C H A N D I G A R H

HMT offers land to NZCC in lieu of investments
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — After realising that Rs 5 crore invested in bond certificates of a public sector undertaking have sunk, the North Zone Cultural Centre is considering an offer from the PSU to take land in lieu of the cash.

13 city cops may face reversion
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — As many as 13 officers of the Chandigarh Police, presently posted in the airport security, are likely to face reversion in rank when they report for duty on July 22.

Chaudhary rejects offer to shift to India
PANCHKULA, July 14 — The deposed Fijian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhary today rejected a suggestion to come to India, his country of origin, in the worsening condition in the Pacific nation and vowed to fight for the restoration of democracy.

“We will build joint future on past links”
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — He has long been associated with the activities of the British Council all over the world and his job, as Minister (Cultural Affairs), British Council Division, has involved supervision of programmes initiated by the council worldwide.

COMMUNITY

Should driving licence age be lowered to 16 ?
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Prashant Goel, (Student) : No doubt the Motor Vehicle Act says that no one below the age of 18 will drive a vehicle except a 50 cc moped. But in the changed scenario this rule is not appropriate because driving is a skill and there is no age limit to learning a skill.

Amarnath Yatra arrangements
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The Shiv Shakti Seva Mandal, Chandigarh, has arranged five buses and seven Sumos for the Amarnath Yatra.

Red Cross meeting on July 18
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The Haryana state branch of the Indian Red Cross and the St. John Ambulance Association will hold its 27th annual general meeting on July 18. The meeting will be attended by the executives of the state branch of the society.

Should Chandigarh have an international airport?
Chandigarh was conceived as the state capital of the joint Punjab in lieu of Lahore by the late Mr Partap Singh Kairon with the blessings of the first, Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It became a Union Territory on Nov.1, 1966, on the trifurcation of Punjab and became the state capital of the Punjab and Haryana. The Western Command HQ shifted to nearby Chandigarh.

Residents hold dharna
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Members of the MIG Residents Welfare Association, Sector 46-C, yesterday sat in a dharna against the issuance of notices to the allottees, who had allegedly made illegal encroachments on government land.

Guru Purnima celebrations
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The executive of the Shirdi Sai Samaj will celebrate Guru Purnima on July 16 at 6, Sector 29-A.

Riar re-elected SAD unit chief
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Mr Gurpartap Singh Riar has been re-elected president of local unit of the SAD, according to a press note issued by Mr Kirpal Singh Badunger, Secretary of the party.

Rotary chief takes charge today
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Dr Vanita Gupta, will take over as president of the Rotary Club Midtown tomorrow.

CRIME

Body found near liquor vend
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The body of a Sarangpur resident was recovered by the police from near a liquor vend late last night.

BUSINESS

Punwire employees end fast
SAS NAGAR, July 14 — A 24-hour fast, observed by employees of Punwire in support of their demands, ended here yesterday.

E-funda for Internet awareness
CHANDIGARH, July 14 —To spread Internet awareness among the kids of Chandigarh the exercise called E-funda has been started from today. The school-going children aged 7-15 years can enroll themselves for a start-up session on the Internet at any of the computer wizkids centers across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.

Demonstration by bank officers
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — On a call given by the All India Bank Officers Confederation  more than 400 officers of various banks participated in a demonstration held here yesterday. Similar rallies were organised in Jalandhar, New Delhi and Patiala.

Bandh call in Panchkula
PANCHKULA, July 14 — The Beopar Mandal Panchkula has given a bandh call in the township tomorrow. A decision in this regard was taken at a rally held in the Sector 12 market here today.

EDUCATION

Rechecking sets things right
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Certain social studies students of New Public School, Sector 18, have a cause to rejoice since their marks have increased after their original mark lists were sent for rechecking.

Senior secondary class result
SAS NAGAR, July 14 — The result of the arts stream of the senior secondary-level examination of the Punjab School Education Board is expected to be declared tomorrow though no official confirmation in this regard was available.

• Prayaas timings
  

CULTURE

Paintings exquisite, expressions divine
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Adorning the images of gods has been the forte of a particular clan of artists from Tanjore, who are highly revered in the field for their knack of dressing up the images with gold and other rare stones.

HEALTH

Blood donation camp today
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The Thalassaemic Children Welfare Association will organise its sixth blood donation camp in Lecture Theatre-I of the PGI tomorrow in order to meet the ongoing shortage of blood groups during the summer months. It will be inaugurated by Mrs Shanta Abhilashi, Mayor, Municipal Corporation.

195 persons donate blood
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — As many as 195 persons donated blood at a blood donation camp organised by the Chandigarh Blood Donor’s and Welfare Association and the Lions Club, Panchkula central, at the Sector 17 bridge market today. The camp was organised in the memory of Shruti, who died eight years ago in a building collapse at Shimla.

SPORT

Carrom tourney begins today
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — As many as 84 participants, including 15 women, will vie for top honours in the Raj Kumar Babuta Memorial prize money carrom ranking tournament which begins here tomorrow at St. Stephen’s School, Sector 45.

ADMINISTRATION

Pension benefits enhanced
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Under the pension scheme the widow pension has been enhanced from Rs 250 to Rs 450, children pension from Rs 115 to Rs 150 and children orphan pension from Rs 175 to Rs 250, according to a statement issued by Mr M.L. Meena, Regional PF Commissioner (I). Moreover, EDLI benefits have also been enhanced.

2000 kundi connections removed
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The UT Electricity Department today removed over 2,000 kundi connections from Colony No 4 in the Industrial Area here.

Revised power policy for rehri markets from August 15
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — The revised policy governing the release of new electricity connections and tariff for the rehri and day markets will come into force from August 15.

1,275 eucalyptus trees auctioned
CHANDIGARH, July 14 — Keeping in view the proposal to develop the Pocket No 1 in Mani Majra on the Chandigarh-Kalka road, the Horticulture Wing of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh yesterday auctioned over 1,275 eucalyptus trees in front of the Shivalik Enclave here.

• Driving licences on smart cards

• Strike call given

• Levy sugar