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Mohali becomes district today
Mohali, April 13
Preparations went on at full swing throughout the day here today for the function being organised in connection with the formal launching of Mohali as the new district of the state by the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, here tomorrow.

Students march against quota
Chandigarh, April 13
Students of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology and Punjab Engineering College took to the roads today in protest against the reservation policy of the government.

Students form a human chain at the Sector 17 Plaza to protest against the reservation policy in Chandigarh on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Lady teacher, student go missing
Dera Bassi, April 13
The family of Monika Sharma, a 24-year-old schoolteacher at Mirpur village, near here, is a worried lot these days. Almost one month after she went missing, there is no trace of the teacher.

City to have hi-tech vegetable market 
Chandigarh, April 13
The Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Agricultural Marketing Act to allow private participation in setting up and running of the South Asia’s first hi-tech fruit and vegetable market to be set up near Sector 39 here. A grain market already exists at Sector 39.

Truck crushes woman cyclist

Chandigarh, April 13 A 44-year-old woman was crushed to death today by a PRTC bus on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway near the Sector 20 gurudwra, here. The police said the accident took place around 9.30 am when Shushma, a resident of Palsora village, was on way to her job on her cycle. The body and the cycle of the accident victim, Shushma, lying under the bus near the Sector 20 gurudwra roundabout in Chandigarh on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

More qualified public health experts required
Chandigarh, April 13
Increased life expectancy, reduced infant mortality and improved lifestyle notwithstanding, India continues to face a serious health challenge because of an inadequate resource capacity and poor support systems in public health, says Mr Harpal Singh, a member of the governing body of the Public Health Foundation of India.

Interventional radiology medical boon of century
Chandigarh, April 13
Interventional radiology is the future of medicine as it involves minimal invasive surgery where specially trained radiologists use x-rays and other imaging techniques to “see” inside the body with the help of catheters.

COMMUNITY

Liquor Tamasha
Liquor vends’ location “inappropriate”

Chandigarh, April 13 Chandigarh Administration might have followed the rule books in identifying the spots for liquor vends. However, the location of a number of them right next to the roads carrying heavy volumes of daily traffic has led to a public outcry. A liquor shop in Industrial Area (left) and another in Sector 38 (West) which are located at spots of heavy traffic flow in Chandigarh. — Tribune photographs

Custodial death: postmortem put off
Panchkula, April 13
The postmortem examination of Irfan, an alleged custodial death victim, was postponed amid high drama in front of the mortuary at the PGI in Chandigarh today.

IT Park zone cleared of encroachments

Chandigarh, April 13 In a major drive against the encroachments in the Information Technology (IT) Park zone, the enforcement staff of UT Estate Office today demolished at least 30 unauthorised structures in Mani Majra today. A JCB pulls down a structure during the demolition drive in Mani Majra on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Social security Bill to cover 30 crore workers: Malhotra
Chandigarh, April 13
It has been estimated that the total workforce in India is approximately 39 crore, of which nearly 93 per cent are in the unorganised sector, left to fend for themselves.

Markets told to take fire safety steps
Chandigarh, April 13
A meeting of the representatives of various rehabilitated markets of the city has been convened to ensure proper fire safety arrangements. Mr O.P. Popli, Additional Commissioner, and Mr H.S.Kandhola, Joint Commissioner-cum-Chief Fire Officer, asked them to adopt the following safety measures in this connection by April 19:

Baisakhi celebrated
Panchkula, April 13
At least 250 members of the Senior Citizens Council celebrated Baisakhi with fervour at the Day Care Centre and Old Age Home in Sector 15 here today. The senior citizens presented various cultural items, including songs, ghazals, couplets, giddha and bhangra. The festive spirit made some members over 80 years of age participate in giddha and bhangra.

Governor greets people on Baisakhi, Ambedkar Jayanti

Mentally challenged children to get a home
Chandigarh, April 13
A home for mentally challenged children will be inaugurated in Sector 15 here on April 27. The UT Administration has allotted 30 rooms for the purpose at the International Students’ Hostel in Sector 15.

Allottees seek possession of plots
Mohali, April 13
The Plot Allotment Sangharsh Committee, Sectors 76- 80, has appealed to the Punjab Chief Minister to intervene and help allotees get possession of their plots which were allotted to them by PUDA five years ago.

Ex-servicemen to distribute power bills
Panchkula, April 13
The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam has decided to rope in ex-servicemen for meter reading, distribution of electricity bills and cash collection. The nigam had made an agreement with the Haryana Ex-Servicemen League in this context recently.

• Death condoled
• Good Friday greetings from Governor
• Free change of trade hailed

CRIME

Cops fail to nab golf range case accused
Chandigarh, April 13
The Chandigarh police today carried out raids at various places, including Patiala, to arrest the persons accused of creating a ruckus at the golf range here recently, but failed to nab anyone.

Murder case suspect held

BUSINESS

Krishna Motors opts for conversion
Chandigarh, April 13
Krishna Motors became the third party which opted for the conversion policy in the Industrial Area of the city here today. Pasco Motors and Meters and Instruments were the two parties which had earlier opted for conversion after the policy was announced last year.

EDUCATION

Resentment over selection of school board Secy
Mohali, April 13
Resentment prevails among the top brass of the Punjab School Education Board over the appointment of the new Secretary, which the officers affected say has been done by overlooking seniority and without proper scrutiny of the service records of applicants for the post.

Biotechnology, environment ‘vital future sectors’
Chandigarh, April 13
"As a result of globalisation there would be changes both sectoral and functional. The important sectors for future would be retailing, biotechnology, pharmacy, automobiles and environment,'' said Professor Satish Kapoor, Chairman, University Business School, while inaugurating a seminar jointly with Chandigarh Management Association today on business school curriculum in changed business environment.

Students harassed in name of security: NSUI
Chandigarh, April 13
Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) have demanded that the Panjab University security department and police too should stop harassing students in the name of security arrangements.

PU Registrar to get award
Chandigarh, April 13
Prof. S.S. Bari, Registrar, Panjab University, will be presented “Bharat Jyoti Award” and a certificate of excellence at a function being held at New Delhi shortly. A communication to this effect has been received from the India International Friendship Society, New Delhi.

Punjabi culture impresses British teachers

Chandigarh, April 13 “Life, bubbling with inspiration, is the virtue absolute for Punjabis and all else is immaterial,” opines Ms Anne James, leader of the ten-member study group of school teachers from Britain who completed a tour of Punjab and Chandigarh recently. The delegation, on a week’s visit here, is a part of the Indo-British Teachers Exchange project organised under the aegis of Heritage, Patiala. Members of the 10-member study group of schoolteachers from Britain pose for a photograph in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Baisakhi celebrated all over with dance and song

Chandigarh, April 13 The festival of fun and frolic, the festival of gaiety, the harvest festival of Punjab was today celebrated with great zest and revelry. The festival was marked with chhabeels, kirtans and shabad recitals in various gurdwaras which were decorated with colourful lights. Langar of kheer and jalebis was served at various gurdwaras. Students of St Joseph Senior Secondary School perform a dance item on the occasion of Baisakhi in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

• Schools celebrate Baisakhi

Institute organises annual function 

Chandigarh, April 13 The students of the Sri Sukhmani Institute of Engineering and Technology(SSIET), Dera Bassi, organised the annual function at the Tagore Theatre here today. According to a press note, group dances and solo performances were the highlights of the function. Students of the Sri Sukhmani Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dera Bassi, perform a dance number at the Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Students pay tributes to Ambedkar
Mohali, April 13
Swami Ram Tirtha Public High School, Mohali, observed Baisakhi, Good Friday and Dr Ambedkar’s birthday today. Students performed bhangra and recited the ‘shabad’. Tiny tots of the school paid a visit to a gurdwara. Students also paid tributes to Dr Ambedkar, the architect of Indian constitution.

HEALTH

City hospitals short of burns beds
Chandigarh, April 13
Beds for burn victims, in the three government-funded city hospitals, are in short supply. One exclusive nine-bedded burns unit at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, a handful of beds at the Plastic Surgery ward at the PGIMER, and only first aid in the name of burns at Government Hospital, Sector 16, is all that these medical institutions have to offer in a city which is working to attract medical tourism in a big way.

Meeting of lab technologists tomorrow
Chandigarh, April 13
The Chandigarh Chapter of the All-India Medical Laboratory Technologists Association will organise its second meeting on April 15 to commemorate World Biomedical Science Day.

SPORTS

VRV’s poor showing attributed to pressure
Chandigarh, April 13
Local cricketer Vikram Rajvir Singh, popularly known as V.R.V., who made his debut in the sixth one-day international against England at Jamshedpur yesterday, could not put up an impressive show.

Tennis coaching camp starts
Chandigarh, April 13
A nine-day special tennis coaching camp for upcoming junior players of the city and neighbouring states, where international coach Akhtar Ali would impart training, commenced at the CLTA, Sector 10, here today.

U-17 cricket probables selected