1,600 challaned for flouting rules
From Tribune Reporters
CHANDIGARH, July 25 — A record number of 1600 persons were challaned by the police in various parts of the city here today on the first day of a special drive to challan traffic violators. While 1,300 persons were challaned upto 1.30 p.m., another 300 violators of the traffic norms were booked till 7.30 p.m.
The drive has been necessitated following a directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to strictly enforce the provisions of the Motor vehicle rules.
Advertisements and appeals to the local populace about strict compliance with the provisions of the motor vehicle rules and the directives of the high court had the desired effect with almost 100 per cent scooterists, including women drivers and pillon riders, wearing helmets.
A trip round the city by TNS and enquiries at the 33 checking points at various sectors revealed that most of the challans pertained to the non-removal of sun control films, use of red or blue lights atop government and private vehicles, and sporting of registration numbers other than the original one.
In Sector 11, the police stopped a car which was attached with a former Youth Congress president, Mr M.S. Bitta, which had a red light atop it and was being driven by a driver. On scrutiny of documents, it was found that the car was plying with a changed registration (it was bearing a Delhi number while the original number was CHO1G 1083).
Officials said a number of challaned men were grudgingly accepted the challans while commenting that it was a "nuisance and people were being harassed for even minor offences like removal of a small strip of film on the front windscreen."
Thakur Devinder Singh and Mr Amar Manchanda, DSP, Traffic, and the Chief Traffic Warden respectively, who were checking violations at the Housing Board roundabout in Sector 17 said that while there were maximum compliance by two-wheeler drivers and pillion riders, the maximum violation of rules was by officials and other influential persons who insisted that they were right.
To be on the safe side, they had a number of xeroxed copies of the observations by judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in which the judges had commented that officials of the Administration would be sent to prison for not adhering to the guidelines. That left little scope for arguments, they said.
The IG, Mr R.P. Singh, who was travelling incognito and without any security in a private car, stopped on seeing mediapersons at the roundabout. He said the special drive at the 33 points would continue for 10 days and it would be carried out in routine thereafter.
He said he was pleased that the residents of Chandigarh had extended all co-operation in observing the safety guidelines issued by the police. Directives had been issued to the policemen and to officers that there should be no harassment to the public.
Commenting on the rally taken out by the members of the Sikh Nari Manch, opposing the wearing of helmets by Sikh women, Mr Singh said that the vehicle numbers of all protesters had been taken down and challans would be despatched to them by post. "The idea was not to create a law and order situation but everyone has to be treated equally," he asserted.
In fact those challaned for violations include top bureaucrats from Punjab and Haryana. A majority of them had red or blue lights on top of their vehicles besides sun control films on windowpanes.
Vehicles belonging to Mr Sanjiv Kalra, SSP, Mr S.K. Saxena, Director, Education, Haryana (HNE 773), a vehicle attached with the Chief Secretary, Haryana (HR 04 0051), the personal car of the commandant of the 102 Battalion of CRPF, (DNB 4302), vehicle of Mr M.S. Chahal, Principal Secretary, Punjab, (PJA 1), a vehicle with the Punjab CM's security (PB 06 3205), besides another vehicle with Punjab DGP, Sube Singh (PB 11 H 3607), were challaned.
DSP Thakur said that most of the drivers of the vehicles did not have the authorisation from the department concerned about the lights atop or were plying with the lights uncovered. As per the law, the light, if authorised, could only be sported if the official concerned is sitting inside. In most cases, the drivers had flouted this provision.
He also pointed out to many cars that were observing this rule. There were, however, many complaints of harassment and overzealousness by the challaning cops today.
Many people travelling from other states and passing through the city had a taste of the stiff provisions of the motor vehicle rules. In most cases, the travellers were unaware of the mandatory removal of sun control films on windowpanes.
Even when the vehicles had a narrow strip on the front wind screen (about 4 to 5 inches) challans were issued. Similar cases were reported from other parts of the city as well. In some cases, vehicle owners faced another offence, that of misbehaving, logged on their challan slips for clarifying certain points.
Some of the complainants who contacted The Tribune office said that while they had removed the films from the windowpanes a narrow strip on the windscreen in fact acts as a visor and does not effect the visibility of the driver. But this failed to cut ice with the cops, they commented.
At many points car film removers had set up shop near the traffic check points and were seen charging Rs 150 to Rs 200 for the job. Many outside travellers had not only to shell out the money, but were challaned as well.

Meanwhile, members of the Sikh Nari Manch took out a scooter rally to protest against the wearing of helmets by Sikh women through various sectors of the city here today.
Led by Ms Harjinder Kaur, president of the Manch and Deputy Mayor, a large number of women raised slogans and recited Gurbani en route. The procession passed through Sectors 34, 35, 22, 17, 18, 19, 27, 30, 20, 21 and 23.
The local member of the SGPC, Mr Amrinder Singh, has condemned the methods adopted by the traffic Police in enforcing the order on wearing of helmets by Sikh women and challaning them in various parts of UT.
PANCHKULA : No special drive was launched by the police for enforcement of the traffic rules in the city on Saturday. The police claimed that the routine traffic checking was carried out.
Women drivers and pillion riders of two-wheelers could be seen without helmets even as the Haryana Transport Department has passed orders for strict compliance in the state in view of a judgement of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Those who were wearing helmets were heading for Chandigarh.
Unfazed were drivers of vehicles having black films or black glasses, which had to be removed by today as per the orders of the transport department. Adding to the list of violators were certain policemen who were driving their two-wheelers without helmets.
Sources in the police said that the high court verdict when implemented would not have the desired effect as in Chandigarh as there were not enough staff members with the district police who could be put on traffic duty.
The Superintendent of Police, Mr Alok Mittal, when contacted said the normal way of checking of traffic violations was on as usual.

Rs 38 lakh excise evasion detected
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 25 — Preventive staff of the Central Excise Commissionerate-I, Chandigarh has detected evasion of Rs 38 lakh central excise duty on goods manufactured by a company in Himachal Pradesh.
Mr S.S. Jha, Commissioner, said that the company had two units manufacturing the same good and selling it to various parties in Jalandhar and other places.
As per law, the company has to prepare all invoices in triplicate on which central duty is assessed and paid. An examination of the records of the sellers and buyers revealed that goods were valued in higher original and duplicate invoices and lower in the third copy, meant for assessment by the department.
As such the duty assessed by the department was lower and the manufacturer evaded duty to the extent of Rs 15 lakh.
In the sister unit, machinery was installed to manufacture more goods and in this case even the duty was not paid which works out to be Rs 23 lakhs. The value of the machinery installed at these plants is worth more than Rs 2.30 crore.
Mr Jha said that further investigations were in progress.

Crime File
Imposter booked
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 25 — A 'self-styled' director of National Food and Nutrient Food Corporation, Sector 26, has been booked by the police for fraudulently collecting money from youngmen, assuring them jobs, police sources said here today.
Ashwani Kumar, a resident of Sector 21, allegedly gave advertisements in newspapers without any legal authority. He was collecting money in lieu of assurance for jobs.
A case under sections 406 and 420 of the IPC has been registered.
Dowry case: The Mani Majra police has registered a case against Siri Raj Vastava, a resident of Dehra Dun, on a complaint by his wife that she was being harassed. The husband and in-laws were allegedly demanding more dowry, an official press note said.
A case has been registered under sections 406 and 498 of the IPC.
Car recovered: The car of Lieut-Col J.P. Singh, a resident of Sector 11, which was stolen was recovered from Panjab University on Saturday, police sources said.
The car is in police possession and investigations are on.
Rioting: The police has booked two parties for allegedly indulging in rioting in a public place. All those who have been booked are residents of the Labour colony of Sector 31, police sources said.
A case under sections 147, 148 and 149 of the IPC has been registered against Ram Parkash, Magistrate, Sat Narain, Amar Nath, Nirmala and Sobha, besides others.
PANCHKULA (FOC) The police has registered a case of murder in connection with the unidentified body of a woman, which was found in a highly decomposed state at Barwala in Morni on July 21.
The post-mortem of the deceased revealed that the death was caused by strangulation. Efforts by the police to ascertain the identity of the victim has failed so far.