighter base. The need to move the Su-30 out of Pune was felt as the Lohegaon airbase there has become “overcrowded” with squadrons of two MiG-29, two Su-30 and a Jaguar being based there. “The IAF is getting additional Su-30s and all of them cannot be based at a single station,” an IAF officer said. “They need to be stationed elsewhere keeping in mind operational requirements,” he added. |
|
Police cancellation report not final word Chandigarh, October 18 The judgement is significant as a large number of petitions seeking the quashing of first information reports (FIRs) are filed in the high court on the ground that the police had submitted a cancellation report. Mr Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar of the high court held, “It is one thing to say that the police after investigation has found the accused innocent regarding the offences alleged to have been committed by them and it cannot be directed to present a challan. However, it is quite another thing that the Magistrate, despite the report, can proceed against the accused because the police report is not the final word about the guilt of an accused.” Taking up a petition filed by four Rajasthan residents seeking the quashing of an FIR on the ground that the cancellation report had been submitted by the police, Mr Justice Kumar further held, “It is true that the police after investigation has submitted its report under Section 169 of the Criminal Procedure Code showing the lack of evidence against the accused, but the report is yet to be accepted by the Magistrate.” The Judge added, “It does not absolve the petitioners from the allegations levelled in the FIR because despite the report under Section 169 of the code, the Magistrate has been adequately empowered to proceed against the accused, if on the basis of his own analysis he finds substance in the allegations levelled against the accused.” Dismissing the petition, the Judge added, “After hearing counsel at length, I do not find any legal ground to quash the FIR because the ingredients of different penal sections mentioned in it have been fulfilled and it was prima facie established from the allegations that the petitioners had committed those offences.” Seeking the quashing of the FIR, counsel had earlier submitted that the police after investigating the case registered against Pawan Kumar and three others had concluded that the allegations were false. The accused were booked by the Haryana police under Sections 494, 323, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code after a complaint was filed before a Magistrate. As per the FIR, the complainant had alleged that her husband Pawan Kumar, in connivance with others, had “entered into second marriage during the subsistence of his earlier marriage.” |
|
Probe sought into hotel site allotment case
Chandigarh, October 18 The committee, which met yesterday under the chairmanship of Mayor, Subhash Chawla, also recommended the cancellation of the auction of two controversial SCO sites in Sector 9. A disciplinary action against officers who concealed the facts and misguided committee members on facts regarding the sites was likely to be discussed in the next General House meeting of the corporation, later this month. The corporation will file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the order of the apex court to pay Rs 16 crore as compensation for the delay in the allotment of the hotel site. The compensation amount would be paid after the re-auction of the controversial site. The committee decided to approach the Chandigarh Administration for relaxation in the design and architecture controls of the hotel site for re-auction. During the meeting, non-official members were of the view that laxity on the part of the officials and elected representatives had resulted in the loss of over Rs 16 crore. It may be mentioned that the hotel site was auctioned when the ruling group of BJP councillors was led by the then Mayor, Ms Kamla Sharma. The role of a former Additional Commissioner, a Secretary and a Chief Accounts Officer has come under the scanner. The discussion on the issue was initiated by a councillor, Mr P.C. Sanghi, and other members seconded his viewpoint. Missing documents regarding the legal advice, if taken, when the bidder in November 1997 had sought the refund of his money before the corporation went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court against a case filed by the bidder, also raised suspicion of the committee members. The issue was not even discussed in the Finance and Contract Committee meeting then. Sources in the corporation said during meeting in 1977 the officers said there was pressure from the ruling group to generate funds to pay salaries of the employees of the then newly constituted corporation. The hotel site was auctioned before its physical possession was handed over to the corporation by the Estate Office. “The corporation did not refund the money in 1997, when the bidder had sought the refund. The entire issue points towards a connivance between the officers, councillors and the bidder”, said a councillor. It may be mentioned that Mr Chawla had claimed that a former Mayor belonging to the BJP and allegedly colluded with certain officers of the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation to cause a loss of over Rs 16 crore to the civic body. Regarding the case of auction of two SCO sites in Sector 9, the committee found that the officers of the corporation had concealed facts about the status of the commercial sites from the Finance and Contract Committee. Though the sites were put up for auction twice, the committee was informed that the sites had been put up for auction eight times. Another fact that at the time of the third auction, that the sites were converted to freehold from leasehold, had been concealed by the officers. The committee said the contents of the inquiry conducted by Mr G.K. Marwaha, Chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board, be tabled in the General House for follow-up action. The committee also approved procurement of various sanitation items. Augmentation of streetlights on the V3 roads between Sectors 21 and 22 and in the market of Sector 22 B was also approved at the meeting. The corporation allowed various markets to erect stages to display their gift items The committee also cleared an estimate of Rs 83.61 lakh for the construction of a water supply of 2 mgd capacity and an underground water reservoir. At least 11 agenda items regarding recarpeting of roads were also passed in the meeting. |
|
Neighbourhood watch scheme in Sector 20 Chandigarh, October 18 The scheme was launched in the association with the Residents Welfare Association, Sector 20-A, and the House Owners Association, Sector 20-A. The scheme seeks to promote a spirit of camaraderie among residents through social, cultural and sport events. The focus of the scheme, however, remains improvement in public safety through a better community - police interface. Launching the scheme, Mr Rajesh Kumar, IGP, congratulated the residents and asked for their active cooperation. He also released a souvenir on the occasion. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, and Mr Amitabh Dhillon, SP (Traffic), also addressed the gathering. The main aspects of the scheme included identity cards for the vendors and salesmen, installation of electronic gadgets to ensure a better security of homes. The scheme, will be good for senior citizens and women living alone. The police has suggested that neighbours of those senior citizens who live alone should install a call bell in their houses and provide its switch in the house of these senior citizens. |
|
Military police turns 65 Chandigarh, October 18 A get-together was organised for senior officers at Chandi Mandir and retired corps officers today morning, a press note issued here said. The GOC-in-C, Western Command, Lieut-Gen S.S. Mehta was among those who attended the get-together. A barakhana was also organised for all ranks and their families, which was also attended by those who had served with the unit earlier. The Corps of Military Police (CMP) traces its origin to the tense months preceding World War-II. The first ever Indian Provost Section was raised from elements of the 7th and 11th Indian Cavalry regiments for the 4th Indian Division in 1939. On October 18, 1947, the CMP shed its British connection and was re-designated as the Corps of Indian Military Police. It was finally re-christened as the Corps of Military Police in January 1950. The Chief of the Army Staff, the Western Army Commander and the Adjutant-General, who is also the Colonel Commandant of the CMP, have in their respective messages, greeted the Corps personnel on the occasion. |
|
IT surveys at Sector 17 shops Chandigarh, October 18 Another survey was conducted at Kala Emporium in Sector 11, Uphar Saree Centre in Sector 17 and Zevar Jewellers in Mani Majra. However, the stocks of the shopkeepers were being checked to ascertain any discrepancy, said Commissioner, Chandigarh, Mrs Sudha Sharma.
TNS |
|
Suspended Magistrate Bhardwaj moves application Chandigarh, October 18 Bhardwaj also requested for the seizure memo prepared by the CBI at his house in Sonam and allow him to use his bank account in
ICICI. Bhardwaj was allegedly caught red handed by the CBI while demanding and accepting an amount of Rs 7 lakh. |
8-year-old girl succumbs to injuries Chandigarh, October 18 Shafali was staying with her maternal aunts in the city for the past six months, while her parents are staying in Dehra Dun. As per police sources, Shafali was playing on a footpath in Sector 37-C, when a Santro car hit her and dragged her to quite a distance. The incident took place at around 5.30 pm yesterday. The car driver sped away from the spot. According to a relative of the deceased the car was moving at a very high speed. “The car draged Shafali to a distance of more than 60 metres”, alleged the relative and added that the registration number of the car has been given to the police. The police said there were four persons in the car and the registration number was noted down by a “dhobi”. The body was cremated today after a post-mortem examination. Shafali was studying in Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 37. |
|
Shahbad resident crushed to death Lalru, October 18 An employee with Steel Strips India Limited, he was crossing the railway track when the accident took place at 3.30 pm. The mutilated body was noticed by some residents and the railway police in Lalru was informed. The body has been sent to the Civil Hospital, Rajpura, for a post-mortem examination. Inquest proceedings has been initiated by the police in this regard. |
|
Daily draw of coupons at
Sector 17 Chandigarh, October 18 |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
