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Chandigarh, February 13 Around 5,000 telephones went dead late last night when thieves struck in Sector 45 and decamped with telecom cables priced in lakhs. The telecommunication in Sectors 45, 46 and 32 was severely impaired. BSNL personnel work overtime to restore communication in Sector 45-A in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

2 years gone, no clue to marksheet ‘smuggler’
Chandigarh, February 13
Around 20 blank marksheets and certificates of Classes X and XII examinations went missing from the regional office of the Central Board of Secondary Education here in 2003. But, instead of reporting the matter to the police or conducting a departmental inquiry, board officials at Delhi preferred to keep mum on the issue.

UT vermiculture projects fall flat
Chandigarh, February 13
Launched with much fanfare in May 2002, the Vermiculture Scheme in the city is all in a shambles. The pilot projects located in Sectors 15 and 27 are pictures of neglect. There is no trace of worms required for the process, so, naturally, there can be no trace of the compost, the expected result.

Love birds at receiving end of police, relatives

Chandigarh, February 13 It is a story straight from a Bollywood potboiler:An inter-caste marriage involving a Brahmin boy and a julaha(weaver) girl has kicked up a storm with the police and the girl's family playing the spoilsport. Netar Pal and Renu, who are allegedly being victimised by the Saharanpur police for the inter-caste marriage, in Chandigarh on Saturday night. Tribune photo:Malkit Singh

Labour reforms in N-E to benefit 37 cr workers
Chandigarh, February 13
The Union Government has initiated major labour reforms for the work force in the unorganised and rural sector in the North-East, apparently to curtail insurgency.

Overcrowding caused pneumonia among Army recruits: study
Chandigarh, February 13
Inadequate space and poor living conditions have been cited as the cause of an outbreak of pneumonia among recruits at a regimental training centre, an Army study has revealed. The study was undertaken after 31 cases of pneumonia, most of them young recruits, were admitted to a military hospital some time ago.

Passing Thru

VALENTINE SPECIAL

Couch love in helmets, not roses! Chandigarh, February 13 Don't be surprised if you get an unusual gift on Valentine's Day. If the Traffic Awareness Organisation (TAO), Chandigarh, is to be believed, it will like each lover to gift a helmet to his beloved instead of flowers. And seek nothing in return but a promise to wear the helmets gifted. The message has been communicated in a poster titled "A gift from heart to her head…!" The poster has been issued on the eve of Valentine's Day and made by Satwant Singh, a member of TAO. "Beauty is what a lover cherishes but an unprotected head in case of an accident may create permanent scars on one's face apart from even taking life ," says president of TAO Amar Manchanda.

A change becomes part of city life
Change is a small adornment time always carries along. A change that is strong enough to sustain all pressures of time becomes a part of life. Valentine’s Day celebrations are one such change that has etched its name permanently on the socio-cultural life of the city.

2005 — A love story
Valentine’s Day now involves a lot of commercial interests so much so that the warmth of this pure feeling gets blocked by advertising slogans. But as someone said love never ends and even though it may seem to vanish, it remains alive like a scent which one can’t see but which one can experience .

Essence of love
Love is a lyric of acceptance. It depends upon the mind becoming a servant rather than a master. This can b achieved only through the acceptance of the other, our destiny and all individuals as they are. If the world is accepted as it is and our emotions are directed towards unconditional love, then our mind, a composite of negative attitudes, desires and regrets, subsides into silence, the intellect becomes the master.

• Good for heart even better for economy
• Hills beckon
• And my heart will go on...
• Foretelling love stings

COMMUNITY

PUDA for 2-phase acquisition of land
290 acres to be acquired within week
Mohali, February 13
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Punjab, has decided to sequence into two phases the acquisition of land for the proposed Zirakpur Urban Estate.

Campaign against use of polythene bags
Chandigarh, February 13
A small colony of 800 households uses around 5,000 plastic bags everyday or 1.5 lakh bags a month. This means, people in Chandigarh, which has a population of approximately 10 lakh, use around 6.25 lakh polythene bags daily. The figures are alarming.

A perfect Valentine gift for maid

Chandigarh, February 13 It is the Valentine’s Day gift, Sunita, a maid servant, will remember for years to come. For this 20-year-old resident of Dadu Majra Colony, marriage was the last thing in her agenda till the other day. However, courtesy several social organisations, including the Nishkam Seva Mandal and the Shiv Bhole Prabandhak Committee, she tied the nuptial knot today to open a new leaf in her poverty-stricken existence. Sunita with her husband Sanjeev. - A Tribune photograph

Twentyone couples tie nuptial knot Panchkula, February 13 It was indeed a memorable Valentine gift for 21 couples as they entered into a matrimonial alliance today following a mass-marriage ceremony organised at Aggarwal Bhavan by the Lions Club (Chandigarh Plaza) and Arya Samaj, Sector 12. The mass marriages of 19 couples were performed according to Vedic rites. Nearby, a maulvi read out the nikah nama for two Muslim couples as relatives cheered on and enjoyed the wedding ceremonies. The celebrations were like any other wedding— a band playing and a record player blaring the latest Hindi songs. Mass marriages in progress at Aggrawal Bhavan in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Littering around marriage venues irks residents
Chandigarh, February 13
The ongoing marriage season may have brought joy to some but for a majority of the residents it is proving to be a nightmare. With garbage and leftover remaining littered for days together near marriage venues like community centres and parks, the neighbours are at the receiving end.

Manauli Fort: A dying slice of history

Mohali, February 13 Barely 7 km from Mohali is a village called Manauli. Steeped in history, the village houses a Mughal fort that was won by the legendry Nawab Kapoor Singh in 1763. The centuries-old fort, declared as a protected monument by the Punjab Government in 2001, is, however, today a poor picture of its original glory. One of the four corner towers of the Manauli Fort, 7 km from Mohali. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan.

Nepalese protest against King Gyanendra

Chandigarh, February 13 A large number of Nepalese from the north gathered in the city under the aegis of the Nepali Janadhikar Suraksha Samiti Bharat Central Committee in protest against the dismissal of the democratic government in Nepal by King Gyanendra. Women and children participate in a protest under the Nepali Janadhikar Surksha Samiti Central Committee in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Basant welcomed with zest Chandigarh, February 13 The kite flying competition held today to mark the herald of 'Basant' at Leisure Valley, Sector 10, generated much enthusiasm among the crowd. Nearly 1200 persons participated in this competition that let their kites sway all over the sky. Women participate in a tug of war at Basant Utsav in Leisure Valley, Chandigarh, on Sunday.— Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Anuradha crusader of social drama
Chandigarh, February 13
If someone still passionately believes in Romeo and Juliet, you won’t take long to come to the conclusion that he or she is driven by the old values which will hardly synchronise with the contemporary world.

Tribune employees collect Rs 3.25 lakh for tsunami aid
Chandigarh, February 13
At a function held on The Tribune premises in Chandigarh on February 11 to pay tributes to Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia on the occasion of the 124th foundation day of the newspaper, the President of the Tribune Employees Union, Mr Jagtar Singh Sidhu, handed over a cheque for Rs 3.25 lakh to the Chairman of the Tribune Trust, Justice R.S. Pathak, as relief to the tsunami victims.

Society to set up home for people, animals
Panchkula, February 13
The Society for Disowned Humans and Animals will set up a home for people and an animal shelter.

Residents’ body seeks changes in policy
Chandigarh, February 13
The CHB Residents’ Federation here demanded changes in the board policy of the transfer of ownership and regularisation of alterations.

CRIME

Businessman alleges fraud, two booked 
Chandigarh, February 13
A local businessman was allegedly duped of Rs 10 lakh by a businessman from Jalandhar and another from Kolkata for getting the former a distribution agency of the Paonta Sahib-based Himachal Beverages Private Limited.

Robbers try to break open ATM
Dera Bassi, February 13
Robbers struck at the local branch of the State Bank of Patiala located along the Kalka-Ambala highway and tried to break open the ATM and decamp with money late last night.

BUSINESS

Destination North, Air Deccan’s next stop
Chandigarh, February 13
Air Deccan, one of India’s low-cost airlines, is set to provide better connectivity by starting direct flights to tourist destinations and smaller cities in the North. The Delhi-Chandigarh flight by this airline is likely to take off by February 19, while flights to places like Jammu, Agra, Kanpur and Jabalpur will start operations by month end.

EDUCATION

Hamara School
Innovative and tech-based teaching is their forte

The Police DAV Public School is an English medium co-educational Institution affiliated with the CBSE, New Delhi. The school is one of the brilliant beads in the chain of more than 700 Educational Institutions managed by DAV Organisation. The School was started in 1996 as a result of an agreement between DAV Organisation and Haryana Police.

Principalspeak
What sculptures is to a block of marble, education is to human soul. The whole object of education is to develop human mind. The mind should be a thing that works. It should be able to pass judgement on events as they arise.

‘More Indians going to Australia for higher studies’
Chandigarh, February 13
During the year 2003-04 around 12, 000 Indians migrated to Australia for higher education. Demand for courses in hospitality, marketing, management, horticulture and accountancy was high, said Mr Nirmal Chawla, head of Connect Overseas Immigration.

Jat Sabha honours meritorious students
Chandigarh, February 13
Students who have excelled in academic and sports were honoured by the Jat Sabha at a function organised to observe the 124th birth anniversary of Sir Chhotu Ram here today.

Four-day programme on technical skills
Mohali, February 13
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Mohali, will be conducting a four-day skill and technology programme on “Secure your business through information security” from February 15.

LEISURE

Musical tribute to Tyagaraja The leading south Indian cultural association Tamil Manram paid a musical tribute to Tyagaraja Aradhanai saluting the intuitive wisdom and creative elegance of the visionary, saint, scholar and musicologist on Sunday at the Tamil Manram complex in Chandigarh. Devotees perform Saint Tyagaraja Panchratna kirtan at Tamil Manram complex, Sector 30, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

PU convocation, a dampener
The clash of the much-awaited Valentine's Day, falling on February 14, with the annual academic ritual of convocation in Panjab University may prove to be a dampener to the loving spirit this year. The restricted entry on the university campus and the huge presence of policemen are bound to make the youngsters look for other options this V-Day.

Basant Sangeet Utsav celebrated 
The Saraswati Kala Sangam, a cultural association devoted to the promotion of classical and traditional arts, celebrated Basant Sangeet Utsav on Sunday. The association organised a musical soiree, including poetic renditions, by local artistes at the Satluj Public School hall in Pandhkula.

Treasure trove in dingy store!
A treasure trove of paintings and painted photographs have been unearthed from a dingy store in the Sheesh Mahal complex in Patiala after the intervention of the National Gallery of Modern Art.

Singh Bandhus Punjabis of the year
Noted classical singer duo Tejpal Singh and Surinder Singh, known as Singh Bandhus, have been chosen for The Punjabis of the Year Award 2004 to be given by Punjab Today, a Punjabi magazine published from Patiala.

HEALTH

‘Women at greater risk of osteoarthritis’
Mohali, February 13 
“Osteoarthritis is more common in women than in men. It is a myth that one should restrict movement in osteoarthritis. Rather movement reduces the stiffness in joints and provides necessary lubrication, Dr Jaswant Rai, Director, Orthopaedics, Fortis Hospital, said today.

SPORTS

Saurav puts up good show in cricket tourney
Chandigarh, February 13
Excellent performance of Saurav Arora, a law student of Panjab University, Chandigarh, who is representing Chandigarh Cricket Association XI in the Amartex Cricket Cup, enabled his side to beat Minerva Cricket Academy by five wickets in their last league tie of the tournament which is being played at the JR Institute of Cricket Technology, Barwala.

Telecom operators cup semifinals on Feb 20
Panchkula, February 13
BSNL XI and Spice XI (Pool A) and Tata Indicom XI and HFCL XI (Pool B) entered the semifinals of the Punjab Telecom Operators Friendship Cup Cricket Tournament being held at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Sector 3 here today. The semifinal line-up for February 20 is: BSNL XI vs HFCL XI and Spice XI vs Tata Indicom XI.

City throwball team excels Chandigarh, February 13 City men brought laurels when they bagged the fourth place in the 28th Senior National Throwball Championship which concluded in Hyderabad on February 7. This is for the first time that Chandigarh throwball players gave such a good performance in the nationals. The UT throwball team which won the fourth place in the 28th Senior National Throwball meet held in Hyderabad.