Wednesday, September 8, 1999
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N E W S Wednesday, September 8, 1999 |
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weather spotlighttoday's calendar |
Wildlife staff to get
firearms Chandigarh, Sept 7 — The UT Wildlife Department has decided to issue firearms to forest guards and other officials to ensure effective protection of wildlife in reserved area around the city. The decision has been taken in accordance with a judgement of the Supreme Court in the Centre for Environmental Law (an offshoot of the Worldwide Wildlife Fund) vs Union of India case. The petitioner, expressing concern over the depletion of wildlife in the country owing to poaching and 'outdated' laws, had sought directions for the respondents to make arrangements for better protection of wildlife and environment as 'sustained growth of wildlife was a fundamental right of people and an inherent aspect of the right to life, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution'. The Supreme Court, in its decision last year, directed all state governments and union territories to provide forest guards with modern arms and communication equipment within six months to check poaching in sanctuaries and natural parks. Some state governments complied with the directions within the time frame and the deadline was extended for others for six months to enable these to make the necessary arrangements. Accordingly, the process for acquiring arms was initiated by the UT Wildlife Department last year and was almost completed by it after facing bureaucratic wrangling. To comply with the order, the department procured six single barrel .12 bore pump action guns and two pistols from Kanpur. Though the department was yet to get the pistols, it acquired the six guns, considered a better option than double barrel guns for civilian security. According to sources, a major reason for the delay in acquiring arms was a delay on the part of the UT Administration in exempting wildlife officials from getting arms licences, mandatory for anybody intending to keep firearms. Under Section 59 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, there was no need for wildlife staff to procure arms licences. Though there has been no major incident of poaching in the UT during the past three or four years, guns and pistols will be issued to 16 forest guards and other officials of the department who have been deputed to man the forest area, including the 32-acre reserved area in the catchment of Sukhna Lake. Mr H.S. Sohal, UT Chief Wildlife Warden, said arms would be issued to officials after they got necessary training in handling firearms. "We have got three officials trained at the Jabalpur Gun Carriage Factory and the rest are going to follow suit soon," he said. He added that the wildlife staff had been equipped with wireless sets. The Supreme Court had also directed the Union government to ensure settlement of rights as far as sanctuaries were concerned. In the case of the UT, rights have been settled as far as the City Bird Sanctuary and the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary are concerned. The final notification
has been issued by the UT Administration in both cases.
Residents of Sector 21 have been allowed to enter the
City Bird Sanctuary. There is no such right in case of
the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary as the entire land belongs
to the Administration. |
PUDA notices for violating
bylaws SAS NAGAR, Sept 7 — Continuing with its drive against the violations of building bylaws, the local estate office of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) has served over 500 notices on the allottees of residential and commercial premises in the township. According to sources in PUDA, at least 125 notices under the PUDA Act have been served on the owners of commercial buildings for violating the building by-laws by extending the back courtyard of their respective premises. An official said such violations were throughout the township. The notices had also been served on the owners of over 350 residential houses for using the premises for commercial activity in violation of the building by-laws. Besides, some private schools being run from residential premises have also been served notice. The notices have been
served on the basis of a survey conducted by the estate
office. |
Deepti criticises 'pelvic age' CHANDIGARH, Sept 7 — "Vulgarity in Hindi songs today shows that film-makers take the audience to be buffoons and even a little retarded. I call today's age as the 'pelvic age', where hero and heroine simply gyrate to the music", said actress Deepti Naval, at a press conference in Art Folio, Sector 9. She was in the city today not to interact with the audience as an actress but as a poetess and a photographer. Today evening, she read out her poetry and tomorrow, her exhibition of photographs would be inaugurated at Art Folio Gallery. For someone who has acted in films like 'Kamla', Saath-Saath', 'Chashm-e-Badoor', 'Panchvati' and 'Ek Baar Phir', and has written and directed a television serial 'Thoda Sa Asmaan', Deepti Naval comes across not only as a sensitive actress, identified with parallel cinema, but also as an artist. She says, "There was always this need to express myself, so whether it was painting or poetry or photography, it just happened. But essentially, I am an actress, and when I look at myself, I look at an actress." On the need of a censor board in the country, she said she did not agree with it vis-a-vis its views on serious films like 'Bandit Queen' or 'Elizabeth'. Having herself been a member of the revising committee of the Censor Board, "where I had to watch a whole lot of rubbish films", Deepti said the board needed to grow up. "We cannot handle nudity, but can certainly handle double-meaning songs and the vulgar PT like gyrations", she added. Talking about her transition from the world of Bollywood to the world of poetry and photography, she said, "All this was always a part of me. But, it is only now that I am getting the time for doing all that I had been dreaming of." Asked about forthcoming film projects, she said, "I am working on a script right now, but that is all I would like to say at this point." Forgettable character roles, like the ones she did in 'Yalgaar' and 'Saudagar', are a taboo for this actress right now. "I have to feel old to do the predictable 'bhabhi' or 'ma' kind of roles. Yes, I might join this bandwagon, but later on in a few years time." Now, she is hopeful that the phase of films like 'Bombay Boys', 'Hyderabad Blues' or even a 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' will carry on, "because I do not really see a slot for myself in most films." "I certainly do not fit into the age group where I am being pushed. I like what I am doing right now, because I like to take off once in a while, since I do have some sort of a vagabond streak in me," she added. Born at Amritsar, alumnus of Sacred Heart Convent, Amritsar, and then a couple of years at Palampur, Deepti considers herself "half-Punjabi and half-Pahadi". But, after her family's migration to New York, from where she majored in painting, Deepti says that she is a "bit of a New Yorker as well". It was in front of a huge audience that actress-cum-poetess-cum-photographer-cum-painter, Deepti Naval read out her poetry which talked about yearnings of a woman, pleas of an unborn foetus and the "art of self-destruction", at the Art Folio today evening. Most of the audience had come out of curiosity to see the actress in flesh and blood who had acted in films like 'Kamla', 'Mirch Masala' and as the adorable Miss Chamko in 'Chashm-e-Badoor'. But, once Deepti read some lines on her struggles and survival both as a woman and as an actress, it was the poet who remained with the audience, at the end of it. Today, Deepti read out her unpublished pieces of work, penned in English. There were requests from the audience to read out some of her poems in Hindi from a volume titled 'Lamhey-Lamhey'. 'Between Smita and I', a poem that she had penned on her friend Smita Patil, went down very well with the audience. The audience which largely consisted of women, seemed not only moved by the poetry of a Hindi film actress, but also identified with her when she talked of love and the act of love-making. Tomorrow, an exhibition
of her photographs titled 'In Search for Another Sky'
will be inaugurated by Mrs Satinder Dhawan, Municipal
Councillor, at 6.30 in Art Folio. |
Sub-Inspector suspended Chandigarh, Sept 7 — The UT Inspector-General of Police here today suspended a sub-inspector posted in the economic offences wing for grave misconduct and dereliction of duty. According to sources, SI Pyare Lal, was entrusted with an investigation pertaining to a case registered against Alpine Floritek Limited, an agro forestry company. A case under Section 406 \ 420 \ 120 - B, had been registered at the Mani Majra police station after investors complained that the company had refused to honour its agreements and pay back the money invested with the company. The investigating officer SI Pyare Lal did not submit his progress report in the case and the department also received a compliant that he was playing a partisan role in the case and was in league with the accused. It was alleged that although the IO had seized the records of the company, no action had been initiated. When questioned by senior officers about the lack of progress in the case, he refused having seized the records or having prepared a recovery / seizure memo, which is mandatory in such cases. No case diary had been maintained, and neither had he examined any witnesses under Section 166 Cr PC in this context. Following this, the office of Pyare Lal was raided by Mr S C Abrol, DSP, Detective. The voluminous record of the company was found in the office without the proper seizure/ recovery memo by the raiding party. The DSP reported that this was an act of omission on part of the officer and the very fact that he had not brought the seized documents on the official record but had been keeping them in his office unauthorisedly clearly indicated that he had been trying to help the accused for ulterior motives. Such an act amounted to grave misconduct and dereliction of duty, he added in his report. Following this, the sub-
inspector was placed under suspension. A departmental
inquiry has been ordered and Mr S C Sagar, DSP, Security,
has been appointed the Inquiry Officer. He has been
directed to conduct the inquiry on a day-to-day basis. |
Police remand for magistrate CHANDIGARH, Sept 7 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.S. Lamba, who is also Special CBI Judge for Chandigarh, today remanded M.S. Walia, Judicial Magistrate, in police custody for two days. Walia was arrested by the CBI in connection with a case registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case was registered under the directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. In his request for police remand of Walia, the CBI stated that Walia was not cooperating with the investigating agency. The case was registered by the Chandigarh Police on a complaint lodged by the Registrar of the High Court. Later, Walia had applied for anticipatory bail. During a raid conducted on his house by the local police as many as six FDRs, documents of a benami house, one rifle and documents showing his share in a house in the city were seized. Walia was posted as
Judicial Magistrate at Kharar. |
Constitute agencies, CHB tells MIG
residents CHANDIGARH, Sept 7 — With a view to maintaining the common portions and services,the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has asked the residents of MIG housing complex in Sector 61 to constitute registered agencies. The property allotment committee (PAC) of the board has decided to place the allottees of different blocks in groups for the purpose of constitution of the agency to carry out special repairs and maintain common portions and services to the satisfaction of the CHB relating to the dwelling units falling within the respective blocks. According to a letter, the allottees had been given 10 days' time to constitute the agency and apply to the Chairman of the board, Mr Balbir Singh, for the registration. A meeting had been called for the purpose of the registration of the agency on September 17. It may be mentioned that as per the provisions of the Chandigarh Housing Board (allotment, management and sale of tenements) Regulation, 1979, the PAC is required to prepare a list of allottees/hirers and place them in groups for the purpose of constituting the agency. Every successful applicant is required to become a member of the agency to be formed formed for the purpose of the maintenance of the common portions and services for these houses/blocks in accordance with the CHB regulations. The letter to the allottees said since the grouping was not done earlier, under Clause 5(i) of the allotment letter, you were treated as the agency for the purpose of Chapter !V of the regulations until the agency was formed by the groups of the allottees and you were made responsible for ensuring that no obstruction was caused to the use of common portions and services. The agency will discharge such duties and responsibilities as are specified in the regulations and agreements made for the proper maintenance, running, upkeep and keeping in good repair common services of such property as have been allotted to its constituent members. Besides,it will pay on behalf of the agency and members all rates, taxes, fees, charges and other municipal charges as provided in the regulations and agreements executed with the board. While looking after the interests of the constituent members, it will also execute with the board agreements, lease deed and other documents as specified in the regulations. The agency and the constituent members would ensure that no damage or deterioration to the property handed over to the allottees was caused and no installations or equipment connected with and provided as part of water supply, storm water drainage, electricity and other services tampered with. The letter made it clear that no construction within the property should be made without the prior sanction of the board. Likewise, no obstruction to a person duly authorised should be caused so as to create difficulties in the discharge of duties in connection with the matters arising out of the management of property. Moreover, no obstruction to common portions such as the occupation of the common space, staircases and approaches should be caused and no garbage or refuse thrown within the precincts of the property or outside it. On similar lines, no
vehicle will be parked with a view to obstructing the
movement and property would not be misused to create
insanitation and nuisance. |
‘Nutrition Week’ concludes CHANDIGARH, Sept 7 — the Dietetics Department of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, organised a food and nutrition quiz for senior residents of the GMCH on its premises here today. Today was the concluding day of 'Nutrition Week'. The quiz was held to augment nutritional awareness among medical experts. Ms Madhu Sodhi enumerated the activities undertaken by the department during the week. The quiz-master for the day was Ms Manju Mathur, Chief Dietician. There were ten rounds in the quiz. The team of Dr Kamalpreet of the department of Dentistry and Dr Sudhir K. Khurana of the Department of Forensic Medicine won the first prize. The team of Dr R.K. batra of the department of Surgery and Dr Rajiv Mittal of the Department of Paediatrics won the second prize. Prof V.K. Kak, Director Principal, GMCH, gave away the prizes. PANCHKULA The 'Nutrition Week' was also celebrated at Barwala. It was organised by the Food and Nutrition Board of Government of India. Besides special lectures on nutrition and health care, especially for children below three years, many contests among 'anganwadi' workers were held in the block. Prizes were awarded for competetions in cooking, poster-making and slogan-writing. A 'healthy baby' contest
for children below three years was also organised. Ms
Joginder Kaur, CDPO, Barwala, presided. |
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Teachers' Day
celebrated The highlight of the day was that teachers of the school were replaced by pupil teachers, who took classes for a day and taught their fellow pupils. Ms Harjinder Kaur, a former deputy mayor and councillor, who was the guest of honour, called upon students and teachers to become role models in whatever field they chose in life. Later, she gave away prizes to the outstanding participants of the day. Vaibhav, the pupil principal, presented a vote of thanks at the end of the function. 5-day management programme
begins During the programme senior railway officials will be delivering lectures on basic management principles. The Commercial Manager, Northern Railway, Mr Aslam Mahmud, will deliver a lecture tomorrow. International Literacy Day celebrated Dr C.L. Narang, programme coordinator, said it was unfortunate that the maximum illiterates were found in India. They were estimated at 45 crore which was significant at the dawn of 21st century. Lack of education affected the development activities. It was indeed a matter of concern because Indian civilisation figured among the most prominent ones in the ancient times, he added. Dr S.N. Singla, principal of the college, said superstition, misconception and illiteracy troubled India at the threshold of the new century. The others who spoke on the occasion included Dr Maghar Singh, NSS officer, Dr D.K. Dhawan from Panjab University and Prof B.P. Yadav, programme officer of the GCM. Literacy day falls on
September 8. |
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