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| Wednesday,
April 18, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Admn notifies changes in building bylaws Chandigarh, April 17 The change will be allowed on payment of conversion charges as determined by the Chandigarh Administration. The Administration has covered a host of trades in the new list. Prominent in the list are restaurants, bakeries, fruit and vegetable selling, iron and steel merchants, coal depots, furniture , doctors, photographers, architects, dry cleaners, crockery and utensils, domestic appliances, poultry products and textiles. All this is a part of the change process to have more user-friendly building bylaws. Several amendments have been carried out in the past one year. |
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30 meterless autos
challaned Chandigarh, April 17 The DSP, (Traffic) Mr Vijay Pal Singh, said during the day long drive 22 auto-rickshaws had been challaned and two had been impounded by the police. The other challans were issued by the STA. Meanwhile, several hundred autos remained off the road today. Auto drivers also made a beeline to a place in Sector 19 where meters are calibrated. Originally the drive started on March 16, however auto drivers sought more time and the Administration allowed it. The Transport Department has asked the SP Traffic and the Secretary, State Transport Authority (STA), to form separate teams which started challaning the autos which have not fallen in lien and fixed meters as the extended deadline expired. All challans will be fed into the police computers. The challaning teams will be able to ask over the wireless system from the computer control room and confirm that how many times a particular auto had been challaned. Going by the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, the offending autos cannot be impounded for the first three violations. After that impounding is allowed. The idea is to have compliance of order and not impound the autos thus causing harassment to residents and visitors. |
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Varsity supercomputer cries for
users Chandigarh, April 17 Inaugurated by Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister, as one among the seven supercomputers (Level III) facilities all over the country, the PU lab awaits users to make a decent use of the facilities. Baring a couple of research projects, there has been negligent activity. One big reason is “lack of knowledge about the existing facilities. The machine can manage computations in a couple of days which would take month on a simple computer. But, where is the required material for computations?” Prof C.M. Behal of the Computer Applications Department has been associated with the programme since its inception. He said the quality of computer facility was unchallenged for its excellence and speed. He agreed on the lack of correct use of the computer. The computer had seen negligible use by the industry and faculty in the region. “The Indian industry spend a bare minimum on the research aspect. The product production mechanisms are followed too religiously so there is no attempt to find alternative methods of production”, he said. A senior research scholar of the department said physics, chemistry and mathematics were the areas identified for maximum use of the system. One research work of a scholar done on a simple computer in two months was executed by the supercomputer in mere eight days. Professor Behal agreed to the suggestion that there was a need for organising education programmes for the potential users. Other faculty members also needed to be a part of the programme. It has been pointed out that supercomputer facility suited international level project computations. The level of the research was far below expectations here. A simple computer managed most of work what was done here. There were negligible areas of dire importance for the social sciences here. “More work is done on the original programmes. There was an intention for developing new programmes. No one seems to know how to write new programmes. Not just in the university level, there seems negligent response from the entire region. Industries do not promise any interest till correct information about potential benefits, if any, travels down”, he said. There were chances that users here were using the better facilities elsewhere through their computers. “It is important that PU is the facility holder, so others should contact the university. However, current level of information among majority of potential users of the machine is negligent. The hosts will have to care about contacting prospective users, at least initially”, he added. |
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Car-lifting: another
recovery Panchkula, April 17 The Maruti Zen bearing the number HR-06-0011, it is alleged, does not belong to the accused who is now in police custody in Delhi. Parked at his residence, the car was taken to the Sector 5 police station later in the evening. Sources said that the police arrived at the residence of Rajesh Gautam, a tenant this afternoon. After carrying out a complete check in the course of which the chassis number, the engine number and papers of the car were examined, it was taken away to the Sector 5 police station. The Superintendent of Police, Dr CS Rao, said that preliminary investigations revealed that the car bore a fake registration number, since, according to the official records, this number has not been allotted to anybody so far. Neighbours said that the accused frequently got brand new luxury cars bearing double-digit numbers and dodged off queries by saying that he was engaged in the sale and purchase of cars. He carried on the work of disposing of stolen cars with utmost ease without raising any suspicion. This car, however, neighbours stated, did not probably belong to him and was to be disposed off. As ill luck would have it, the car-theft racket was exposed and he was arrested. Neighbours also said that the only vehicle that belonged to him was a motorcycle used by his son. The others, all luxury cars, came and went. After the arrest of the accused, the family had shifted to a relative’s place in the city. There had been absolutely no activity in the house since then. Meanwhile, a black Indica was recovered by the Chandigarh Police from the house of a bank man named Shiv Ram in Sector 45 yesterday. That car (HR-60-0066) was found locked in the garage. A police party led by Inspector KIP Singh recovered the vehicle. The bank man was stated to be out of station. |
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MC, Health Dept at
loggerheads Panchkula, April 17 Already, two cases of malaria have been reported from the district and the health authorities admit that any further delay could lead to the problem assuming epidemic proportions, the danger being greater in high-risk pockets of the colonies. The problem of carrying out spray in the urban areas has come up on account of the formation of the local body, the district health authorities contending that with the responsibility of sanitation automatically goes to them. “Under the scheme of the Government of India, we can carry out spray only in places where the tests have been positive or have been reported positive in the last season. We cannot carry out spraying in the entire urban area for lack of funds for the same,” the Chief Medical Officer, Dr HC Nagpal, said. Meanwhile, council officials claim they are not equipped to handle the spraying this season since there is hardly any infrastructure or manpower. “We are willing to lend the district health department a helping hand but cannot do anything all by ourselves,’’ states Mr Shrikant Walgad, Administrator, HUDA, and holding charge of the council as well. While all work of spraying and maintenance of sanitation lies entirely with the local body, the Health Department had stepped in since there was no local body in the city until its notification on January 26 this year. With its coming, the Sanitation Department has been handed over to the council completely. However, adopting a flexible approach, the two department are working out a compromise under which the Municipal Council will provide the material for spraying and the Health Department will press its men into action to control the rising mosquito menace. “We cannot shirk from our responsibility and are willing to do the needful provided we get the medicine required for the spray. We have our own pumps which can be put to use and the manpower can also be made available,’’ Dr Nagpal said. While the spray should have been carried out long back in the high-risk pockets, the city, too, is crying for attention now though completing the spraying exercise could be delayed a little further as the modalities are worked out. |
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Lok Adalat on April 21 Chandigarh, April 17 The Chairman informed that any person, who wished to settle the matter in the adalat, could approach him or the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, in the District Courts. |
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Digging by HFCL makes phones dead Chandigarh, April 17 Meanwhile about 2400 phones are non functional in Sector 22 for the past one week following a technical snag in the equipment which routes calls. |
VDS to regularise extension in power
load Chandigarh, April 17 The scheme will be in force from 1.5.2001 to 31.5.2001. The salient features of the scheme are:- 1. The consumer can herself\himself fill up the simple form and work out the total load as existing on date, less the existing sanctioned load and hence, arrive at the unauthorised extension in load. 2. Application and agreement form shall be available in the concerned sub-divisional office of the electricity. For the convenience of the consumers, even photocopy of the agreement and application form on A-4 size paper will be accepted. 3. Schedule of security/service charges to be paid by the consumers opting for VDS scheme shall be put up on the notice board of each of the sub-division. 4. For domestic category of consumers, the service connection charge (SCC) shall be recovered at the rate of 50 per cent of the slab rate mentioned, whereas for non-residential consumers service connection charges shall be levied at full rate as applicable. Only existing authorised consumers are eligible for load extension under VDS scheme in his/her name individually for the existing connection without resorting to clubbing of connections in the same premises. This is further subject to the condition that total load of all such connections in the premises in the same name does not exceed 100 kw. 5. Augmentation of service line, if required, shall be carried out by the Electricity Department at its own cost. For augmentation of single phase meters, cost would be borne by the department. 6. In case where change of meter from single phase to three phase or augmentation of three phase meter is involved, three-phase electronic energy meter of required capacity from the following makes shall be arranged by consumer and after testing will be replaced by the department in view of consumer meter no rentals @ Rs 25/month would be leviable. i) Elymer International Pvt Ltd., Delhi ii) HPL Socomec Pvt Ltd., New Delhi iii) Elymer Electronics Pvt Ltd., Delhi iv) Electron Energy Equipment Pvt. Ltd., Noida v) Genus Overseas Electronics Ltd., Jaipur vi) M/s Saref Industries, Rampuraphul vii) BHEL, Chandigarh. 7. The consumer while submitting the application form will deposit the security charges as well as service connection charges for the extended/unauthorised load only. 8. No fresh test report for the extended load is to be submitted by the consumers. The same shall be prepared by the JE incharge of the department, for the revised load on his routine visit. 9. No load surcharge shall be levied within the period the VDS scheme is in vogue i.e. for the period 1/5/2001 to 31/5/2001. For those registered under VDS, penalty would not be leviable till unauthorised load is regularised. 10. Consumers do not have to visit the office of the concerned SDO frequently but only once with full detail of the load existing, alongwith the consumer bill where existing sanctioned load is mentioned and after filling the form and deposit of charges, further action would be taken by the department. 11. Simplified VDS scheme is operative for a limited period only and the consumers are requested to avail of the same. After closure of the scheme i.e. on 31/5/2001 load surcharge @ Rs 750 per kv in case of single phase connection and Rs 1500 per kv in case of three phase connection shall be levied. The load shall not be allowed to be removed and it shall be compulsorily regularised for which security/service charges at full rate shall be recovered and the power supply to consumers failing to deposit such charges within 15 days shall be disconnected. 12. Simplified AA form as well as schedule of security charges to be paid by the consumer opting for VDS scheme. 13. In the cases where the owner, in whose name electric connection stands, has died, the legal heir shall be eligible to avail of the VDS benefit by furnishing the indemnity bond alongwith A&A form. 14. In cases, where property has been sold, the purchaser in whose name the property has been transferred shall be eligible to avail VDS benefits by submitting the proof/documents of such transfer alongwith A&A form. 15. In the case of the tenant who does not have the connection in his name, he shall be eligible to avail of the VDS benefits by submitting the consent of the landlord alongwith the A&A form. 16. The regularisation of extended load under VDS-2001 would be carried out within a maximum period of six months of the date of receipt of application. 17. In cases where augmentation of the distribution transformer is involved, the period within which load would be regularised could be more. |
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Rain continues, temp
falls Chandigarh, April 17 The rain would continue tomorrow, accompanied by strong surface winds, the local meteorological office predicted today. The director of the office, Mr S.C. Bhan, said rain during summer to break the extreme of temperature was not unusual, but, the length of spell was unusual. The rain had been occurring due to a series of western disturbances in the region, he added. Light to moderate showers continued early this morning, bringing down the morning temperature. Another shower in the evening resulted in a further drop in temperature. The minimum temperature also dropped from 19 degrees yesterday to 17 degrees today. Rain also resulted in less rush in the sector markets, while halwais selling samosas and pakoras did brisk business. |
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Water shortage on April 23,
24 Chandigarh, April 17 In an appeal issued here today, officials of the Public Health Circle of MC, have asked the residents of the city to be cautious in using water since the supply is likely to be inadequate and at low pressure in some areas. The Superintending Engineer (Public Health), Mr Swaran Singh Kanwal, said the major damage to the pipeline coming from Kajauli had been repaired and normal water supply restored. But we intend to take up the repair of another leakage in one of the joints in the main supply line. “The city will get a rationed supply of water, when we undertake the repair work on Sunday and Monday. Normal supplies will be restored by Tuesday morning,” he said. It may be recalled that water supply to several parts of the city was affected following a breakdown in the supply line from Kajauli last week. The residents faced problems for the next three to four days, as the city’s daily supply quota of approximately 64 million gallons per day ( MGD) was cut down to 40 MGD. The authorities maintain that major repairs of the pipeline were undertaken to overcome the ongoing shortage and the supply will further improve with the repair of other minor leakages. |
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Decoy complainants to help people Chandigarh, April 17 This was stated by the UT Inspector-General of Police, Mr B.S. Bassi, while presiding over a meeting here today. He said that decoy complainants from among the staff in the Public Grievances Cell would be sent to various police stations. The IGP has also instructed all the Station House Officers to issue challans to the traffic rule violators, especially those indulging in overtaking and speeding. The police officers have also been instructed to focus attention on areas lacking civic amenities (slums and other areas inhabited by people from the lower socio-economic stratum) for anyone engaging in unlawful activities, especially in drug peddling and liquor smuggling. The DSP (Crime), Mr. S.C. Abrol, has been asked to undertake this task and check drug-peddling and alcoholism. The IG said that he would soon pass a detailed order regarding arrests. He also said the police should use its discretion while making arrests in the cases where these were many co-accused, especially in cases of mental and physical harassment for dowry and in cases of cheating and fraud. He announced that the checking of the malkhanas of police stations would be carried out in the coming month and said that all unclaimed cars lying in the malkhanas would be auctioned after an order was obtained from the court. Mr Bassi announced that as many as 32 persons had already availed them selves of free legal aid during the past two months since the scheme was launched. The beat system was reviewed and the wide acceptability of the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in the various sectors was also discussed. The IG said that the police personnel should be allowed their weekly “off”. It was decided to use the duty officers’ rooms in police stations for the interrogation of the accused or for the recording of their statements. The IG announced a welfare scheme for the police personnel to document their health profile with the help of police hospital staff. This would be an annual exercise for checking overweight, underweight and other ailment. It was also decided to hold a meeting with the staff and the principal of the Sector 26 Model School adopted by the police so as to chalk out strategies for career guidance, counselling and coaching for the students. |
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OBITUARY Major-Gen M.P.S. Mann (retd), who died on April 10 after a protracted illness, was the patron of the Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab and
Chandigarh. Belonging to the distinguished Mann family of Fatehgarh Sahib, General Mann had devoted his life to the welfare of war widows, and decorated and disabled soldiers after retiring as General Officer Commanding of an Infantry division in
Gujarat. Born in Mannanwala village in Sheikhupura district (now in Pakistan), the Manns moved to Tallanian village in Fatehgarh Sahib district after Partition. After his early education at the
RIMC, Dehra Dun, he joined the NDA, Khadakvasla, and was commissioned at the Indian Military Academy in June, 1950. After graduating from the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, he was Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade at Nasirabad
(Rajasthan). After holding various grade I staff appointments in fighting formations, he rose to be
GOC. He commanded 2 and 9 Battalions of the Brigade of Guards and was awarded the
AVSM. After retirement, he relentlessly worked for the welfare of war widows, war decorated and disabled soldiers and consistently pursued the matter of allotment of land to war widows and dependent parents of Punjabi soldiers killed in action in the 1962 war with China, and the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. The bhog and antim ardas of General Mann will be held on April 19 at Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Moti
Mehra, Fatehgarh Sahib, between noon and 1 p.m. |
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ITBP top cop visits
battalion Chandigarh, April 17 This is the Director General’s first visit to this battalion, which is responsible for providing vehicles, drivers and mechanics to various ITBP units and establishments. Mr Chaube inspected the unit’s quarter guard and thereafter visited the main office, where he was briefed about the functioning of the transport battalion by the commandant, Mr Chinna. He also went around the unit canteen, base workshop, motor transport park and the barracks. |
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Exhibition on fire safety measures Chandigarh, April 17 The exhibition will be inaugurated by the Chief Fire Officer, Mr
G. S Bajwa. A seminar will also be organised to propagate fire safety message among the masses. Besides this, posters, pamphlets will also be distributed. According to Mr Bajwa, fires in India take a heavy toll and damage property worth crores of rupees. Special focus will be on creating awareness among women and children, who are more prone to fire accidents at home.
Packet chokes water supply Chandigarh, April 17 Following repeated complaints by residents, the employees came to inspect and said the problem was due to some blockage in the pipe leading to their residences. They opened the pipeline near the water meter and removed a piece of polythene and a marble-sized mud-ball from the filter. The solution was short-lived for the fault was in the main pipeline, which they were unable to locate. Interestingly, what the employees of the MC could not do in days, a private plumber managed to do the same within three hours. He located the source of blockage, a packet of chewing tobacco and removed it. The residents heaved a sigh of relief, once the packet was removed and the problem solved. |
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ISKCON training course
begins Chandigarh, April 17 The president of the local unit of ISKCON, Bhakti Vinod Dasa Prabhu, explained about Vaishnava culture. Mr Kamleshwar Sinha, a former Shanti Niketan scholar, presided over the function. More than 60 participants from various parts of the country are participating in the programme. |
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‘Pool resources for social uplift’ Chandigarh, April 17 This was stated by Mr
C. L. Bains, Financial Commissioner, Punjab, in a programme at the Centre for Adult Education at Panjab University here today. He said the objectives of several organisations on literacy and social uplift were similar and there was need for pooling in resources from all quarters. Ms Manjeet Paintal, director of the Regional Resource Centre, underlined role of socially active organisations. There were about 35 participants from NGOs, ZSS functionaries and experts from agriculture extension services.
Rs 6 lakh for quake
victims Chandigarh, April 17 Dr C.L. Narang, director of the NSS, said that some colleges had sent the fund directly to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. During the Kargil invasion, students had contributed more than Rs 3 lakh for the relief fund, Dr Narang added. |
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UP Bhawan in Saketri demanded Panchkula, April 17 In representations, the association requested political leaders to pursue the issue with the Haryana Government, which they alleged, had an indifferent attitude towards their demand. It stated that persons from Uttar Pradesh had bought land in Saketri village for the construction of a community centre and a residential colony for economically weak persons. |
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Women duped of cash,
jewellery SAS Nagar, April 17 They told the victims that they had come from Gujarat and wanted to sell their gold jewellery as they wanted money for the treatment of their relative admitted to PGI in Chandigarh. When the victims were busy in directing them to the nearest jeweller, they were made to smell something, making them unconscious. At least Rs 15,000 in cash and the gold jewellery worn by the two women was taken away. A complaint in this regard has been made to the police, but a case is yet to be registered. Fraud case CHANDIGARH Man duped Mr Pradeep Verma, a company secretary with Indswift Laboratory here, had gone to Delhi on an official visit. It was while he was returning back that the incident took place. As soon as the train arrived at the railway platform, a large number of passengers began boarding the train. Amidst the confusion, someone threw something on the back of the complainant, which caused him a lot of irritation and discomfort. Two youths, who appeared to be in their mid-twenties, approached him and asked him to wash himself in the toilet. He left his briefcase containing his mobile phone, electronic diary and some important legal documents in the confusion, but when he came out of the toilet, he found that the briefcase was missing and so were the youths. One stabbed Held for theft One booked Held for drinking Defacing walls KHARAR Two arrested Body found PANCHKULA House burgled The owner of the house, Mr Rajesh Kumar, said the family was away to Amritsar when the incident took place. “Over Rs 1 lakh in cash was lying in the house since I was scheduled to leave for the United States on April 19. My wife’s gold jewellery, watches and cameras have all gone,” he stated. Mr Kumar said a VCR, a gold chain, four pairs of earrings, two watches, two cameras, one walkman and a suitcase were among other things that were stolen. The family left town on the morning of April 14 and was scheduled to come back the same day. However, unable to do so, the family spent the night in Jalandhar, the night the theft took place. He said the thieves entered the house by removing the grill and glass of the window in the drawing room and made their way into the bedroom by breaking open the lock. The police has registered a case under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC. |
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