The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Slight dip in fuel prices with tax cut
Petrol still cheaper in SAS Nagar, Panchkula
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19
The UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), has ordered that the motor spirit tax on petrol be reduced from 15 paise per litre to 1 paisa per litre. This tax on diesel has been reduced from 10 paise per litre to 1 paisa per litre. The cost of petrol and diesel will still be more than that in SAS Nagar and Panchkula.

The reduced rates will come into effect from June 20 and bring down the prices of petrol and diesel by 14 paise per litre and 9 paise per litre, respectively.

A spokesman of the Administration said this step had been taken because residents of Chandigarh were paying a higher price for these items than residents of the other nearby towns. He said the anomaly was because of the 4 per cent central sales tax on petroleum products supplied to Chandigarh. Residents of the city have to live with the CST because the stock is purchased from Ambala, which is in Haryana. There has never been a petroleum depot here.

Now, the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited has built a depot here, which is ready for commissioning. This reduction may lead to bringing the prices on par with those in the nearby towns. There may be a further reduction in the prices of these items in the next two weeks. General Jacob will meet the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ram Naik, in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

The General will try to persuade the minister to bring up the issue in the meeting of the Oil Coordination Committee. The General wants that the price of petrol in Chandigarh should be fixed, the BP depot should be commissioned and the work on the construction of an IOC depot here should be expedited.

Since July 2000, when the uniform sales tax came into force, residents of the city have been paying Rs 1.66 more for each litre of petrol than their counterparts in Panchkula and 55 paise more per litre than their counterparts in SAS Nagar. Due to this anomaly, the consumption of petrol here has fallen from 7,000 kilolitres a month to 4,500 kilolitres a month. Most persons who come to the city from Panchkula and SAS Nagar everyday, prefer to get petrol from these towns and not Chandigarh.

In the past one year, Bharat Petroleum and the Indian Oil Corporation have been allotted land in Sector 25 to set up depots. The depots will enable oil companies to bill the city directly for petrol, which will help the city save on the CST.

Farm labourers held forcibly: rights body
Kiran Deep

Chandigarh, June 19
At least five farm labourers are being forcibly withheld at different farmhouses in Nabha sub-division of Patiala district, says the People’s Vigilance Committee on Bonded Child and Migrant Labour, a non-government organisation (NGO) keeping a watch of human rights violations. Seeking release and rehabilitation of the bonded labourers, the NGO has sent a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission.

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, secretary of the People’s Vigilance Committee on Bonded, Child and Migrant Labour from Jalandhar, Mr Jai Singh, claimed that the police had also tortured them a number of times and kept them in illegal custody. Therefore the organisation had also sent a complaint letter to the DIG of the Punjab Police.

The five bonded labourers are Mr Sher Singh, Mr Jagjit Singh, Mr Baljeet Singh, Mr Mewa Singh, Mr Ram Singh, resident of Dandrala subdivision, Nabha in Patiala district. Out of five labourers, four are Dalits, said Mr Singh.

He informed that the labourers were illiterate, economically and socially backward. They were also helpless to wage a legal battle with their rich upper-caste powerful employers. A brother of the landlord was an ASI posted at the Bhadson police station having jurisdiction over the bonded labourers’ village. It was alleged that they were being threatened that if they try to escape from bondage, they shall be implicated in false.

As per the complaint to the NHRC, two years ago Raghvir Singh had paid a debt advance of Rs 25000 to Sher Singh at the time of joining as a “siri” (contractual farm labourer). The debt was taken to return the debt of the previous employer Balvir Singh, the real brother of Raghvir Singh. Sher Singh, was injured during the course of the employment and was unable to attend duty.

Sher Singh was fined Rs 100 per day and Rs 9000 was added to his advance. Now the employer demanded Rs 55,000 for the release of bonded labour. Sher Singh wanted to return the original debt which he would raise from another employer but Raghvir Singh did not agree to it. It is worth mentioning that after joining the job, his employer was paying him only Rs 200 per month and food. Mr Jagjit Singh, another bonded labour, joined service as a Siri (contractual labour) by taking Rs 16000 as advance five years ago. He was not paid more than Rs 200 a month with meal.

After serving the employer for five years, the employer demanded Rs 92,000 for his release. The brother of Jagjit Singh had arranged Rs 70,000 by employing his two sons 13-year-old, Baljinder Singh and 10-year-old Happy and joining services of the other employer. The story of the other three bonded labourers, Mr Baljit Singh, Mr Mewa Singh, Mr Ram Singh, is also similar. The secretary of the BSP Punjab unit, Mr Man Singh Manhera, said members of the bonded labourers’ families met him and informed that the police had been harassing their family members and threatened to register false cases against them.

SPECIAL STORY
PU pools go dry this summer
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19
Except for a little time, the swimming pools at Panjab University have seen a dry summer this year.

Serious efforts have been made to find the leakages but all attempts have failed so far. The water tank, filled up in the morning, is found empty within hours. A hole, detected as the possible cause, is currently being filled up.

The venue has three pools. The largest is 50 x 21 metres and six and a half feet deep. There are two more pools. One is 20 x 13 metres and another one is spherical with a 10-metre diameter.

A student of the Physical Education Department said that the work was going at a very slow pace to bring back the pool in a working condition.

Water leakage from the pool was a major flaw in the existing structure which needed immediate redressal. PU is one of the premier universities and has bagged trophies for overall best university in sports in the past. It should be more conscious of upkeep of its sports facilities.

Mr Vivek Chauhan, general secretary of the PU unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), said that it was also felt that leakage could be a handiwork of some university residents who let loose the tankers. However, the matter was being further probed and an immediate redressal was sought.

A senior official of the Sports Department said that university had contacted outside agencies for the repair work.

One of the agencies had quoted a price of more than Rs 50 lakh for the repair work. The university was informed that the entire floor would have to be constructed anew. The amount was astronomically high for the university.

The official further said that the university construction office had shown its inability in carrying out the repair work which was ‘technically not under their jurisdiction’. However, the university had got certain leakages plugged .But these did not seem the root cause because the water level still suffered. A hole had now been detected and the work was likely to be completed shortly.

He said that officials in the State Sports Department had also been contacted asking for money for repair work. However, it was said that money could be provided for new projects and not for repair work. The university pool is nearly three decades old and such structures also needed a periodical revamping.

The pool has been one of the favourite spots of the campus residents and the students during the summer vacation, particularly. A senior student said that ‘‘either the guilty hole needs to be plugged permanently or it would not be a wrong decision to have a new swimming pool constructed’’.

A complete guide to admissions in city colleges
Chitleen K. Sethi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19
While the art and science colleges in Chandigarh are all set to admit students to their various post-senior secondary courses, most of these colleges have something or the other to offer postgraduate courses. In addition to the traditional MA and M.Com courses, there is a brand new M.Sc. course in information technology being offered by many colleges.

The last date for the receipt of applications forms for admission to various courses is June 25 in almost all the colleges and the admissions will start on July 2. Centralised admissions to B.Com (First year) will be held at the MCM DAV College, Sector 36, on July 5, 6 and 7, BBA on July 9 and to the BCA on July 10. The merit lists for these admissions will be displayed in the college by June 30.

Although colleges are offering the one-year post-BCA course, BCA honours, most of the colleges are waiting for intimation from Panjab University regarding the number of seats.

The following are the courses being offered by the various city colleges:

DAV College, Sector 10: BA with honours in public administration, economics, geography, English, history, political science; B.Sc medical/non medical/computer science; BCom (70 seats) with honours in e-commerce; BBA and BCA (40 seats each); BCA Honours; MSc in information technology (IT)* (30 seats plus 5 for NRIs); and M.Com (30 seats) .

Dev Samaj College, Sector 45: BA with honours in English, Hindi, Punjabi, economics, history; BCom (140 seats) with honours in e-commerce; BBA (40 seats); BCA (40 seats); and vocational: office management and secretarial practices.

Government College, Sector 46: BA with honours in economics, public administration, psychology, Hindi; B.Com (140 seats) with honours in e-commerce; BBA (40 seats); BCA (40 seats); BCA honours; MCom (40 seats); and vocational: advertising, sales promotion and management.

GGDSD College, Sector 32: BA with honours in economics, English, Hindi, political science, public administration; BCom (140 seats) with honours in e-commerce and accountancy; BSc medical/ non-medical; Vocational: biotechnology, computer applications (40 seats); advertising, sales promotion and management; communicative/functional English; industrial chemistry* (30 seats each); BBA (40 seats); BCA (40 seats); BCA honours; MSc in IT *(30+5 for NRIs); and MCom (30).

Government College, Sector 11: BA with honours in 13 subjects; BCom (140 seats) with honours in e-commerce; BSc: medical and non-medical; BBA (40 seats); BCA: (40 seats); BCA Honours; MSc in IT *(30 +5 seats); Vocational: functional English (35 seats); and MA: English (35 seats).

Government College for Girls, Sector 42: BA with honours in English, Punjabi, public administration, Sanskrit, psychology, geography, music(vocal); BSc medical/ non-medical; BCom (70 seats); BBA (30 seats); Vocational: functional English (30 seats).

Government College for Girls, Sector 11: BA with honours in 14 subjects; BSc medical and non-medical; BCom (70 seats) with honours; MA music instrumental (20 seats); MA in music vocal (20 seats); MA in dance (20 seats); MA in economics* (30 seats); MA in public administration* (30 seats); Vocational: functional English (30 seats); and BBA (40 seats).

SGGS College, Sector 26: BA with honours in political science, economics, English, Punjabi; BSc medical/non-medical/computer science/electronics; BCom (140 seats) with honours in economics; accountancy; e-commerce; BCA (40 seats); BCA honours; MA Punjabi (30 seats); MSc in IT * (30+5); and Vocational: functional English.

GGS College for Women, Sector 26: BA with honours in economics and English;

BBA (40 seats); BCA (40 seats); BCA honours; BCom (140 seats); Vocational: computer applications; and MSc in IT* (30 +5 seats). MCM DAV College, Sector 36: BA with honours in history, Hindi, English, political science, sociology, economics and psychology; B.Com (70 seats) with honours in e-commerce; BSc: medical/non-medical; Vocational: functional English; office management and secretarial practices; computer science; food science and quality control* (30 seats each).

*New courses being introduced from this session.

Mayor calls special meeting on June 21
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19
In line with the UT Administration’s directive, the Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, today decided to convene a special meeting of the House of the Municipal Corporation on June 21 to discuss vital agenda items. The Administration had yesterday issued orders directing the MC to hold a meeting within the next 10 days to take decision on the time-bound agenda items, which have financial and legal implications.

Giving this information, the Mayor said as many as 10 urgent pending items will be disposed of at this special meeting and the remaining 29 pending items, as listed in the 46th adjourned meeting, will be taken up in yet another meeting fixed for June 27.

The agenda items to be discussed for approval on Thursday include the revised water supply bye-laws regarding replacement of defective water meters; modernisation of slaughter house and meat bye-laws to regulate the sale of meat, fish and poultry products. The House will also take up the proposal for transferring the maintenance and operation work of public toilets and mobile toilet vans to the Sanitation Consultancy Services, New Delhi, for a period of five years on payment of Rs 35, 150 per month or Rs 4.21 lakh per year to the corporation.

Besides this, the issues pertaining to disposal of institutional sites in pocket No. I, Mani Majra; allotment of land for Group Housing Society in pocket No. 2 and 3, Mani Majra; ex-gratia payment to the transferred employees of the Administration and auction of commercial sites of various categories in Chandigarh and Mani Majra are also likely to be discussed. The proposal to allot land measuring 0.57 acres at Mauli Jagran to Sant Nirankari Mandal at the rate of Rs 725 sq yd on leasehold basis for 99 years and management of community centres through public participation also figure on the agenda of the special meeting.

Sources reveal that the MC Commissioner, Mr M.P. Singh, had recently sent a report to the Administration highlighting the fact that the House had failed to take up these important agenda items during the last three months.

He had also pointed out that some of these items like modernisation of slaughter house is time-bound as the validity of tender will expire shortly and the MC will have to initiate the entire process again. Similarly, the High court directions regarding the replacement of defective water meters have also to be implemented by July 1.

Taking cognisance of the fact that the MC was not performing its duties in accordance with the Act, the recent directions were issued by the Secretary, Local Self Government, on behalf of the Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd).

It is pertinent to mention that not even a single business meeting of the House has been held during the last six months, except the one on which the budget estimates for the year 2001-02 were passed. “Clarify or quit” has been the constant chant of the Opposition, who have been insisting that the Mayor must clarify his position with regard to a number of allegations levelled against him and those levelled by him against the former BJP Mayors. Though the Mayor has clarified the allegations at the June 8 meeting but had to adjourns the meeting sine-die when the BJP-SAD councillors tried to pass a resolution demanding a judicial inquiry into the alleged illegal construction of shops in Mani Majra by the Mayor.

Meanwhile, the BJP-SAD councillors have welcomed the directive of the Administration to the Congress ruled MC to call a special meeting of the House within the next 10 days. The leader of the Opposition in the House, Mr Des Raj Tandon, and the Deputy mayor, Mr Mohinder Singh, has in a release stated that they have been demanding two things — one that the Mayor should call a special meeting of the House and second that the meeting should not be adjourned in an illegal manner so that decisions could be taken on development issues.

They said the Administration through their directive has upheld their first demand. They alleged that the Mayor has brought disgrace to the MC and that he has been avoiding and adjourning the meetings of the House only to run away from the allegations levelled against him. Infact, because of his personal matters, he has put the corporation and development work of the city on hold.

They have also demanded that a senior official of the Administration is appointed as an observer at the meetings of the House so as to ensure that the Mayor conducts the House in accordance with the provisions of the law and that the decisions of the majority prevail.

Sources reveal that though the BJP-SAD councillors have demanded that the minutes of the previous meeting be recorded verbatum so that the resolution passed by them, by majority, forms part of it, the same does not find mention as such in the minutes.

The second meeting of June 27 will take up other important items pertaining to constitution of sub-committees; revised approval for purchase of deluxe bus; revised estimates for providing public health services/amenities for upgradation of Kumhar colony and Janata colony, Sector 25; transfer of V-3 roads to the Administration for recarpetting as a one time measure; relocation of nurseries, increase in share of taxes etc.

Concessions for over 100-cr IT projects likely
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

Highlights

Height of building permitted up to 45 metres subject to air safety rules and the floor area ratio (FAR) consideration.

Raising of basement and extending the basement area for parking up to the plot area

20 per cent of the total covered area allowed for commercial and support services use without paying additional cost.

SAS Nagar, June 19
Information Technology (IT) projects, which will bring an investment of over Rs 100 crore to the state, can now avail of a special package. The special concessions, focussing on the utilisation of land are likely to be adopted as a policy by the state government. The issue would be taken up in the next cabinet meeting, scheduled for June 23.

Sources in the government said the relaxations in the building bylaws had been given the green signal at a recent meeting of the Accounts and Finance Committee meeting of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) chaired by the Housing and Urban Development Minister, Dr Upinderjit Kaur. The incentives extended to the IT sector in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Noida had been examined before framing the guidelines, said the sources.

A highlight of the concessions was allowing 20 per cent of the total covered area for commercial and support services without levying any additional charges. Of the total 20 per cent area allowed , only 10 per cent would be permitted for commercial use. Though relaxing the PUDA (Building) Rules, 1996, would mean financial implications, the new guidelines would attract the IT industry and generate direct and indirect employment, believed the government officials. A floor area ratio ( FAR) of 2:0 and excluding area under staircase, lifts and machineroom shafts from calculation of the FAR had already been permitted without any additional cost.

The sources said the incentives, basically approved for the Mahindra Knowledge Park in Sector 67 here, a joint venture between the Mahindra and Mahindra and Punjab State Electronics Development and Production Corporation, had been extended to other such projects with investment of over Rs 100 crore.

Citing the high employment potential of the project, the joint venture company had been demanding various concessions on a par with other states citing to make it financially viable. The concessions demanded by the company were not in conformity with the PUDA (Building) Rules and the Zoning plans. The Punjab State Electronics Development and Production Corporation, having an equity of 11 per cent, had also sought the concessions.

Mr KBS Sidhu, Chief Administrator of PUDA, confirmed the package of incentives but said it would be premature to divulge any details till it was finally approved by the Punjab Cabinet.

TRIBUNE VIGIL
Kundi connections are here again
Nishikant Dwivedi

Chandigarh, June 19
Stealing power is the way of life for residents of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh jhuggi colony located just south of Sector 49 here. About 2,000 families continue to steal power from a transformer in Sector 48. This is despite the fact that illegal connections (kundis) have been removed in the area in two major drives in the past six months.

Approximate theft of power per day is calculated worth between Rs 50,000 and Rs 75,000. The role of linesmen of the Electricity Department and policemen is also under a cloud as the kundis re-appear within hours of their removal. Interestingly, the residents are not to be blamed entirely for the present situation. They were promised individual regular power connections by the department about a year ago, but nothing has materialised. The residents even held demonstrations and want to pay for the power they consume. The issue is held up at the level of the Electricity Department, although the administrative approval to provide regular power connections has been granted by the Administration.

The residents are stealing power from a 200-KV transformer in Sector 48. The colony is just 1 km away from the transformer and for this a jhuggi-dweller has to erect about 15 to 20 bamboo poles which carry cables to the jhuggis. The enterprise is such jhuggi-dwellers join hands to put a cable and a distribution board near their residence to supply power to each jhuggi. On stolen power are running a few wood-cutting machines, small flour mills and water booster, besides the routine household gadgets.

The colony came into being in the early 90s. Landlords sold the land to migrant labourers, but now it is occupied largely by Punjabis working as manual or semi-technical labour in the Industrial Area of Chandigarh or SAS Nagar. It may be mentioned here that the colony was once demolished, but it came up again.

During the last two drives to remove the connections, the Electricity Department had taken away the cables and the poles. But the residents, after being denied regular connections, again resorted to kundi connections.

A few colony dwellers know the technique of putting up a kundi connection and charge a sum from others to provide the service. A resident said that a kundi connection cost them somewhere between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000.

After talking to a large number of residents, a Chandigarh Tribune team gathered that linesmen never visit the area.

Because of these kundi connections, the residents with regular connections in Sectors 48 and 49 are facing problems. They complain of voltage fluctuations.

FAUJI BEAT
Administering military justice
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh
In a sombre, spartan room in a military area, six grim-faced officers sit behind a long desk set on a raised platform. They comprise a military court — usually a general court martial — specially convened to try an officer for some alleged wrong-doing.

Never have the proceedings of a court martial — which are quite different from trials in a civil court — been observed so closely or reported in the media so widely as the general courts martial of two officers in connection with the Kargil operations.

While there is general lack of awareness in the public about the proceedings of courts martial, numerous military courts are convened in different parts of the country throughout the year to administer justice according to the laws of the Armed Forces, their traditions and ethos.

The number of courts martial held in the western sector alone would be about 25 to 30 in a year. Officers as well legal luminaries associated with military justice say that the number is now increasing.

Courts martial are of four types — General Court Martial (GCM), District Court Martial (DCM), Summary Court Martial (SCM) and Summary General Court Martial (SGCM). Under the Army Act, all courts martial, with the exception of an SCM, are convened by the Central Government or the Chief of the Army Staff, or an officer empowered by a warrant of the Army Chief. An SCM, however, can be convened by the commanding officer of a body of troops and he alone constitutes the court.

A GCM consists of a presiding officer, a senior member and three other members. The sixth officer, seated on the presiding officer’s right, is the Judge Advocate, who provides legal advice to the court as and when required. The presiding officer has to be at least one rank senior to the accused officer, while the other four members are generally of the same ranks as that of the accused or above. They should have a minimum of three years’ commissioned service.

A GCM has the power to try any person governed by the Army Act and can award punishment up to the death penalty. Though, the prosecution as well as the defence is allowed to engage civilian lawyers, and general spectators are also allowed to watch the proceedings, military ambience is apparent in the process. Procedures laid down by the Army Act are strictly adhered to.

Even the sequence in which the officers enter the courtroom is fixed. Members of the court are the first to take their seats. Thereafter, on a signal, enter members of the prosecution, followed by the defending officer and defence counsel. When everyone is seated, the accused is marched in, along with his escort officer. Spectators, if any, are the last to enter. Those in uniform salute the court, others make the customary bow. The prosecution is seated on the court’s right, while the defence sits on its left. Spectators sit opposite the court, while the witnesses, when summoned, are seated in the middle of the room. Departure at the end of the day’s proceedings is in the reverse order, the witnesses or spectators leaving first.

The trial commences with the judge advocate (JA) reading out the names of the members of the court. He asks for verification or any correction that may be required. He then asks the accused if he has any objection to any member being on the court to try him. If the accused raises an objection, the member can be replaced. The orders convening the court are read out to the accused who can raise objections on technical grounds.

The members of the court and the JA are then administered an oath. Every witness giving evidence also takes an oath. The charges are read out to the accused, who can plead guilty or not guilty to each charge separately. After the prosecution has examined the witnesses, the defence can cross-examine them and produce its own witnesses. The court sits daily and is adjourned for more than a day only in an emergency. After the closing addresses by the prosecution and the defence, the proceedings are summarised by the JA. The court is then adjourned and members decide the verdict.

On reassembling, the court decides if the accused is guilty or not guilty. The verdict, and other directions and orders passed during the trial, are announced in the presence of the accused. If found guilty, the accused is allowed to put forward a petition for mercy.

The sentence is forwarded for confirmation to the convening authority which may confirm, mitigate, remit or commute the sentence. If circumstances so demand, it can order a re-trial. The accused has the right to appeal to the higher authorities as well as to move the High Court.

Before the accused is put on trial, the charges against him are investigated and if the commanding officer of the accused is satisfied that a wrong has been committed, he orders a court of inquiry which determines the circumstances of the offence by examining witnesses and documents. If a prima facie case is made out, a hearing is held before the CO where charges are read out to the accused. The next step is recording the summary of evidence where the entire evidence against the accused is collected and corroborated. At all stages, the accused has the right to examine and cross-examine the witnesses or to make a statement. Based on the findings of the summary of evidence, a court martial is convened.

Power sector depends on weather: Vasant
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19
The Indian power sector is vulnerable to weather conditions, says Mr N.S. Vasant, former Chairman of the Punjab State Electricity Board. Delivering a talk on “Problems and prospects of energy development in industrialisation in Punjab” at the Sector 19 Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) here today , Mr Vasant said regular seasonal shortfalls in power supply during the month of April and May were primarily because of weather conditions.

Mr Vasant maintained that even if 34 per cent of the power generated in the country went to the farm sector and 40 per cent to the industry, there would still be problems as there was no coherent policy to guide utilisation of power in these two vital sectors.

He mentioned the frequent complaints from both industrial and agricultural consumers about the insufficiency of power and emphasised about their multifarious dimensions that affect the process of development and living. Power generation, he felt, was not being sincerely pursued. The efforts to integrate power system in the country had failed.

The State Electricity Boards, created after much deliberations, he said, had failed to deliver the goods to the people at large after their initial good work. He said there was need for a special programme to fight power theft on a war-footing. Hike in power tariff, he said, had to be gradual and reasonable.

Efforts should be devote to energy audit, scope for reducing energy use, improvement in the management of energy and necessary technological inventions that would optimise the consumption of energy in agricultural and industrial sectors.

He strongly advocated the need for hydro-electric generation in Punjab in cooperation with Himachal Pradesh and pleaded for activation of Memorandum of Understanding earlier signed by the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana. He also advocated for a tie-up with the Nathpa-Jhakri power project as thermal power generation in Punjab had its own limitations due to the increasing cost of transportation and low quality of coal.

Mr P.H. Vaishnav, a former Chief Secretary of Punjab, who presided over the talk, dwelt on all aspects of energy issues facing contemporary society. He stressed on the vitality of power generation, transmission and distribution in a developmental perspective. He lamented the lack of a coherent policy on power generation and transmission. He felt that power sector in Punjab had failed from all sides.

Mr Rashpal Malhotra, Director of CRRID, in his address of welcome highlighted the importance of energy in the economic development of a state.

BJP shifts stand on nominees
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19
Prof Brij Lal Rinwa, president of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), today sprang a surprise by saying that the party would go by the advice of its workers at the grassroots level before finalising party candidates for the coming assembly elections.

Only last week the state unit had virtually decided that all 23 party nominees who had contested the assembly elections in 1997 would be fielded again.

Professor Rinwa’s statement today makes it clear that no one should presume that the party ticket was in his or her pocket.” The 11-member State Election Committee, after feeling the pulse of party workers at the grassroots level, will recommend a panel of names to the Central Parliamentary Board for approval,” an official statement released on behalf of Professor Rinwa said.

Political circles here feel that the sudden change in the stand of the party on the putting up of candidates is more of a cautionary measure and to avoid internal strife or dissent. “Those who had been doing well and were not favoured with the party ticket last time believe that they have a chance this time. The idea is not to discourage anyone. But at the same time the best, most acceptable candidates have to be put up everywhere,” a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.

Professor Rinwa has asked office-bearers of the state, district and mandal units of the party to make all-out efforts for the success of the SAD-BJP candidates in the elections.

Meanwhile, the state unit has decided to enforce discipline among party workers at all levels. Professor Rinwa ordered the suspension of Mr Dharampal, newly elected vice-president of the Mandi Gobindgarh unit of the party, for his alleged anti-party activities and asked him to explain his conduct within 15 days, failing which he would be expelled for six years.

By another order, Professor Rinwa decided to serve notice on Mr Arjan Singh Syag, a former MLA from Abohar, for his alleged anti-party activities. He has been asked to explain his conduct within seven days. The action against Mr Syag follows a recommendation from the Abohar unit of the party.

CVM protests Mayor’s programme
Tribune News Service

Members of the Chandigarh Vikas Manch show black flags to the Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, as he launches the mahapaur aap ke dwar programme in Sector 23, Chandigarh, on Tuesday.
— Photo Manoj Mahajan

Chandigarh, June 19
The Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, today launched Mahapaur aapke dwaar programme in Sector 23. He had to face the activists of the Chandigarh Vikas Manch, who while lodging protest against the programme, shouted slogans and protested carrying black flags on his arrival.

As per his scheduled programme, the Mayor accompanied by other officials of the MC reached the Sector 23 market, where he was gheraoed by the activists of the manch holding black flags. Manch leaders who were present there were Mr Devinder Singh Babla, Dr O.P. Verma, Mr Sandeep Singh, Mr Vijaypal Singh Dimpy, Mr Balwinder Cheema and Mr Tehal Singh.

The Mayor was later given adequate cover by the police lead by SHO A.S. Jaggi of the Sector 17 Police Station.

While addressing the public from the market premises, leaders of the manch alleged that the mayor is busy in strengthening his political status keeping in view of the forthcoming elections. The attempt to restart this programme is nothing more than a political stunt and a mere eyewash in the eyes of the public.

The Mayor interacted with few shopkeepers in the market who put forth before him about the problems pertaining to parking, broken tiles, streetlights and toilets. He then directed the officials concerned to solve these problems at the earliest. The Mayor also went towards the residential area in Sector 23-C alongwith Congress leaders, Mr Subjash Chawla and Mr Rampal Sharma.

The residents of 13-type government quarters asked the Mayor to get the boundary wall of the government nursery in Sector 23-C constructed. They also urged him to get the MC store vacated from the park near the Sectors 22-23 and 36-35 crossing. The Mayor asked the officials to get the said park in Sector 23-C vacated for their benefit. He also inspected an abandoned park in front of the government quarters in Sector 23-C.

During his hour long visit, the Mayor asked the officials to make provision of adequate lighting in the toilets, pruning of these trees whose branches have hidden the streetlights, and replacing the broken tiles of the parking areas in the market. The need to provide storm water drainage was also highlighted in view of the forthcoming monsoon. The area falls in the ward of BJP councillor, Mr R.L. Arora, but he was not present there. He will visit ward No. 1 of Ms Satinder Dhawan on June 21. The Mayor had desired that area councillors should be present there to further highlight the problems of their respective areas.

Sources reveal that the Mayor wanted the MC Commissioner and the Chief Engineer to accompany him for the said visit , but the said officials told him that they have to attend a meeting. He was accompanied by SE (Public Health), Mr Swarn Singh, and SE (B and R), Mr I.S. Sokhey and an Executive Engineer.

Welfare council contest results
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 19
Over 100 children participated in various competitions organised by the District Child Welfare Council for children in the age groups of 4 to 8 years and 8 to 12 years at the Community Centre, Sector 7, here today.

The contests held during the day included clay modelling, kite-making, craft work and collage-making while poster-making was organised on the subject of drug abuse.

The City Magistrate, Ms Mandeep Gurpreet Kaur, said that the winners of the contest would be given prizes at the inaugural ceremony of Bal Bhawan, Sector 15, by Ms Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, where the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, would preside over the function scheduled for June 28.

The results of the contests are as follows: (4-8 years) Clay modelling: Renu (1), Kanika (2), Mayush Sharma (3); Craft: Neha (1), Tamandna (2), Paras (3); Poster-making: Sahil Nain (1), Bhanu Dahiya (2), Kamal (30) Kite-making: Nikhil Sharma (1), Nitish Kumar (2), Indu (3); Collage-making: Mayuri (1), Gaurav (2), Diksha (3).

Results for the age group 8 to 12 years is as follows: Collage-making: Anisha Aggarwal (1), Radhika (2), Alisha Kathuria (3); kite-making: Nivedita (1), Raj Kumar (2), Manvi Talwar (3); Clay modelling: Ashita (1), Dipti Jain (2), Dhruv Mahendru (3); Craft: Shruti Nain (1), Surbhi Verma (2), Poster-making: Tanya (1), Akanksha (2), Chandi Prasad (3).

2 members refuse to move no-trust motion
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 19
Two members of the Panchayat Samiti, Pinjore, backed out of the move to pass a no-confidence motion seeking removal of the Vice-Chairman of the samiti here today.

Stating that they had been “misled” by a few persons, the two members, Ms Kanta Rani and Ms Kuldeep Kaur, in a communication to the ADC, Mr Suresh Goyal, said that they were withdrawing support to the group which had made their representation to him yesterday.

It may be recalled that 15 members of the 18-member Panchayat Samiti had demanded removal of the Vice-Chairman of the samiti for “misbehaviour” yesterday.

In a representation signed by the members, a delegation led by the chairperson, Ms Kuldeep Kaur, had met the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Goyal, who forwarded it to the District Development and Panchayat Officer, Mr Rajesh Jogpal, for necessary action.

It was learnt that the delegation was assured that a meeting of the samiti would soon be convened under the ADC and that they could pass the no-confidence motion at the meeting itself.