Charges for building alterations fixed
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — The long-drawn exercise to amend bylaws for residential and commercial buildings has entered its final phase with the Administration notifying fee and charges for various alterations and violations in various buildings of the city.

The existing rules had limited or zero flexibility for permitting alterations or compound need-based violations by owners of buildings. One of the major problems faced by a large number of property owners in Chandigarh has been their failure to obtain a sewerage connection, which according to the old bylaws, was mandatory.

Earlier, the Estate Office used to treat completion certificate and sewerage connection as separate, but mandatory. Now, once you are issued a completion certificate or occupation certificate, it means that your building is complete in all respects. If you have not taken a sewerage connection, you are liable to pay a penalty. Previously, in such cases, property owners had to pay a large amount as “extension fee”, as without the “sewerage connection”, completion or occupation certificates were not issued.

Now, as part of the exercise to amend bylaws, the Administration has also fixed a fee to be paid by persons who do not have a legal “sewerage connection”.

In case of residential buildings, the composition fee for the regularisation of sewerage connection is Rs 5,000 for plots of upto 6 marlas (150 sq yards); Rs 10,000 for plots of between 6 marlas and 10 marlas (25 sq yards); Rs 15,000 for plots of upto 15 marlas (375 sq yards); Rs 20,000 for plots of upto 1 kanal (500 sq yards); and Rs 30,000 for plots measuring above one kanal (500 sq yards).

The compounding fee for industrial buildings will be Rs 30,000 for plots of upto 1 kanal and Rs 50,000 for plots of more than a kanal.

For semi-industrial buildings and dhabas, the compounding fee has been fixed at Rs 15,000. There are separate rates of compounding fee for shop-cum-flats and shop-cum-offices. In case of shop-cum-flats, the flat rate will be Rs 25,000. For shop-cum-offices (single bay), it will be Rs 50,000, while for two-bay/LCR/hotel premises, it will be Rs 75,000. For buildings in the category of more than two-bay/LCR and hotels, it will be Rs 1 lakh.

In case of government buildings and those of societies, the compounding fee has been fixed at Rs 5 per sq ft of the covered area of each unit. It will be Rs 10,000 per half acre for buildings of religious and cultural organisations, educational and the other institutes. For theatres, the compounding fee for the regularisation of sewerage connection has been fixed at Rs 2 lakh.

Faulty planning in fixing of metal railings
From Kulwinder Sangha

SAS NAGAR, Sept 24 — Funds are being wasted and residents put to inconvenience following faulty planning in the fixing of metal railings on the centre verges on main roads here.

Mild-steel railings had been planned to be fixed by the PUDA authorities on the centre verges of three main roads. Work on one of the roads, from the Franco Hotel in Phase I to the JCT chowk in the Industrial Area, has already been completed. The other two roads on which work is scheduled for completion extend from octroi post number 8 in Phase III (A) to the PCL chowk, and the road dividing Phases IX and X which leads to the Cricket Stadium from Chandigarh.

The Municipal Council had written letters in this connection to the Additional Chief Administrator of PUDA on August 4 and September 18. It had pointed out that a streetlight power cable laid on one side of the road divider had been damaged by PUDA workers while fixing the metal railings on the road from the PTL chowk to the JCT chowk, making the streetlights non-functional. The stretch has been in darkness for around six weeks now. The council had demanded stoppage of work and the replacement of the damaged cable on that stretch.

The council had further said that beautification had been done by PUDA on the verges by planting bougainvillaea. With the fixing of the railings on both sides of the verges, repairing of the power cable, whenever the need arose in future, would be very difficult.

The Superintending Engineer of the PUDA, Mr Sohan Singh, that the ground depth of the railing had now been decreased to avoid any damage to the power cable. In the case of a cable fault, the council could always dismantle the railings. He argued that the council had made concrete footpaths along the roads under which essential systems like stormwater and sewer pipes passed. To maintain these systems, sometimes parts of the footpaths had to be dismantled. A similar dismantling could also be done in the case of power cable repairs.

The SE declined to order repair of the damaged cable on the PTL-JCT chowk stretch, claiming that PUDA had not allocated any funds for such work.

However, council officials insisted that PUDA must compensate the civic body for the expenses incurred on setting the cable right. They wondered why a railing could not be fixed only on one side of the centre verge, away from the power cable. That would save unnecessary spending of public money.

Bank privatisation move opposed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — The government proposal to privatise public sector banks was opposed here today at the VIth Triennial General Conference of the State Bank of India Officers Association (Chandigarh circle) held here today.

Mr Shantha Raju, General Secretary of All-India State bank Officers’ Federation and President of All-India Bank Officers’ Confederation, condemned the government’s directive to the banks to introduce the VRS.

expressed his concern over the mounting NPAs he said there is a need to strengthen the recovery machinery. He asked the government to set up more Debt Recovery Tribunals, simplify the documentation procedure, bring about legal reforms to cover limitation of debts, equitable and mortgage, declare the dues to the public sector banks as the government’s dues for the purpose of recovery and publish the list of big wilful defaulters.

The Federation is also demanding a review of the existing systems and procedures for the officers who are working in a computerised environment.

He also asked the management to review promotion and placement policy, improve scholarship, medical facilities, introduce an incentive scheme in lieu of bonus, review compassionate appointment and conveyance reimbursement scheme.

Senior Vice-President of the Federation Amar Pal told the management to enhance the special area allowance in respect of officers working in hardship centres.

Mr Prabhakar Sharma, Chief General Manager, SBI, Chandigarh circle, was the chief guest .

Parents didn’t want marriage
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — Parents of the UT Home Secretary, Mr R.S. Gujral, and his wife, Manpreet, did not want their children to marry each other.

Family sources of Mr Gujral said his parents did not like the idea of their son getting married to Manpreet and that, too, in such a hurry. However, they relented later after Mr Gujral reasoned with them. Manpreet’s father, Mr S.S. Oberoi, said he had not been in favour of the match due to the 17-year age gap between Mr Gujral and Manpreet. Mr Gujral is about 47 and Manpreet 30.

Mr Oberoi said he had asked Mr Gujral and his daughter to wait for six months before marrying each other, but they had done thing in a hurry. Mr Gujral said he had hurried because he would have become the UT Home Secretary shortly and would not have liked to take a leave thereafter. Family sources said the other members of Mr Gujral’s family had also wanted that he should not marry Manpreet.

Mr Oberoi said his family had come to know about Mr Gujral through a family friend living in Sector 3 here. He said this person was a retired civil servant whose son was working in a nationalised insurance company. The families also had a common friend, he said.

He said he would not fight his battle with Mr Gujral in the media, but in court. He also alleged that the wedding ceremonies were performed in the house of Mr Gujral and not in Ludhiana. He, however, said he had no evidence of it.

Mr Gujral said all this was rubbish and was being said to malign his image. Mr Oberoi had also alleged that Mr Gujral had some land at Nada village near Panchkula. Mr Gujral said he did own a 2 acre plot there, but had already informed the government about it. He also said Manpreet had also seen the plot and she wanted to live in a farmhouse for providing her daughter with a long-term social security.

When asked why there was no conclusive evidence of Manpreet’s marriage to Vishal, he said it was due to certain customs followed in Indian marriages. He said there was a custom called chaddar pauna among certain communities in Haryana and Punjab for marrying the widow of an elder brother to one of his younger brothers.

Mr Oberoi said his daughter had slipped into a deep depression after reading the local newspaper reports about her on the Internet. “Our first priority is to save her life and some drugs have been sent to her to control the depression. She had tried to commit suicide a few years ago,” Mr Oberoi said.

Meanwhile, the Adviser to the UT Administrator, Ms Vineeta Rai, said the case concerned Mr Gujral’s personal life and he had promised that he would let it affect his official work. “Mr Gujral had met me on Saturday and regretted that the name of the Administration was being dragged into the issue,” she said.

She denied that there was any move to repatriate Mr Gujral.

Gujral aides consult astrologers

Astrologers have also been called to play a part in this story with many twists. Today, persons close to Mr R.S. Gujral, reportedly, sought the advice of some leading astrologers of Panchkula in this regard. These persons met the astrologers in the afternoon today. The astrologers refused to tell the Press anything in this regard, saying that this would be against their professional ethics.

Sources, however, said Mr Gujral’s stars were being “examined’’ indeed. Meanwhile, Manpreet’s father, Mr S.S. Oberoi, today, alleged that the telephones at his Sector 38 residence, his rented Sector 33 flat and his Ludhiana house were being tapped. He, however, said he did not have any evidence of it.

“I only suspect that the quality of voice that I hear on my telephones has changed, which can mean that my telephone is being tapped,” he said.

COMMUNITY

NAC status demanded
From Our Correspondent

NAYA GAON, Sept 24 — The residents of Naya Gaon, Janata Colony and Kansal village are demanding the status of notified area committee on the pattern of Zirakpur. They have also demanded that the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) should start given new water and electricity connections without any partiality.

Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, General Secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, while talking to The Tribune asked, ‘‘When Zirakpur can become the NAC then why not Naya Gaon?’’ He alleged that the government was adopting dual policy. He also urged PUDA to immediately allot new water and electricity connections and alleged that only influential and rich people were getting the connections.

Mr Kang said that the residents of the area were facing lots of problems because of the liquor vends at the entry point to the village and added that there should be no liquor vend around the educational institutes.

Increase in income from amla auction
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — The Central Soil and Water Conservation Research Centre (CSWC), Sector 27, has earned Rs 2.24 lakh this year by auctioning fruits from about 300 amla trees in its research farm near the Mansa Devi complex.

Centre scientists reveal that this good response from bidders proved that amla, earlier grown only in the plains, can be grown successfully in the foothill areas as well. According to Dr R.K. Aggarwal, Head and Principal Scientist, CSCW, amla is an excellent agricultural option, especially for the lower Shivaliks. “Scientific studies, especially conducted for these areas, have shown that amla is beneficial economically as well as natural resource management.” The centre has forwarded its recommendations to its research centres in other states as well.

Last year, the centre had earned Rs 1.12 lakh by auctioning the fruits from these trees. Amla is extensively used in the country for medicinal purposes, especially in ayurveda, cosmetics and consumed as vegetable, murraba and achar. The trees give fruits for more than 25 years.

According to Dr Aggarwal, the farm near Mansa Devi complex is a true representative of the area of the lower Shivaliks.” The lower Shivaliks have less depth of soil and is stony. Here agricultural production is not possible. Since here the soil depth is stony, afforestation as we are carrying out in the upper catchment areas of the Shivaliks is not possible,” says Dr Aggarwal. The centre, therefore, has recommended the Horti-Pastoral system for such areas. “ Pastoral means the growing grass or fodder. We strongly recommend planting grass as not only does it stop soil erosion but also provides excellent biomass.”

Besides, growing trees and grass together provides the best use of land. An amla tree requires less water and starts bearing fruits in about four years. Dr Aggarwal says for the lower Shivaliks, guava and amla, in combination with bhabbar grass, is the best option. “Bhabbar is a commercial grass, ideal for rope and paper making. Even if each tree is planted in an area of 6 ft x 4 ft, the area can be covered with bhabbar or napier grass. Napier is also useful as fodder for animals.”

However, out of guava and amla, the latter is found to be most profitable. Moreover, the amla trees can also tolerate saline water. Moreover, the Chakaiya variety of amla has been found most optimum for this type of land. The centre earlier used to get this variety from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh. Each plant used to cost Rs 15 to Rs 20. The centre now uses the grafted in-situ variety, prepared by its research farms which costs less than Rs 3 a plant. Advantage of at site preparation plant ensures low motility and high quality.

The centre had planted 300 amla trees in about 1.2 hectares in 1991 in its research farm near Mansa Devi. In its first year of fruit production in 1996, the centre earned Rs 27,000. During the next two consecutive years, the fruits from these trees earned Rs 1.03 lakh, which increased to Rs 1.29 lakh in 1998.

Rehabilitation move opposed
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Sept 24 — The Punjab Government's move to rehabilitate residents of Kumbra village living outside the lal dora has been opposed by the villagers.

The villagers lament that in spite of a note by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to do the needful in this regard, the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) was planning to rehabilitate the inhabitants at some other place. Mr Daljeet Singh, a resident of the village, said when the village was shifted from Phase IX some of the evacuees were given land outside the lal dora. 

PSEB authorities criticised
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Sept 24 — Residents of the HIG housing board flats in Phase II here today criticised the PSEB authorities for failing to give adequate time to them to pay their electricity bills.

They said the problem had been persisting for the past several months, and even though it had been brought to the notice of the officials concerned, no solution had been found.

The consumers said this time the bills for the June-August period were distributed on September 22, with the date of bill issue being September 10. The last dates for payment were September 25 (by cheque) and September 27 (by cash). As the PSEB offices were closed on September 23 (Saturday) and September 24 (Sunday), the consumers who were required to pay by cheque (Rs 2,000 and above) had been given only one day for payment and the others three days.

According to PSEB officials, under the rules a minimum of one week has to be given to consumers to pay their power bills.

Function to honour war veterans
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — An ex-servicemen’s rally and a function for honouring war veterans and disabled soldiers is being organised in Chandi Mandir cantonment by the Punjab Regiment on October 15.

In addition, a recruitment rally for wards of soldiers serving in the Punjab Regiment will be organised at Kalka on November 6 and 7, stated Colonel of the Punjab Regiment, Major-Gen S.K. Awasthy.

177 devotees donate blood
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Sept 24 — As many as 177 Sai devotees donated blood at a camp organised by the Shri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Panchkula Zone, at DC Model Senior Secondary School, Panchkula.

The organisation has been holding the camp for the past seven years.

Mr G.L. Dheer, state coordinator of the organisation, highlighted the importance of blood donation.

More than 100 persons of the organisation had also pledged to donate their eyes, said Mr Dheer.

The camp was organised in collaboration with the Blood Bank Society, PGI. 

Journalist bereaved
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — Mrs Satyawati (90), wife of late Kul Bhushan, retired District and Sessions Judge, died here tonight after a prolonged illness.

She was the mother of Mr Yoginder Gupta, Special Correspondent, The Tribune. She is survived by three sons and two daughters.

The funeral procession will start from their residence 3113, Sector 21- D, Chandigarh, for the Sector 25 cremation grounds tomorrow at 12 noon.

CHANDIGARH CALLING

THE city birds sanctury in Sector 21-B will soon be brought on the tourist map of Chandigarh. Ms Neeru Nanda, Chairperson of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO), after a visit to this place recently said: “We want to construct some viewpoints where people can sit and watch the birds closely”. The CITCO is also planning to launch a package tour for the school children soon.

The green parakeets, about 25000 in number, displaced from Panchkula area were attracted to a mango grove along the old Ropar road and made it their natural home. At the time of inauguration on October, 1988, the number of mango trees on the old Ropar road in the 2.90 hectares sanctury area was 18 with the passage of time 9 trees have either dried or fallen during the storms. Only nine are left. There is thus a need to save the grove by planting mango trees along the old road in the sanctury area.

Lucky place

Ambala is a lucky place for Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis. That is what he stated in a lighter vein while delivering the 11th Gian Chand Jain Memorial Lecture at Ambala last week.

He said that it was in 1955, when he was just 15 years old that he had heard of a place called Ambala. He was studying in a boarding school in Maharashtra and was enroute to Dehradun to appear before the Services Selection Board for joining the IAF.

He had reached Delhi to catch a train to Delhi. However, that year there had been unprecedented floods in northern India, throwing road and rail traffic totally out of gear. He recalled that the day he was to leave Delhi, the train was packed, with people hanging on to footboards and sitting on the roofs. To aggravate the problem, the Army Chief was also going to Dehradun via the same train and two coaches were booked for his entourage.

The Air Chief said that he was unable to board the train. There was no other train to Dehradun. His father told him to get information on other trains for Dehradun. Finally, a booking clerk told him that a train left Amritsar for Dehradun via Ambala at 2.30 a.m.

It was already 10 p.m. His father drove him to Abmala at night. The road was in a bad shape and it was a terrible drive, but he managed to catch the train to Dehadun and made it to the interview in time.

“Had I not heard of Ambala and reached there, I would not have been in the IAF and may not have been standing here delivering this talk on Aerospace power in the 21st Century,” the Air Chief commented. He added that he had visited Ambala thrice after that and each time the visit had been rewarding in some way or the other.

An achiever

Dr Harsh Mohan, Professor and Head of the Pathology Department since its inception at Government Medical College, Chandigarh, has been invited by Prof J.P.A. Baak of Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for attending one month’s International Cancer Technology Transfer Fellowship awarded by UICC, Switzerland.

UICC, based in Geneva, is International Union Against Cancer supported by a group of cancer institutes, societies, leagues, associations and governmental agencies in North America, Europe and Australia that grants fellowships to qualified cancer investigators to learn new skills.

During his visit, he will work on current technologies and applications of Quantitative Pathology for distinguishing borderline cases from early cancer of female genital tract and interact with pioneers in this field. This is a rare distinction and honour for the state-of-the-art institution.

Dr Harsh Mohan, who has been author of well-known textbooks of pathology, has recently authored two new books, Pathology Practical Book and Pathology Quick Review with MCQs based on fourth edition of his Textbook of Pathology also released simultaneously.

He is author of about 60 publications in scientific journals and has numerous presentations at different fora to his credit. He was honoured last year by the Indian Association of Pathologists and Microbiologists by conferring Fellowship of Indian College of Pathologists (FICP) for his contribution to the specialty.

Artificial limbs

Many Kashmiri civilians have visited the Navedac Prosthetics Centre in the past three years following injuries caused due to landmines in the strife-torn valley. The Navedac complex near Chandigarh Airport, has fitted hundreds of such victims with artificial limbs giving them a new lease of life and a better future.

The humane project, called “Operation Sadbhavna” started by the Army Development Group of 15 Corps has not only brought smiles to the faces of the victims of the landmines or Improvised Explosive Devices, as they are called in technical terms, but also those who had been left disabled in other accidents. These include cases, some as old as 20 years. For example 40-year-old Mohammad Amin, who lost his leg following a fire accident. Today, 20 years down the line, he is grateful to the Indian Army for giving him another chance to a better life.

Others from the valley too are always full of praise for efficient service of the centre and the help provided by the army. For them, life would not be a struggle any more.

CAPE book

Among the several books on environment educational and awareness, a new publication, “Saturday: school environment day” brought out by the Children’s Alliance for Protection of the Environment (CAPE) is the first document that links awareness with action in 24 weekly lessons.

The environment education should be culture friendly. All ancient Indian festivals are linked with environment protection and nature conservation. A functional matrix is drawn to connect the same with national and international days. Classical Indian music has between induced by nature, the sounds of animals and chirping of the birds.

India is one of the few countries of the world whose Constitution lays stress on protection and improvement of forests, lakes, rivers, wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures. Our national anthem “Jana Gana Mana ...” and national song “Sare Jahan se Achchha...” describe the geography and enchanting environment of India.

In this book there are 24 exercises that expose the student to the surrounding area to carry out activities with his own hand on 24 Saturdays in a year. The work load on Saturdays is less as compared to other days. Second, the students can take the message to his home, and the community around to do something on Saturdays.

Both Mr Rajiv Kher, Joint Secretary, and Mr Harjit Singh, Senior Advisor, ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, have supported the plan. “Saturday is school environment day”. This is not enough. The ministry should recommend the same to all states and UTs and announce incentives.

The book is written by Dr K.K. Garg, S.K. Sharma and Sawant Sharma with illustrations by renowned artist Satwant Singh. It is priced at Rs 100 and available from CAPE (phone: 746832)

—Sentinel.

CRIME

23 persons arrested
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — The police arrested 23 persons under a special drive against anti-social elements and drunks yesterday.

According to the police, during the drive led by Dr Sagar Preet Hooda, ASP (Central), several restaurants, wine shops, guest houses, discotheques, parks and other such places were raided.

Besides this, 14 special mobile nakas were set up to check drunken driving, over-speeding and negligent driving. The drive continued for over four hours. Action is being taken against those who are violating the Police Act and causing nuisance at public places.

The police said 14 persons were arrested from various places in the Central Subdivision. Those arrested are Mohan Lal, Bhagwant Prashad and Davinder Singh (Sector 22-B), Jarnail Singh (Sector 23-A), Ram Bhaj, Devi Dayal and Ramesh (Sector 22), Ram Kumar (Nawanshahr), Subhash Chand and Raj Pal (Colony No. 5), Sandeep (Sector 18-D), Vijay Kumar (Nayagaon), Narinder Singh (Sector 24-D) and Bahadur Singh (Dhanas).

Similarly, six persons who had put their pharis on public pathway, were arrested from outside the Sector 17 ISBT and main gate of the PGI. They are Raju (Dadu Majra Colony), Safi (Baramullah district of Jammu and Kashmir), Gurdeep Kumar (Kharar), Pradeep Singh (SAS Nagar), Bhupinder and Partap Singh (Khudda Lahora).

Two persons were arrested from near Himachal Serai in Sector 24 for driving vehicles under the influence of liquor. They are Hari Kumar (Sector 41) and Rakesh Kumar (Dhanas). Krishan Lal (Sector 8-C) was arrested near Sector 8-C for consuming liquor at a public place.

Gold chain stolen
Tribune News Service

The name of the persons admitted to the hospital were Usha Rani, Kanchan, Suraj, Ranjit, Jagtar and Kuldeep.

BUSINESS

Chemists threaten bandh on Oct 5
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — Mr Amarjit Singh and Mr Ashok Kumar were unanimously elected President and Vice-President of the Chandigarh Chemists Association. While the elections for all other posts were held today, the results for the posts of President and Vice-President were announced two days back.

Mr Vijay Anand was elected General Secretary of the association. Mr Rajinder Kumar won as Joint Secretary, Mr Vinay Kumar as Finance Secretary, and Mr Madan Mohan Chopra and Mr O.P Ahuja as patrons.

Mr V.K Jain, one of the opposing candidates for the post of President, had filed a case in the court for stay and inclusion of his name in the list of contestants in his capacity of being a partner of a firm. However, the court had dismissed the plea of Mr Jain yesterday.

Meanwhile, the executive committee of the All-India Organisation of Chemists met in Ujjain (MP) today to chalk out the future course of action for pressing their demand that all medicines should bear the prices, including taxes. This will put an end to the confusion that often arises between shopkeepers and customers. They have also appealed to the chemists’ associations to observe bandh on October 5 throughout the country to get their demand implemented.

Giving this information, Mr Prem Sagar Jain, former President of the association, said that negotiations had been going on with the government for the past about six months and they were awaiting some orders in this regard. The future plans would depend on this, he added.