C H A N D I G A R H

Two days of showers, thunderstorms leave behind trail of destruction
Power and water supply hit, telecom links snapped, roundabouts flooded
CHANDIGARH, May 5 —Disruption in power and water supplies, snapping of telecom links, choking of stormwater gullies, tearing of trees and vehicles getting struck in crates in recently repaired roads are all normal fallouts as and when the city is lashed by intermittent showers.

Darkness engulfs city at 4.30 p.m.
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — Heavy rain accompanied by wind at a speed nearing 90 km per hour lashed the city and its surrounding areas for the second day today. The Meteorological Department has classified the wind speed as a ‘’squall’’, while rain water clogged the city roads, especially near the roundabouts located in the southern sectors.

• Squall, rain in region
• BBMB engineers happy

Administration all set to roll back ST hike on automobiles
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — After being isolated on the issue of imposition of 12 per cent sales tax on the sale of automobiles, the Chandigarh Administration is all set to roll back the hike in ST that had come in force in the city from May 1. Earlier ST was 4.4 in the city.

• Nagrik sabha plea on ST

COMMUNITY

Cops suspended for illegally checking vehicles
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — An ASI posted in the traffic wing and a Head Constable of the police control room (PCR) have been suspended, while two Home Guard volunteers have been dismissed from service.

Commendable charitable work by city gurdwaras, temples
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — Voluntary services are being provided in almost all gurdwaras and temples in the city. Free medical facilities are being provided by many aided institutions which give relief to the poor.

Tension at Yoga Sabha Divya Mandir
PANCHKULA, May 5—Tension at the Yoga Sabha Divya Mandir, Sector 7, is mounting yet again with Mr ML Vairagi, Secretary, Panchkula Yoga Sabha, alleging that one of the inmates of the institution is running a dairy illegally on the premises, while Ms Shashi, the in charge at the temple, says that some ``anti-social elements are trying to spoil the name of the mandir’’ for vested interests.

Ex-CM’s grandson held for drunken driving
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The police arrested 12 persons, including the grandson of a former Chief Minister of Punjab, from the central police subdivision during a special drive launched late last night.

SDM seeks time
SAS NAGAR, May 5 — Even as the Punjab Government has rescheduled the election of the local municipal council for June 18, the Sub-divisional Magistrate, SAS Nagar, Mr Jaipal Singh, has written to the State Election Commission seeking one week’s extra time before the final voter list of the local municipal council was released. As per the election schedule of the Election Commission, the voter list had to be released today.

Sector 40-D residents allege discrimination
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — Residents of Sector 40-D have accused the enforcement staff of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) with adopting a discriminatory attitude while carrying out demolitions in Sector 40-D yesterday.

AWWA chief visits Command Hospital
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The President of the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), Dr Ranjana Malik visited the Western Hospital at Chandi Mandir today. She is accompanying her husband, Gen V.P. Malik, who is here to participate in tri-service war game meet, Exercise Brahmastra.

Power cuts irk residents
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — Residents of the MIG Complex of the Chandigarh Housing Board in Sector 61 have complained of frequent power cuts in the sector.

Photographic society plans website
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — To promote photography, the Photographic Society of Chandigarh (PSC) has decided to launch its own website.

CRIME

Body found near road berm
PANCHKULA, May 5 — The body of a 35-year-old man Mukhtiar, a resident of Buddanpur and hailing from Uttar Pradesh, was found today morning from a road berm in Sector 16.

BUSINESS

CADA to open branch offices in Panchkula, Parwanoo
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The Chandigarh Automobile Dealers’ Association (CADA) today took a unanimous decision to open their branch offices in Panchkula (Haryana) or Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh) if the Chandigarh Administration did not accept their request for rolling back the enhanced sales tax.

EDUCATION

Vocational training centre
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — A vocational training centre was started by Surya Foundation in Raipur Khurd village to train adolescent girls and women in the trade of stitching, tailoring and beauty treatment.

HEALTH

Ethics committee educates doctors
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The Ethics Committee of the Chandigarh Ophthalmological Society, which met here today, outlined certain minimum standards which the opthalmologists should observe during practice. The committee said they should do so to avoid unnecessary surgery and save themselves from getting bogged down by the Consumer Protection Act.

Lectures on hypertension
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The PGI Doctors’ Alumni Association will be organising an update on diabetes and hypertension on May 13 at PGI Lecture Theatre 1.

Day care surgery — an emerging trend
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — We have already imported ‘coke’ and ‘Mc Donald’ culture from the USA, now is the turn of the day care surgery unit. Such a unit is a facility where a surgical procedure can be performed under general anaesthesia or regional anaesthesia without overnight hospitalisation. Usually it is situated in the same campus of a hospital or away from it — with a reception, operating rooms and a recovery.

Anti-malaria drive launched
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — The Director, Health Services, UT, Dr Joginder Singh, this morning launched anti malaria drive in the city by flagging off various teams. These teams were pressed into action for the treatment of the choe area running through Sectors 3, 10, 16, 23, 36, 42 and Attawa.

SPORT

Indian hockey needs money: Cedric
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — ''Hockey in India needs Vitamin M (money) to get the desired results," said Cedric D' Souza, a former Indian hockey coach. He was in the city for a few days in connection with his Alchemy Sports Promotion Network (ASPN) programme. The programme was launched to promote general physical fitness levels in school children of the city.

Young roller hockey stars
CHANDIGARH, May 5 — Young achievers owe their success to the support of their parents, coaches and institution. Priyanka Sharma and Amrita Singh, both aged 14 and roller-skating champions, are no different.