C H A N D I G A R H

Schoolboy kidnapped in Panchkula
PANCHKULA, Oct 24 — A Class XII student of DAV School in Sector 8 here was kidnapped from near his house in Sector 8 early this morning. He was forced into a waiting Sumo vehicle and whisked away to some unknown destination.

Sanjay Manchanda commits suicide
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — UT Public Relations Officer Sanjay Manchanda today ended his life by jumping in front of the Kalka-Amritsar Mail at a level crossing in Mani Majra. Strained relationship with his wife is being cited as one of the reasons behind the “extreme step”.

Jacob’s remark on taxes: BJP, Congress up in arms
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — A remark by the UT Administrator, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), that property tax and parking fees should be introduced in Chandigarh in a phased manner brought about opposition from members of various political parties during the Administrator’s Advisory Council meeting here today.

Musclemen do it again
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — In yet another complaint against a finance company, a Sector 28 resident today alleged that his car was snatched away, along with other valuables, by four or five musclemen after attacking him.

CITCO CGM seeks repatriation
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — Mr P.S. Gill, Chief General Manager, CITCO, has sought repatriation to his parent state of Punjab, it is learnt. Mr Gill has already completed two years on deputation to the Chandigarh Administration.

How rich and famous will celebrate Divali
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — While Divali for city’s celebrities is going to be a day to be with family, friends and relatives, the Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT, Lt-Gen JFR Jacob (retd) is wondering how to celebrate the day when “everyone will be in their homes taking sweets, bursting crackers and with their families.”

City decked up for Divali CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — The city is all decked up for Divali and markets are the hub of activity. These have been tastefully decorated and persons have even set up stalls outside their shops. Great rush was witnessed in major markets of the city today.

Earthen huts and other decorative items for Divali on sale in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — Tribune photos by Manoj Mahajan

COMMUNITY

Dept to focus on fire prevention
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — For preventing fire tragedies during Divali festivities, the Fire Department of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (CMC) is geared up with major plans to ensure against fire incidents in the city. The focus has now shifted from fire fighting to fire prevention.

Drive against wrong parking, gamblers
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — Look before you park your car in city markets. The Chandigarh police is taking tough against those who park their vehicles wrongly. Two additional cranes have been pressed into service to tow away any vehicle that obstructs traffic.

Notices to DC, SDM
PANCHKULA, Oct 24 — On a suit for declaring the memorandum of understanding signed between the members of the SGPC and vendors outside Nada Sahib gurdwara as illegal, the Panchkula CJM, Mr Ved Pal Gupta, today issued notices to the Deputy Commissioner and the SDM and 12 other respondents for November 14.

PRTC driver suspended
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — Gurnam Singh, driver of the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) bus (PB-11-N-9533), was suspended by the PRTC authorities after he was proved to be driving under the influence of liquor on Wednesday.

ITBP celebrates Raising Day
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — The 39th Raising Day of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police was celebrated at the Transport Battalion, near the civil airport, here today.

MC ward polling on Nov 12
SAS NAGAR, Oct 24 — The byelection to Ward No 17 of the SAS Nagar Municipal Council will be held on November 12. The byelections to the vacant wards in civic bodies of Anandpur Sahib, Kapurthala, Malerkotla and Raja Sansi would also be held on November 12, said the Punjab State Election Commissioner, Mr C.D. Cheema, here today.

Alms-seeking campaign
SAS NAGAR, Oct 24 — The Godrej-GE Employees Union today started an alms-seeking campaign to register its protest against the alleged indifferent attitude of the management of the factory towards the demands of the agitating employees.

Employees observe pen-down stir
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — Hundreds of members of the Haryana General Category and Backward Classes Employees Welfare Organisation, observed pen down strike at the main and new building of the Civil Secretariat, 30 Bays Building and the PWD headquarets, here today.

CRIME

7 kg of opium seized
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — The Chandigarh police has reportedly seized recovered 7 kg of opium, valued at about Rs 2 lakh, after arresting a Rohtak district resident from the Sector 17 Inter-State Bus Terminus.

EDUCATION

Schools asked to follow policy
SAS NAGAR, Oct 24 — Authorities of schools affiliated to the Punjab School Education Board have been asked to adhere to the new policy of affiliation. Any violation of the policy will make the authorities impose a heavy fine on the defaulting schools.

COURTS

ASI denied bail in dowry case
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 —The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C. Godara, today dismissed the anticipatory bail application moved by Assistant Sub-Inspector, Ram Rattan, in a dowry case.

Jerath’s bail plea dismissed
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed interim bail applications filed by a former UT Chief Engineer K.K. Jerath and Secretary N.K. Jain. Mr Justice K.S. Garewal observed that Divali pooja is not a sufficient ground for grant of interim bail.

CULTURE

A promising tabla player
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — A mere mention of Avirbhav Verma reassures one’s faith in perseverance. At a tender age of 15 years, this young tabla player from the city is all set to do justice to his lineage. His father Pawan Kumar Verma, also happens to a tabla player of great repute.

HEALTH

Video conference on spinal injuries from Oct 27
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — The International Spine and Spinal Injuries Conference (ISSICON), the first video conference of its kind, is being organised by the Orthopaedics Department in the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, from October 27 to 29.

Awareness drive on use of iodine
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — Iodine deficiency as presented by goitre has a prevalence rate of 11.8 per cent in Chandigarh which labels the area as endemic for this disorder.

Hospitals gear up for Divali mishaps
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — The top three medical institutions in the city have geared up to meet any eventuality related to Divali celebrations in the city.

‘Ultrasound useful in checking foetus abnormalities’
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — Whereas ultrasound in pregnant women is used mainly for detecting abnormalities in the foetus, besides unjustified gender determination, studies carried out in the UK have shown that the technique can also be therapeutic in nature, for such women.

SPORT

Women cricketers find lovely cheerleaders
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — About 700 school children conveyed their good wishes to the Indian women’s cricket team by making a run from the Sector 8 DAV Senior Secondary School to the Lake Club. The team will participate in the seventh Cricinfo Women’s World Cup in New Zealand from November 29.

PEC win inter-college TT meet
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24 — The local Punjab Engineering College and Guru Gobind Singh College for Women won the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, in the Panjab University Inter-College Table Tennis Tournament that was held on the university campus here.

ADMINISTRATION

• 10 illegal structures demolished

• Chatrath’s objection