C H A N D I G A R H

Youths confess to murdering Brar
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — “He was struggling to free himself as we had nailed him to the bed. In the scuffle, the knife accidently slashed his hand and blood oozed out of it. The sight of blood made me delirious and I lost control. He ran out of the room screaming for help, but both of us caught him. Amid scared cries of those who had gathered outside the house, we stabbed him at least six times.

Inderjit Singh and Rohit Makkar, who have been accused of murdering H.S. Brar, a Sector 44 resident, being brought to police station, Sector 34, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Fire safety equipment in high-risk buildings
Fire dept to launch special drive
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — With a view to ensuring that high-risk buildings in the city are equipped with the required fire safety equipment, the Fire Department of the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh (MCC), has decided to launch a special drive.

Celina to visit city CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The City Beautiful manages to attract beauty somehow or the other. So after playing host to crowned beauties like the enrapturing reigning Ms Universe Lara Dutta, the charming Ms World Priyanka Chopra and the glamorous Aditi Govitrikar (apart from several other beauty queens), the city is now all set to welcome the Millennium’s new Femina Miss India (Universe) 2001, Celina Jaitley. An academy for the soul CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The philosophy of Vedanta is timeless. It may be ancient but it transcends the barriers of time and space. Therefore, it continues to be relevant even in this age of crass commercialism where “MTV Bakra”, Amitabh Bachchan’s “Kaun Banega Crorepati” and Govinda’s “Chhappar Phad Ke” appear more appealing to youngsters than anything else.

Spring Fest from March 3
PANCHKULA, Feb 15 — The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) will organise a two-day Spring Fest from March 3 at Town Park, Sector 5.

COMMUNITY

Corps of Signal celebrates 90th anniversary
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The Corps of Signals, celebrated the 90th anniversary of its raising at Western Command Headquarters today. As a part of the celebrations, Brig R K Malik laid a wreath on behalf of all ranks of the corps at the Veer Smriti War Memorial in Chandi Mandir. The occasion, the Chief Signal Officer, Western Command, Major Gen D. K. Bewtra, greeted all ranks and their families at the occasion.

Conference on disaster management
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Preparation of disaster management plans at the district level will be the central issue at a two-day conference-cum-workshop to be held at the Sector 19 Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development here from tomorrow.

Most PGI public phones do not function
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — This is part of those surprising-but-true-series — in the superspeciality PGI, having world-class doctors and facilities, catering to as many as 10 lakh outdoor and 40,000 indoor patients annually — only two out of 13 coin-collecting type public phones are in working order.

Police becomes a freeloader
PANCHKULA, Feb 15 — The Panchkula police has impounded dozens of trucks, trailers and other transport vehicles in the past four days without any valid reason, causing losses to owners of these vehicles.

CTYC men shave heads in protest CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — To express their resentment over the alleged failure of the Union Government to check violence against minorities in Jammu and Kashmir, 21 activists of the Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress shaved their heads today in the Sector 17 piazza here. Contributions to quake fund CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Responding to the appeal of the Punjab Governor and Administrator of UT, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd.), contributions continued to pour in to the Red Cross Earthquake Relief Fund-Gujarat.

Members of the Youth Congress get their heads shaved in protest against Centre’s alleged failure to control violence against minorities in Jammu and Kashmir, in Sector 17 piazza, Chandigarh, on Thursday.   — A Tribune photograph

CRIME

Man assaulted, injured 
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Mr Vipin Kumar, a resident of Sector 29, reported to the police that he and his brother, Brij Mohan, were assaulted by Bablu, Vicky, Bantu and a few others last night. In his complaint he said that they were also threatened by them. It is learnt that Brij was injured and was admitted to the PGI, where his condition was reportedly stable.

• Car damaged

• Gold chain stolen
  
  

BUSINESS

Furniture traders’ bandh today 
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The Sector 34 Furniture Market Association has decided to observe a bandh tomorrow to protest against the anti-encroachment drive undertaken by the staff of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh and the Estate Office today. Members of the association also plan to stage a demonstration in the market before proceeding to the DC's office to submit a memorandum containing their demands.

EDUCATION

Teachers trained to detect vision defects
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Teachers of about 25 schools in the city were trained to detect vision defects in children at a one-day workshop here today. The workshop organised by a pharmaceutical company was conducted by Dr Arun Jain, an ophthalmologist from the PGI.

Education skills: results of contests
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, was host to a series of inter-college education skill-based competitions. More than 150 students from various colleges in the region participated in the contests. The chief guest, Mr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Dean, College Development Council, Panjab University, gave away the prizes.

Symposium on defence studies
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — National security in the present-day context means socio-economic development, food, security, communal harmony and social justice and no longer can be defined in purely political and military terms, said various speakers at a symposium on “the promotion of defense studies in educational institutions” held at Government College, Sector 46, here today.

No men of VC, DPI on city college boards
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Governing bodies of private colleges of the city that are affiliated to Panjab University are flouting the PU regulations regarding the structure and formation of managing committees. However, the university authorities continue to take a mild stand on the issue.

GCG-42 rules the day at youth festival
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Government College for Girls, Sector 42, won most of competitions organised by the Sports Department, UT Chandigarh, under the auspices of the first state youth festival prize distribution ceremony here today.

PCCTU decides to resume stir
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union ( PCCTU) has decided to resume its agitation soon. This was stated here by Mr Charanjit Chawla, general secretary of the union. A meeting of the union was held today under the chairmanship of Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, president of the union.

• GCG-11 wins history quiz
  
  

COURTS

Bail plea dismissed in murder case
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15— The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C. Godara, today dismissed an anticipatory bail plea moved by Ashok Kumar in a case of murder. The case against the accused had been registered under Sections 302, 342, 506/34 of the IPC on May 16, 1999, in Industrial Area police station.

HEALTH

400 to attend seminar on GI disorder
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — As much as 40 per cent of the total population of the country, at one time or the other, suffers from a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. In order to disseminate the latest information and increase awareness about this amongst general physicians, gastroenterologists and liver experts, a two-day CME is being organised by the Department of Superspeciality of Gastroenterology, PGI, from February 17.

Workshop on nosocomial infections
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Nosocomial infections account for two to three per cent world-wide, in India, it is almost 50 per cent of the total infections. Speaking at the one-day workshop on the nosocomial infections (hospital acquired infections) organised by the Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), Dr A.K. Gupta, Medical Superintendent, PGI, emphasised on the importance of containing them to improve the patient care.

Ex-MS of PGI dead
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Dr Ramakant Sharma, a former Medical Superintendent of the PGI, died early this morning following cardiac arrest. He was 81.

NIPER celebrates foundation day
SAS NAGAR, Feb 15 — The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) celebrated its foundation day here today.

SPORT

At last Prem Chand Kashyap goes
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Finally it was end of the controversial 15 months’ tenure of Dr Prem Chand Kashyap, Regional Director of the Sports Authority of India, Netaji Subhas Northern Centre, Sector 42. He did not step down from the chair, despite the corporate office orders.

• GCG boxers win third place

• Boxing championship
  
  

ADMINISTRATION

UT Admn drawing plans to meet Gujarat-like disaster
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Following the earthquake in Gujarat, the Chandigarh Administration is drawing up plans to meet a similar disaster if it occurs in or around Chandigarh. The Government of India and the Maharashtra Government have been requested to supply a copy of their respective crisis management plans.

UT utilises 78 pc of Plan expenditure
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Till January 31, the Chandigarh Administration had utilised about 78 per cent of its Rs 143 crore plan expenditure, a budget review meeting of senior officials of the Chandigarh Administration was informed here.

MC House meeting on Feb 20
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) has called a meeting of the House on February 20 to consider the show -cause notice served to the MC by the Administration on the controversy regarding the dissolution of nine sub-committees. A reply on the issue will be sent only after the meeting.

‘City needs to plan its publicity drive’
CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Dr Gulshan Sharma, Director of the Travel Agents Federation of India, today expressed the view that Chandigarh needed to plan its publicity and promotional campaign for tourism in tendum with Himachal pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

Record investment
PANCHKULA, Feb 15 — Panchkula district has made record investment of Rs 47 crore against a target of Rs 50 crore in small savings till January, 2001, which is 94 per cent of the target fixed for the current financial year.