C H A N D I G A R H

Top stories | Community | Crime | Business | Education

Courts | Culture | Sports | Administration

TOP STORIES

Cops turn car thieves
7 of them among 9 held; 11 cars recovered
Chandigarh, March 10
The operations cell of the Chandigarh Police arrested nine members, including seven Punjab Police constables, of an inter-state gang of car thieves and claimed to have recovered 11 stolen cars from their possession.

Rain spoils Kumble’s party
Mohali, March 10
The day two of the second Test match between India and England was expected to be special for two people — Indian spinner Anil Kumble and Monty Panesar of England.

A British cricket fan (right) sees Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, who are sitting in the pavilion, through his binoculars even as the play on the second day of the 2nd Test match between India and England remained suspended because of rain in Mohali on Friday. — Tribune photo by Vinay Malik

All set for city-Morinda electric track

Chandigarh, March 10 Decks have been cleared for the electrification of the 45-km section of the rail track between Chandigarh and Morinda. The non-electrified section of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link is otherwise ready to run trains and is awaiting the green light by the Commissioner, Railway Safety. Officials of the railway electrification wing inspect the Chandigarh- Morinda section of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Rain dips mercury, hits life Chandigarh, March 10 Moderate to heavy rain accompanied by high velocity winds lashed the city today throwing life out of gear and lowering the temperature by six degrees from normal. Dark clouds hung over the city and the adjoining areas since morning, turning the weather freakish. Commuters rush to their destinations during rain in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

U.K. High Commission's drive against unscrupulous agents
Chandigarh, March 10
Unable to take direct action against the growing number of travel agents who commit a fraud on innocents by promising them visas and permanent immigration to the U.K, the British High Commission has launched an education- cum- awareness drive.

Sikh art to be showcased in New York
Chandigarh, March 10
“The Sikh identity, especially for those who live elsewhere, is so marked by external, visible signs that sometimes people don’t see them and their beliefs for what they truly are. Everyone is aware of what the Sikhs stand for— courage and enterprise — but not of what they believe in,” says Caron Smith, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of Rubin Museum of Art, New York.

PSHRC seeks report on couple’s harassment 
Chandigarh, March 10
The Punjab State Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the Home Department, Punjab, in a case of alleged violation of human rights of a Mohali couple - Ms Ranjit Rani and her husband, Mr Paramjit.

COMMUNITY

Land mafia behind dist status to Mohali, says Navjot Sidhu
Chandigarh, March 10
The BJP MP from Amritsar, Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, sees land mafia’s hand in granting the district status to Mohali. “What is the need for a separate district in the state”, he said, alleging that it had been created to hike land prices on the Chandigarh’s periphery at the behest of the land mafia.

City gains prospects of heritage status
Chandigarh, March 10
The stake of Chandigarh for its name on the World Heritage Project of UNESCO has doubled with the French Government and the Le Corbusier Foundation showing keen interest in borrowing from the local relics of Corbusier, the designer of the city, to be presented as a serial nomination on his works.

Residents demand restoration of old CTU routes
Chandigarh, March 10
Residents of a number of southern sectors are complaining against certain loopholes in the grid system introduced by the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking in January earlier this year.

Chinese delegation on goodwill mission

Chandigarh, March 10 A six-member delegation of Chinese Peoples’ Association for Peace and Disarmament arrived at Panjab University’s Golden Jubilee Hall, this evening. It called for greater cooperation between India and China and more people-to-people contact between the two nations. Mr Bharat Prakash hugs Liu Jingqin at Panjab University in Chandigarh on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Dy CM holds open darbar at Kalka
Panchkula, March 10
The Haryana Government would provide a sum of Rs 2.9 lakh to those panchayats which would deposit Rs25,000 besides giving 200 sq yards of land for the construction of Anganwari centres in their villages.

Tibetans observe Uprising Day, seek freedom

Chandigarh, March 10. Tibetans commemorated the 47th year of their national uprising today and re-asserted the demand for their independence. Taking out a procession in the city, Tibetan students carried placards that read, 'Free Tibet", along with the picture Nobel Laureate Dalai Lama. Tibetans observe Uprising Day at the Plaza,Sector 17, in Chandigarh on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Recommendations invited for national child award
Chandigarh, March 10
The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Department of Women and Child Development have invited recommendations for the “National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement” this year in order to give recognition to children with exceptional abilities and outstanding calibre in the fields of academics, arts, culture and sports.

Book on Cellular Jail heroes released
Chandigarh, March 10
"The Heroes of Cellular Jail", a book written by Mr Justice S.N. Aggarwal, a sitting Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, was released by Lieut-Gen Madan Mohan Lakhera (retd), Lieut-Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, at Raj Nivas here on the eve of the centenary celebrations of Cellular Jail yesterday.

Association urges Punjab CM to check piracy
Chandigarh, March 10
The Music Association of India, at a press conference held at the Press Club, Sector 27, yesterday, stressed the implementation of strict laws for curbing piracy in Punjab.

Brig P.R. Sharma, Air Defence Brigade Commander, with members of a trekking team at Chandimandir on Friday. The team comprises two officers, two JCOs and 20 other ranks. It will undertake trekking from Katrain to Manali, HP. — A Tribune photograph

BJP holds mahila sammelan 
Chandigarh, March 10
As part of the International Women's Day celebrations, the BJP Mahila Morcha organised a "mahila sammelan" in Phase I of the Ram Darbar here yesterday.

BJP activists burn effigy of
UPA govt
Chandigarh, March 10
BJP activists of Colony No. 4 today burnt the effigy of the UPA government in protest against the "anti-people" policies of the government. Addressing the protesters, Mr Satya Pal Jain, a former MP, alleged that with the coming of the UPA government in power at the Centre the prices of essential commodities had skyrocketed .

Blood samples of migratory birds taken
Chandigarh, March 10
Officials of the Forests and Wildlife Department took blood, sputum and faecal samples of migratory birds at the regulator end of the Sukhna lake here on Wednesday.

Stir threat over closure of road
Lalru, March 10
The alleged closure of a link road in this area by the Nahar Group of Industries has stirred a hornest’s nest with the Sarpanch Union threatening to launch an agitation on the issue.

Assns to have representation in MC

CRIME

Scooterist killed in mishap
Chandigarh, March 10
A 45-year-old Dhanas resident was killed after his scooter was hit by an unidentified vehicle. In another incident, the local police booked three persons for allegedly forging a will to grab property of a widow living in Sector 16.

BUSINESS

Kenya, Pak, B’desh to take part in trade fair
Chandigarh, March 10
The Haryana Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections Kalyan Nigam and the National Minorities Development Corporation are jointly organising a trade fair in Chandigarh for promoting cottage and handloom industry products.

Wholesale price index discussed
Chandigarh, March 10
An interactive session on “New series of wholesale price index” was organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry here today.

PunCom to export equipment to Russia
Mohali, March 10
Punjab Communications Limited, based here, has signed an agreement with the Tento Group to export power line carrier communication equipment to Russia.

Special offer for mobile users
Chandigarh, March 10
Tata Indicom today announced its latest offer on the occasion of Holi — the Kyocera prisma colour mobile phone with a Tata Indicom connection, which will be available for Rs 1999.

EDUCATION

Conference on animal physiology
Chandigarh, March 10
A working conference on ‘Recent concepts in cell and animal physiology’ organised by the Department of Zoology, Panjab University, was inaugurated today by Prof Veer Singh, DUI. Prof S. Chaudhry, Chairman and Director of the department, welcomed the chief guest while Prof S.K. Taneja, co-ordinator, SAP, informed the audience about the aims and objectives of the programme.

CIIS-Toronto institute pact on lab technicians’ degree

Chandigarh, March 10 Mohali-based Canadian Institute for International Studies has entered into the contract with Canadian Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Toronto, to give the educational degrees and diplomas for the Radiologist, Medical Laboratory Technicians etc. Ms Joane Laurie, Director, Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, with Mr KS Mann of CIIS, Mohali, at the Chandigarh Press Club on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

NSS camp ends at Shivalik institute
Mohali, March 10
A 10-day NSS camp at Shivalik Institute of Education and Research, ended here today with a valedictory function. The chief guest was Mrs Satwant Kaur Bedi, Principal, Shivalik Public School, Mohali. The other guests were Mrs.

Sri Sri to address DAV convocation
Chandigarh, March 10
The founder of the Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will deliver the convocation address at DAV College, Sector 10, on Monday.

Law Dept students continue stir
Chandigarh, March 10
Students of the Law Department, Panjab University, led by various student unions, continued to boycott their classes on the second day today.

DPS children’s day out
Chandigarh, March 10
In order to enable pre-nursery students of the Delhi Public School, Sector 40, to learn more about the contribution made by people from different segments of society in their lives, the young ones were yesterday made to interact with them directly.

• Library inaugurated
• Kanwaljit interacts with AHM students

COURTS

Singla gets bail in valve transplant case
Chandigarh, March 10
The CBI Special Judge, Mr Jagdeep Jain, today granted bail to Sat Pal Singla, an accused in the case of cheating patients by way of implanting Indian made heart valve and charging for the imported valves.

Order reserved on ex-MC chief’s plea
Chandigarh, March 10
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on the petition filed by Mr Tarun Bhandari, former president of the Panchkula Municipal Council. Mr Bhandari has challenged his removal from the post.

CULTURE

Violin maestro strikes a chord Chandigarh, March 10 “The renaissance of Indian classical arts in western countries, in fact, promoted established and vested artistes rather than their respective realms of art,” says 78-year-old Chennai-based violin maestro, Padmabhushan T.N. Krishnan. Violin maestro T.N. Krishnan performs at the Institute of Microbial Technology in Sector 39, Chandigarh, on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Amitabh ‘sabsey favourite hero’
Chandigarh, March 10
Having completed week-long activities in 15 towns of the north zone, the nomination results of “Star Gold’s Schwarzkopf Palette Sabsey Favourite Kaun 2006” were declared here today.

SPORTS

Kundu wins badminton final 
Chandigarh, March 10
Mr V.S. Kundu, Director (Sports), Haryana, won the men’s singles badminton event during the First Haryana State Sports Department Tournament, which concluded at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Sector 3, here today.

Amandeep wins 100-m race Mohali, March 10 Athletics events marked the sports day meet at the Chandigarh College of Engineering, Landran. Students participated in 50m, and 100m races, discus- throw and shot put. The platform provided an opportunity to students where they exhibited their competence and talent. Students of the Chandigarh College of Education, Landran, participate in a sports meet held in the college campus on Friday.

ADMINISTRATION

Admin clears mall for Industrial Area
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh Administration today cleared the application of Meters and Instruments, one of the oldest industrial units in the city, seeking permission for constructing a shopping mall-cum-multiplex in the Industrial Area as part of the conversion policy for change of land for commercial use.

Admin carrying out survey in city slums
Chandigarh, March 10 After carrying out a bio-matrix survey of Bapu Dham Colony, the survey of Colony No.4 has started. The survey is part of databank of over 23,000 slum families being prepared by the Chandigarh Administration.

Applications invited for remaining vends
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh Administration has decided to invite applications for the remaining 77 vends. The applications will be accepted till March 20 and the draw of lots would be held on March 22.