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TOP STORIES

Stray cattle menace claims another life
Panchkula, December 4
The 56-year-old General Manager of Milkfed, Punjab, Mr Manmohan Munjal, died after sustaining serious injuries in an accident involving stray cattle. A stray cow had reportedly hit his scooter on the morning of December 1 and he sustained serious injuries. He was admitted to Kaiser Hospital here, where he succumbed to his injuries late last night.

Grieving relatives outside the house of Mr Manmohan Munjal, General Manager, Headquarters, Milkfed (inset), who was killed in an accident involving a stray cow.

Fake degree racket busted, three arrested
Chandigarh, December 4
The police has arrested three persons, including a city-based girl, allegedly for selling fake degrees of Delhi University. The three reportedly used to charge Rs 15,000 for a degree. The police claimed to have recovered three fake degrees from them and the police is hopeful of recovery of at least six more degrees.

(From left) Munish Kapoor, Akhil Dua and Emma Suri who have been arrested by the police for allegedly selling fake degrees. — A Tribune photograph

MC staff impound UT officer’s car
Chandigarh, December 4
While enforcing the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to remove motor mechanics from the markets in Sectors 21, 27 and 28, the enforcement staff of the Municipal Corporation today ended up impounding a new Ambassador car, reportedly allotted to a senior officer of the Chandigarh Administration.

Uday’s funeral service to be as per US army traditions
Chandigarh, December 4
The funeral of Sgt Uday Singh, who died in Iraq on December 1 while serving with the US forces, will be held here with full service honours, with a contingent from the US army being flown in here for the purpose.

70 lakh was sought for repairing road for President’s visit
Mohali, December 4
How much does the repair of a 2 km stretch of double road cost? So far as the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) is concerned, the answer is — as much as can be allowed by the PUDA head. And if the occasion is as grand as the President’s visit to the township, the sky is the limit.

Student suffers varsity apathy
Chandigarh, December 4
In a classic case of official apathy, Panjab University has not declared result of a student more than two years after he appeared in the final year exam of Bachelor of Commerce. Satnam Singh, a student of Ludhiana, applied for re-evaluation in August, 2001, and till date the university has not declared his result.

COMMUNITY

2 local bodies awarded for serving disabled
Chandigarh, December 4
A celebration of hard work and recognition of service to the mentally and physically challenged, the national awards on World Disabled Day for appreciable work towards the disabled has earned two local organisations a place in the honours list.

The Director, Social Welfare, Mr Gurdip Singh, receives the national award for service to the mentally and physically challenged from the President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

BJP celebrates win in three states
Chandigarh, December 4
The local unit of the BJP today celebrated the victory of the party in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. 

It is celebration time: A former BJP MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, president of the local unit of the BJP, Mr Yash Pal Mahajan and party workers in a jubilant mood over the victory of the BJP in the Assembly elections in three states on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

City may soon have reliable transport system
Chandigarh, December 4
If all goes well, the city will soon have a reliable transport system. The UT Administrator, Justice O.P. Verma (retd), asked his Adviser, Mr Lalit Sharma, to make concrete suggestions in a month’s time. Justice Verma said Chandigarh had a mix of fast-moving and slow-moving traffic, which raised safety concerns, and these needed to be addressed.

Verma directs police to check quackery
Chandigarh, December 4
The issue of quacks practising in slum colonies of Chandigarh caught the attention of the UT Administrator, Justice O.P. Verma (retd), today as he asked the Health Department and Police Department to launch a collective drive against quacks working in slums and villages of the city.

Residents disappointed as Apni Mandi flops
Panchkula, December 4
The Apni Mandi at Sector 4 here was almost a flop. With spinach, cauliflower and fenugreek (methi) being the only vegetables available , it was the residents who had to suffer.

Vegetable vendors sell their wares outside the Apni Mandi in Sector 4, Panchkula, after not being allowed to sell their produce. — A Tribune photograph

3 charge travel agent with 5 lakh fraud
Chandigarh, December 4
Three residents of Ludhiana have alleged that a Chandigarh-based travel agent pocketed Rs 5 lakh by promising to send their children to Canada a year ago.

Residents paying for lack of coordination
Mohali, December 4
Residents of Sector 68 here have been paying for what can best described as complete lack of coordination among the various agencies of the government. For the last four years, residents of Sectors 68 and 69 have been receiving inflated electricity bills on account of government octroi being charged by the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) simply because there is no record with the PSEB which shows these two sectors to be within the Mohali municipal limits.

Ex-servicemen seek job guarantee
Chandigarh, December 4
Ex-servicemen today sought employment guarantee from the government up to the age of 60 years in the view that soldiers are compulsorily retired at a young age to keep the profile of the armed forces youthful.

“Gita Jayanti Utsav” celebrated
Chandigarh, December 4
The local unit of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) celebrated “Gita Jayanti” Utsav with religious fervour at Hare Krishna Dham in Sector 36 today.

ISKCON devotees recite Geeta shalokas on the occasion of Geeta Jayanti Utsav in Hare Krishna Dham in Sector 36, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

READERS WRITE
An undesirable protest
I have known Mr Parkash Singh Badal as a gentlemanly politician, soft and suave. He thinks he and his son, Sukhbir Singh, have been framed in cases of corruption at the behest of Capt Amarinder Singh. If so, they can prove their innocence in the court of law, where the proceedings are pending.

• Check menace of stray cattle

• PU decision commendable

EDUCATION

Campus round-up
PU hostels being vacated for visiting luminaries
Indian Science Congress in early Jan
PANJAB University has “requested” its students to vacate the hostel premises for housing the visiting scientists and leading academic lights at the Indian Science Congress scheduled for the first week of January 2004.

Break time gets longer in the winter sun at Panjab University canteens. — A Tribune photograph

• Honoured

• New turn to retirement age

• Nostalgic revisit

Admn seeks fee structures of Punjab colleges
Chandigarh, December 4
Unable to arrive at any decision on the issue of fee hike here today, the committee of the UT Administration has called for fee structures of colleges in Punjab. At its second meeting held under the chairmanship of the Home-cum-Education Secretary, Mr R.S. Gujral, the committee decided to present a comparative statement of fee and funds approved by Panjab University and the hike proposed by the Administration.

Programme at NIIFT ends
Mohali, December 4
The six-week instructional phase of the entrepreneurship development programme organised by the Regional Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (RCED) concluded at the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) here today.

Beauty parlour inaugurated
Chandigarh, December 4
Ms Shobha Verma, wife of the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, today stressed the need for imparting vocational training to physically and mentally challenged children to enable them to be independent.

Drawing competition on AIDS awareness
Mohali, December 4
A drawing competition on AIDS awareness was organised by the Mohali unit of the Ranbaxy Community Healthcare Society at Chunni Kalan village here today.

COURTS

Sukhbir exempted from appearance in defamation case
Chandigarh, December 4
Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Rajya Sabha member and son of former Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal, was today exempted from personal appearance in a defamation case filed by him against Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. Mr Sukhbir Badal is presently lodged in Central Jail, Patiala, after being remanded in judicial custody by a Ropar court, on December 1.

HIGH COURT
Courtroom No. 13

CULTURE

New Release
‘Tehzeeb’ promises to be different film
Marketed by 20th Century Fox, ‘‘Tehzeeb’’ is the second Hindi feature film written and directed by film critic-turned-writer/director Khalid Mohammed. This one has been produced by Seven Studio Pictures in association with The Culture Company. ‘‘Tehzeeb’’ will be released today at Nirman, Chandigarh, Fun Republic, Manimajra and all over the country. The Shabana Azmi-Urmila Matondkar starrer is reportedly inspired from Ingmar Bergman’s “Autumn Sonata”. Khalid Mohammed once again tries his luck in his second directorial venture.

Shabana Azmi and Diya Mirza in ‘Tehzeeb’

LIFE STYLE

Mega NIFD Annual Awards on Sunday
The city-based National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD) plans to hold mega NIFD Annual Awards and a cultural extravaganza on December 7 at Kalagram Open-Air Auditorium.

It’s my life
NIFD has helped me
I am a Kashmiri who has been living in Chandigarh for the past 14 years. I did my schooling from St. John’s High School and Class XII from DAV College. I was a non-medical student. I have always been inspired to go in for unique things in life.

Anand Kaul, B.Sc, TD, Semester III, NIFD

FASHION FUNDAS
Experimenting with eye colours
Whether you want to make a fashion statement or just have fun coloured contact lenses are the latest buzzword on the fashion accessory scene. Who can forget the mystique of Garbo’s grey and mesmerising magic of Aishwarya’s green eyes with which they walked into the hearts of millions world over? These have provided an opportunity to the hip and happening who are not naturally endowed with the mysterious green or naughty blue eyes to have that hypnotic look.

Putting religious symbols on canvas
Works of art created in a meditative spirit, where ideas have been condensed to symbols familiar with our own tradition — that is how artist Ashok. K. Sarin describes his paintings on display at “Introspection — an exhibition of paintings and colours”. Sarin is Town Planner with the Haryana Housing Board at Panchkula.

One of Sarin’s paintings at the Sector 8 Art Gallery in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph 

Calling unsung heroes
Why is it that when faced with a difficult situation, some people display exemplary courage while others run for cover? Is it in the genes, the mental makeup or a desperate act?

SPORTS

Pinjore school skaters excel
Chandigarh, December 4
Young skaters of the Delhi Public School, Pinjore, clinched a rich haul of medals in the recently concluded Haryana State Roller Skating Championship at Yamunanagar.

Mudit Gupta and Garima Gupta, who won medals in the Haryana State Roller Skating Championship at Yamunanagar.

Guru Gobind Singh college win
Chandigarh, December 4
Hosts Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, emerged winners in the Panjab University Inter-College Ball Badminton Tournament played here today. They got the better of Government College for Girls, Sector 11, 29-7, 29-8 in the final.

Training for golfers ends
Chandigarh, December 4
The three-day golf teaching by a UK-based PGA team concluded at the Chandigarh Golf Club, here today.

The UK-based PGA tea with trainees at the end of the teaching session at Chandigarh Golf Club on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Gurpreet shines
Chandigarh, December 4
Gurpreet Kaur of Panjab University, Chandigarh, stole the limelight by leading in various heats in different events on the second day of the All-India Inter-University Rowing Championship at Sukhna Lake here today. She stayed ahead in single scull, double scull, coxless pairs and coxless fours.

Sharmistha Basu of Calcutta University shows the victory sign after winning the single scull race during the All-India Inter-University Rowing Championship at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

New Golf Club facility
Chandigarh, December 4
The president of the Chandigarh Golf Club, Raja Malvinder Singh, today inaugurated the Champions chip and putt facility.

ADMINISTRATION

UT panchayat poll on December 21
Chandigarh, December 4
The process to hold the general election for the posts of sarpanch and panch in the 17 gram panchayats of Chandigarh will begin from tomorrow. The elections would be held on December 21 from 8 am to 4 pm, the state Election Commissioner for Delhi and Chandigarh, Mr M.P. Tyagi, said here today.

Mr M.P. Tyagi, state Election Commissioner for Delhi and Chandigarh, announces the schedule of the panchayat elections at a press conference in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

MC forms task force on sanitation
Panchkula, December 4
The Municipal Council has formed a special task force to deal with insanitary conditions prevailing in the town. MC President Seema Chaudhary said the force had been formed to deal with any complaints of insanitation.