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Escapees’ counsel says they may have been killed
Chandigarh, February 3
Counsel for alleged assassin of Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh — Paramjit Singh Bheora — alleged today that his client and three others were forcibly taken away by the jail authorities and other high-ups.

Mr R.S. Gupta, who heads the commission appointed to probe the lapses which led to the escape of terrorist Hawara and three others from Burail Jail, arrives in his official car in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

They escaped despite floodlights
Chandigarh, February 3
Former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s alleged assassins Jagtar Singh Hawara and three others are believed to have covered a part of the escape route within the jail premises despite floodlights being on.

None given clean chit yet: Swami
Chandigarh, February 3
The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr I.D. Swami, today said the ministry had not absolved any official of blame for the occurrence of the January 21 Burail jailbreak.

Cops have no role in jail administration: R.S. Gupta
Chandigarh, February 3
The chairman of the three-member committee probing “lapses of jail administration and those supposed to supervise it,” Mr . R. S. Gupta, today informed that the committee was not inquiring into the role of the police in the entire episode.

Punishing wardens futile, says CM

Admn shifts stance on commercial sites
Chandigarh, February 3
The Chandigarh Administration is all set to take a step in the reverse direction and go back to the “control raj”. It has decided to auction the upcoming 11-storeyed commercial tower in Sector 17 and also the shopping mall in Sector 44 on leasehold and not on freehold basis, as is the norm.

General lays stress on army preparedness

Chandigarh, February 3 Enhancement of the Army’s Operational preparedness and promoting the esprit de corps are among top priorities laid down by Lieut-Gen J.J. Singh on formally assuming charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Command at Chandimandir Military Station, near here, today. Lieut-Gen J.J. Singh inspects a guard of honour on taking over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, in Chandimandir on Tuesday. —Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Judicious use of money crucial, feel defence experts
Chandigarh, February 3
While the setting up of a non-lapsable fund for defence modernisation has been largely welcomed by the defence community in and around the city, questions have also been raised over its control and utility.

Missing child found murdered
Mohali, February 3
The seven-year-old boy who went missing from Shahi Majra village here on January 26 has been found murdered. His body was found today. According to sources, the body was found in a nullah near the Quark offices in the Industrial Area here late tonight by the police.

COMMUNITY

Be at seats during public dealing hours, MC officials told

Chandigarh, February 3 In an important decision, the Mayor has asked all officials of the Municipal Corporation to be present at their seats to hear public grievances during the time fixed specifically for this purpose every day. Members of the co-ordination committee of Government and MC Employees and Workers, UT, Chandigarh, stage a dharna at Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph

Banned autos back on city roads

Chandigarh, February 3 Following the directions of the Supreme Court, the Chandigarh Administration had taken a bold step last year, banning auto-rickshaws more than 15-year-old in the city. Old auto-rickshaws that were banned by the Chandigarh Administration last year as per the Supreme Court directions, are still being run in the city. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

It stinks on Panchkula roads

Panchkula, February 3 With the Municipal Council(MC) dragging feet over the award of sanitation and streetlight contracts, residents of the township have been left in the lurch. And this is despite the claim by the MC President, Ms Seema Chaudhary, that the contracts would be finalised by January-end. Stray cattle feast on scattered garbage in Sector 17 of Panchkula. —Tribune photo by Malkit Singh

Verma inaugurates toilet block
Chandigarh, February 3
A bus queue shelter at the Chandigarh Housing Board chowk in Mani Majra and a toilet block at Government Press Chowk, Sector 8-C, here was inaugurated by Justice O.P. Verma, UT Administrator, here today

Workshop on pollution control today
Chandigarh, February 3
The Central Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Committee, Chandigarh and Kanpur, respectively, will hold a workshop tomorrow to chalk out an action plan with regard to checking of pollution in the region.

Don’t give Bathinda seat to CPI: FCI men
Chandigarh, February 3
Hundreds of FCI workers from various parts of the state led by, Mr Kewal Singh, a former member of the Lok Sabha, today gathered here in front of the Punjab Congress Bhavan to oppose the allocation of the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency to the CPI.

Water shortage
Chandigarh, February 3
Residents of the Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, are facing acute shortage of water from the past couple of days. Mr Amrik Singh, a resident, said there had been no water supply from the past two days.

Zen car found abandoned
Lalru, February 3
A black Maruti Zen car was found abandoned on the Kalka-Ambala highway in Sarseeni village this noon. The car without a numberplate was parked on the highway in front of an industrial unit near here.

RPO begins operations from new premises

CRIME

“Imposter” beaten up by Youth Congress workers
Mohali, February 3
A person, allegedly posing as the president of the Ropar unit of the All-India Youth Congress (AIYC), was beaten up by Youth Congress workers in the Phase III B2 market here today. It is learnt that the alleged “imposter” who kept asking for forgiveness was handed over to the police.

Four hurt in clash over land dispute
Lalru, February 3
Four persons, including two women, were injured, one seriously, in a clash involving two groups of Jarot village residents over a land dispute near here on Monday. The members of both groups used sticks and kirpans, besides hurling stones at one another.

School principal booked again
Chandigarh, February 3
Acting on a complaint, the Chandigarh Police has booked Jaswant Singh, Principal of Guru Gobind Singh Senior Secondary School, Sector 35-B. He has been accused of sexual harassment by a teacher. This is the second time he has been booked on a similar charge.

BUSINESS

Conference on business development 
Chandigarh, February3
The Centre for International Trade and Industry (CITI) and the Small Industries and Development Bank of India (SIDBI) today organised a conference on “Business Development through Information Technology” for small and medium enterprises.

Cable operators in no mood to roll back hike
Panchkula, February 3
The directions of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regarding the fixation of cable rates notwithstanding, the cable operators are in no mood to roll back the tariff hike. Even as the cable owners blame the pay channels for the unprecedented hike, the common subscribers are at their wits’ end trying to figure out what has triggered off the recent hike. In fact, the recent hike had come as a bolt from the blue for the harassed subscribers, who are already feeling the punch of the earlier hikes.

EDUCATION

PU has no funds for dental institute
Chandigarh, February 3
Panjab University’s dream project — dental institute — to be started from the forthcoming academic session has been shelved. Hopes of establishing the first medical institute on the campus have been dashed due to the poor financial health of the university.

Teachers on contract basis to be hired by April
Chandigarh, February 3
With the UT Education Department inviting applications to fill the 240 posts of teachers on contract basis, the Government of India-sponsored Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan is expected to get the final thrust. The process of conducting the test and making selections is expected to be over by April, said an officer of the Education Department.

Applicants resent fee

UT education outlay up
Chandigarh, February 3
The share of Chandigarh in allocation meant for development was reduced marginally in the Interim Budget announced today while the non-Plan expenditure, which goes towards salaries and running of establishment, was hiked by Rs 36 crore over last year's Budget.

From Colleges & Schools
SGGS College celebrates founder’s day
Chandigarh, February 3
The Sector 26 Sri Guru Gobind Singh College here celebrated its founder’s day today. Every year, founder’s day is observed on the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, said the Principal of the college, Mr P.S. Sangha.

Kalpana not forgotten, says PEC body
Chandigarh, February 3
Reacting to reports that no function was being planned in the city to mark the first death anniversary of Kalpana Chawla, a 1982 batch alumni of the college, the Punjab Engineering College Old Students Association today said the association had not forgotten her.

Admission dates
Chandigarh, February 3
Panjab University has extended the last date of sale and submission of forms for admission to technical courses in institutions and colleges affiliated to the university. The last date for sale of information bulletin-cum-application form for the examinations to be held in 2004 is February 11, while the last date for submission of application forms is February 14. The last date for receipt of request for obtaining the forms by post is February 6.

COURTS

High Court
Warm send-off

CULTURE

Chandigarh, February 3 At least 70 aspirants turned up during the audition for the grand finale of Sursangam music talent search contest, to be held in Delhi’s Talkatora Indoor Stadium on February 7. Held every year in the memory of prodigious Master Madan, this music contest is annually organised by Sangam Kala Group, which has a standing of about 23 years in the field. Winners of the audition for Sursangam music talent search contest, which was held at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

LIFESTYLE

Miracle drugs or bitter pills?
Ravi (name changed), a 29-year-old chartered accountant was losing hair fast. His sleep also receded along with his receding hairline, until one day he came across an advertisement of a herbal hair oil that could stop baldness. He used the ‘magic’ hair oil for a week, only to realize that hairfall had increased.

Fitness Trail
Follow a diet plan and exercise regularly
FITNESS matters even to those who do not follow its path. Because the lack of a fitness routine and a healthy diet shows up in an expanding girth, rising blood pressure, high cholesterol, rising triglycerides, coronary diseases, diabetes, depression. So whether you like it or not, you have to fall in fitness line.

Khadi goes hep
Out to tempt you with khadi- the national fabric of India — Kolkata-based Tropical Clothing Company, today announced the launch of Khadder- a store retailing in khadi.

Exams! Get, set, go
You have been taking it easy throughout the year. Instead of going through notes and flipping through books you have been watching action movies on AXN and HBO. Now the examination season is here. There is so much to do in so little time. No wonder, you are finding it hard to concentrate. Here are some tips compiled after talking to experts that will help you through.

Ready-to-assemble furniture
Indian Furniture Products Limited, a division of Zuari Industries, has introduced the Optima range of bedroom furniture. The products offered in the range are a collection of world class, ready-to-assemble bedroom furniture.

Wear your attitude, not dress
The style icons for the city’s young are as savvy as they are themselves. You can find many Bips look alikes sporting chunky accessories and many a Munnabhai with their Mamu talks.

HEALTH

Symposium on inflammatory eye diseases
Chandigarh, February 3
Deliberations on diagnosis and management of inflammatory diseases of the eye would be held during an international symposium on “Uveitis and Intraocular Inflammations” and third annual conference of the Uveitis Society of India.

Childbirth through recanalisation
Mohali, February 3
Mrs Jarnail Kaur, a resident of Kambala village, gave birth to a child at a hospital in Sohana here today proving that the recanalisation process is successful. Mrs Mohinderjeet Kaur Brar, head of the Gynaecology Department at Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib (C), Multispeciality Hospital, Sohana, told mediapersons that Jarnail Kaur had gone in for recanalisation of tubes on February 25 last year and had delivered a baby today.

SPORTS

Going jogging, here are some tips
Chandigarh, February 3
Being health conscious and to remain fit is the in thing. But apart from sportspersons, who generally know the method of running, jogging or walking, others need to be cautious, otherwise one can get injured.

Hockey academy wins tournament
Chandigarh, February 3
The Chandigarh Hockey Academy(red) outplayed Chandigarh Hockey Academy (blue) by 6-4 while Chandigarh Hockey Academy (white) defeated St Stephen’s XI 15-0 in the six-a-side hockey tournament played here today at the Sector 42 complex.