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High drama during Senate poll counting
*Counting staff protest, suspend work
*Bungling in counting of votes alleged
Chandigarh, September 22
Counting of votes for the graduate constituency of the Panjab University Senate ran into trouble and remained suspended for over five hours today, when a candidate's agent alleged that one of the members of the counting staff had bungled in the distribution of first preference votes.

PU Senate poll counting staff raise slogans against an alleged "vulgar" remark by a supporter of a candidate. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

SOPU-SDCU alliance leader assaulted Chandigarh, September 22 The alliance presidential candidate of the Students Organisation of Panjab University and SD College Union, Harpreet Singh Sandhu, was allegedly assaulted by a group of students outside the GGDSD College, Sector 32, here this evening. Harpreet Singh Sandhu admitted to GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Assault on ABVP candidate shrouded in mystery
Chandigarh, September 22
The reported assault on the ABVP presidential candidate on Monday is shrouded in mystery. The incident, which has acquired a political overtone ahead of the university students council elections scheduled to be held on September 24, still remains a mystery despite an eye witness, Dinesh, today recording his statement in the Sector 11 police station.

PUSU candidate’s nomination rejected
Chandigarh, September 22
The Panjab University Students’ Union received a setback today when the candidature of their Joint Secretary, Abhishek Puri, was rejected, here today on the ground that he had joined the university as a regular student on the day the notification of the students’ council election was announced.

• PU poll: open house today
• Food and water main issues

Common man hit as banking services become dearer
Chandigarh, September 22
The common man's savings are being further eroded. Banking services are now costing more following last week’s circular of the Indian Banking Association to levy 10.2 per cent service tax on various services provided by the banks.

Increase in number of facial injuries, says Army study
Chandigarh, September 22
An Army study has found significant increase in the number of cases of facial injuries among troops deployed in counter insurgency operations. Comprising less than 2 per cent of the total injuries suffered by the Army in 1971, maxillofacial injuries currently account for about 20 per cent of the battle casualties suffered by the Army over the past few years.

Adnan Sami — on a song forever Chandigarh, September 22 As a man of music, Adnan Sami knows just when and how to strike harmonies. Had it not been for this craft, he could not have laughed his heart out at queries as dissonant as “Have you always been this fat Mr Sami?” Adnan Sami poses for the lensmen during his visit to Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

• Cops ‘embezzle’ maalkhana goods worth Rs 2 lakh
• Rotational power cuts withdrawn

COMMUNITY

Power board makes mockery of waterworks ‘hotline’ facility
Mohali, September 22
Despite the Municipal Council having doled out lakhs of rupees to secure a power “hotline” to the main waterworks for better supply of water, residents continue to suffer as the Punjab State Electricity Board has made a mockery of the exclusive facility by imposing power cuts on the independent feeder and also by providing electricity to neighbouring areas from it.

Singla favours privatisation of power
Chandigarh, September 22
Taking very clear and firm stand, the Punjab Finance Minister, Mr Surinder Singla, said today that he was all for the unbundling of the Punjab State Electricity Board and for the entry of private players in the power sector in the state.

3 buildings praised for energy conservation
Chandigarh, September 22
The Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources has commended three city buildings, including the Baptist Church in Sector 44, for their innovative design aimed at energy conservation.

Housing societies’ body submits demands to Joint Registrar
Chandigarh, September 22
Members of the Chandigarh Cooperative House Building Societies Coordination Committee today met the Joint Registrar Cooperative Societies and submitted a memorandum of demands and problems of the group housing societies.

Bus passes from e-governance centres
Chandigarh, September 22
Bus passes for travel by Chandigarh Transport Undertaking buses will also be issued from the three “e-governance” centres at Sector 43, Sector 18 and Manimajra from tomorrow.

Mother comes to take possession of Madhuri’s plot

Panchkula, September 22 Even as cine star Madhuri Dixit Nene got the possession letter for a plot in Mansa Devi Complex today, her fans, employees of the Haryana Urban Development Authority, were dismayed that the actress had not come here personally to take the letter. Ms Sneh Lata Dixit and Mr Shankar Dixit sign the possession letter of a plot allotted to Madhuri Dixit at HUDA Complex in Panchkula on Wednesday. — Tribune photograph by Pankaj Sharma.

In service of underprivileged children

Three years ago their seven-year-old daughter, Mahak, was killed in a mishap. Tears roll down the eyes of Dr Daleep Pandita while he recalls her daughter’s memories. “She was a bright student and used to eagerly participate in extra-curricular activities. Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal walks past the paintings displayed during the contest organised by the Mahak Foundation for slum children at the GGDSD College, Sector 32, Chandigarh.

Book offers insight into Pramanik’s paper cutting
Chandigarh, September 22
Master paper cutting artiste Ustad Prabal Pramanik today released the second revised edition of his famous book, “Looking at my World of Paper.” The book released function was held at Punjab Kala Bhavan in Sector 16.

• Senior citizens’ brisk walk tomorrow
• Radhashtami celebrated

CRIME

Two cars, one scooter stolen
Chandigarh, September 22
Two cars and one scooter were reported stolen in the city in the 24 hours, according to the information released by the Chandigarh police, today. Subhash Mahajan from Sector 22 reported to the police that his Scorpio Jeep (CH-03-P-7777) was stolen from his residence during the intervening night of September 20-21.

Youth shot at by neighbour
Panchkula, September 22
A youth was allegedly shot at by his co-worker, and neighbour at a poultry farm, near Mauli village past midnight. The victim, Shambhu Bahadur, was hit on his thigh and is admitted in the PGI, Chandigarh.

14-yr-old boy crushed to death
Panchkula, September 22
A 14-year-old boy was crushed to death under the rear wheels of a truck, while he was getting off the vehicle past midnight, near Kandi Bhavan here. The victim, Sunil Kumar, along with his parents, was returning to his home in Railla village near Sector 12, when the accident took place.

One injured in group clash
Lalru, September 22
One person was injured in a clash between two groups of Chandiala village residents near here, late last evening. Villagers clashed over entry of paddy harvesting machine to the fields by one group.

BUSINESS

PNB disburses loans to farmers
Chandigarh, September 22
Punjab National Bank today disbursed Rs 22 crore as loan to small and marginal farmers for meeting their various agricultural requirements at the farmers’ meet/kisan sammelan organised by the PNB at sports stadium in Maloya, Chandigarh.

EDUCATION

Workshop on IT begins
Mohali, September 22
A two-day workshop on social empowerment and information technology was inaugurated by Prof Y.K. Alagh, founder-president, Institute for Development and Communication and former Union Minister for Power and Planning, here today.

Children of AC National Public Senior Secondary School, Zirakpur, on their visit to The Tribune office in Chandigarh. — A Tribune photograph

Stone of dental institute laid
Chandigarh, September 22
Dr Anbumani Ramdoss, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, laid the foundation stone of the Dr Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences on the Panjab University campus, Sector 25, here today.

Schoolchildren save 2.50 cr in a year
Chandigarh, September 22
Small savings are on the upswing in Chandigarh where a total of Rs 114.85 crore were collected against a target of Rs 90 crore under the various small savings schemes in 2004.

COURTS

49 schools to be shifted out of residential areas
Mohali, September 22
Almost 10,000 students studying in 49 schools being run in residential areas in Mohali would have to shift out. Following the recent Punjab and Haryana High Court orders that all schools running in residential premises be closed down by the end of the current session, schools are now faced with a problem of making alternative arrangements for these students.

CULTURE

Super Singer hunt today
Chandigarh, September 22
Channel V today announced the launch of Samsung (V) Super Singer auditions in the city. After conducting auditions in Delhi, the channel will now focus on Chandigarh before moving to other cities like Kolkata, Hyderabad, Indore, Cochin, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

HEALTH

Comprehensive health scheme for rural areas soon Chandigarh, September 22 The Union Government will initiate a comprehensive health scheme to offer integrated packages at rural and district levels in the country. Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, meets patients at the Advanced Urology Centre at the PGI in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Prof A.K. Mundal, Head, Urology Department, PGI, explains a point to the minister. — A Tribune photograph

HIV patients to get drugs free of cost
Chandigarh, September 22
Chandigarh will have the provision of giving anti-retroviral drugs free of cost to the HIV positive patients by the end of this year. Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss said this here today that all the separate zones marked for the HIV/AIDS monitoring will be extended this facility by the end of this year, including Chandigarh.

DC’s claim on water-borne diseases
Panchkula, September 22
There has been a fall in water-borne diseases in the district due to measures taken by the health authorities. This was claimed by Deputy Commissioner, Ms Neelam P. Kasni, who said that diarrhoea and hepatitis cases in the district had gone down as compared to last year.