One held for stealing ornaments
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh July 6 — The police has arrested a Kajheri resident on the charge of stealing gold and silver ornaments from a goldsmith in Sector 29-C here.

According to police sources, Mr Mahabir Prasad Verma complained to the police that Kamal Kumar, who had been working in his shop for many years, had stolen jewellery worth about Rs 40,000. now the accused had left this job and was working on his own.

Prior to this incident, he had approached the complainant, requesting to be reemployed. The request was acceded to in view of his previous work. he was allowed to make and repair ornaments for customers.

Today after entrusting Kamal Kumar with some ornaments, Mr Verma went for lunch. He found the jewellery missing on his return. When he asked about the goods, the accused feigned ignorance. The matter was brought to the notice of the police, sources added.

On interrogation, the accused admitted that he had stolen the jewellery, which was recovered from his possession. While further investigations are on, a case has been registered under Section 381\411, IPC, at the Industrial Area police station.

Girl abducted

Mr Lakhmi Chand of Mauli Jagran reported to the police that his minor daughter had been abducted by Radhey Shyam of the same colony. While investigations are on, a case under Section 363\366 of the IPC, has been registered at the Mani majra police station.

Whisky seized

The police has arrested Shammi of Dadu Majra colony and recovered 49 pouches of whisky from his possession. A case under Section 61-1-14 of the Excise Act has been registered at the Sector 39 police station.

Car stolen

Mr Sandeep Gulati of Sector 35 reported to the police that his white Maruti car (CH-OI-J-6776) was stolen from his house. A case under Section 379 of the IPC has been registered at the Sector 36 police station.

Nine held

In separate incidents, the police has arrested Ram Bilas and Janardhan from Sector 20 and Somu Ullah Gujri, Abdul Karim and Mohammad Sadiq from near the Sector 33\45 crossing, respectively, under Section 41(2)\109, Cr P C. Similarly, Shekhar Kumar, Jony Ram, Raj Kumar Mishra and Ramesh Singh of Uttar Pradesh have been arrested for creating nuisance at a public place under the influence of liquor. A case under Section 34- 5-61, Police Act, has been registered against them.

Child injured

An eight-year-old boy, Anil Kumar, who was going on a rickshaw, was injured when he was hit by a scooter. He was admitted to the PGI with head injuries.

Clash

A 65-year-old man, Hans Raj, a resident of Malin village (Lalru), was admitted to the PGI after he was injured in a group clash in his village. He condition is reportedly critical.

Burn injuries

Ms Ravinder Kaur and her daughter Simi of SAS Nagar were admitted to the PGI with serious burn injuries sustained at home.

Re-appear chance for BSc,MSc (Hons)
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 6 — Students wanting to avail themselves of a re-appear chance in BSc (Hons) and MSc (Hons) of the Science Department of Panjab University are required to submit their applications mentioning the subject they want to appear in by July 12 to Prof H.M. Dani, a press not issued by the Panjab University Campus Students Council said here today.

The re-appear examination will be held in July and could not be held with the regular examinations due to the late declaration of the results and the decision came after talks of the PUCSC with Professor Dani.

Change of date

The aptitude test and interview for admission to MA-I music (vocal and instrumental) will be held on July 19 at 9 a.m. in the department. Earlier, the department had announced that the test and interview would be conducted on July 14.

Book release

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof M.M. Puri, released a publication, ''Taking What Comes'', written by Mr Basin Clarke here today. The book is a biography of Prof A.G. Stock, Head of the Department of English, Dhaka University, and a faculty member of Panjab University, Calcutta University and Jaipur.

Fund collected

The India-China Friendship Association held a meeting on the campus to pay homage to the Kargil-Dras martyrs of the Indian armed forces.

The association has collected Rs 5,000 from its members as the first instalment which will be sent to the Army Central Welfare Fund.

It was also decided that the association would adopt the families of a few martyrs and extend all possible support to them.

Meeting held

As many as 13,000 NSS volunteers of the department are willing to assist the soldiers fighting to protect the borders of the country, Dr C.L. Narang, Coordinator of the programme, said here today.

A meeting of the review committee of the NSS was held in the office of the Director of Youth Services, Punjab, and was attended by programme coordinators, the Assistant Programme Adviser, Government of India, NSS Regional Centre of the city, and the coordinator of the NSS Training Centre, Patiala.

The role of the volunteers in motivating people to donate for the cause was discussed. Also, circulars requesting collection of funds for war widows were sent to the colleges.

Honoured

Mr Ipe Ninan, a senior research fellow in pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, has been selected to present his research paper at the fifth IBRO World Congress of Neurosciences to be held in Jerusalem, Israel, from July 10 to 16. His participation is supported by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the International Brain Research Organisation.

Consumer's complaint dismissed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 6 — The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II has dismissed a complaint of a consumer regarding supply of five defective mega burners on the ground that the same had been purchased for `` commercial purpose.'' They further awarded costs of Rs 550 on the consumer.

In his complaint, retired Subedar Bateshwar Singh had stated that he had purchased five gas stoves from M/s Rani Products India on June 4, 1994, at a total cost of Rs 3,220. He had further alleged that though the company held out high claims on the working and efficiency of those stoves at the time of purchase but the same were not found effective at the time of use. He complained that the stoves consumed more than normal kerosene and left black smoke stains on the utensils. The same were not repairable in the market and could be repaired only from the factory at exorbitant charges.

The company in its reply took up the plea that the complaint was not maintainable before the Forum as the mega-burners had been purchased for commercial purpose and having done so, he did not fall within the definition of ``consumer''.

The Forum bench comprising its President, Mr R.P Bajaj, and members, Mr H.S Walia and Mrs Kamlesh Gupta, noted that the definition of consumer under the Consumer Protection Act excludes a person who buys goods for commercial activity. They observed that the stoves purchased by retired Subedar Bateshwar Singh were mega burners which were not ordinarily used in households. They also held that since in the ration card only two other family members were mentioned, and they had one gas stove it did not appeal to reason as to why they needed five mega-burners for household use. Moreover, the circumstances showing the purchase of five mega-burners indicated that they were purchased for doing some business.

HUDA penalised

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has been penalised for allotting a non-existent residential plot to a complainant. The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has dismissed an appeal filed by HUDA in this regard with further costs of Rs 1,000.

Earlier, in her complaint filed before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I, UT, Mrs Anita Aggarwal had contended that a residential plot bearing No. 318 was allotted to her in Sector 15, Jagadhri, on August 23, 1991. She deposited the total price of Rs 1,20,175 by means of regular instalments. However, HUDA failed to deliver the possession of the allotted plot. It was further found that in reality the plot did not exist in the demarcated sector.

The HUDA authorities in their reply filed before the Forum had contended that `` after demarcation, there was no land available for plot No; 318 in Sector 15, Jagadhri, and as such the plot No;. 318 was deleted and a letter regarding taking back the possession of the same was written to the complainant".

The complainant had further contended that she was refunded only Rs 98,536 even though she had deposited Rs 1,20, 175. In the light of these circumstances, the Forum had ordered that the balance amount of Rs 21,639 should be refunded together with interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum on the entire sum of Rs 1,20,175 from the respective dates of deposit till realisation, besides a compensation of Rs 5,000.

HUDA filed an appeal against this order of the Forum in the Commission. However, the Commission comprising its President, Justice J.B Garg, and members, Dr P.K Vasudeva and Mrs Devinder Jit Dhatt, after going through the records concurred with the findings of District Forum-I. They held that the respondent was entitled to a total refund and deduction of Rs 21,639 was wholly unjustified.

The Commission also rejected the plea of HUDA regarding reduction in the rate of interest awarded from 18 per cent to 10 per cent. They held that in the given facts and circumstances of the case, 18 per cent interest was justified.

Peach, mausambi dearer
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 6 — Even as royal variety of apple has registered its entry into the market, peach and mausambi have become costlier in the past four days.

After a survey of the local market, it was found that fresh crop of royal variety of apple had started arriving from Himachal Pradesh and was available today in city markets at Rs 50 a kg. In the wholesale market, the fruit was priced at Rs 550 per 15 kg pack. Till now, it was mainly 'Kinnauri' variety of the fruit which had been coming from cold storages in the region and was priced at between Rs 50 and Rs 60 a kg in the retail market.

Meanwhile, peach has become costly as its price has jumped up from Rs 30 to Rs 40 a kg in this period. Its wholesale price has increased from between Rs 220 and Rs 225 to Rs 300 per 7-8 kg pack. Traders attributed the hike to shrinking of arrivals of the fruit from Himachal Pradesh, from where the major share of it was coming these days, and to no arrivals from Punjab where the crop was already over.

The price of mausambi has also increased in this period. A dozen of it, priced at Rs 60 two days back, was available today in the market at between Rs 70 and Rs 80. Its wholesale price has increased from Rs 150 to Rs 185 per three dozen.

On the other hand, jamun has become cheaper in this period. A kg of the fruit, priced at Rs 40 three days back, could be purchased today at Rs 30. The wholesale price of the fruit has come down from Rs 30 to Rs 20 a kg. This fall in price was said to be due to sudden arrivals from surrounding areas of the city because of speedy ripening of the fruit. This was because the areas received considerable amount of rain in the past one week.

Another fruit which has staged its appearance in the city in the past four days is the 'Hyderabadi' variety of grapes, but it is priced high as a kg of it is available in the city markets at Rs 80.

There was no change in the price of a number of fruits. A kg of good quality of 'dasehri' and 'kupi' varieties of mango were still priced at between Rs 20 and Rs 25, respectively, in retail and at between Rs 110 and Rs 115 per eight kg pack in the wholesale market. The 'langra' and 'chausa' varieties were also priced at between Rs 20 and Rs 25 a kg, respectively.

A kg of plum was also available at its old price of Rs 40, while the same quantity of cherry could be had at Rs 80. There was no change in the prices of papaya and banana as these remained at Rs 20 a kg and Rs 20 a dozen, respectively.

Central sector CRPF win 5-game cliffhanger
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH July 6 — The central sector team was involved in a cliffhanger tie in their Pool D match against the north-east sector on the second day of the 8th Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Inter-Sector Volleyball Championship being played here at the police lines grounds, Sector 26.

The central sector finally won the match at 25-20, 5-25, 23-25, 19-27, 25-7, in a five-game thriller with Abdul Majid of the winners playing an important role.

In other pool matches of the day, the Rapid Action Force team downed the northern sector team in a Pool B match, 25-8, 25-9, 25-11. In a Pool C match played here this afternoon, the southern sector outplayed the Bihar sector team in straight games, 25-8, 25-10, 25-15.

In this seven-day tournament, 12 teams are taking part and they have been divided into four pools. the north-west zone sector is the holder of this championship and this time, they have been grouped in pool A along with western and eastern sectors. Pool B comprises Rapid Action Force, the northern sector and the special sector.

Three teams in Pool C are the southern sector, the Bihar sector and the J and K sector. In Pool D, the three teams put together are the north-east sector, the Nagaland sector and the central sector. All the matches are being played on a league-cum-knockout basis.

Tennis in schools

The Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association has written to eleven schools of the city to seek help in promoting tennis in these schools with the assistance of the CLTA. These schools have been identified on the basis of their interest in sports and the infrastructural facilities available there.

According to the sources, the CLTA will provide these schools with experts and coaching facilities so that grooming of budding players can be initiated.

The schools identified are DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8; Carmel Convent School, Sector 9; Sacred Heart School, Sector 26; St John's High School, Sector 26; Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School, Sector 27; Bhawan Vidyalaya, Sector 27; Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36; Vivek High School, Sector 38; Shivalik Public School, Sector 41; St Stephen's School, Sector 45; and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16.

Black-belt test

The Taekwondo Federation of India will organise a black-belt test on July 17 at Sri Kanteerva Stadium, Bangalore, according to Mr Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, President of the Punjab Taekwondo Association. These trials are open to the medallists and promising players who took part in the 17th Female and 7th Male Black Belt National Championships held at New Delhi.

The selected Indian taekwondo team will be trained at the World Taekwondo Academy Kukkiwon, Seoul, South Korea, to further participate in the SAF Games to be held at Kathmandu (Nepal) from September 25 to October 4 this year.

Gymnasts win

Seven gymnasts of 3 Base Repair Depot (3 BRD), Air Force, Chandigarh, were members of the Maintenance Command team which won the overall trophy in the 3 BRD Air Force Gymnastics Championship held at Administrative Institute, Belgaum recently.

In this meet, five commands of the Air Force took part. The Maintenance Command bagged the first position in aerobics and second position in gymnastics. The seven participants of the Chandigarh contingent were JWO Kalsi, Cpl Santosh, Cpl Sunil Kumar, LAC Padhi, Sgt B. Singh, LAC Rajesh V.P., Cpl D.K. Yadav along with coach JWO Bajwa of the 3 BRD.

New executive director

Col B.S. Ahluwalia (retd) has been posted as the new Executive Director (academics) at the Netaji Subhas Sports Authority of India, National Institute of Sports, Patiala. Mr Ahluwalia had earlier served as the Head of the Afro Asian Games at Delhi.

Prior to that, he was the Regional Director at the Gandhinagar centre of the SAI. He is likely to take the charge early this week, according to reliable sources.