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Ring road to decongest UT-Kharar stretch
Chandigarh, May 12 The 8-km proposed road would provide an alternative connectivity to the traffic moving towards Ropar and Ludhiana. The proposal was approved at a recent meeting of the Punjab Regional Town Planning and Development Board, held under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. Since a section of the new road has to pass through the Chandigarh boundary, the issue is being taken up with the Chandigarh Administration. A senior officer in the Department of Town and Country Planning said the matter was also being taken up with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as it involves providing an extension of the highway. “The existing road section of the highway between Mohali and Kharar has become an accident-prone stretch. The new road would ease traffic congestion on the section,” said the senior officer. To further improve connectivity between the Ambala-Kalka National Highway and the Chandigarh-Ropar National Highway, the authorities in the second phase of planning have proposed that a road would take off from Dera Bassi and join the proposed ring road after passing through Chhat village and southern sectors of Mohali. The Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Karan Bir Singh Sidhu, told The Tribune that mixed land use had been planned along the proposed ring road, Banur-Landran- Kharar road and another road between Chhat village and Mohali. To create proper linkages, the area outside the sectoral grid of Mohali, low-density selective urbanisation has been planned. The mixed land use (marked green in the map) allows running of marriage palaces, banquet halls, shopping malls and other commercial activity, subject to certain strict parameters. This would enable the authorities to check haphazard growth along the highways. The authorities have also decided that 300-metre depth on both sides of the proposed 200 metre-wide highway between Mohali and Chhat village would be developed in the form of mixed land use. Along the right side of the Chandigarh -Kharar highway, low density colonies, with minimum plot area of 1000 sq metres would be permitted. On a similar pattern, mixed land use would be allowed along the Banur - Kharar road which would ultimately be widened to 200 metres.
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CBI traps Head Constable in police station
Chandigarh, May 12 This is the second time that the CBI trapped a police man inside a police station. Earlier, a Sub-Inspector was nabbed from inside the Sector 31 police station for allegedly accepting a bribe. This is also the second time when a munshi in the Mani Majra police station had been arrested accepting bribe. Earlier, munshi Bhimsen was trapped by the police in a similar fashion around six months ago. While the Head Constable, Mr Husan Lal, had been arrested, the ASI Sunita Bakhshi, is still at large. She, however, was in contact with the complainant and the Head Constable, during the day. Sources in the CBI said a complainant approached the agency saying that Ms Bakhshi had demanded a bribe from him for speeding up a dowry case. She had allegedly been dragging her feet on registration of the case. Ms Bakhshi is in-charge of the women’s desk in the police station. The complainant told the CBI that Ms Bakhshi had already extracted some money from him in the same case. The police station, however, claimed that the complainant was bent on handing over the money to anybody in the police station apparently to get them trapped by the CBI. Sources in the CBI refuted the charge saying the agency before trapping somebody confirmed the demand through different sources in front of independent witnesses. The CBI claims to have mobile phone details and voice recording of the police officer and the complainant. Sources said when the complainant this evening reached the police station, he called up Ms Bakhshi saying that he had come with the money. Ms Bakhshi then rung up the complainant to hand over the money to the Head Constable on her behalf. The complainant then rang up the Head Constable asking him to come outside the police station to collect the money but he boldly said it was better to hand over the money inside the police station. As per the plan, the CBI wanted to bring the Head Constable outside the police station to avoid a situation that was witnessed in the Sector 31 police station.
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Juice seller becomes civil servant
Chandigarh, May 12 A post graduate in economics from Panjab University, Manoj says that it was the inherent desire to rise and make something of himself that kept him going. Three years of failure in the civil services examinations would have shattered anyone. “I had no alternative, but to work till I succeeded,” he says, more relaxed at having achieved his ambition, than being elated at his success. Life has not been a bed of roses for this 28-year-old youth. His father, Mr Ved Pal, used to sell vegetables on a rehri, and never had enough money to meet the basic requirements of his family- wife and four sons. “There were times that I along with my wife and children had to work as daily labourers. I believed that it was only by providing proper education to my children that I could hope for our socio- economic betterment. I admitted my four sons to the Government Senior Secondary School, Daddu Majra. But as the family expanded, I had no option but to ask my children to help in eking out a living. My two elder sons — Ram Kumar and Rajinder Kumar even worked as labourers after school, while Manoj used to sell fruit juice on a rehri,” says Mr Ved Pal. “ Ab bahut der baad, kismet jaagi hai,” he says beaming with joy. Manoj says that his two elder brothers quit education and took up jobs —Ram Kumar is a driver in Municipal Corporation, Delhi, and Rajinder is a lab attendant at PGI, Chandigarh. “But I wanted to study, so I continued with odd jobs till the time I got admission for graduation at Government College for Men, Sector 11. I then started giving tuitions in order to earn money to support my education,” he says proudly as he emphasizes that he is a self-made man. But what motivated him to join the civil services, we ask. “Anu,” he replies, as we search for details. “She was my class mate in the university, and later became my best friend. She helped me make a choice of career in the civil services. Even in my times of failure and disillusionment, she stood by me, always encouraging me to try hard next year,” he adds. More credible is fact that unlike most persons who have succeeded in the civil services examination, Manoj did not take any coaching. “I had no money. That is the reason that it took me four years to clear the examination. I think coaching is must to get direction and learn management of the examination, besides helping one deal with the interviews,” he says. So what does he look forward to? “Better governance, more transparency in government functioning and people’s participation,” he says. “I come from the lowest strata of the society, and have seen disdain for the poor among the bureaucrats. I hope to change this,” he says.
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2 more city boys make it to civil services
Chandigarh, May 12 An alumnus of Panjab University and advocate in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mandip Singh Brar secured the 60th rank in the civil services examination. With an outstanding academic record to boast of, Mandip not only topped in all examinations from Class XI onwards but set a new record by securing 78 per cent in LL.B from Panjab University. An all-rounder, Mandip’s interests are evident from his participation in various activities ranging from debates, declamations and quizes to being editor of school and college magazines. Son of a former high court judge, Justice H.S. Brar, he was also selected for a scholarship by the Government of India and a five-week course on Swedish and European Law at Stockholm University in Sweden. “This was my third attempt and I picked up law and sociology since I was well versed with the subjects. While I have topped in the LL.B examination and gone on to complete LL.M as well, I was a gold medalist in sociology honours from Panjab University. So, that’s why the subject combination was a natural choice for me,” he says. Vikas Nair, an electrical engineer from IIT, Delhi, has got the 230th rank. Son of a personal assistant in the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC), Mr N.K.K. Nair, he says that senior Haryana cadre IAS officer H.S. Anand was his inspiration. “He guided me to take the civil services examination,” he says. He says that the motivation all came from his mother, Ms Radha Nair, an employee in the UT Health Department. “I have cleared the examination in my second attempt. But it was her continuous support that kept me going,” he says. Other than his excellent academic record, Vikas is also a keen cricket and hockey player and has won many awards.
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Married woman commits suicide
Chandigarh, May 12 According to the police, Mandeep Kaur hanged herself with a dupatta from a ceiling fan hook, when the other members of her family were away to attend a marriage in Sector 24, last night. Mandeep Kaur, a mother of one-and-half-year old son bolted the room from inside and hanged herself. The suicide came to light when a brother-in-law of the deceased came back home and found the door bolted from inside. When his repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, he peeped through a window and found Mandeep Kaur hanging. He raised the alarm and called other family and then broke open the door. By that time, Mandeep Kaur was no more. Still hopeful of saving her they rushed her to the General Hospital in Sector 16, where the doctors declared her brought dead. The family members of the deceased told the police that Mandeep Kaur got married about six years ago and there was no family dispute in the couple. Her in-laws were living in a separate house in the same locality. Mandeep Kaur was living with her husband, Mr Ajit Singh, a class IV employee working in a dispensary of Sector 32. The brother of Mandeep Kaur, who is a rickshaw puller, told the police that he left home at around 5 pm for his work and at that time he did not notice anything wrong.
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Chain snatcher held
Chandigarh, May 12 Amit Kaushal, (29) was arrested three days after his one of accomplices was nabbed by the police. According to the police, Amit used to pillion-ride while indulge in snatching. The police is yet to confirm why he was moving about in the city with a countrymade pistol.
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UT skyline for sale
THE facts brought out by Mr Ajay Jagga in the column ‘‘UT skyline for sale’’ in Chandigarh Tribune dated May 7, 2005, are correct. No other city in India could be compared with its meticulous planning, keeping in view the requirements of the number of citizens staying in each sector. Facilities like water, electricity, roads, sewerage, markets, parking lots for vehicles, drainage system, parks, public conveniences and space availability to park vehicles of house owners inside the house/on the roads are commendable. Pressure of parking cars and two wheelers in the market has already reached a breaking point.
A lot of land is lying vacant around houses above 2 kanal — 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 kanal plots — situated in 1 to 12 Sectors where only old couples are staying. Land lying vacant around such houses can be utilised by constructing apartments since this land is not of any use for the past 5 decades or so, and may remain vacant for ever. More so, the present beautiful roundabouts are being converted to traffic lights due to a heavy rush of vehicles at peak hours. By allowing apartments, the population will increase much above the designed capacity of the infrastructure of each sector. Hence, before allowing the apartments the authorities should give a careful thought to the points given as under:- (a) With the increase in population, pressure on the sewerage/ drainage lines will increase. This line runs under the roads/side of the roads where cycle tracks have come up lately. The roads/cycle tracks above the sewerage line will have to be dug to replace the present sewerage line with larger pipes. (b) By accommodating more people in apartments, the requirement of water will increase. Present water tanks will have to be replaced with bigger water tanks. The present water pipes will have to be replaced with wider ones. (c) With more people in the apartments, their will be more requirement of electricity. All electricity substations will have to be upgraded. (d) By allowing apartments to come up, vehicles will increase, resulting in requirement of wider roads. Will it be possible to demolish houses on the roadside to make roads wider? (e) Will it be possible to increase parking places in the markets to park more vehicles after demolishing houses next to the markets? (f) Where will the vehicles be parked for the people staying in the upper floors of apartments? (g) Facilities of schools and dispensaries will have to be increased to accommodate more students/ patients. (h) Most of the people living in apartments would require domestic help — part-time and full time. All the above points deserve to be studied in details before allowing apartments. In order to have better houses for increased population, in place of allowing apartments on the present buildings and spoiling and the basic structure of the City Beautiful, I suggest the administration should develop altogether new complexes on their precious vast land encroached illegally by jhuggis and religious structures. I read in Chandigarh Tribune that 28.25 acres of prime land is encroached by religious structures. The general public purchases a small plot of land by paying lakhs out of hard-earned money, whereas encroachers encroach upon government land in hundreds of acres free of cost. The Chandigarh Administration is doing an excellent job of getting the land vacated from encroachers against all odds from politicians. Keeping all the above points in view, construction of apartments at a new vacant land site with new infrastructure will be a useful step.
Lt-Col J.S. Dhillon (retd)
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OSD accused of using pressure tactics Mohali, May 12 In an affidavit, copies of which were circulated to the media, Mr Gurmukh Singh alleged that when he went to the house of Mrs Garcha today all those present at her residence, including the OSD, told him to join Mrs Garcha’s faction if he wanted development work to be carried out in the village. He alleged that Mrs Garcha was proving to be a hindrance in the development of the village because he owed his allegiance to Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu, another Congress leader. He further said some goods belonging to the village panchayat had got stolen but Mrs Garcha had allegedly told the police not to register a case in the matter. Mrs Garcha, however, told The Tribune that she had not met Gurmukh Singh when he came to her house today. She said she had not asked him to leave any other Congress leader to join her faction. She said the others also belonged to the Congress party. She said allegations being levelled by Mr Gurmukh Singh were baseless. She had never visited the village nor tried to create any hindrance in the way of development. She said she had only asked the police to investigate the matter regarding the complaint of theft. |
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HUDA’s claim on light
points refuted Panchkula, May 12 The report was submitted during the meeting of councillors held under the chairmanship of acting President and City Magistrate, Ms Vandana Disodia today. The councillors — Mr Naresh Rawal, Mr C.B. Goel, Mr V.K. Kapoor, Mr Randhir Badhran and Mr Pawan Mittal alleged that the Council had incurred a loss of Rs 30,000 per month for paying money for 8800 light points, though the actual points were less by 1000. They said that MC had suffered a loss of Rs 3,60,000 annually. The House members also pointed out that while HUDA was spending Rs 16 per light point when it was maintaining the MC was spending Rs 30. They wanted that a comparison of rates be done. The committee members also alleged that 40 per cent of the street lights in town were not functioning. They said that even the meters for billing the street lights were defunct, but the MC was being forced to shell out a large amount of money. The terms and conditions for the street light tender to be floated on May 16 were also discussed. Other than changing terms of contract regarding earnest money and qualification of work done by bidders, it was decided that the bidders would have to have a licence from Haryana Chief Electrical Inspector. Issues regarding re-laying of roads, pruning of trees and stray animal menace were also raised by councillors. |
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Slum children rally against drug abuse Panchkula, May 12 Carrying placards and raising slogans against drug abuse, students of a school run by Piya Sharma Charitable Trust in Rajiv Colony, here, took out a rally against drug abuse. ‘Nasha Har Musibat ki Jar’ and ‘Aao Milkar Nashe ko Mitayen’ — slogans like these painted by the students on their own were displayed in this rally, as the children went around in the slum areas. The students of this school were accompanied by students of various other schools in the district— Hansraj Public School, Holy Child School, Government High School, Sector 17 et al. The rally, led by 250 school children, was carried out as part of a World Health Organisation (WHO) project, informed Ms Pooja S. Passi, Director of the Piya Sharma Charitable School. “The aim was to create awareness against drug and substance abuse in youth population of slum areas,”she said. |
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New DC against
district status for Mohali Mohali, May 12 Mr Garewal, who visited the Fortis Hospital in connection with a valedictory function organised for student nurses, told mediapersons that as an economist and as an administrator he would not want that the town should be given the district status. He said, in fact, no town in Punjab should be made into a district as this amounted to unnecessary and unplanned burden on the finances of the state. He said there was no such work in Mohali which a Deputy Commissioner sitting at Roapr could not do it. The Deputy Commissioner said he would set up a camp office in Mohali and visit the town at least twice a week for the convenience of the residents. He said he would hold a meeting with the authorities of various banks and later get a book published in English and Punjabi which could provide guidance to the youth for approaching banks for various kinds of loans. Copies of this book would be kept in offices dealing with the public. He said he wanted that the youth should go in for self-employment instead of looking for jobs. |
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80 rounded up during police searches Mohali, May 12 Mr Harpreet Singh, DSP, said the search operations were started about 4 a.m. in Amb Sahib Colony, Guru Nanak Colony and Badmajra colonies and went on till about 8 a.m. Video filming of the operations was done. He said 80 persons, most of them young, were rounded up on suspicion but were later released after proper verification was carried out. Majority of the persons were rounded up from Badmajra colonies. Mr Harpreet Singh said the planning for carrying out search operations was done before hand and police force from Anandpur Sahib, Nangal and Ropar had been requisitioned for the work. There was a plan to intensify patrolling in the town with the help of extra force. |
Truck, car stolen
Chandigarh, May 12 Mr Naresh Kumar of Phase I, Industrial Area, reported to the police that his truck (CH-01-W-3792) was stolen from in front of plot No. 102, Phase I, Industrial Area, yesterday. In another incident, Mr Ram Avtar Yadav of Sector 39 filed a complaint to the police that his Santro car (JK-02-G-0054) was stolen from his residence during the night of May 10. Two separate cases of theft have been registered. Liquor seized
The police arrested three persons from separate places and seized 15 nips and 11 bottles of liquor from them, yesterday. Salinder Kumar, Subash Chander and Umesh Singh, all residents of Hallo Majra village were arrested from market in Sector 31, near small roundabout of Sectors 31 and 47 and small chowk in Hallo Majra village, respectively.
Scooterist hurt
A scooterist, Hardeep Singh of Phase IX, Mohali, suffered injuries when as car hit his scooter near Sectors 45-46 lights points, last night. The driver of the car (CH-03-N-2959) sped away from the spots after the accident. Hardeep was admitted to the GMCH, Sector 32, with serious head injuries.
Search operations
The local police carried out search operations in colonies and areas on the outskirts of the city in the wee hours today in the wake of incidents of robberies and killings in the sounding areas. Police sources said that the operations were carried out in Sectors 11, 31, 34, 36, 39, Industrial Area and Mani Majra from 4am to 8 am. The police rounded up as many as 855 persons, out of which 25 were arrested under Section 109, CrPC. It is pertinent to mention here, that Section 144, CrPC, is in force in the city.
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Gang of three ‘cheats’ arrested
Chandigarh, May 12 According the Sector 34 police station, Prateek Jain, his wife Richa and his cousin Kamal Jain were arrested when they made a payment of Rs 5,100 by a cheque to Radham Sarees in Sector 32. The shop owner got suspicious as three days ago, they had cheated his father in Sector 20 from whom they had bought crockery worth Rs 4,100. This cheque had been dishonoured. The modus operandi had been discussed in the family. When the three today reached the Sector 32 shop and issued HDFC, Sector 7, Panchkula, cheques for purchasing 10 suits, the owner of Radham Sarees called up his father to find out if these were the same persons. His father reached the spot and confirmed their identity. Some shopkeepers together caught them and called the police. The shopkeepers also called at least 10 more persons who had been allegedly cheated by the gang. The gang members belong to Delhi and have been active in the area since April 18. They had made their base at Ludhiana. Sources alleged that they had earlier during the day tried to purchase electronic items from Anand TV in Sector 45, but the owner of the shop refused to accept the cheque. The three reportedly stole a Nokia 1100 mobile from there.
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Man held in forgery case
Chandigarh, May 12 The complainants in the case are his wife Sina Garewal and the Sector 34-based Birla Finance from where he had taken a loan of Rs 6.8 lakh for purchasing a plot in March, 2002. During the investigation, the police approached the wife but she claimed that the signatures on the form were not hers. Gurpreet allegedly told the police that he brought the fact of refusal of his wife to sign the document to the notice of Ashutosh Kumar who was earlier working with Birla Finance. Ashutosh asked the man to procure a photograph of his wife, which he did. The police today raided the house of Ashutosh Kumar who was found out of station. His father promised to the police that he would produce Ashutosh before the Economic Offences Wing in the morning tomorrow. The matter came to the light when Gurpreet disappeared after taking the loan and did not pay the monthly instalments. Bank officials then wrote to Sina Garewal that she was responsible for repayment of the loan amount as she was a non-financial co-beneficiary. The woman showed ignorance about the loan, saying that she had not signed the loan documents. Ashutosh Kumar had allegedly charged commission for this purpose from Gurpreet.
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CBI nabs Sec 17 railway booking clerk
Chandigarh, May 12 The booking clerk, Mr Baldev Kumar, had allegedly demanded a bribe from the complainant who approached the CBI. Mr Baldev Kumar was today trapped after the CBI verified the demand.
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Complaint, case registration on same day
Chandigarh, May 12 A Sector 40 resident, Mr Ashwani Kumar, complained to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr Satish Chandra, yesterday that Mr Mukesh Kumar of Sector 22 had allegedly taken Rs 2.7 lakh from him for sending him to England but he was neither sent abroad nor was his money returned. Mr Kumar immediately ordered registration of the case and arrest of the accused. Earlier, the police had been taking a lot of time in verification of facts in such matters. The IGP ordered the registration of the case on the basis of a copy of a dishonoured cheque issued by Mr Mukesh Kumar in favour of the victim. The cheque established prima facie that the accused had to make a payment to the victim. The victim also claimed that he had given his passport to the accused which the latter had not returned. This fact established that the accused was suspected to be involved in human trafficking.
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Intruders snatch chain Panchkula, May 12 According to Ms Mishra, she found two youths in her flat when she returned from the market yesterday. She was surprised on noticing that the youths had ransacked the house. As Ms Mishra, wife of Major
D.P. Mishra, entered the house, the duo demanded valuables and cash from her. She asked them to wait for some time as the keys were with her father, Mr S.K. Dhawan. Hearing this they pushed her inside the bathroom, bolted it from outside and fled. While coming down the stairs they also hit Mr Dhawan, who was approaching the flat. |
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IG office employee arrested Panchkula, May 12 A case has been registered against him on the complaint of the DIG, Prisons, Mr Dayanand Beniwal. Mr Beniwal has alleged that the accused was using a fake identity card to travel free in state transport buses. The identity card showed him as posted in the Hisar Jail. He has alleged that the parole warrants found from his possession could have been misused. Ranvir was arrested by the police last night and produced before a local court today. He was remanded in police custody till May 14. |
Verka launches new products
Chandigarh, May 12 The popular sweetened lassi will now be available in the confectionary shops and other outlets as a family pack of one litre also, so will their mango drink `raseela’, while kheer will come in smaller sizes. These were launched by Mr Gurbachan Singh Babehali, at Milk Plant, Chandigarh. Speaking at the launch, he said there was persistent demand for the economy pack of these popular products from the buyers and this would help reach out to more families during the summer months. The Managing Director, Mr Vikas Pratap Singh, said a single brick of any flavour of ice cream would now be available for Rs 50. Ice-cream gallons of five litres is being offered free to give value for money to consumers in this segment. The sale of most of these products, including curd, lassi, cold kheer has increased with the advent of summers. Kheer, ‘pinni’ and milk cake are already popular in the sweets category and two new sweets, with a better shelf life were being introduced. While dhodha has a shelf life of 30 days, sohanpapadi has a shelf life of 60 days. With the new launches, the number of products has gone up to over 30, he added. The production capacity of the Chandigarh plant is 3,500 packets per days and the plant works all seven days. He said Verka products were being currently exported to South East Asian and Middle East countries and the turnover from exports is Rs 13.5 crore.
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