Chandigarh, March 7
The auction of the banquet hall by the Estate Office of the Chandigarh Administration proved to be a damp squib with no bidding, and ultimately led to the the cancellation of the event here today.

The auction of the property on leasehold saw three names on the list of bidders before the auction commenced. They all expected the administration to lower the reserve price. The reserve price quoted by the administration was Rs 23.23 crore. Gurpal Kalra, Mohit and Elegant Infrastructure were the three names in the register where they deposited Rs 50,000 each to qualify for the bid.

"The reserve price is too high. In case they reduce it to Rs 10 crore at the auction, I can think of participating", Mr Kalra said. Similar opinion was expressed by Mr Subhash Sethi, owner of a tent house.

"The banquet hall measuring nearly 3.75 acres is located in Sector 38(west). The successful bidder will have to pay the whole amount within 90 days, deposit the lease money annually and also spend on the infrastructure which makes the deal a little tough on us", Mr Sethi said.

Mr Kalra said: "Banquet hall was a business, a little different from the routine. Banquet halls do not give business for more than 80 days in a year. We are asked to deposit the total amount within 90 days, which was a bit harsh. The financing norms have changed in the market and similar changes should be incorporated in the UT policy. A period varying between five and 10 years to make the full payment was ideal", Mr Kalra said.

Mr Narbir Singh, a leading property consultant, said:"It is very difficult for an undeveloped property to go on a leasehold. This was evident from the flop show for the hotel site in Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Park recently. Commercial sites in sectors 35 and 44 had also met similar fate."

Mr Narbir Singh said "the property prices were highly bloated in the city, particularly for the property on the leasehold. Why will anybody pay such a high price, pay the annual leasehold price and spend on infrastructure?"

It was also suggested that a series of failures in selling UT property underlined the need for a special consultancy services to help in planning an auction.

Mr N.S.Brar, Assistant Estate Officer, said "the administration does not sell the commercial property on a freehold basis. We are bound by the rules. The reserve price is fixed after serious deliberations at the highest levels".

The auction began nearly two hours after the scheduled time at 10 a.m.

Chandigarh, March 7
It was a spontaneous outpouring, an expression of grief, a silent scream for justice denied to Jessica Lal. The candle-light vigil and the signing of a petition against the verdict to the President of India at the Sukhna Lake in the evening today was an expression of solidarity.

The crowds came in droves, lighting candles, standing in groups and expressing disbelief at the court’s verdict.

On the eve of International Women’s Day, the unifying belief was “denial of justice to every woman and Jessica being a glaring example of that ”.

Most referred to it as a barter between the bureaucracy and the legislature and slaughter of democracy. “We demand justice,” said Ms Ranbirtalib, a resident of the city.

For Kalpana and Nishi, who were part of the original idea, the prime moving force was the fact that as the city that houses the accused, solidarity must come from here for the victim.

The call for the vigil was started by a group of friends yesterday as they sat talking about the case. The idea took shape through telephone calls, SMS and word-of-mouth. The more than 500 candles brought for the vigil ran out in a mere half hour even as curious onlookers stopped by to light a candle.

For Kanwar, Priyanka, Manisha and Gaurav, engineering students at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, in the city for some training, it is not about Manu Sharma, but about the system. “Killing is a serious crime and punishment must be served, only then will faith be restored.”

For Susheela Devi of Sector 19, who is going through hell at her home, the lighting of a candle was her way of saying no more. “If even in death there is no justice, I do not care what happens to me anymore.”

Joginder Singh Khaira, a retired senior citizen, vociferously demanded the boycott of Manu Sharma and his entire family. “Demonstrations will not affect them. Actions should be where it hurts whether justice prevails or not. Hurt them mentally.”

Despite the teeming multitude, an air of fear pervaded the atmosphere. “Do not name us, for we do not know what will happen,” said some. A number of men refused to comment or asked for their names to be changed.

The women, however, came up in numbers wanting to air their feelings. The last words belonged to Reiki Masters and Healers, Anita Bansal and Poonam Sharma. “When you feel from the heart, you feel no fear.” 

Chandigarh, March 7
Falsifying allegations of rape and kidnapping levelled by a 21-year-old girl against a boy in the neighbourhood, his mother and two other persons, the police found that the girl, instead, had eloped with the accused mentioned in the complaint.

Earlier in the day, the victim’s father said it was only after meeting a local human rights activist that his daughter came out with the details of the offence. Until meeting the activist, she had kept the family in the dark about the incident and had only blamed the accused for kidnapping her.

Citing the reason behind the canard cooked by the girl, the police said Pankaj, the boyfriend of the girl, conspired with her to take revenge on his aunt, Radha Rani, who had been booked in the case along with her son Yugdeep.

The police said Radha had caught the couple in a compromising position about six months ago. She threw out Pankaj from her house. Radha had also told girl’s parents about her conduct.

The SHO of Sector 36 police station, Inspector Ishwar Singh Mann, said the police had collected “enough evidence” in this regard like the mobile call details exchanged between them in the past three days. The police had also recorded the statement of the neighbours of Pankaj in Batala, his native city, who told the police that they had seen the Pankaj with the girl on February 28 and also in the Monday afternoon.

Following the information a police team was despatched to Batala late last night to trace the couple. But by the time the police reached the locality Pankaj fled from there along with the girl as he had got information about the police’s arrival.

Mr Mann said the girl left the city with Pankaj on February 28 and stayed there that night. The next day they came back to the city and hatched a conspiracy to implicate Radha and Yugdeep along with Ashu and Vishal, their neighbours.

Chandigarh, March 7
The much-awaited spell of rain, the gusty wind prancing around the city with dry leaves in tow and trees waving as if to welcome the pleasant weather — the city woke up to all this, but it didn’t last very long.

For, from behind the clouds, after playing hide and seek for a while, the sun came out with a vengeance and by noon the city’s early morning “wet look” had just about disappeared.

The temperature, too, had begun to climb up much to the disappointment of city residents.

However, all is not lost yet. There’s certainly a silver lining to these clouds which float away so easily, without quenching the city’s thirst, without drenching it and without checking the temperature rise. The Meteorological Office says “more rain and better rain” is expected tomorrow and the next couple of days.

“Today’s rain, measuring 2.8mm, was the consequence of the western disturbance hovering over North Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir as also due to induced cyclonic circulation over North Rajasthan and adjoining Punjab and Haryana.

The system seems weak since the rainfall at night, too, was way below our expectation. However, rain will come visiting again, says Director of the office Chhatar Singh Malik.

However, cricket lovers need not be worried about the fate of the second Test match between India and England to be held at the PCA stadium in Mohali on March 8.

While rain is expected in the next couple of days, the shower is unlikely to be “powerful” enough to wash out a day’s play. The office maintains it’ll be a light shower lasting only an hour or so if at all it does rain.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 31 degrees centigrade and a minimum temperature of 14.6 degrees centigrade.

The city had recorded a maximum of 30.6 degrees centigrade yesterday and a minimum of 14.2 degrees centigrade yesterday.

Mohali March 7
The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), Mohali, celebrated International Women's Day. About 200 female students of various vocational courses participated in the celebrations.

Speaking on the occasion Prof Asha Sethi of the JSS explained the importance of the day. She said it provided an opportunity to reflect on various issues affecting women. She traced the history of women's position in the Indian society. She highlighted discrimination being faced by women in terms of education, health, personal freedom and right to live with dignity in family 
and society.

Mr Dildar Khan, Director, JSS, said formation of self-help group (SHGs) not only helped rural women to meet their financial requirements but also to develop wisdom to use their own resources with discretion for productive purpose.

Mr Anand Mohan Sharma, Programme Officer, JSS, highlighted the issues of women's rights and empowerment. 

Panchkula, March 7
The announcement regarding the Pinjore-Kalka bypass and the four-laning of the Zirakpur-Parwanoo national highway has been hailed by local residents. The announcement was made by the Union Minister of State for Poverty Alleviation, Ms Selja Kumari, on March 4.

Mr Sanjay Joshi, senior Congress leader, while welcoming the decision, said this was a long-pending demand of the residents of the area. “This stretch between Pinjore and Kalka is a major bottleneck. Because of heavy traffic flow, a number of road accidents have taken place on the stretch. The markets along the present highway are also inaccessible to the local population because of the traffic congestion.

It will be a major reprieve for commuters as well as the residents of Kalka and Pinjore,” he added.

The construction of the bypass is expected to begin next year. The four-lane, 14.34-km-long bypass will be constructed on a build operate and transfer basis.

This proposed bypass has its take off point at Mallah, just before Yadvindra Gardens in 
Pinjore, and after passing through Ghatiwala, Kahanguwala and Tipra, 
it will meet the NH-22 beyond Parwanoo. 

Chandigarh, March 7
Members of the Punjab and UT Employees Action Committee today organised a rally and burnt copies of the Budget presented by the Finance Minister of Punjab, Mr Surinder Singla, in the Vidhan Sabha at the Matka Chowk, Sector 17, today.

The members were protesting against the non-fulfilment of the promises made in the manifesto of the Congress in 2002. The chairman of the committee, Mr Sajjan Singh, said the employees would burn copies of the Budget in front of the office of the DC in various districts on March 14. The state executive meeting would be held in Ludhiana on March 15 and the next course of action would be decided at the meeting.

Members of the Punjab Market Committee Workers Union also staged a dharna and raised slogans in front of the office of the Mandi Board in Sector 17. The protesters alleged that the Chairman of the Mandi Board not following the governments instructions.

Addressing the rally, the union president, Mr Gian Chand, demanded an increase in the medical allowance and increase in grade after every 4, 9 and 14 years.

A dharna was also held by the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation at the Matka Chowk. The union president, Mr Succha Singh Ajnala criticised the anti-employees policies of the Punjab Government. Meanwhile, the Democratic Employee's Front has demanded that daily wager, contract and part time employees should be regularised.

Chandigarh, March 7
The Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance at Air Headquarters, Air Marshal B.U. Chengappa, arrived at 3 BRD here on a two-day inspection visit yesterday. He was received by the Air Officer Commanding, 3 BRD, Air Cmde R. K. Srivastava and other senior officers.

The Air marshal was briefed on various activities and projects being undertaken by the BDR. He also inspected various sections and establishments in the depot. Later, interacting with airmen and civilian employees, he appreciated the quality of work and the efforts put in by them to achieve the targets.

Panchkula, March 7
The Haryana Vigilance Bureau tonight booked eight contractors working with the Municipal Council, Panchkula, on charges of cheating, fraud, breach of trust and criminal conspiracy.

Anil Kumar, R. S. Singla, Rajesh Kumar, Bhula Ram, Gurmeet, Atma Ram, Rajinder Kumar, and Vishal Kushal have been booked under Sections 406, 407, 420, 467, 468, 477 and 120 –B of the IPC. All eight contractors have been accused of using substandard materials in executing development works in public parks, road pavements and installation of swings on behalf of the MC.

The Bureau told The Tribune that the FIR had been registered following a thorough investigation. A complaint had been filed with the bureau by a local NGO, People’s Voice God’s Voice, in this regard.