C H A N D I G A R H

Zakir Rose Garden infested with weeds
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The budgetary provisions for the past three years for regrassing notwithstanding, the Sector 16 Zakir Rose Garden, the main venue of the Festival of Gardens , has its spacious lawns infested with weeds.

Senior UT officials may land in trouble
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Certain senior functionaries of the Chandigarh Administration may land in trouble following certain disclosures made by a Superintendent of the Administration before the Special Cell of the Central Bureau of Investigation here.

Pension scheme for PU retirees
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — After a long saga of proposals and cancellations for implementing a viable pension scheme for Panjab University employees during the past decade, another proposal, making employees who have retired after April 1, 1998, eligible, comes up for debate at the forthcoming Syndicate meeting later this month.

Complainants turn out to be accused
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The tables have turned on two women. From complainants in a modesty outrage case, they are now accused in a case of mischief and wrongful confinement of a SAS Nagar resident.

Drunk cop held
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — A Punjab police constable, Harbans Singh, was arrested from a public place in Sector 17 for creating nuisance while under the influence of liquor during the ongoing special drive launched by the Central police subdivision.

COMMUNITY

Cutting trees may attract penalty
SAS NAGAR, Feb 23 — Persons who cause damage to trees in the township may be in trouble. The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) is contemplating to take strict action against violators under the provisions of its existing plot allotment policy.

‘War affects women on borders’
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The Partition of India created a continued environment of violence in women's lives on the borders. The violence on contested borders like Kashmir is constant, as overlapping regimes control human lives. Sometimes this control is through physical violence and sometimes it is through nationalistic language.

Batra, Sagar remembered
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The atmosphere was emotional when parents of late Captain Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra winner, and Major Sandeep Sagar, who sacrificed their lives during the Kargil conflict, recall the memories of their children in a seminar on Menace of terrorism — post-Kargil scenario, organised at DAV College, Sector 10, here today.

Villagers seek new exchange
MULLANPUR GARIBDASS, Feb 23 — The Mullanpur Panchayat has sought the intervention of the Union Minister for Telecommunications to expedite the construction of a new telephone exchange building.

CRIME

Two arrested for gambling
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The Crime Branch has arrested two persons on the charges of gambling at public places in the city.

Clerk booked for beating colleague
SAS NAGAR, Feb 23 — A senior clerk of the local Municipal Council has been booked by the police for using derogatory language against and beating his colleague, a Dalit.

Man crushed by bus
SAS NAGAR, Feb 23 — Malu Ram, who was working as a clerk with a Zirakpur based transport company, Punjab Roadlines, was crushed by a Haryana Roadways bus of Yamunanagar depot last evening.

BUSINESS

Fear of price rise troubles student mind
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The Budget disinterest theory is wrong. Among teenagers that is. The "annual proclamation of financial catastrophe for families" matters to students too. For them, it is a saucy impertinent devil out to destroy pocket money's magical powers to purchase what "heart desires and daddy permits".

Haryana FC promises relief
PANCHKULA, Feb 23 — ‘’The double sales tax on the labour construction societies is under active review with the government and relief in this regard shall soon be granted’’, said the Haryana Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Mr L.M. Goyal, during the inauguration of the Headquarters building of the Haryana State Cooperative Labour and Construction Federation, in Sector 2, here today.

ITI chosen for staff training
SAS NAGAR, Feb 23 — The local hi-tech Industrial Training Institute of the Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training has been selected by the Department of Information System and Administrative Reforms to impart computer training to Punjab Government employees.

EDUCATION

Protest march by PU teachers
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — More teachers as compared to the previous two days assembled in front of the Vice-Chancellor's office in Panjab University here today, protesting in support of several service-related demands.

Rally by Punjab teachers
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Punjab Government college teachers held a rally in the city yesterday to protest against the casual attitude of the state government towards higher education and the inability to pay their arrears on account of revision of grades for the past 11 months.

Foreign students hold programme
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — A cultural programme marked the International Students Meet, an annual cultural function of foreign students studying in the university, organised by the Dean of Foreign Students, at Panjab University auditorium here today.

COURTS

Nominations filed for Bar poll
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Nomination papers for the post of District Bar Association president were yesterday filed by Mr Amar Singh Chahal, Mr N.K. Nanda, Ms Anita Ahuja and Mr Harish Chander Gupta.

Acquitted of murder charge
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — A city resident, accused of being involved in the murder of his wife, was today acquitted by the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi.

Rs 5.57 lakh relief in accident case
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Nearly two years after an HMT employee was killed after being knocked down by a Punjab Roadways bus, the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.K. Goel, has granted a compensation of Rs 5.57 lakh to his wife and other relatives.

2 acquitted in gas cylinder case
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Accepting appeals, the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr B. S. Bedi, acquitted two Patiala district residents accused of selling spurious gas cylinders.

HEALTH

Paediatrics conference from Feb 25
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — There is a need to improve the paediatrics intensive-care facilities for providing proper systematic treatment to critically ill patients in our country. With a view to achieving this, the Department of Paediatrics of the PGI will organise the second National Conference of Paediatrics Intensive Care under the aegis of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics Intensive Care Chapter from February 25 to 27 at the Advanced Paediatrics Centre.

Lecture on stapes surgery
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Prof S.C. Kacker, a former Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, delivered a guest lecture on Stapes Surgery, organised by the Department of ENT, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, here today.

PEC students donate blood
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — In all, 239 persons, including staff and students of Punjab Engineering College donated blood at a camp organised by the Lions Club Chandigarh Shivalik in collaboration with the State Bank of India and the college here today.

SPORT

Low turnout at SAI trials for STC
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — In all, 85 girls drawn from different parts of the country took part in the two-day trials conducted by the Sports Authority of India for admissions to the Sector 18 Sports Training Centre in athletics, basketball, volleyball and hockey.

Campus sportspersons honoured
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Panjab University campus sportspersons who did well in their respective disciplines in the year 1999-2000 were honoured with college colours and sport kits in a function held this evening on the PU campus.

ADMINISTRATION

Chief Commissioner for UT demanded
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — A demand for revival of the post of Chief Commissioner in Chandigarh was made at a meeting of leaders of local units of various political parties held at the UT Guest House here today.

Traffic curbs on rose fest days
CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The traffic police has made arrangements for the convenience of the general public in view of the three-day Festival of Gardens beginning on February 25.