C H A N D I G A R H

Advisory Council draws flak
Scramble for nominations to status symbol body
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — There are more protests than appreciation for the 60 member Administrator’s Advisory Council, a widely representative and perhaps the biggest body nominated by the Administrator.

Vigilant conductor averts bomb blast
CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — For 23 passengers of a Haryana Roadways bus headed for Katra yesterday, Ram Kumar proved to be a messiah. His alertness averted what would have been a major bomb blast.

CITY MARKETS — 1
Awaiting basic facilities for 15 years
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Despite claims to the contrary, the city markets continue to be in a state of drift. The Sector 38 (C and D) market here is a case in point where even the basic facilities continue to elude the shopkeepers and shoppers even after over 15 years.

COMMUNITY

Bhattal addresses Congmen in Panchkula
PANCHKULA, Feb 17 — Alleging the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to be a party of turncoats who had deserted their respective parties in their lust for power, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Chief Minster of Punjab, said that there was a similarity in the functioning of the INLD, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Akali Dal. Slowly, the three were leading their respective states towards destruction. Ms Bhattal was speaking to media persons after addressing a meeting of party workers here today.

Interaction with party candidates
PANCHKULA, Feb 17 — An interaction with the candidates of national parties, the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Haryana Vikas Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, was held at a function, Ru-Ba-Ru organised by the Panchkula Press Club.

Workshops on road safety
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — A non-government organisation, Altruist, has started organising workshops on road safety in various schools of the city. Students of St Anne’s Convent School, Sector 32, YPS, SAS Nagar, Mount Carmel School, Sector 32, and Sanjay Public School, Sector 44, have already undergone training in these workshops.

Use of solar energy stressed
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — “Environment-friendly use of energy is the need of the hour” said Prof S.K.Sharma, Director of the Energy Research Centre, while addressing a workshop on popularising solar equipment, at Panjab University here today.

Nagar Kirtan procession
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — A nagar kirtan procession was taken out from the Sector 30-A gurdwara Sri Guru Ravi Dass to mark the birth anniversary celebrations of the Guru. The procession passed through various areas, including Sectors 20, 21, 22, 17, 18 and 19 before concluding at the Sector 30-A gurdwara. The police had made elaborate security and traffic arrangements for the procession.

Fair at temple begins today
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — The two-day annual fair in connection with the Magh Chaudas Purnima begins at the historic Mata Jayanti Devi temple, 12 km from here, on February 18, according to temple Pujari Chander Muni.

SPCA's Kindness Club opens
Chandigarh, Feb 17 — The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) today organised a function at Government High School, Sector 40, to inaugurate the SPCA Kindness Club in the school.

CRIME

Cheated on job promise
Chandigarh, Feb 17 — Mr Pritam Chand, a resident of Sector 45, reported that Paramjit Singh, a resident of Chuhar Majra, took Rs 15,000 from him on the pretext of arranging the job of a peon for his son in the State bank of Patiala in the city. He neither returned the money nor fulfilled his promise.

Youth commits suicide
Chandigarh, Feb 17 — A resident of Sector 23 allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself here today.

BUSINESS

Traders observe bandh
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — On a call given by the Joint Action Committee of the Traders Association of Sector 17, a half-day bandh was observed in Sector 17 against the “implementation of the obsolete building bylaws.”

Cyber Cafe opens
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — The City’s first “E-connect” Cyber Cafe was inaugurated in Sector 35 today.

Music store to be opened today
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Music World, a CD and cassette store, will be inaugurated by Kumar Sanu in Sector 17 tomorrow.

EDUCATION

Section transfer flayed
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Speculations on the transfer of a couple of posts from the Lexicography Section to the regular Department of Punjabi in Panjab University has made regular teachers severely criticise the move.

COURTS

Students’ plea allowed
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Mr Justice V S Aggarwal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed the writ petition filed by Nidhi Bharti and two other students of Ambala Cantonment who inter alia had sought direction to the Central Board of Secondary Education for allowing them to appear in the plus two examination to be conducted in March, 2000.

Minor convict freed on probation
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Convicting a 13-year-old Dhanas resident in an assault case, the UT Principal Magistrate of Juvenile Court, Mr Sant Parkash, and member, Mr Jasbir Singh, today released him on probation.

Contempt notice to SHO
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — On an application seeking the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the Station House Officer of Sector 17 police station in a complaint case, the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today issued notice for March 7.

CULTURE

Pianist-sculptor jugalbandi
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — A unique jugalbandi of a French composer-pianist and a sculptor of the region will be organised here on February 19.

HEALTH

Organ transplant discussed
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Organ transplant is the greatest success story of the century. Over the past three decades, the technique has evolved from being only an experiment in the human biology to an accepted form of treatment for patients suffering from end-stage organ failures. This was said by Sir Peter J. Morris while delivering a lecture on transplant surgery at Lecture Theatre I of the PGI here today.

Conference on kidney transplant from today
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Various aspects of kidney transplantation and problems in the liver, bone marrow and pancreas transplantation will be discussed during the 12th annual conference of the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation (ISOT-2000) being organised by the Department of Nephrology, PGI, at Bhargava Auditorium from February 18 to 20.

SPORT

Sunita, Ashok are best athletes
CHANDIGARH, Feb 17 — Sunita Chandel, a BA II student, was declared the best athlete of the year at the 44th Annual Athletics meet of the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, today. Sandhya, a BA III student, was adjudged the all-round best player of the college.