Since no breakthrough has been achieved in the bomb blast case, it was decided to announce an reward of Rs 1 lakh to any person giving information leading to the arrest of person(s) responsible for the Wednesday blast.

It was also decided to institute a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for the person giving information which led to the arrest of a militant with or without arms and ammunition. To solicit and monitor such information, the police has been asked to set up a special cell, operational 24 hours, with provisions for all communication channels, including telephone and fax. The identity of the information providers would be kept a closely guarded secret.

General Chhibber asked the Adviser to evolve an action plan to prevent the recurrence of any such incident in the Union Territory. The Adviser would coordinate with the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to regulate the parking system in the Union Territory. Efforts may be made to post Home Guards to regulate and supervise parking lots and also keep a watch on unattended vehicles or those without registration number plates. It was also decided that vehicles parked unauthorisedly on roads should be challaned and removed.

Public cooperation would be sought to ensure that no vehicle lay unattended on the roadside.

Another important decision taken at the meeting was to revive special nakas on all important 22 roads of the city. These nakas would be activated immediately after occurrence of any incident so as to intercept the culprits before they left the city.

The Inspector-general of Police and the Deputy Commissioner were asked to link the communication system of ambulances with the Police Control Room so that an ambulance reached the site of the incident along with the Police Control Room van.

It was also decided to publicise and reintroduce the 18-point guidelines for general public, especially those pertaining to carrying of handbags, packets and eatables at public places, including cinema halls.

The need for strengthening vigilance and intelligence network was also stressed. The Adviser was asked to motivate the general public to give information regarding the movement of suspicious looking persons or suspicious objects lying at public places.

It was decided that the public should be educated to be more vigilant at public places, including cinema halls, theatres, shopping centres and other such places where chances of such a mischief were more.

The Adviser was also asked to follow the proposal for raising an India Reserve Battalion to be used here for operational purposes. At present, a battalion of the Madhya Pradesh police is in the city and the Administration nearly spends about Rs 4 crore per annum on its upkeep. It was suggested that since such a huge expenditure was incurred on maintaining an outside battalion, the Administration must follow its demand for raising its own India Reserve Battalion.

It was also decided to fill all vacant posts of Home Guards. Some of the Home Guards who were discharged in the recent past, would be re-employed and trained in handling weapons. They would be used for operational duties.

It was also decided that the services of private security agencies for special institutions and installations should be utilised.

Schools to implement order from Monday
Regulations regarding buses
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — The Chandigarh Administration has decided to implement all the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court with regard to plying of motor vehicles, including school buses in the city with effect from Monday, when most schools re-open.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting convened by the District Magistrate, Mr M. Ramsekhar, here today. Nearly 50 persons, including representatives of various private schools and officials of the Education Department and State Transport Authority, who attended the meeting were directed to comply with all those directions which have not been stayed by the Supreme Court with immediate effect.

Since only a few schools in the city have their own buses and the others have hired vehicles for transporting students and staff, the Administration has suggested a way out to let even those school buses ply which are not registered in the names of the respective schools.

According to information available, only 30 buses are owned by various schools and more than 150 are run by contractors. In order to ensure that schools do not absolve themselves of the responsibility of safe tranportation of children, they have asked schools to go in for a long-term lease agreement with the bus owners with immediate effect. The same is provided in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which says," Owner in relation to a motor vehicle which is the subject of a hire-purchase, agreement, or an agreement of lease or an agreement of hypothecation with the person in possession of the vehicle under that agreement.''

This decision makes the schools not having their own buses also responsible for the safety of the students on road.

In July 1998, a Division Bench of the high court comprising Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar and Mr Justice Sat Pal had delivered a landmark judgment regarding the regulation of traffic and pollution control. However, following the filing of a special leave petition by the Administration in the Supreme Court within 15 days of the pronouncement of the judgement, the directions of the high court were stayed. Later, in December 1998, the Supreme Court issued fresh guidelines after vacating the stay on certain directions and the Administration has now swung into action to implement the same with the help of the authorites concerned.

The State Transport Authority issued circulars on June 21 to all schools to comply with the other directions and submit a compliance report on certain directions within 10 days of their implementation.

With regard to another direction of school buses carrying a proper permit within Section 66 of the Act, a review petition has been filed in the high court to reconsider the issue as these buses have been exempted from carrying the permit under the Act.

The STA which will enforce these directions strictly with effect from Monday will impound the buses or challan the authorities for violating any of the above mentioned directions.

While the minimum penalty for an offence would be Rs 2,000, the maximum penalty imposed would depend on the gravity of offence and would be more in case of repeated offences.

The buses would normally be impounded in case of their failure to sign an agreement with the actual bus owner, driver not possessing five years' driving experience and for not adhering to the prescribed standard for emanation of smoke. The defaulters of certain other directions would be challaned.

Arora made AO of GMCH
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — Mr Satya Pal Arora, an HCS officer on deputation from Haryana, has been appointed the Administrative Officer of the Sector 32 Government Medical College Hospital. In an order issued by the Chandigarh Administration here today, Mr Arora has also been given the additional charge of the Officer on Special Duty with the Adviser to the Administrator. He will relieve Mr Prithi Chand, Director of Social Welfare, of the additional charge of the GMCH.

Though the Haryana Government has also placed the services of Mr Ashok Sanghwan, also an HCS officer, at the disposal of the Chandigarh Administration, he is yet to report here.

Meanwhile, Mr M. P. Singh, an IAS officer of Punjab, is expected to take over as the Commissioner of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, on Monday. He will replace Mr Satish Gathwal, an IAS officer of the AMGU cadre (UT cadre), who is being posted back to the Union Capital.

The new chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board, Mr Balbir Singh, an IAS officer of the 1971 batch, belonging to the AMGU (UT) cadre, is also expected to take up his new assignment here next week.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has upheld the contention of the Chandigarh Administration that the Finance Secretary be allowed to continue as the Chief Election Officer of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The position was personally explained by the Adviser to the Administrator, Mrs Vineeta Rai, during her visit to the Union Capital early this week.

It was said that Chandigarh being a small UT, it could not spare a senior functionary for election duty alone, as was being done in other states and UTs. A formal notification about the appointment of Mr Rakesh Singh as the CEO is expected to be issued early next week.

Surveillance being strengthened: Gen
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh July 2 — "The surveillance capability of the Indian Army is being strengthened to ward off any untoward incident in the future," Gen V.P. Malik, Chief of the Army Staff, said here today.

The General, who was on a short visit to the Western Command Headquarters, addressed all station officers this morning. Referring to the commendable job being done by our soldiers in the Kargil sector, he said: "We have to undo what Pakistan has done to restore national pride and prestige and remain fully prepared to meet any challenge from the enemy."

He also emphasised the need to adopt tactics to fight a war in a difficult mountainous terrain like the one in Kargil

"Pakistan has been defeated both diplomatically and strategically which were in our favour at present and the momentum would keep on gathering", the Army Chief said. While exhorting the officers to be ready for a prolonged operation, he wanted the Army to be "combatised much more then ever before to thwart any ill designs of the enemy".

General Malik said: "The whole nation was solidly behind the Army and we have to live up to their expectations." Describing some of the media reports as "rumours", he cautioned the officers not to be carried away by them and try to remove them as far as possible.

He said after meeting the soldiers fighting on the front and the injured under treatment in various military hospitals: "I have found that their morale is very high. However, there was no room for any complacency and everyone of us has to anticipate events and swing into action at once."

The Army Chief called for taking full care of those fighting on the front, those wounded and the families of those killed in action and ensure that all the benefits reached them in time. This would boost the morale of the soldiers, he pointed out.

General Malik also visited the injured soldiers recuperating at the Command Hospital, Chandi Mandir, and enquired about their welfare.

Earlier, on his arrival at the Air Force Station, he was received by Lieut-Gen H.B. Kala, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command.

Snags in thermal plant hit power supply
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR July 2 — Power supply here, particularly in the Industrial Area, has been partly affected due to the colosure of two units of thermal plants at Ropar and Bathinda on account of some snags yesterday.

According to sources in the Punjab State Electricity Board, the snags were yet to be rectified.

Mr R.R. Garg, Senior Executive Engineer of the PSEB, said to cope with the power crisis arising out of the situation, they had to impose two-hour power cuts in the industrial area during the past two days.

On the other hand, local industrialists have alleged that unscheduled power cuts have been the order of the day during the past four days, thus hitting the production of their units.

Accroding to Mr R.S. Sachdev, former President of the local Industries Association, huge loss was being caused to local industry due to frequent power breakdowns occurring between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. “While there is no work for labour for half of the day, we have to pay them for the whole day”, he added. Similarly, Mr S.S. Sandhu, President of the association, said power eluded the Industrial Area for abour four hours today.

Mr Garg said officials of the board were busy rectifying the snags and the situation was likely to return to normal with in a day or two. He maintained that in spite of the power crisis, no power cut was imposed on the residential area of the city where the power supply was normal.

KHARAR: Agitated villagers of nearby village Garangan sat in a dharna for about two hours in 132 kv station here of the PSEB and raised anti Board slogans to protest against its failure to supply power to the village for the past about one week.

Discussion on judicious spending by PU
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — At a meeting of the subcommittee constituted by the Board of Finance of Panjab University here today, the four members, Prof Paramjit Singh, Mr M.G. Sharma, Prof I.M. Govil and Mr S.S. Gill, discussed the information gathered on the different aspects of economising and judicious spending by the university.

The committee took stock of the vacant posts in the various teaching and non-teaching departments while analysing the workload with the departments. The members also took into account the income flowing through the tie-ups and of departments incurring losses. Further, they deliberated on where financial cuts could be made to economise while assessing sources from where funds could be augmented.

Sometime next week, a meeting of the committee is likely again with the additional local members added at a later stage by the Vice-Chancellor. These members include Dr S.C. Vaidya from the Department of Business Management and Commerce, Prof V.K. Bansal from the Department of Law, Prof S.P. Gautam, President of the Panjab University Teachers Association, and Prof H.L. Vasudev, Department of Mathematics.

Subsequently, a meeting of all members, including the Joint Secretaries of the UT and Punjab, will be held and final recommendations on the subject of enhancing financial resources and cutting down on expenditure made. These will be implemented once they get the nod of the board of studies at a meeting likely to be held in September.

Rush for school admission gathers momentum
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA July 2 — With schools re-opening after the summer vacations, the rush for admission to 10+1 and 10+2 classes seems to be gaining momentum.

With the new rule of providing 80 per cent reserved seats for admission to medical and engineering colleges in Haryana for Haryana domiciles, wards of Haryana government employees and for those students who did their 10+1 and 10+2 from Haryana, residents here are not much in favour of seeking admission for their children elsewhere. DC Model School Sector 7 Panchkula has laid down a cut-off percentage to a maximum of 70 per cent for the science stream which is only for girls, 60 per cent for commerce and 50 per cent for arts. At Chaman Lal DAV School, Sector 11, most of the admissions have finished with only a day left for admissions to close, the cut off being 60 per cent for science, 50 per cent and 45 per cent for commerce and arts, respectively.

Govt Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, has laid down the minimum cut-off percentage at 55 for the science stream which is the lowest among all schools here. Satluj Public School Sector 4 Panchkula lays a minimum cut off percentage of 65 for both science and commerce and 50 for arts. Mr S.P. Chand, Vice Principal of the school, said an aggregate of science and mathematics only would be counted while viewing the cut-off percentage.

Other schools like Bhavan Vidyalaya Sector 15, DAV Sector 8, Haryana Model Sector 10 and St. Soldiers School, Sector 16 have more or less the same cut-off percentage of 65 for science, and 55 for commerce and arts, with little variations.

City widow selected in IAF
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — Geetu Vaid, a Chandigarh girl, has been selected for grant of commission in the Indian Air Force. She is the first woman of the city to have qualified the SSB examination and medicals in the newly introduced category that the IAF has cleared for widows of Air Force personnel killed on active duty.

Mrs Geetu Vaid received the joining instruction for the Ground Duties Branch of the Short Service Commission (Women) on June 30. She has been chosen for the Education Branch of the IAF. Her fighter pilot husband, Sqn Ldr Anuj Vaid, died in an accident while flying near Allahabad in 1995.

The training for the 52-week course is scheduled to commence on July 26, 1999, at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad. During training, the selected candidates' status will be that of a Flight Cadet and they will receive a fixed stipend of Rs 8,000 per month. After that they will be commissioned as Flying Officer in the integrated pay scale of Rs 8250-300-10,5000 along with rank pay ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 2,400 and other allowances.

Mrs Geetu Vaid, a gold medallist in Master of Mass Communication, Panjab University, Chandigarh, is working as Sub Editor with The Tribune. She has a four-year-old son.

Following the Army, which had cleared decks for widows of Army personnel killed on active duty being granted special commission in the force as a welfare measure in 1997, the IAF too relaxed certain conditions for recruitment of widows. It eased the way for widows up to a certain age and with a single child. However, they have to compete with the rest of the candidates in the SSB examination and the medicals.

Having applied through the Air Force Wives Welfare Association in 1997, Mrs Vaid took the SSB test in January this year and the medicals in April-May later.

The relaxation in the eligibility criterion for recruitment is sure to benefit a lot of young women. This gains significance in the light of the ongoing conflict in the Kargil sector in which many young jawans and officers are laying down their lives fighting for the country. Rehabilitation of their widows in this manner would be a small reward for the heroes. The Army, the Air Force and the Navy have certain posts and appointments where such widows can be adjusted without compromising the efficiency of the services.

Reservation "not to solve" problems
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — 'Parsang', a symposium-forum of Chandigarh, today held a discussion on the topic 'The Challenges Before the Woman of the 21st Century', at the Punjab Book Centre, Sector 22.

The discussion was initiated by a talk on the topic by Mrs Amarjit Kaur, General Secretary, National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), who addressed a gathering of both men and women on issues of gender sensitivity and sensitisation, negative impacts of globalisation and modernisation and our family structures.

Commenting on 33 per cent reservation for women, she said that it would not solve the problems of women, because the need of the hour was to be concerned about the quality of the women parliamentarians rather than the quantity.

Negating the effect of modernisation and globalisation, Mrs Amarjit Kaur said that in this process skill development and promotional upgradation opportunities for women have been killed. She added that this in fact had resulted in providing women with only very stereo-type jobs and creating more "jobless growths".

She also stressed on the presence of strong family structures in society, which she said were once being rejected by Western societies, which was now coming back into the folds of the traditional family.

The General-Secretary, NFIW, also laid threadbare the Supreme Court's decision to treat the mother at par with the father as natural guardian of their minor child. She said that since a child was borne by its mother there should not be any doubt about the guardianship of a child. She added that since this was a conditional natural guardianship there was nothing to feel thrilled about the Act.

Mrs Amarjit Kaur then went on to discuss the absence of role models in our lives today and added that because of massive information flow from our television sets into our drawing rooms our children were not only given half the information most of the times but were also being misinformed. This, she said, had affected our value systems as well. Mrs Amarjit Kaur also mentioned that another cause of worry was that most women were being devoid of information, especially at homes since roles were pre-defined as per a man's perceptions.

She later also related many instances of women being harassed both at the hands of family, the government, society and the system at large. Her talk was followed by a question-answer session.

Earlier in the evening, Mrs Oshima Reikhy of the Punjabi Istri Sabha and Dr Labh Singh, in charge of the symposium, also addressed the gathering comprising of lawyers, female activists, writers and poets.

Dr Rashmi Sudha Puri, Professor, Gandhian Studies, Panjab University, presided over the discussion.

Donations pour in for Kargil troops
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh July 2 — Contributions and donations for the welfare of troops fighting in the Kargil sector are pouring in from various organisations. While some have donated sweets and other articles, others have chipped in by contributing one day's salary.

The members of the Rajasthan Parishad, Sector 33 A, handed over a consignment of 500 kg of sweets, prepared in desi ghee, worth Rs 40, 000 for the jawans fighting in Kargil. The eatables were handed over by Mr D. R. Aggarwal, President of the parishad, to Col Shakti Parishad, Commander N Area here today. The parishad also presented 15 intravenous drip stands to the Command Hospital.

The parishad has also offered assistance for children's education, vocational training of widows and other help required for the rehabilitation of the disabled personnel.

The faculty and staff of the Technical Teachers Training Institute, Sector 26, have contributed one day's salary as a mark of solidarity towards the troops fighting in Kargil. The decision was taken on the initiative of Dr S.K. Chopra, Officiating Principal, according to Dr J.S. Saini, a member of the faculty.

Members of the PGI Engineers Association and Semiconductor Complex Limited, SAS Nagar, have decided to donate one day's salary for the welfare of troops fighting on the border. The former has also volunteered to donate blood whenever the need arises.

The Residents Welfare Association, Sector 23 D, has resolved to contribute Rs 10,000 towards the Army Central Relief Fund for the welfare of those fighting in Kargil, according to Mr Gurdev Ram, President of the panel.

The Senior Citizens Council, Sector 38, has contributed Rs 7,100 towards the welfare of those fighting in Kargil. Two minutes of silence in the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice was also observed, according to Mr S.D. Kalia, programme coordinator.

Nevedac Prosthetic Centre has donated six wheelchairs and 15 crutches to Command Hospital, Western Command. Dr V.J.S. Vohra, Director of the centre, has said they would provide artificial limbs and other orthopaedic and rehabilitation equipment to the victims of the operations.

The officers and employees of the Haryana Employment Officers Association has decided to donate one day's salary to the Haryana Chief Ministers War Heroes Relief Fund.

A sunder kand path recitation was held by the Aggarwal Samaj Sevi Manch in Sector 20 D today for the welfare of the jawans fighting in Kargil.

The management of First Flight Couriers has called upon its work force to liberally donate to the welfare fund for the personnel fighting in Kargil.

The State Bank of India, Chandigarh Circle, celebrated its 21st establishment day by presenting three wheelchairs and kit bags to the jawans recuperating at Command Hospital. The items were handed over by Mr T.S. Bhattacharya, General Manager, to Maj-Gen Virendra Singh, Commandant of the hospital.

The SBI has already donated a sum of Rs 11 crore to the Kargil Relief Fund, out of which Rs 5 crore has been contributed by the employees of the bank.

PU supercomputer to be operational soon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — In keeping with the latest global trends and for enabling technology transfer, Panjab University has gone in for a supercomputer, installed at the Department of Computer Sciences, Panjab University. The computer, a feather in the cap of the university since it is the only varsity in the region to go high-tech, will ensure that the work which initially took weeks for completion will now take only a few days.

Panjab University is one of the seven centres established all over the country and identified as the level III Super Computing Centre under the Integration of Computational Facilities for Scientific Research (ICOSER) project of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC).

The only centre in northern India, the level III centres have high performance servers connected by a network, with low end graphic workstations providing access. The seven centres are interlinked by high-speed communication networks which enable sharing of computer resources and their effective utility.

The TIFAC is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Science and Technology headed by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister, and aims to keep a technology watch on global trends and formulating preferred technology options in India. The ICOSER programme relates to the aspect pertaining to integration of computational facilities for scientific research in the country.

At present all servers including the SUN Ultra 10 access stations are connected to the campus network of the university and can be accessed from within the campus. Access is available to the faculty and research scholars pursuing their research with no financial support or wish to carry out research work as part of a consultancy or project, members of other institutions interested in pursuing research and to commercial and non-government organisations for imparting training or for research and development purposes.

The Chairman of the department, Prof C Mukku, informed that most of the installation work had been completed and that the inauguration will take place once it becomes fully functional.

Aged couple donates 1 lakh
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA July 2 — Contributing their mite towards the brave soldiers fighting the intruders in the Kargil-Drass sector, an aged couple of Sector 2 has donated Rs 1lakh from their savings. The contribution was made to the Army Central Welfare Fund through a cheque sent to The Tribune today.

The couple, Mr K.D. Malhotra and Mrs Vimla Malhotra, has made the contribution in the memory of the father of Mr Malhotra, Dr Bhagwan Das Malhotra, who served under the British rule, and had desired that one of his grandsons join the Army. But as the fate would have it, one of the sons of the Malhotras, Dr Sunil, did complete the course at AFMC in 1976 but died in an accident before he could join the services.

His elder brother, Mr Anil Malhotra, also died in the accident. As if this was not enough, another tragedy awaited the Malhotra household. Their third and only son, Mr Varinder Malhotra, a mining engineer, died of cardiac arrest.

Mr K.D. Malhotra who served as a Warrant Officer in the British army in the early 40s says he can visualise the difficulties and odds against which the Indian soldiers are waging a battle, since he had visited the Kargil-Drass area during his stint with the British army. He adds that about half of the contribution has come from his younger brother, Mr Tej Malhotra, residing abroad.

The wife, Mrs Vimla Malhotra, says they are willing to help the armed forces in terms of material requirements to the best of their ability.

CVO appointment process begins
By Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — The process for the appointment of the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the Union Territory of Chandigarh has begun with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asking the Chandigarh Administration to send a panel of officers to it for the post “excluding” the name of Mr N.K. Jain, the present Home Secretary.

The Joint Secretary in the MHA, Mr P.K. Jalali, wrote to the Adviser to the Administrator of the Union Territory, Mrs Vineeta Rai, a few days ago, asking for the panel.

Informed sources say the MHA has asked the Chandigarh Administration to exclude the name of Mr Jain from the panel for CVO because the Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) had objected to the appointment of Mr Jain as CVO following the receipt of certain complaints against the officer.

The Home Secretary of the Union Territory has been traditionally holding the post of CVO as well as that of the Chief Electoral Officer. However, Mr Jain has not been given charge of these two posts following objections by the CVC and the Election Commission of India.

When Mr Jain took over as Home Secretary, Mrs Rai took over the additional charge of CVO and CEO.

So far the Administration has not been able to send the panel to the MHA because it is short of officers. Even the Commissioner, Municipal Commissioner, Mr S.K. Gathwal, is under transfer.

After Mr Jain joined the Union Territory post, the Election Commission wrote to Mr Jilali on May 19 that “the Governor of Punjab, who is the Administrator (of the UT) and, who has been in touch with the Commission, has indicated that this change (the replacement of Mrs Anuradha Gupta by Mr Jain) could have waited till the end of October, and will give wrong signals in the election.

“The Commission is unable to understand or appreciate the anxiety of the Haryana Government to have her (Mrs Gupta) back immediately. Nor is the Commission able to fathom the public interest, that is sought to be served, by this energetically executed action.”

The Election Commission went on to say that it “is constrained to express its unhappiness at this whole episode.”

Stressing that Mrs Gupta’s presence in the UT “would have been valuable, the Commission said “it will have to redouble its efforts to ensure an absolutely free and fair poll in Chandigarh.”

SNIPPETS

Entrance test results declared
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — The result of the entrance tests conducted by Panjab University on June 18 for admission to master of mass communication, master of education, master of arts (education), master of arts (physical education) and for B Lib and M Lib courses were declared here today.

The result gazettes will be available for consultation at the new enquiry building from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The information about the result can also be had on telephone numbers 541053 and 541441 (extension 1104) and on the internet at the address http://www.puchd.ac.in/result, a press note issued by the Controller of Examination said.

Action for late filing of IT returns
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — The Income Tax Department is planning to issue notices to those income tax assessees who have not filed their returns by June 30, the last date for filing returns.

According to official sources, the process would start soon and fine of up to Rs 1,000 under the Income Tax Act could be imposed on the persons filing the returns after June 30.

CHB draw of lots
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2—The draw of lots for the EWS and LIG schemes of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) in Sector 52 here is likely to be held next month.

According to official sources, the scrutiny has been completed and the applicants, whose applications had been found incomplete, given a month's time. A majority of the applicants, whose applications were found incomplete, had been asked to show a three- year residence proof in the city.

The CHB had launched the schemes in December last year and over 35,000 persons had applied for the schemes. The board plans to construct 504 flats under the schemes—360 flats in the LIG category and 144 in the EWS category.

3 remanded inpolice custody
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR July 2 — Mr Sanjay Agnihotri, Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, yesterday remanded Sadhu Singh, Kishore Singh and Gurmakh Singh, who were arrested by the police here yesterday on the charge of theft of electricity wires, to police custody till July 3.

Mr Baljeet Singh Sahota, Assistant Public Prosecuter and Mr Balkar Singh, ASI, informed the court that the accused were involved in many thefts of electricity wires in some villages of the area and more information was to be collected from them.

Also, Jasmer Singh and Hari Singh, who were arrested by the police on Wednesday, on the charge of stealing tyres of trucks were remanded to police custody till July 3 by the same court.

Mr Sahota and Mr Harbans Singh, ASI, told the court that tyres worth about Rs 1.30 lakh were seized from the accused.

Assurance to residents
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR July 2 —Mr Dipinder Singh, Additional Chief Administrator of the Punjab Urban Development Authority, today assured the residents of Sector 48-C to recommend the case of reduction of cost of houses by Rs 55,000, as has been demanded by the residents.

Mr Dipinder Singh, who visited the locality, said the gate of the locality opening towards an adjoining slum area would be closed. He said all genuine problems, including absence of streetlight and development of a market area, would be undertaken at the earliest, a press note issued by the Senior Citizen Housing and Welfare Association said.

Demand to shift office of STA
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — A deputation of the local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal which met the Home Secretary, Mr N.K Jain, yesterday urged him to shift the office of the State Transport Authority (STA) from the Industrial Area to Sector 17.

In a release issued here, the Secretary-General, Mr N.S Minhas, has pointed out that the record of the STA was still lying in the new estate office building, Sector 17, where the office was located earlier but the office of the STA was shifted to the building of the Department of Industries in Industrial Area, Phase-II.

He has alleged that this was causing great harassment to the general public, including transporters, who were operating buses, taxis and three-wheelers. Certain other problems were also highlighted. The deputation urged the Administration to shift the office of the STA back to Sector 17.

Body to give legal aid to soldiers
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 2 — The staff and officers of the Chandigarh State Legal Services Authority today expressed their gratitude to jawans and officers of Indian armed forces for upholding the sovereignty, integrity and honour of the nation.

The entire staff of the authority promised to pursue legal aid, legal literacy,legal awareness and other programmes initiated by it so that the families of the martyrs or wounded soldiers are motivated to avail themselves of the benefits of the Permanent Lok Adalat as an additional forum for the resolution of their disputes. A programme has been drawn whereby families of the jawans and army officers in distress are identified through the local Sainik Welfare Board so that legal aid and service in terms of the Legal Services authorities Act is provided promptly. All officers and others members of the staff have also contributed their one-day salary towards the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.