C H A N D I G A R H

Top stories | Community | Crime | Education

Culture | Lifestyle | Health | Sports

TOP STORIES

71 pc turnout in panchayat poll
Chandigarh, December 21
As many as 71 per cent voters cast their ballot during elections to panchayats in the Union Territory here today. As many as 28,192 voters of the total 39,436 cast their ballot. Of these, 11,871 were women.

Ms Gurmeet Kaur (80) and Mr Ujagar Singh (75) on their way to cast their ballot for the panchayat poll at Khuda Alisher village in Chandigarh on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Wanted criminal’s accomplice held
Chandigarh, December 21
The police today arrested a Chandigarh Vikas Manch activist, Devinder Singh, alias Koka, claiming that he was an accomplice of the city's most wanted criminal, Anil Kumar, alias Tota.

Yearender—ADMINISTRATION
Admn scored some, missed some
Chandigarh , December 21
In Chandigarh it has been literally an year of changes. The bureaucracy-led Chandigarh Administration saw major changes on the administrative front. The city also saw some major changes intended for saving its land resources from further exploitation and bring about safety on the roads. But yet certain critical problems remain unattended or have been caught in the red tape.

Letrozole controversy: prescription worries many women
Chandigarh, December 21
Despite being on infertility treatment for the past five months, it was only after reading media reports today that Anu (name changed) discovered that she, like many other hopeful women seeking a child, had been prescribed an anti-cancer drug, which could have possible side-effects.

Fog delays trains, disrupts traffic
Chandigarh, December 21
The maximum temperatures dropped sharply today at many places in the northern region, intensifying the cold conditions even as poor visibility due to fog continued to hamper normal life.

Rise in Army men’s disability pension favoured
Chandigarh, December 21
Taking serious note of the low disability pension being paid to armed forces personnel who are injured while in service, Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence, while seeking suitable revision in the rate of disability pension, has recommended pension equivalent to the last pay drawn in cases of 100 per cent disability.

Blood donation drive on anvil
Chandigarh, December 21
One of the premier NGOs of the region, the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh, has chalked out an elaborate plan to reach out extensively to colleges, companies and government departments for enrolling blood donors and double the number of blood donation camps.

A book on India’s greats
Chandigarh, December 21
In times when glamour and glitz rule centre stage in matters of publications, ‘Bharat ke Anukarniya Mahapurush’(Great Masters of India Worth Pursuing) by Dr Sansar Chandra comes in as a whiff of fresh air.

CHANDIGARH CALLING Traffic congestion is worsening in the city by the day. What adds to it is the jams at various roundabouts, many of which are becoming impossible to negotiate during rush hour. Urdu is suffering No handicap Creative all the way Unceremonious exit

COMMUNITY

MC staff await CAT order implementation 
Chandigarh, December 21
A large number of employees of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation are waiting for the past more than a year for the implementation of a court order directing the UT Municipal Commissioner, the Secretary of the Engineering Department and the UT Administration to set aside their transfers and give them a chance to exercise a fresh option.

Golf Club votes in the box
Chandigarh, December 21
Golf carts were put to an altogether different use — to transport senior members of the prestigious Golf Club from the gate to the ballot box. Elections to the club for the posts of president and 11 members of the executive committee were held today. The results will be declared tomorrow after the counting of votes during the day.

Lawyers leave for Pakistan
Chandigarh, December 21
A 60-member delegation of lawyers and judges of Punjab and Haryana left here today for Pakistan on a five-day goodwill mission on an invitation of the Advocate-General of the Punjab High Court, Lahore, the Advocate-General of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad, and Mr Arif Chaudhary, Vice-Chairman, Punjab Bar Council, Lahore.

Search Within
Meaning of Christmas and its tidings
Christmas is here and the world is once again agog with excitement and merrymaking of the season. And in the midst of all these, the reason for the season is forgotten. What exactly is the meaning of this announcement: “Behold! I bring you Good Tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born in the city of David (Bethlehem), a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10)

Residents decry PUDA apathy
Mohali, December 21
Residents of Sector 71 here have in a letter to the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) highlight various problems being faced by the residents due to the negligence of its officers.

Mohali Diary
Teachers attend workshop on meditation
Mohali, December 21
A workshop on meditation was organised for teachers at Gian Jyoti Public School, Phase II, here on Friday. Ms Cheema, coordinator, Sahaj Yoga Meditation Centre, and Ms Sangeeta Chopra told teachers about meditation. Ms Cheema said meditation should be done twice a day to reduce stress and anxiety. The school Principal, Ms Ranjeet Bedi, thanked the teachers and the experts for conducting the workshop.

11 war widows honoured

Panchkula, December 21 The Poorva Sainik Sewa Parishad honoured 11 war widows from this district as part of the Vijay Divas celebrations here today. It was an emotional day for most of the women, as the delegates spoke about the Army tradition of sacrifice and the apathy of society at large towards the war widows. The kin of martyrs of the Indian Army, who were honoured by the Poorva Sainik Sewa Parishad, at Panchkula on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Balraj Sahni Memorial Awards conferred
Chandigarh, December 21
Eminent actor Dr Mohan Agashe today gave away the 18th Balraj Sahni Memorial Awards 2002 to six theatre persons from the city. At a special function held this evening at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16, the awards were presented to Parvesh Sethi, Umesh Kant, Zulfikar Khan, Harbax Latta and Rajiv Mehta.

5 hurt while laying pipelines
Chandigarh, December 21
Five labourers engaged in the laying of sewerage pipelines in the Kishangarh information technology park were injured when an earth-moving machine accidentally touched high tension overhead power transmission cables here today.

Senior BJP leader dead

CRIME

Theft in Sector 40 market
Chandigarh, December 21
Thieves broke into three booths in the Sector 40 market and took away goods and cash worth several hundreds here last night. As per police sources, booth Nos 115, 116 and 126 were burgled and the theft was discovered in the morning when the shopkeepers opened their shops. The thieves entered the shops through ventilators and took away Rs 3,200, Rs 500 and Rs 700 from booth Nos 115, 116 and 126, respectively. They also stole 40 CDs and a CD player from booth No 116 (Riki Audio Video).

One killed in accident
Mohali, December 21
A 30 -year-old scooterist was killed on the Balongi bridge today after being hit by a truck. According to the police, the victim, Ram Dafan, a resident of Ludhiana, was returning to Ludhiana from Kajheri village on his scooter with his brother Ram Keval when the accident took place.

Ex-minister’s car stolen

EDUCATION

College teachers allege discrepancy in PF benefits
Chandigarh, December 21
Employees (teaching and non-teaching) in non-government aided and unaided colleges of Panjab University continue to be discriminated against on account of service benefits. They are being denied the benefit provided in the university calendar for calculation of their contributory provident funds benefits on the basis of their total salary minus the House Rent Allowance (HRA).

Students display love  for country Chandigarh, December 21 “I have seen a lot of hope and confidence in the performance of the children. They are an asset for the nation and I am sure they will grow up into responsible citizens of the 21st century India. Students of KB DAV Centenary Public School, Sector 7, Chandigarh, perform at their annual function on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Science projects mark school fete
Chandigarh, December 21
The students of Ajit Karam Singh International Public School, Sector 41, today put up a show full of fun and frolic, which included art and craft, science exhibition, fete and foot-tapping tunes of English and Punjabi numbers on the school premises. Mr P.I. Sabu, Regional Officer, CBSE, inaugurated it. He gave prizes to the outstanding students in academics.

Scintillating show by St Joseph’s students
Chandigarh, December 21
Students of the senior wing of St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, today presented a colourful sports and drill function, “Beats and Strokes”. Mr P.I. Sabu, Regional Officer, CBSE, Chandigarh, presided over the event, which started with a marchpast. 

Kids present fashion show
Panchkula, December 21
The annual function of Springdale Public School was celebrated on the school premises in Sector 4 yesterday. Mrs Seema Chaudhary, President of Municipal Council, was the chief guest. The highlights of the function were a fashion show, Christmas celebrations, gymnastics and karate show.

Hamara School
With an aim to providing  education for all

National Model High School in Kharar started in 1985. It is being run by the National Educational Society and got affiliated to the Punjab School Education Board, Mohali, in 1988. The institution, which strives to follow the motto “Nischey kar apni jeet karon”, aims to instil a sense of duty and discipline among students. A view of National Model High School, Kharar.

Personal attention to every child must
Classroom teaching is important. Personal attention for every child is must. No student should feel ignored, especially if he or she is weak in studies. A teacher should be well-acquainted with the family background of student. Notes about the work of a student should be sent to his or her parents in a language they are acquainted with. Every child should be made to feel that teachers are involved in his or her activities.

CULTURE

Chandigarh, December 21 Born in the golden sands of Rajasthan, the Langas have picked up only one trade in life — that of carrying the desert in their heart. The Langas unleash desert melodies during their visit to Chandigarh on Sunday. The folk performers from Jodhpur were invited by the Triveni Sangeet Sabha for a presentation at Rotary Bhavan. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan.

LIFESTYLE

Ramandeep is ‘Ayur Face of the Year’

Ramandeep, a student of NIFT, Chandigarh, won the title of “Ayur Face of the Year-2003” as a bevy of beauty braved the chill for more than three hours in the lawns of a hotel located on the Zirakpur-Panchkula road here. Kangna from Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh, and Bhoomika from Ludhiana were adjudged first and second runners-up, respectively. Ramandeep, who won the “Ayur Face of the Year-2003” title, flanked by first runner-up Kangna and second runner-up Bhoomika in Zirakpur on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

Food Festival 
Favour South-East Asian curry

A healthy and nutritious mix of babycorn, rare mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, yellow pepper for the vegetarians. A choice of exotic prawns, lobsters, fish or chicken if you are non-veg. Stir-fry them at high temperature for a particular time to get just the right consistency and crunchiness. Chef Neeraj Chaudhry serves lobster against the backdrop of a stage set for the Oriental Food Festival at Maya Palace, Sector 35, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

Provocative and stimulating — that's Agashe's theatre
It's fascinating to follow the line of consensus which devout theatre persons draw with regard to the broader objectives of theatre. Only recently veteran theatre director Habib Tanvir had listed the critical role of theatre as being anti-establishment and pro-change. Today a lot of Tanvir's theory about theatre came alive in the stimulating interaction which one managed to have with Dr Mohan Agashe, the psychiatrist with an entertaining edge.

Hostel is where heart is

Sunlit rooms, private balconies,  huge windows with beautiful curtains, this is the not the description of a designer home but is the face of a modern day hostel. Gone are the days when a mention of hostels conjured images of  pigeonhole, claustrophobic structures where students were herded together and had to bear tasteless food and struggle for a bucket of hot water in winters. Girls in a hostel room, forever ready with a hearty laugh.

It’s my life
I want to touch great heights in music
MY name is Kartik and I am a Class VIII student of Bhavan Vidyalaya. I started learning Hindustani classical music when I was six years old under the guidance of Guru Pandit Shyam Das Mishra from the Gwalior Gharana in Patna. I love music and want to touch great heights and bring honour to my guru, to my school, my parents and the city.

HEALTH

Clinic conducting sex determination tests raided
Panchkula, December 21
A team of doctors headed by Civil Surgeon , Dr Satvir Chaudhary, today raided a clinic in Maheshpur village, Bhatia Clinic. The Health Department had received complaints that sex determination tests were being performed here and illegal medical termination of pregnancies was also being done.

• 250 examined at health camp

• Health camp

SPORTS

Neeru, Brijender clinch titles
Chandigarh, December 21
Neeru of Haryana emerged winner in the featherweight colour belt section in the National Tae Kwon Do Championship held today at the Skating Rink, Sector10.

DAV, Mehar clubs move ahead
Chandigarh, December 21
DAV Club, Sector 8, and Mehar Football Club, Kurali, moved ahead in the first Kanwar Harbans Lal Memorial Football Tournament being played here at the Football Stadium, Sector 17.