The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SAFMA calls for Indo-Pak regime on exchange of prisoners
Chandigarh, August 25

South Asian Free Media Association has called for identification of complementarities between India and Pakistan, ahead of South Asian Free Trade Area Agreement, to come into force in 2006.

SAFMA delegates (from left to right) Mr Satnam Manak, Mr Munir Ahmad, Mr Imtiaz Alam, Mr K.K. Katyal and Mr Safiq-ul-Rahman during an interaction at the Chandigarh Press Club on Thursday. — A Tribune photo

SAFMA delegates (from left to right) Mr Satnam Manak, Mr Munir Ahmad, Mr Imtiaz Alam, Mr K.K. Katyal and Mr Safiq-ul-Rahman during an interaction at the Chandigarh Press Club on Thursday.

ALL RADIANCE AND SPLENDOUR: Lakshmi Narayan temple in Sector 20 decked up on the eve of Janmashtami on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Centre gives go-ahead to VAT in Chandigarh
New Delhi, August 25
Decks have been cleared to implement value added tax system in Chandigarh, as the government today introduced the Punjab General Sales Tax (as in force in the union territory of Chandigarh) Repeal Bill, 2005, in the Lok Sabha.

Police “builds up pressure” on kidnappers
Mohali, August 25
The Durban police has so far failed to arrest the persons who had reportedly kidnapped Makhan Singh, a resident of Kumbra village here, in South Africa on August 15.

Cop’s death: probe finds MC at fault
Chandigarh, August 25
Preliminary investigations carried out by the Chandigarh police have pointed towards negligence on part of the Municipal Corporation staff in Constable Jaswinder Kaur’s death case. The sources in the Chandigarh Police say seven-month pregnant Jaswinder Kaur’s death could have been averted had the manhole in Sector 30 not been left uncovered by the Corporation staff.

Passing Thru

COMMUNITY

Conservation of heritage sites low priority: expert
Chandigarh, August 25
Development in the country has taken place at the cost of heritage. Even as industrialisation and mechanisation take over the new socio-economic order, conservation of historical structures takes a backseat. Ms Gurmeet S. Rai, Conservation Architect and Director of the Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative, says that without local community’s participation, conservation of heritage buildings cannot be a success.

India grapples with multiplicity of standards, says expert
Chandigarh, August 25
While addressing the inaugural seminar on ‘WTO-TBT Agreement: Role of Indian Stakeholders and Expectations from Enquiry Point’, organised by the Bureau of Indian Standards in the city today, Dr A.R. Kidwai, Governor of Haryana, lauded the effort that had gone into the “convening a useful conference”.

Students of departments of Mass Communication, English and Indian Theatre, Panjab University, seek the release of Sarabjit Singh, who has been sentenced to death in Pakistan, at a peace march organised on university campus on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Powermen lose salary for strike period
Chandigarh, August 25
More than 1,200 employees of the Electricity Department of Chandigarh Administration will lose one fourth of days salary for the two-hour strike on August 24.

UT villages impress Rodrigues
Chandigarh, August 5
Residents of Chandigarh villages have better standard of living than the other rural areas of the country, Gen (retd) S.F. Rodrigues, Governor of Punjab and the UT Administrator, said this while participating in the meeting of the council of Ministers on panchayati raj held at Kochi in Kerala today, an official press note said.

CRIME

Farmer found murdered
Mohali, August 25
A 65-year-old farmer was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in Saneta village, near here, this morning. The body of Koora Ram, who had recently struck a deal of his land worth about Rs 4.20 crore, was laying on a cot near the three shops owned by him.

Pickpockets thriving at General Hospital
Panchkula, August 25
Purse snatchers and thieves are on the prowl at the General Hospital, Sector 6, here. The recent spate of thefts and snatchings is proof of this.

2 vehicles stolen from Panjab University
Chandigarh, August 25
Thefts of vehicles continues in the city. Two vehicles, including a car, were reportedly stolen from the city while, in a separate incident one person was arrested for carrying 450 gm of poppy husk.

Two held for carrying liquor
Chandigarh, August 25
The Chandigarh police today arrested the area sales manager and a sales officer of a reputed liquor company from near the Taj Hotel in Sector 17 here for allegedly carrying seven cartons of Indian Made Foreign Liquor illegally.

Couple crushed to death in sleep
Panchkula, August 25
A couple sleeping outside their house in Barwala were crushed to death by a speeding truck after the truck hit the road divider, turned turtle and landed on the couple.

4 suspects in police custody
Panchkula, August 25
The local police has brought four suspects from the Ludhiana Central Jail here, who are reportedly involved in several cases of car theft. The accused — Gurinder, Balraj, Chanchal Singh and Tejnder — were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate today and were remanded in eight days’ police custody.

EDUCATION

Schoolchildren perform ‘rasleela’
Chandigarh, August 25
Schoolchildren dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha chanted hymns, enacted “ras leela” and scenes from Krishna’s life’s part of the Janmashtami celebrations in various schools of the city and surrounding areas today.

Janmashtami in schools
Panchkula, August 25
Janmashtami was celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm at Holy Child School, Morni road. Devotees of ISKCON were invited who performed the ceremony in a traditional manner.

Students of Cherub Foster school, Sector 4, Panchkula, at a function organised in connection with Janamashtmi on the school premises on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

DAV students depict Krishna’s childhood
Mohali, August 25
The childhood of Lord Krishna was depicted in a colourful way by students of DAV Public School at a function held in connection with Janmashtami celebrations here today.

Girl hostels cramped
Chandigarh, August 25
Suman, a student of MA (IInd year) at Panjab University and an inmate of Kasturba hostel, is happy to be in the department lecture rooms. But when her classes are over she is not willing to enter her hostel room.

Richa declared Miss Fresher
Chandigarh, August 25
‘Aurora’ — a function to welcome freshers was organised at Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, here today. Mr B.D. Bhudhiraja, Dean, College Development Council, was the Chief Guest at the function.
Richa (centre) has been declared Miss Fresher of Guru Gobind Singh College for Women at a function in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Environment awareness programme held
Chandigarh, August 25
An environment awareness programme was organised with great enthusiasm at St Soldier International Convent School, Mohali, today.

COURTS

High Court
Reason sought for not appointing Presiding Officer
Chandigarh, August 25
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the Union Government to inform the court why a Presiding Officer is not being appointed for the Debts Recovery Tribunal, Chandigarh.

Special Lok Adalat held
Chandigarh, August 25
The State Legal Services Authority today organised a Special Lok Adalat on its premises to settle the outstanding dues of the various branches of Chandigarh State Co-operative Bank under the aegis of Mr Justice Amar Dutt, Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court-cum-Executive Chairman of the Authority.

CULTURE

New Releases
Cent per cent comedy
Boney Kapoor’s multistarrer ‘No Entry’ will be released today at Neelam, Chandigarh, Fun Republic, Manimajra, KC Panchkula, and Tagore, Patiala.

Scene from ‘No Entry’

HEALTH

PGI OPD open today
Chandigarh, August 24
The OPD at the PGIMER will remain open on the occasion of Janamashtami tomorrow. Emergency services will continue to function round the clock. TNS

SPORTS

DAV wham KC in soccer semifinals
Panchkula, August 25
DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, gave a crushing defeat to KC Public School, Jammu, knocking them out by 9-0 in the semifinal of the CBSE Football Tournament (Cluster XIII) being played at Satluj Public School, Sector 4, here today. The DAV team got an edge over their opponents within first seven minutes by netting the first goal and maintaining the pressure throughout the match.

The CBSE Football Tournament (Cluster XIII) in progress at Satluj Public School, Pinjore, on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

An inter-college cross-country race, organised by the Department of Physical Education, started from the Panjab University main ground on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Haryana badminton championship begins
Chandigarh, August 25
Rahul Sangwan of Hisar prevailed over Dinesh of Gurgaon and defeated him 12-15, 15-3, 15-7 on the opening day of 39th Haryana State Open Senior Badminton Championship held at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Sector 3, here today.

Rovers vs Surjit Academy
in final
Dadu Majra top circle kabaddi event

Sub-junior carrom tourney from Sept 1
Chandigarh, August 25
The 33rd Sub-Junior National and Inter-State Carrom Championship will be held from September 1 to 6 at Skating Rink Hall, Sector 10, here.

ADMINISTRATION

MC sends Sanghi case to Administrator
Chandigarh, August 25
The special meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, held here to discuss the “misbehaviour” of Mr P.C. Sanghi, a nominated councillor, with councillors and officials, today decided to forward the meeting’s proceedings to the UT Administrator for “appropriate action.”

HUDA schemes for Sectors 23, 24 & 25
Panchkula, August 25
The city’s skyline is in for a change. With property prices in the township sky- rocketing, thus making property out of reach for the common man, the Haryana Urban Development Authority is now planning to re- introduce group housing schemes.