C H A N D I G A R H

Workers lay the foundation of the overbridge at Bhankharpur level crossing on the Ambala-Kalka national highway near Dera Bassi. — A Tribune photograph

Western Command to have website
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — After having initiated a massive computerisation drive, Western Command is set to launch its own website on the Internet. Army Headquarters as well as Northern Command have already launched their own websites to project certain military-related activities as well as to provide general information to the public.

Rain fails to dampen Lohri spirit
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Lohri was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in the city, notwithstanding the rain and a fall in the night temperature.

Distress sale of Maloya booths
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Barely a year after the auction of booths by the Chandigarh Housing Board in the Maloya Colony here, distress sale is in full swing on account of illegal shops functioning from the residential premises and the non-development of the shopping complex.

COMMUNITY

Rain water floods certain roads...
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Intermittent rain accompanied by thunder continued to lash the city and its surrounding areas for the third consecutive day today, making it seem more like a day during the monsoons than in the middle of January.

• ...and makes villages slushy

Cabinet decision hailed
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal has hailed the decision of the Union Cabinet to appoint a fresh commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Plea to widen ‘killer stretch’
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — A stretch of a particular road connecting SAS Nagar with the city, where two young girls were crushed to death yesterday, has become a ‘killer stretch’ if the number of accidents is any indication.

CE corrupt, say HUDA staff
PANCHKULA, Jan 13 — Employees of the Haryana Urban Development Authority organised a rally from Sector 8 to the office of HUDA here as their strike entered its 16th day yesterday.

CRIME

60 women cops to be recruited
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The Chandigarh police will conduct a special drive to recruit 60 women constables shortly. According to Mr Ajay Kashyap, SSP (HQ), said this was being done, following instructions from the UT Administrator.

Eve-teaser arrested
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The police has arrested a resident of Sector 20 on charges of eve teasing.

BUSINESS

PU gets hi-tech Rs 1.5-crore phone exchange
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — A new telephone exchange with a capacity of 1,000 lines opened in Panjab University here today.

ST on most items likely to go up
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Sales tax on a majority of items is expected to go up by the end of this month or early next month as the Chandigarh Administration has notified items on which the Union Government wants that all states and union territories should levy a uniform sales tax.

EDUCATION

Schools violating directive on timings
PANCHKULA, Jan 13 — A local school, contrary to orders issued by the Deputy Commissioner, did not allow students to enter the premises after 9 am stating that their school begins at 8:55 am.

Making maths more accessible
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Ever imagined that with square sheets of paper the concepts of circles, cones, triangles and cubes and also angles could be made clear? Or that even the matters of weights and measures could be understood with the help of brightly coloured square pieces of paper?

Lohri celebrations cancelled
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The Panjab University Campus Students Council in a press release here today said that Lohri celebrations by the council for this year had been cancelled due to a violent incident recently in which Harmeet Singh, a Law student, lost his eyes recently.

St John's team tops in debate
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — An inter-school debate was organised by the Chandigarh Librarians Association in collaboration with DAV Public school, Sector 8, here, today. The topic of the debate was "Computer will take the place of books in 21st century."

PU results to be computerised
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The examination branch of Panjab University has ushered in computer application for better management of the annual examination results and related records. The first beneficiaries are the undergraduate classes.

COURTS

Concealment of facts alleged
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Alleging concealment of facts by Spice Telecom, the Punjab Additional Director General of Police, Mr P. Lal, in a complaint to the District Consumer Forum, has asked for a compensation of Rs 5,00,000.

Jerath supplied documents
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The Engineering Department kickbacks case continued today, with certain documents being supplied to former Chief Engineer K.K. Jerath by the prosecution.

CULTURE

A water colour painting by Ajay Kumar Samir on display at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16, Chandigarh.— A Tribune photograph

Images of tradition CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — An exhibition of water colour paintings by Ajay Kumar Samir has opened at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16. The 19 works done by him in muted colours sketch a ritualistic and traditional impression of his surroundings. Paash philosophy highlighted CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — A Punjabi play Main ghah han, based on the philosophy of Paash, a revolutionary Punjabi poet, was staged at Panjab University here last evening.

HEALTH

Lamenting less pay, PGI doctors see brain drain
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The Executive Committee of the Faculty Association of Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research at a meeting held today alleged that the Central Government's decision to turn down the Bakshi Committee recommendations on the pay scales of faculty members was contrary to the assurance given by it to the Delhi High Court earlier.

Kids to be given Vitamin A dose
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Vitamin A solution will be administered to children along with the fourth round of pulse polio immunisation on January 23. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held yesterday under the chairmanship of Dr V.K. Kak, Director-Principal of the GMCH, Sector 32.

GMCH-32 website opened
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Lieut-Gen J. F. R. Jacob, PVSM (retd), Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Chandigarh, today launched the official website of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 by clicking a key of the computer.

National medical conference begins
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The 25th Annual National Conference of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India got underway with multi-subject pre-conference courses, including a hands-on training programme, at the CII Convention Centre here today.

SPORT

UT athletics team chosen
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The Amateur Athletic Association of Chandigarh has selected a 13-member UT team to take part in the 15th National Inter-State Junior Athletics Meet to be held at Salem (Tamil Nadu) from January 19 to 23, according to Mr Ravinder Chaudhary, Secretary of the association.

Minister’s scheme for sports department
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The UT Sports Department, which will conduct the state-level school tournaments in athletics, basketball, handball, hockey and volleyball from January 19, will come under the revised scheme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, under which Rs 2 lakh has been sanctioned.

Harjinder triumphs in grannies’ golf
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — Nothing seemed to deter the grandmothers at the Chandigarh Golf Club on Thursday, not even the biting cold and dense fog.

ADMINISTRATION

Row delays overbridge construction
DERA BASSI, Jan 13 — Although the Punjab Public Works Department (B&R) has not given the green signal to start work on the railway overbridge at the Bhankharpur level crossing on the Ambala-Kalka highway, the construction company is ready to start work.

Holiday in UT today
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The Chandigarh Administration has declared Friday, January 14, as a public holiday on account of the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh. This holiday is under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

VIP security may be cut
CHANDIGARH, Jan 13 — The security cover provided by the Chandigarh Police to a close aide of a former UT Administrator will be withdrawn while it will be reduced in the case of others.