PUDA issues occupation certificates to houses under construction
By Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Jan 17 — Money makes the mare go. This old adage seems to have acquired a new meaning in PUDA whose Estate Office in SAS Nagar has been issuing “occupation certificates” to houses under construction.

An investigation carried out by TNS revealed that more than a dozen cases in which houses in various stages of construction — one of them still without a roof — have been issued official “occupation certificates” by the officials concerned to allow their owners to escape payment of hefty amounts as extension fees. How and why this has happened is a matter fit for investigation by the authorities but it can be safely assumed that considerations other than professional have weighed with the officials.

The money which should have been earned by PUDA on account of extension fee is obviously being pocketed by the unscrupulous among the employees. Investigations reveal that the illegal practice received a fillip as December 31,2000, the deadline for obtaining the occupation certificate, approached with the plot holders in a hurry to avoid the penalty of extension fee. Those involved in the well-organised racket in the Estate Office offer a cheaper solution to the plot holders who have to pay few thousand rupees to avoid a heavy extension fee.

The occupation certificate was issued after the field staff reports about the status of the construction before the Estate Officer concerned signs the certificate. All this is happening despite the efforts of the Punjab Government to streamline the process of public dealing at its offices. On similar lines, the Housing and Urban Development Minister, Punjab, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, had inaugurated a single-window facility at the local Estate Office in August last year.

Sources in PUDA said complaints made by some plot holders about the illegal issuing of the occupation certificates by the Estate Office were already being examined made by senior officials of the department. They said a number of certificates were issued in the last week of December. A list of the occupation certificates issued during the month of December last was being prepared by the Estate Office.

Though over 370 occupation certificates had been issued by the Estate Office during December, the exact number of illegal certificates could not be ascertained. A random survey of the town revealed that over 10 plots — one in phase 5, two in Phase 7, one in Sector 70, four in Sector 71 and four in Phase XI — on which the construction was far from being declared ready for occupation had been issued the certificates. The Chief Administrator, PUDA, Mr KBS Sidhu, said the case would be thoroughly investigated.

The sources said that for a 10-marla plot, the employees were charging between Rs 5000 and Rs 7000, depending upon the status of the construction. The bribe increased as the size and the status of the building varied.

In one glaring example, a plot (no. 3207) in Sector 71 has been issued occupation certificate, whereas the building (as seen in the picture) is far from complete. Giving details of the loss suffered by PUDA in a single case, the sources said that in case of a one-kanal plot, the extension fee (charged at a rate of 2.5 per cent of the existing market rate of the plot) worked out to be around Rs 40, 000. In case of 16 marla, 12 marla and 10 marla plots, the fee worked out to be around Rs 35,000, Rs 27,000 and Rs 22,000, respectively. For eight marla and six marla plots the fee to be paid worked out between Rs 18,000 and Rs 13,000. It may be pertinent to mention that PUDA had issued a revised extension fee structure last year. 

PUDA shortlists 10 construction companies
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) has shortlisted 10 construction companies to bid for its prestigious building works.

PUDA, which has been nominated as nodal agency by the Punjab Government through a decision of the Council of Ministers, for undertaking the construction of new District Administrative Complexes, initiated this process last month.

Giving details, the Chief Administrator, PUDA, Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, said here today that broad criteria for the shortlisting was the average turnover of the company of not less than Rs 50 crore (average over last three years) and track record of having successfully implemented two independent projects of at least Rs 20 crore each in the past three years. In response to a public advertisement, as many as 20 companies had applied for pre-qualification of which ultimately only 10 were selected.

The top three agencies on the basis of turnover of previous years are (i) Larsen & Toubro Ltd (turnover Rs 2946 crore), (ii) Simplex Concrete Piles (I) Ltd (turnover Rs 324 crore) and (iii) Gammon India Ltd, Mumbai (turnover Rs 318 crore). Mr Sidhu said that the tender documents to the shortlisted agencies in respect of District Administrative Complex at Patiala and Hoshiarpur were being issued and companies were expected to submit these duly filled in by 24.1.2001. In order to facilitate better competition inter se, PUDA would be adopting the Delhi Schedule of Rates for these projects since most of these companies were conversant with the same. The actual allotment of work would be effected before the end of the current month through the process of competitive tendering. DAC at Patiala was estimated to be around Rs 40 crore while that at Hoshiarpur was around Rs 32.74 crore.

Architectural drawings under the supervision of the Chief Architect, Punjab, had been finalised. Ample provision for parking and open green spaces was a hallmark of each design. Each block would be equipped with modern arrangements, adequate number of lifts, and there would be an in-built provision for air-cooling. The flooring shall be of such quality that no carpeting would be necessary in these buildings.

Mr Sidhu said the work in this regard would commence in the first fortnight of February. The work regarding DAC, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur, Moga and Bathinda would also be initiated shortly afterwards.

Following is the list of the shortlisted companies: Shapoorji Pallonji & Co Ltd, New Delhi; Unitech Limited, Gurgaon; Ahluwalia Contracts India Ltd, new Delhi; simplex Concrete Piles (I) Ltd, New Delhi; Unity Infra Projects Ltd, Mumbai; Larsen & Toubro Ltd., New Delhi; B.L. Kashyap & Sons Ltd., New Delhi; Gammon India Ltd., Mumbai; ERA Constructions (India) Ltd., New Delhi; Nagarjuna Construction Co. Ltd., Gurgaon.

IGP order to SHOs on weekend arrests
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — For preventing harassment, the Inspector-General of Chandigarh Police, Mr B.S. Bassi, today directed the Station House Officers of all 11 police stations not to arrest the accused in long-pending cases on Saturdays.

At the monthly crime review meeting held at the Sector 9 police headquarters, the IGP said the accused should be arrested on the weekends only if there were apprehensions regarding their escape.

The directions are significant as, according to sources in the Police Department, cops were “deliberately” arresting the accused on Saturdays in some cases to “delay the grant of bail”.

Sources added that the accused were produced before the Duty Magistrate on Sundays who was sometimes forced to issue a day’s notice on the bail application for enabling the illaqa magistrate, having “full knowledge of the circumstances of the case”, to decide the plea.

Today, Mr Bassi revealed that one odd case of such arrest had come to their notice and they were looking into the allegations. He insisted that the directions on arrest should be followed strictly in cases like landlord-tenancy, and matrimonial, disputes where the accused had been cooperating with the investigating officer and there was no “immediate need” to apprehend them.

Asking the SHOs to seek the advice of Sub-Divisional Police Officers before arresting the suspects on Saturdays, the IGP added that the challan should be filed against the accused without arresting him if the offence was not of a serious nature and there was no apprehension of his escaping or tampering with the evidence.

This, Mr Bassi added, would give the accused the satisfaction of not being arrested at all in case of his acquittal by the court of competent jurisdiction.

In the event of his arrest, Mr Bassi stated that the accused would be made aware of his legal rights, including the right to free legal aid, being offered by the Legal Services Authority.

The IGP also directed the SHOs to personally monitor the progress of over 1,000 cases which were “pending investigation”. He asked them to find out “if the delay was due to other reasons than legal necessities like the non-availability of witnesses and technical experts”.

He also asked the SHOs to personally “chase and catch” persons endangering human life by driving rashly and negligently. He revealed that each SHO was currently challaning 30-35 violators every week.

The neighbourhood watch scheme, intended at making the area “more secure with public cooperation,” would soon be launched, the IGP claimed.

Meanwhile, to avoid confusion, the Chandigarh Police today decided to rechristen the names of certain police stations. The stations will now be identified by the sectors they are in.

Police station (Central) will be called Sector 17 Police Station. Similarly Police Station (West) will be dubbed Sector 11 Police Station. Police Station (North) will be named Sector 3 Police Station, while Police Station (East) will be referred to as Sector 26 Police Station.

The Inspector-General of Chandigarh Police, Mr B.S. Bassi, said, “if need be, we will get the new names notified”.

Operation Vijay
‘Three officers face action’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Disciplinary action for the dereliction of duty during Operation Vijay has been initiated only against three officers — all of the rank of Major. Stating this here today, Brigadier-in charge-Administration, 14 Corps, Brig Ashok Vasudeva, said that while 48 Army units had taken part in the 1999 conflict, three officers were being tried by general courts martial for their conduct during the operation.

Earlier, there were reports that about 40 officers and other ranks were facing courts of inquiry or disciplinary proceedings for their conduct in the Kargil operations. Barring Brig Surinder Singh, a former commander of the Kargil-based 121 Brigade, Brigadier Vasudeva said that no officer of the rank of Brigadier or above was facing any inquiry or disciplinary proceedings.

Brigadier Vasudeva had specially flown down from Leh to brief mediapersons on the ongoing trials. Raised in the aftermath of Operation Vijay, 14 Corps is responsible for the defence of the Kargil sector, with its area of jurisdiction being east of the Zoji La up to the base of the Siachen glacier. All administrative and operational matters concerning formations involved in Operation Vijay have since been transferred to it.

While Maj Maneesh Bhatnagar of 5 Para and Maj V.K. Madhan of 2 Rajputana Rifles are being tried by GCMs at N-Area here, a third officer, Maj Ajit Singh of 16 Grenadiers, is undergoing trial at 10 Division based at Akhnoor.

Both Major Bhatnagar and Major Madhan are facing charges of “willful disobedience of lawful command” and “acts prejudicial to good order and discipline” under various provisions of the Army Act. Brigadier Vasudeva said that Maj Ajit Singh was also facing “similar charges”.

While declining to comment on the merits of the case as the matter was sub judice, he ruled out that the officers were being victimised. He said that action had been initiated against them on reports against them by men of their own units and that the proceedings were based on investigations conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Army Act and under the Army Rules. Their respective units, he added, had performed well in the conflict, with 2 Rajputana Rifles winning, among other decorations, four Maha Vir Chakras and the Army Chief’s Unit Citation, while 5 Para was awarded five Sena Medals.

Though a GCM was an open court and open to the public, Brigadier Vasudeva said that parts of the trial dealing with operational matters or issues pertaining to national security would be conducted “in camera”.

The Army authorities have sought an explanation from Brigadier Shivrain, Commander of the Agra-based 50 (I) Parachute Brigade, for writing direct to the presiding officer of the General Court Martial trying Maj Maneesh Bhatnagar on matters pertaining to the trial. Admitting it to be an improper act on the part of the Brigade Commander, Brig Ashok Vasudeva, Brigadier-in Charge-Administration, 14 Corps, said that the Army authorities had written to him in this regard. The contents of the letter written by Brigadier Shivrain to Col Vinod Malik had been the topic of heated arguments during court proceedings earlier this month. As per Major Bhatnagar’s contention, the DO letter had been despatched from Agra by hand on January 3 and was received here the next day. Terming the letter to be illegal, Major Bhatnagar contended that the Brigade Commander could not send a letter direct to the presiding officer and it should have been done through the N-Area Commander. The letter allegedly contains the telephone numbers of Brigadier Shivrain as well as Maj Bhatnagar’s, Commanding Officer, Col A.K. Srivastava, on which they could be contacted, besides mentioning some dates on which certain witnesses might be summoned by the GCM, as well as other “directives” on their movement. He had contended that the letter indicated liaison among the officers and mala fide on the part of the authorities.

Looking for a ‘fresh’ face from town
From Kulwinder Sangha

SAS NAGAR, Jan 17 — If you are pretty girl with a height of 5 ft 6 in, have a ‘North Indian face’ and dream of becoming tomorrow’s Kajol or Madhuri, you may be the right person well-known Bollywood director, Raj Kanwar, is looking for, to star in his latest venture Ab ke baras.

Raj Kanwar, who was talking to The Tribune at Shemrock Angels School here today, said the new film would be an Indo-American project, for which 70 per cent shooting would be done in Cairo (Egypt) and in Rome. He had written the script. It was a love story based on the theme of reincarnation. He had tried to portray Punjab, as it had been in 1947 and as it was today.

Raj Kanwar said Anu Malik had been working on the music for this film for the past six months. He did not disclose the name of the actor who would play the lead role, but said he was now hunting for a “fresh face” — with no exposure even on the small screen — to be the heroine in the film.

Raj Kanwar, who had gone to Bollywood to become an actor, ended up being a director. “Destiny plays a big role in the film industry,” he said. In a period of nine years, he has directed 12 films, and even launched Shah Rukh Khan in Deewana. Interestingly, it was the first film for both of them. His films include Ladla (Anil Kapoor), Itihas (Ajay Devgan and Twinkle Khanna). Judai (Anil Kapoor and Sri Devi), Daag the Fire (Sanjay Dutt and Mahima Chaudhury), Badal (Bobby Deol and Rani Mukherjee), Har dil jo pyar karega (Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta), Dhai akshar prem ke (Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai) and the recently release Farz (Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta).

The director, who comes from a border village, Singwara, in Amritsar district, did his schooling from Delhi. He said he had learnt a lot from director Shekhar Kapoor.

Raj Kanwar, who intended to leave Chandigarh today after his two-day visit, said he had come to personally gauge audience reaction to his latest release Farz, a thriller made by him for the first time. He said he had tried to put in a lot of emotion and drama in this film.

He said he was also working on two films starring Hrithik Roshan, Bobby Deol and Akshay Kumar.

When asked why filmmakers mostly came up with themes which had earlier proved successful at the box-office, he said copying a theme was bad, but one could take inspiration from it. He said romance and emotions would never die out and one could get as much material as one wanted for making films based on them.

Regarding art films, Raj Kanwar said he liked watching such movies, but did not like making them himself. He said art films had a limited audience. Off-beat films, in his opinion, had a certain “dryness” about them. People, he thought, came to cinema houses for entertainment.

Asked about the role of the underworld in Bollywood, Raj Kanwar said film-making was a creative field and it had come into focus because of the glamour associated with it. The film line, he said, had nothing to do with the underworld.

Raj Kanwar said, from the technical point of view, there had been a big change in Bollywood. “We are now close, to Hollywood technically”. Earlier, used equipment from Hollywood was often utilised in Bollywood. Now the same type of cameras were being used at both places, he said.

Raj Kanwar, who was on his third visit to Chandigarh, found the city peaceful, well-planned and pollution-free. He wished Punjab could come up with some more cities like Chandigarh.

Interim bail for Sodhi Ram
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Mr Justice Amar Dutt of the Punjab and Haryana High Court here today granted interim bail to former Controller of Examinations, Panjab University, Dr Sodhi Ram, and other co-accused namely Anurag Gupta and Dhan Singh in the alleged question paper leakage case in June, 1998.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR against the trio on July 21, 1998, on the complaint of former Vice-Chancellor Panjab University, Mr M.M. Puri, after a report about the question paper leakage was provided to him by a two-member committee, comprising University Dean, Prof I.B.S. Passi and Prof Dina Nath Johar of Law Department.

Dr Sodhi, Anurag Gupta, and Dhan Singh asserted before the court that “no admissible evidence had been collected by the CBI against them which would prove that the petitioners were responsible for the leakage of question papers as the statement of the petitioners which were recorded under Sections 161 of the Cr PC during the investigation, would not be admissible and could not be used as evidence against them”.

“These petitions are allowed and it is directed that the petitioners be admitted to interim bail till the commencement of trial of the case on their furnishing bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court, subject to the conditions that none of the petitioners themselves, nor any one else on their behalf, will approach any of the witnesses and make an effort to win them, induce, coerce or threaten them or pressurise them into resiling from the statements made by them before the CBI.

The trio will not leave the jurisdiction of the trial court without prior permission, surrender their passports, if any, before the trial court and that Dr Sodhi Ram will not take up the assignment of Controller Examination or any other such assignment which would enable him to exert pressure on Amrit Pal Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Harpreet Singh and Varun Verma, merely on account of being able to have access to compilation and finalisation of results. They would surrender before the trial court as and when the date of trial is fixed after the decision of their revision petitions”, observed Mr Justice Dutt.

Direct dialling within telecom circle
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The facility of direct dialling within 200 km at reduced rates would be limited to the stations within a circle of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), highly placed sources said. The facility is to be introduced from January 26.

Concessional pulse of 120 seconds and 30 seconds for stations within 51 to 100 km and 101 km to 200 km, respectively, would be available only within the same telecom circle. Off peak concessional hours were being withdrawn on these calls, the sources said, adding that the concessional tariff would also not be available on calls made through mobile phones, even if made within a circle.

The sources said that the facility is being introduced by the BSNL only for calls made from a fixed phone to another fixed phone within a circle. Calls made to stations in adjoining circles would continue to be charged at existing pulse rates applicable to the STD calls even though the distance may be less.

Meanwhile, the BSNL also proposes to introduce cellular phone service as a pilot project in Bihar and West Bengal telecom circles by early February. Chandigarh which is part of Punjab Telecom Circle, expects to get the facility of BSNL mobile phones by around September.

The tariff for the mobile phone service of the BSNL are expected to be announced soon and it will on the lines of charges announced by the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) for Delhi and Mumbai where the service is to be started from January end and February end, respectively.

The sources said that the package announced by a private mobile phone provider in Punjab circle two days ago is part of its efforts to face the challenge to be thrown in by the mobile phone service of the BSNL.

COMMUNITY

Police sounds alert in city
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — In less than 24 hours after an attempt was made by militants to storm Srinagar airport, the Chandigarh police today sounded an alert.

According to sources in the Police Department, the police has beefed up the security around the airport. Sources added that men in plain clothes had been posted on the roads leading to the airport.

On Tuesday six militants had made a “suicide attack” for entering Srinagar airport. Two CRPF jawans and two civilians, including a minor girl, were killed in the exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces.

The Inspector-General of Police, Chandigarh, Mr. B.S. Bassi, when contacted, said even though the airport security was with the Central Industrial Security Force, “we are not taking any chances”.

Regarding the security arrangements for the Republic Day celebrations, the IGP said the barriers in and on the outskirts of the city were being reactivated.

Claiming to be seeking public cooperation, the IGP stated that the shopkeepers were being asked to inform the police of persons roaming about in the market complexes under suspicious circumstances. The residents too were being asked to cooperate with the police, the IGP asserted.

The police, it may be recalled, has already sounded an alert in the city following threats of attack by militants on or before Republic Day. The commuters have been warned against touching suspicious and unclaimed objects, including bags and wallets, at the Sector 17 Inter-State Bus Terminus. 

Mayor visits neglected areas
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Mayor Raj Kumar Goyal has decided to undertake official visits of all sectors, colonies and four villages and complete the same within the next two months to understand the problems of these areas so that necessary solutions can be worked out.

The Mayor and the Senior Deputy Mayor, today visited Mani Majra and Pipliwala town alongwith officials to look into the problems of the area which has been neglected for rather long. Mr Goyal directed the officials to immediately provide for storm water drainage so that the water that gets accumulated in the monsoons can be drained out. The public toilets should be made functional, which have been lying closed due to choked sewerages and other problems. The streetlights, most of which are non-functional, should also be repaired at the earliest by getting the required estimates approved. They also took stock of the poor condition of the main bazar and the local bus stand there.

Taking cognisance of residents’ complaints, he directed that an SDO be deputed at the Mani Majra sub- office daily from 11.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to issue NOC certificates for various works. The office will also be made functional shortly.

MC workers’ dharna today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — A meeting of the Chandigarh Public Health Workers Union today criticised the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities for not accepting the “just and genuine” demands of the employees.

The meeting decided to take part in the dharna to be staged tomorrow by the Joint Action Committee of MC Employees and Workers.

The demands include payment of bonus, regularisation of all work-charged and daily-waged employees and filling vacancies.

SP meets resident representatives
Tribune News Service

 PANCHKULA, Jan 17 — The Superintendent of Police, Dr C.S. Rao, said that removal of rehris from road turning-points which passed a traffic hazard, would begin with effect from tomorrow.

He said that in future, special drives for traffic violations would be initiated regularly and violators fined heavily. Also, a central pool for all information of occupants, leaving their houses locked while they were out would come to the district headquarters where police personnel would be especially assigned to maintain a watch.

Third front in the offing
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17— Efforts to form a third front, barring the Congress and the BJP have intensified in the city.

During the past about one month, various political parties have held a series of meetings to provide a viable alternative to the city residents in the coming elections to the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh. Since the ruling BJP-SAD alliance and the main opposition, the Congress, have failed to deliver the goods during the past four years formation of the third front was a must so that the common man could have a sigh of relief, the Samajwadi Party chief, Mr Shivi Jaiswal, said.

At a meeting here yesterday, which was attended by Mr Jaiswal, Mr Mata Ram Dhiman, Bahujan Samaj Party chief, Mr Ajay Jagga, Janata Party chief, Mr Gurbachan Singh, Nationalist Congress Party chief, Mr Joginder Singh Sawhney, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal chief, and Mr Rajinder Mohan Kashyap, Janata Dal(Secular) General Secretary, it was demanded that the civic body should be dissolved and fresh elections held as the majority alliance had lost the elections for the posts of the Mayor and the Senior Deputy Mayor.

Since the minority Congress can hardly run the corporation for the current year, the functioning of the elected body would be a wastage of public money, a leader, who attended the meeting said. The necessary permission from the respective party high commands would be sought when the arrangement was finalised, sources said, adding that it should not be a problem as the front was being formed at the local level for the civic body poll.

Intellectuals, residents welfare associations and ex-servicemen, who had been at the receiving end during the four years of the elected body, would be given a prominent role in the proposed front, the sources added.

New Markfed outlet
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Punjab Markfed opened another outlet for sale of farm fresh fruits and vegetables in the IFFCO complex in Sector 28 today. Two outlets have already been opened in Markfed House and Sector 34 for the sale of farm fresh packed fruits and vegetables under a new project launched by Markfed some time ago.

Speaking after inaugurating the outlet, Mr D.S. Bains, Managing Director, Markfed, announced that more outlets would be opened in Sector 17 and some other sectors shortly. He further announced that Markfed would soon have a chain of such outlets in different cities .

The management of IFFCO announced adoption of two villages, Dhakoli and Chhatbir in Patiala district for providing free technical knowhow, good quality seeds and inputs to the fruit and vegetable growers.

6 community centres opened for booking
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, has thrown open six community centres for bookings to the public even as these continue to await formal inaugurations.

As per orders passed by the Commissioner, Mr M.P. Singh, these centres are at Sector 46, Sector 41, Maloya, Palsora, Mauli Jagran and Indira colony. According to the charges fixed by the authorities, the residents can book the lawn of the Sector 46 Community Centre by paying Rs 1500 per day, while the hall will be available for Rs 1,000 per day. The charges for both hall and lawns will be Rs 2,000.

The charges of booking for the remaining five community centres will be Rs 1000 per day. A 5 per cent service charge will also be levied. However, the charges for membership are still being worked out afresh for rural areas. Officials maintain that these will be lesser than the urban areas where the membership fee for ordinary members is Rs 50 and for those above 65 years it is Rs 25. 

Yukta to be in city tomorrow
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — Former Miss World Yukta Mookhey, who has just taken the plunge in Bollywood movies with under-production Pyaasa, will be coming to the city on Friday in connection with the shooting schedule of her film.

Permission to shoot the film for two days in various parts of the city was sought from the Chandigarh Administration here today, official sources said. Barring a few sensitive areas on account of security and environment, permission is likely to be granted. Going by the areas sought by the film producer it seems some song sequences are going to be filmed. In the first week of January the film unit had been in Shimla.

Plea for martyrs’ memorial
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Jan 17 — The ex-servicemen cell of the Rashtriya Raksha Dal has demanded setting up a martyrs’ memorial in the town. Lieut-Col S.S. Sohi (retd), general secretary of the local unit of the ex-servicemen cell, said a number of defence personnel from the town had sacrificed their lives for the nation.

The memorial would be a tribute to the martyrs and their families. Besides, the town had a population of around 5,000 ex-servicemen. He said a site in Phase VIII could be allotted by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) for the memorial.

Man crushed under sheets of plywood
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — A Bapu Dham resident, working with a Sector 22 showroom, was crushed to death under the sheets of plywood, while a Jabli resident, hit by a bus in the Sector 17 Inter State Bus Terminus, was declared dead at the PGI late in the evening today.

According to sources in the Police Department, 24-year-old Ram Jas was trying to remove a sheet from the pile of plywood when the accident occurred.

Sources added that “profusely bleeding” Jas was pulled out after removing the sheets before being taken to the Sector 16 General Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Jabli resident, Nahar Singh, was, meanwhile, rushed to the PGI in the afternoon after being hit by bus belonging to the Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation. Sources added that 45-year-old Nahar Singh had sustained injuries on the head.

Tributes paid to J.S. Bansal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — A condolence meeting to mourn the death of Jagdish Singh Bansal, Chief Sub-Editor, Punjabi Tribune, was held on The Tribune premises here this afternoon. Mr Bansal died yesterday.

Among those who spoke at the meeting were the General Manager, The Tribune, Mr R.N. Gupta, the Editor, Punjabi Tribune, Mr H.S. Halwarvi, the Editor, Dainik Tribune, Mr Vijaya Saighal, and the President of The Tribune Employees Union, Mr Balbir Singh Jandu.

Another condolence meeting was held at the Press Club where a cheque for Rs 25,000 out of the club's welfare fund was given to the bereaved family. The President and the General Secretary of the club, Mr Jagtar Singh Sidhu and Mr Sarbjeet Pandher, respectively, among others, paid tributes to the departed soul. Mr Ram Singh Brar, Media Adviser, paid tributes to Mr Bansal on behalf of the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala. Mrs Kuldeep Kaur, widow of Jagdish Singh Bansal, was offered honorary membership of the club. 

Journalist bereaved
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — The father of Ms Ranju Aery, a staff reporter of Dainik Tribune, Des Raj Sharma (77) breathed his last at PGI, here today. Hailing from Madanpur Bhasuala village in Una district of Himachal Pradesh the deceased had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for the last one month.

He retired from the Central Excise and Taxation Department as Deputy Director. He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. His last rites will be performed tomorrow.

CRIME

Medicines looted from shop
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Jan 17 — Burglars broke into a chemist shop and took away medicines worth Rs 19,000 in Phase 2 here yesterday. The police has registered a case under Sections 380 and 457 of the IPC on a complaint lodged by the shopkeeper, Mr Laxman Dass Jindal.

Scooter stolen
Mr Jaspal Singh in a complaint lodged with the police said his scooter was stolen from Phase 8 here today. A case has been registered by the police

CHANDIGARH

Two injured
In separate road accidents, two city residents were admitted to different hospitals with injuries. Krishan Gopal of Sector 15 was admitted to the Sector 16 General Hospital after the scooter he was riding was hit by a car in Sector 10. Sources added that the car driver sped away from the spot.

Heena of Burail village, meanwhile, sustained injuries after being hit by a car. She was admitted to the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital.

According to sources, the police has registered two separate cases of rash and negligent driving under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC and was investigating the matter.

Car thefts
The theft of two Maruti cars was reported to the Chandigarh police during the past 24 hours. In his complaint before the police, Lieut-Col O.P. Sahni alleged that his car parked outside a hospital in Sector 34 was picked up on the night of January 15.

In the other complaint, Mohammed Adri Khan of Sector 27 alleged that his car, along with a gold chain and Rs 2,200, was stolen while it was parked outside a house in Indira Colony in Mani Majra.

Bid to rob bank
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — An attempt was made to rob a bank in Khuda Lahora village late last night. Broken locks were discovered by the gunman at about 9.30 a.m today.

According to sources in the Police Department, the thieves entered the three-storeyed building from the attic. They broke the locks on the first floor office before descending the stairs leading to the strong room.

Sources added that the thieves tried to remove the bricks from the wall before trying to break the locks. After they failed in their attempt, they left empty handed.

A senior officer, when contacted, said a case under Sections 457 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered on complaint submitted by the branch manager of the bank.

He added that a team from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory also visited the spot and the police was recording the statement of the witnesses.

Police driver assaults bread supplier
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — A supplier of bread and buns to tea vendors in Sector 17 was allegedly assaulted by the driver of a Gypsy belonging to the Police Station (Central) here today.

According to sources in the police department, the two started arguing after the supplier’s cycle strayed in the way of the police Gypsy. Giving details, sources added that the driver was initially abused by the supplier. After the latter reacted, he was assaulted by the driver.

A senior police officer, when contacted, said he would look into the allegations and proceed against the driver, if found guilty, in accordance with law.

Search for murder accused on
From Our Correspondent

PINJORE, Jan 17 — Two accused in the Ashok Kumar murder case, whose body was found in the Kaushalya river, near here, yesterday, are still at large.

According to the police, raids are being conducted on the possible hideouts and the parents of the accused are being questioned. The brother of the deceased has accused two HMT apprentices — Sanjay and Vikram — of murdering Ashok Kumar.

According to the police, the body of Ashok Kumar (20) was found in the Kaushalya river by a passerby.

A case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the accused on the complaint of Naresh Kumar, a brother of the deceased.

According to the complaint, Sanjay had come to their shop on Monday evening and took Ashok Kumar with him.