2 youths held with stolen scooter
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The police arrested two youths who were riding a stolen scooter from near the main gate of Panjab University.

According to police sources, Balraj Singh Gill, a resident of Amritsar, and Maldeep Singh, a resident of the Industrial Area, Phase I, were stopped for checking and were asked to produce the documents. Since they could not do so they were taken to the police station and questioned. They confessed that the scooter (PB-16-0798) was a stolen one.

A case under Sections 379 and 411, IPC, has been registered against them.

Dowry case: The police has registered a case against a city family for demanding dowry from their daughter in law.

Mr A.C. Gehra, a resident of SAS Nagar, complained to the police that his daughter was married to Prakash Arora, a resident of Sector 61. She was being ill-treated and harassed by her in-laws for bringing insufficient dowry.

The police has registered a case against Parkash and members of his family — Punam, Anuradha, Krishna and G. Sethi — under Sections 406, 498-A, 420 and 34 of the IPC. No arrests have been made so far.

SAS NAGAR

Missing girls found: The minor girls of a local public school, who had disappeared under mysterious circumstances on August 2, were today tracked down near the Sectors 16 and 17 roundabout in Chandigarh. The girls were reportedly taking lift in a car driven by two Ropar-based youths.

According to information available, the two youths — Jeetinder and Sukhraj — had offered lift to the girls, studying in classes VII and VIII, when the latter had signalled the car to stop. The local police has registered a case against Harjeet Singh and his accomplices, Sunita Rani, Ravi Babbar, Avtar Singh and Ajit Pal, under Sections 148, 149, 363 and 366 of the IPC.

Harjit Singh, a resident of Sector 44 and one of the main suspect in the case, was arrested by the police last Saturday.

Strike over denial of admission
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — Activists of the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) today observed a strike and staged a dharna outside the law department to protest against the decision of the university not to allow admission to those students who did not clear five out of ten papers in the first year.

While Deepinder Singh, a SOPU activist, sat on an indefinite hunger strike, students boycotted classes. The matter was resolved by noon by the timely intervention of the Dean Student Welfare and Chairman, Department of Laws, Mr V.K. Bansal, who agreed to accept their demand.

He specified that since the rule was passed in April, 1999, it would be implemented from this session and not in retrospect. He said the new rule was mentioned in the handbook of information. Following this, the strike ended and students paid the admission fee.

The president of Panjab University Students Union (PUSU), Lakhjeet Singh, had also, in a memorandum submitted to the DUI, stated that the students of LLB part I should be allowed to take admission in LLB part II.

He pointed out that the rule concerning the stipulated condition of clearing five out of the ten papers was passed by the syndicate on April 28, 1999, but students of first semester had already appeared for the first semester by this time. Hence it should be implemented from the new session.

The NSUI president, H.S. Lucky, and chairman of HSA, Chand Singh Madan, also supported their cause.

Resentment: Resentment prevailed among BCA first-year students over the non-declaration of results. This was causing delay in the admission to the next class.

They alleged that university authorities had failed to declare the results of 750 students even as they had declared the results of all other classes.

The Controller of Examinations, Dr Sodhi Ram, said results would be declared shortly.

Dharna: The activists of SOPU staged a dharna outide the office of the Vice-Chancellor for the sixth day today in support of the demands of the science students for provisional admissions to the next class.

Ms Reena Rai, academic secretary, SOPU, said they would intensify their agitation if the outcome of the meeting slated for tomorrow was not favourable. The PUSU planned to start an agitation if the demands of the students of honours school were not met.

Merit lists: The final merit lists for admission to MA I semester in the departments of ancient Indian history, culture and archaeology, economics, geography, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, public administration and sociology will be displayed in the respective departments on August 12.

In a release issued here today, Co-ordinator, Joint Admission Cell (Social Sciences), stated that in case of any problem the candidates should contact the complaint cell in the department or the office of the co-ordinator.

The candidates who are offered admission are required to deposit fee on August 13. The admission will take place in the Arts Block (second floor).

Hostel rooms: A delegation of the HSA, led by its chairman, Chand Singh Madan, today submitted a memorandum to the DSW urging him not to change the hostel allocation of old students of the university, since it would cause inconvenience to them.

The DSW, Mr V.K. Bansal, agreed not to disturb the old students in university hostels, who would be re-allocated the same rooms, and new students would be given rooms as per the allocation of various departments.

Vegetable prices sky-rocketing
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — With monsoons affecting arrivals, most vegetables have remained out of the reach of common people due to their higher prices during the past one week.

During a survey of the local market it was found that the prices of all vegetables coming from Himachal Pradesh were sky-rocketing with cauliflower leading all of these at Rs 40 a kg. The wholesale price of the vegetable was Rs 170 per 5 kg. The vegetable was priced at Rs 30 a kg in retail and Rs 120 per 5 kg in the wholesale market during last week.

Cabbage was priced at Rs 16 a kg in retail and at Rs 60 per 5 kg in the wholesale market today. Similarly, carrot was priced on the higher side as a kg of the vegetable was priced at Rs 32 in retail and at Rs 130 per 5 kg in the wholesale market. The case of capsicum was no different. A kg of the vegetable, priced at Rs 20 last week, could be purchased today for Rs 28. The wholesale price of the same has increased from Rs 80 to Rs 120 per 5 kg during this period. So much so that yesterday the vegetable was priced at Rs 40 a kg in the retail market as there was no arrival of it in the local market from Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rains in the region.

Squashgourd, too, was affected by rains as its price jumped from Rs 16 a kg to Rs 28 a kg during the past one week. The wholesale price of the vegetable has increased from Rs 60 to Rs 110 per 5 kg during this period. According to traders, the arrivals of the vegetable from Punjab and Haryana was almost negligible during the past one week.

The price of tomato has also gone up during this period. A kg of the vegetable, earlier priced between Rs 16 and Rs 18, could be purchased today for Rs 24. The wholesale price of the vegetable has increased from Rs 60 to 100 per 5 kg during this period. Cucumber could be purchased at the old price of Rs 16 a kg, while brinjal was priced at Rs 20 a kg. Bittergourd could be purchased for Rs 20 a kg, while a kg of lemon could be bought for Rs 24 and the same quantity of ginger was priced at Rs 48.

If one could buy beans for Rs 20 a kg, peas were priced at Rs 48 a kg and gourd was priced at Rs 16 a kg. There was no change in the price of onion and potato as these could be had for Rs 10 and Rs 4 a kg, respectively.

5 girls in Indian roller hockey team
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Roller Skating Association of Panchkula today added a feather to its cap. Five of its girls, including three of Hansraj Public School, Panchkula, have found berths on the Indian roller hockey team which will take part in the 8th Asian Roller Skating Championships to be held in Shanghai (China) from October 16 to 23.

The trials for selecting the team were conducted after a nearly three-week training camp organised by the Roller Skating Federation of India at Skating Rink, Sector 10, Chandigarh, which concluded on August 8.

The girls who figure in the first ten-member team are Meenakshi Kohli, Priyanka Sharma, Shreya Sawhney (all Hansraj Public School, Panchkula), Indu Madan and Heena Ahuja (both of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, Chandigarh). All of them have been coached by Mr Balwinder Singh.

Ms Rajni Thareja, President of the Roller Skating Association of Panchkula felt delighted to know about the inclusion of these girls in the Indian team. She is also the Principal of Hansraj School. The school in recent years has become synonymous with skating as numerous good performances have been given by its players.

Other girls who have been selected for the Indian women's team include Amita singh, the youngest member of the team at an age of 12 (St Stephen's School, Sector 45), Radhika Mehta (Panjab University, Chandigarh), Sonia (Sirsa, Haryana), Sherry (Shivalik Public School, Sector 41 and Sapna (MCM DAV College, Sector 36).

Out of 32 girls who attended the camp, ten have been selected in the main team, six as first standbys and four as second standbys. The next camp will begin on August 25 at Chandigarh.

Meenakshi Kohli of HPS, Panchkula, is studying in Class X and has earlier represented India in the 7th Asian Roller Skating Championships held at Kangnung (South Korea) in 1997 and has secured bronze medal. She got a gold medal in the 36th National Roller Skating Championship held at Vishakhapatnam (AP) in 1998 by winning the roller hockey event, representing Haryana.

Earlier also she had got a gold medal in the 35th National Roller Skating Championships at Pune in 1997. She got a silver medal in the 34th National Roller Skating Championships at Patiala in 1997. Meenakshi, whose father and mother are senior executives in the private sector, felt confident of performing better this time than the lasta Asian chanmpionships.

The other two girls of Hansraj Public School who are on the team, Priyanka Sharma, 13, and Shreya who is yet to become 13 in November, have miles to go, says, Ms Rajni Thareja. She said they would bring more glory in the times to come. Like Meenakshi, Priyanka was also a member of the team at 35th and 36th national champiosnhips and winner of the medals. She is the daughter of a businessman. Shreya, whose mother is a college lecturer, represented Haryana in the 36th National Roller Skating Championships and won the gold medal in the team event. Other girls who get regular training at Panchkula are Hinna Ahuja and Indu Madan who are students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16. They were also members of the Haryana team in the nationals and secured two golds and one silver medal each.

Tennis ball cricket: New Public School, Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, and St Anne's School (B team) today moved up on the second day of the Sova Inter-school Tennis Ball Cricket Championship being played here at St Anne's School, Sector 32. Today, in a light drizzle, the matches were played with the umpires wearing raincoats.

In the first match, played between the teams of SPS-41 and Christ High School, Sector 9, the former won the toss and decided to bat. Sunil Bishat made unbeaten 88 runs in 35 balls. The SPS team scored 158 runs for the loss of one wicket in 12 overs. Christ School could not sustain the pressure and were bowled out for 81 runs in just 10.1 overs.

Brief scores: SPS-41 — 158 for one in 12 overs (Sunil Bishat 88 n.o., Ankur 27, Mohak 27); CHS-9 — 81 all out in 10.1 overs (Ranjeet 20, Sushant 16, Preetpal 14, Dhruv 3 for 14, Zubin 2 for 11).

The second match of the day played between St Anne's School (B team) and KB DAV Centenary School, Sector 7, turned out to be an exciting one St Anne's School won on the last ball of the 15th over.

Rahul of the DAV team was the highest scorer with 60 runs. For the winners, Gaurav and Harman scored 49 and 31 runs, respectively.

Brief scores: KB DAV-7 — 146 for 7 in 15 overs (Rahul 60, Amrinder 16, Vaibhav 13, Aman Nagpal 2 for 14, Ankur 2 for 24); St Anne's-32 — 147 for 9 in 15 overs (Gaurav 49, Harman 31, Manpreet 19 n.o., Jatin 2 for 35).

In the last match of the day, New Public School defeated St Joseph's School, Sector 9, by six wickets. St Joseph's School made 122 runs for eight wickets while New Public School scored 125 runs for the loss of five wickets in 13.3 overs.

Brief scores: St Joseph's — 122 for 8 in 15 overs (Gurharpreet 20, Gaurav 16, Rohit 18, Ashish 4 for 13, Varun 2 for 12); New Public School — 125 for five in 13.3 overs (Varun 38, Manuish 36, Mandeep 17, Kanik 2 for 26).

Sunil Bishat of Shivalik Public School and Varun Arora were declared 'man of the match' in their respective matches.

Tomorrow, the first match will be played between Sanjay Public School, Sector 44, and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 20, at 8.30 am. This will be followed by the match between St Anne's Convent A, Sector 32, and Manav Mangal High School, Panchkula at 11.30 am. The last match will be played at 2.30 pm between Air Force Regional School, 12 Wing, and New Public School, Sector 18.

More names: The Chandigarh Badminton Association today announced more names while retaining many earlier ones in the reconstituted body of its association.

Col. Raj Parmar, a former state badminton player of Chandigarh, was made the Joint Secretary and Geeta Aggarwal, women's badminton champion of Chandigarh for the past many years, was inducted in the body as the executive member. She represented the UT Badminton Players' Association.

Mr Surinder Mahajan, and Dr Deepak Bhasin were retained as Technical Adviser and Medical Adviser, respectively, of the association.

The members of the executive are Geeta Aggarwal, T.K. Gupta, M.P. Singh, R.P. Kumar, Dharam Pal, Raj Pal Sharma, Ashwani Malhotra, Prof Chander Bhushan, R. Talwar, M.P. Dogra, Balbir Singh, N.K. Kalia, Vijay Sharma, B.K. Sood, Baldev Raj, Vijay Anand, Cecil Parvez, Vijay Kumra,Mr Zorawar Singh, M.R. Gupta and O.P. Longia.