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Cops restrict cupid CHANDIGARH More than 250 policemen had been deployed at various points in the city to prevent hooliganism. There were policemen all along the geri route, four every 500 yards, to keep a close watch on revelers. Only staff and students were allowed to enter the Panjab University campus. Most revelers said the police was too strict, which spoiled the fun. The police also issued challans to 173 persons and impounded eight vehicles. While 135 challans were issued to drivers without helmets, 17 drivers received challans for wrong parking. Four of them were fined for wrong entry, three for using black films on windshields, one for driving without the number plate and 13 for other offences. Activists of the Shiv Sena, too, held a demonstration in Sector 22, but soon dispersed after burning some Valentine’s Day cards.
Language of flowers In the 17th century, the language of flowers flourished in Constantinople and also in the poetry of Persia. Charles II introduced the Persian poetry to Europe and Lady Mary Wortley brought the flower language from Turkey to England in 1716. It spread to France and became a handbook of 800 floral messages called the Book le Language das Fleurs. Lovers exchanged messages along with a special flower for each message. A full red rose meant beauty; red and white roses meant unity, white rose bud warned that one was too young to love; yellow roses meant jealousy; yellow iris meant passion and flibert stood for reconciliation. Ivy symbolised marriage.
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Sector 44 resident murdered
in broad daylight CHANDIGARH Mr H.S. Brar, 55 and a retired officer from a top notch chemical factory, was stabbed repeatedly in his stomach with a kitchen knife and scissors at around 11:45 am at his Block C residence in Sector 44. It is suspected that the accused were two youths. The police is working on the angle that the accused were acquaintances of the deceased as there were no apparent signs of a forced entry in the house. It is alleged that the accused came via the front door and after being ushered in got into a scuffle with the deceased. The police theory is that the accused as well as Mr Brar first went to the bedroom and the latter was first attacked there. The police has found blood stains on the quilt lying in the room. It was then that the victim supposedly rushed out of the bedroom into the drawing room. It was here that he was again stabbed and fell down on the carpet. It is also alleged that the accused had tried to asphyxiate Mr Brar before they stabbed him. It may be noted that all the while that the deceased was being attacked, he had been crying for help. His wails were reportedly heard by a few neighbours, and a few women in the neighbourhood came and stood in front of the gate of the house of the deceased but no one went inside. After repeatedly hearing the cries, they then called a few men from the vicinity, who in turn went towards the back gate of the house. They found the door of the house open, but chose to wait outside till the police arrived on the place of occurance of crime. The accused had reportedly fled from the scene by then. When the police arrived on the scene, the wife of the victim, Ms. Dalbir Kaur Brar, a school teacher and their daughter, Ms Manbina Brar, a computer instructor, had been informed by the neighbours. The entire place had been ransacked and blood was splashed all over. However, the inconsolable family members maintained that nothing had been stolen from the house. They also said that the deceased had no enemies and that they did not suspect anyone. Upon visiting the spot, TNS found that there was some panic among the residents of the area. They said that a few months ago, a few miscreants had also robbed the house of the deceased and another neighbour, Satinder Singh. The accused had also consumed liquor in the house of the deceased. Meanwhile, the police has registered a case of murder under Section 302 of the IPC. Sources say that the police has rounded up three to four youths on grounds of suspicion and were hopeful of solving the case soon. |
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Share market ‘can’t create jobs’ CHANDIGARH, Feb 14 Delivering the valedictory address at a three-day international conference on “Beyond the Washington Consensus — governance and the public domain in contrasting economies: the cases of India and Canada”, Mr Chandra Shekhar said that India could change any time. “The situation is not desperate in rural areas but it is desperate for certain politicians, academicians and mediamen”. “We have faulted. The world looked towards India to play a major role. But unfortunately we are not able to make any dent in policy-making,” he said. Talking about the WTO, he said that at the moment he was not in a position to reject it but would have certainly opposed it at the time of signing it. Criticising the false projections of foreign exchange reserves which, he said, were made on borrowed money, he also questioned the wisdom of propagating multinational companies through the electronic media. Most of the advertisements on the electronic media were about foreign-based companies, he said, while referring to repeated announcements even on the Shatabdi Express about the availability of foreign exchange at New Delhi railway station from a foreign company. Questioning the wisdom of allowing 12-odd automobile companies to manufacture four-wheelers and buses, he said that some methods could have been used to encourage internal production. Mr Chandra Shekhar said that though his impression of NGOs was not good, some institutions could still be relied upon to bridge the communication gap between the academician and the politician. He also referred to the instance when the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker expressed their anguish about India figuring high on the list of “corrupt” nations. “Nations have their own problems, and there could be no consensus on their problems. In our case it was not imposed on us, we ourselves accepted it. We are a nation of one billion people of which 40 per cent are illiterate and 35 per cent are below the poverty line. “Information technology or the share market cannot create employment,” he said. Referring to the countries which depended solely on foreign help, he said such nations were doomed. “In the case of India, it was not only a question of economic development but also a question of the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country. The very sovereignty of the country was being compromised,” he added. Those who participated in interaction with Mr Chandra Shekhar were Dr Harry Arthurs, Dr H.K. Manmohan Singh, Dr Amitav Acharya, Dr David Cameron and Dr Sol Picciotto. Earlier. Mr Rashpal Malhotra, Director, CRRID, in his address of welcome talked about the significance of the conference. Dr Surinder K. Goyal of the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development said that fruitful discussions took place among economists and policy-makers of both India and Canada during the three-day conference. Dr Daniel Drache of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies at York University highlighted the traumatic effects the post-Seattle Consensus had on various states. |
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No-holds-barred battle in the offing CHANDIGARH Although the formal election process is yet to begin and the nominations for the election are yet to open, the club is already astir, with the prospective candidates launching their election campaigns. They have begun door-to-door campaigning, come out with election pamphlets, highlighting their merits and their rivals’ demerits . Nominations will be received between February 16 and 19, scrutiny will take place on February 20 while withdrawals will be allowed up to 5 p.m. on the same day. Polling, if any, will take place on March 3 from 12 noon to 9 p.m. The Chandigarh Club is the biggest, oldest and among the most prestigious clubs of the UT. Its members include a large number of officers of Punjab and Haryana governments and the UT Administration. Several present and past ministers of the two states are also regular visitors. It has affiliation with as many as 77 clubs in different parts of the country. Therefore, its election, as usual, arouses a great deal of interest all around. So far three candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the post of president of the club. They are: Mr Amarjit Singh Sethi, a real estate consultant, Mr R.S. Sachdeva, a businessmen and Mr Ravinder Chopra, a lawyer of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The club has a total of 4800 members, of which as many as 1000 are outstation members. In the last elections, a total of 2250 votes were cast. This time, pollsters expect the polling to be much higher because of induction of a large number of new members as also due to heightened interest in the poll. Mr Sethi’s campaign is being led by Mr Chaman Lal Sharma, the outgoing president, who has raised the slogan of “change with continuity”. During his stint as the club chief, the quality of services offered by the club have reportedly
improved. Mr Sethi hopes to cash in on Mr Sharma’s achievements. Mr Sachdeva, who is the vice-president in the outgoing team, also claims credit for the development which has taken place in the club during the past couple of years and promises to do much more once elected to the office of the president of the club, Mr Ravinder Chopra, who is a past president of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, feels that he is the “natural choice” for the presidentship of the club because in the last election held in May, 1999, when he sought to contest against Mr Sharma, he was prevailed upon to withdraw from the contest as part of an agreement under which it was stated that he would be supported for the post in the next poll. But this agreement was now being violated by Mr Sharma who had extended support to Mr Sethi, he added. Mr Sharma, however, says that it was Mr Chopra who violated the agreement first. Although he himself had withdrawn from the contest last time, he had propped up Mr Harish Dhawan against Mr Sharma. Mr Dhawan was eventually beaten in the poll. This is hotly denied by Mr Chopra who asserts that he had nothing to do with Mr Dhawan’s decision to contest last time. Mr Sachdeva’s assessment is that both Mr Sethi and Mr Chopra share a common vote bank. Therefore, a division of votes between the two would benefit him. Although the D-Day is still a fortnight away, allegations and counterallegations have begun to fly thick and fast. Some of these allegations are personal in nature. As the polling day approaches, there is an apprehension that things could get hotter and the situation could go out of control. The Returning Officer, Mr S.C. Nagpal, has already imposed a ban on the holding of parties in the club. He has also advised members to keep the cost of electioneering to bare minimum. Mr Chaman Sharma is also issuing an appeal to the members to avoid personal allegations and mutual mudslinging during the elections. But it does not seem to be having the desired effect. Anonymous letters listing various acts of omission and commission against the leading the candidates have begun to circulate. |
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Residents oppose MC notices on removal of cantilevers CHANDIGARH The Mayor further said that though no one from the area has expressed resentment over the issuance of such notices, he has already told the Commissioner to look into the issue and ensure that the officials concerned do not harass the public. He further asked the Commissioner to issue necessary directions exempting people of the Old Abadi area from complying with the notices served earlier, however, the cases of new constructions can be considered afresh. The MC has recently issued notices to over 400 residents of Mani Majra asking them to remove cantilevers and other such projections on the municipal land before seeking NOCs for various purposes. Resentment prevails among the residents who were facing hardships in obtaining NOCs from the MC authorities because they have not removed the cantilevers. In fact, most of them reveal that necessary permission for the projected cantilevers was sought from the NAC, following which the first and second storeys were constructed. The removal of these cantilevers only implies bringing down the top storeys also. Criticising the MC for this, the Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Gurcharan Dass Kala, said that if the notices were not taken back, he would be forced to resign. He also plans to hold an indefinite dharna outside the MC office to press for the genuine demand of the people of this area. Sources reveal that with a view to checking the unauthorised encroachments in Mani Majra, a few hundred residents of the area were issued notices under regulation 415 of the MC Act. The removal of projected cantilevers outside shops and houses forms a part of these notices. These people have been asked to remove these projections with immediate effect. If they do not do so, their NOCs will be withheld. The residents of the area were upset about the issuance of these notices. They point out that constructions of yesteryear were now being seen as encroachments by the MC authorities. Secondly, these notices have been issued at a time when the top posts of Mayor and Senior Deputy Mayor are being held by Mani Majra councillors. Mr Kala further alleged that they are being unnecessarily being targeted and despite repeated assurances by the Mayor that the sub-office in Mani Majra will start functioning for the benefit of the residents, nothing has happened. In fact, the pace of development in Mani Majra, particularly in his ward, has slackened due to his unnecessary interference. He spoke to the MC Commissioner, who simply refused to take back these notices. Mr Kala told the MC Commissioner that Mani Majra is an old residential area and the rules of the city cannot apply on it. Before MC, NAC had given permission to put one and a half feet cantilever. Now MC wants to implement its own rules, but this will not be allowed. Meanwhile, Mr Suresh Verma, vice-president of the BJP, Chandigarh Pradesh, and Mr B.R. Sharma, Mandal President of mandal No: 20, in a release issued here today severely condemned the MC for issuing over 400 notices to the people of Mani Majra on small issues and for unnecessarily harassing them. They have further stated that the Mayor has miserably failed to solve the problems of people of Mani Majra. The area has become filthier for heaps of garbage can be seen lying here and there. The condition of roads and streets is also pitiable. Mr Verma has further alleged that while on one hand small house owners are being harassed, on the other hand the Mayor has built an unauthorised market consisting of many shops in Mani Majra, for which MC is not taking any action. They have demanded that the matter be investigated by the CBI. They have warned that if notices issued to the people of Mani Majra are not withdrawn within 15 days, they will be compelled to gherao the Mayor. |
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GOOD NEWS — PUBLIC RESPONSE CHANDIGARH It all started when nine shopkeepers — Mr Hem Raj (Chairman of the Market Dealers’ Association), Mr Ashwani K. Jain (President), Mr R.P. Gupta (General Secretary), Mr Jaspal Singh, Mr Gupta, Mr Ram Mehndiratta, Mr Ram Dhan Aggarwal, Mr Shyam Bhandari and Mr Ram Krishan Aggarwal, contributed Rs 5,000 each before moving from shop to shop to collect donations from the members of the association. “All donations were voluntary. We were so overwhelmed that no shopkeeper contributed less than Rs 1,100. Some shopkeepers even contributed Rs 2,100. In all, we collected Rs 1,11,450,” they said. The Joint Dasehra Committee of Sectors 7 and 18 also contributed Rs 1 lakh to the fund. “The money was lying unutilised with us. So we decided to donate it for a noble cause,” Mr Ashwani K. Jain, President of the committee said. They jointly came to The Tribune office to present the cheques to the Editor, Mr Hari Jaisingh. Meanwhile, the Sector 47 Air Force Garh Kirtan Mandali raised donations on voluntary basis from its members to send a draft of Rs 2100 to The Tribune for onward transmission to the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Sector 37 Gurdwara and Sukhmani Sahib Sewa Societies also collected more than Rs 40,000 and sent a draft to The Tribune. |
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Relief material sent to Gujarat CHANDIGARH According to a press note, among the material sent were tents, sugar, blankets, wheat, rice, maize and wheat flour. About 104 sewadars of the mission were already helping the quake-hit people in Rapar near Bhuj. Meanwhile, the staff of Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Western Command) have donated one-day salary amounting to over Rs 1 lakh for the quake victims. The Property Consultants Association presented a draft of Rs 75,000 to the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd) |
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2 commit suicide CHANDIGARH Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Sohana village in Ropar, who accompanied his sick wife to the Government Medical College and Hospital, reportedly committed suicide by jumping from the fifth floor of the Block A of the hospital at around 9.30 a.m. today. He sustained multiple fractures and some head injuries and later died. According to the information available, it is alleged that the deceased was a drug addict and took the extreme step under the influence of the drugs. It is also learnt that his wife, Binder Kaur, had been admitted to the hospital and was undergoing treatment for a psychiatric problem. Sources in the hospital said that the deceased had an unhappy married life and they were issueless. They had been married for the past 10 years. It is also learnt that the deceased had been married earlier too, but had no children from that marriage too. In another case, a 20-year-old youth, Anil Kumar, immolated himself at his Hallo Majra residence late last night. It is learnt that the provocation was his elder brother’s decision to set up a separate business. The victim, who received 100 per cent burns succumbed to injuries at the GMCH, Sector 32, this morning. |
ADA offers 100 acre to Infosys SHINGARIWALA (Kharar) Sources in the Punjab State Electronics Development and Production Corporation Limited claim that they have been vigorously pursuing Infosys Technologies Limited to locate their new campus in Punjab. A meeting was held between the Punjab government and representatives of Infosys at the Udyog Bhawan, Sector 17, Chandigarh, yesterday. It is revealed that the ADA could make available between 50 and 100 acres of land in Shangariwal village to Infosys for their campus within two months. In the conceptual plan of the Anandgarh project three villages — Perch, Seonk and Sangariwala — form the institutional area of the town. Punjab officials who attended the meeting include Mr R I Singh, Secretary, Industries, Mr G S Pirzada, MD, ECP, Mr A K Dubey, Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Suresh Kumar, CEO ADA, and Mr R.K. Verma, Additional Chief Administrator, ADA. When asked what will be the cost of the land, Mr R K Verma, Additional Chief Administrator, ADA, said: “The cost of the land will be as per award of the Land Acquisition Collector, including any enhancement during judicial review”. He claims the Infosys will get land here at a “lower price as compared to Chandigarh and Haryana”. Mr Verma claimed the institutional area of the Anandgarh is “strategically located” as it is next to Chandigarh and is joined with road link with the Central Business District in the conceptual plan for the township. When asked about the infrastructure which the company will demand before setting up its plant, Mr Verma said, “In the meeting it was promised to them that the infrastructural development will be taken up on a priority basis”. Sources point out that the ADA may not use the emergency powers of the Land Acquisition Act as “the land will be acquired in the normal course and the emergency powers could only advance the date by maximum a month”. Sources in the Anandgarh Development said if Infosys Technologies Limited decides to locate its campus in Anandgarh, the Punjab Government has proposed the following schedule to the company: Approval of Administrative Department for acquisition of land for the company under Section 17 (Emergency) of Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (LAA) — February 22, 2001 Approval and publication of notice under Section 6 of Land Acquisition Act , 1894 in the Government Gazette — February 28, 2001 Demarcation of boundary under the Section 8 of LAA — March 12, 2001. Possession of land — April 9, 2001. |
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UPSC to select new city Chief
Engineer CHANDIGARH The UPSC will nominate its appointee while two nominees will be of the Chandigarh Administration. The interview will be in the form a departmental promotion committee (DPC) meeting. There are two senior engineers in running for the post of Chief Engineer, Chandigarh Administration. One of them is Mr Puranjit Singh, who is presently posted as Chief Engineer, MC. The other is Mr V.K. Bhardwaj, Superintending Engineer, Construction Circle, Chandigarh Administration. Interestingly Mr Puranjit Singh had written to the Administrator about three months ago, alleging that officials of the Chandigarh Administration were delaying the UPSC interview to keep him out. Once the UPSC had fixed a date for selection in October, however, this was changed at a request sent by the Chandigarh Administration. The Administration expressed its desire to hold simultaneous interviews to select a Chief Engineer for the Administration and the Municipal Corporation, respectively. A request for simultaneous interviews had been first turned down by the UPSC which is scheduled to hold interviews on behalf of the Administration. The Administration then wrote to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) requesting to ‘‘encadre’’ the post of Chief Engineer, Municipal Corporation. But it was turned down. Had the MHA agreed it would have enabled the Administration to hold simultaneous interviews to the post of Chief Engineer, MC and Chief Engineer Chandigarh Administration, respectively. |
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PUDA to have
public cos. as partners CHANDIGARH An official spokesman revealed that this was being done after a decision had been taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Prakash Singh Badal, recently. He added that an advertisement had been issued in all leading national newspapers inviting expression of interest in this respect by February 28. The objective of the exercise was not only to attract private capital into the housing sector in Punjab, but also releasing PUDA resources for investment in urban infrastructure and low income group and housing for economically weaker section. It was hoped that involvement of the private sector would bring in new management techniques and building materials and technologies. This would not only accelerate the pace of construction, but also lower the cost. The spokesman claimed that a significant proportion of the dwelling units would be required to be sold at a subsidised price, in accordance with PUDA’s policies for LIG and EWS houses. |
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RLUs added to phone
exchanges DERA BASSI The lines were commissioned by Mr S.P. Punwar, Director. Finance of the BSNL, New Delhi. Mr R.C. Vaish, Principal General Manager, Telecom, Chandigarh, stated that with the commissioning of these RLUs more connections would be provided to the subscribers in the area. |
Minor girl
abducted CHANDIGARH A case under Section 363 and 366 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered. Road mishaps In another road accident yesterday, Daya Shankar, a cyclist, was reportedly injured after a Tata Sumo hit him near the turn of Sectors 31 and 47. The victim was treated in the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. A case under Section 279 and 337, IPC, was registered. The office of the Headmaster of Government Middle School, Sector 39, was reportedly broken into by some persons here yesterday. However, police sources said that nothing was stolen. A case was registered after Janak Raj, watchman of the school, brought it to the notice of the local police. Eve-teasing A case under Section 294, IPC, was registered. Scooter stolen A case under Section 379, IPC, has been registered. One booked |
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Golden Forests CMD gets bail LALRU The duo were arrested by the Lalru police in a cheating case on the complaint of Mr Faquir Chand Srivastava of Panipat for duping him of Rs 1,87, 310. The police has registered a case under Sections 420 and 406 of the IPC against the accused and they were remanded to judicial custody. |
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