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MC nod to housing scheme in Mani Majra
To target high income group
Chandigarh, February 9
The Municipal Corporation has decided to go ahead with its scheme of multi-storey housing flats in Mani Majra. A formal decision to this effect has been taken by the MC, settling the issue that has been in the thick of controversy for past one year.

Circulation of porn MMS: case registered
Chandigarh, February 9
A day after a local girl appeared in a pornographic multi-media message, the Chandigarh Police today registered a case at the Sector 17 police station.

More rain likely in city
Chandigarh, February 9
It continued to rain on the third consecutive day here today. The city today recorded 1.9 mm of rain against 10.8 mm recorded during the past two days.

NRI was ‘given soporific-laced’ drink
Chandigarh, February 9
NRI Resham Dass, who was robbed yesterday had a drink with the alleged robber in the CTU bus. Dass, who regained consciousness today, said alleged robber Rajinder Pal was standing at the ISBT Delhi when the former boarded the bus.

Charges framed against Munjal, notice issued
Chandigarh, February 9
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today held that it had found Punjab and Haryana Bar Council Chairman Chander Mohan Munjal prima facie responsible for scandalising the administration of justice.

Polio still a major concern for India Chandigarh, February 9 Completely wiped out in most parts of the world, polio continues to be a major concern for India which accounts for more than 10 per cent of the total cases found in the world. With 132 positive cases in the country till today, India is ranked next only to Nigeria in the occurrence of polio.
From left: Mr R.K. Saboo, Past President of Rotary International, Dr G.S. Kochhar, former President, Indian Medical Association, Chandigarh chapter, Mr Ray Klinginssnth, Trustee of the Rotary Foundation and Mr. Himesh Sablok, Secretary, Rotary International, addressing mediapersons in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

‘Matthi’ magic working in govt schools

Chandigarh, February 9 It’s a class that greets you with smiles at Government High School, Sector 25. It’s not just any ordinary class. For its pupils come to the school in cotton T-shirts, walk down barefoot from their homes in adjoining colonies. Children of Government High School, Sector 25, enrolled under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan have meal of matthis in Chandigarh. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Even at 80 she talks of ecstasy of love Chandigarh, February 9 A granny who loves to play cupid and make sure that the arrow pierces right through the heart is the best description for writer and sexologist Kailash Puri, who has always believed that ‘love is lovely’. Kailash, a London-based Punjabi writer who turns 80 the coming April, has devoted a lifetime to the study of man-woman relationship in fiction, poetry and non-fiction. In town to give lectures on love and ecstasy in various colleges and institutes, says, “I tell the young Indian people to celebrate Valentine’s Day with zest because love is lovely and must be celebrated. Kailash Puri Passing Thru

COMMUNITY

Govt to develop villages falling in urban estates
Mohali, February 9
The Punjab Government would launch an integrated village development plan for the development and upkeep of the villages that fall within the urban estates developed by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority at various places in the state.

80 structures pulled down Chandigarh, February 9 More than 80 structures, mainly of cement, were removed from Sector 22 here today by the Municipal Corporation as a part of an anti-encroachment drive. The cement structures were largely extensions of shops at the back of various shops. An encroachment in Sector 22 market being removed by the Municipal Corporation staff in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Air Force launches sorties to help armed forces personnel
Chandigarh, February 9
With heavy snowfall shutting down the strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the Air Force launched numerous sorties to ferry several thousand armed forces personnel stranded on either side of the Bannihal Pass.

A unique Punjabi primer for the illiterate
"My endeavour is to propagate the Punjabi language. It is all right for me if it chooses to wear, for its script, a salwar-kameez, a sharara or even a pair of jeans," says Abhai Singh, a Chandigarh-based writer of Punjabi and a mother-tongue enthusiast.

Team to study Unesco role in preserving Harmandar Sahib
Mohali, February 9
A five-member team has been constituted to study and give details in connection with the involving of Unesco to preserve Sri Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar, as world heritage site.

SEARCH WITHIN
Examinations, test of head & heart
RIGHT now tension is high among middle-class families of most metros in view of board examinations and crash revision courses are in progress. In many cases, parents are more worried and in need of counsel than children preparing for the examinations.

Grain market road to be recarpeted
Chandigarh, February 9
The Chandigarh State Agricultural Marketing Board has decided to relay and recarpet the existing bituminous road to the required level in the Grain Market, Sector 26, Chandigarh. It also requires replacement of the damaged kerb channel/edges on the berms.

MC asks PUDA to widen roads
Mohali, February 9
The Municipal Council has requested the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority to widen the main roads in the town for free flow of traffic. In a letter written to Mr Yashvir Mahajan, Additional Chief Administrator, PUDA, the council president, Mr Kulwant Singh, said due to the growing population in the town, the traffic on roads was also increasing accordingly.

CHB seeks powers over employees
Chandigarh, February 9
Following powers given to the Municipal Commissioner to penalise employees of the MC, the Chandigarh Housing Board too wants similar powers to take action against its own employees who are on deputation with the board from Chandigarh Administration.

Panchkula resident succumbs to injuries
Mohali, February 9
Surinder Batta, a 30-year-old resident of Panchkula, who had met with a freak accident in Mohali on January 31, today succumbed to his injuries at PGI. Batta was accompanying two of his friends Batta was riding a motorcycle while two others were driving a scooter when the three were hit by the broken carrier of a Scorpio car that had met with an accident with a Maruti Zen.

3 BRD CSD switches over to smart cards
Chandigarh, February 9
The CSD canteen at No.3 Base Repair Depot yesterday switched over to the fully automated computerised inventory management system, which is interfaced with the use of smart cards. This is the first major CSD canteen in Chandigarh to introduce the use of smart cards, a statement issued here said.

Tibetans’ new year celebrated Chandigarh, February 9 Tibetan students celebrated their New Year (Losar) today at Punjab Kala Bhavan. Losar is celebrated for three days but in Tibet the celebration is for one week. Homes are decorated sweets and traditional food are cooked. Tibetan students celebrate New Year (Losar) at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

• Applications for Jamnalal Bajaj award invited 
• Complaint of nuisance
• BJP holds rally

CRIME

2 killed in mishaps on Kalka road
Panchkula, February 9
Two persons died in separate accidents on the Panchkula-Kalka highway in the last 24 hours. In less than 12 hours after the death of a scooterist Suresh Kumar, a resident of Himshikha colony in Pinjore, in front of the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kalka, a cyclist lost his life on this highway in Chandimandir this morning.

In-laws booked on Chhabaria’s complaint
Chandigarh, February 9
In a fresh twist to the alleged attack on former Punjab PR Joint Director BD Bhalla by his estranged son-in-law Ankur Chhabaria, the police yesterday booked Mr Bhalla and his son, Dr Vivek Bhalla, in counter-complaint lodged by Ankur Chhabaria.

Six held for gambling
Dera Bassi, February 9
The Punjab Police from Zirakpur and Mubarikpur arrested six persons for gambling and recovered Rs 19,300 from them. They were arrested near Parmar petrol station and three from the Mubarikpur petrol station, late last night.

299 cases of liquor seized Panchkula, February 9 Officials of the Haryana Excise and Taxation Department seized a truck allegedly smuggling 299 cases of liquor from Chandigarh to Rajasthan, here today. The truck driver, Ram Bhagat, has been arrested and the vehicle impounded. A truckload of liquor that was seized by the officials of the Haryana Excise and Taxation Department in Panchkula on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

• Servant held for theft
• Man consumes poison, hospitalised

BUSINESS

• Biz Clips

EDUCATION

Students of non-affiliated schools to be treated as private candidates
Mohali, February 9
Students of some private schools, who were being made to appear as regular candidates without the institution getting affiliated for that class, will be treated as private candidates.

Acquire latest IT technique, says expert
Mohali, February 9
“Computer and Information Technology hold the key to the future. Students and institutes should stress on improving the standards of computer education.” This was stated by Mr John Leaning-Associate Dean, School of Computing and Mathematical Science, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland, the UK, at a seminar organised at Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran, near here yesterday.

Workshop on property rights
Mohali, February 9
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has asked the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research here to study the impact of trade-related intellectual property rights with specific focus on pharmaceutical prices in India.

Hamara School A school that believes in doing things differently Satluj Public School, established in 1976 with the motto “Live With Effort”, strives to do things differently. The school emphasises an enhancing students’ talent and projecting it to the world. The school is affiliated with the CBSE, New Delhi. Principalspeak

Lecture on holy book
Chandigarh, February 9
The Department of Punjabi, Panjab University, organised the first lecture under the ‘Distinguished Lecture Series’ in connection with the celebrations of 400 th year of installation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, at University Campus here today.

Aarushi Mittal who won the first position in 2-3 years category at the baby show of Golden Bell Public School, Mohali

Woes of 2 Ph.D students
Chandigarh, February 9
Students of Punjabi Department met President, Student Organisation of Panjab Univesrity, Dalveer Singh Goldy, and put forward their problems before him on Monday.

Yoga camp for school kids
Mohali, February 9
Students of Shemrock Senior Secondary School, Mohali are being instructed in specialised ‘yog sadhana’ since the past two weeks. Hamsacharya Jyotii Subramanian, disciple of Himalayan Master Yogiraj Siddhanath of the Hamsa Yoga Sangh is conducting these classes.

Students’ date with Gursharan Singh
Chandigarh, February 9
Students of the Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, here today interacted with “father of the Punjabi theatre”, Gursharan Singh. He talked about the prevailing conditions in the society where injustice was being perpetrated.

PU staff stage dharna for pension scheme
Chandigarh, February 9
Teaching and non-teaching employees of Panjab University, under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee, staged a dharna in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office to press for the implementation of the pension scheme.

COURTS

.303 rifle draws contrasting stands
Chandigarh, February 9
Does the .303 rifle fall in the category of prohibited weapons as defined in the Arms Act as amended in 1969? What this question actually means is whether the common man can buy and possess a .303 rifle just as he can buy and keep a revolver, if he has the licence.

Show-cause notice to KC cinema house management
Chandigarh, February 9
A show-cause notice was issued today to the management of KC theatre for not complying with the provisions of the Punjab Cinema (Regulation) Rules, 1952, and to set the things right within a week failing which a legal action leading to cancellation/suspension of the cinema licence under Section 8 of the Punjab Cinema Act, 1952, will be taken.

• Singhvi to be acting CJ

LIFESTYLE

Manpal Tiwana dons father’s mantle
Manpal, son of Harpal Tiwana, the young actor-director who is trying to get into his father’s shoes, will stage “Sirhind di Deewar” to pay homage to the legendary Punjabi theatre thespian as well as the city which nurtured his talent.

‘Saka Sirhind’, ‘Saka Chamkaur Sahib’ staged
THE Punjabi Natak Academy, Mohali, in a tribute to the ‘saga of supreme sacrifices chronicled in glorious Sikh history’ presented two historical plays titled ‘Saka Sirhind’ and ‘Saka Chamkaur Sahib’ at Tagore Theatre today.

17-yr-old clears MBA exam
Nandeep Bamrah, a 17-year-old boy, has achieved a top-grade MBA degree from Edinburgh Business School, Canada, while being still at school there. Nandeep Bamrah is a grandson of Mr J.S. Nagi, a Mohali-based lawyer.

SPORTS

AG Punjab to clash with AG Delhi in final
Chandigarh, February 9
Hosts AG, Punjab, registered a 3-0 win over AG, HP. to move to the final of the North Zone Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA & AD) Badminton Tournament played here today at Badminton Hall, Sector 42. In the other semifinal, AG, Delhi, caused an upset when they outplayed AG, UP, 3-2.

• Bridge Association office-bearers

Cop asleep on duty, suspended
Mohali, February 9
Two police personnel, including a head constable, were found sleeping while on duty during a checking in the wee hours here today. The head constable was suspended while the special police officer had been sent to the Police Lines.