C H A N D I G A R H

Streetlights to go in private hands
SAS NAGAR, Jan 9 — Maintenance of at least 4,050 streetlights in the town will pass on to private hands from next month. Under the privatisation scheme, a selected contractor will maintain the streetlights, fed by independent power lines laid at the cost of the civic body for a period of two years.

Continuity and fund problems dog MC
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — Even as Chandigarh has had four Mayors in as many years, the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh is still faced with the problem of continuity and financial crunch, putting development works on the backburner.

Cold wave claims two more lives
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — The cold wave in the northwest region on the eighth day today claimed a life each in Haryana and Punjab during the past 24 hours taking the toll to 10 while the dense fog played havoc with rail, road and air traffic.

REGIONAL BRIEFS

The reality of existence turns into an illusion as the morning fog spreads its wings over the Sukhna. Tribune lensman Karam Singh captures this magic of nature in the city on Tuesday morning.

Mediapersons lathi-charged at GMCH

Security guards of Government Medical College, Chandigarh, attack a journalist outside ‘the emergency’ on Tuesday.  — A Tribune photograph

CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — As many as 18 journalists gathered at the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital soon after Punjabi singer Gurdas Mann was admitted there were caught unaware in a narrow corridor and were brutally lathi- charged by the internal security staff today evening. Equipment worth lakhs of rupees was also damaged.

Only 40 out of 300 can operate computers
Computerisation drive fails in city courts
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — The computerisation drive launched in the city’s District Courts about three years back has almost fallen flat in view of non-implementation of the software programme designed especially for the purpose. Ever since June 1998 when National Informatics Centre (NIC) officials installed six computer terminals in the city courts at a cost of Rs 5 lakh, they have been awaiting a proper usage.

Amendments in building byelaws were most satisfying: Adviser
Chandigarh, Jan 9 — Naming the amendments in building byelaws as the most satisfying aspect of her 20-month tenure in Chandigarh, the outgoing Adviser to the UT Administrator, Ms Vineeta Rai, says it will provide an economic perspective to the city.

COMMUNITY

Environment aid for Army units
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — Various Army units under the Western Command will receive an assistance of Rs 1 lakh for carrying out environment awareness and action programmes under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

BCL brings latest IT books to city CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — The British Council Library has proved its mettle once again by bringing together the latest collection of books on Information Technology, thus opined several of the visitors who visited the exhibition of books on society and public awareness, organised by the library in Sector 8 here today. HVP submits memorandum PANCHKULA, Jan 9 — A rally was organised by the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) from the Majri chowk to the mini-secretariat in Sector 1 in protest against the laxity of the government in carrying out electricity reforms.

Visitors at an exhibition held by the British Council Library in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph

Body of ex-lecturer found in park
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — A former lecturer in Panjab University’s Department of Music was found dead in a Sector 36 park in the morning today. Police believes that 71-year-old Narinder Singh could have died of heart attack.

Water supply in PGI colony disrupted
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 —Residents of PGI colony, Sector 12, went without drinking water supply for more than 24 hours today. The colony, situated behind the two research blocks in the institute, has about 400 houses in the categories B, C and D of PGI employees.

Chautala to meet the Press

Concern over slaughter of stray animals
Panchkula, Jan 9 — The Social Creator Organisation of India has accused the Haryana Government and the HUDA of being in collusion with private contractors who remove stray animals from the roads of the city for the purpose of beautification and take these to slaughter houses in the neighbouring towns.

CRIME

Body found hanging from ceiling
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — Mystery shrouds the death of a 23-year-old Butrela village resident whose body was found hanging from the ceiling in the morning today.

Firm dupes five of over 6 lakh
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — Mr Jasmer Singh of Mundi Kharar, alleged that M M Negi, a Sector 40 resident, Managing Director of Real Value Agro Estate Company, and some other persons, cheated him and four others of Rs 6,41,645. In his complaint, he said he, along with four other persons, had deposited the above said amount with company under its different scheme in April 1999.

• Suicide attempt

• House burgled

• Thief held

• Scooter stolen

• Liquor seized
  

BUSINESS

Santro dealer’s claim
Chandigarh, Jan 9 — Ultimate Automobiles Private Limited has claimed that as many as 150 Santro cars had been sold in the city during the month of December and the sale of this car was on a par with the sale figure of Alto.

Move to privatise Shivalikview flayed
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — The CITCO Workers Union held a gate meeting at Hotel Shivalikview under the presidentship of Mr Brij Mohan to take serious note of the privatisation of the hotel.

EDUCATION

Career guidance key to success
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — Students of the city are well aware of all the career opportunities, or so it seems if we look at data available in the Sector 32 State Institute of Education here. In 2000, about 6,000 students sought career counselling and 1,100 underwent psychological testing here before choosing various careers.

‘72 pc literacy in Punjab by Dec’
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — “At the current rate of growth of literacy, 72.66 per cent of the people of Punjab will be literate by the end of 2001,” said Mr R.S. Sandhu, Education Secretary of Punjab. “ About 18.5 million Indians have been made literate from 1991 to 1997,” said Ms Achala Moulik, Union Secretary for Elementary Education and Literacy, on the first day of the two-day National-Level Regional Workshop on Adult Education that was inaugurated here today.

COURTS

Insurance firm directed to pay compensation
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — The UT District Consumer Redressal Forum has directed Oriental Insurance Company to pay Rs 2,07,462 as compensation to a Pawan Plastic, Industrial Area. The local unit of the company, through Pawan Kumar had filed a complaint against Oriental Insurance Company to obtain a fire policy in respect of its premises situated at 307, Industrial Area Chandigarh, for period of one year for Rs 4 lakh on payment of Rs 454 as premium.

Court quashes FIR against alleged terrorist
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — Mr Justice Amar Dutt of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed an FIR lodged under Sections 124-A,153-A, Arms Act and TADA Act of 1987 against alleged terrorist Bhagwan Singh Mokal, a resident of Dhing village in Sirsa district of Haryana.

Bail in breach of trust case
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9—The UT District and Sessions Judge, today granted bail to a city resident, Chander Parkash, in a criminal breach of trust case. 

• Bail granted
  

CULTURE

• Special antakshri
  

SPORT

MCM-36, GCG-11 win
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, and Government College for Girls, Sector 11, surged ahead in the Panjab University Inter-college Zonal Softball (women) Tournament played here at the GCG, Sector 11.

• Hockey matches
  

ADMINISTRATION

Earmark sites, PUDA urged
SAS NAGAR, Jan 9 — The SAS Nagar Municipal Council has written to the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) to earmark sites for placing the garbage disposal bins in the town.

Transfers in Police Department
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — The Chandigarh Police today transferred with immediate effect four non-gazetted officers within the city. Sub-Inspector Dalbir Singh, in charge of the Dhanas police post has been made in charge of the bus stand police post.

UT Guest House to have new wing
CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — The UT Guest House in Sector 6 will have a new wing having 33 rooms and 11 suites. The foundation stone of Rs 2.80 crore project will be laid by the UT Administrator, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd) on Wednesday.

 

READERS WRITE

Man-driven rickshaws in city
A large number of rickshaws are operating in Chandigarh for the transportation of men and material. These rickshaws start operating early in the morning and continue till late in the night. This mode of conveyance driven by human beings has a seating capacity of two but in practice, three or four or sometimes a whole family use one rickshaw, at all times of the day and night and in summer and winter or even when it rains.