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| Tuesday,
April 24, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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A beauty queen rooted in
tradition Chandigarh, April 23 Perhaps yes. Today, Maheshwari Thiagarajan is an altogether different person. What makes her more beautiful is her cultural rooting. So even though Maheshwari has broken her moorings to divert towards the sky, she knows her traditions will keep her grounded. “That is the strength of being an Indian. You can fly and still remain rooted,” the beauty queen told Chandigarh Tribune when she was in town today on an invitation from the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD). Trained in Bharatanatyam, classical singing and even in playing the mridangam, Maheshwari today stands in the line of many women like Lara Dutta and Diya Mirza, who have done India proud. Even as her life somersaults to be laced with blissful happenings, the beauty queen, feels there are many targets yet to be achieved. Dressed in a skimpy orange outfit, Maheshwari looked ravishing today. From an average looking girl of Kerela to a highly confident model, who now keeps travelling around the world, Maheshwari has come a full circle. The conversation took off from where her struggle for stardom began. “I always wanted to model, even when I was just 14 years old. For some time my family kept discounting the issue, but I finally had my way. I would take them to fashion shows, tell them about how Madhu Sapre and other models were doing. They agreed but a little late,” she said. From there, Maheshwari started her struggle for success in a field where she knew no one. Then came the Miss India contest which gave Maheshwari a chance to prove her worth. She talked about how she kept her cool all the while, and how she managed to live each moment of that wonderful experience. “I told myself that life was going to be different after the night of January 27. May be this was my last night as a normal person. I was confident of victory. Feeling confident was important to avoid stress. And this really worked,” she said. Talking about her days as a fledgling in the profession, she remembered her first ramp show. “It was for the Usha Sriram group. I will come a full circle as I compere their show next month in Chennai,” said Maheshwari, who is also doing the South Indian campaign for Pepsi. There were problems scaling new heights, but Maheshwari managed to tide over them. Talking about herself, she said, “I know I am not a very good looker. I don’t say something and do something else.” Maheshwari’s honesty dripped from every statement she made today. The best thing she said was about how she would balance family and profession (as she plans to own an ad agency in future), “If I have to ever choose between the two, family will get credence.” These days Maheshwari is focusing on fine tuning herself for the forthcoming Miss Asia Pacific contest. She looked confident, as she said, “I told Diya that I loved her crown. I have to get it.” The confidence in Maheshwari is inspired mostly by nature. She said,”
I love the mountains and the sea. They remind you of how much remains to be done. Their magnificence inspires me.” Meanwhile, she also visited the National Institute of Fashion Design in Sector 8. She was here to celebrate the NIFD Year of globalisation. Maheshwari spent about two hours on the NIFD campus. Later in her formal address, she said they could do well in the international fashion circuit just like Ritu Beri, JJ Vallaya, Rohit Bal, and many others are currently doing. Maheshwari later cut the cake, and declared the celebrations open. The NIFD, which has already opened branches in Bangladesh and Nepal, is now coming up with its centre in Dubai on May 10 this year. |
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Ex-SBI employee threatens
suicide Chandigarh, April 23 The "suicide note" has been addressed to the bank authorities with a copy to Chandigarh Tribune which had highlighted a couple of weeks ago the plight of a large number of bank employees who had retired under the VRS but had not been paid the RTBs by the banks because of disputes over payment of loans taken by them from the thrift and credit cooperative societies floated by the bank employees. A spokesman of the bank told Chandigarh Tribune here today that the bank had held up payment of the RTBs totalling about Rs 5 lakh to the ex-employee because of a notice from the Registrar of Cooperatives to this effect because he allegedly owed about Rs 12 lakh to different thrift and credit cooperative societies. He said under the law, the bank was bound to withhold payment of the RTBs if it received such a notice from the Registrar of Cooperative Societies or the court. "Therefore, we are not at fault," he asserted. He said the police had already been informed and an FIR lodged with a local police station against the former employee. The former employee's case serves to highlight the piquant situation which is prevailing in the banking sector where "parallel banking" by a host of thrift and credit cooperative societies formed by serving employees of the nationalised banks have become a major headache for the managements of the banks. There are about 800 such societies formed by the bank employees in the Chandigarh, Panchkula and SAS Nagar areas alone which have mobilised crores of rupees by way of deposits. The number of such societies in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh runs into thousands. This money mobilised by them is advanced as loans to members who seek them at about 18 per cent interest. Interest paid on deposits is around 14 per cent. The societies assert that there is "nothing wrong" with the formation and running of the thrift and credit societies because they are allowed under the law. These societies are registered under the Cooperative Act and functioned according to the set rules, regulations and procedures, they say. The SBI and other nationalised banks have prohibited the "misuse of the name of the nationalised banks to mobilise deposits", according to official information. The local head office of the State Bank of India also put out a public notice on January 20, 2001, in leading newspapers of the region, including The Tribune, which said: "Public is hereby informed that the State Bank of India has no connection with any thrift and credit cooperative society run either by the bank's staff or otherwise and shall, therefore, not be liable for the deposits placed with such societies. Anyone placing deposits with these societies will do so at is own risk and responsibility". Despite the bank's attempt to distance itself from credit and thrift societies floated by its employees, the bank has been dragged into disputes involving societies and their members. A large number of SBI employees who retired under the VRS on March 31 this year have not so far been paid their RTBs running into lakhs of rupees by the banks because the credit societies have written to the banks not to settle their accounts till they clear their dues of the societies. The banks generally do not intervene in the disputes between the societies and their members. They act only if there is a notice from the court or from the Registrar of Cooperative Societies. The local head office of the SBI referred the matter to legal experts some time ago for formulating its stand. The legal experts have said that the "bank should withhold the amount claimed by the society from the ex-gratia/leave encashment to be paid to the employees seeking retirement under the VRS till the matter is not adjudicated by the competent authority or no due certificate from the society is submitted by the employee concerned." Consequently, the SBI has advised its DGMs, main branches and all other concerned to withhold ex-gratia/leave encashment amounts to the extent recovery notice have been received from the society directly or through Registrar or Sub-Registrar, Cooperative Societies, and make payment to the society or employee after settlement of their claim and undertaking given jointly by the president/secretary of the society and employee or orders of the competent authority empowered under the Act. |
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MC’s move to check noise
pollution SAS Nagar, April 23 (limits in dB (A)
Leq*) Industrial area 75 70 Commercial area 65 55 Residential area 55 45 Silence zone 50 40 Officials of the civic body said, as per the guidelines, sources of noise pollution would have to be regulated. The government has asked the council to divide the town into industrial, commercial, residential and silence zones, each having a specified noise level measured in decibels (dB). The 100 m area around every hospital, educational institution and court will be a silence zone. The permissible noise levels for industrial, commercial, residential and silence zones will be in a descending order, respectively. The guidelines were discussed briefly at a meeting of the civic body today. The Municipal Engineer, Mr Ajay Knawar, said, “We are studying the guidelines that will be enforced in coordination with the district administration and the police.” An agency to measure noise levels and enforce the guidelines is still to be chosen. Use of loud speakers or a public-address systems between 10 pm and 6 am here has been banned. The Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) has the authority to allow the use of loud speakers in the remaining hours. Officials said the enforcing authority would also have to take action on complaints of noise pollution. |
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MC to check water samples, PUDA development
works SAS Nagar, April 23 When the issue of construction of parking lots in markets of areas other than Phases V, VII, IX, X and XI came up for discussion, most councillors said the services handed over to the MC by PUDA were not satisfactory. The head of the civic body, Mr Kulwant Singh, told officials to inspect these parking lots before taking up the work. Mr Manmohan Singh Langh and Mr Shyam Bansal said the Public Health Department did not maintain water and sewerage services properly. “The MC will now collect water samples from different parts of town and get these examined,” said Mr Kulwant Singh, the MC chief. The civic body will also seek a clarification from the Local Government Department regarding the rolled back water and sewer tariffs here, according to the MC head. Some councillors demanded the details of the MC employees who were being adjusted elsewhere after the privatisation of maintenance of water supply and sewerage service in the Industrial Areas of Phases VI and IX. Mr Manjeet Singh Sethi, a councillor of the Opposition, said the employees were already working elsewhere. The committee also decided to bore two tubewell in Phase IX at a cost of Rs 14.65 lakh. Another councillor, Mr N.K. Marwaha, objected to the sanctioning of Rs 20 lakh for the construction of an office of the Local Government Department from the MC funds. The MC said the amount would be released as per rules. Mr Amrik Singh Mohali, a councillor, objected to the sanctioning of a delayed insurance payment of two MC vehicles. He said officials were responsible for not getting the vehicles insured. The MC chief said the Executive Officer had been asked to monitor the issue. The council decided to build a cattle pond at the Phase IX Water Works in the Industrial Area. Mr Kulwant Singh said the cattle pond in Phase I was inadequate. On the issue of suspending and chargesheeting two employees of the Octroi Wing for evasion of octroi, Mr S.S. Patwari, an Opposition councillor, asked the MC head what action had been taken against an industrialist for evasion of octroi. The MC chief said the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Local Government Department was investigating the matter and action would be taken only according to his report. The council also approved implementation of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, to punish those who deface public property. Construction of an alternative route to the local cremation ground was also approved. |
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FCI refusal to purchase wheat angers
farmers Chandigarh, April 23 It may be mentioned here that the wheat crop was damaged in the last few days because of unexpected rains. After the weather cleared yesterday the farmers began to harvest the crop and a record amount of wheat reached the market today. Approximately 12,000 to 15,000 quintals of wheat reached the market. In want of buyers, the wheat was seen lying along the road. Even the private buyers were absent from the market. It is learnt that an official of the FCI reached the market and bought only four heaps of wheat. Mr Gurdev Singh of the Chandigarh Market Committee, who himself had come to sell his wheat, said when the FCI supervisor was asked to purchase wheat, he refused to do so on a pretext of non-availabilty of jute bags, and he soon left the market. Mr Gurdev Singh, who is also vice-president of the local unit of Bahujan Samaj Party, said he had informed the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh about the whole situation through a fax message. In the message it has been urged to direct the FCI officials to purchase the wheat. The agitating farmers complained that their crop was damaged by the hostile weather and now the government’s indifference towards them was adding to their woes. The farmers fear that because of the government’s refusal to buy the wheat, they would be forced to sell the crop at lower prices to the private mill owners. The government has fixed Rs 610 per quintal for purchase of wheat but that till date they have been selling the crop at Rs 580 per quintal, farmers alleged. Mr Bhupinder Singh Baderi of the Chandigarh Market Committee, said he would be sending a fax message to the Union Minister of Food and Civil Supplies to direct the FCI to purchase wheat. According to him the moisture content in the wheat presently lying in the market was 11 per cent, while the FCI has been directed to buy wheat with moisture content upto 12 per cent. No official of the FCI was available for comments. |
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MADHAN CASE Chandigarh, April 23 The Commanding Officer stated before the court that between June 3 and July 10, 1999, he did not initiate any injury report in respect of the accused. He added that he did not have any medical report of the accused except the documents forwarded by the Field Surgical Centre, where the accused was referred to by the regimental medical officer. He also denied the suggestion that between July 6 and mid-August, the accused had wanted to report sick but was not allowed to do so. The Commanding Officer stated that he did not forward any medical documents along with his letter dated July 10 to HQ 56 Mountain Brigade while mentioning the case. He said the letter was handed over personally by him to the Brigade Commander on July 11, but said that it is incorrect to suggest that the letter was despatched in July-end. He said it was correct to suggest he did not mention in the said letter that he had ordered the accused to go the fire base at Kajal. He added that while the particular words may not have been mentioned in the letter, the text clearly brought out that the accused had refused to go to Kajal even on mule-back. Colonel Ravindranath testified that he did not mention before the court of inquiry that he had reported the matter to the Commander, 56 Mountain Brigade because he had been asked by the COI’s presiding officer to narrate events concerned with alleged malingering by the accused only. He also stated before the court that he was aware that no leave certificate was granted to the accused when he had proceeded on a two-day casual leave after escorting the body of a regimental officer to his home town. He added that the accused had made a verbal request for leave and it was granted verbally. He further stated that he was not aware if a leave certificate had been issued by the unit. The CO stated that it was incorrect to suggest that the Judge Advocate’s Branch at HQs 14 Corps has decided to drop the charges against the accused, but due to his interference had later decided not to drop them. He said that he did not tell the accused at any stage till he was attached to 608 EME Battalion that disciplinary proceedings were being initiated against him. He also stated that he did not take any step with higher headquarters for the attachment of the accused with another unit. Colonel Ravindranath testified that he was not aware if the accused was asked to go to Division HQ on July 3 for collecting aerial photographs and sketches of Point 5100. He said that it was incorrect to suggest that the accused had met him with the aerial photographs at Kajal on July 4. He also denied the suggestion that at the time of being asked to collect the photographs, the accused was also tasked to recce Point 5100. Meanwhile, in the other ongoing GCM of Maj Maneesh Bhatnagar, the cross-examination of Commanding Officer, 5 Para, Col A K Srivastava continued. Issues relating to the composition of the ad hoc company to accompany Major Bhatnagar from Siachen to Kargil as well as the availability of fit troops from different companies were argued. |
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CBI arrests two MCC employees Chandigarh, April 23 The two have been identified as Dilbagh Singh and Avtar Singh. With their arrest, the total number of accused apprehended by the CBI has gone up to four. According to sources in the CBI, the two, arrested this morning, will be produced before the Special Magistrate for CBI cases tomorrow. It may be recalled that the two officials had been arrested on allegations of accepting bribe on April 19 after a team of the CBI had conducted a raid at the Sector 17 MC office following a complaint against at least seven employees of the MCC for extortion from rehriwalahs. Sub-Inspector Sunil Kumar and Inspector Kashmira Singh were arrested by the CBI. |
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New buildings for three govt
offices Panchkula, April 23 The three buildings identified for the purpose include the SDM office and the tehsil office of Kalka and the Pinjore police station. Chosen primarily for their prime central location along the highway, these buildings are over 50 years old and have a lot of open space and uncovered area. While a fourth site, that of the Civil Hospital Kalka has also been identified by the committee for its ideal location, a final decision on this has been kept pending for a later date. Sources said that a proposal to shift the Block Development and Panchayat Office out of its present premises was, however, turned down unanimously by the members on the grounds that this building had been newly acquired and was “unfit” for disposal. It is learnt that the three buildings would be handed over to the Haryana Urban Development Authority which has been entrusted with developing the site, a decision taken at the first meeting of the committee constituted to identify surplus government land and district buildings which could be sold. The process would get underway once a new site has been identified for the offices to be shifted out. Beginning with the demolition of the present structures, HUDA would cut commercial plots out on the piece of land and auction these to earn revenue. Meanwhile, it was also decided that the committee members would meet on May 1 for a field visit to identify an alternative location to house these offices. Sources said that the office of the BDPO, Pinjore, is being viewed as the best possible option at the disposal of the administration. |
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Dhawan launches
manch Chandigarh, April 23 Announcing the formation of the manch at a press conference here, Mr Dhawan said the manch would work for the welfare of the residents, development of Chandigarh and fight against injustice and its office-bearers will be announced soon. There was no need to take permission of the Congress chief, Mr B.B. Bahl, for the formation of the manch as it was a “non-political” body. “I am Congress man”, Mr Dhawan said in reply to a query whether the manch would take the shape of the political party. The manch, he said, would launch the “jan jagran abhiyan” from May 10 to July 14 in the city. He also announced that the manch activists would stage a dharna in front of the MCC’s office on April 25 to pressurise the councillors not to disrupt the proceedings of the House of the MCC. The developmental works had taken a back seat with Congress and BJP councillors indulging in charges and counter-charges. He suggested the formation of a committee of the nominated councillors to probe the charges against BJP and Congress councillors. On the question of the resignation of the Mayor and the Senior Deputy Mayor as demanded by some of his supporters, Mr Dhawan was of the view that they should not resign. Instead the House should be allowed to function so that the developmental works could be undertaken. Reiterating his demand that elections to the MCC should be held on “non-party” basis, he alleged that due to infighting in the BJP in the last four years the developmental activity had come to a standstill. Even now the situation was no different as the Mayor and the Senior Deputy Mayor were on loggerhead. The MP, Mr Pawan Bansal, and Mr Bahl, have already opposed this demand terming it “personal views” of Mr Dhawan. Mr Dhawan avoided a majority of the political issues saying the manch was a non-political body. The conference virtually proved to be a show of strength by Mr Dhawan as a large number of his supporters thronged his house. Several senior Congress leaders, including Mr Devinder Singh Babla, Dr OP Verma, Mr Sandeep Singh, Mr Devinder Singh Koka, Mr Kuldeep Singh, Mr Raj Nagpal, Mr Balwinder Cheema and Mr Sat Pal Gupta, were present. |
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Indian American Sikh gets top
position Chandigarh, April 23 Mr Chahal has become the first Sikh and also the first Indian American to be appointed to this top position. Santa Clara is the fourth largest county in California, followed by the Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties. |
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HUDA removes 60
jhuggis Panchkula, April 23 The operation was carried out in Sectors 8, 9 and 10 as part of the exercise to remove all jhuggis from the town following recent incidents of crime. The drive was carried out in the presence of the police, and two DSPs, Mr Jag Parvesh Dahiya and Mr Jagwant Lamba, supervised the drive. Yesterday, the police personnel had removed jhuggis from Sectors 12, 2 and 4. Sources said that the drive was likely to continue till all jhuggis from the HUDA-owned land were cleared. |
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CJA condemns
assault on lensman Chandigarh, April 23 The association demanded action against the erring policemen. It criticised the authorities for not recording even an FIR in the incident. The association decided to take up the issue with the Punjab Government. |
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24 misfired shells recovered Chandigarh , April 23 According to the information available, the police and the Army officials went to the area in the morning and made an announcement to the effect that any resident in possession of unused shells should return them. Following this, 18 shells were handed over to the officials by villagers. It is learnt that the villagers had been keeping the shells in their possession and after breaking them, they were selling the brass covers to scrap dealers at the rate of Rs 70 per shell. It is learnt that during the past four years, a large number of people have become victims of explosions. It was only after a blast that took place in Panchkula recently in
which a young scrap dealer was killed that the matter was highlighted. Later, the Army authorities conducted a search of the firing range and six more shells were recovered. |
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Water supply normal Chandigarh, April 23 The MC had well in time appealed to the residents to use water judiciously and to store water to meet shortfall, if any, on April 23 and 24. The Superintending Engineer (Public Health), Mr Swaran Singh Kanwal, when contacted said no water shortage was reported from any part of the city, and both morning and evening supply were normal even as the city got a rationed supply of water. The repair work on plugging few leakages in the joints, which was started yesterday evening was completed by 1 p.m. today. |
Man arrested with 50 pouches of whisky Chandigarh, April 23 Prem Chand was arrested by the police late last night and has been booked under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act. Thefts In another case, a Kinetic Honda (CH-01S-4505) was stolen while it was parked at the SD College, Sector 32. In both incidents, the police has registered cases under Section 379 of the IPC. Six injured Sher Ali, a resident of Sector 37, was injured when his scooter hit the road divider on the Sectors 32 and 33 road. A young cyclist, Askpha, was hit by a bus near the Arya Samaj Mandir in Sector 22. Another man, Sajjan Singh, was found lying injured on the Sector 27 and 28 light point late last night.
SAS NAGAR Case registered Child recovered |
‘Restructure tourism industry’ Chandigarh, April 23 As the industry has a direct impact on the culture and environment of the place, while planning tourism facilities the local community should be consulted and involved, said Dr Dong. Besides this, creating of tourist facilities should be left to the private sector and the government restricting itself to the role of the facilitator and regulator, he added. “India is facing tough competition mainly from China and other Asian countries, despite the fact that India is endowed with rich culture, magnificent mountain ranges, beaches, wildlife, fairs and festivals. We should restructure the tourism industry”, he added. Talking about Sikkim tourism, he said, efforts had been made to promote tourism. |
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