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Strike by MC, UT Admn staff
Chandigarh, March 29
Employees of the Municipal Corporation and the UT Administration staged a day-long strike here today. Employees working in the field in different departments of the CTU, public health, electricity, horticulture, housing board, general hospitals and sewerage staged a dharna and took out a rally at the Sector 17 Matka Chowk to press for their demands.

Cops bring Bheora to city Chandigarh, March 29 The Chandigarh police brought Paramjit Singh Bheora, one of the prime accused in the Beant Singh assassination case, to Chandigarh late tonight. In charge of the operation cell, Inspector Vijay Kumar, said Bheora was produced before Duty Magistrate Atul Marya soon after he was brought in the city and he was sent to one-day police custody. He was also medically examined before being sent to lock-up. He would be produced in a local court tomorrow for further police remand. Paramjit Singh Bheora, an accused in the Beant Singh assassination case, at the operation cell of Chandigarh Police, Sector 26, on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Five emu chicks born in captivity

Chandigarh, March 29 Five emu chicks have been born in captivity for the first time at Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir. The emu is a member of the flightless bird family, which includes the ostrich, rhea and the kiwi. A swift runner, it is similar to the ostrich but smaller in size. Its height can be up to 6 feet.  The father emu feeds its chicks at Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir, on Wednesday. Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

CBI books Protector of Emigrants in graft case
Chandigarh, March 29
The Central Bureau of Investigation today booked the Protector of Emigrants, Chandigarh, along with a clerk and a peon in his office in a corruption case. Giving details of the incident, sources in the CBI said Sohan Lal, a peon in the office of the POE, was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 75,000 as bribe from a local travel agent on behalf of PEO K.L. Gandhi in the office premises.

Media also ignoring issue of poverty, says UGC Secy
Chandigarh, March 29
“No other disaster compares with the devastation of hunger. Yet because we view poverty and hunger in the background of life, this terrible toll does not enter our headlines, nor, for most of us, our concerns,” said Prof Mool Chand Sharma, Secretary University Grants Commission, delivering the sixth Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan Memorial Lecture at Panjab University here today.

BLOOM OF ROMANCE: Enticed by the permanent beauty of transient blossom in the momentary spring of life, butterflies shift their fleeting affection from one flower to another in Chandigarh’s Leisure Valley on Wednesday. — Photos by Vinay Malik

COMMUNITY

City roads to be strengthened in time-bound manner
Chandigarh, March 29
The Chandigarh Administration has chalked out an extensive schedule for further strengthening the network of roads across the city in an efficient and time-bound manner for the convenience of the city commuters.

Liquor stocks vanish as prices crash
Chandigarh, March 29
Euphoria over the crash in the prices of liquor in the city was short lived. Within a few hours of the liquor vends "announcing" stock clearance sales, none of the popular brands of liquor and beer was available at most of the vends.

Fake riot-affected allottees to be evicted
Mohali, March 29
Police action will be taken against persons who have occupied PUDA houses on the pretext of being riot-affected. This was stated by Mr Bir Devinder Singh, Kharar MLA, during a meeting held in the community centre in Phase XI today. He was listening to the grievances of the riot-affected persons.

Summer fruits hit market Chandigarh, March 29 If you have already started feeling the summer heat, the city offers you a healthy way to feel the “chill”. With a variety of summer fruits hitting the market, city residents have a lot to choose from. While watermelons, mangoes and lukat are readily available, muskmelons and plums still are a rare sight. Watermelons, muskmelons and mangoes being sold in Sector 20, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

No hang-ups at the royal dinner
Chandigarh, March 29
The British royal family no more arouses any antipathy in those who are patriotically inclined and take pride in their families' connection with the struggle to free India from British control.

Kashmiri shikaras for Sukhna Lake
Chandigarh, March 29
Sukhna Lake will soon have magnificent “shikaras” from Kashmir Valley to enhance its beauty. Confirming this, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, Managing Director of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation, said we have studied the project details and would be floating the tenders, seeking expression of interest very soon.

BIS launches food safety system
Chandigarh, March 29
The Bureau of Indian Standards has published IS/ISO 22000 to allow all types of organisations in the food chain to implement a food safety management system. These range from feed producers, primary producers, food manufacturers, transport and storage operators and subcontractors to retail and food service outlets.

Awareness camp for women
Chandigarh, March 29
An awareness generation camp for rural poor women and young girls was organised by the Indian Council of Social Welfare, Punjab state branch, with financial assistance of the Chandigarh Social Welfare Board, UT, at Sector 25, Bhaskar Colony, Chandigarh, for 8 days from March 20.

• Flights rescheduled
• Youth missing
• DC pays tribute to Bansi Lal

CRIME

11 cartons of liquor seized from woman
Chandigarh, March 29
The police today arrested a woman from Sector 29 on the charges of possessing 11 cartons of illegal liquor. In another incident, a Panchkula resident reported to the police that Rs 1.90 lakh and jewellery were stolen from his scooter.

EDUCATION

At Art College, HS talks heritage and education

Chandigarh, March 29 It was a day of celebrations at Government Art College, Sector 10, where UT Home-cum-Education Secretary again reiterated the Administration’s keenness on getting a heritage status for the city. Winners all the way: Awarded students of Government College of Art, Sector 10, raise a toast to their success. They have all won national level awards, bringing laurels to their alma mater. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

PU honours senior alumni
Chandigarh, March 29
The third scholarship award function of the Panjab University Alumni Association was held on the university campus here today. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor K.N. Pathak, president of the Alumni Association, presided over the function.

From Colleges
Defaulting students given second chance

Chandigarh, March 29 The DAV College, Sector 10, yesterday decided to give another chance to over 90 students who had not been given their roll numbers due to shortage of lectures. This was decided during a meeting of the college principal Mr S. Marriya with the faculty to resolve the issue. The students have been asked to sit in a mock English examination on March 30 a day before the actual examination. Only those students who score more than 30 per cent marks in the test would be given roll numbers. A member of Dramatics Club of Punjab Engineering College performs during ‘Chitrahaar’ in Chandigarh on Tuesday.  — A Tribune photograph

Positive attitude key to success
Mohali, March 29
Global leadership is the essence for achieving corporate excellence in today’s business scenario, said Mr Vijay Batra, a renowned management guru and corporate trainer, during a seminar organised by the National Institute of Personnel Management, Punjab chapter, as a part of its silver jubilee celebrations at the Canadian Institute of International Studies’ campus here today.

Protest by private schools’ body

Chandigarh, March 29 The association of private educational institutions today staged a dharna at Matka Chowk here. They were protesting the UT Administration’s decision to give one-year extension till 2007 to schools in Mani Majara. The association of private educational institutions stage a dharna at the Matka Chowk in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Party time for DAV kids
Mohali, March 29
Tiny tots of DAV Public School here celebrated their success to the next class by tapping their feet to the popular dance numbers here today. The day started with the chanting of the “Gayatri Mantra” followed by a riot of cultural items.

Workshop on first aid ends
Chandigarh, March 29
The 10-day workshop on first aid at DAV Model School, Sector 15, concluded today. The workshop was organised by St John’s ambulance brigade for the NTT students.

261 awarded degrees
Chandigarh, March 29
The 15th convocation and annual prize distribution function of Government College, Naraingarh, was held on the premises of the college yesterday.

PUSU dharna

CULTURE

Chandigarh, March 29 It is time for borders to melt. Come March 31 and three theatre groups from Chandigarh will cross over Wagah to make statements on peace and friendship. The occasion is the Third Panj Piara Theatre Festival at Lahore and the purpose is "bridging the divide". Members of Adakar Manch share their excitement over the prospect of performing at the Panj Piara Theatre Festival to begin at Lahore from March 31. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

HEALTH

Epilepsy can be cured, but by doctors
Chandigarh, March 29
"One out of every 1000 people is an epileptic. The problem is that while people can discuss allergies and other diseases, epilepsy has a stigma attached to it. People are unwilling to talk of epilepsy as a disease and look on it more as a stigma, perhaps because of its dramatic manifestation by way of fits. We want to change this mindset and make people understand that it's just another disease."

‘Wear helmet to avoid epilepsy’
Chandigarh, March 29
A helmet and epilepsy, the two may seem as different as chalk from cheese to the layman. Ask a neurosurgeon and there is definitely a link out there, one that stems from violating traffic rules and landing in hospital with a head injury.

Ranbaxy holds blood donation camp

Chandigarh, March 29 The Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd in Toansa village held its annual blood donation camp today. It was organised in collaboration with the Civil Hospital, Ropar. Dr R.S. Parmar, who was the guest of honour, inaugurated the camp. Addressing the gathering, Dr Parmar highlighted the importance of blood donation in saving human lives. Employees of the Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd in Toansa village donate blood at the annual blood donation camp of the factory on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph