Chandigarh, November 29
The shady criminal past of at least five candidates who are contesting the Municipal Corporation (MC) elections on tickets of the two major political parties, the Congress and BJP, seems to have come to haunt them. These councillors have earlier been booked for crimes ranging from preventive measures, assault, gambling and a cheque-bounce case. The disclosures form part of the affidavits filed by the candidates as part of their nomination papers.

The BJP-SAD tops the list, with four candidates with police cases against them under different Sections of the IPC. It is not only old war horses, even fresh faces of some parties are also sailing in the same boat. BJP candidate Arun Goyal of ward number 3 was booked in a case in 2005 under Section 3 and 4 of the Public Gambling Act.

Another BJP candidate and first-timer Asha Jaiswal from ward number 4 was booked by the police under preventive measures. BJP candidate from ward number 11, Anil Kumar Dubey, is reportedly an accused in a case of hurt and assault.

Meanwhile, the information seems to be working to the advantage of the opposition candidates, who are leaving no stone unturned to mention a candidate’s criminal history."Political parties like the Congress and the BJP-SAD combine who are speaking against the criminalisation of politics are themselves fielding some candidates with a criminal record," said Sachin Sharma, a member of a city-based association.

The Congress is also in the same league, with two of its candidates booked in different cases. Three cases of forgery and assault have been registered against senior Congress leader Devinder Singh Babla. Another Congress leader HS Lucky was booked for hurt and assault, which was later cancelled.

Chandigarh, November 29
The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate JS Sidhu today issued bailable warrants against former nominated councillor Dr AP Sanwaria and his wife Sushila Devi for ensuring the presence of both above said accused for 23-01-2012 as they had avoided summons issued by the court in a criminal complaint filed by “PC Sanghi on behalf of federation versus Dr AP Sanwaria and others” under Sections 420, 120-B, 511 of the IPC.

The case pertains to the filing of a false affidavit by Sanwaria with the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.

Chandigarh, November 29
The special investigating team (SIT) of the UT police, formed to crack down on fraudulent immigration firms in the city, today arrested three persons who are the owners of ACME Career World in Sector 34 for allegedly duping many clients to the tune of Rs 2 crore on the promise of sending them abroad.

The police arrested the main accused, Charanjit Singh Bhatia, his partner, Aroop Bhattacharya, and his wife Rita Bhattacharya in a case of cheating under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC.

The police said Charanjit Bhatia, alias Goldy, a resident of Kathgarh village, located in Punjab’s Nawanshahr district, had been a proclaimed offender in a cheque bounce case and was wanted in another case of cheating registered against him in Punjab in July this year.

The police has received 55 complaints about fraud against the immigration company. Charanjit Singh Bhatia was running his office from the third floor of an SCO (number 218-19) in Sector 34 along with Aroop Bhatacharaya and his wife. The three used to lure aspirants by promising to send them to the United States and Canada and collected huge amounts of money from them.

DSP (SIT) Anil Joshi said Charanjit Singh Bhatia would take the complainants to Mumbai and provide them fake visas for Canada. The accused is also running his office near the Jalandhar bus stand. “The accused have duped more than Rs 2 crore from innocent persons of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, who were eager to migrate abroad,” he said. The accused were remanded to four-day police custody.

Chandigarh, November 29
Opening a new chapter of consistency in school admissions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the UT administration to come out with a uniform policy for admissions to city schools. The policy is to be formulated in coordination with the school managements and will come in force from 2013-2014 sessions.

Till the formulation of the new policy, the city schools can go ahead with the process initiated by them for admissions.

The directions by Justice Surya Kant came on a petition filed by Enakshi Pant and some other minors through their parents, seeking uniform criteria for admissions in schools.

The petitioners insisted their prime grievance was that the UT District Education Officer (DEO) was continuously changing the admission criteria for pre-nursery, UKG, LKG and first class, causing huge loss and grave injustice to children.

The petitioners contended that on January 14, the Chandigarh Administration had mentioned in a communication that the minimum age to be eligible for admission to pre-nursery was 3-plus years. However, on January 18, the administration again changed the age criteria and informed the parents that 4-plus would be eligible for the purpose. It was argued by the petitioners that the non-fixation of uniform criteria had led to chaos among the parents and their wards.

Chandigarh, November 29
The city today recorded the lowest temperature of the season at 10.2 degrees celsius. Meteorologists cited chilly winds blowing from Himachal Pradesh and the Kashmir valley as the reason for this.

Today’s maximum temperature was recorded as 24.2 degrees celsius, which was one degree below normal, while the minimum of 10.2 degrees was two degrees below normal.

Weathermen have attributed the dip in temperature to snowfall in higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh and the Kashmir valley. During last week, the temperature in the city had mostly been oscillating between 12-plus degree celsius and 28 degree celsius. Winds from the hills, which recently witnessed snowfall, led to chill in the air, particularly affecting the north-eastern parts of the region.

The sudden drop in night temperatures took people by surprise, forcing them to dig out their heavy woollens.

Winter has been erratic in the city during the past four years. In 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, winter was warmer, with no fog at all, while 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 saw intense cold, along with fog in the first week of January 2011.

This year, the Met department predicted a normal winter, which meant chilly nights, foggy mornings and bright sun during the day. The weatherman has predicted partly cloudy sky in the tricity region, besides Punjab and Haryana. The maximum and minimum temperatures were likely to hover around 24 degree celsius and 11 degree celsius, respectively, tomorrow.

Chandigarh, November 29
Residents of the city will have to wait another two months before they will be able to get high security registration plates (HSRPs) fitted on their vehicles. The good news, however, is that the Union government has approved the UT’s tender document on these plates which are expected to be advertised soon after the conclusion of MC elections.

The tender document had been prepared in mid-September, but it had taken around three months to get the required approval, as the Centre had returned it (the document) at least four times after marking queries to the UT Administration.

“The approval has enabled us to float the tender to select the vendor for the job of affixing HSRPs. But the proceedings would be initiated only after the code of conduct comes to an end,” said the official. This means that it would take another two months to take off here.

The process of affixing of HSRPs came into effect in August but without the UT Administration selecting the vendor after floating a tender. This had resulted in the UT Administration receiving a censure from the Supreme Court on August 30 for flouting the rules. The Administration was given six weeks for rectifying the situation. Since the requisite document had not been approved by the Union government by October 12, the UT Administration filed an affidavit in the court on October 13 clarifying its position.

Panchkula, November 29
The railway protection force (RPF) came to the rescue of an Australian girl who got separated from her friends at the Ambala railway station and reached Kalka late last evening after some youths tried to chase her.

The girl, identified as Sweet Fob Merry Rooth (21), was taken into protective custody by the GRP and was kept at the GRP station at Kalka under the watch of ASI Maneesha.

During investigation, Rooth told RPF inspector Ajay Sharma that she along with her two friends — Sam and Elanore — had boarded the Shaan-e-Punjab train at New Delhi for Amritsar.

When they reached Ambala, she alighted from the train to fetch some eatables when some youths tried to engage her in a conversation. In the process, she missed the train.

The youths then asked her to board another train bound for Amritsar.

When she boarded the train, the youths followed her and started pestering her. When she reached the Kalka railway station, the youths disappeared after some RPF personnel noticed her and came to her rescue.

The GRP today contacted their counterparts at the Amritsar railway station and sought information about her two companions, who had already reported the GRP about their missing friend at the Ambala railway station.

Rooth was then allowed to talk to her friends on the phone to inform them about her safety.

Accompanied by a lady officer of the GRP, Rooth boarded a train for Ambala, from where she was taken to the Amritsar railway station.

Chandigarh, November 29
Prof YK Chawla, PGI director, inaugurated an automated haematology analyser, used for measuring properties of blood and other fluids, at the advanced paediatric centre (APC) here today.

Prof Sunit Singhi, head of the paediatrics department, said the state-of-the-art equipment could process up to 50 samples per hour, which would not only reduce waiting time of patients, but also reduce the burden of haematology department.

Professor Chawla congratulated Professor Singhi and Prof RK Marwaha for their efforts in establishing and strengthening haematology laboratory services at the APC.

Meanwhile, the first examination in DM paediatric haematology and oncology was conducted at the PGI today. The PGI was the only centre in India offering a three-year training course in the super-speciality.

The training course was aimed at initiating and augmenting the care of children with various types of cancer and blood diseases throughout the country.

A consolidated care for children with cancer was being provided at the APC. Besides dedicated cancer and blood disease clinics for children, a chemotherapy day care facility was also operational.

Chandigarh, November 29
Campaigning for the forthcoming municipal corporation elections took off officially today, as candidates got the green signal from the election panel following the scrutiny of their nomination papers.

The first-timers in the fray went all-out to approach voters during their hectic canvassing.

BJP candidate and first-timer Jatinder Malhotra undertook door-to-door canvassing in his area. After the officials cleared his nomination papers, he procured canvassing material from the party office and commenced canvassing in ward No. 17.

Congress candidate Harmohinder Singh Lucky of ward No. 16 visited the market of Sector 20 as part of his campaign.

He visited the market of Sector 20-A and Azad market of Sector 20-D to hear the problems and difficulties of the shopkeepers.

The market association members extended support to Lucky and promised to support him.

Chandigarh, November 29
It seems that long-pending CAS promotions and retirement age enhancement will get approval of the Syndicate before the upcoming Senate meeting, scheduled for December 20. The code of conduct, in force due to MC elections, will be over on November 19.

Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) members today met the Vice-Chancellor (VC) for holding the Syndicate meeting, following which the VC asked PUTA to garner support of Senate members.

PUTA president Akshaya Kumar said the VC had principally agreed to hold a Syndicate meeting, but he had the apprehension that Senate members would object to it.

“We have been asked to garner support of Senate members for holding a Syndicate meeting the same day, before the Senate meeting,” he said.

The main agenda items that would be taken up in the Syndicate meeting included CAS promotions and retirement age enhancement from 60 to 65 years.

“The promotions, already delayed, will be delayed further if the promotions are not tabled during the upcoming Senate meeting,” he said.

Chandigarh, November 29
The Chandigarh Traffic Police is set to initiate a special campaign to check pollution caused by automobiles in the city from December 1.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Vijay Kumar said as per the Chandigarh Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, Rule 116 — Test for smoke emission level and carbon monoxide level for vehicles — a sub- inspector of police or an inspector of motor vehicles can direct the driver of any vehicle to submit certificate of pollution from any authorised authority within seven days if they notice any violation of air pollution standards.

“If the result of the pollution test is not found as per the air pollution standards or the driver does not produce the pollution certificate within the stipulated period, the owner of the vehicle shall be liable for the penalty prescribed under sub-section (2) of Section 190 of the Motor Vehicles Act,” he said.

The traffic police has appealed to the general public to get their vehicles checked from authorised pollution centers to avoid penalty under the traffic rules.

Chandigarh, November 29
As part of a nationwide search at the offices and residential premises of Geetanjali Gems, the local income tax department also conducted a search at the exclusive sale outlet of the company in Sector 7, here today.

According to sources, the local income tax department had received orders from their Mumbai counterpart yesterday, directing them to conduct a search operation at the exclusive sale outlet of the company in the city.

However, the search operation could start only around 7 pm, as Bollywood actress Vidya Balan was slated to visit the showroom earlier in the day for the promotion of her latest movie, Dirty Picture.

“We will assess the documents and data on computers before commenting on the case,” said an official involved in the search operation.

Chandigarh, November 29
The teams of 260 dramas being broadcast on the Internet radio www.radiochandigarh.com assembled as part of the IRJ Radio Masters, fourth season of the Inter-School Radio Drama Competition, at MRA School, Sector 27, today. At least 700 students from 22 schools participated in the awards ceremony. In all, 65 teams from the tricity, Ludhiana and Patiala participated in the ceremony. The dramas would be broadcast on All-India Radio FM 107.2 every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from tomorrow till December 16. Professor Menhdiratta, who was the chief guest, felicitated the winners with trophies. Sister Sebestina, principal of Sacred Heart School, gave away the awards. SP Singh, CEO, Institute of Radio Jockeying, Sector 35, said a panel of judges selected 150 participants for their performances. Tns

Chandigarh, November 29
The Punjab government has declared a holiday in all government offices, boards and corporations in Chandigarh on Wednesday to enable people to attend the inauguration of Chappar Chiri in memory of Banda Singh Bahadur.

The Mohali district administration has already declared a holiday in all government offices and educational institutions on November 30. TNS

Chandigarh, November 29
Information sought under the Right to Information Act (RTI Act) by an activist has revealed that DAV College, Sector 10, appointed a large number of assistant professors on contract who are not qualified as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Panjab University (PU) norms, defeating the legitimate right to employment of qualified ones.

The RTI has revealed that no one from 83 assistant professors appointed for the academic session 2011-12 has been issued an appointment letter.

The college had invited applications through an advertisement for appointment of assistant professors on contract basis in various subjects. The college from July 24 to 29, 2011 conducted interviews for these vacancies. Dr Singla had sought information through an RTI application, details on these teachers, including copies of appointment letters issued to them. Documents supplied under the RTI revealed that a total of 83 teachers have been appointed in various subjects, but no one has been issued an appointment letter.

In its reply given on November 17, the college has mentioned, “Since the appointment of ad hoc, contractual staff is only for the session 2011-12, no appointment letter has been issued.”

However, Singla mentioned that as per the conditions of service prescribed by PU, appointment of every teacher in an affiliated college is required to be on a written contract as per the form prescribed by the university from time to time.

He further mentioned that many candidates qualified as per the UGC and PU norms were rejected in order to appoint unqualified favourites. “In physics, Sukhdeep Kaur and Vishali were wait-listed by the selection committee, though they did not possess PhD or UGC-NET. On the contrary, four qualified candidates, Satnam Singh (UGC-JRF), Ashok Kumar (NET), Dr LL Dhawan (PhD) and Dr Prashauli Shrivastava (PhD) were rejected. Similarly, in mathematics, a UGC-NET qualified candidate, Arvind Garg, who was selected by the selection committee, was not made to join in order to accommodate Anuj Puri, who was neither PhD nor NET,” Singla claimed.

PU calendar further requires that all appointments of teachers in the affiliated colleges are to be got approved by the university. The colleges are duty bound to report to the Registrar about the new appointments within two weeks for approval.

“The college, however, failed to disclose the teachers’ returns of 83 newly appointed assistant professors submitted by the college to the PU Registrar and the status of their approval by the university. Instead, he claims that the college has not committed any violations in this regard,” said Singla.

Singla said instead of disclosing the status of approval of contractual appointments, the college supplied the PU approval for the regular-aided staff, which was not asked for in the RTI application.

When contacted, officiating principal Pawan Jain said he would not be able to comment on the issue as the appointments process was conducted before he took the charge of the college.