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Rain, Eid, security damper
Student leaders barred from entering PU hostels
Sumedha Sharma
Tribune Nws Service

Chandigarh, August 31
Rain and Eid added to the new slew of directives marring student enthusiasm on the last day of campaigning before elections to the Panjab University Campus Students Council today.

The campus, which had always been the most happening on the last day of campaigning, bore an empty look throughout the day.

Tents of different student organisations all over the campus wore a deserted look. While it was raining heavily in the afternoon, the only occupants of different tents were policemen.

The situation was no different at all the local colleges. College compounds were absolutely devoid of any poll activity, or even presence.

“Even routine Sundays witness a lot of student movement, even if they play or relax. Today our college is empty. It seems that no one exists here,” said Gaurav Dhand, a student of Government College, Sector 11.

Given to confusion over permission to canvass today, leaders got active only after 11:30 am, when they got the final nod from Dean Student Welfare, who held a meeting with UT police officials. The police, as per its security plan, had asked all candidates to stop campaigning 72 hours before polling began.

The university authorities, citing Lyngdoh committee recommendations and ‘good behaviour ‘of parties this year, got them permission for today, but it bore no fruit due to rain.

“We can campaign till 24 hours before the elections, but there was a lot of confusion last night. We only got a go-ahead after 11:30 am, but with no classes, rain and allotted time schedule for campaigning, we could not do much,” said Tejinder Singh, a student representative. The PU action of allowing students to campaign today was not of use as student leaders were not allowed to organise rallies or enter hostels.
We were told not organise rallies, but to approach students in groups of two, three or four. When we reached hostels, we were barred entry inside, saying the code of conduct has been imposed. We are not criminals, but students with rights to campaign within the stipulated time and under norms laid. Security measures have only harassed us unnecessarily.

Vicky Middukhera, president, SOPU

Their so-called security measure have already made campaigning in departments tough. The so-called code imposed today made canvassing virtually impossible. Rallies were discontinued. How does a party reach out to voters?

Sukhjeet Brar, president, PUSU

Security officials banned rallies as they said a lot of outsiders were brought in, which posed a security threat. Students have been given election rights mandated under the Lyngdoh report.

AS Ahluwalia, Dean Student Welfare

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Girls’ hostels at PU raided
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
The Panjab University (PU) authorities and the Chandigarh Police conducted raids at girls’ hostels 3, 4 and 6 tonight on the suspicion that printed material and cases of liquor of student organisations were hidden there.

A few girls were found drunk during the raid. The raids were conducted by woman constables, who checked hostel identity cards of all students.

Dean Student Welfare (DSW) AS Ahulwalia said it was suspected that printed material and liquor were kept at girls’ hostels by student leaders, on the basis of which raids were being conducted.

The cops and hostel staff recovered neither any printed material related to elections, nor cases of liquor. Hostel wardens were asked to keep a close vigil on activities of hostel residents till the elections were over.

Girls were entering their hostels even after 10:30 pm. Some of them were heavily drunk. The police said they were not authorised to take action in this regard.

The hostel authorities said the girls were allowed entry keeping their security in mind, adding that explanations would be sought from them tomorrow.

Altercation near boys’ hostel An altercation between members of SOPU and PUSU was reported outside the boys’ hostel 2 at night. SOPU alleged that a supporter had been kidnapped by PUSU activists. Cops present on the spot kept them under control.

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college elections
Royal Stag is passe, voters more demanding now
Amit Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
Gone are the days when the liquor brands like Royal Stag were sufficient to woo voters. The scenario has changed, with voters demanding costlier liquor brands like Blenders Pride, Antiquity and Signature for their votes. The liquor brand is supplied by student organisations in colleges to groups, depending on the number of votes they have.

Apart from movie shows and disco parties, student organisations have a great demand of liquor, but the taste of voters compared to the past few years have shifted to costlier brands. A party worker said outstation students residing in the city were being provided bottles of liquor as per their demands at their rooms and paying guest accommodation.

A student leader at GGDSD College, Sector 32, said students were coming up with their choice of liquor brands and they had to fulfil their demands to woo them. Till the previous year, students were satisfied with Royal Stag, but now, they were demanding costlier liquor brands, which they could not deny to them as it was a matter of votes, he added.

A member of one student organisation at DAV College said it all depended on student organisations. If one would start distributing a costlier brand, others had to distribute the same to compete in wooing voters. “Voters say bluntly that other parties are offering them costlier brands of liquor, following which we have to at least distribute what other parties are offering them,” the student leader said.

According to student leaders, Blenders Pride was in high demand among students at most colleges. Groups of students with more votes were being offered different brands like Signature and Antiquity. “There are groups of students from the North-East who even demand non-vegetarian dishes along with liquor,” a student activist said. Sources said booze parties for voters would continue till Thursday evening to ensure that they did not shift preference to another organisation.

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Power breather for 2.5 lakh users
No need to pay arrears from April 1 to July 15
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
About 2.5 lakh domestic and commercial electricity consumers in Chandigarh will not have to pay arrears of hiked power tariff for three months-and-a-half, from April 1 to July 15.

The decision, which will benefit each power consumer by a few hundred to a few thousand rupees, has been taken at the level of Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator Shivraj Patil with a view not to burden power consumers, sources said here today.

On August 3, the UT Administration announced a steep hike in electricity tariff, ranging between 27 and 31 per cent for domestic consumers and 22 per cent for commercial users, with effect from July 16 following recommendations of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for union territories.

While the JERC had recommended the power tariff hike from April 1, the UT Administration had announced the implementation of new power tariff from July 16, with a decision on the period from April 1 to July 15 kept pending.

According to the new power tariff, domestic consumers using up to 100 units of power would pay Rs 1.70 per unit, against the existing rate of Rs 1.65 per unit up to 150 units. The revised rate for consumption from 101 units to 400 units was fixed at Rs 3.45 per unit.

The rate for users consuming above 150 units of power was Rs 2.90 per unit earlier. The rate for consumption of more than 400 units would be Rs 3.60 per unit now. The rate for the commercial supply was fixed at Rs 3.36 per unit.

Paying bill through SMS

The UT Administration has proposed payment of electricity bill through SMS. Under the proposal, the consumer will start getting electricity bills through SMS, for which the services of service providers are being requisitioned. The UT Administration will tie up with various banks for the facility and a password or number will be provided to each customer by the bank for the debit of the power bill amount from the account.

Deficit of Rs 351 crore

With no power generation of its own, Chandigarh buys electricity from other states at a reported average price of Rs 5.42 per unit. The average selling cost comes to around Rs 3.36 per unit. The UT Administration is expected to spend Rs 838.77 crore in the current fiscal year, with earnings from power being Rs 487.11 crore, a deficit of Rs 351.66 crore.

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Finance Secy DoPT defaulter
Not filed immovable property return
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Have filed returns: VK Singh

I sent all details regarding my immovable property to the Punjab government in March. It is possible that it has not forwarded the information. I am not aware about my name figuring in the list. I will check it immediately.

Chandigarh, August 31
UT Finance Secretary VK Singh has not filed his property return, if the government’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is to be believed.

The DoPT website mentions VK Singh’s name in the list of those officers who are yet to submit information about their immovable property returns for 2010, which has been made mandatory by the Government of India for all IAS officers.

The Government of India had recently decided to take action against defaulters following the DoPT’s written communication to the ministries concerned and states in this regard.

As far as the city is concerned, VK Singh, a Punjab-cadre IAS officer of the 1990 batch, was the only officer here whose name figured in the defaulters’ list.

The deadline for submitting immovable property returns for 2009 and 2010 was January 31 this year.

About 200 IAS officers across the country had reportedly failed to submit their returns despite several reminders to them.

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200 ‘dead’ trees to be laid to rest
Aarti Kapur
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
About 200 “dead” trees in Chandigarh, which have been posing a serious threat to residents, are set to face the axe. The municipal corporation (MC), in consultation with the UT forest department, has sent a report to the UT Administration, recommending that the 200 trees be cut immediately as a majority of thsee were posing a threat to residences.

MC Commissioner Prerna Puri disclosed that the civic body submitted the report to the Adviser to the UT Administrator KK Sharma about a week ago. The matter was yet to be discussed with officials of the forest department and the MC, she added.

The UT Administration had been dilly-dallying on the cutting of these trees for quite some time, with residents fearing for their safety. Yesterday, a tree fell on a car and damaged it at Sector 29.

Sector residents complained that they had been writing to the authorities that about 10 eucalyptus trees in the lane, which had become a threat to them since 2003. No action had been taken on their repeated complaints. Roots of certain trees had been damaged by termites, which could not be sustained for long.

Fresh rules for pruning

The MC has drafted fresh rules regarding permission for cutting and pruning trees. MC officials have suggested there is a need to decentralise decision-making powers among forest and horticulture departments. The existing system for cutting of trees is cumbersome as permission has to be taken from the UT Adviser, who has to personally visit the site before granting permission.

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CTU runs out of spare parts
13 low-floor, six AC mini-buses off road for months
Amit Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
All is not well in the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU). Already facing staff shortage, six mini air-conditioned buses have gone off road due to non-functional ACs. Moreover, 13 low-floor buses are also not being plied due to non-availability of spare parts.

It’s not the dearth of drivers and conductors but the inefficiency of the CTU to provide spare parts following which the public transport has been affected in the city.

Out of six mini-AC buses, one bus has been lying unutilised due to dysfunctional alternator and the ACs of remaining five buses is non-functional. These buses have been off road for the past four months.

The CTU union had urged the authorities to repair AC buses in June.

However, the CTU failed to do the needful.

Jagdish Singh, president of the Chandigarh Government Transport Workers’ Union (CGWTU), said the non-availability of spare parts have resulted in over 20 CTU buses going off road. “The non-availability of spare parts, including drum brakes, gear and pump parts have resulted in breakdown of buses,” Singh said.

He said though the spare parts of buses already parked in the workshops have been utilised, the demand is more than the availability. “Thirteen low-floor buses are parked at the depot number-II since the past six months due to non-availability of spare parts,” he said. Sources said that the seats of almost all 63 buses purchased in 2009 need repair.

When contacted, CTU general manager SP Parmar admitted that there was shortage of spare parts. “We are trying to make all mini AC buses functional. However, there are a few buses in the depot-II that are off road due to unavailability of spare parts,” Parmar said.

Official sources said the store purchase department was responsible for delay in the purchase of spare parts as the payments of the dealers providing spare parts was pending since long.

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Duronto occupancy picks up
Arun Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
The Amritsar-Chandigarh Duronto Express train that started on August 24 seems to be catching the fancy of passengers gradually. Within first four days of its operation, the occupancy of the train has increased over two times compared to the number of passengers on the first day.

While on August 24 the total number of passengers in the Duronto Express in the morning as well as evening was merely 257, on Monday it swelled to as high as 606. On Tuesday, 603 passengers travelled in the train.

The train, which runs five days a week except on Friday and Sunday, has a total of 1,287 non-AC chairs and 145 chairs in two AC coaches.

“The visit to Amritsar costs only Rs 322 with dinner as well as breakfast with comforts of a train. The journey is much cheaper and less time consuming compared to other modes of travel, including bus or private car,” said Rajnder Sahni, a resident of Sector 28. Those prefer travelling in an air-conditioned coach, however, are to shell out Rs 740 for a to-and-fro journey with these facilities, which again comes out to be cheaper than what one has to pay for travel in an air-conditioned bus,” he added.

“The increase in the number of passengers is encouraging and we are expecting a sharp increase in the occupancy of the train in near future,” said RK Sondh, chief regional manager, IRCTC.

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Slum Rehabilitation Project
Dream house a reality soon
Centre okays setting up of sewage treatment plant at Dhanas
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
The dream of 8,448 slum dwellers in Dhanas village to have one room tenement of their own under the ambitious slum rehabilitation project of the Chandigarh Administration is set be realised with the Central government giving its nod to the installation of the sewage treatment plant (STP).

The decision for the setting up of Rs 15.43 crore STP, which once commissioned, would pave the way for the handing over the possession to the beneficiaries, was taken a high-level meeting of the Urban Development Ministry in New Delhi yesterday.

Earlier, the engineering department of the UT Administration had forwarded the proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for the approval, as the financial powers of the Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator were limited to the projects up to Rs 10 crore. The MHA had, in turn, referred the file to the Ministry of Urban Development, which cleared the project, sources said here today.

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), executing agency for the slum rehab project, had completed the construction of the tenements at Dhanas about six months ago. However, the possession could not be handed over to the beneficiaries in the backdrop of the non-installation of the STP. Residents from the Colony No 4, Colony No 5 and the Rajiv Colony, who had encroached up the prime government land worth crores, are to be rehabilitated at Dhanas.

The ambitious but controversial Rs 1,187-crore slum resettlement project to rehabilitate around 23,841 families is already running behind schedule, giving a jolt to Chandigarh’s dream of becoming the first slum-free city in the country.

The tug of war between the CHB and Parsvnath over the Prideasia luxury mini township in the IT Park has taken a toll on the slum rehabilitation project. Formulated as part of the administration’s “social commitment”, besides freeing prime commercial land in the city from illegal squatters, Rs 1,600 crore accruals from the Prideasia project were to go a long way in completing the project.

According to a biometric survey, around 23,841 families are to be rehabilitated in 18 colonies in eight locations across the city. The administration had earmarked about 356 acres (20 per cent) of the available 2,811 acres for the project.

CHB to earn Rs 80 lakh per month

The CHB is to earn Rs 80 lakh per month from the beneficiaries. Each beneficiary would pay Rs 1,050 per month as the lease money for the tenement.

Tenders after SGPC poll

Sources said the tenders for the setting up of the STP would be floated after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) poll on September 16 after the model code of conduct ends. However, it would take a few more months for the installation of the STP after floating of tenders.

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Apple @ Rs 120 per kilogram
Arun Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
Apple has become a precious commodity this season. As more than half of the crop in Himachal Pradesh has been damaged due to inclement weather this year, the price of good-quality apple in the retail market has gone as high as Rs 120 per kilogram.

Against last year’s output of 4.46 crore boxes, the total production this year is likely to be around 2 crore boxes in Himachal Pradesh. Due to the short supply, even average quality of apple is not available at a price less than Rs 80 per kg in the markets of the tricity.

The buyer has lost the taste of the apple due to its high price, said Dharmender Gupta, a fruit retailer in Sector 38. Last year, I had been selling at least three boxes of apples every day as the prices did not go beyond Rs 60 per kg, said Gupta. The average quality of fruit was sold at Rs 30 per kg last year. This season, the sale has dropped to one carton a day, he said.

The supply of apple in the wholesale market in Sector 26 has dropped to 25,000 boxes every day this season, said Kanwal Mahajan, a leading wholesale trader of apple in the region. Last year, the local market used to receive over one-lakh cartons of apple every day, he said.

The short supply has shot up prices of apple up to Rs 1,700 for a 25-kg box. Last year, this was available for Rs 900. As of now, the apple is coming from areas of Jubbal-Kotkhai, Rohru, Chopal, Rampur, Sarahan, Theog, Narkanda and Kullu. The supply of fruit from Kinnaur will start in the next 10 days. A carton of apples from Kinnaur is expected to be sold at Rs 2,000, said traders.

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Haphazard parking, poor sanitation dot Phases IIIB1, IIIB2
Kulwinder Sangha

Garbage dumped in a park at Phase IIIB1 in Mohali.
Garbage dumped in a park at Phase IIIB1 in Mohali. Tribune photos: Vicky Gharu

Mohali, August 31
Improper sanitation, water entering houses of residents during heavy rains, heaps of mud and wild growth lying on roads which demand repair and stray animals moving about describe Phases IIIB1 and IIIB2 (Sector 60) of the town.

The state of sanitation has always invited anger from residents who keep complaining to the authorities concerned, but to no avail. Shopkeepers and customers going to the Phase IIIB2 market are facing problems of parking as the area has been dug up for widening the main road passing through the sectors.

The president of the Consumer Protection and Awareness Council and a resident of Phase IIIB1, NS Gill, said the state of sanitation was far from being satisfactory. “The area near the sector separating roads had been totally neglected. I had requested the contractor concerned several times, but not much was done to improve the state,” said Gill. The curb channels on the road outside the Government Senior Secondary School had not been replaced over the past many years. Assurances were given every time a request was made, but nothing was done on the ground.

Kuljit Singh Bedi, former municipal councillor, said the holding of Apni Mandi in Phase IIIB2 had created problems for residents of the area. Not only one stretch of the road got blocked for traffic in the evening due to large number of vehicles parked there, the area was left in filth. Mandi Board employees did not get it cleaned regularly. He demanded that the mandi should be shifted to Sector 71.

Water enters a number of houses whenever there is a heavy rain and residents have been facing this problem for the past more than 20 years. GMADA had spent Rs 82 lakh for laying a pipeline to divert water. Later, the civic body spent another about Rs 3.25 crore to lay a pipeline till Lakhnour village for proper drainage. However, both the agencies had failed to give any relief in this regard.

Ravinder Bansal, local resident

Heaps of mud and grass can often be seen lying on roadsides whenever curb channels are cleaned. These are not lifted for days and get scattered on roads. In case it starts raining the mud and grass flows towards road gullies leading to blockage. Wild animals are seen moving about in the area damaging green belts and dirtying roads. The authorities concerned have failed to check the menace.

—DS Chandhok, president, Residents Welfare Association, Phase IIIB2

Most of the road outside the judicial complex and government schools gets blocked as people park their vehicles on roadside. At times it becomes difficult for residents, whose houses fall on this road, to take out their vehicles. The problem was brought to the notice of the police authorities, but not much help was extended.

— NS Gill, president, Consumers Protection and Awareness Council

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42-yr-old killed in mishap
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 31
A 42-year-old Ambala resident died in a road accident near Barwala last night. The deceased was identified as Ashok Kumar.

The police said Ashok was on his way to Ambala from Sector 26, Chandigarh, on his motorcycle. When he reached Barwala, his motorcycle collided with a truck stationed on a road and he died on the spot.

After conducting an autopsy, the body was handed over to the family.

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Involvement of ‘Zen gang’ in Rs 4.39-lakh robbery suspected
Rajinder Nagarkoti
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 31
The UT and the Panchkula Police are suspecting the involvement of ‘Zen gang’ behind the Rs 4.39-lakh robbery from a cyclist in Mani Majra at gunpoint on Monday. UT police officials said that as the robbers had used a Maruti Zen car in the crime, therefore, they were working on this angle as well. The UT Police is also taking the help of the Panchkula Police where this ‘Zen gang’ had committed number of robberies in the past.

Rajesh Shukla, SHO, Mani Majra police station, said as police forces of this region failed to nab any member of the notorious ‘Zen gang’, therefore, they were investigating this angle as well. There was a possibility that the ‘Zen gang’ could be behind the incident, but it would be very premature to reveal anything, he added.

Similarly, a senior Panchkula Police official said after the Mani Majra robbery they were continuously in touch with the UT Police. He added that they were already working on few leads to arrest the ‘Zen gang’ members.

In the Mani Majra incident, three occupants of a Maruti Zen car robbed Rs 4.39 lakh from a cyclist in Mani Majra at gunpoint on Monday. Amit Kumar, a distributor of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), was robbed as he was going to deposit the cash in a bank. The incident had taken place at the Mani Majra Motor Market on the road leading to Fun Republic.

Giving details of the ‘Zen gang’ involved in criminal activities in Panchkula, a police official said in November 2009, three Maruti Zen-borne robbers had robbed Rs 18 lakh from the cashier of the electricity department office in Sector 19, Panchkula, at gunpoint and fled from the spot within seconds. Though the cashier had put a brave attempt to catch one of the robbers, he did not succeed.

Similarly, on the morning of August 16, 2009, Maruti Zen-borne robbers had targeted a petrol filling station at Sector 5, Panchkula, and robbed Rs 2.5 lakh. On March 7, 2008, Rs 45,000 were snatched from two employees of Vishal Mega Mart by four unidentified turbaned youths in a Zen car near the HAFED building in Sector 5. Similarly, on July 27, 2008, near Sector 4 petrol filling station, Zen car-borne robbers robbed Rs 7 lakh from two people when they were going on their motorcycle to a bank.

When contacted, Panchkula SP Maneesh Chaudhary said they had already formed a special team to arrest the ‘Zen gang’ members.

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tricity scan
Chandigarh Scan
Awarded

Prof Ram Samujh, department of paediatric surgery, PGIMER, was awarded best Oral Presentation award in the 40th Annual Academic Sessions of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka jointly held with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh & the Federation of Associations of Paediatric Surgeons of SAARC countries. Prof Samujh has presented a paper: “To study the correlation and assessment of the level of aganglionosis by contrast enema and histopathological examination in patients undergoing trans-anal endorectal pull through for Hirschsprung’s disease.” This study correlated histology with radiology in 100 per cent cases.

Chairman appointed

Col BS Sandhu (retd), CMD, WWICS, has been appointed chairman of the Association of Professional Immigration and Education Consultants of India during the Annual General Body Meeting. Rupinder Batth, MD, CANASIA Group of Companies, was elected the president and Krishna Murthy, MD, Pathfinder Global Education, was elected the general secretary.

Sleep disorder

Philips Electronics India Limited (PEIL), in a function at Taj on Tuesday called for greater awareness on common sleep disorders that affect an estimated 93 per cent of the Indian population and pose serious health hazards. According to the results of the Philips Sleep Survey, conducted by The Nielsen Company,

93 per cent of Indians are sleep deprived and get less than 8 hours of sleep per day. An astonishing 11 per cent of Indians took leave from work due to lack of sleep. This survey was conducted among 5,600 respondents in the age group of 35 to 65 years across 25 cities in urban India with a population of 5 lakh and upwards.

Death anniversary

GGDSD College, Sector 32, organised a Prarthna Sabha to commemorate the death anniversary of late Pt Mohan Lal -- founder president of the college and former finance minister of Punjab. A blood donation camp was also organised on the occasion. Members of the College Alumni Association, the Lions Club and Spirit India (a college club) as well as students and faculty members of the college participated enthusiastically and donated blood. Over 150 units of blood were donated on the occasion.

Eid celebrated

Tiny-tots of Saupin-32 celebrated Eid with enthusiasm and devotion. They hugged and greeted each other on the occasion. It was an effort made to inculcate the feelings of secularism, oneness and unity among children.

Free coaching

The department of life long learning and extension, Panjab University, started free UGC/NET coaching classes for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBC (non-creamy layer) and minority communities’ candidates to prepare for the JRF and lectureship. A workshop on yoga and a talk on stress management were conducted on Tuesday by the Anti-Stress Society of Government College of Commerce and Business Management, Sector 42. Swami Dhirendracharya, the founder of the ‘Yog Sadhna Mission’.

Youth empowerment

The Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society, in collaboration with Vision DeMonde, a youth organisation, on Wednesday organised a campaign -- RECON-2011 -- for youth empowerment and awareness on HIV/AIDS at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 10. Different government schools participated in the competitions wherein quiz, declamation contests, extempore speech on HIV/AIDS was held.

Chief guest Bikram Singh Rana, State Liaison Officer, NSS, said 13,000 students in various colleges and schools were enrolled in the NSS and actively participated in spreading awareness on HIV/AIDS. He stated that it was very important to channelise the energy of the youth constructively.

Results

Declamation: 1 Pranav (GMSSS-16), 2 Annanya (GMSSS-22); extempore: 1 Shreyika (GMSSS-16) and 2 Hariday (GMSSS-46); quiz: 1 GMSSS-46 and 2 GMSSS-22.

Appointed

The president of the local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sanjay Tandon, on Wednesday, appointed KK Kapoor as state in-charge education and sports cell.

Probe sought

Shambhu Banerjee, president of the Chandigarh unit of the Trinamool Congress, demanded an inquiry into land allotment of all housing societies in the city. In a press note, he said the administration allotted land to various societies at subsidised rates. Giving an example, he said the Chandigarh administration had asked Uppal Housing Private Limited at the time of allotment to fulfil the condition of 15 per cent flats to persons belonging to economically weaker sections.

Club set up

In an effort to orient the youth towards peace and create awareness about ways to spread peace in schools and the community, the peace club ‘Chetna’ was established at Government High School, Sector 29, on Monday. Pramod Sharma, coordinator of the NGO Yuvsatta, presided over the function. Rajwant Kaur, club in charge, made everyone aware of objectives, rationale and activities of the club.

mohali scan
Campus placement

Mahindra and Mahindra has selected seven students of mechanical engineering from the CGC, Landran. Giving details about the drive, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chairman and Rashpal Singh Dhaliwal, president of the CGC, said in this exclusive drive for the mechanical engineering students of the CGC, 56 students tried their luck.

Former director of the CBI, Joginder Singh, awards a studentsInteraction

A former director of the CBI, Joginder Singh, interacted with MBA, BTech, BBA, BCA and BEd students of Aryans Group of Colleges (AGC) on Wednesday. During the event, He distributed scholarships worth Rs 50 lakh to the needy students. He also distributed books and stationery to the newly admitted students. Dr Anshu Kataria, chairman, Aryans Group, presided over the event.

Former director of the CBI, Joginder Singh, awards a students on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Inaugurated

Volkswagen Group India inaugurated its first Regional Training Centre in association with the Rayat Bahra Group at the Rayat & Bahra Centre of Excellence campus in Mohali. The training programme at the Regional Training Centre aims to facilitate the transfer of knowledge on the latest Volkswagen automotive technologies to the employees at Volkswagen dealerships. Volkswagen Group India would also provide the manpower development programme known as Volkswagen Group Technical Education Programme (VG-TAP) at the Mohali campus as part of the vision to create a pool of industry ready professionals.

Exhibition

DAV, Mohali, witnessed a wonderful scheme of events for the junior wing as well as for the senior students in which a lot of emphasis was given to teaching through project work. These exhibits were then put up on display. Exhibitions of all subjects like science, maths, social science, English, Hindi and Punjabi were held in the school campus. The project work display was put up on topics chosen from science, social studies and the EVS. Some presentations were made on computers by the students to facilitate better understanding of the subject. The principal of the institution, Rosy Sharma, motivated the students for their unstinting efforts. Justice AL Bahri, chairman of the school, applauded and appreciated the team work and combined efforts of the teachers and students of the school.

Makeover time

The Quest Group of Institutions organised a one-day activity for engineering and management students in association with Bausch and Lomb. They participated enthusiastically in model hunt, in which 109 students were given a makeover. The energetic crowd had a gala time and they appreciated the college for organising the fun-filled activity, which gave them an opportunity to showcase their talent. Vice-chairman JPS Dhaliwal applauded the huge participation.

panchkula scan
Slogan-writing competition

Himanshi Negi and Superna Ray were awarded the first and consolation prizes in the poster making-cum-slogan writing competition held at Blue Bird High School here on Wednesday. The competition organised by Inner Wheel Club of Panchkula on World Population Day was titled as “Over Population is a Curse”.

Inspection

District Sessions Judge Manjit Singh on Tuesday visited Bal Sadan, Home for Orphan and Destitute Children, Sector 12-A, Panchkula, and inspected various facilities being provided to the children. During the visit the judge keenly inspected the medical and educational facilities being provided to children in Bal Sadan.

National award

Jaya Bhardwaj, principal of Hansraj Public School, has been chosen for a national award for her work in the field of education in rural and urban areas of the region. She would be conferred upon the award on Teacher’s Day, September 5, by President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi. She is one of the 14 nominees who have been selected by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) across the country.

Quiz at resort

A quiz contest is to be held at Red Bishop resort in Panchkula as the Haryana tourism department celebrates its 37th anniversary. The department has also announced a discount of 10 per cent on food bill on the occasion at its resorts, including Pinjore and Morni, in the state.

— Tribune Reporters

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battle of ballot
Over to students
Sumedha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
More than 13,000 students, in case everyone votes, will decide the fate of efforts put in by candidates of different student bodies for the Panjab University Campus Students Council.

As usual, PUSU, along with allies, and SOPU, along with its partners, are the two main groups in fray.


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PUSU ‘organised’ booze party, movie trip
Allegations levelled by SOI
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
Leaders of Student Organisation of India (SOI) on Wednesday levelled allegations against the Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) that it had organised a booze party a movie trip for students in a bid to garner their support for student poll to be held on September 2. SOI campus president Manpreet Sekhon alleged that PUSU leaders after offering liquor to students took them for a movie show.

“In the afternoon, cabs arrived at the PU gate opposite to the PGI to pick students. Everybody witnessed the party workers adjusting students in the cabs,” Sekhon alleged. Sekhon added that scores of students from science and engineering departments of PU were taken for a movie by PUSU as a last-minute effort to influence them. He claimed that it was sheer-violation of the Lyngdoh recommendations and the university authorities should cancel their nominations. However, PUSU leader Sukhjit Singh Brar refuted all allegations. He said SOI was trying to play cheap politics to take mileage. “All allegations are baseless, SOI should come up with something concrete before levelling allegations against us,” Brar said.

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At your doorstep
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
As city colleges were closed on account of Eid, student leaders visited houses of local students in a bid to woo them. Student organisations had already procured the names and addresses of local students from the colleges. Paramvir Singh, Chandigarh elections in charge for the Student Organisation of India (SOI), said all college units of the party and its alliances did door-to-door canvassing.

“Our campaign aimed at encouraging students to exercise their right,” Singh said. Student organisations had divided the areas and the list of addresses was handed over to party workers. Vivek Singla, president, Youth Association of India (YAI), DAV College and Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, said as colleges were closed on Wednesday, they visited houses of local residents and even paying guests of outstation students. “On the basis of the list procured from colleges and database created by party workers during the time of college admission, we went to meet students,” Singla said. Leaders said the door-to-door campaigning would continue on Thursday as well. Harjeet Singh Dhillon, president, Sri Guru Gobind Singh College Student Union (CSU), said he, along with party supporters, thought of meeting college students personally to have a one-on-one dialogue with them, which the party failed to do due to a busy schedule last week. Amardeep Cheema, SOPU leader, GGDSD College, Sector 32, said the party continued to attract neutral voters even on Eid. Vikram Singh, leader, SD College Union, said as they could not campaign today, they decided to reach out to students through SMSes and phone calls, while the party workers met students personally to urge them to vote in their favour.

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Changing preferences of student bodies
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
It seems that the ideologies and preferences of student organisations in city colleges differ from their superiors at Panjab University, as the college units of prominent student organisations, active in the PU, have entered into alliances which are different from those made on the university campus.

While the Student Organisation of India (SOI) has entered into an alliance with the Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) at Panjab University, SOI’s unit at DAV College has entered into an alliance with the Panjab University Students Union (PUSU). SOI and PUSU are in opposition on the campus. Similarly, SOI has struck an alliance with the ABVP at Government College for Commerce and Business Administration, Sector 42, even though the ABVP is in opposition to party at the university. Paramvir Singh, SOI’s in charge for student elections in Chandigarh, said their party had entered into an alliance on the basis of credibility and ideology of student leaders. “SOI leaders were asked to choose an alliance as per their preferences,” Singh added. The Himachal Pradesh Students Union (HPSU) has formed an alliance with the NSUI on the campus, while the party’s unit at DAV College has decided to go with PUSU and SOI, although both the parties are in opposition at the PU. Meanwhile, in Postgraduate Government College (PGGC), Sector 11, the HPSU has struck an alliance with SOI, SOPU and INSO; all three parties are in opposition in the university.

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Elections a low-key affair in colleges
Amit Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31
This year, the elections have remained a low-key affair in colleges; with the UT administration announcing the poll date a week ago. Meanwhile, a majority of city colleges will not be conducting elections, as most of the candidates in colleges have been elected unanimously. Nominations on various seats were cancelled following which principles will be appointing student representatives.

The colleges, which will not be conducting poll include, Postgraduate College for Girls-11, MCM DAV College for Women- 36, Sri Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, and Government College, Sector 46.




     

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