C H A N D I G A R H

Top MC posts go to Congress
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The ruling BJP-SAD alliance suffered a serious jolt when the minority Congress opposition wrested the top posts of Mayor and Senior Deputy Mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation in a keenly fought contest today. Both the posts had been held by the alliance for the past four years.

• Setback to BJP-SAD alliance

• ‘Credit goes to 5 councillors’

Panel recommends changes in building bylaws
Chandigarh, Dec 23 — Major changes were recommended in the building bylaws governing commercial and residential buildings in the city, a spokesperson of the Chandigarh Administration said today.

Envoy unaware of MEA policy change
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — There has been no communication from the Union Ministry of External Affairs about any change in its policy of allowing any foreign mission to extend consular facilities beyond New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai.

Rash driving to be checked
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — ‘‘Chase them if they run’’. With this motto in mind, the city traffic police yesterday launched a special drive to check the menace of rash driving, and to challan those who break traffic rules during night.

IAS officer’s car towed away
Chandigarh, Dec 23 — The official car of a senior IAS officer posted in the city was towed away by the traffic police as it was reportedly found to be wrongly parked in the driveway of the UT Market Committee here this morning.

World Punjabi Conference

Dosanjh for Indo-Pak talks
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The British Columbia Premier, Mr Ujjal Dosanjh, today said negotiations were the only way India and Pakistan could sort out their conflict.

It was nice to see old friends again: Sagar
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Ramanand Sagar was here yesterday. The name of the producer of Ramayana and Sri Krishna has become synonymous with spirituality on screen. It was not surprising to see a number of his admirers at the World Punjabi Conference here touch his feet.

Theatre buffs relish four Punjabi plays CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The second day of the World Punjabi Conference saw some powerful performances from theatre artists who presented four classic plays in succession. Among productions staged today before a distinguished gathering were Kewal Dhaliwal’s direct Loona, the legendary composition by Kedar Yaar, Sudesh Sharma’s direction of Shubh karman vichhon, the story about travails of freedom fighter Maharaj Singh, Ajmer Singh Aulakh’s Begane bohd di chhan and Bhag Singh and Nindi’s Heer Ranjha. Of tears, warmth and lighter moments CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Punjabis of the world got together here today at the ongoing World Punjabi Conference at Panjab University.

Abdullah Mallik, who has come here from Pakistan, hugs Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, a former Prime Minister of India, at the World Punjabi Conference in Chandigarh on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Sharing moments of the past 
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Meeting Anwar Ali is an experience which stays with you, like visiting the post-partitioned world across the border, memories flashing through the 78-year-old face and words failing to keep up with them. In Chandigarh, for the World Punjabi Conference, this cartoonist and short story writer from Lahore shared some moments of his life.

‘Conserve Punjabi culture’
Chandigarh, Dec 23 — Intellectuals of Punjabi literature worded their views and fears on the challenges being faced by Punjabi culture and suggested plans for the spread Punjabiat and to make Punjabi an international language using all modern trappings like computer softwares and the Internet.

One held for selling photos of terrorist at conference
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — An SAS Nagar resident was nabbed in the afternoon today by the Chandigarh police on the allegations of selling photographs of an alleged terrorist during the World Punjabi Conference being held at Panjab University here.

COMMUNITY

‘Harassed’ in India, successful abroad
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — His success story may not be fit for a novel but is interesting to hear. Tired of constant “harassment” at the bank where he worked as an Assistant Manager, Mr Bhagwan Dass Ahuja left the country to become the director of an America based IT company.

Without any helping hand
Chandigarh, Dec 23 — Even after the blades of a chaffer chopped off his hands in 1986, Mahendir Singh Gorya did not lose hope. Before the accident, he was a safai karamchari in the office of the Medical Officer (Health). Today, he pulls a rickshaw to support his family. He has a seven-year-old child and a wife who is crippled.

Chandigarh Carnival inaugurated CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The much awaited Chandigarh Carnival started with fervour and gaiety which was inaugurated by the Governor, Punjab, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob, at Leisure Valley in Sector 10 here today. Marking the inauguration ceremony, Gen Jacob gave an eco-friendly message by painting a tree in oil on the canvass meant for the senior citizens. Journalist association office-bearers PANCHKULA, Dec 23 — Mr P.P. Verma from Punjabi Tribune was unanimously elected as the president of the Panchkula Union of Journalists, here today. Mr Yoginder Gupta, a special correspondent with The Tribune, and Mr Radhey Shyam, a former editor of Dainik Tribune, were chosen as the advisors.

The Punjab Governor, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), enjoys dholamaru dance of Rajasthan after the inauguration of Chandigarh Carnival in Leisure Valley, Sector 10, on Saturday.  — A Tribune photograph

Zonal convention of NCP on Jan 7
SAS NAGAR, Dec 23 — The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will release a 21-point programme at its zonal convention scheduled to be held at Patiala on January 7. The convention would be addressed among others by Mr P.A. Sangma, general secretary, NCP.

Ms India Worldwide 2001 to visit city
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Ritu Upadhyay, the freshly crowned Ms India Worldwide 2001, will be in town on December 25 on a personal visit.

Website launched 
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — A website on the city beautiful was launched here today at a cybercafe in Sector 9.

CRIME

Harassment charge against cop
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — A city resident was allegedly harassed by a cop in plain clothes late in the evening yesterday. His gold chain was allegedly snatched before he was taken to a police station. The chain was later taken back by the “victim”.

Four held for assault
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The police arrested four persons for allegedly assaulting and threatening a shopkeeper in the Sector 26, grain market, here yesterday.

• Six arrested

• Bootleggers held

• Vehicles stolen

Groups clash in discotheque
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — A fight broke out between two groups at a discotheque of a Mani Majra hotel late in the evening. According to sources, the fight broke out between the groups during a party which was going in the disco.

Colony kids used for smuggling liquor
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — They are into liquor smuggling. At an age when they should be into academics, young innocents are carrying “cool” yellow liquor in school bags.

Hawker duped 
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — A Sector 29 newspaper hawker was reportedly duped of Rs 280 by a scooterist posing as a subscriber in the morning today.

EDUCATION

North-East students to visit city
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — A batch of 42 students from the North-East are scheduled to visit the city on December 31 as part of a tour of the Students Experience in Inter-State Living (SEIL), organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

Senate meeting as scheduled
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Panjab University has announced that the Senate meeting will be held as scheduled on December 26, an official press release said here today.

‘Sealing’ of hosteler’s room resented
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Student resentment against a hostel warden in Panjab University took a new turn, when a hostel resident came to his room from the library this morning and found it ‘officially locked’.

Prof Bhagwati to be honoured
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — A noted social scientist in the world arena, Prof Jagdish N. Bhagwati, has been chosen to be honoured with a D. Litt degree by Panjab University at the annual convocation this year.

LLB (part II) exam CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The second semester examination for LLB ( part II) class in Panjab University, scheduled for December 27 in the morning session, has been shifted to the afternoon session, an official release said here today. Christmas celebrations in schools CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Enthusiasm marked the Christmas celebrations in various schools of the city here today.

A Christmas procession being taken out in Chandigarh on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Sainik School, Kunjpura invites applications
PANCHKULA, Dec 23 — The authorities of Sainik School, Kunjpura, Karnal, have invited applications for admission to Class VI and IX by December 31. A written test in this context will be conducted on February 28, 2001.

Colourful show in Strawberry school
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Tiny tots presented a musical soiree filled with joyful antics for the spectators at the annual sports meet of Strawberry Fields at Nehru Bhavan here today. The colourful show began with a march past led by the school captain and the house captains.

COURTS

HC: release pension to jawan’s widow
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Mr Justice R.L. Annand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a judgement observed “that much weightage should be given to the finding of the Military Court of Inquiry and there are valid reasons behind it because the Court of Inquiry give a finding after collecting the requisite evidence and circumstances of the case and one individual i.e. the Chief Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) (CCDAP) sitting in the office cannot disturb the findings of the Court of Inquiry in which congent and convincing documents are produced”. 

CULTURE

Punjabi channels attract city artistes
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The sudden growth of various Punjabi channels has added fuel to the burning ambition of a lot of performing artistes and small-time models who used to work in theatres and ramp shows. They are grabbing the chances various local channels are offering them.

SPORT

Sports meet concludes
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — A week-long annual sports meet of Sri Guru Harkishan Model School, Sector 38, today came to a vibrant end with colourful closing function presided over by Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, Minister of Agriculture, Haryana. He later gave away Rs 5,100 from his discretionary grant in appreciation of the school having done well in sports and other activities.

Dhindsa inaugurates gym
A new multi-gymnasium centre catering to all the physical exercises for an individual was inaugurated at the Chandigarh Press Club, Sector 27, by Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister of Chemical and Fertilisers here.

Sports festival inaugurated
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The Labour Department, UT, Chandigarh, organised a two-day Chandigarh Industrial Workers Sports Festival-2000 which was inaugurated by Mr R.S. Gujral, Home Secretary, UT, at the Sports Complex, Sector 7. As many as 750 workers coming from 37 industrial establishments of the UT took part.

Dr Sidhu made psychologist of Indian team
CHANDIGARH, Dec 22 — The newly appointed Sports Psychologist of the Indian men hockey team, Dr J.P.S. Sidhu, is quite elated at his new assignment. He is working as the Joint Director Sports, UT, and has been associated with hockey for the past many years. He is also the secretary of the Chandigarh Women’s Hockey Association and recently accompanied the Indian hockey team to Sydney Olympics, as an observer.

Jasjit, Dhanda win tennis doubles title
CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — Dr Jasjit Singh, CMO, Punjab Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh, and J.S. Dhanda, XEN National Highways, Karnal, won the doubles title in the All-India Civil Services Tennis Tournament which concluded at Imphal Officers Club, Manipur, on 21.12.2000. In the finals they beat fancied pair of Madhya Pradesh — C.K. Khurana and S.P. Nagar — in a keenly contested match 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.