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lounge terror
22-year-old victim says city no longer safe at night
Chandigarh, September 25
Even 48 hours after the murderous attack on him on Saturday night at the Tao discotheque in Sector 26, Sohail
Goel, whose 22nd birthday celebrations turned awry, continues to be in a state of trauma.
Sohail Goel at his residence in Sector 9 of Chandigarh on Sunday.
tribune photos: pradeep tewari
Left hand doesn’t know what right’s doing
Panchkula, September 25
It seems that different departments in Haryana are working at cross purposes, especially when it comes to protecting government land. A classic example of this is the case of the multi-crore shamlat land at Chowki village.
their dawn after dusk
Where Nightlife is lifeline of youth
Chandigarh, September 25
Roshni Sinha, a 20-something resident of New Delhi, loves to party hard. So what’s unusual about that? Well, Roshni is among a growing breed of youngsters who regularly travel to Chandigarh, uncharitably known as the city of the tired and the retired, to party. Her story is a microcosm of this new trend in a city that seems to be finally ‘happening’.
Partygoers revel during a birthday party at a lounge
at 1 am on Saturday.
Ticket to Mumbai
Chandigarh, September 25
 One significant group of party freaks frequenting the pubs and discotheques, on weekends, is that of budding models, currently based in the city and looking for greener pastures in the fashion towns outside. For them the fun parties have “much more to offer than mere partying”. In fact, models keep a tab on the parties thrown by a renowned fashion designer or a celebrity and try all means “right or wrong” to manage their entry in the party.
Youths relax outside a food joint at Sector 22 in Chandigarh at 2.25 am on Saturday.
‘Nightlife not just about boozing, partying’
 Chandigarh, September 25
“Nightlife is not just about drinking and partying. Except for a small group there is a sizable young population engaged in more productive activity. They would love places of nightlife even for a cup of coffee,” says Mehar Verma, a PU student, giving his opinion on nightlife in the city.
Foreigners line up outside a discotheque at 12.20 am on Sunday.
ward woes
Civic neglect continues to dog ward no. 12 residents
Housing societies a picture of neglect
Chandigarh, September 25
In a clear case of misplaced priorities, the Chandigarh Administration and the municipal corporation seem to be meting out a step motherly treatment to residents of cooperative housing societies spread across Sectors 48 to 51.
Stagnant water and garbage opposite a housing society at Sector 49,
Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan
UN-HABITAT thumbs up slum rehab scheme
Chandigarh, September 25
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) has given a thumps up to the ambitious slum rehabilitation programme of the UT Administration aimed at making the city the first slum-free city in the country.
Dr Joan Clos, executive director of the UN-HABITAT.
Jet to fly to Leh twice a week
Chandigarh, September 25
Adding more destinations connecting the city, Jet Airways is all set to introduce direct biweekly flights from Chandigarh to Leh from October 31. The flights, on Mondays and Wednesdays, are likely to take off in October when the airline’s winter schedule will come into effect.
Stores packed with deadwood
Chandigarh, September 25
Sounds strange, but the cash-rich Municipal Corporation (MC) is falling short of space to accommodate the machinery of its horticulture wing despite having 14 stores across the city.
Reason: Most of the stores of the department are jam-packed with logs of trees which fall during rains or otherwise during the year as the department has not auctioned the wood so far. The four stores located in gardens that were recently transferred to the MC are full of dead trees.
An uprooted tree at a park in Sector 8, Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan
Sector Scan
Sector 66 in ‘no man’s land’
Mohali, September 25
Development has failed to touch the lives of residents of Sector 66, which is located to the south of Mohali. As a result, neither the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) nor the Mohali Municipal Corporation owns the residential sector that houses around 600 dwelling units, apart from two private schools, a police housing colony, and a residential colonies of Punjab Mandi Board and BSNL.
6 am: JCB machines at work; 100 shanties razed in Zirakpur
Zirakpur, September 25
In a major anti-encroachment drive on Sunday early morning, the Mohali administration along with a heavy police force removed more than 100 illegal shanties, including shops from the 2.7 acre PWD land where a bus terminus is proposed by the Punjab Government.
Usually a busy road, the highway is empty during the drive.
Contaminated potable water being supplied to Phase VI
Mohali, September 25
Pungent-smelling potable water is being supplied by the Public Health Department to a pocket of houses in Phase VI for the past two days. Residents have complained that after consuming the water many had fallen sick and had to be
hospitalised.
Residents show contaminated water being supplied to Phase VI, Mohali, on Sunday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu
Encroachments at housing board flats continue unchecked
Panchkula, September 25
It appears the issue of encroachments at the housing board apartments in Panchkulas is nobody’s baby. Even though for years almost every second flat owner has been involved in unauthorized construction the authorities concerned have chosen to simply look the other way.
Mullanpur Eco City
A clause in guidelines’ column raises hackles
Mohali, September 25
Even as the sale of application forms for the Mullanpur Eco City is yet to pick up, a clause in the column for guidelines to fill the form regarding forfeiture of the entire earnest money in case of false or fabricated information has raised hackles with the applicants and enlisted banks objecting to the clause.
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In a startling revelation, exposing the functioning of the UT’s social welfare department in its self professed mission to protect the “young at risk” at Snehalaya, there were no caretakers at the shelter for over three months (June 1 to September 8), a period which witnessed several children disappearing from the home.
Chandigarh, September 25
