Chandigarh, August 14
Exposing the carelessness of the electricity department, the body of a lineman kept on hanging from an electricity pole for over two hours after he was electrocuted near Airport Chowk here today but no department official tried to bring it down.

The victim has been identified as Sandeepan Kumar, an assistant lineman. The incident occurred when Sandeepan, along with Moti Ram, had gone to repair a fault on the electric pole, which was about 30 feet high from the ground level. Suddenly, the current started flowing in the electric wire.

Though, officials of the electricity department claimed that current came in the wire due to rain, but sources revealed that someone might had switched on the electricity while Sandeepan was working.

Though, officials of the police and the electricity department immediately reached the spot, but they failed to pull down the body from the pole.

Meanwhile, on a statement of the junior engineer, the police has registered a case of negligence. The police will investigate the cause. The body was later pulled down.

Chandigarh, August 14
After being selected to execute the comprehensive mobility plan for city’s mass rapid transit system (MRTS), RITES will carry out an exercise to generate data on passenger generation along the proposed corridors of the metro.

To get feedback before initiating the exercise, officials of the RITES held a meeting with senior officials of the Chandigarh administration, municipal corporation, Haryana and Punjab transport departments here today. An initial project report on the parameters to be incorporated in the study was presented to the participating officers.

Sanjay Kumar, UT home secretary, said the meeting was held to know the requirements of RITES and issues concerning the stakeholders. The capacity-generation data will enable RITES to work out the feasibility of the MRTS.

RITES officials said various parameters like roads, the public health network, population and movement of vehicular traffic and concentration of population would be taken into account. The administration has already provided support in the form of data about essential services so that the mobility study was complete in all aspects.

Based on the recommendations of the expert committee on MRTS, the study will focus on the rail-based system on two surface corridors - Sarangpur-Khuda Lahora-Maheshpur on the east-west access and the other one from the Motor Market to Sector 105, Mohali, via the IT park, Purv Marg.

Irrespective of the progress of the RITES study, urban planning officials are skeptical about the viability of the project that will be executed at the cost of public money. The required passenger- carrying capacity will never be achieved. Even the urban ministry has reservations about the metro.

The expert committee, while mentioning the seven-fold classification of roads given by Le Corbusier, had also suggested a bus-based transit system in the region, which has been classified as ‘Inter-State Modal Urban Complex’.

The committee has already pointed out that due to limited flexibility, limited capacity, high costs, aesthetics and the character of the city, particularly in core areas such as Madhya Marg and Himalaya Marg, it was not in the favour of the monorail option.

Chandigarh, August 14
With the veil of secrecy over the cop-peddler nexus probe, a cross-section of citizens have doubted the credibility of the police to conduct a fair investigation into the sensational disclosures.

Though the police claimed that a preliminary inquiry had been initiated against the suspended cops, the top brass prefers to keep the inquiry details under wraps giving a lie to their claims of accountability and transparency.

A cross-section of the citizens wanted the probe to be handed over to an independent investigating agency as the CBI to know the truth.

Hemant Goswami, a social activist, said:“The so-called departmental inquiry is nothing but delaying tactics by the police. The inquiry should immediately be transferred to the CBI, which will bring out the truth. Not only five policemen were involved, but there are also more cops helping drug peddlers in the city”.

His views found support from APS Shergill, advocate, Punjab and Haryana High Court. “The outcome of the inquiry by policemen against the policemen will be on the expected lines. A departmental inquiry rarely punishes the staff members. The inquiry should be handed over to the CBI.”

K.N. Pathak, former vice-chancellor of Panjab University, also felt that an independent body should handle the inquiry. “The inquiry should be handed over to an independent body or to a person who is trustworthy within the department. If the police is initiating the inquiry, IGP should investigate the matter, he felt.

PC Dogra, former DGP, Punjab, however, felt that the local police was competent to investigate the charges levelled against these five policemen. However, the investigations should be done in the presence of higher officials of the UT police.

Chandigarh, August 14
There are more than 100 cases pending in the district courts wherein flats owners first sell these off on general power of attorney (GPA) and subsequently cancel the GPA after the buyer deposits the instalments.

In a similar case, the assistant registrar restrained the Super Cooperative House Building Society from handing over the possession of a flat to Sukhwant Kaur, a government employee. A resident of Sector 33, Sukhwant Kaur had sold her flat in the society after giving the GPA to one Deen Dayal, a resident of Sector 63. Thereafter, Deen Dayal deposited the instalments of the flat. Acting swiftly, Sukhwant Kaur got the GPA, issued in favour of Deen Dayal, cancelled. As soon as Dayal was informed about it, he got an FIR registered against Sukhwant Kaur, stating that the GPA was cancelled illegally.

An application was filed under Section 55 of the Punjab Cooperative Societies Act before the assistant registrar, seeking directions to restrain Sukhwant Kaur from selling the flat. A case, seeking directions to be issued to the society to hand over the possession of the flat to the plaintiff, is pending in the district courts here. The plaintiff also sought for permanent injunction restraining the defendant from selling the flat through her agents and servants.

Chandigarh, August 14
Over three dozen sheds and kiosks, which had illegally come up around the prefabricated shelters built to rehabilitate dwellers from various slums in the city, were removed in an anti-encroachment drive jointly organised by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) and the municipal corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) in Sector 52 today.

Under the small flat scheme 2006 for rehabilitation of slum dwellers, 1,692 prefab shelters were constructed in Sector 52 where slum dwellers were shifted from different slums of Chandigarh. To provide hygienic and good living conditions to the slum dwellers, they were shifted to the prefab shelters where all amenities were provided.

A CHB team and the enforcement staff visited the site and found that such encroachments should be removed immediately to keep the place hygienic, clean and disease free. A drive was organised in coordination with the MCC and all such temporary and illegal structures were removed from the government land, sources said here today.

The CHB, being the nodal agency, had made these allotments by arranging camps from time to time.

It had been noticed time and again that some squatters from here and there and from these prefab shelters had been encroaching on government land around these shelters by opening kiosks and small shops and throwing the generated waste of their business like fish, chicken, meat and cow dung. 

Chandigarh, August 14
Though ‘Golden Boy’ Abhinav Bindra would be busy at the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi, the Chandigarh administration has decided to go ahead with disbursement of Rs 5 lakh during the Independence Day function at Parade Ground here tomorrow.

Talking to The Tribune, I.S. Sandhu, additional deputy commissioner and director, sports department, Chandigarh, said, “With his incredible feat, Abhinav brought glory to the country and particularly to the city. Now it is our turn to honour the boys. So we have decided to honour Abhinav at tomorrow’s function by giving him a cheque for Rs 5 lakh as per our announcement”.

When he was told that Abhinav would not be available in the city, Sandhu said the administration had sent a communiqué to the Bindras about the programme.

“Anyone who will represent Abhinav in the function will be given a cash award,” Sandhu said.

The Chandigarh administration announced an award of Rs 5 lakh for the city-based shooter on August 11, the day Abhinav won the first-ever individual Olympic gold medal for India at Beijing Olympics.

Meanwhile, J.S. Dhillon, coach of Abhinav, who went to New Delhi to receive his disciple, confirmed that Abhinav would reach the city on August 16 in the evening.

Abhinav will only be able to make to the city after Rakshabandhan as his sister stays in Delhi. He will come by road, added Dhillon.

Chandigarh, August 14
Regular complaints against a court employee have landed him in soup.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) B.K. Mehta came to the district courts today to get his statement recorded in a graft case against his staff during his tenure as the ADSJ here.

As the number of complaints against the court employee was on the rise, the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s Vigilance Judge came to him inquiring about some case and offered him a bribe of Rs 100 that was readily accepted. Soon after this, the Vigilance Judge went to the ADSJ concerned and narrated the incident. The employee accepted his fault in front of other staff members.

Following this, the statement of a lawyer was recorded with whom the court employee had misbehaved. The lawyer stated that in 2003, the said person had misbehaved with him. The employee was then a reader with one of the ADSJ. He stated that on inquiring about the orders of a case, the employee used foul language. Subsequently, the lawyer complained against him. However, the complaint was withdrawn after the employee apologised.

Chandigarh, August 14
All OPDs of the PGI, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and Government Multispeciality Hospital, Sector 16 shall remain closed tomorrow on account of Independence Day.

Emergency services, however, will function as usual.

Chandigarh, August 14
A car was damaged when a tree fell on it in Sector 15 this morning.

The woman, who had just come out of the car, escaped unhurt.

Many incidents of tress falling have been reported this monsoon. Such incidents cause traffic jams and are a danger to the lives of people.

Dr Nitin, whose car got damaged in the incident, revealed that its repair would cost him above Rs 1 lakh.

Environment experts say the rate of incidents of trees falling would be high this time due to laxity on the part of engineering department of the administration and the municipal corporation.

In most of the cases where departments have widened the roads, the roots of trees were cut unknowingly to facilitate expansion. The fact that this would dry down the roots and make the base of the trees weak was ignored resulting in felling of trees.

One of the other reasons of trees falling is that when tiles are laid on the roadside, very less space is left for the growth of roots, which also make the trees weak especially during the rainy season.

Chandigarh, August 14
Participants of the summer programme in Punjab Studies visited The Tribune today. The group toured the building, saw the production and printing facilities and met Editor-in-Chief Mr H.K. Dua.

The programme has been running for 12 years now and a total of 165 students, from 64 universities in nine countries, have learnt more about Punjab through it, said Prof Gurinder Mann, director, Center for Sikh and Punjab Studies, and Kapany pofessor of Sikh Studies University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He was accompanied by Prof Shinder Thandi, head of economics department, Coventry University, UK.

UCSB has a significant presence in the programme, including Yasamin Salari, an art history student, Trevor Ditzler (religious studies) and John Warneke, an anthropologist.

Among the students was Chandra Chell, whose grandfather went to the US from Punjab in 1913.

Other students who traced their roots back to India included Harmeet Kaur, Joginder Dhanjal, Lavdeep Bains, Pawan Dhillon, Puninder Jaitla, Rajbir Purewal, Simran Kaur, Sukhdev Purewal and Vishal Bhalla.

The visit to The Tribune came at the end of a six-week programme. “We have been reading the print edition of The Tribune, and now we will keep in touch through the Internet edition,” said Yasamin Salari.

Chandigarh, August 14
Travel agents across the city will participate in the nationwide strike call given by the Travel India Association of India, Travel Agents Federation of India, and IATA Accredited Agents of India to protest against the abolition of their commission by all the major airlines from November 1, this year.

Umesh Kapur, a representative of the three associations of the Chandigarh chapter, said this decision would mean a total loss of business for the hundreds of travel agents. “This is just the beginning of the strike, and this will continue till the decision is rolled back,” he said.

Till 2007, the travel agents were getting a nine per cent commission on booking of the air tickets. “Last year, this was reduced to seven per cent. We were assured that the commission will not be reduced further, but Air India abolished the commission, with effect from November 1. The other airlines like Jet, Air France, KLM, American Airlines followed the suit, and now most airlines have decided not to give any commission to the travel agents,” he said.

Chandigarh, August 14
The Punjab Government has decided to confer Punjab Sarkar Parman Patra 2008 on Dr R.C. Sobti, vice-chancellor, Panjab University, at the state-level function of Independence Day on August 15 at Ludhiana.

Dr Sobti has more than 200 publications in national and international journals to his credit and has handled over 14 research projects.

He has also been rewarded for his key role in the development of science and technology - specifically chromosomes and effects of genotoxic chemicals.

Meanwhile, in an interactive session held in the evening today, the vice-chancellor addressed the faculty members of the university and announced that the university is going to implement OBC quota from August 19 this year.

After a presentation in front of the empowerment committee of the Centre Government, the union ministry of human resources and development has, on the recommendations of the UGC and empowerment committee, asked the union ministry of home affairs to release funds immediately for PU.

He announced that the ministry would release a total of Rs 367.4 crore out of which Rs 146 crore would be spent on students and new seats would be allocated, Rs 141 crore would be spent on infrastructure necessary to accommodate new students and Rs 5 crore would be used for recurring expenses.

Dr Sobti also released the DA instalment of all teachers. Certificates were given to around 30 members of the ecology club of the university for their commendable efforts in making the campus clean and green.

Mohali, August 14
As many as 19 persons are being honoured in recognition of their outstanding services in various fields at the district-level Independence Day function being held at Government College here tomorrow.

Upinderjit Kaur, minister for higher education, who will be the chief guest at the function, will honour persons from different fields.

Those who will be honoured include Jasvir Singh, Rajvinder Singh Gudu and Lakhwant Dogra for donating blood 69 times, 57 times and 22 times, respectively, Dr Uma Sharma, district public relations officer, for social service and cultural activities, Jarnail Singh for holding marriages of 74 girls from poor families, Anchal Bajwa (sports), Amarnath Sharma (public welfare services), Sushil Kumar, stenographer in ADC’s office, sub-inspector Mohinder Singh, sub-inspector Ram Darshan and Manjeet Singh, president of the School Bus Association.

Students will also be honoured for securing top positions in various classes in the district in the board examinations. The students to be honoured are Devinder Ahuja, Harpreet Kaur (Class XII vocational), Rajvinder Singh, Silky Chhabra (Class XII science), Manpreet Singh, Nancy (Class X) and Simran, Komalpreet (Class V).

Chandigarh, August 14
The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, in association with the Government College -11, organized a “Multi-lingual Kavi Sammelan” on the eve of Independence Day here at the college auditorium here today.

Over 20 well-known poets from the tricity read out their verses on the diverse themes of socio-cultural relevance. Akademi chairperson Prof. Manju Jaidka divulged the envisaged plans of the akademy and joined by DR A.L. Gabha welcomed the chief guest Pradip Mehra, advisor to the Administrator UT.

Appreciating endeavour of the akadami, Pradip Mehra lauded the burst of literary activities in the city beautiful and assured to augment it further to match the cultural potential of the citizens.

Noted poet Dr. Madhukar Arya gave a majestic start to the Maushaira in his mellifluous voice. He articulated the patriotic, romantic and social themes with brilliance in his renditions before poetess Manjit Indira submerged the audience in emotions with a Punjabi poem.

It is probably for the first time that English poets, including Pushpinder Syal, Lalita Jagmohan and R P Chadha, shared the stage. Meanwhile Dr. Vibha Ray transported the audience to the ambience of an old-age home delineating the laments of old parents ignored by their progeny. While Dr. Nirmal Dutt offered a robust optimism in the life, thespian poet Atulveer Arora displayed an insight into the profound depth of poetry bringing alive the growing commercialisation and urbanisation with eventual threat to environment and an ecological balance.

Chairing the maushaira R D Sharma Taseer complimented the unflinching zeal of golden shooter Abhinav Bindra before delineating the didacticisms in his glinting lines “Aur Uncha Ho Jayega Thoda Sa Jhuk Jaya Kar”. Madhav Kaushik won applause for “Maut Ke Farmaan Khud Pathar Pe Khudwane Pade, Taj Ko Tameer Karke Haath Katwane Padhe”.

Besides reciting poems Dr. D S Gupt conducted the mushaira admirable competence. Other poets who regaled the audience include Bhagwant Singh, Sham Singh, Jagmohan Chopra, Kulbeer Kaur, Prem Vij, Dr. Prasoon Prasad, Ratneev, Gurtej Kaur and others.

Chandigarh, August 14
To tighten the noose against the erring affiliated colleges, Panjab University has decided to initiate action under clause 11.1 of the PU calendar against those colleges that do not provide requisite information to the university within the stipulated time frame.

According to the rules, every year colleges are asked to furnish details pertaining to the number of courses running in the college, number of self-financing courses, number of faculty members in the college, including permanent and temporary, yearly profit of the college et al. All this information has to be given to the UGC on behalf of the colleges by the university.

In the past, many colleges, including four from the city, out of the total 178 colleges did not furnish required details to the university. The vice-chancellor constituted a committee to look into the matter in the last Syndicate meeting held on June 28. The members included V. K. Mahajan, Ashok Goyal, Upkar Krishan and Ajaypal Singh Gill.

The committee met on August 12 to deliberate on the issue.

It was resolved that erring colleges be given eight weeks’ time to furnish the details and if they didn’t comply with it, there would be no condoning in this regard. Clause 11.1 of PU calendar would be applied automatically. In that case, such matters would not come to the Syndicate after the clause would be implemented. If the clause was implemented, the principal of the erring college could be banned from elections, or being part of the academic body of PU, the staff members may also be barred from checking papers, PU may not accept the returns of students and disaffiliation proceedings can also initaite.

According to sources, more than 32 colleges are in the list of those colleges who have given incomplete or no information at all.

Ajay Pal Singh Gill, suggested at the meeting that the government colleges, which have not given the information, should be visited by university officials to find out the reality.

The recommendations of the committee will now be approved in the ensuing Syndicate meeting on August 19.

Other than this, the syndics will also discuss the issue pertaining to the complaint of six teachers from Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib College for Women, Chabbewal. The teachers have complained that they were kept on probation and just a day before their probation got over, their services were terminated without any reason.

The syndics will also re-consider provisional affiliation to GG Singh College of Education, Gidderbaha, and Mata Guru Dev Kaur College for Sports, Samrala.

The syndics will also approve whether the year should be mentioned on the degrees of engineering students. Besides a new certificate course in music department will also be given the nod.

Chandigarh, August 14
The controversy that erupted yesterday in the department of laws finally ended with students calling off the strike in the afternoon.

The students were sitting on a hunger strike since last night.

A meeting of the staff of the department of laws was held during the day today.

It was decided that if the stalemate continued, there would be an enquiry into the episode. To this, the students came inside to end the hunger strike.

It may be mentioned here that on Tuesday evening, some students of the evening batch alleged that a guest faculty member had misbehaved with a final year student, Prashant Sharma.

At this the students got agitated and in the morning and boycotted their classes. To discuss the matter, the chairman called a meeting of all the faculty members yesterday in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, last night, in a dramatic turn of events, two boys who refused to be part of the agitating group and said that the teacher never misbehaved with that student, Prashant Sharma.

Chandigarh, August 14
UT education department, on the eve of the Independence Day organised a cultural bonanza at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 10, Chandigarh. The cultural evening was organised in remembrance of the heroes who laid their lives for the independence.

Pradip Mehra, advisor to the administrator, Chandigarh was the chief guest. Sanjay Kumar, Finance cum Education secretary, Raji P. Srivastva, director Higher Education, Mohanjit Singh, chairman, Housing Board, S.K Setia, director Public Instructions (S), Vivek Attrey, director Public Relations and principals from various schools were present at the function.

Patriotic songs, dances and a skit titled “Azadi Ke Diwane” was also presented by the students from various government as well as private schools like, Moti Ram Ariya and Vivek High School.

The performances stirred the emotional chords of all those present at the function.

The Advisor announced a prize of Rs. 51000 to students for the celebrations.

Mohali, August 14
On the occasion of 25th founder’s day, AKSIPS-65 organised an inter-branch competitions titled ‘Pinnacle’. It was an amalgamation of four varied art forms of group singing, folk dance, stand up comedy and thematic drama. The silver jubilee celebrations kick started with the lighting of auspicious lamp by trustee Damanjit Singh.

SAPLINGS PLANTED: Members of Lions Club, Chandigarh greater, along with students of Millennium High School, Sector 67, planted 35 ashoka saplings on the school premises.

RAINY DAY: A special ‘Rainy Day’ was observed today at Shishu Niketan Public School, Sector 66. The school’s tiny tots were advised to come to the school fully equipped with their rain gear such as umbrellas, rain coats, gum boots etc.

INTRODUCED: Multimedia facility has been introduced in Sri Sukmani International School, Dera Bassi, to act as smart class through education.com in the institution.

WORKSHOP: A motivational workshop was conducted by Saupin’s School, Sector 70, with an endeavour to add to the qualitative standards to school education. The workshop was organised by Oxford University Press and conducted by eminent educationist Jose Paul.

QUIZ: An inter-house maths quiz for Classes III-XI was conducted at Doon International School. Students tackled mind-boggling questions in various rounds including logical, aptitude, speed and visual. Akbar was declared the winner house.

VISIT: Students of Anee’s School, Kharar, were taken to the post office in order to make the students understand how to send letters and open savings account.

EXPO: On the occasion of Xpressions’0 - the annual exhibition at Manav Mangal Smart School, visitors arrived in large numbers to relish the creative talent of the students and staff of the school. Set up in 26 rooms, the exhibition was the epitome of talent, creativity and innovativeness. A photo gallery with pictures and collages was created in one room while the other room illustrated scenes from the most famous novel of Sherlock Holmes ‘The Hounds of Baskervilles’.

CELEBRTAED: Shivalik Public School, Mohali, celebrated Pratap House Day. A power point presentation on the life history of Maharana Pratap captivated the audience.

VANMOHATSAV: Van Mahostav was celebrated at Small Wonders. Cultural activities and sapling plantation greeted the guests as tiny tots were exhorted to keep their environment clean and green.

Mohali, August 14
The Doaba Group of Colleges started its new session with a brief welcome-cum-orientation function on the college campus near Kharar. The management of the group interacted with parents and students.