 |
|
| Wednesday,
April 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India
|
|
||||
|
Armed robbers kill villager Zirakpur, April 24 Amarjit Singh, a 27-year-old farmer, had tried to chase the robbers along with his companions. The robbers fired at Amarjit, who later died in the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, in Chandigarh. The gun fire also resulted in an injury for Mr Hari Singh, who is presently admitted in GMCH. His condition was said to be stable. Actually, it was the bravery of residents of Lohgarh village near Zirakpur that saved the day. According to information, the robbers who were carrying 12-bore pistols and swords and had reportedly come with an intention of carrying out a burglary in the village. They were crawling towards the village, when seven to eight villagers who were working in a nearby field noticed them. One of the villagers shouted at them and flashed a torch light. Police sources said that at this the robbers took to their heels and started running in the opposite direction. At least two of the robbers who were carrying revolvers opened fire on the villagers resulting in the death of Amarjit Singh. He leaves behind his widow, a son and a daughter. Amarjit had
actually managed to nab one of the robbers but an accomplice of the robbers shot at Amarjit from point blank range. Villagers suspect that the robbers belonged to either the notorious Bazigar or Sansi tribes. While talking to The Tribune Deputy Superintendent of Police Harcharn Singh Bhullar claimed that the police party reached the scene of the crime within 15 minutes. The police reportedly recovered three cartridges of the bullets fired by the robbers and their shoes. The DSP ruled out the possibility of the kala kacha group behind the attack. Mr Narinder Singh, sarpanch of the village, said that such incident had happened for the first time in the village. According to him, a big robbery was aborted but loss of Amarjit was very tragic. |
|
Separate entrance test for
city’s education colleges Chandigarh, April 24 The colleges of education in the city, which will be affected by the recent decision, include Government College of Education, Sector 20, Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36 and Brahmrishi College of Education (Yoga). Confirming the change in admission style, Mr Ashok Bhandari, Joint Controller of Examination, said nearly 8,000 applications were expected in this category alone. Entrance examination for seats in other education colleges of Punjab is scheduled to be conducted by Punjabi University, Patiala. Mr Bhandari said nearly 14,600 student applicants will be appearing in the entrance examination for technical courses covered by the Common Entrance Test (CET). These include medical, engineering, honours schools, Bachelor of Pharmacy, the BAMS and the BHMS. The last date of receipt of application forms in this category was April 10. The entrance examination is scheduled for May 19. Chandigarh has 8,200 applicants; Ludhiana has 1,750 and Delhi has 4,750 applicants. The CET examinations are scheduled at the Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Delhi centres. Chandigarh has 34 centres, Ludhiana has seven and Delhi 19. Entrance examination to LLB, LLM, Master in Computer Applications and Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications are scheduled for June 9. Various examinations for the MSs (honours school) are scheduled for June 10 and June 11. Entrance examination for courses in Master in Mass Communication, Master in Commerce, Bachelor in Library and Information Science and Master in Library and Information Science will be conducted on June 13. Mr Bhandari said entrance examination for BA (Education), BPEd and MA (Physical Education) classes will be conducted on June 14. The last date for the receipt of entrance examination forms, other than those for CET, is April 30 while the last date for BEd forms in colleges of the city is May 21. |
|
Power connections outside ‘lal dora’ Chandigarh, April 24 A story published in this newspaper on March 31 had shown how thousands of persons living outside the ‘lal dora’ of these villages were not getting individual power connections, while slum dwellers enjoyed this right. Individual domestic or non-residential electricity supply connections will be provisionally released to these residents. Though the supply tariff will be normal, the security charges will be four times the normal rate. Each applicant will have to submit an agreement form along with the application. Proofs of ownership and residence like copies of ration card, voter’s identity card or a witness will be required for obtaining these connections. A letter of identification signed by the sarpanch of the village will be required to apply for the electricity connections. An affidavit on a non-judicial stamp paper will also be an essential paper. The Administration says that the release of connection as an interim
If the consumption is found to be in excess of the sanctioned load, the department may disconnected the supply and impose a penalty on defaulters. The department reserves the right to withdraw the connection in case of any objection by the Administration or any other authority. Meanwhile, it has also been decided that those residents who already have bulk-supply connections outside the ‘lal dora’ will be charged the domestic rates for power supply. |
|
Bills of powermen to be checked Chandigarh, April 24 The Engineering Department ordered the scrutiny today after shockingly low power-consumption bills of some engineers were detected. The Secretary Engineering, Mr Rakesh Singh, said a committee headed by the Joint Secretary Finance, Mr K.A.P. Sinha, comprising Under Secretary Finance, Mr Satish Joshi, and an executive engineer had been formed for the probe. The Chief Engineer has been asked suggest the name of an executive engineer for this purpose. All bills will be tallied with the power consumption and a rebate that each official gets will be taken into account. Electrical gadgets installed in each home will be taken into account if a theft of power is proved, the employee concerned can be dismissed from service. |
|
When financiers take the law into their hands Chandigarh, April 24 During the past couple of months, a large number of cases of forceful possession of the financed goods by the various financiers have been reported. In a large number of these cases, the financiers have literally taken the law into their hands by refusing to abide by the rules of submitting the intimation of repossession to the police. It is learnt that most of the finance companies have given contracts to henchmen for getting the goods back from their customers who fail to pay their monthly installments. These parties, comprising of four to five musclemen, are learnt to be charging upto Rs 10,000 for getting a car back from an errant customer. The rates vary for the various goods, depending on their value and size. While in many cases, the unsuspecting client is waylaid by these henchmen, hired by the financier, on the roads itself, it is not an uncommon practice by these henchmen to converge at the house of the customer and then forcibly take away the financed goods. Recently, the henchmen hired by the Direct Sales Associate (DSA) of a well reputed Mumbai based company had stormed in the house of a resident of Sector 28 and forcibly took away the CD Player financed by the said firm. This in spite of the fact that the victim had been making regular payments to the company via cheques. The police had also registered a case against the accused on charges of criminal intimidation and snatching. Interestingly, the financiers have also devised a ploy of giving false intimation to the police regarding the place where the company would take back the possession of the good financed to the customer on a hire and purchase basis. Like the case of a city resident, whose car was forcibly taken away by the henchmen of a finance company in Sector 31, but fearing police action, they later submitted a letter of intimation in the Sector 34 police station and were saved of police action on the pretext that while they were to take the possession in Sector 32 (which falls in the jurisdiction of the Sector 34 police station), the customer fled away and they were able to nab him only in Sector 31. In a large number of cases, the henchmen are also alleged to be carrying firearms. A few months back, four to five musclemen hired by a finance company with its offices in Sector 34, waylaid a city resident who had got a Cielo financed near the CII chowk and took away his car at gun point. Interestingly, it is also learnt that the vehicles, after being taken away from the customer, are immediately sent to Delhi, so as to avoid any claims by the customer, if left in the city. Well placed police sources say that at least two to three cases of forceful possession by financiers take place in the city every day, but not more than five to six such intimations in a month are given to the police. The police also complains that the Mumbai based finance companies just send the letters of possession without naming the authority designated for claiming the vehicles, the place or time of possession. This letter is then misused by the DSA or the henchmen, when submitted to the police. |
Review ties with Bangladesh: ABVP Chandigarh, April 24 Talking to newspersons, Mr Kothari said rather than pursuing a policy of appeasement and having a dialogue, India must retaliate with ‘’military action’’ as the role of Bangladesh had become ‘’suspect’’ in the eyes of the nation that helped it gain independence. ‘’We have definite reports of training camps on Bangladesh soil for terrorists operating in the North-East. Even four activists of the RSS kidnapped by a terrorist outfit 18 months ago in Tripura are in Bangladesh camps”, he added. India, Mr Kothari said, must seek an unqualified apology from the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. India could not afford to ignore the fact that Bangladesh was no longer a friendly neighbour. The infiltration of nearly one crore Bangladesh nationals into India had not only adversely affected the country’s socio-economic life but also posed a security threat. Mr Kothari was in Chandigarh in connection with the ABVP’s countrywide ‘’educational survey’’ under way at present. It is aimed at (i) assessing the existing fee structure in universities and colleges to see if the money is being spent on improving the academic and physical infrastructure by the managements (ii) studying the functioning of self-financing universities and colleges to see if the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in respect of professional courses are being followed (iii) understanding the working of autonomous educational institutions because globalisation and liberalisation resulting in the privatisation of education is depriving poor students of an opportunity to seek admission and (iv) studying the manner of utilisation of grants from the UGC as also from the Centre and the state governments. Thereafter, the ABVP will prepare a suggestive ‘’new’’ education policy and submit it to the Centre. The survey data will be discussed by the ABVP national Executive Committee scheduled to meet in Amritsar from May 25 to 28. This is the first time the Executive will be meeting in Punjab. The survey began on April 1 and will conclude on May 10. The ABVP is concerned at the “arbitrary” fee structure followed in universities and colleges in different states. Another observation made by Mr Kothari was on the role of the SIMI (Student Islamic Movement in India) that reportedly triggered riots in Kanpur recently. Its activities were akin to those of Pakistan’s ISI and the government should ban the organisation, he demanded.  |
Rejection rate of ammunition ‘high’ Chandigarh, April 24
An official Central Government document prepared last year has highlighted a sudden spurt in the rejection rate of high calibre ammunition manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). As per the report, made available here by sources, the rejection of ammunition produced by the state-owned Heavy Alloy Penetrator Factory showed a sharp upward trend from 1994-95 onwards. In 1998, the rate of rejection touched an all-time high of 68 per cent of the quantity produced that year. “This brings into question the ability of the factory to manufacture and supply ammunition”, the report stated. Pointing out the failure of the OFB to take remedial measures for controlling the rising rejection, the report added that this has also caused waste of rejected shots and ammunition, the report added. A committee was constituted by the OFB to carry out a failure analysis. “The committee failed to pinpoint the reason for spurt in the rejection”, the report noted, following which the board suspended further manufacture of empty shots for the ammunition. While the Army, in fact did not forward any requirement for supply of the ammunition to the factory in 1999, the factory had by then an outstanding demand for supply of about 22,600 shots. The reason for not meeting the outstanding demand was not cited in the report. “Even out of accepted shots, many were rejected in proof at the Ordnance Factory (OF), Khamaria, and had to be backloaded for rectification”, the report stated. Out of a batch of 15, 308 shots issued to OF, Khamaria, 2368 shots valued at Rs 3 crore were rejected. The rejected shots were re-worked at an additional cost of Rs 51 lakh, but again 720 shots were rejected in proof, rendering the entire expenditure of Rs 1.2 crore in manufacture and subsequent re-working “infructuous”, the report stated. The report also noted that the factory later abandoned efforts to rework or salvage the rejected lots. The total value of rejected shots, ammunition, repair cost and accumulated inventory, as per the report, amounted to over Rs 28.13 crore. Continuance of production despite an “abnormal” rejection rate led to a waste of over Rs 12 crore, in addition to the factory holding idle inventory valued at almost Rs 20 crore.
|
|
‘MCC misusing funds’ Chandigarh, April 24 The councillors, while alleging that not even a single penny has been spent on the development of any labour colony/slum area in the city by the MC, have demanded that a thorough probe be initiated and the officials found guilty be booked and punished according to law. They have alleged that officials of the corporation are using this fund for the development of urban areas and the rehabilitation colonies are being ignored. It has also been pointed out that the rehabilitated colonies in Bapu Dham, Karsan, Sectors 30, 32, 37 and 38 and tenements of Dadu Majra colony and various parts of the city are facing scores of problems pertaining to roads, water and electricity. Infact, more than 75 per cent of the total population of these areas belongs to SC/ST and other backward classes. While on one hand an amount of Rs 2 crore stands allocated against colony fund with the MC but the work of development in these colonies has not been undertaken and on the other hand the corporation has still not received funds for urban areas for current financial year but still recarpeting of roads in certain sectors is being undertaken. They have also highlighted that the funds received from the Central Government under the BMS scheme for the development /provision of basic amenities in the slums are being misused. |
|
Forum favours capital
status for Panchkula Panchkula, April 24 Based on grounds that the Haryana government was gradually shifting all its head offices to the town, the demand has essentially been made to ensure central government aid to the town which is, presently, bearing all costs of maintenance of these offices. “With the formation of the municipal council, a number of taxes have been imposed on the residents. If maintenance costs are also to be managed in the meagre funds at the disposal of the MC, it will definitely be done at our cost. However, if we are granted capital status, the fund in-flow will meet the extra demand,” convenor of the forum, R.P. Malhotra, said. Local MLA, Chander Mohan said that the would wholeheartedly support the demand and extend all co-operation to the body demanding capital status. “At our level also we will take up the demand for capital status, a reasonable demand by any standards. Besides, when our government comes to power, we will definitely make Panchkula the capital of the state,” he said. Clarifying its stand on the issue, general secretary of the local unit of the BJP, S.L. Sachdeva, stated, “The town is, anyway, the camp capital of the
government. With a number of offices of the state operating from here, the government must contribute towards the development of the town as well.” |
|
Club slashes gliding charges Panchkula, April 24 While the rates have been cut down from Rs 187 per head to Rs 100, a special concession being given to schoolchildren, the general public will be charged Rs 150 per head against the previous fee of Rs 187. The Director, Civil Aviation, Mr Rajiv Arora, said the concession being doled out by the department was more than the actual cost of the launch but the department had been considering cutting down of rates to make the sport attractive for the adventurers. Primarily availed by NCC cadets during their camps, gliding facilities has had few takers from amongst schoolchildren in the past. Working on the logic that reducing costs was bound to encourage children to dabble in gliding during outing arranged by their respective schools, the department took a final decision on this recently. Sources add that under a package being worked out with the Tourism Department, the club would provide a discount on gliding on trips organised on the premises. “We are hopeful that the discount on gliding will revive the sagging interest in the sport and the club will show some earnings. We are approaching schools to bring their students for outings at the club as well,’’ an official stated. Meanwhile, the department has hiked the rates of power flying in view of the rising fuel cost. With fewer trainees coming in to take flying lessons for licences, the department has been unable to break-even and handle its expenses. This necessitated the hike in power flying rates, the increase varying between Rs 100 and Rs 200 in cases of different machines. However, the department is hoping the club will be able to maintain the trainee in-flow of the past, the approved hike in flying costs not being seen as “substantial” in comparison to the facilities being offered. REVISED
CHARGES OF GLIDING AND FLYING FLYING |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Man, daughter beaten up Chandigarh, April 24 It is learnt that the wife of the victim had a minor altercation with her neighbour, Rajesh Kumar, in the afternoon, when she heard someone pelting stones at her house. She had later accused Rajesh Kumar of throwing stones and an altercation followed between them. However, the victim, Nand Kumar Jha, who works as a technical supervisor in a Panchkula based steel plant, says that while he was sitting outside his house at around 11.50 pm last night, a group of 15 to 20 men and women converged at his house and asked him why they had pelted stones at Rajesh Kumar. He alleged that the angry crowd also beat up his wife, Renu , son Kundan and younger daughter Pinki. While Nand Kumar received injuries on his head and forehead, his daughter received injuries on her right hand. |
|
Grants
for ex-servicemen Chandigarh, April 24 The committee has decided to grant Rs 1,000 as funeral expenses to the next of kin of ex-servicemen, besides financial assistance for widows of servicemen killed in action. The
cost of lamination of identity cards issued to ex-servicemen will now
be borne by the UT Zila Sainik Welfare Office (ZWO). Besides opening a
cyber cafe in its Sector 21 office, the ZWO is also planning to
organise an ex-servicemen’s rally in October or November. |
|
Homage paid to
Diljang S. Jauhar Chandigarh, April 24 They included Mr Hari Jaisingh, Mr Amrik Singh Pooni, Mr K.L. Zakir, Dr Harnam Singh Shaan and Mr Bhagwant Singh. |
Rs 60,000 stolen from car Chandigarh, April 24 According to the information available, the theft took place last night when the car (HP-33-5031) was parked in front of SCO 2451 in Sector 22. The police has registered a case under Section 379 of the IPC on the complaint of Mr Sukhwinder Singh. Burglary: Two scooters stolen: Another scooter (CHJ- 4681) was stolen from the Sabzi Mandi on the night of April 22. In both the cases, the police has registered a case under Section 379 of the
IPC. Three hurt in accidents: Rajnish Saini, a pedestrian, was hit by a Maruti car driven by Harpreet Pal near the Sector 20 and 30 lights last night. A Panchkula resident, Rajan Nanda, was also injured when his car was hit by a bus (PB-10AH-6000) near the Bitta Petrol Pump, Mani Majra. Another unknown person was injured when his Kinetic Honda skid near Naya Gaon this morning. Chain snatched: |
|
Cops looking for ‘Shakeel’s aide’ Chandigarh, April 24 He has demanded Rs 2 lakh from the trader. However, the family had been ignoring these calls until yesterday when they received about 10 calls within two hours. The caller asked them to put Rs 2 lakh in a dustbin of a garden in Sector 33. The trader was told that he would be killed if he approached the police. The trader told the caller that he did not have that much money with him and a deal was struck for Rs 10,000. However, the trader approached the police and policemen in plain clothes went to the garden in his place with a bag full of paper. After putting the bag in the dustbin, they waited for the man. They noticed that a man was making enquiries from a rehriwallah, but he ran away on seeing them. The police is now looking for him. |
|
Suicide note writer arrested Chandigarh, April 24 According to a spokesman of the bank, the payment of the RTB has been held in abeyance following a dispute between Mr Gurdev Singh and a thrift and credit cooperative society over the repayment of the loan taken by him from it. The suicide note which was allegedly sent by Mr Gurdev Singh to Chandigarh Tribune and a few other newspapers said: “I am going to commit suicide due to persistent tension tomorrow i.e. on 24.4.2001 at 10.30 A.M. in SBI LHO-17 building because the bank has failed to release my Provident Fund/Gratuity etc till date despite the fact that my SBI VRS was accepted after completion of 21 years of service with excellent record throughout entire service”. A spokesman of the bank told Chandigarh Tribune that the bank had lodged an FIR with the police as soon as the suicide note was received on the basis of which he was arrested. |
|
Police remand
for MC men Chandigarh, April 24 Avtar Singh and Sunil Datt were arrested by the CBI. The other persons — Inspector Kashmira Singh, and Sub Inspector Sunil Kumar — who were also arrested for corruption, had already been sent to judicial remand. Kashmira Singh and Sunil were arrested on April 19 by the CBI for taking bribes after a raid on the Sector 17 MC Office. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
