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Sunday, November 8, 1998
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C H A N D I G A R H & V I C I N I T Y |
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Sunday, November 8, 1998 |
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Suspect in blast case held after 8 years CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Gurinder Singh wanted in the Sector 26 police station bomb blast case was nabbed from S.A.S. Nagar today, nearly eight years after the incident, according to police sources. Two enlarged on bail |
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  Number game chains man |
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Enormous
powers, small statures Voluntary
donation of blood 'best course' 19
more freedom fighters to get dwelling units ISKCON
takes out rath yatra Pollution
check-up camp held |
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Suspect in blast case held after 8
years CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Gurinder Singh wanted in the Sector 26 police station bomb blast case was nabbed from S.A.S. Nagar today, nearly eight years after the incident, according to police sources. Gurinder Singh, alias Bunty was nabbed from his Phase X home by Inspector Kultar Singh Kahlon. The crude explosive used to blow up a portion of Sector 26 police station in 1990, was devised at his residence. Six men, including two constables of the Chandigarh police, were involved in the conspiracy. These men were connected to the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), Baljit Singh Bittu faction. The material for the explosives had been provided by KLF activist Lakhwinder Singh, alias Lakha and the wife of another activist Gajraj Singh . All the three have died since. Around three days ago the police had arrested Gurcharanjeet Singh alias Billa in Gurdaspur. Billa along with Gurinder Singh , Harwant Singh alias Bittu and Daulat Singh were wanted in the case. With the arrest of Billa many loose ends have been tied up, a police official claimed. Harwant Singh has since then joined the Punjab police as constable and could not be located after a team of Sector 26 police station led by Sub Inspector Dilsher Singh Chandel raided a few places in Gurdaspur. Besides Harwant Singh, Daulat Singh is also not traceable. He is believed to have gone abroad, according to the sources. Also involved in the same case were two constables of the Chandigarh police, Satwinder Singh and Balwant Singh. The constables were arrested while the four were absconding. A case under Sections
307,427,212 and 120-B of the IPC ; under Section 3 and 4
of the Indian Explosives Act and under Sections 3 and 6
of TADA has been registered. |
Two enlarged on bail CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today enlarged on bail Tarika Jain, a student of the Department of Music of Panjab University, and Gurvinder Kaur, both of whom were booked by the local police under the Immoral Traffic Act. The Chief Judicial Magistrate directed them to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each, apart from a surety of the like amount. To begin with, both suspects were produced in the court of the Judicial Magistrate, Mr Jagnahar Singh. A battery of cameramen and correspondents had assembled outside the courtroom with a view to taking photographs of the suspects. Mr Arunjeev Singh Walia, a counsel, moved an application before the Judicial Magistrate, seeking directions for restraining photographers from taking the photographs of Ms Jain and Ms Gurvinder Kaur. He told the court that the girls were only suspects. They had not as yet been held guilty. Therefore, it was their right to privacy which was being infringed upon by photographers. Mediapersons, on the other hand, took the stand that the proceedings were being held in the open court. Moreover, the applicants had not stated under which Section of the IPC or Cr PC they had moved the application. This application was not maintainable. The mediapersons also told the court that journalists had been given the right to freedom and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution. In fact, by restraining the photographers from taking the photographs, the court had infringed upon their fundamental right so zealously protected under the Constitution. The Magistrate, however, asked all, except counsel for the prosecution and the defence, to leave the courtroom. At this stage the police,
however, realised that Mr Jagnahar Singh did not have the
jurisdiction to hear the case. Then they moved their case
before the Chief Judicial Magistrate. |
Number game chains man CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Probably trying to save himself from the hassle and money of getting a registration number for a new scooter, has landed Surjit Singh in police custody. He was booked by the Industrial Area police this evening for possessing two scooters with the same number (CH-01-D-3599). Police sources said Surjit
Singh was working with a local private company and was
often stopped by traffic cops for not getting a permanent
registration number for the scooter he had bought around
two months ago. He then used the registration number of
his old scooter and put the same on the new one. An alert
citizen saw both scooters standing together and informed
the police. A case under Sections 420 and 473 of the IPC,
has been registered against him. |
65 Engineers to the rescue of
villagers CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — For residents of Khatana village in Ropar district, the arrival of an Army unit, 65 Engineer Regiment, turned out to be blessing in disguise. The track that linked the village to the road head had been washed away by the last monsoon. The gushing rain waters damaged the track so much that it was reduced to a "nullah". All efforts by the villagers to get the track relaid by the civil authorities proved futile. Cut off from the rest of the state, the villagers had to take a "punishing" 1.5 km detour to take their produce to the market. The detour was not only hostile and tough, but also passed through a river bed. School-going children, who go to Tibba Taprian, too had to take a circuitous route. And the "nullah" that had replaced the existing link between the village and the road head, also started eroding the adjacent fields at a rapid pace thus threatening the cultivable land of the village. When 65 Engineers arrived in the village on November 1 for training, the Sarpanch, Mr Daulat Ram, met Col S S Dasaka, Commanding Officer of the regiment. The district administration had expressed its helplessness because of lack of resources to restore the track. The men and officers of the regiment identified the task — reconstructing a 500-metre-long kutcha track by converting a low-lying "nullah" into a usable track needing four to five feet of earth filling. The ground was extremely boggy, undulating and slushy. There were deep ruts making it difficult for heavy machinery, like a dozer, to operate. The Army men, however, did not give up. A team led by Naib Subedar R P Khanduri along with Lance Naik Virender Partap Singh started operations with a dozer on November 3. They started digging a huge "tilla" for earth to start raising the level of the track. The enormous amount of earth was skilfully excavated and hauled to a distance of approximately 400 metre. The task was arduous and difficult as the adjoining fields were also to be protected from the blades of the dozer. And the men and engineers
continued the operation till the task was fully
accomplished. The Sarpanch and other villagers, who
witnessed the entire operation, were overwhelmed at the
instant help they got from the men in olive green. The
men and officers of the regiment wrapped up the operation
only after Sarpanch Daulat Ram told Colonel Dasaka that
the task had been accomplished to the satisfaction of the
villagers. |
MC to seek Legal
Remembrancer's opinion CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) will seek opinion from the UT Legal Remembrancer (LR) for the conduct of elections to the post of Senior Deputy Mayor which had fallen vacant following the resignation of Mr Prem Sagar Jain from the post on November 2. Corporation sources said here yesterday that the MC would seek the advice of the LR in the matter as it was not clear in the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, which had been extended to the union territory, as to who would call the meeting for election to the post after the resignation of the Senior Deputy Mayor. It may be recalled that the LR had authorised the Mayor to call any meeting, except the first meeting, for the election of the Deputy Mayor, a few months ago. Usually the first meeting for the election to posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor is convened by the Deputy Commissioner (DC), who is the prescribed authority for holding elections to these posts. In the normal course the meeting for the election to the post of Senior Deputy Mayor should have been convened by the Mayor. As Mr Jain resigned his post, there was no clear-cut provision in the Act as to who — the DC or the Mayor — should convene the meeting, the sources said. The election to the post has to be completed within a month as per the provisions of the Act. The term of three office-bearers ends on December 23, 20 days after the election to the post which has given rise to speculations that election may be held along with the two other posts. The situation has become complicated as the meeting of the MCC was adjourned on October 30. As no fresh agenda could be added to the agenda of the adjourned meeting, the LR's legal opinion would determine whether a special meeting should be held or the election should be held along with other two posts. The Mayor, Mr Gian Chand
Gupta, when contacted, confirmed that the MCC was going
to seek legal opinion in the matter. |
Enormous powers, small statures CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Downfall in the quality of politicians is the biggest threat to the Indian democracy, said Mr Arun Jaitley, a former Additional Solicitor-General of India, while delivering a lecture on "50 Years of Indian Constitution" organised by Panchand Research Institute here today. The frustration, disillusionment and anger of the common man rampant today was a manifestation of the political scenario at the top level. These politicians enjoyed enormous powers, but the stature of people exercising them was growing smaller, Mr Jaitley said. The era of tall majorities had ended. In a scenario where only coalitions governments had become a reality were beneficial to the extent that regional interests had gained importance. There was, however, an inherent threat that the balance of power could shift into "tainted" hands who in turn would decide the future of the Centre. The senior advocate in the Supreme Court said there was a growing trend of oligarchy (power in a few hands) in the inner-party politics. Unless democracy norms were upheld within political parties, one could not expect much at the top. Indira Gandhi had a big hand in the over-centralisation of power. Mr Jaitley said while having a critical view of the past 50 years he would divide the era into four broad phases. In the first phase there was a weak legal system as compared to Parliament. The courts did not interfere even with certain dubious decisions. It was the era where the state was assertive. In the second phase, the legal system woke up and minor confrontation with Parliament started. During the third phase the agenda for power struggle had already been set. During Emergency many judges of the High Court were victimised by the state. Emergency was a "black phase" in the Indian legal system. With the change in government, the legal system too changed which again was unfortunate as the judiciary should not look at the ballot, Mr Jaitley said. Many decisions in favour of the government were now decried by the same people. After this, started the phase of public interest litigations and courts stood up for the rights of people. However, over the past four to six years, the activist phase was gradually taking the form of assertion. This might lead to conflict with Parliament at some stage in future. While it was fine to take
on political corruption on its agenda, however, notices
against prices, law and order and school fees could
appear as overstepping of its work area. The country at
the moment needed judicial statesmanship and legislative
vision which could avert the present situation. |
Voluntary donation of blood 'best
course' PINJORE, Nov 7 — The key to safe blood transfusion lies only in voluntary donation. This was the unanimous view of speakers at the inaugural session of the 23rd national conference of the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology (ISBTI) here yesterday. The Director of the PGI, Chandigarh, Dr B.K. Sharma, in his keynote address said that the country required eight million units of blood per annum. However, only half of it was available and still half of which was collected through voluntary donations. The rest of the quantity came from professional donors or replacement donors. Regretting that even legislation had not been able to curb sale of blood by professional donors, Dr Sharma said that social scientists must motivate the people at the grassroots level. Children should be taught in schools about donation of blood and body parts so that they were receptive to the idea in their adulthood. The Health Minister of Haryana, Mr O.P. Mahajan, who earlier inaugurated the conference by lighting a ceremonial lamp, described blood donation as the biggest service of human kind. Quoting from the Gita, he said the Indian ethos had always laid stress on sacrifice for others. He recited two poems, one of which was written by Prime Minister Vajpayee, to highlight the spirit of self sacrifice. The Director-General of Health Services, Haryana, Dr P.L. Jindal, said Haryana had been able to curb professional donors. About 40 per cent of the blood collected in the state was through voluntary movement and the rest came from replacement donors, who should also be motivated to become voluntary donors. Stressing that blood should be used judiciously, Dr Jindal said it should not be transfused in those cases where medicines and nutritious diet could serve the purpose. He was not in favour of single unit transfusion. Dr Jindal pleaded that autologous transfusion should be encouraged. Similarly, since exceptional patients required whole blood, its components should be transfused as per the need. The senior vice-president of the ISBTI, Dr P.L. Dhand, who delivered the presidential address, regretted the unlicensed and ill-equipped blood banks' growth despite a directive to the contrary by the Supreme Court. He said society had been pleading with the National AIDS Control Organisation to issue instructions that status report should be conveyed to those donors who were found to be HIV positive. He claimed that such instructions had already been issued. (However, inquiries with the Haryana health department revealed that no such instructions had been received so far). At present the blood banks do not inform the donors about their HIV positive status, if any. The banks simply destroy the suspect blood. Dr Dhand said the blood of both the donors and the recipient should be tested for HIV virus. Among those who addressed the conference were the Chief Secretary, Haryana, Mr R.S. Verma, who highlighted various steps taken by the state government in the field of health; and the Deputy Commissioner of Panchkula, Mrs Saroj Siwatch. The ISBTI Mother Teresa Award was conferred on Mrs Krishna Saroop Krishen, President of the PGI Bank Society; and the Haryana Chapter of the ISBT for outstanding performance in the field of voluntary blood donation. The Chittabasu Award was given to Mr Amar Nath Mukherjee of Calcutta, while the ISBTI award was given to the Nirankari Mandal, Chandigarh. The Mandelia Award (for institutions went to the Kota Blood Bank and the Mandelia Award for individual was won by Mr Kulbhushan Arora of Delhi. The Dr J.R. Jolly Award
was conferred upon Mr S.K. Verma of Indore and the A.N.
Kashyap Award was won by Mr Narinder Manral of
Chandigarh. |
19 more freedom fighters to get
dwelling units CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — The Chandigarh Housing Board has found 19 more freedom fighters eligible for the allotment of dwelling units under its scheme for freedom fighters. According to Mr ML Sharma, Secretary-cum-Chief Executive Officer, Chandigarh Housing Board, the Board will finalise a draw of lots for the allotment of specific MIG dwelling units this week to the eligible freedom fighters. The units to be allotted have already been identified. It may be recalled that at the closing of the golden jubilee celebrations of the country's Independence, the Administrator of Chandigarh had distributed eligibility rights on the behalf of the Board to those freedom fighters who had been promised accommodation by the Board 14 years earlier. To make sure that no eligible freedom fighter, who might have been waiting for 14 years, was inadvertantly left out and by way of final confirmation, an inquiry was entrusted to the Deputy Commissioner. The inquiry, however, took much longer than expected. The final inquiry report was received by the Chairperson of the Board, Mrs Meenakshai Dutta Ghosh, on November 6. The DC's office confirmed
that all 11 freedom fighters found eligible earlier and
eight more freedom fighters were eligible to get
accommodation under the scheme. |
ISKCON takes out rath yatra CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — The local branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) organised a Lord Jagannath rath yatra in the city this afternoon. A large number of devotees from India and abroad participated in the yatra. Devotees swept the road, pulled the chariot housing the idols of deities. Devotees danced before the chariot and distributed "prasada" to participants and on-lookers. A similar yatra will be
taken out in Panchkula tomorrow, a spokesperson of ISKCON
said. |
Pollution check-up camp held CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — As a part of its environment awareness campaign the Build India Group organised the third free pollution check-up camp on the Madhya Marg near Sector 18 here today. As many as 150 vehicles were checked and pollution under control certificates were issued. The services of mechanics for fine tuning the vehicles were also provided by the group free of charge. Ms Meenakshi Saxena,
president of the group, said her organisation would soon
start an awareness campaign against the use of polythene
bags in the city. They would sell durable bags with
attractive slogans at half the price in the city
beginning from Sector 17. A written test on environment
would also be organised on November 15 at DAV College
sector 10. |
Kickback case: remand extended CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.S. Lamba, today extended the judicial remand of three suspects in the ongoing kickbacks case registered by the Chandigarh Administration against certain officials of the Engineering Department until November 21. The suspects are K.K.
Silgohtra, Sadhu Singh and K.B. Sharma, Junior Engineerr,
Executive Engineer and Superintending Engineer
respectively with the Chandigarh Administration. |
YPS juniors entertain SAS NAGAR, Nov 7 — It was almost applause right through as the audience was taken from satire to gusty bhangra at the variety entertainment programme of the junior wing of Yadavindra Public School here this evening. Mr Tirlochan Singh, a member of the Board of Governors of the YPS Association, was the chief guest. After the shabad and Sanskrit shlokas, came a series of items, including a musical drama (class V) focussing on unity to combat evil, and "Cabbages," a satire in English on conventional thinking and the generational clash. Not to be left behind in
the presentation was "Animal Kingdom"
highlighting the gradual extinction of wildlife and a
graceful English classical dance which revived old
memories among some of the westernised elderly. A
colourful bhangra (classes IV and V) was greatly
appreciated. There was also the "King Lear"
inspired play "Namak ki Mithas" and items of
equally good quality like "Festivals of India,"
"Down Memory Lane," "jago" and a
Haryanavi dance. |
Pre-arrest bail plea rejected CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — The Sessions Judge, Mr BS Bedi, today rejected the plea of anticipatory bail moved by Mr S Dhar, Mr Charanjit Singh and Mr Vishvanath, Regional Manager, Area Manager and Senior Executive of Ashoka Leyland Finance Limited. They were apprehending their arrest in connection with a case registered under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B, IPC by the local police on October 6, 1996. The complaint against them
was filed by Mr GS Bhatti, Managing Director of Punj
Plast Ltd. He had told the police that his Tata Sierra
car was financed by the Ashoka Leyland Finance Limited.
This car was forcibly taken away when he fell into
arrears. |
CHANDIGARH , Nov 7 — Panjab University has cancelled the meeting of principals of affiliated colleges scheduled for November 9, an official spokesperson said here today. The meeting has been cancelled after the authorities came to know that certain non- teachers had been invited to the meeting. This included at least four fellows of the university. Official spokesperson said "the conference is exclusively meant for serving principals of colleges affiliated to PU". The Dan Development Council has been asked to seek a fresh date for the conference. The conference has had its share of problems ever since it was finalised. Initially it was planned that committees on several key issues like reforms in the examination system and future of vocational courses would be formed before the conference. Recommendations of these were expected to be tabled along with the main agenda at the conference. The conference was also planned as a two day affair. Non-principals are understood to have been called in "good faith for their views on important issues like building fee and amalgamated funds", sources said. Seminar: India’s potential to export food, durable consumer and health items to Canada were highlighted by Prof Satish Kapoor, Panjab University Business School, on the concluding day of the seminar on "Indo-Canadian Trade" at the ICSSR Complex here on Saturday. A total number of 25 papers were presented. Prof KRG Nair, coordinator of the centre of Canadian Studies at Delhi University, said on the basis of a study it had been indicated that Canadian investors were sceptical about the stability of the economic policy in India . Mr SK Bijlani, Advisor in financial matters to PU, highlighted the common elements in culture and economy between India and Canada. Other speakers included Prof B Rehamatullah of Aligarh University and Prof BS Ghuman of PU. Gaurav, R Kaushik and Jagdeep, all students of UBS , also spoke on the occasion. The valedictory function
was chaired by Dr BC Gupta, Secretary Transport, Punjab
Government . |
CHANDIGARH, Nov 7 — Six persons, including two women, have been booked by the economic offences wing (EOW) of the police for allegedly cheating a group of persons of Rs 45 lakh. They include a vice-chairperson of the Golden Forest Group of companies. The six — Pramilla Syal, Rajesh Syal, Sukhdev Kaushal, Seema Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor and Anil Lal Syal — have been booked under Section 406, 420 and 120-B, IPC. The suspects allegedly took a sum of nearly Rs 45 lakh from a group of Panchkula-based persons as deposits in Marigold, an agro-plantation company of Mani Majra. They were booked following a complaint by Col B.M. Jain (retd) in this regard. The EOW found out that the accused had even invested a portion of the money in the Rs 1100-crore Golden Forest Group. Marigold is a sister concern of the group. Cyclist killed: A cyclist was killed while two women were injured in separate road accidents in the city since last night. The cyclist Sajjan Singh of Kandula village, Ropar, was hit by a Maruti van (CH-01-0235) near the Maloya village crossing on Friday. He succumbed to his injuries in the PGI. Gurdev Kaur of Phase III B-I, SAS Nagar, was injured when her scooter collided with another scooter on the road separating Sector 41 and Sector 42. Eve teasing: Gurinder Singh and Gurdeep Singh have been nabbed by the police for indulging in eve teasing in Sector 17. Cases under Section 294, IPC, have been registered, the police said on Saturday. Assaulted: A Sector 38 resident was allegedly assaulted by two persons. The Sector 17 police has registered a case under Sections 323, 324, 506 and 34, IPC. PANCHKULA Jagmohan, son of a Sub-Inspector reportedly used to bring pouches of liquor from Chandigarh to sell in Rattewali, Kot Billa, Tibbi and other nearby villages. He was caught with 50 pouches of liquor. A case under the Excise Act has been registered. He was produced before the duty magistrate on Saturday and granted bail. Car stolen: A
Maruti car was stolen from Sector 10 here on Saturday. A
case has been registered. |
CHANDIGARH: The rise in prices of onions and other commodities has creased the common man's forehead with worry. He is constantly battling against one hike or the other while trying to make life as comfortable as possible. Housewives have begun to look for alternative preparations which can be prepared without onions. Chander Malhotra draws attention through humour to this grim situation. Chander, a doctor by profession, began doodling (as cartoons) while doing his MBBS. Being a backbencher, cartoons came easily to him as respite from long boring lectures. Till he got so good that he did a book on 'Festival of India' which was released in Shimla in '88. He also did a cartoon series called 'Dr Calling' for the Indian Express for two years, 1986-87. To find humour in everyday situations is his philosophy. He always likes to look at the lighter side of life. When he sits down to draw, thoughts come to him like a chain, or more like an epileptic fit. Chander has made 20 cartoons to show the elevated status of Onions and a man's struggle to acquire them. He has exhibited them as True Tears' at Indus Ind Bank Art Gallery till November 15. — Priti Verma |
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