Panchkula, July 21
A 70-year-old woman was killed and 40 others were injured in separate road accidents due to overloading of vehicles in Kalka and Pinjore today.

In the first incident, an auto-rickshaw carrying 12 persons, including four children, overturned near Maddawala village of Pinjore. In another incident, 29 persons were injured when a pick-up van overturned near Paploa village in Kalka.

Both the vehicles were carrying passengers from the Kalka railway station to Nawanagar where a ‘satsang’ was to be held. The passengers hail from Delhi and Panipat and had come by a train to the Kalka railway station to attend the ‘satsang’.

The deceased was identified as Munni. She was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where she breathed her last.

A total of 17 persons were referred to the GMCH-32, three to the PGI and six to the Sector 6 General Hospital in Panchkula. Passengers with minor injuries are undergoing treatment at the Kalka Civil Hospital.

Station house officer of the Pinjore police station inspector Raj Kumar said both the vehicles lost balance due to overloading and turned turtle. “The vehicles were also being driven at a high speed,” said the SHO.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashwin Shenvi said: “Special drives are carried out to check overloading of vehicles. Violators will be taken to the task.”

Chandigarh, July 21
In a significant order expected to benefit 50,000 residents of the city, who have been blamed for carrying out “need-based changes” in the flats of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), the Punjab and Haryana High Court said the action could be initiated against them only under the yet-to-be-notified new policy.

The directions came on a bunch of petitions filed by Sukhjit Singh and other petitioners. In one of the petitions filed through counsel Ashok Sharma Nabhewala, the petitioners had contended that the allottees and occupants had been approaching the CHB and the UT Administration for permitting them to carry out need-based additions and alterations in the dwelling units due to increase in population and requirements.

The respondents identified and allowed 40 types of need-based changes. In October 2008, the UT Administration issued notification permitting need-based changes, superseding the previous notification of May 2001.

Following the UT Administration’s notification, the CHB passed an order on March 23, 2010, specifying October 27, 2009, as the cut-off date “in respect to additions/alterations permitted to be regularised”. The time prescribed in the order was up to March 23, 2011. The allottees and occupants were also required to inform the board within 30 days.

Some residents came to know about the developments and informed the authorities concerned, but a large number of residents were not aware and could not inform the functionaries.

Consequently, they were issued notices. After giving them an opportunity to demolish the alteration, the respondent board started the process of pulling down the alterations and construction. Opportunity was not given to them to seek permission for the regularisation of need-based alterations before the expiry of the time prescribed in the order (March 23, 2011).

Nabhewala said: “The board acted arbitrarily and demolished the constructions.”

In the petitions, directions were sought to stop the demolition of dwelling units constructed by the CHB till the decision of the writ petition. Directions were further sought to the respondents to fix the responsibility of the officials who had carried out the demolition before the expiry of time prescribed in the order, especially when the alteration/ changes had been permitted to be compounded.

Taking up the matter, the Bench of Justice SK Mittal and Justice MS Chauhan directed that action would not be taken on the basis of the old policy stemming from the orders dated October 23, 2010. 

Chandigarh, July 21
A speeding Gypsy of the Chandigarh Police Control Room (PCR) that was late in reaching an accident spot mowed down a 70-year-old man on the road separating Sectors 8 and 18 on Madhya Marg this afternoon.

The PCR Gypsy was chasing an auto-rickshaw ferrying an injured police head constable when it hit a pedestrian in the middle of the road. The victim, Babu Ram Pathak, was a priest at Sheetla Mata Mandir in Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26. He succumbed to his injuries at the PGI.

The police has arrested the driver of the Gypsy, Home Guards volunteer Ashok Kumar, in a case of causing death due to negligence under Section 304-A of the IPC. He has been placed under suspension. A regular departmental inquiry has also been marked against him. The damaged PCR Gypsy has been impounded.

The first mishap took place around 1.45 pm at the Sector 7/8 roundabout when a UT police head constable, identified as Prince, was hit by an unidentified car. Two women constables on duty at the roundabout flashed numerous messages on the wireless for a PCR van to be rushed to the spot for ferrying the injured policeman to the hospital. The injured head constable lay in a pool of blood and was shifted on the green belt alongside the road. As no PCR vehicle arrived, the policewomen hired an auto-rickshaw to ferry the injured to the Sector 16 hospital.

A PCR Gypsy (CH-1-GA-6112) reached the accident spot. When the PCR men were told that the injured was being ferried in an auto-rickshaw. The PCR men spotted the auto-rickshaw and asked the driver to follow it. When the Gypsy was following the auto, it hit a temple priest who was crossing the road.

The priest was rushed to the PGI in the same vehicle where he succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, the condition of the head constable is critical. The priest reportedly came in front of the Gypsy all of a sudden.

Panchkula, July 21
Fatal mishaps due to overloading have failed to move the authorities. Schools buses, pick-up vans, mini-buses and auto-rickshaws continue to violate rules.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ashwin Shenvi said, "Nakas are being laid to check overloading.Violators will be challaned."

On May 3 this year, five persons were killed while nine others suffered injuries after a truck collided head-on with a cab which was overloaded with passengers.

There were 14 persons in the cab. In charge of the Panchkula traffic wing Tejinder Singh said, "Nakas will be laid on the Panchkula-Baddi road. Traffic policemen will be deployed in Pinjore and Kalka."

He stated, "We have issued so many challans but still the violators don't mend their ways. Passengers should think twice before sitting in an overloaded auto." A few days ago, three children had suffered injuries after they fell off an overloaded bus. "Overloading can only be stopped if the police starts dealing with violators sternly," said Gunjan Sharma, a resident of Sector 4, Panchkula. 

Chandigarh, July 21
The CHB Residents Federation today took out a rally in protest against the demolition notices being issued by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB).

Members expressed concern over an the board's decision to carry out a demolition drive in the CHB flats.

They said the Administration was not regularising need-based changes on the lines of Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab.

The members said the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the demolition had stopped the Chandigarh Housing Board from going ahead with the vast destruction of costly need-based structures built in almost all 48,000 houses.

The members decided to start a new phase of their ongoing campaign 'Aasin Yaad Rakhange'. "To protest against the demolition, office-bearers who have already formed action committees in all CHB sectors will gather at the place where a demolition drive is being carried out," they said.

They said the campaign had started and a large number of residents will oppose the drive.

It was also decided that the federation would take out a rally and march towards the UT Administrator’s house.

They demanded that the transfer of ownership, freehold and sale of a dwelling unit should be allowed.

All sound structures in the CHB and Rehabilitation Colonies that are within the plot-area and within the story-line should be regularised, power of attorney holders in Rehabilitation Colonies should be given ownership rights and any additional construction in small houses should be regularised by charging reasonable compounding fee, they added.

Chandigarh, July 21
Fearing a malaria outbreak, residents of Goodwill Enclave, Sector 49, approached the civic body officials asking them to drain out stagnant water from the area, but to no avail.

The officials have made no effort to get the area cleaned.

The stagnant water has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

If timely action is not taken, the residents can become a victim of dengue, malaria or a snake bite.

Dirty water accumulated in the society, spread over 2-3 acres, needs to be drained out at the earliest.

Residents have been repeatedly writing to the UT Administration and the Municipal Corporation (MC) for over three years, but the authorities have failed to act. Harbans Singh, a resident of Goodwill Enclave, said the area was flooded with water.

The area is next to the Safari Park. "We approached officials of the engineering department and they constructed a bridge on the V5 road in 2003. But still water accumulates in the area," he said. The residents said the drainage system remained choked. "It is difficult to live in such unhygienic conditions. There is always a fear of an outbreak,"they said. 

The old fleet of CTU buses that has outlived its life continue to ply on the roads. The safety and convenience of commuters has been ignored the CTU bosses. Frequent breakdowns and midway engine failures have failed to move the CTU bosses. These old buses do not have legible destination display boards. Due to this problem, commuters, particularly senior citizens, miss their bus frequently besides facing from other troubles. In a city like Chandigarh where central grants are not a problem, such old buses must be periodically checked. The condemned ones be consigned to the junkyard.

Chandigarh, July 21
The concluding day of HIFA cultural bonanza saw acclaimed table player Sudhir Pandey taking the centre stage with his splendid performance at Punjab Kala Bhawan today.

Pandey, who rendered compositions in Dadra Tal, Teen Tal and Kaharwa Tal, has shared the stage with legends such as Vilayat Khan, Pandit Jasraj, Amjad Ali Khan, and Girija Devi.

“Not many in this country are keen to take to percussion as it’s a dying art. We, however, will never stop trying to keep it alive,” said Pandey during his performance. Pandey has also been awarded a national fellowship by the Indian government for improving the cultural heritage of the country.

Today’s function commenced with the felicitation of state-based artistes. Kumari Shelja, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, gave away the prizes to budding and young artistes, including Priyanka Batra, Amarjeet, Pardeep Kumar, Yeg Kishore Bangar, Rishi Raj Tomer, Pavanendra Kumar Tiwari and Anchal Wadhwa.

Emphasising on the preservation of our culture and art, the minister mooted a Lalit Kala Academy and a Sangeet Natak Academy for Haryana. The concluding day of the cultural bonanza was attended by dignitaries such as Lalit Kala Akademi chairman KK Chakravarty; Vice Chancellor of Kurukshetra University Major General DDS Sandhu (retd), and chairman, Lalit Kala Akademi, Chandigarh, Diwan Manna.

Chandigarh, July 21
Ten-year-old Amanpreet, who had suffered serious injuries in an accident between a school bus and a private transport bus on the Kharar-Ludhiana highway near Mamupur village, succumbed to his injuries at the PGIMER today. Mehakpreet (16), a student of Class X at Indus Public School in Nawanshahr Badala village, and the bus driver, Harinder Singh (45), had died on the spot while Harpreet Singh (13), a student of Class VII, had died at the PGI.

Another 13-year-old boy, Iqbal preet, is battling for life at the PGIMER. The accident took place at 7 am on Tuesday.

Harinder Singh was taking a right turn towards Kharar to approach the highway when a private transport bus (PB 13T 3837) of the Libra company, coming from the Kharar side, hit the bus. 

Mohali, July 21
The Punjab Government will be spending Rs 800 crore on the construction of 200-ft wide Mohali-Zirakpur-Peer Muchhalla road.

This was stated by NK Sharma, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Industries and Commerce. Sharma said, “The project will ease congestion at Zirakpur, Peer Muchhalla and Chandigarh." He said work on the Mohali-Zirakpur-Ambala road would also be completed by December.An amount of Rs 450 crore will be spent on the 20-km road connecting Chandigarh-Ambala road to Mohali and Kharar via Chhat village. “Once the work is completed, people coming from Ambala and those going to Delhi from Kharar need not enter Chandigarh," said Sharma.— TNS

Panchkula, July 21
With the advent of monsoon, it’s the time to pamper your pets with special a body spa and pedicure. The Government Petcare Centre in Sector 3, Panchkula, has introduced a special monsoon package of medicated baths, pedicure and spa at their canine beauty parlour. Dr MR Singla, in charge of the centre, said the whole process was of 45 minutes. “Initially, after a massage with a herbal cream, medicated bath is given. It is given using anti-fungal body wash. After that conditioning, drying and grooming is done,” said Singla.

This ranges between Rs 150-300. He further added, “For those pets that have weak legs due to partial paralysis, a hydrotherapy using an anti-septic lotion is given for about 15-20 minutes. Lukewarm water is used as per the outside temperature.” It includes eye cleaning of dogs. The purpose for pedicure is to save pets from fungal infections due to rains. In the months of July and August, when dogs walk on wet grass, there is a possibility of developing fungal infections. Cracks develop in the inter-spaces of paws so we do their pedicure using an anti-fungal cream and shampoo," he said. 

Mohali, July 21
In absence of any check by the authorities concerned, encroachments by small time vendors in the main markets of the town continues unabated.

These vendors set up stalls everyday, particularly during the evening, on the pavements in front the shops in the main markets, creating trouble not only for the shopkeepers but also for people.

Several members of the market associations in the town accused the Mohali Municipal Corporation of being hand in glove with these vendors.

“They (the MC officials) take hafta (weekly extortion) from every stall owner," alleged several shopkeepers.

Talking on the issue, Sarabjit Singh, president of the Fashion Market Welfare Association, Phase 7, said they had given several representations to the authorities concerned in this connection, but nobody bothered to check the nuisance.

“You just take a round of our market in the evening hours, you would find at least 75 stalls on the pavement. We are fed up with these unauthorised shopkeepers as they are affecting our business,” said Sarabjit Singh, a jeweller.

"The main market of the area has started giving a look of a farhi market," said Taranjit Singh, another shopkeeper, who runs a cloth shop in the market.

"Some vendors are using stoves and gas cylinders for preparing eatables. Who would be responsible if something bad happens due to these dangerous items," added Taranjit Singh. 

Mohali, July 21
The Mohali administration is spending Rs 4.47 crore on fixing paver blocks and other development works at various places in the town. The work is expected to be completed in three months.

This was stated by Deputy Commissioner Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu. He said an amount of Rs 16.94 lakh would be spent on fixing swings and rides in amusement parks. Over Rs 8.96 crore was being spent on repair, maintenance and premix work on internal roads of the town. Work on some of the internal roads had been completed, he said.

Sidhu said Rs 19.82 lakh would be spent on the development of the parking area near Bassi Theatre.

More than Rs 3.37 crore would be spent on fixing paver blocks at various places, he said. Besides, Rs 16.43 lakh would be spent on making the footpath from Hotel Franco to the market complex in Phase I.

He said a modern garbage collection centre would be constructed in the town at a cost of Rs 46.22 lakh. He added that Rs 14 lakh would be spent on cleaning of the sewage in the Phase IX of Industrial Area.

"A sum of Rs 60.59 lakh will be spent on development works near a gaushala in Phase I, Industrial Area.

Sidhu said Rs 71.85 lakh would be spent on the fixing of paver blocks in ward number 27 of Phase III-B2. "More than Rs 1.11 crore will be spent on the fixing of paver blocks in ward number 17 of Phase XI and Rs 53.60 lakh will be spent on ward number 23 of Phase VII," said the Deputy Commissioner, adding that Rs 16.03 lakh would be spent on the fixing of paver blocks in Sector 48.

Mohali, July 21
As many as 180 students pursuing their Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University School of Business at Chandigarh University, Gharuan, have received offer letters from various renowned multi-national companies.

“The top achiever, Shriya Sinha, who has been recruited by International Travel and Tourism Company with a pay package of Rs 7.31 lakh, has managed to get as many as three offers.

With seven students getting over three offer letters and as many as 26 getting placed in more than two companies, the average pay package received by the students is Rs 2.75 lakh,” said the Vice-Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Dr RS Bawa.

The Vice-Chancellor said reputed multinational companies such as IBM, CITI Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, HDFC Bank, ITC Ltd, ICICI, TATA, Naukari.com, Asian Paints, Ambuja Cements, Satguru Travels, Indiabulls, Just Dial and Extra Marks have selected the students to work 
for them.

Chandigarh, July 21
Several educationists in the city have criticised yesterday’s protest by school lecturers against the faculty development programme of the education department. Rakesh Sachdeva, principal, DAV School, Sector 15, and CBSE counsellor, said there was no point opposing such an innovative programme of the department.

“Education is all about sharing ideas and knowledge. Teachers, who are supposed to be the custodians of civil society, should be open enough to lap up every opportunity to update their skills and knowledge,” she said.

Disapproving the teachers’ action, former deputy director, school education, Haryana, S Kumar said the way teachers behaved was wrong.

“When I was an English teacher for Class X, I specially used to invite experts to my class to know about my weak areas. I fail to understand why the UT teachers opposed to taking lectures in front of their fellow teachers or department officials. Such an action shows that we need a major transformation in our education system,” he said.

Another city-based educationist, SS Kaushal, former director, primary education, Haryana, said these days teachers were not too keen to learn.

“They do not even come to the class fully prepared for the lecturers. It seems the fear of getting exposed has made the UT teachers oppose the faculty development programme,” said Kaushal.

He said when he was a school principal, he used to maintain a supervision diary to record the daily performance of teachers. “Such practices are not followed these days, allowing the teachers to take the classroom teaching for granted,” he said.

“The Secretary of Education in the USA recently said that we don’t have good schools because we don’t have good teachers and heads. The teachers must understand their responsibility. A person who is not open to learn new things can’t become a good teacher,” said a government school head.

The convener of Youth Innovative Society, Sachine Sharma, also condemned the incident and said the society required to introspect as to why teachers had become so close-minded these days.

Answering those who condemned the departmental action against the teachers, Director Public Instructions (School) Upkar Singh reiterated his stand on the issue. He said the move was meant to improve the delivery and teaching skills of teachers.

“While the incident was unfortunate, we would continue to make efforts to improve the quality education in the department. Teachers are requested to be receptive of new ideas,” said Upkar Singh.

A day after four of its leaders were suspended and an FIR was registered against them, the Joint Action Committee of Government Teachers on Sunday gave a call to observe a non-teaching day in the schools on Monday. They also appealed to the teaching community to reach Masjid Ground, Sector 20, to show solidarity towards the expelled leaders. A senior official of the UT Education Department, however, said strict action would be taken against those trying to disturb the academic atmosphere of the schools.

Chandigarh, July 21
Alumni of Carmel Convent School who passed out in 2010 organised a reunion party at The Blue Blazer today. The event witnessed girls in their best of attires dancing to the tunes of Bollywood songs.

The event was organised by Garima Seth and Rupal Singh, girls from the same batch. Despite pursuing diverse careers, the girls decided to come together once every year. The girls also discussed about their career choices. Niharika Sharma, a self-made businesswoman, said she cancelled all other engagements to be a part of the event.

Before leaving, all the girls excitedly discussed about the next reunion.

Chandigarh, July 21
Amid the ongoing counselling at the Post Graduate Government College (PGGC), Sector 11, parents of students seeking admission to BSc-I (non-medical) have alleged that the college has adopted a non-transparent system that has left many students in the lurch.

The second round of counselling for the remaining seats in the UT Pool was held on July 19, wherein a number of parents alleged that the seats belonging to the general category were given to the reserved category students.

The college principal, JS Raghu, however, rubbished the allegations, stating that the counselling was conducted as per the norms while taking into consideration the merit of students.

“Never in the history of colleges has it happened that general seats have been given to the reserved category students. Rather, it is the other way around when the reserved seats remain vacant for long,” he said.

Earlier, the parents had also alleged that they were made to wait for several hours on July 15 for the counseling, as it was originally scheduled for that day. As the technical glitch that caused the delay could bot be resolved, parents were asked to revisit on July 19.