C H A N D I G A R H

Zirakpur to have Rs 11.5 crore sewer system
ZIRAKPUR, Jan 8 — The Zirakpur nagar panchayat is planning to lay a sewer system at a cost of about Rs 11.5 crore and spend nearly Rs 61 lakh on street lights in the colonies and villages in its jurisdiction.

3 booked for forging documents
SAS NAGAR, Jan 8 — At least three persons of Nayagaon have been booked by the police for allegedly transferring a plot at Karoran village in Nayagaon in the name of one of them by preparing forged documents.

250 jhuggis removed
SAS NAGAR, Jan 8 — As many as 250 jhuggis adjacent to Jhota Kut Colony in Sector 71 were razed by the enforcement staff of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority on the second day of the drive here today.

Muslims offer prayers on Id
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — Fog and extremely cold weather notwithstanding, hundreds of Muslims converged at various mosques in the city to offer prayers to mark Id celebrations in the city this morning.

COMMUNITY

Well still caving in
KANSAL (Kharar), Jan 8 — Fear and distress still haunt the residents of this village, more than three weeks after the caving in of a well. The affected families have not returned to their houses, fearing more wall collapses.

Venkataraman to give Achint Ram lecture
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — A former President, Mr R. Venkataraman, will deliver the Lala Achint Ram Memorial Lecture at Lajpat Rai Bhavan, Sector 15, here, on January 9.

Traffic awareness week
SAS NAGAR, Jan 8 — Pamphlets are being distributed and posters put up here and in villages of this subdivision under the ongoing traffic awareness week.

68 died in road mishaps in 1999
KHARAR, Jan8 — As many as 68 persons were killed and another 83 seriously injured in different road accidents which were reported to the police in Kharar subdivision during 1999.

Kargil soldiers upset
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The government is feeling elated after freeing the hostages in exchange for the three hardcore militants.

Rs 21,000 donated for Kargil heroes
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — A delegation of the Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress Committee, led by its President, Mr Chandermukhi Sharma, met the Administrator of Chandigarh, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), and presented him a draft of Rs 21,000 for Kargil warriors besides submitting to him a detailed memorandum about various problems facing the city.

CRIME

Scheme to recognise cops’ services
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The personnel who have served the Police Department with distinction but have been affected by stagnation in the force would now wear the badge of the next rank under the own rank and pay scheme.

Woman found hanging from tree
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The police has recovered the body of a woman who had allegedly hanged herself from a tree near Faidan village today.

Patrolling intensified in Bartana
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — To counter the possibility of strikes by members of the kale kacchewale gang, which struck in Anand Vihar Colony, near Bartana, on Wednesday night, the city police has started thekri pehras in the villages of the periphery.

BUSINESS

Entrepreneurs continue to wait for basic facilities
SAS NAGAR, Jan 8 — Entrepreneurs at the Industrial Focal Point, Phase IX, here continue to wait for basic infrastructural facilities even after a decade of being allotted plots by the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation.

ST Department seeks more staff
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — After facing a problem of sales tax collection due to a severe staff shortage, the local Sales Tax Department has asked the Government of India to sanction more posts for the department to handle the problem of rampant sales tax evasion in the city.

EDUCATION

Science students at disadvantage for B.Ed.
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The National Council for Technical Education rules for the Bachelor of Education courses do not seem to fit in the undergraduate curricula scheme of Panjab University, putting scores of students in a helpless situation.

Stage set for PU council poll
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — Stage is all set for voting for seats of college teachers to be representatives of Panjab University's premier academic body on January 21.

Poor attendance in schools
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The persistent foggy weather has reduced greatly the attendance in schools on the periphery of Chandigarh.

Condition of primary schools deplorable
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The condition of government primary schools in the city is deplorable. Most of the students in these schools come from poor families. The teachers of these schools lament that nobody pays attention to their problems.

Testing time for students
MATOUR (SAS NAGAR), Jan 8 — It is a testing time for the students of the Government Primary School here as the continued dry cold weather has made matters worse for them.

Kendriya Vidyalaya annual function
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 31, yesterday held its annual day and prize distribution function at the Lecma Hall, 3BRD, Air Force station here.

COURTS

Marigold case hearing on Jan 18
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — Issuing notice to the state on an application for supplying "complete copies of the challan" moved by Director of Marigold Forests Rajesh Syal, the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr Pushvinder Singh, has fixed January 18 as the next date of hearing.

2 convicted for carrying liquor
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Baljinder Singh has convicted two persons for carrying liquor without valid permit and for disturbing the general peace under the influence of liquor in separate cases.

Bail granted in cheating case
CHANDIGARH, JAN 8 — The UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, today granted bail to District Sports Officer Om Parkash Puri in a cheating and forgery case.

Constables acquitted
CHANDIGARH, Jan 7 — The UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr A.K. Bishnoi, today acquitted two constables accused of injuring a city resident after wrongfully restraining him at the Inter-State Bus Terminus here.

CULTURE

Top artistes for ‘Lohri Dhamaka’
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — Top Punjabi folk singers and cine stars, including Preeti Sapru, Harbhajan Mann, Mika, Satwinder Bitti, Devinder Khannewala, Jaswinder Jassi, Sardool Sikander, Sarabjeet Cheema, Hira Dhami, Bindrakhiya and Manpreet Akhtar, will participate in Sundar Mundriye Ho, a “Lohri Dhamaka”, which is being organised by Alpha TV at the Sector 17 Parade Ground on January 10.

Cultural contest to hunt for talent
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — An inter-school City Beautiful Cultural Dance Competition was organised by Rising Scholars at Tagore Theatre this evening to identify fresh talent among students in the field of culture.

Workshop on acting, dancing
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — "I have not left Mumbai, but come here to train and guide those who are keen to join the film or the television industry," said renowned Bollywood actress and dancer of yore, Madhumati whose 'Madhumati's Art and Cultural Workshop' was inaugurated this morning at S. D. Saini School, Sector 38.

HEALTH

Cancer ‘more prevalent’ in 2-8 age group
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — Anjana was three when she was first brought to the Department of Paediatrics, PGI with symptoms such as unexplained prolonged fever, anaemia and bluish patches on the body.

Civil Hospital functioning hit
SAS NAGAR, Jan 8 — The supply of power to the local Civil Hospital was disrupted yesterday, affecting patients and work.

SPORT

Jha XI beat Soni XI
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — Chandigarh I Commissionerate of Central Excise and Customs, led by S.S. Jha, Commissioner, outplayed Chandigarh II Commissionerate, led by I.R. Soni, by 21 runs in a cricket match played at PCA Stadium, SAS Nagar, today.

Tushar enters under-14 semis
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — Tushar Liberhan of St John’s High School moved into the last four of under-14 boys section of the Lake Club Tennis tournament, being held at Lake Club courts, here today.

Sidhu memorial polo match
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — To observe the first death anniversary of an internationally famed polo player, Lt-Col Sukhjit Singh Sidhu, a memorial Polo match was organised at Patiala, where his family members were also honoured.

ADMINISTRATION

Rail ticket counter fails to materialise
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The opening of a railway ticket reservation counter at Panchkula has once again run into rough weather. This is not the first time that the project has failed to take off.

Traffic week from Jan 11
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The traffic police will organise traffic week from January 11 to create awareness among the people about the need of obeying traffic rules. The Traffic Warden Cell of the department would also take part in the event.