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City to be stray cattle free in 3 months
Chandigarh, April 8 In a coordination meeting, Justice Verma said that under this two-pronged strategy by the Animal Husbandry Department in association with the Municipal Corporation, all domestic cattle should be branded being reared in the villages of Union Territory. Besides in agreement with the gaushalas in New Delhi and local gaushalas, all stray cattle should be sent to these gaushalas in a time-bound programme. After making the streets of Chandigarh free of ‘stray cattle’ and branding of all domestic cattle, any non-branded stray cattle found on the road of Chandigarh would be deemed to have been sent by adjoining States. He said that an institutionalised system should be worked out with the adjoining states so that all non-branded stray cattle could be sent back to them. The Commissioner Municipal Corporation said that till date 950 head of cattle had been transported to gaushalas in New Delhi and 400 more would be transported within one week. Regarding the progress of construction work of various gaushalas in Chandigarh, the Commissioner said that one
gaushala was under construction in Maloya to accommodate 900 head of cattle. One more gaushala was under construction in Dhanas to accommodate 600 head of cattle. Another piece of land of one and half acres has been identified near Mauli Jagran which would be handed over to an NGO for construction of gaushala and the Sector 45 gaushalas was being expanded. Justice Verma said that this branding and making the city ‘stray cattle free’ should be completed within three months. Regarding the progress of tertiary water network, the Chief Engineer informed the Administrator that all institutions in Chandigarh had been linked to tertiary water network except two central organisations i.e. PGIMER and Panjab University. The Adviser informed the Administrator that he had called a meeting of the Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University and the Director, PGIMER to give them notice. The Finance Secretary informed the Administrator that after linking all institutions to tertiary water network, the focus of Administration was to establish tertiary water network for all green belts of the city. At present green belts in the city are being irrigated by captive shallow tubewells. He said that as the life of tubewell was 10-15 years, the tertiary water network would ensure permanent irrigation solution for the green belts. The Commissioner Municipal Corporation informed the Administration as energy cost of pumping back tertiary water against the gravity to the city from sewerage treatment plan was quite high, it was being proposed to set up mini sewerage treatment plants for different phases of Chandigarh within the city along with the N-Choe. These mini sewerage treatment plants of 15 MGD capacity, though slightly costly, would save energy in long run, besides ensuring tertiary water to adjoining areas on a low cost. Taking a serious view of burning of dry leaves, Justice Verma asked the Commissioner Municipal Corporation to take punitive action against the persons indulging in this exercise. Justice Verma asked the Adviser to explore the possibility of either entering into a contract with a private firm which could collect the dry leaves and make a fruitful use of it or to explore the possibility of procuring two trucks having suction and compressing equipments which could be handed over to the Municipal Corporation. He said that these trucks could suck the leaves, compress them and carry them to a site where they can be converted into manure. Expressing serious concern over the poor condition of Gymnasium Hall in Sector 7, Justice Verma instructed the Chief Engineer to complete the renovation work of hall within two months. Regarding the pollution of Sukhna Choe, Finance Secretary informed the Administrator that Sukhna Choe was being fenced by the Forest Department from both the sides which would discourage the residents of colony to venture in the Sukhna Choe bed to ease themselves. Similarly usage of Sulabh Shauchalyas was being made mandatory. The Commissioner Municipal Corporation informed the Administrator that he, along with officers of Chandigarh Housing Board, had visited the Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra to solve their problems. He said that green belts in the complex were being provided with water connection. Similarly a reservoir of two MGD capacity would be constructed in the complex. This reservoir would be linked to Sector 26 water works to take the water of Kajauli Water Works to Mani Majra. Similarly, the two-way carriage way linking the Modern Housing Complex was being upgraded and strengthened to solve the problem of traffic bottlenecks.
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Pesticide destroys crops
Dera Bassi, April 8 The affected farmers said they had purchased the pesticide from a shop in the local grain market. In less than two hours after the spray, the muskmelon creepers and the sunflower plants started withering. This morning majority of the plants and creepers were damaged completely, they said. More than 100 farmers of nearby villages assembled outside the office of the Agriculture Department today. Since the office was closed on account of holiday in Punjab, the agitated farmers marched to the local grain market and protested in front of the shop from where they had purchased the pesticide. Mr Sukhdev Mittal, an arhtiya of the grain market, along with his fellow arhtiyas, tried to convince the farmers. Finally, both parties entered into a compromise. Mr Mewa Singh, a farmer who sprayed pesticide on sunflower crops over 3 acres and muskmelon on about 2 acres in Karkaur village, complained that his crops worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed. He alleged that he had purchased the pesticide from the shop of Mr Sukhdev Singh. “I sprayed the pesticide on the crops last morning and found them withering only after two hours,” he said. Another farmer of Brahampura village, Mr Sohan Singh, alleged that the shopkeeper sold outdated pesticide which affected his sunflower crops over five bighas. When contacted Mr Sukhdev Singh denied to have sold the pesticide to any of the farmer. He, however, admitted that the farmers, being his customers, had come to his shop for selling grains. |
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Nisha cremated
Mohali, April 8 The in-laws and Nisha’s husband Manoj insisted on cremating her body. The parents maintained since Nisha was murdered by her in-laws, they had no right on her any more. Outnumbered and outshouted, Manoj left the hospital with his family members. After two hours of tussle, the body was handed over to the parents by the police and later cremated. Over 70 persons had collected at the hospital in support of Nisha’s parents. Everyone who knew Nisha refused to believe that she had killed herself and levelled allegations against her in-laws. Nisha’s parents also forced the hospital authorities to show them the post mortem report. “If we are not satisfied with the post mortem report we will insist on getting another one done at the PGI. We will not let her in-laws go scot free. They are murderers,” said Nisha’s mother. The incident took place yesterday when Nisha was at home with her mother-in-law and sister-in-laws. She was found hanging from a ceiling hook by her mother-in-law’s sister. According to the police, the family instead of calling them, chose to call friends and relatives and the last to be informed were Nisha’s parents who then called them. In the absence of any suicide note and contradictory statements given out by Nisha’s parents and in-laws, the police had decided to wait for the post mortem report before registering a case. However, doctors at the Civil Hospital informed that nothing could be ascertained from the autopsy. The body viscera had been sent to a forensic lab in Patiala for further examination, they added. |
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Property dealer held for
cheating
Chandigarh, April 8 Maan Singh, who hails from Pinjore, is allegedly involved in several cheating cases with several banks. He used to become a guarantor for availing loans in somebody else’s name and did not return the loan amount. The accused, along with one Pardeep Bharadwaj, got a company registered in the name of Gevena Forger Forts with its office in Sector 46 and took a loan of Rs 20 lakh from the Punjab State Cooperative Bank, Sector 35, for setting up an industrial unit at Ram Darbar. Maan Singh pledged a piece of land measuring 4 bighas and 6 biswas in Pinjore. The Manager of the branch, Mr P. K.Jain, later came to know that the land had already been pledged with Punjab and Sindh Bank, Sector 26. Maan Singh cheated Mr Ranbir Singh Dhanjal, NRI by selling him a piece of land at Phagwara worth Rs 13 lakh and charged him an advance of Rs 39,000. When Dhanjal asked for the possession of the land, Maan Singh kept on delaying it for more than six months. During this period, Mr Dhanjal made inquiries, which revealed that the land had not been transferred to his name in the revenue records. Balwant Singh had denied the sale of the land. Scientific examination of his signatures revealed that Balwant’s sister Devinder Kaur Rana had forged his signatures. |
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Better emergency services his priority
Chandigarh, April 8 “Bringing about immediate improvement in the emergency services will be our priority as patients from the entire region come to the PGI with a lot of hope as the medical services in the region are not all that good,” he said in an interview with The Tribune. Stating that it would be possible to improve patient care and emergency services only with the availability of funds, he said the authorities concerned would understand this as it was the patient who is the most important person. “Decongestion by shifting the more stable patients to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and the General Hospital, Sector 16, is another step we shall be taking in the near future as this will reduce the pressure on the PGI and the more serious patients can be taken care of,” he disclosed. He added that the General Hospital authorities had already agreed to this plan and he would soon be talking to the GMCH also. Precisely a week after taking over as the PGI Director, Prof Talwar, today introduced a Special Rhythmic clinic in the Cardiology Department, which he was heading at AIIMS. “We shall upgrade the cardiology and cardiac surgery facilities at the PGI, so that we are able to offer the super specialised services at one fifth the cost being charged at the Corporate hospitals,” he informed. He added efforts would be made to complete the Advanced Cardiac Centre at the earliest. “Though a lot of work is already being done at the PGI, I would want that foray is made into new research areas, specially for medical problems which are peculiar to our race and country,” he opined. Citing a few examples like tropical heart diseases, coronary heart diseases and rheumatic fever, he said the solution would have to come from Indian doctors as the western world would not look into these areas. He said Stem Cell was another key area which was very important and was being used in bone marrow transplant, neurology and cardiology.  |
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Generating power from biodegradable waste
Chandigarh, April 8 The plant which can also use kitchen waste like vegetables, fruits, food leftovers, paper, grass and gobar can also be a good financial proposition for anyone who puts it up: it costs Rs 6 lakh to instal, Rs 3 lakh a year to operate but can yield a revenue of up to Rs 12 lakh a year. Three such plants capable of handling five tonnes of biodegradable waste every day have already been put up in Mumbai where they are operating successfully. The plant was unveiled at the three-day symposium “Atom for Peace” organised by BARC and hosted by National Centre for Human Genome Studies and Research which concluded at Panjab University today. The plant can also produce biogas which can be used be in houses as cooking gas. As Dr S.P. Kale, the BARC scientist who developed the plant, put it, “the plant offers the best way to complete the natural cycle. Power or biogas is supplied to the very people who produce the biodegradable waste.” Waste disposal is one of the major problems being faced by all nations across the world, he points out. One of the laws probably most important for the conservation of nature is the law of conservation. According to this law, waste is not a problem but a part of this cycle. The daily per capita solid waste generated in our country ranges from about 300 gm to 500 gm. If we carefully analyse this waste we will realise that majority of it is biodegradable. Waste like glass, metals and paper would be recyclable. The biodegradable waste, if handled properly, would maintain the natural balance of essential elements and thereby promote more harvests from nature. Disposal of biodegradable waste can be achieved by several means like incineration, landfills, dumping in the sea or other water bodies, composting etc. These methods have their own hazards. Incineration can lead to respiratory illnesses. Moreover, it may lead to disruption of biogeochemical cycles of several elements and will have long term effects on biosphere. Vermiculture has been used in recent past in urban areas. However, it has limitations of space. One of the economic ways would be to raise community biogas plants based on biodegradable waste. Biogas is a colourless, odourless and inflammable gas. The gas generated in this plant can also be used as a source of natural gas. The composition of biogas is methane (70-75%), carbon dioxide (10-15%), and Water vapours (5-10%). The wastes which can be processed by the plant are biodegradable kitchen waste, paper waste, green grass, leaf litter, animal remains in abattoirs, hospital waste, green plant waste, gobar, crop residues, sugarcane, baggase and water hyacinth. These plants are useful for municipal corporations, hospitals, hotels, housing societies, govt. establishments, abattoirs, nagar palika, grampanchayat, and farmers. |
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UN launches peace education for kids
Chandigarh, April 8 Talking to The Tribune, she said the plan had been introduced for the kindergarten children in Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The concept could be introduced in other countries, too, provided the request came from them. The UN official said such training from a young age would help the students better their skills in resolving conflicts by developing listening and negotiation skills. Students would also understand the importance of community participation in resolving conflicts, she added. She said studies across the world had indicated that internal strife was a major blockade in the economic and social development of nations. Therefore, the conflict management system design had been prepared to train professionals in basic mediation and negotiation skills. After testing the model in the Sub Saharan African countries, the UN has written to the universities and management institutions in at least 10 countries in the African subcontinent to include the model in their curriculum. Local civil services training academies are also being involved. Ms Kumar, who has been working with the UN since 1994, specialises in national conflict-management capacity development and has worked in Sun-Saharan Africa, Central and Eastern Europe. She is married to Indian architect, who hails from Chandigarh and is working in New York. On being asked about extending the concept to South Asian countries, she said a meeting of a committee of experts was called at the UN headquarters to discuss the situation. She added that the experiments carried out in the African subcontinent could be tested in Asia. |
30 ESPL employees sacked
Mohali, April 8 A public sector unit, ESPL, is up for closure following recommendations of the Punjab Disinvestment Commission. Located at Industrial Area Phase VII here, the company had 303 employees, 245 of whom had applied for voluntary retirement. As many of these 102 were given VRS. A notice was put up at the company gate today informing 30 of its employees who had not applied for VRS that their services were not needed any more. These employees protested in front of the gate raising slogans against the company’s management and the government. On March 11, Mr Rajkumar Gupta, MLA, Jalandhar North, resigned from the post of the Chairman
ESPL. |
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Kambojs’ meet on peace
Chandigarh, April 8 Speaking on behalf of the delegates, Mr Arif Chaudhary, advocate, Supreme Court of Pakistan, said, “Love for peace and brotherhood of mankind defies manmade boundaries and divisions; and people on both sides of our border have nothing but love and good wishes for each other. My wife calls one side as ‘pekaghar’ (parents’ place) and the other as ‘sauraghar’ (in-law’s place). Mr Atir Mahmood, another Pakistani lawyer, called for the creation of Kamboj centres all over the country to improve interaction for better learning and development. Tracing the history and rich Heritage of the Kambojs, totalling more than three crore, from medieval times, Mr Mohinder Singh Mianwal, the convener of the conference, emphasised the need for creating a global platform for the community to foster universal brotherhood and promote the “Brand Kamboj” for peace and prosperity. “With technology and trade sweeping across national boundaries to the point of almost irrelevance, the need for the identification of common threads of societal sub groups is becoming more and more relevant as a means of providing qualitative human interactions. The Kamboj Brotherhood International shall take steps to activate social groups in various countries towards this end,” said Mr Mianwal. Other delegates who spoke included eminent social personalities like Dr Jaswant Singh Chamak, Mr Atir Mahmood, Mr Tahir Chaudhary, Mr Tariq Chaudhary, Mr Daulat Ram, Editor, Jai Kamboj. Mr Arif Chaudhary announced that the next meeting of the body would be held in Pakistan shortly to bring people from other countries on this platform to bring peace between the countries. A five-member body with Mr Mianwal as convener shall take further steps in India to give shape to this programme. |
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Carnivals, fairs cash on Baisakhi spirit
CITY residents get ready for Baisakhi celebrations. Even though the festival — signifying the dawn of new year in the northern region — is almost four days away, fairs and carnivals are already in progress in and around Chandigarh.
In fact, at one of the fairs handicraft and jewellery items, electronic and leather goods, along with some real nice books, including dictionaries and pet-care literature are available. Cheerful garments specially designed for the occasion, even soft toys and “study material” for your little ones are also on display. One carnival is on in Sector 17 Parade Ground while another one is on in Fun Republic. Many shops in the city have also come out with special Baisakhi discounts. Invertors and water purifiers are available at 25 per cent less than the actual cost. As so many people believe in dressing up for the occasion, an artificial jewellery and gift shop in Sector 11 is offering massive discounts, up to 50 per cent, on “all items”. The owner, Ms Raman, adds, “Most of the card and gift shops in the city had offered discounts on St Valentine’s Day. But we are encouraging people to celebrate our own festivals by offering them jewellery on discount”. Baisakhi — also called Vaisakhi — is associated with the harvesting of rabi crop. It is celebrated on April 13, according to the solar calendar. In Punjab, Baisakhi also commemorates the founding of the Khalsa Panth by the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Residents also celebrate the occasion by visiting gurdwaras and distributing prasad. Processions led by the Panj Piaras are also taken out. Kirtans and recital of passages from Guru Granth Sahib are also organised in gurdwaras. Commenting on the significance of the occasion, Principal of Sector 15 DAV School Rakesh Sachdeva says, “Punjab is predominantly an agricultural state that takes pride in food grain-production. That is the reason why Baisakhi is considered a significant festival as it marks the arrival of the harvesting season”. |
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Carcass Utilisation Centre approved
Chandigarh, April 8 Clearing the much awaited proposal which was on the verge of being scrapped for want of funds, the UT Administrator has directed the authorities concerned to work out the most feasible meat waste disposal plan for Chandigarh. Taking cognizance of the Tribune reports on requirement of a CUC in the city, the UT Administrator has asked Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) to survey the city and determine the most suitable location for a
CUC. The MC authorities have also been asked to look into the functioning of one of the centres near Chandigarh Airport where some amount of meat waste is being disposed of mechanically. Sources in the Municipal Corporation today informed The Tribune that the decision to revive the project, critical to ecological health of the city, was taken recently during the Coordination Committee meeting of the MC. Following the UT Administrator’s order in this regard, the UT Administration took up the CUC proposal on its own and forwarded it to the Centre for financial support. It is learnt that the UT Administration has asked for a grant of Rs 3.5 crore. While total project cost is about Rs 3.80 crore, the MC will provide for Rs 30 lakh which it has been saving from its own budget, hoping that the project will be taken up some day. The CUC project ran into major trouble after the Centre withdrew its scheme of financing the project. A highly placed official in the MC said, “We need a CUC very urgently. For the past many years, we have been fighting to revive the project. Although land for the same has been earmarked in Khuda
Lahora, the project could not take off in the absence of funds. Now that the project has been cleared, we are expecting the financial support from the union government. This would help us treat slaughterhouse waste scientifically. Also, there would be no need to dump animal carcasses in the open”. Presently, while slaughterhouse waste mixed with MC waste is being dumped in Dadu Majra; animal bodies are being thrown openly in Mauli Jagran, close to residential area. This despite the fact that mixing of meat waste and MC waste has been banned by a special committee constituted by the Supreme Court of India in March 1999. Now with the CUC becoming a reality for Chandigarh, MC will have an alternative means for scientific treatment of slaughterhouse waste and animal bodies. |
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Govt cautioned against
two-child norm
Chandigarh, April 8 “Enforcing the two-child family norm in the country will prove to be disastrous as has been the case in China, which adopted the one-child family norm,” remarked Mr A.R. Nanda, Executive Director, Population Foundation of India. He was speaking at a state-level workshop on the issue of pre-birth elimination of females here today. Enforcing the two-child family norm was not the right approach for controlling population as this would only add to the increasing cases of female foeticide, he said. “Various surveys have indicated that the practice of female foeticide, which is mostly restricted to the elite and higher middle class so far, will percolate down to the lower income groups,” he said. He said fortunately, Punjab, having a considerably low child sex ratio, had not adopted the two-child norm. Mr Nanda said his organisation had written to all MPs and several institutions in this regard. He said the gross distortion in child sex ratio in Punjab was likely to have catastrophic consequences in future. Mr Nanda said the problem of female foeticide had arisen due to socio-cultural and economic reasons, the solution to which was education and changing the mindset of the people. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Inderjit Singh, Director, Punjab Census Operations, said the situation in the state as far as female foeticide was concerned was alarming and if remedial measures are not taken now, it would be too late. He said preference for a male child was the main reason for the low child sex ratio. Child Sex Ratio in Punjab (0 to 6 years) — 793 (female per 1000 males) Child Sex Ratio in India (0 to 6 years) — 927
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Former employees of Punwire
lathicharged
Mohali, April 8 Meanwhile, over 60 former employees of Punwire protested outside the residence of Mr Bir Devinder Singh in Sector 39. However, they were dispersed by the police which resorted to lathi charge. A woman is said to have received injuries in the lathi charge. She was taken to a hospital where doctors discharged her after first aid. |
Parking lot
contractor booked
Chandigarh, April 8 As per the police, Subhash Chauhan has been booked under Sections 379 and 406 of the IPC. Mr Yadvinder Singh Sian of Sector 4, Panchkula, had reported that his
motorcycle was stolen from the parking lot near Gazal Hotel, Sector 17. This was the third case of its type in the recent past. Earlier, another contractor at Sector 17 had also been booked. The police had also registered a case against the parking contractor of a city cinema hall. Meanwhile, theft of two other vehicles was also reported from different parts of the city. Mr Rajinder Kumar, a Sector 23 resident, alleged that his scooter (CH-01J- 8431) was stolen from a Sector 8 market yesterday. A Maruti car (CH-01U-7908) of Mr Amit (Sector 38 West) was allegedly stolen from his residence on the night of March 30. Arrested: Bittu Sood of Sector 7 was arrested today allegedly for snatching a mobile phone from Sukhwinder Singh of the same sector last night. Sukhwinder helped the police in tracing Bittu Sood. |
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Man booked for fraud
Chandigarh, April 8 It is being alleged that he submitted documents to the bank showing that his guarantor (Gurmail Singh) was an employee of PUDA, but it was late discovered that Gurmail Singh was not a PUDA employee. A case under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468 and 471 has been registered. |
Biz Clips
Chandigarh, April 8 New flavours of custard, jelly Tops Quality Foods, a Delhi-based processed food company, has relaunched its custard and jelly products to beat the summer heat. The products come in a variety of flavours, including mango, khas, litchi, black currant, besides the regular orange and strawberry flavours. The custard comes in five new flavours, chocolate, banana, butter scotch, kesar elaichi and kesar
pista. |
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Chandigarh, April 8 An electronics engineer, Mr Mittal (48) leads one of the most successful telecom companies in India. He is the vice-chairman and managing Director of Bharti teletech — whose flagship brand, Beetel is today the country’s leading telephone brand. Mr Shriram heads a Rs 1,500-crore turnover diversified business conglomerate based in North India.
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No telephone poles by year-end
Chandigarh, April 8 This was disclosed here yesterday by Mr Satya Pal, Principal General Manager, Telephones. He said work in this regard had already commenced. |
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