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Power shocker for pvt schools
Chandigarh, March 12
In a major blow to private educational institutions, the Chandigarh Administration has decided to impose commercial power tariff on schools and colleges. Presently, private schools and colleges are being charged domestic rates.

Saji Mohan case
NCB probe leaves much to be desired, says court
Chandigarh, March 12
The Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Shalini Nagpal, has lambasted the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in its judgment pronounced yesterday sentencing IPS officer and former NCB director Saji Mohan to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment for pilferage of heroin.

Prez visit: Flight timings rescheduled
Chandigarh, March 12
Flight operations at the Chandigarh domestic airport have been shut down for nearly two hours in the morning till March 15 due to a military exercise at the airfield, which is a part of preparations for President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the PGI, Chandigarh.

Patients forced to drink unsafe water
Chandigarh, March 12
Patients and their attendants are being forced to drink unsafe water at the PGIMER. Patients can be seen drinking water stored in a tank with a half broken lid in front of Nehru Hospital. PGI officials, however, claim that the quality of water is checked regularly. They say the department of microbiology and community medicine carry out tests on water samples on a monthly basis.

A water tank with a half broken lid near Nehru Hospital at the PGI in Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Prestigious tag continues to fascinate former Mayor
Chandigarh, March 12
Former Mayor Raj Bala Malik, it seems, is so fascinated by the prestigious tag that a board mentioning her as the city Mayor still hangs outside her house in Sector 10. More than two months after the change of guard, the board reading “Raj Bala Malik, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh” welcomes visitors even as she relinquished the charge on December 31.

A board mentioning Raj Bala Malik as the Mayor still hangs outside her house in Sector 10, Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

COMMUNITY

516 challaned for riding without helmet in P’kula
Panchkula, March 12
Within three hours, 516 persons were challaned for riding without helmet at as many as 50 checkpoints during a special drive here this morning. The three-hour period from 8.30 am to 11.30 am, which sees maximum rush of commuters going to work or educational institutions, was particularly chosen to check how many of them travelled without helmets.

Their smile says it all Young graduates of Government Home Science College in a jubilant mood after receiving their degrees in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: Pradeep Tewari

Side effects Artistes stage a play, "Kis Thag Ne Luteya Shehar Mera", on the final day of Samvaad Theatre Festival at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, Chandigarh on Tuesday. Directed by Kewal Dhaliwal, the play dwelled upon the impact of economic growth and capitalism on relationships. Tribune Photo: pradeep Tewari

Fight over water
Mayor stirs up hornet’s nest
Chandigarh, March 12
Upset over not getting the UT’s share of water due to a fight between Punjab and Haryana, city Mayor Subhash Chawla today stirred up a hornet's nest by advising both the neighbouring states to shift their capitals outside the city if they could not amicably solve the water issue.

Snatching incidents
No cases in past 72 hours due to nakas: Police chief
Panchkula, March 12
The city witnessed 15 cases of snatching between February 15 and March 9. Last week, in three such cases, miscreants, in cars, had targeted elderly women. Commissioner of Police Rajbir Deswal, however, said the situation had been brought under control due to checkpoints set up across the city.

3 receive burn injuries in brawl
Mohali, March 12
Three youths sustained burn injuries during a brawl near Naya Gaon this afternoon. Sandip, Major Singh and Manpreet Singh, all in their early twenties, sustained injuries when one of them threw acid on the other party.

Poor response to auction of vanity numbers
Chandigarh, March 12
With just four days left in the closing of receipt of applications for the auction of vanity numbers in the new series CH01 AS, the officials at the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA), Chandigarh, are a worried lot, as only 125 applicants have applied so far.

MC drive: 105 encroachers issued challans, cabs impounded
Chandigarh, March 12
The enforcement wing of the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, today conducted an anti-encroachment drive in Mani Majra and Mauli Jagran. The MC staff issued 105 challans to violators.

Employees of the MC catch stary cattle at Mauli Jagran in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: S chandan

Jyoti murder case
Accused wants to join HP budget session
Panchkula, March 12
Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary has expressed his desire to join the budget session going on in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. He has filed an application in this regarding with a court.

Police makes public aware about ATM card cloning
Chandigarh: To create awareness about the ATM card cloning, the UT police on Tuesday sent SMSs to subscribers across the city through various telecom operators. The message asked the public to keep a watch on their credit and debit cards while using it at petrol pumps, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants. Last year, the UT police received more than 50 complaints of ATM card cloning, and failed to achieve any success despite a special investigation team formed to crack the cases. — TNS

100 units of blood donated
Chandigarh, March 12
Nearly 100 units of blood were donated at a special camp organised by the Consulate-General of Canada in collaboration with the Rotary Club and Blood Bank Society of Chandigarh. Consul-General of Canada in Chandigarh Scot Slessor, who inaugurated the camp, said the the response had been overwhelming. Besides the staff of the Consulate-General, their family members, students of the Chandigarh Group of Colleges and other volunteers turned up at the Consulate-General office to donate blood. — TNS

Volunteers donate blood during a camp in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

EDUCATION

From Schools
Annual function held at Tribune School
CHANDIGARH: The Tribune Model School organised its kindergarten annual function Song & Rhyme Day amidst a great excitement and fervour. The programme commenced with the unveiling of portrait of the founder of The Tribune Trust Sardar Dayal Singh Majithia, followed by lighting of the lamp by the guest of honor Bonny Sodhi accompanied by the chairperson of the school Chand Nehru and principal Vandana Saxena.

Students perform during the Song and Rhyme Day at Tribune Model School, Sector 29, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: Pradeep Tewari

Government Schools
40 per cent seats still vacant
Chandigarh, March 12
Even as the next academic session is all set to begin from April onwards, nearly 40 per cent seats of the entry-level classes in city's government school are still laying vacant. Ironically, even last year several schools were unable to get all the seats filled up for pre-nursery and nursury classes.

PU students stage protest
Chandigarh, March 12
As the new academic session is approaching, the student organisations have started staging protest on Panjab University campus to ensure support of students. The members of Panjab University Students Union and Indian National Students Organisation staged a protest outside the Vice-Chancellor's office over different issues, here today.

Members of INSO hold a protest at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Annual convocation
PGI to release postage stamp featuring Nehru Hospital
Chandigarh, March 12
The PGI will release an India Post stamp featuring its Nehru Hospital during the 33rd annual convocation on March 15. The Rs 5 stamp, which was issued in January this year, will be released in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister for Telecom Kapil Sibal.

Govt Home Science College students awarded degrees
Chandigarh, March 12
The annual convocation and prize distribution function was held at the Government Home Science College, Sector 10, today. The principal Madhu Nanda read the annual report of the college for the session 2012-13 highlighting the achievements of the college students and the developments done in the interest of the college. Besides, the faculty members' participations and publications in national and international conferences, seminars and workshop were also highlighted.

Seven appear for director's post at PEC
Chandigarh, March 12
The interviews for the post of Director of the PEC University of Technology were held today. As many as nine candidates had applied for the director's post, out of which seven appeared before the selection panel. The tenure of existing director is going to end on March 31.

1,960 students take part in mega job fest
Chandigarh, March 12
Post Graduate Government College, Sector 46, organised Mega Job Fest -2013 in association with all the government colleges of Chandigarh. As many as 35 companies, including IBM, Tech Mahindra, Aviators Hub, Exim Enterprise, IBS and Nimbus group, Vasmi career cafe, Global BPO, Tommy Hilfiger, Cafe coffee day, SBI life, ICICI prudential, Touch Tone , IFBI etc. participated in the job fest.

Degrees conferred on 250 students
Chandigarh, March 12
Post Graduate Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, Chandigarh, organised its 35th annual convocation in the college premises, here today. Shivraj V. Patil, Governer of Punjab and Administrator UT was the chief guest. As many as 250 degrees were conferred on the students of M Com, MSc (IT), BA, BCom, BCA.

Girls in a jubilant mood after receiving their degrees during the 35th annual convocation of GGSCW-26 on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: S Chandan

Patiala college celebrates annual day
Patiala, March 12
As many as 198 students were honoured during the 68th annual prize distribution function of the Government Bikram College of Commerce, recently. The Patiala DC GK Singh was the chief guest on the occasion.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Youth dies of injuries
Banur, March 12
A 25-year-old youth died of injuries sustained in a road accident near Banur on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Karmjeet Singh, a resident of Lochma in Patiala district. Karmjeet’s motorcycle, reportedly, rammed in to a parked truck near the barrier on the Rajpura-Chandigarh road. He was shifted to the PGI, Chandigarh, where he breathed his last the previous night. Karmjeet’s mother, Sukhwinder Kaur, was also injured in the accident. The police has registered a case against the truck driver. — OC

Broadband services suspended
Kalka, March 12
The broadband services of BSNL remained suspended in Kalka, Pinjore and Parwanoo yesterday. The landline phones also remained out-of-order. Officials said the problem was caused due to malfunctioning of the main server, which could only be rectified today. — OC

COURTS

Theme park case deferred
Chandigarh, March 12
The CBI court today deferred the hearing of arguments on the closure report filed by the CBI after handing the copies to the complainant in the case. The case will now come up for hearing on April 1, for arguments on the closure report. Last week, the CBI had filed the second closure report in the case.

Rape bid: Court frames charges in fast-track trial
Chandigarh, March 12
The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Shalini Nagpal, today framed charges against an accused in a case of attempt to rape a minor girl. The case was registered on March 2.

Five sent to police custody for kidnap bid in Mohali
Mohali, March 12
Five persons arrested for attempting to kidnap a lawyer yesterday were remanded in the police custody for two days by a court here today.



The police produces the accused at the district courts in Mohali on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Police remand of accused extended
Mohali, March 12
A court here today extended by two days the police remand of the three persons arrested in connection with laywer Amarpreet Singh Sethi's murder. Sethi was killed on February 27 following an alleged dispute over the parking of cars in front of his house in Phase III-A here.

CRIME

9 held for wrong parking
Chandigarh, March 12
Continuing with its drive against wrong parking, the UT police today arrested nine persons here. Those who have been booked include three auto and car drivers, one bus driver and a Tata Ace vehicle driver. All the accused were booked for danger or obstruction in the public way or line of navigation under section 283 of the Indian Penal Code.

Roadside parking goes unchecked at the Sector 21-20 light point in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Three eve-teasing cases registered
Chandigarh, March 12
The UT police today arrested a resident of Behlana in a case of eve-teasing. The police arrested Satnam Singha who passed lewd remarks about a girl in Behlana village today. In another incident, a resident of Punjab alleged that the riders of a motorcycle (PB-12S-4544) passed lewd remarks about her near the Faidan barrier, Sector-48-49 on March 11. The police has registered a case in the matter at the Sector 31 police station.

Woman kidnapped in Panchkula
Panchkula, March 12
A 29-year-old woman teacher was allegedly kidnapped after she went to a school in Sector 21 for an interview. The victim, Ranju, who hails from Yamunanagar, is married and was putting up at her in-laws' residence in Sector 21, Panchkula. A kidnap case under section 365 of the IPC has been registered at the Sector 5 police station.

Cop hit by car
Chandigarh, March 12
A UT police constable was injured after being hit by a car while he was on duty near the Sukhna petrol pump in Sector 28 this evening.

SPORTS

Cricket craze leads families to hotel
Chandigarh, March 12
Call it a craze for cricket or love for their children that has made two families, one from Delhi and another from Chandigarh, shift their base to the JW Marriott Hotel. They have been staying at the hotel for the past three days to provide their children a chance to take autographs and click photographers with their favourite cricket stars.

Members of a family who have been putting up at the JW Marriott hotel in Chandigarh to get a chance to meet star cricketers. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

PU judokas dominate inter-varsity meet
Chandigarh, March 12
Panjab University students dominated the first day of the All-India Inter University Judo (men) Championship, which began today at the gymnasium hall of the university.

Ticket sale for home matches of Kings XI Punjab starts
Chandigarh, March 12
Kings XI Punjab has announced the start of ticket sales for their home matches in Mohali from March 12. The tickets can be bought online at www.kxip.in or www.bookmyshow.com
A total of eight matches are to be played as home games, of which six will be hosted by Mohali. Tickets will also be available at the box office at Phase 9, Mohali, and other designated outlets in the city like select Café Coffee Day outlets and Hot Millions from March 15 onwards. The list of these outlets is available on the website. Kings XI Punjab Match Tickets can also be booked by dialing 0172-39895050. TNS

Golf coaching camp from March 15
Panchkula, March 12
The management of the Panchkula Golf Club will conduct a golf coaching programme from March 15 to May 12 every Friday (4pm to 5pm) and Sunday (10am to 11am). All the members and non-members of all ages can register for this coaching programme. It will be conducted by EGTF certified coach Ajay Gujral. There will be a total of 18 coaching days in this programme. Golf equipment will be provided to those who do not have their own. — TNS

Assn to hold masters athletics meet
Chandigarh, March 12
The Chandigarh Masters Athletics Association is conducting a Chandigarh athletics meet at the sports complex, Sector 46, here on March 17. People aged 35 or above can participate in this athletic meet. Interested athletes may send their entries till March 16 to Charan Preet Verma at house no. 260-B in Sector 51. Masters athletics for physically challenged candidates in the age group of 35-50 will also be held along with this competition. — TNS

Boxing meet
Chandigarh, March 12
The Chandigarh Amateur Boxing Association is organising the 20th All-India AK Misra Senior Men’s Boxing championship at Skating Rink, Sector 10, Chandigarh. Starting tomorrow, more than 180 boxers will take part in 10 categories. — TNS