 |
|
| Thursday, October 5, 2000, Chandigarh, India |
|
|||
|
UT-Ludhiana
link plan derailed CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — The much-awaited and delayed Chandigarh — Ludhiana rail link plan has once again been derailed. The latest flare-up is over the acquisition of 11 acre of land located in two separate places in Chandigarh. Almost four acre of this is forest land. It cannot be denotified and work cannot start until the Forest Department is offered equal land in lieu of these four acre. This is a mandatory requirement under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The Railways has asked the Chandigarh Administration to provide land to the Forest Department in lieu of the forest that will come under the railway line. On the other hand, the Administration is refusing to give land on behalf of Railways. Already 113 acres of prime land have been given on nominal rate of Rs 1 lakh per acre which is a very low rate compared to the prevailing rates of land in Chandigarh. Senior officials are of the opinion that the Railways is asking for too much. The Administration has suggested the Railways to part with four acres out of the hundreds of acres of land it has along the Chandigarh — Panchkula road. Under the Forest Conservation Act equal area of cultivable land has to be given or double the degraded land has to be given when ever forest land is used. Incase the requied forest land is less than a hectare ( 2.50 acres) the clause of land in lieu of land does not apply. Another issue is of the seven acres of land acquired in excess by the Chandigarh Administration. The Railways says it will be not pay for this at the market rate but at the rate that was fixed earlier. Even the acquisition is not in a straight line as desired by the Railways. Already the three parties in the project — the Chandigarh Administration and the Punjab Government on the one hand and the Railways on the other have locked horns over the issue of land acquisition for the project. The Railways has objected to the rate for acquiring land being sought by Punjab, sources said while adding that Punjab was asking market rate while the project was planned at a much lower acquisition rate. Punjab is asking almost Rs 8 lakh per acre on an average whereas the Railways is not prepared to pay such a price as acquisition itself will eat up into a major portion of the project. No payment has been made to Punjab in this regard so far. Verbally railways officials have expressed their anguish saying that the project will not take off at the present pace and the hurdles being posed. On land acquisition, a source said the state government concerned acquires the land and then passes it onto the Railways. |
|
Petrol dealers to protest tomorrow CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — On a call given by the Federation of All-India Petroleum Traders, petroleum dealers of the city will stop lifting petrol and diesel from their respective oil companies from October 6. No petrol or diesel will be available at local pumps after the pumps sell out the petrol they procure till October 5. Six company-owned petrol pumps in the city will not participate in this strike and petrol and diesel will be available on these pumps. Dealers of Punjab and Haryana say owners of tankers will not collect petrol or diesel during this period. Three demands — proper quality check on oil supplied by companies, increase in commission of dealers and provision for temperature loss — have been raised. The dealers say the oil companies do not show the quality of petrol and diesel at the time of delivery. While dealers are checked and held responsible in case of discrepancy relating to quantity or quality, dealers have no way, except density check, to ensure that the petrol or diesel they receive is of the right quality. "When we receive the product, it should have passed all quality checks. How can a dealer be held responsible for the quality of the product which has not been checked when it arrives at his pump," says Mr Amanpreet Singh, general secretary of the Chandigarh Petroleum Dealers Association. The dealers say none of them are equipped with equipment like octane tester or mini-lab, which are essential for comprehensive test of petrol. Another grievance of the dealers is regarding loss of quantity due to temperature. "We receive petrol and diesel from the companies through trucks after verifying the quantity at ambient temperature. Due to highly volatile nature of the two products, the dealers lose 100 to 200 litres per supply on account of evaporation, but have to pay for these. The companies do not charge for the same from the company-owned petrol pumps," says another dealer. The commission of dealers has been reduced over the years. From 8 per cent four decades ago, the commission has been reduced to nearly 1.5 per cent, dealers complain. Other demands are implementation of marketing discipline guidelines and reimbursement of demand draft charges. The strike is part of a nationwide stir by petroleum dealers. It is likely to hit the consumer badly, who is suffering due to the hike in fuel prices by the Union Government and imposition of MST and increase in sales tax by the UT Administration. |
|
Rs 8 cr IAF equipment lying unused CHANDIGARH, Oct 4— Inadequate planning and failure to specify vital qualitative requirements on the part of the Air Force has resulted in the non-utilisation of radar communication equipment worth over Rs 8 crore since 1996. According to information available here, Air Headquarters had, in September,1996, procured 30 units of radio relay equipment from the public sector to provide a faster and secure communication link to mobile radar units from their operational locations. These units, procured at a cost of around Rs 7 crore, were to be used for passing operational data round the clock to accomplish the task of meeting low-level, high-speed threats. Specially fabricated containers mounted on vehicles were required to house the communication equipment and for the purpose 30 one- ton vehicles were procured at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crore. These vehicles, however, did not have the required superstructure for incorporating containers which could house the communication equipment and its accessories along with the technical crew. Air Headquarters had grossly underestimated the cost of fabrication of containers and it could not be included in the earlier sanction for vehicles. The IAF, moreover, did not include the cost of support equipment like cables, power back-up units and batteries in the original proposal. This required additional funds of about Rs 1.7 crore. The proposal for additional funds was initiated by Air Headquarters in February, 1997, and received the sanction of the Defence Ministry only in December, 1998. A note issued by the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) some months ago stated that the vehicles procured for housing the equipment had been parked in the open since their receipt in 1996 and the exposure to weather may have caused deterioration. The IAF attempted to make the equipment functional by mounting it on trolleys, but a note by the Air Headquarters' Directorate of Operations stated that the equipment was not being optimally utilised on account of the unavailability of support equipment. Further, a query by the CAG on the impact of mounting the equipment on trolleys from the operational and safety aspects did not elicit any response from the Ministry of Defence. It was only by October, 1999, that the qualitative requirements for the containers and support equipment were finalised, but, according to information available, the requisite equipment is in the process of being procured. Despite a total expenditure of more than Rs 8 crore, critical radar communications have been deprived of the requisite degree of mobility due to the non-identification and non-specification of vital details, besides undermining the servicibility of vehicles procured for the purpose. |
|
Link road
or sewer? SAS NAGAR, Oct 4 — Residents of Kandhala, Dharamgarh and Rurka, located in the SAS Nagar subdivision are facing problems due to a badly damaged link road of the villages. A 300-feet stretch of road has been damaged as sewer water of Kanadal village flows towards Dharamgarh village. The link road is used by residents of several villages in the area for going to Chandigarh. At times the road-users have to wade through mud and slush. Teachers and students of the primary and middle school at Dharamgarh and Rurka villages suffer the maximum. The issue was raised at khula darbar held recently by the Deputy Commissioner at Majhat village. The Dharamgarh panchayat gave a demand letter in this regard to the Deputy Commissioner. The Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) who was also present on the occasion had directed that a pucca channel be built to carry the dirty water within eight days but nothing had happened, said Mr Randhir Singh, sarpanch of Kandala village. |
|
Lawyer injured in
scuffle with colleague PANCHKULA, Oct 4 — A 67-year-old local lawyer, Mr Karan Singh Saini, was hospitalised following a scuffle with another lawyer, Mr Satish Kadian, which took place yesterday afternoon on the court premises. Sources informed that what began as a heated exchange ended with the two coming to blows while other lawyers made attempts to separate the two. Trouble began in the afternoon when Mr Saini pulled up one of his juniors, a woman advocate, for laxity in work. Mr Kadian, who was witness to the dressing down, stepped in to argue with the senior lawyer on her behalf. As tempers rose, the two exchanged fisticuffs and hurled abuses at each other. Immediately after the scuffle, Mr Saini, in a complaint to the Chief Judicial Magistrate, stated that Mr Kadian caught him by his neck and assaulted him, besides abusing him. He alleged that the assault resulted in temporary loss of consciousness and if others had not intervened, he would not have been in a position to bear the fatal blows. Mr Saini alleged that Mr Satish Kadian, a son of Mr Om Prakash Kadian, SP, Chief Minister's security, attacked him for lodging a complaint of assault on lawyers with his father. The SHO of the Sector 5 police station was directed to register a case. Soon after this, Mr Kadian reported the matter to the police. A case under Sections 323, 254 and 506 of the IPC was registered. Mr Satish Kadian denied allegations of a scuffle on the court premises or outside. He admitted that he had a heated exchange with one of the lawyers who was misbehaving and that it was an internal matter. Members of Mr Saini's family said he had been hospitalised following the scuffle with Mr Kadian, after he had vomited blood. They added that his condition was stable. |
Damages for failed sterilisation PANCHKULA, Oct 4—After holding that Bhagwanpur resident Champa Devi entitled for claiming damages from the Haryana Government following the failure of the Naraingarh General Hospital to successfully perform a sterilisation operation, Panchkula Civil Judge (Senior Division), Mr Ved Pal Gupta, today decreed her suit for recovery of Rs 54,000. Seeking the recovery of Rs 1 lakh as damages, Champa Devi had earlier stated that she became pregnant and gave birth to a girl even after undergoing a sterilisation operation on January 18, 1986. The operation, she had added, was conducted by Dr S.K. Gupta. The doctors concerned, the plaintiff had claimed, had assured her that she would not bear any child in future as the operation had been performed successfully. Claiming to be a daily wager, her counsel added that due to her daughter’s birth, the plaintiff had suffered not only mentally and physically, but also financially. The counsel added that the plaintiff was entitled “to get a sum of Rs 1 lakh as compensation and damages for the carelessness and negligence to perform sterilisation”. Going into the background of the case, her counsel had stated that Champa Devi, a mother of four children, had approached the hospital after she came to know about the “sterilisation scheme’’ floated by the Haryana government. Taking up the suit, the Civil Judge observed, Champa Devi, as already stated above, is a labourer, belonging to the weaker section of society. She already had four children before she underwent the operation. She is entitled to claim damages from the state government to enable her to bring up the child, at least till the child attains majority. In his 13-page order, he added that it would be appropriate if the plaintiff is given the amount of expenses which she would have incurred, at least at the rate of Rs 3,000 per annum, in bringing up the child upto the age of majority, i.e. 18 years. “Thus it is held that she is entitled to claim damages of Rs 54,000 instead of Rs 1 lakh as claimed by her, along with interest at 12 per cent per annum, from the date of institution of the suit, till the payment of the decreed amount.’’  |
|
New look for Patiala Devi Temple CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — The Patiala Devi Temple, adjoining the Mansa Devi shrine, will soon have a new look with the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) all set to finish the conservation work. The ASI that started the restoration work in October last year is giving it final touches. The task of structural repair that was taken up by the ASI following the request of the temple management, which had released an amount for the purpose. The repair work involved conserving the miniature sikhars using lakhori bricks and composite mortar. The temple dates back to 1840 and was built by former Maharaja of Patiala, Karam Singhs to pay obeisance to Goddess Mansa after conquering the surrounding hilly areas. Constructed in the North Indian style the temple has pyramidical roots over its three entrances. The architectural design of the tower is unique in its form with miniature shikhars shaped attachments. The temple is located at a level highest of all temples situated adjacent the Mansa Devi shrine. It is said that the Maharaja used to look at the tower of the temple from his fort at Patiala. The small towers of the temple were damaged by trees that grown up in large numbers over the span of years. The management got the trees pruned but the problem could not be checked as the roots continued to damage the historical temple. The management then approached the ASI. The temple which is originally made of lime stone and pebbles stands at a height of 80 feet. The work at the temple was very difficult as the labour had to reach up to the top of the temple for repairs. Secondly the ordinary construction material could not be used for the same as it was a very fine work on the shikhars and the material was altogether different. The only thing left is the polishing of the temple and the temple will look new within a few days. |
Abandoned by kin, she now begs to survive CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — Ever since Premo Rani was termed as an unwelcome obligation by her only son whom she had reared with her flesh and blood, old age has become a long winter of neglect for her. Now every day dawns dull and grey for the 75-year-old woman who no more remains a family asset. She has been drawn to the streets, courtesy her near and dear ones. About a month ago, Premo’s only son asked her to get out of his house along with her indisposed husband Ram Singh. Ever since she has been forced to beg alms for survival. And as she carries the burden of abandonment on her lean and infirm shoulders, her heart keeps bleeding — partly on account of her man who never keeps well, partly on account of her son who has turned a cold shoulder, and mainly on account of the disgrace she has been subjected to in the last stage of her life. When Chandigarh Tribune tried to trace the cause of her distress, she broke down. For her, to think is to be full of sorrow. “Don’t ask me what happened. Remembering the sequence of events that have forced me to loiter around in Sector 17 for begging pains me further. All I know is that I have no home, no hearth left. I can’t even say who did this to me.” But many people who see her coming to the busy sector every morning as a routine for managing a few bucks, know it all. Says a vendor who is a witness to the disgrace which the old woman has to bear daily, “Her son is responsible. He has thrown out his parents at the behest of his wife. Probably the two were too much of a burden on them.” Gradually Premo also gets talking, and informs that she used to live with her family in a remote Uttar Pradesh village which she remembers as Shadra. She says: “We sat in a government train which brought us here. We had thought that some of our other relatives would support us, but nothing such happened. So now we sleep anywhere.” Adds another vendor, who sits near Khadi Ashram in Sector 17, “The two lived at the bus stand for may days. Later they also mentioned that they went to Bapu Dham to see some relatives. But now they are generally here. The woman comes here every morning, and keeps begging for money from the passers by.” Though she has a tough routine, her Premo Rani’s physical state suggests that she cannot go on like this for long. She can barely walk straight, and in the mornings she has to keep resting at intervals after wandering about in the hope of alms. “But people are good. Koi mujhe chai ke paise de jata hai to koi khana hi de jata hai. Dukh to bahut hai par chara bhi koi nahin.” Tears roll down her cheeks as she recalls her days in Daya village of Haryana. “I worked very hard to get my child educated. Although he studied till 10th, he had to sit at the shop later. I was always very fond of him, and I know he will call me back soon, says Premo. Her eyes rest in peace as some hope dawns upon them. “He has also sent a message asking us to come back,” she says, although her eyes seem to belie her statement. “ While most of the people around treat her tragedy as genuine, there are some others who maintain that she is lying. “This is a story she has concocted just to make sure that she has a good reason to beg,” says a rickshaw-puller who parks his rickshaw in the Sector 17 stand. Others, however, discount the statement. “Why should she do this. We all know the condition she is living in. She is going through a tough time.” |
|
Mission adopts
lepers’ colony CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — The local Leprosy Welfare Mission, founded and headed by Mr Prem Singh Bhutte, has adopted the lepers’ colony at Ropar to look after the welfare of its inhabitants. Mr Prem Singh said the colony was in a bad shape and its residents were facing a lot of problems. They needed financial and other support immediately. The mission would try to rehabilitate lepers elsewhere as the colony was located at an unhygienic place. Mr Prem Singh said Mr Gopal Singh, president of the Ropar Guru Nanak Kusht Ashram, had given him a list of demands of lepers. The mission would try to fulfil these by seeking help from the district administration and other organisations. Mr Prem Singh said other members of the mission, like Mr S.S.Pathania, Mr Amrik Singh, Mr Balbir Singh Sewak and Mr Bant Singh Deep, would also collect medicines for lepers who were facing acute shortage of the same. Lepers could not afford to buy medicines. The mission would also organise medical camps for lepers and those suffering from skin diseases in labour colonies in Chandigarh. |
|
Sikka's passion
for 786 CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — He does not like it to be called his obsession. Collecting currency notes ending with 786 is a passion, says Mr S.P. Sikka of Sector 22, a retired inspector in the Cooperative Department, Haryana, who has more than 600 currency notes of different denominations, all with their numbers ending with the same three digits. His collection is worth more than Rs 45,000, but he plans to collect such notes amounting to Rs 1 lakh before the end of this year. His treasure contains some very interesting currency notes also, like one having two different numbers. A 100-rupee note in his collection has a seven-digit serial number. He has another 100-rupee note, the serial number of which is 786786. A 100-rupee note has irregular cutting and its last three digits are 784. This 64-year-old started collecting such notes in May 1997. When he started making the collection, it was for fun. But now, when he receives his pension, instead of counting the amount first, he shuffles through the wad of notes to see for the number 786 as the last three digits. At times, people find him crazy doing all this, he admits. After retirement he worked as an accountant at a shop in Sector 17, where he used to exchange all such currency. He is thankful to his friends who have helped him in his collection. He hopes to see his name in the Guinness Book of Records for his feat. |
|
Adopt stray animals,
says SPCA CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — The local chapter of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) observed World Animal Welfare day by organising a rally, here today. The SPCA, on this occasion, distributed pamphlets urging residents to adopt the stray animals. According to the president of the society, Mr Jasbir Ralhan, the problem of stray cattle and other animals is increasing in the city. The SPCA hospital in Sector 38 carries out treatment of injured and sick animals. Besides, it also carries out animal birth control measures for stray dogs and cats. The stray animals need compassion. We try and educate people to come forward and adopt them,” says the president. |
|
READERS WRITE This refers to the report “Rest house that offers no rest” (Chandigarh Tribune, September 24). The in-charge (Assistant Director, Tourism) of Chandigarh Tourism at the ISBT in Sector 17 sends foreign tourists to private guest houses where they are charged exorbitantly. This is what happened to us recently. It could be the main reason why the Tourist Rest House at the ISBT remains neglected. The in-charge is also not helpful to foreign tourists. We suggest that an efficient person with a pleasing personality should be posted in his place. There is an urgent need for a tourist hotel for low-budget tourists and a camping ground to enable them to enjoy the sights of Chandigarh. LATORE SABRINA (France) and MARTIN LEHMANN-WALDAM (Germany) Open Hand After the formation of the UT of Chandigarh in 1966, the administration started publishing Open Hand. It was published regularly for several years in Hindi, English and Punjabi and carried an account of the activities of the Chandigarh Administration. It also used to carry some readable articles by eminent writers. The Director of Public Relations has adequate staff and other facilities at his disposal, but Open Hand has ceased to be published. Chandigarh is the only UT in the country which is not bringing out its official magazine. I call upon Ms Rai to see that this magazine is revived as soon as possible. NARINDER SINGH |
2 commit suicide in Mauli Jagran CHANDIGARH, Oct 4 — A youth committed suicide, while a married woman was found dead mysteriously inside her home. Both incidents took place in Mauli Jagran, located in the north-eastern side of UT, bordering Panchkula, this evening. A 20-year-old youth from UP, Ram Avadh, living in Mauli Jagran with his uncle allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his house here this evening. The police is looking into the various angles on his suicide. In another incident, Pinki, aged about 27 years of age was found dead on a bed in her home. The door had been bolted from inside, police sources said while confirming the death. The exact cause of her death will be known only after a postmortem. Purse snatched Minor abducted Cyclist hit According to police sources, Mohinder Singh, the Canter driver, has been arrested and a case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC has been registered in the Industrial Area police station in this regard. 3 cars stolen In a similar case, another Maruti car (CH-01P-5381) owned by Mr Sanjeev Gupta, a resident of Sector 10, Panchkula, has reportedly been stolen from outside SCO 827 in Sector 22, Tuesday. Another car (CH-01-T-0350) owned by Mr Jagmeet Singh of Mansa Devi Complex, was stolen from outside the KC theatre complex in Sector 17. Cases under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code have been registered in Industrial Area and Central police stations. SAS NAGAR Case registered According to information available, a sub-inspector, after investigating into the matter found that the allegations levelled by the lawyer, Mr Hari Singh Mann, was false and unfounded. Assaulted |
|
Sales Tax Department
official held SAS NAGAR, Oct 4 — An Inspector of the Sales Tax
Department, Punjab, posted at the Balongi sale tax barrier was today booked for allegedly accepting a bribe from a farmer, who had come to sell trees to a local unit. The Inspector, Surinder Singh Sethi, was arrested by a team of the Punjab Vigilance Department on a tip-off given by the farmer Dilbagh Singh, a former sarpanch of Jandiala Kalan in Ropar district. Police remand for two KHARAR, Oct 4 — Ms Neelam Arora, Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, today remanded Rajinder Singh and Jagtar Singh of Jandpur village in police remand till October 5. The two were arrested by the Kharar police in connection with the death of Dilbag Singh of the same village on March 23. The police got the post-mortem conducted and according to the medical report, the death was because of some poisonous substance. The police has registered a case against five residents of the village, under Sections 306, 120-B and 34 of the IPC and has arrested two persons. |
|
Bus-car collision: four dead SAS NAGAR, Oct 4 — Four occupants of car died when their vehicle was involved in a head on collision with a bus PRTC bus near the Lakhnour village here this evening. The occupants were coming from Rajpura after attending a ceremony in connection with the marriage of a daughter of one of the victim, Jagdish Rana. The marriage was scheduled for tomorrow. While three of the occupants died on the spot, one of the victim, Jagdish Rana died on way to the GMCH Hospital in Sector 32, Chandigarh. Two of the victims - Jagdish Rana,a resident of Phase 11 and Tek Chand, a resident of Mubarakpur in Derabassi - were employees of Punjab Tractors Limited. Another victim, Varinder Kumar, was a resident of Sector 37 in Chandigarh. The identity of the fourth person, brother of Jagdish could not be ascertained. The bus (PB-11- N- 0773) was going from Chandigarh to Patiala and the car (CH-01-M- 9817) was coming from Rajpura. The accident took place when the car, while overtaking a tractor trolley, hit the bus coming from the opposite side. The driver of the bus, Nirmal Singh has been arrested and booked under Sections 279 and 304 A of the IPC. The bodies of three of the victims have been kept at the Civil Hopsital in Phase 6 here and the body of the fourth victim is at the GMCH, Sector 32,
Chandigarh. |
|
House ransacked PANCHKULA, Oct 4 — Household goods worth Rs 30,000 and a sum of Rs 70,000 were stolen from a house in Sector 12-A while the occupants of the house were out of town. The theft took place when the owner and his wife were away to Hoshiarpur. The owner, Mr K.S. Walia, informed that they left the house on September 27 and their two daughters, residents of Sector 23 and 40, were the first to be informed of the theft on October 1. "It was then that they called us up. However, we could reach the city only on October 2, only to find that our house had been completely ransacked. All our new clothes and linen, besides jewellery worth Rs 10,000, were missing,'' Mr Walia said. Police sources said the thieves entered the house by climbing the main gate and breaking open the bolt and lock of the entrance. Once inside, the thieves broke open the other door and gained access to the bedroom. The police has registered a case. Further investigations are on.
|
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
