C H A N D I G A R H

Admn, IT companies sign MoU
Chandigarh to be first ‘wired city’ of the country
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Chandigarh is all set to become the first “wired city” of the country with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between a consortium of five IT companies and the Chandigarh Administration at the Raj Bhavan here today.

Artistic take-off to Punjabi conference 
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — There could not have been a more artistic commencement to the four-day World Punjabi Conference which saw its first event open in the form of a vast exhibition showcasing works by contemporary Punjabi artists today at the Punjab Kala Bhawan in Sector 16.

Fakhr Zaman for Indo-Pak amity
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Mr Fakhr Zaman, a former Minister in the Benazir Bhutto government in Pakistan, has called upon India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through peaceful means and begin to live in amity like good neighbours .

BJP whip to councillors
Polling for Mayor’s post today
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Apprehensive of a split in the BJP, the president of the local unit of the party, Mr Dharampal Gupta, today issued a whip, making it mandatory for all BJP councillors to vote in favour of the candidates fielded by the BJP-SAD alliance for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

HC postpones PU Senate poll
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Elections of the Panjab University Syndicate scheduled to be held on December 27 to 29 have been postponed for six weeks. This interim order was passed by Mr Justice V.K. Bali of the Punjab and Haryana High Court after a consensus reached among counsel of the contesting parties.

Panchayat notice to 50 shopkeepers
ZIRAKPUR, Dec 22 — The Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat authorities have issued notice to over 50 shopkeepers of the Lohgarh market and also to shopkeepers on the old Zirakpur-Kalka road to deposit money to have the ownership of the shops.

REGIONAL BRIEFS

Students of Government College, Derabassi, charm the audience at the youth fest organised by the World Punjabi Conference in PU on Friday. Inset: Film producer Ramanand Sagar and veteran journalist Khushwant Singh.
 — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

	UT Admn seeks more powers from Centre December 22, 2000
	HUDA cashing in on public money December 21, 2000
	Illegal additions in govt houses December 20, 2000
	Land allotted to 36 housing societies December 19, 2000
	Admn to implement Punjab Apartment Act December 18, 2000
	500 families fear displacement December 17, 2000
	Fresh plans to tap tourism potential December 16, 2000
	Real estate business remains in doldrums December 15, 2000
	No court order needed for return of belongings December 14, 2000
	City Beautiful areas plunged in darkness December 13, 2000

Will college teachers move court?
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union often takes the credit for having got the Punjab Pension-cum-Gratuity Act, 1999, passed in the Vidhan Sabha after a 10-year-long struggle.

COMMUNITY

All set to welcome Dosanjh
SAS NAGAR, Dec 22 — Eight colourful gates will be set up on the route to the cricket stadium in Phase IX to welcome Mr Ujjal Singh Dosanjh, Premier of British Columbia, here tomorrow.

Staff crunch hits E & T functioning
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Even as a section of city traders term the UT Excise and Taxation Department as a “lawless and whimsical outfit,” officials maintain that all the ills plaguing it are a result of a severe staff crunch.

‘India needs a strategic plan for tourism’
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — An American university don of Indian origin has said that India needs to strategically plan its tourism if it wants to make its mark in the world of tourism.

Workshop for labour officers end
Chandigarh, Dec 22 — A two-day workshop of labour officers of the northern region, on “Emerging trends in industrial relations”, organised by the International Labour Organisation and the Haryana Government, came to an end today.

JAG celebrates 17th anniversary
CHANDI MANDIR, Dec 22 — The Judge Advocate General’s Department, the judicial wing of the Army, celebrated its 17th anniversary at Headquarters Western Command here today.

Chief Engineer Western Command, Maj Gen Madhav Arren greeting officers of the Judge Advocate General’s Department during the department’s 17th anniversary in Chandi Mandir on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Officer ‘beats up’ gardener
PANCHKULA, Dec 22 —The HUDA Bagwani Field Karamchari Union-1418 alleged that a member of their association, Karpu Swami, a gardener, was allegedly beaten up by a drunk senior IAS officer while he was working at his residence in Sector 6 on December 16.

Plea to CTU on bus passes
SAS NAGAR, Dec 22 — A member of the Sikh Educational Society of Chandigarh and local municipal councillor, Mr Amrik Singh, has demanded an end to discrimination by the CTU authorities against SAS Nagar and Panchkula students in the matter of bus passes.

Special arrangements for New Year’s mail
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — For the convenience of the general public, the Department of Posts has made special arrangements for the clearance of New Year’s greeting mail.

HUDA allots 83 plots
PANCHKULA, Dec 22 — The Haryana Urban Development Authority today allotted 83 plots against 2818 applications received for different categories and for different plot sizes by holding a draw at its office in Sector 6, here today.

Workers stranded
SAS NAGAR, Dec 22 — Employees of Jaiparabolic Springs Limited were allegedly prevented from entering the factory premises by the management for the second day here today.

Recruitment of constables re-scheduled
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — The recruitment of constables (general duty) in the Central Police Reserve Force from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh has been re-scheduled due to the postal strike.

• Tribune employee hurt
• Gallantry awards

CRIME

One arrested for eve-teasing
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 —The local police has arrested a person from near ISBT, Sector 43, on the charge of eve-teasing. Gangandeep Sharma, resident of Ward No 5, Hospital Road, Kharar, was held for the alleged crime at around 1.30 p.m.

‘Thieves in school uniform’ on the prowl?
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Panic has gripped students of a Sector 16 school following incidents of alleged snatching and extortion by ‘thieves in school uniform’. During the past few days, wrist watches, wallets, even hard cash, have reportedly been taken away.

Maid sets herself on fire
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — A house maid was admitted to the PGI with 80 per cent burn injuries. According to sources in the Police Department, 19-year-old Meeta of Tarn Taran set herself on fire in Sector as she was scared of being asked quit the job and go back home.

Charas, opium seized
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — A team of officials of the Narcotics Control Bureau seized 5.8 kg of fine-quality charas and 90 gram of opium from two Nepali smugglers in the wee hours of today.

• Cable operator booked

EDUCATION

PU confused regarding service rules of staff
Chandigarh, Dec 22 — Should there be varying service rules for the same kind of service? In case of college and university teachers the answer to this is not just confusing but also against “principles of natural justice”.

Kiddies having a whale of a time as Xmas spirit engulfs city
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Christmas celebrations were held in different schools of the city. The entrance of Saupin’s School in Sector 32 was decorated with a Christmas tree with a portrayal of the birth of Jesus Christ.






Tiny tots of Ajit Karam Singh International School in SAS Nagar present a cultural programme in the school on Friday to mark Christmas celebrations. 
— Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Silver jubilee celebrations
PANCHKULA, Dec 22 — The silver jubilee-cum-annual function celebrations proved to be a colourful affair at the school premises in Sector 4, here on Thursday, with the students presenting a variety of items during the course of the programme.

COURTS

Bar panel condemns chambers’ allotment
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — The allotment of chambers by the Estate Office behind Estate Office has created confusion and controversy among lawyers here. Although about 40 lawyers were present at the time of the allotment, the District Bar Association, condemned the allotment and alleged that it was unlawful and was held to create dispute among lawyers. 

CBI directed to release IA Airbus
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — Mr Justice K.S. Grewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today allowed the plea of Indian Airlines, the owner of the B-300 Airbus, which was hijacked by terrorists on December 24, 1999, and flown to Kandahar (Afghanistan), to release the aircraft which was grounded after it was flown back to India.