Van on the way to replenish ATMs

The van, bearing registration number PB10 DS 6195, carrying the cash of Axis Bank, Sector 34, Chandigarh, was on its way to Baddi and Barotiwala to replenish 25 ATM counters in the two towns of Himachal Pradesh.

Scrutiny of CCTV cameras

The miscreants sped away in their Accent car towards the Siswan side after the loot. The Panchkula Police team reached the Chandigarh-Mullanpur barrier to check the footage of CCTV cameras, installed there. The sources claimed that no clue of the car in question was found in the video clippings there. 

Scene of crime reconstructed

On orders of the Panchkula Police Commissioner, Rajbir Deswal, all four victims were brought to the spot in the evening to reconstruct the scene of loot, so that the police would get some clues. Deswal said contradictions were found in the statements of the victims. “There are certain loose ends in the statements of the victims, which needs to be checked thoroughly,” said Deswal. He further said it seemed that the miscreants were well aware of the security system and the mechanism of the security van.

After 4 hrs, jurisdiction issue was resolved

As the incident occurred on the border of Siswan village (Punjab) and Tapriyan village (Haryana), the jurisdiction issue cropped up between the Mohali Police and the Panchkula Police. While the Mohali Police was claiming that the incident had occurred in the Pinjore area, the Panchkula Police was seen insisting that the spot fell in the Punjab area. To resolve the matter, respective patwaris of both sides and some elderly persons of the area were called to the spot. It took over four hours to resolve the deadlock. Finally, the Panchkula Police Commissioner Rajbir Deswal cleared that the area fell under their jurisdiction and the Panchkula Police would register a case in this regard. 

Unanswered questions

* Why was the security van not locked from inside?

* Since the Siswan-Baddi road remains busy throughout the day, why wasn’t there any eyewitness?

* Why didn’t the victims raise an alarm and resist the attack, particularly, when two of them were professional guards?

* Why did the victims stop the vehicle when there was no proper naka as they had noticed that their (the miscreants) car was a private one?

* Why was there no latch on the cabin’s door?

* Why were the eyes of the victims not red in which the miscreants had thrown chilly powder? 

Chandigarh, December 9
The Chandigarh Police today claimed to have busted a cheating racket during the Railway Recruitment Board Group D Examination held here on Sunday.

The police arrested six candidates, who appeared in the exam at two different examination centres. Even before the exam started, they had the answer keys with them. The police suspect the involvement of some insider in the Railways, who might have leaked the answers to the benificieries.

Rajesh Kalia, DSP (cyber crime), stated that they had got a tip off regarding the question paper being leaked to the candidates appearing at Examination Centre Number 2052 and 2053 at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 46. “A police team under the leadership of Inspector Jasbir Singh was constituted and the team dressed in civvies kept an eye on the candidates outside the examination centre”, he said.

The DSP further said that a few candidates were seen preparing chits and jotting down notes from their mobile phones. "The suspected candidates were identified and Sudesh Raghav school principal, Harish Kumar and Rajat

Arora, Senior Section Officers, Railway Department, were informed”, the DSP stated. As soon the exam began, the candidates identified were caught cheating from those slips. “The chits had the correct answers to the multiple choice questions mentioned in the question paper,” the police stated.

Six beneficiaries hailing from Haryana were identified as Narender, Kuldeep, Deepak Ahlawat, all residents of Jhajjar district, Devender and Gulab Singh, both residents of Rohtak district and Dalbir Singh, a resident of Sonepat district were arrested by the police while cheating. During the course of the investigation, four mobile phones through which the beneficiaries received the answer keys were recovered from their possession. A case has been registered. Raids were on to arrest the accused operating the cheating racket. The six accused were produced in the court and sent to two-day police remand. 

Another impersonation case registered

Another case of impersonation was registered against Sandeep, a resident of Sonepat district, Haryana, who was arrested from an examination centre in Sector 30. He was appearing in the Railway Recruitment Board Exam in place of Narinder Singh. The accused has been arrested and an investigation has been initiated.

New Delhi Headquarters informed

Railway officials stated that they have written to the headquarters in New Delhi to inform them about the incident as the examination was conducted by the Northern Railways.

Chandigarh, December 9
The board of doctors, which conducted the post-mortem examination of the 11-year-old girl who was found murdered a week ago, would on Tuesday submit answers to the autopsy-related queries posed by the Chandigarh Police.

Members of the board held a meeting today to frame answers to the questions that will be submitted to the DSP, Crime Branch, tomorrow.

Earlier, the post-mortem examination report of the victim had stated that the hymen was not found, which prompted the police to write to the doctors seeking the exact meaning of the report.

While the post-mortem report of the victim, Pinki, stated that she has been sexually assaulted since there were injuries on her private parts, the SIT (Special Investigating Team) questioned the doctors whether

The girl was raped and what exactly does the blue and red injuries meant and how old were these. The police had also asked the doctors, who conducted the autopsy, the exact time of Pinki's death.

The investigations were delayed as the forensic expert, who had conducted the post-mortem, had proceeded on three-day leave after submitting the report.

Meanwhile, even nine days after Pinki's body was found in Sector 52, the Chandigarh Police were yet to get a lead in the case.

While the police claimed to be questioning various suspects they have failed to make any headway.

Sources said that the police had also questioned the owners of the departmental store in Palsora village to get a clue about the shop from where the victim had allegedly purchased a packet of chips.

Chandigarh, December 9
The price of packaged Verka milk has increased by Rs 2 per litre in all categories. The increased prices came into effect today with per packet (0.5 litre) cost of double-tones, toned, standard and full-cream milk catetgories rising by Re 1 each.

This is the third hike in the cost of the Verka milk since June this year. Managing Director, Milkfed Punjab, Alaknanda Dayal, said, “We had to increase the prices as the procurement cost has gone up. We have to pay the farmers optimally as their input costs have gone up.”

She said that no further hike in milk prices was likely in the near future. Dayal also said that the prices were still lower than those charged by some other brands. 

Chandigarh, December 9
The case of regularising around 133 daily wagers working as Safai Karamcharis under the Municipal Corporation (MC), which was pending for the last several years, has been approved.

Mayor Subhash Chawla said the MC had passed the case of regularising the Safai Karamcharis who had got jobs on compassionate grounds. "After approval from the MC, the case was sent to the UT Administration for the final nod. However, the UT Administration further sent the case to the Home Ministry for clarification whether these daily wagers can be regularised or not," the Mayor added.

Chandigarh, December 9
The enforcement wing of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Chandigarh, today carried out an anti-encroachment drive in different parts of the city. The MC officials challaned as many as 95 violators for encroachments during the drive.

Inspector (Enforcement) Sunil Dutt informed that a drive in Sector 15 market, Burail, and Sector 17 was conducted, during which the goods displayed by the shopkeepers on the government land were confiscated. The goods confiscated included clothes, shoes, bags etc.

Dutt said to catch the violators, the drive was again carried out in Sector 15, after a few hours of the earlier visit.

“The shopkeepers usually encroach the space soon after the MC team leaves following which we decided to carry out the drive again in Sector 15 in the evening time”, Dutt stated.

Over 25 more challans were issued in the evening at Sector 15, informed Sunil Dutt.

Chandigarh, December 9
Three months after Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh inaugurated over 8,000 one-room tenements at Dhanas to rehabilitate slum dwellers, hundreds of saplings planted there are crying for attention. A number of plants have dried up for want for care.

A tree dries up at EWS Rehabilitation Colony at Dhanas in Chandigarh. A file photograph

To beautify the area ahead of the PM’s visit, over 2,000 saplings of different species purchased at the cost of Rs two lakh were planted in the complex. But for the last few weeks, the saplings are either facing fury of the slum dwellers, who have been rehabilitated there, or the apathy of the UT Horticulture Department authorities, who were entrusted with the task of taking care of the plants.Sources in the department said the tankers sent to the Dhanas colony for watering the plants were forcibly used by those being rehabilitated there, as the colony had been facing shortage of water. Besides, the Horticulture Department has complained that the tree guards erected around the saplings were either damaged or uprooted by unscrupulous elements. At a number of places, the dried up stems of the saplings were testimony to the neglect they have been subjected to.

Horticulture Department officials said they had been repeatedly bringing the issue to the notice of their senior officials but to no avail.

Chandigarh, December 9
The PGIMER today launched a lab investigation module (LIS software) for automating workflow of the biochemistry lab of new OPD. Reports of the tests handled by the biochemistry lab will now be accessible to clinicians from anywhere in the institute.

A segment of the Hospital Information System (HIS), this module saves patients from difficulty in tracking the paper-based lab investigation report for biochemistry tests.

This lab caters to a major proportion of the biochemistry investigations/tests being undertaken by the PGIMER.

A SMS facility will also be soon introduced for informing the patients as to when their reports will be ready. The same would also be available on the website in the near future, thereby reducing the number of patients visiting the lab.

The software will also complement functioning of the lab as all activities right from ordering lab test through sample acceptance, fetching report from machine and generating report will be done though the software.

The lab investigation module will, subsequently, be used in other labs as well.

Chandigarh, December 9
A total of 299 candidates have been left in fray for elections to 12 gram panchayats in the UT. The polls are scheduled for December 15. Ram Singh was elected unopposed as sarpanch of Raipur Kalan village. Now, only 44 candidates would be vying for 11 posts of sarpanch. For 132 seats of panch, 28 candidates have been elected unopposed while 255 candidates would be contesting the remaining 104 seats.

Residents of 12 panchayats will exercise their right to franchise on December 15. As many as 13 villages of the UT Administration fall under these panchayats. There are 12 posts of sarpanch and 132 posts of panch. Elections will be held for panchayats of Behlana, Rairpur Khurd, Rairpur Kalan, Makhan Majra, Daria, Mauli Jagran, Kishangarh, Kaimbwala, Khuda Ali Sher, Khuda Jassu, Khuda Lahora, Sarangpur and Dhanas. — TNS

Chandigarh, December 9
With awareness on prevention and transmission of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) gradually increasing among people living in and around the city, a new trend has been witnessed at the HIV testing centres here. The volunteers, especially youths, walking in at the centres are accompanied by their partners.

Among the couples visiting the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs) for HIV tests are recently married as well as unmarried volunteers.

Officials at ICTCs attribute the trend to the significant improvement in the awareness level among people as well as keenness to assure oneself or one’s partner of being free from the deadly virus.

The number of individuals undergoing HIV screening tests across the 11 ICTCs in the tricity in the past five years has been 20,160 in 2009; 21,611 in 2010; 22,881 in 2011; 22,147 in 2012 and 20,997 till October this year.

“At our clinics, we always encourage people to come along with their partners as the counselling of both is crucial. Over the past couple of years, we have been seeing more couples visiting ICTCs,” said Dr Vanita Gupta, coordinator, State AIDS Control Society (SACS), Chandigarh.

As per experts, one-time test confirming that the individual was HIV negative did not mean that his or her HIV status would remain the same throughout his life.

“It is crucial for people, especially youths, to undergo HIV tests at regular intervals if they want to ensure that they and their partners remain safe,” said Prof Amarjeet Singh, Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER.

Officials said volunteers often do not reveal their identity, possibly due to the stigma attached to HIV patients among their social circles. However, volunteers were showing boldness by walking into a testing centre and asking for a test to know their HIV status and the number of volunteers was rising.

It may be mentioned that as volunteers confide into officials at the ICTCs and counselling centres, the latter ensure that their identity and information remains confidential.

Mohali, December 9
In order to reduce the infant mortality rate, the Civil Hospital at Phase VI has for the first time, since its inception, set up a stabilising unit for the new-born babies. The new unit is equipped with warmers, phototherapy lights and oxygen cylinders. Training is being provided to nurses to make use of the new facility.

New-born babies, suffering from jaundice, low weight, breathing difficulties, etc, are kept in the unit to help them stabilise. Almost all new-born babies tend to develop some problem or the other, and jaundice is common. The babies are kept exposed in the new unit under a specific room temperature and are treated by phototherapy lights for three or four days before being handed over to their parents. As many as nine babies can be kept at one time for stabilisation purposes.

Earlier, sick babies were referred to hospitals in Chandigarh. Now, only babies who develop jaundice within 24 hours of birth are referred to Chandigarh hospitals because more specialised medical aid is required in such cases.

Dr Andesh Kang, SMO in charge of the hospital, said the physiotherapy wing had also now been equipped with couches and traction units. Now, four patients can be treated at one time as four couches are available, reducing their time of wait. Patients, suffering from problems related to surgery, orthopedic treatment, cesarean delivery, stroke, paralysis, etc, are given treatment in the physiotherapy wing.

Neurodevelopment therapy was also given to patients suffering from diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Efforts were on to make to make the physiotherapy wing one of the best departments in government hospitals in the region, added Kang.

She further said that four CCTV cameras had been installed in the emergency wing of the hospital to keep a closer watch on the patients undergoing treatment. The digital X-ray system had also been introduced in the hospital. 

Chandigarh, December 9
Technical universities should put more emphasis on introducing the concept of modern and latest technology while constructing new building, the UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil, stated after laying the foundation stone of new academic block of PEC University of Technology. He said priority should be given to install solar energy on top of the roof of the buildings, provision of water harvesting and underground multi-level parking.

Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil breaks a coconut during the stone laying ceremony of New Academic Block at PEC University of Technology in Chandigarh on Monday. A Tribune photograph

The Administrator said no doubt that the renewal sources of energy are costly but once they are introduced the cost factor would come down. He said directions had already been given to the Chandigarh Administration to extend all possible help to all those who use solar energy, water harvesting and have provision of underground parking in their buildings.

Inspecting the area of new building, Patil asked the Chief Engineer to add the provision of underground parking in the design of the new academic block, the foundation stone of which was laid today.

Speaking on the occasion, Patil said PEC University of Technology was lucky enough that it had 150 acres of land in its possession. He said the only thing which was required for the university was to utilise every inch of the land judiciously based on modern and latest techniques to get the desired results. He also met an oldest principal of this college who was also present in the function.

Speaking on the occasion, V K Singh, Secretary Technical Education and Co-Chairman, PEC Board of Management gave brief report about PEC University of Technology. He said in order to keep pace with the modern industry and to groom the young engineers with the latest trends in construction and industries, PEC University of Technology proposes to construct a new academic block in the premises of the University to house the faculty and the students.

Driving swiftly down the road, when you feel the uneasiness of a bumpy track that leaves you with an aching back, it doesn't feel good. Right?

So, think about a heart patient or even a normal patient who has to go through such trauma. The idea is not to question the existence of the speed-breakers. It is rather about those which are being constructed unnecessarily. A small example of this is the newly-constructed speed-breakers near the Sector 32 hospital. A few months back, a motorcyclist skidded on these speed-breakers and suffered head injury. Do they really have to be there? And even if they have to be, do they have to be so large that it is a full ride that one has to make to reach the other end. It is just another misery and not just for the patients but even for normal drivers because they make the car very slow due to their size and the driver has to take extra care while crossing them. To emphasise the point again, it is not about all the speed-breakers, but only about those which are unwarranted.

Akkul Dhand, Mohali

Need to solve traffic woes From the busiest of roads to long queues, there is one problem that is there in every city-traffic jams-which have become a part and parcel of our daily lives. Chandigarh, the City Beautiful as we call it, is also not entirely free from it, making life impossible for the people. Take into consideration some of the main commuting areas like the Chandigarh-Zirakpur road and the Chandigarh-Panchkula road, which are heavily congested during the peak hours with long queues of honking vehicles causing traffic jams. It is one of the main problems confronting the city. There are three traffic lights from the Tribune Chowk to the airport which witness traffic jams the whole day. The best example of the ever increasing traffic in the city can be seen in the parking lots of major markets which are crowded with vehicles leading to wrong parking and sometimes even results in tension between the drivers or the owners of the vehicles. The authorities concerned should think about the traffic problem and find a solution to it. An alternative route between Chandigarh and Zirakpur is needed to solve the problem of traffic jam.

Sakshi, Zirakpur

Chandigarh, December 9
The admission fever began in the city as parents made a beeline to four missionary schools in Chandigarh for submission of the admission forms for next academic session. Road in front of St John’s High School and Sacred Heart School, both in Sector 26, saw huge traffic congestion after 3 pm. Hundreds of parents visited these schools to submit the admission forms. A similar rush of parents was also witnessed in front of Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, and St Anne’s School, Sector 32. The last day of submitting admission forms in these schools is till December 19 between 3 pm and 4 pm.

However, a lot of forms were rejected as many of them did not meet the criteria laid down by these schools.

Major reason for the rejection was the applications received from candidates living beyond the municipal city limits of the tricity area of the Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali. However many parents cried confusion and asked all the missionary schools to specify the area.

Officials of St John’s High School said over 200 parents came for submitting the forms today and a lot of forms were rejected due to technical reasons. However exact number of submission of forms could not be gathered.

Last year more than 3,000 parents applied for admission in these four missionary schools.

Meanwhile tomorrow is the last date of submitting forms in many of the private as well as the government schools. So far the against 90 seats in GMSSS-16, only 60 forms were received. As per the information, only 300 forms have been received so far against 500 seats in top 10 government schools. 

Chandigarh, December 9
The UGC networking resource centre programme of University Institute Of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Panjab University, has been sanctioned an extension for the period 2014-15 with a grant of Rs 1 crore. The objective of the centre is to foster research and provide training in furthering higher education in pharmaceutical sciences nationwide.

The creation of 'UGC Networking Resource Centre' by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), Government of India, is the result of implementation of recommendation of the task force established by MHRD to promote research in basic sciences. The programme was sanctioned for a period of five years from 2009 to 2014 with a grant of Rs 5 crores initially.

Chandigarh, December 9
Contrary to popular expectations, no single group emerged victorious in the Panjab University syndicate elections held here today. Contesting against all odds and despite a wave in favour of Chatrath-BJP-DAV alliance, the Goyal group was able to win seven seats while the alliance was able to bag eight seats out of 15. Elections were held for the faculties of science, arts, languages, combined, medical science and law.

While the candidates of the Goyal group were elected unopposed in two of the six faculties, elections were held for arts, science, law and combined studies to elect 11 members. The newly elected syndicate will start its tenure from January 1, 2014. Two of the members namely Ashok Goyal and Dinesh Talwar have been re-elected to the syndicate.

As the day began with the election of the faculties of arts, the Chatrath-BJP-DAV was confident that they will be able to bag around 10 seats out of the fifteen. Looking at the majority of the Goyal group in the faculty of language and medical sciences the Chatrath-BJP-DAV group did not field their candidates for the contest. The resentment among the old alliance of Goyal-BJP-DAV was visible over certain issues during the voting of various faculties. As the voting started the representatives of both the groups were busy in the last minute canvassing for their candidates with the voters.

Meanwhile, VIPs continued to pour into the senate hall of the administration block, where the elections were taking place to cast their votes.

Punjab Education Minister Sikander SinghMaluka, UT DPI Sandeep Hans, Punjab DPI GS Ghuman, Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra, MLA Mahesh Inder Singh Brar, Parmod Kumar, director, Institute development studies, IS Chaddha
and Municipal Corporation nominated councillor Aruna Goel came to cast their votes.

Besides this, MC Sidhu was elected as dean, Faculty of Dairy, Animal Husbandry and Agriculture, Satpal Jain as dean of law and Dr K Gauba as dean for medical science. 

Elected Syndics

Elected Deans

Chandigarh, December 9
Director of Desh Bhagat University School of Engineering, Dr JK Saini, has been honoured with National Punjab Education Award for his contribution in the field of education.

The award was given to him by PTU Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajnish Arora and AR Talwar, principal secretary, technical education, Punjab, during a special function organised by AICTE. — TNS

Mohali, December 9
Ashmah International School, Sector 70, here organised a puppet show for the kindergarten wing today. Tiny-tots got an opportunity to get acquainted with the culture of Rajasthan.

Puppets were presented by Rajasthani artistes in a fun-filled drama, based on the folklore of the state. Children also learnt the technique of preparing doll puppets of various kinds.

Principal Roopinder Ghuman said puppetry had been used traditionally in India as a popular and inexpensive medium to transmit knowledge about Indian myths and legends.

Nevertheless, this was an era of science and technology but steps should be taken to save our “old smart classes” where stories were presented in an almost entertaining manner.

Chandigarh, December 9
Over 300 students of Nav Bal Niketan School, Sector 12, Panchkula, presented ‘The Dance Gala-2013’ at the Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, here today. The presentation was an amalgam of variety of dance forms-Western, Indian, traditional, classical, contemporary, hip-hop and fusion.

The show started with recitation of "Ganesh Vandana" followed by "animal dance" by students of nursery class.