Panchkula, December 4
The action taken by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) against the coloniser cost dear to the residents of Amravati Enclave and nearby villagers as they have been denied access to the main road.

The NHAI authorities today dug up a trench on the entry of Amravati Enclave on the Panchkula-Pinjore road in order to penalise the coloniser for allegedly violating the NHAI Land and Traffic Act, 2002.

While the action was aimed at the coloniser, the residents were left high and dry as the access to the residences was blocked by the four feet wide and of almost the same depth trench. A large number of residents, with their vehicles parked on the highway, didn’t know whom to turn for help.

“My children are alone at home and I don’t know where to park my vehicle as this is the only entry to the colony,” said a resident.

It seems that in their eagerness to implement the action the NHAI authorities also failed to look at the fallout of the move. “My elderly father is a heart patient and God forbid if something happens to him at the night, what will I do,” said another resident, adding that they had been virtually left to fend for themselves.

The JCB machines of a construction company hired by NHAI reached the spot in the afternoon and dug up the trench leaving hundreds of commuters stranded on either side of the road. It is the only approach to reach the national highway for thousands of people living in the enclave and residents of villages including Bhagwanpur, Raipur Bada, Raipur Chhota, Chikan and Dhalowal.

While a family from Chandigarh which was in the enclave to see their newly-constructed house remained sitting in their car on the road for hours, many others could not take their vehicles to their homes in the area and had to move on foot.

When contacted, NHAI project director Col K.P. Sharma said the way to the area was blocked as it was a violation of NHAI Land and Traffic Act 2002.

However, he refused to elaborate on the nature of the violation. When his attention was drawn to the fact that there were many senior citizens and some of them and many others in the adjoining region may require medical help in the night, Sharma said, “There are many inaccessible areas in this country and people live there too. In case of any eventuality, they should contact me.”

However, he did not answer when asked that whether the residents know about his contact number.

The managing director of Amravati Enclave, Kulbhuushan Goyal, denied any violation of NHAI rules.

He, however, said the NHAI had sent him a notice a few days ago warning that a no-objection certificate for the approach to the national highway had expired and said that he had applied for its renewal on November 18.

Chandigarh, December 4
The recruitment procedure being adopted by Chandigarh State Cooperative Bank, Sector 22, here, has come under a scanner and questions are being raised on the selection panel of the bank.

Reason: The assistant registrar, cooperative societies, Risal Singh Sangwan, is on the selection panel in the capacity of a government nominee. However, nomination is questionable as he is no more a government servant.

Home secretary Ram Niwas, who is also the secretary, cooperative, when apprised of the situation, showed concern and communicated to the registrar, cooperative, to disassociate Sangwan from the recruitment process.

“I will make sure that there is no inconsistency in the recruitment procedure and I will see that no arguable person is associated with the process,” he added.

Nevertheless, calling it a “sham” exercise, even some of the directors of the bank said that rules were being flouted in the selection procedure and had disassociated themselves from it.

As per the provisions of the bylaws of the bank, the recruitment committee should consist of a president, the managing director/registrar, cooperative society, or its nominee (must be a government servant in principle) and three other directors.

This panel has already recruited three peons-cum-chowkidaars out of 11 candidates who appeared for the interview recently. As many as 758 candidates applied for this post.

Also, the interviews for five posts of junior assistants were conducted on November 30, the results of which are still awaited. Another test for 11 posts of junior clerks is scheduled for December 7.

According to rules, only a person who draws his salary from the consolidated fund of India can be considered as a government servant. But in case of the official in question, he is still drawing his salary against the post of the GM of the bank, the post he has already given up.

Sangwan was given the charge on deputation from Harco Bank as general manager of Chandigarh State Cooperative Bank, Sector 22, in 2005. He remained on this post till October but the administration retained his additional charge as assistant registrar (cooperative).

Mohali, December 4
The Mohali district administration has detected serious anomalies in the division and subsequent sale of around 2,000 acres of “shamlat deh” (village common land) in different villages of Kharar sub-division.

Valued at several crores of rupees, the division (mutation) of the prime chunks of land has put a question mark on the role of the revenue officials who allegedly misinterpreted rules to set aside the orders in favour of panchayats.

Alarmed by the irregularities, the deputy commissioner has banned the sale and purchase of land in different cases.

The revenue officials posted at the Kharar sub-division and at the block-level have been categorically told not to allow mutation of the panchayat lands, said Mohali deputy commissioner Rahul Bhandhari.

The revelations are part of an ongoing probe by the state government in to illegal transfer and sale of land in the state. In some cases in the district, the administration has been able to restore the land back to the villages or take up the cases in different courts for speedy disposals.

In the recent disclosure, the land pertains to at least nine villages in Kharar sub-division. Some of the prime land falls in Palheri, Jhanjehri, Kansala, Nanglian and Hoshiarpur villages. Barring certain cases, the control of the shamlat land lies with the gram panchayat and this land cannot be divided and sold.

Similar cases of illegal division in Bakarpur village in Derbassi and some villages in Mohali sub-division are under the scanner.

The drive against division and sale of panchayat land is credited to Satish Chandra, former secretary of the department of panchayats and rural development.

Sources in the Kharar sub-division did not rule the possibility “shamlat deh” land being grabbed by the land mafia at various places in connivance with government officials. “A revenue commissioner who ordered the division of shamlat land in 29 cases in Mohali district as an appellant authority, is already facing government action,” said a senior official in the department of panchayat and rural development.

Giving details of the cases, the officials said in Chando Gibindgarh village, the smalat land was 133 acres. In 2006, around 115 acres of land was transferred in name of joint holders following orders of the financial commissioner, revenue. The case is now being heard by the ADC (Development) under Section 11 of the Punjab Village Common Land Act, 1961. He has banned sale and purchase of the land.

Similarly in Jhanjheri village, the total land was around 278 acres. After losing the battle at every level, the financial commissioner (revenue) decided the case in favour of the panchayat on March 2008 and a probe was ordered. Now, the panchayat had filed a case in the court of the deputy commissioner. In Naglian village, the total land was 2,200 kanals and in Chandipur, the land was around 86 acres.

Last year, similar cases were detected in Shahtabgarh, Hoshiarpur, Nagal, Parol, Kansal, Bhanjorian, Andgrora, Mianpur, Chandpur, Khizrabad and Mianpur villages.

Chandigarh, December 4
The inquiry report submitted by director, Le Corbusier Centre, V.N. Singh has found Ajay Pandey, professor, Government College for Arts, Sector 10, guilty of making an attempt to steal hostel furniture.

However, the inquiry has given a clean chit to the boys in whose luggage he had allegedly tried to steal away the furniture.

Though the report dismisses the rumours of furniture being the one designed by Le Corbusier, it establishes that some of it is over 30 years old.

“I have checked the furniture and it is not the one by Corbusier. I spoke to both the boys and the professor and found him guilty. I have submitted my report to administration,” said V.N. Singh.

Chandigarh, December 4
The BJP-Akali alliance took lead over the Congress by announcing Ramlal as their mayor candidate for the coming elections, which are scheduled for January 1, 2009. Ramlal is the only scheduled caste BJP councillor in the party.

The name of Gurnam Singh of the Akali Dal has been announced as the alliance candidate for the deputy mayor's post. This was disclosed by ex-MP and senior BJP leader Satya Pal Jain in a press conference here today.

When asked about the candidate for senior deputy mayor, Jain stated that they had yet to decide about the candidature for senior deputy mayor. He revealed that as talks were going on with the BSP and if they agreed to support the alliance candidates then they would choose the candidate from BSP party for this post.

Jain said that they would take up the issue of land compensation given to farmers while acquiring their land by the administration.

Jain added that when three governments were working simultaneously in the city then why the Central government was not taking the issue of security of this area seriously. He said the proposal of recruiting 3,000 police personnel in Chandigarh was pending with the Union home ministry for a long time.

Chandigarh, December 4
Contrary to the claims of GCG-11 principal Promila Kaushal that she has not been using the official residence on the campus because of its poor upkeep and bad condition, the UT Engineering Department today claimed that the lodge was in “perfect” shape.

The row, sparked off by her decision to opt out of the official residence and claiming an HRA on grounds of it being “in dire need of renovation”, is set to snowball into a controversy with the Engineering Department’s claims of having renovated the house long back.

“We received a letter about the house but it was for simple things like paint and small fittings, etc. The department has already done that. Moreover, we also carry out regular up keep there.” said Yashpal Singh, engineer-in charge, UT.

The principal had shifted to Panchkula on the plea that the lodge was not fit for accommodation.

However, according to the department they never received any complaints on termite menace in the lodge.

Raji P Shrivastava, director, Higher Education, refused to comment and claimed that she had not seen the house yet.

However, her reaction has evoked a strong resentment among city academicians as according to an ex-principal of the college “Whenever a principal joins the college, the first thing that the department does is to ask her to shift to the official residence as there is a huge investment in their upkeep. It’s strange that the department has allowed her to stay out and claim HRA without even verifying the true condition of the house.”

Chandigarh, December 4
Taking a lesson from the recent Taj incident in Mumbai, the Fire and Emergency Services Committee of the Municipal Corporation is proposing to purchase bullet-proof jackets for firemen.

According to the proposal, bullet-proof jackets will be purchased for the safety and security of the firemen.

Referring to the Taj incident, chairman of the committee M P S Chawla stated that the firemen had to stop their rescue operation during that incident as they were not equipped with bullet-proof jackets.

He revealed that the approximate cost of helmet with bullet-proof jacket was about Rs 45,000 to Rs 50, 000. An open discussion would be held on this issue during the meeting scheduled for December 8.

The officials of the fire department expressed surprise on this proposal as the firemen were not even equipped with the basic fire safety equipments required by them during fire-fighting operation.

Referring to a recent fire incident of October 14, 2008, in which a fireman lost his life because of unavailability of the fire safety suit and helmet in the fire tender.

Referring to another incident in which a rescue fire team failed to save a man from drowning in Patial-Ki-Rao as they forgot to use advance emergency rescue engine, which was to deal with such a situation.

The officials said it was strange that the authorities were more concerned to equip the department rather than training their manpower to use those equipments efficiently when required.

The officials pointed out that recently when a proposal for issuing rain coats to the firemen was sent to the administration for approval, it was rejected.

Chandigarh, December 4
A minor scuffle was held between the two groups of students at DAV College, Sector 10, here in the late tonight.

The incident occurred when the students of the dramatic club were rehearsing for the inter-university youth festival at the auditorium.

Suddenly, two students reportedly named as Dharaminder and Bichhu of the college came and allegedly attacked them with sharp-edged weapons.

The dramatic students locked the auditorium from inside and after that a group of 20-25 students came and attacked them from outside. The police reached the spot and seized a motorcycle from the spot.

A student of the college said, “All students were outsiders and they created ruckus here on the campus.”

BC Josan, principal, reached there immediately after the incident and inquired the whole matter.

Har Sahai, SHO of Sector 3 police station, said, “No case has been registered till now but a motor cycle has been seized from the spot. Investigations are on.”.

Chandigarh, December 4
Well versed with the mobile phone technology, the alleged kidnappers of seven-year-old Japjit destroyed the cell phones after making calls.

They had devised an infallible plan to execute the crime, said an investigating officer of the case. The accused were prone to lavish lifestyle and committed the crime to meet their expenses.

Though it was the first kidnapping by this newly-formed gang, the police officer investigating the case said the accused had devised almost a foolproof strategy to carry out the kidnapping. The probing officers were trying hard to gather evidences in the case to take to its logical end, said a police officer.

The accused were regular discotheques visitors and spent their money on girls. For such highflying lifestyle they needed extra money and found kidnapping to be an easy way to make quick bucks, said a senior police officer.

A police officer confided that the accused had destroyed the mobile phones and sim cards after making a single call from each phone.

They used cheap phones and were aware of the fact that if they made calls from their own phones from other states, their IMEI number would not be easily traced.

They did not even received calls on their phone as in that case their IMEI number would have been traced.

Sources said it was a cumbersome task to retrieve the information from mobile phone operators of other state due to procedural formalities. Besides, a lot of technical expertise is required to fix the jigsaw.

Sources told that the police had so far managed to recover about 1.50 lakh of the ransom amount from the accused. The rest of the money, amounting to about Rs 2 lakh, was yet to be recovered.

A police team had conducted a raid at Thaska in Yamunanagar, the native village of the two of the accused, Sahil and Vishal, and recovered Rs 1 lakh from there.

Prem Singh of Kishangarh village and Sandeep Kumar of Dhanas, along with Vishal and Sahil were on three days of police remand, which would end tomorrow. Both Vishal and Sahil hail from poor rural families while Prem Singh and Sandeep Kumar come from well-off families.

Prem Singh (24), who is the youngest members of the gang, was also the mastermind behind the kidnapping. He had a long record of criminal cases and his name was included in the list of bad characters in the records of the Mani Majra police station.

The court has ordered to seal the bank account of Prem Singh in Kotak Mahindra Bank wherein he had reportedly transferred the ransom money. The bank account of Prem had a balance of Rs 97,000. The amount was said to be transferred to his account on November 29.

Chandigarh, December 4
In the wake of the renewed intelligence reports that terrorists may try to use “skies” for their next attack, vigil has been stepped up at the city’s airport here.

While the Union government has officially announced that three airports, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, have been put on a high alert after specific information, nothing is being taken to chance even here.

According to CISF officials, extra layers of security have been added and all baggage is being scrutinised minutely. Even frisking has been increased and extra vigil is being maintained at the airports periphery.

Suneel Dutt, controller, Chandigarh Airport, informed TNS that “extra ladders” of security have been put in place by increasing the number of stages of checking and frisking at the airport. He, however, maintained that unlike Delhi, where the reporting time for passengers has been increased, no such steps have been taken here as of now.

Highly placed sources add that unlike earlier practice of random checking in the flights, the security staff has been instructed to thoroughly check each flight. The baggage of passengers will be checked twice both manually and by the electronic surveillance machines.

About the enhancement in the security force, a senior officer maintained that the security was already beefed up at the airport in the past due to a high alert.

Chandigarh, December 4
After recruiting 270 constables last month, the UT police is all prepared to fill 150 more vacant posts of constable next month.

The fresh recruitment would provide some relief to the force, which has been demanding sanction of around 3,000 new posts of various ranks from the Central government to meet the staff shortage.

“As many as 420 posts of constable were vacant for a long time due to retirements and promotions and various other reasons. The recently recruited constables are being trained at the Recruit Training Centre at Police Lines in Sector 26.

Since the training of the new appointees would be completed in June next year, we want to complete the process of filling up all remaining posts by March,” said UT inspector general S.K. Jain.

In the first week of January, an advertisement in this regard would be published following which all formalities, including required tests, written test, physical measurement test and physical efficiency, would be completed within two months.

Chandigarh, December 4
The Chandigarh administration has ordered to debar and blacklist Aman Security and Detective from participating in the tenders being floated by the Health Department and in any department of the administration due to the irregularities committed during the contractual period.

He also assessed the feasibility of starting the drug de-addiction centre in the State AIDS Control Society (SACS) at GMSH-16 and it would be shifted in the new building by January-end.

Mohali, December 4
The Consumers Protection Forum has urged the authorities concerned to stop overcharging in Apni Mandis and also issue directions to make chemists pass on the benefit of reduction in the prices of medicines to the consumers.

President of the forum, P. S.Virdi, said the chemists in the city were not extending the benefit of 10 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in the prices of certain medicines as declared by the Central government to the consumers.

The health authorities should issue the necessary instructions to chemists so that consumers got the benefit out of the price reduction.

The prices of various vegetables charged at Apni Mandis were more than as notified by the Punjab Mandi Board. Even the weights and measures were not as per the standards, but nobody was bothered to check all this. Immediate steps were required to be taken to save consumers from being fleeced by unscrupulous elements.

Virdi further said the rate of the crude oil in the international market had come down from 147 dollars to 47 dollars per barrel, but the petrol, diesel and LPG were being supplied to consumers at enhanced rates, which was against the interest of the common man.

He demanded a reduction in the price of petroleum products at the earliest to save the common man from financial burden.

Mohali, December 4
Municipal councillor Kuljit Singh Bedi has urged deputy commissioner Rahul Bhandari to get elections for the two vacant posts of senior vice-president and president of the municipal council conducted within a month failing which he and others councillors would be compelled to take a legal action.

Bedi said democratic norms had been thrown to the winds by the district administration which had failed to convene the yearly elections to the top posts of the senior vice-president and vice-president of the civic body.

The town has been unjustly deprived of two elected persons of the most important elected body for over a year, thanks to the indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned. In fact, the one-year term of the two posts expired on August 16 and it is nearly four months into another term with no signs of the poll being held.

The two posts have been lying vacant after the one-year term of Rishiv Jain, senior vice-president, and Harmanpreet Singh, vice-president, ended on August 16 last year. Both of them were elected after the council elections held on July 30, 2006.

Bedi said he had earlier also requested the deputy commissioner to get the elections conducted but nothing had been done so far. He said if this was not done within a month he along with other councillors would approach the court in this regard and the district administration would be responsible for such a move.

Chandigarh, December 4
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked the BSNL to pay Rs 20,000 compensation for deficiency in services to a resident of Sector 31.

The petitioner, S.B Sharma, stated in the petition that he had applied for a telephone and broadband connection from BSNL for which he deposited Rs 500 in 2007. The phone was installed, which started functioning from October 20, 2007, but the broadband connection was activated only on December 17, 2007.

He added that the rental for broadband was also included in the bill of November, 2007, though the broadband was activated much later.

Thereafter, the bill for the month of December, 2007, was sent in January, 2008, but to the shock, it was for more than Rs 1 lakh, showing Internet usage of 101403 MB.

Chandigarh, December 4
Prosthetic and Orthotic Clinic was inaugurated at Fortis Hospital, Mohali. The clinic has been set up in partnership with Deep Artificial Limb Centre. Dr Ashish Banerji, director, Fortis Hospital, inaugurated the clinic.

The clinic would include a complete range of both conventional and hi-tech appliances to cover patients from all walks of life. The clinic is also capable of custom designing and making any special artificial limbs, orthotic appliances and hi-tech pre-fabricated orthotic range that the patient may require.

The cost of the limbs ranges from Rs 60,000 to Rs 5 lakh depending on the requirement and need of the patients.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Banerji said, "The new clinic will be a boon for the physically challenged. This clinic would provide all prosthetic and orthotic modalities as well as diverse specialties under one roof. As healthcare providers it was our duty to bring this facility to the region.”

Karan Bir Singh, consultant, Deep Artificial Limb Centre, said, "In our endeavour to provide maximum quality facilities under one roof, we have launched the prosthetic and orthotic clinic at Fortis. It will now be very convenient for the patients to have personalised fittings along with technical and clinical support."

Chandigarh, December 4
The students of University Business School, Panjab University, looking forward for good placements in big companies, will have to wait for some more time.

For the recent Mumbai terror attacks have delayed the arrival of many US-based companies to the management school for recruiting the students.

According to sources, companies like ICICI and Deloitte, which were supposed to visit the department for the pre-placements and placements of the students in the placement drive, which started today, have delayed the same for about a fortnight.

As conveyed to the department officials, the companies have specifically asked their representatives to delay their visit by next week or so and preferably should travel in India after December 17. This delay, according to sources, comes in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, which left the entire nation shaken and grief stricken.

Nevertheless, the two-day initial placement drive at the school kick-started today with noted corporates like Airtel, Citi group, MNYL, Vedanta, TCS, IFCI, Agilyst, Tata Teleservices, Bharti Axa, SBI Life, Godrej, E-sys, Canam International and others participating in the drive.

Many companies like Educorp will be visiting on December 6, while E-sys and Canam International are yet to confirm their participation.

Most of the companies will visit tomorrow to conduct tests and other activities related to the recruitment of students. The group discussions and interviews will be held later for those who will be shortlisted now.

The students have been preparing for the two-day drive for over a week now. Meanwhile, the department buzzed with lot of activity throughout the day.

It is pertinent to mention here that there are about 150 students in the department, and the students of third semester onwards will participate in the drive.

It must be recalled that last year, 13 students were taken by ICICI bank at an annual pay package of Rs 6.5 lakh. Similarly, Infosys recruited around 10 students at a package of Rs 6.5 lakh per annum. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), New Gen, a Delhi-based software company, HDFC Bank, ICICI Prudential, ICICI Lombard, Bajaj Alliance, Deloitte, Cognizant Technologies, IMS Learning Centre were among the major recruiters. Interestingly, IMS learning Centre, which provides coaching to aspiring management candidates, participated in the placement for the first time and recruited students at a hefty pay package of Rs 7.5 lakh.

Chandigarh, December 4
Confusion marks the move of the authorities of Dr H S Judge Institute of Dental Sciences, Panjab University, to send six faculty members of the institute to GMCH-32 for the clinical training of third year students of BDS.

According to sources, the confusion cropped up following the office orders stating that the faculty working at the departments of general medicine, general surgery and anaesthesia in the institute is directed to report to the director principal, GMCH, for clinical teaching and training for effective teaching and optimum utilisation under the directions of respective HODs of departments of GMCH-32.

According to the sources, the order has not gone down well with the faculty members as they feel that the move of reporting and joining GMCH and their “optimum utilisation” by the HODs for even their own clinical work will get them out of the purview of dental institute as well as the PU.

The teachers are also fearing that GMCH may not relieve them in future on the grounds of faculty shortage, putting a question mark to the Dental College Institute (DCI) recognition as these teachers are supposed to be in dental college not in medical college.

Claims of Dr K. Gauba, director of the dental institute, do not seem to satisfy the teachers who say that as per the original agreement of the dental institute with DCI, the associated hospital shown was GMSH, Sector 16, as any 100-bed hospital or a medical college can be used for teaching of dental students.

In a letter issued by secretary, Medical Education, but signed by Dr Raj Bahadur, has demanded Rs 20,000 per student per year causing a loss of Rs 20 lakh to PU for one batch. This money is paid to the GMCH if their own faculty is teaching the dental students but in this case dental college has its own faculty and still agreed to pay the sum.

GMCH further demanded that clinical faculty of dental college would do all clinical duties of a regular medical teacher, including managing emergencies. And to make the matters worse, GMCH has stated that all medico-legal responsibilities related to patients of GMCH would be of the dental clinical faculty on an individual basis, thereby shirking from vicarious liability cover, which an institute provides to the doctors working for it.

However, Dr Gauba said all these fears were unfounded and blamed some teachers for raking this controversy. “Every batch will go for training till we have our own hospital and teaching of clinical subjects of medicine and surgery is part of their curriculum as per the DCI regulations. So, the teachers are supposed to work in collaboration with the HODs of the departments of GMCH-32.

There will be emphasis on highlighting inter-relations of basic branches of mathematics. To serve this purpose, there will be six lectures on unity of mathematics by Prof Passi.

Chandigarh, December 4
“The colleges affiliated to Panjab University should make use of the Knowledge Commission’s proposal of giving autonomy to colleges.

The colleges should prepare themselves in such a way that they can be granted deemed university status,” said PU vice-chancellor R. C. Sobti during the principal’s conference held today at PU.

During the interaction, the VC informed the principals of the colleges that in future, the endowment fund, which is taken from the colleges for starting new courses, would be taken more strictly, to which many principals resented, and said the fund rather proved to be a deterrent for them to start new courses.

The issue pertaining to conducting first year examinations of BA by colleges was discussed once again. It is likely that the university will start it from next year on experimental basis.

Also, the principals asked the authorities to start a helpline service so that if they had any query regarding any course or related information, they could get the same from it. The use of OMR sheets was also discussed during the meet.