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TOP STORIES

Chandigarh’s shame
N-choe: The muck in Mohali
Mohali, April 7
Poor cousin of the City Beautiful, Mohali continues to bear the forced load of the filth, stink and muck flowing down the N-Choe. The repulsive picture of garbage in the sewers and the killing stench offers no hope of respite because there exists no corrective mechanism for clearing the litter, within the Union Territory.

With covered nose, a Mauli Baidwan resident points to the sewage flowing out of a storm water pipe near Sector 67, Mohali. Photos: Vicky Gharu

Tribune Impact
UT assures High Court of clean up
Two days after The Tribune raised a storm over sanitation concerns going down the drain, the Chandigarh Administration today made it clear to the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it was serious about cleaning-up the city’s image by giving the “n-choe” a neater look.

Finally, MC to install treatment plant
Chandigarh Municipal Corporation will install a sewerage treatment plant (STP), with a capacity of at least 15 Million Litres per Day(MLD), at Kahjeri to avoid flow of sewerage water of nearby colonies of that area in Natural Choe (N-Choe) of the city.

A woman in Sector 30, Chandigarh, sets leaves on fire and then asks the photographer not take the picture. Later, she poured water on the fire to douse it; and (right) a car that caught fire due to the burning of leaves in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. Tribune photos

COMMUNITY

Census timings have teachers fuming
Chandigarh, April 7
The census department’s latest declaration asking government school teachers to perform both census work and also the normal teaching left hundreds of teachers protesting in resentment at various city schools like Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 32, Government School, Sector 23, and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 33, which are currently also doubling up as the census training centres.

Amendment in Rent Act
Tenants in a tizzy, get eviction notices
Chandigarh, April 7
An amendment in the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction (Amendment) Act, 2001, empowering non-resident Indians (NRIs) to recover immediate possession of the residential and non-residential buildings has sent many commercial establishment owners in major shopping centres of the city in a tizzy.

Sector 63 housing scheme
Draw of lots held, but two years’ wait still
Chandigarh, April 7
The 3,420 allottees of the self-financing scheme flats in Sector 63, who were finally informed the floors on which their respective flats would be located, are in for a long haul still. They will have to wait for at least two more years and, worse, pay monthly instalments ranging roughly between Rs 4,000 and Rs 10,000 till their flats are constructed. Currently, all that exists is barren land and no sign of construction by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB).

Army officer killed in freak accident Chandigarh, April 7 Just two days back, a 23-year-old cavalry officer from the city was planning his vacations with his cousin. Fate, however, had something else in store as Lt Nishant Karol was killed in a freak accident during an ongoing Army exercise in Rajasthan last evening. Lt Nishant Karol with his parents during the passing out parade at the Indian Military Academy in December 2008. (A file photograph)

Stress taking toll on CTU drivers
Lack of health monitoring facilities to blame
Chandigarh, April 7
The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU), dubbed as one of the best transport undertakings in the country, is oblivious of the health problems being faced by its staff. This is the reason that some employees of the CTU lost their lives due ailments, particularly heart failure, or accidents on duty. Out of the total workforce of around 2,100, the number deaths due to some ailment was as high as 21. The CTU still does not find any reason for a routine health check-up or teaching stress-busting tips to its staff.

Staff want pay anomalies to go
Chandigarh, April 7
Employees of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) held a gate meeting at the office of the CTU director here today.

Food in Trains
Change in menu on cards
Chandigarh, April 7
Railway passengers can hope to relish tastier food as the railway authorities have decided to bring about some changes in the menu being served in Shatabdi and other major trains.

GMCH project gets govt nod
To be developed as centre of excellence
Chandigarh, April 7
The Union Health Ministry has accepted a project of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, to develop it as a centre of excellence under the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP).

GMSH Fire
Report puts blame on departments
Chandigarh, April 7
Contrary to the initial attempts of the UT engineering department to fix the responsibility for the March 29 fire at the trauma operation theatre of Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH) on a nurse, the hospital authorities have now blamed the “poor coordination” between the engineering and the electrical departments for the mishap.

Complainant withdraws case
Chandigarh, April 7
The American girl, who had levelled allegation of rape against Panjab University law student, Nitin Jindal, during the 56th Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN), a conference organised by final year law students of Harvard University at Park Plaza Hotel in Boston in February 2010, has reportedly withdrawn the case.

Wheat arrivals in city yet to pick up
Chandigarh, April 7
Though the procurement season entered the sixth day yesterday wheat has yet arrive in large quantities in the city’s grain market in Sector 39. Small amounts of the grain have begun trickling in from adjoining areas like Kharar, Mullanpur and Banur.

Shenoy’s music treat for ears
Chandigarh, April 7
“Yatha Guru tatha shishya”, acclaimed classical vocalist Mahalakshmi Shenoy, a disciple of Grammy Award winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, who proved her mettle by enthralling the music lovers at a special music concert organised by the Pracheen Kala Kendra here today.

MC to take care of 70 green belts
Mohali, April 7
The responsibility of maintaining 70 green belts and triangles in various parts of the town has finally been shifted to the municipal council. The work was earlier being done by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).

Excise, VAT collections up
Chandigarh, April 7
Collections from VAT and excise for 2009-10 are up in the city. According to a press note issued here today, the Chandigarh administration has earned a revenue of Rs 921.18 crore in 2009-10 from excise on liquor, entertainment tax and VAT in 2009-10, 9.29 per cent (Rs 78.27 crore ) more netted in 2008-09.

‘RTI Act a tool to check corruption’
Mohali, April 7
The Right to Information Act has been able to bring about transparency, good governance and reduce corruption, said Darbara Singh Kahlon, Punjab State Information Commissioner, here today.

Ultrasound centre sealed
Mohali, April 7
The district health authorities have sealed the ultrasound centre of Silver Oak Hospital in Phase IX here today, as the raiding team noticed some deficiencies in the centre.

Stress on holistic landscape plan
Chandigarh, April 7
The Chandigarh-Punjab chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) in association with the University of Western Australia, Perth, and Alumni Association of Chandigarh College of Architecture organised an Indo-Australian symposium on “Landscape architecture” here yesterday.

Free books distributed
Chandigarh, April 7
Punjab and Haryana Court Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia and K Kannan today distributed books to the students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 26, here today.

Woman crushed to death
Chandigarh, April 7
Bhushan Rani, a 48-year-old woman, was allegedly crushed to death by a truck near Fun Republic here this evening. Thr truck diver reportedly fled.

EDUCATION

Spreading health awareness
Chandigarh, April 7
The Centre for Public Health, Panjab University, celebrated World Health Day by organising different activities for students and staff here today.

‘Gourmets Affair’ released
Chandigarh, April 7
The annual day of Dr Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Sector 42-D, was held at the auditorium here today. DK Tiwari, IAS, managing director, CITCO, was the chief guest and Tanuj Beri, assistant general manager, State Bank of India, Chandigarh, was the guest of honour.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Manual scavenging on despite ban Bassi Pathana (Fatehgarh Sahib), April 7 Even after six decades of independence, manual scavenging still goes on unabated in various districts of Punjab, including Fatehgarh Sahib. Members of the Safai Karmchari Andolan have identified 12 scavengers in Bassi Pathana, who clean night soil of influential people for Rs 30 a month. The scavengers, most of them in their sixties, said they had been working for the past 20 years. A scavengers on job at Bassi Pathana. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Heritage walk on April 18
Ambala, April 7
To mark the World Heritage Day, the Ambala Chapter of Indian National Trust and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is going to organise a heritage walk on April 18.

Tangori students best in robotic design Banur, April 7 A team of four students of sixth semester mechanical engineering of Shaheed Udham Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Tangori, participated in “Robosapiens”, at the technical festival “Cognisance” organised by IIT-Roorkee at Roorkee. The competition was held to carry out a military exercise of bridge building and passing on the mines/bomb diffusing kit loaded on to the other robot. Students of SUSCET Tangori with their robot model that got first place at a contest in IIT-Roorkee. A Tribune photograph

Injury to American player
Five-page report submitted to DC
Patiala, April 7
World Kabaddi Cup has caught the fancy of millions of kabaddi lovers all over the world, who are praying for the victory of their teams everyday. This initiative of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has got thumbs up from sports lovers.

COURTS

Lawyer moves court against UAE verdict
Chandigarh, April 7
A city-based advocate today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the death sentence awarded to 17 Indian nationals in Dubai for a Pakistani’s murder.

Fake encounter case adjourned
Chandigarh, April 7
The CBI court of special judge Darshan Singh today adjourned the ongoing case of fake encounter of Kulwinder Singh by seven Punjab police personnel stating that the revision is pending in the high court. It will now come up on May 7.

Anuradha Murder Case
Statements of witnesses recorded
Chandigarh, April 7
The Additional District and Sessions Judge today recorded the statements of two of the witnesses in the infamous Anuradha murder case.

Graft Case
I-T inspector remanded in judicial custody
Chandigarh, April 7
The CBI court of special judge today remanded an income tax official to judicial custody in a graft case.

Challan against Babla
Chandigarh, April 7
The police today presented a challan against Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla in the case pertaining to fake documents.

SI gets 2-year RI in graft case
Chandigarh, April 7
The CBI court of Special Judge Darshan Singh today awarded two years of rigorous imprisonment to Sub-Inspector Ved Prakash, who was held guilty in a graft case. He has also been slapped a fine of Rs 12,000. Ved Prakash was later released after filling a bail bond of Rs 50,000.

CRIME

Man booked for suicide bid
Chandigarh, April 7
The police booked a 26-year-old man for suicide bid at his residence at Bapu Dham Colony here last night.

Mother of five burnt to death
Chandigarh, April 7
Thirtytwo-year-old Anjali, mother of five, was allegedly burnt to death after she caught fire from a stove while cooking at her residence in Bapu Dham Colony here this morning.

Bank employees held in cheating case Mohali, April 7 A sum of Rs 32 lakh was allegedly misappropriated by employees of a private bank from the account of a customer. The alleged fraud came to light when the customer Surinder Singh a resident of Anandpur Kalour , wanted to withdraw the amount for getting a plot registered on his name. The accused in police custody. A Tribune photograph

Water pipe recovered, 1 held
Chandigarh, April 7
The police today recovered one of the 11 water pipes that were stolen from Hallo Majra on Sunday from the premises of a Ram Darbar-based junk dealer and arrested one person in this regard.

BJP leader accused of trespass
Chandigarh, April 7
Parking of cars led to an altercation between Arun Sood, general secretary of the local unit of the BJP, and his neighbour, who accused him of trespass and roughing her up at her residence in Sector 37 here this afternoon. According to the police, both the parties lodged complaints against each other. The police has registered a daily diary report in this connection.

Gold chain snatched
Panchkula, April 7
After remaining subdued for the past few months, the chain snatchers have once again become active in the city as a woman lost her gold chain to the snatchers this morning.

SPORTS

Fit-again Sachin to play tomorrow
Chandigarh, April 7
For Sachin Tendulkar’s fans, it’s no less than good news that the Master Blaster is fit and fine and all set to play the next match at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on April 9. “Yes I am perfectly all right”, said Tendulkar soon after his arrival from Chennai, along with his Mumbai Indians team here this evening at Hotel Mountview in Sector 10.

NICS academy storm into final
Panchkula, April 7
Aman Parmar’s quick fire of 67 runs off 47 balls helped NICS Cricket Academy, Patiala, beat Little Flower Convent School Cricket Academy, Panchkula, by 20 runs to enter the final of the first U10 T20 League Cricket Tournament being held at Hansraj Public School Cricket here today.