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| Thursday,
August 16, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Schools to remain closed today Chandigarh, August 15 Also schools affiliated to the Independent Schools Association of Chandigarh would remain closed tomorrow. This was stated by the president of the association, Mr D.S. Bedi. Schools in Panchkula would also remained closed on account of a holiday declared by the Commissioner, Ambala division, Mr Maha Singh, here today. |
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Police plans action against travel agents Chandigarh, August 15 Following the detection of two major immigration rackets in the city last month, the police has finally decided upon a crackdown on the hundreds of travel agents operating illegally in the city. According to the information available, the city has become the new destination for the thousands of youth from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh in pursuance of their dreams of greener pastures abroad. There are more than 300 travel agencies operating in the city. Only 19 of these have been issued manpower licences in order to send people abroad for employment purposes. The rest are operating illegally in various parts of the city like Mani Majra, NAC market and Sectors 22, 32, 34, 35 and 36. The police claims that it was only after the crackdown on the agencies in the Doaba region, following the Malta boat tragedy, that many of them shifted base to the city. Also the fact that ever since the licence fee for these agencies was hiked by the government, a number of these agencies failed to get their licences renewed and are now operating illegally. The police has now sought the help of the PoI in identifying these agents operating illegally and the possibility of a joint operation by the police and an official of the PoI in order to keep tabs on these agents is being discussed at various levels. According to the figures available from police sources, 10 cases of fraud were registered against travel agents last year. This year the police has seen a manifold increase in such cases of fraud. Recently, the police had unearthed an immigration racket that was luring people from the region with jobs in Western Europe. The gang was busted when it had just begun its operations. The police claims that the arrest of the accused could have wider ramifications as they were allegedly planning to dupe people in other cities of the country. The racketeers were fraudulently enticing unsuspecting people to pay lakhs for arranging jobs for them in Spain, Italy, Holland and the United Kingdom. A local company, Continental Services in Sector 42, Attawa, had placed advertisements in a section of the press for jobs in catering, restaurant and resident workers general helpers and cleaners. A visa for three years and a month’s leave after one year was promised in these advertisements that appeared on June 24. As a result, a number of people from all over Punjab and Haryana had come with their hopes of finding a way to reach the destination of their dreams. Close on the heels of this was the busting of the racket selling fake passports issued by the World Service Authority on behalf of the World Government that ensures holders a trip anywhere in the world without a visa. Nine such passports were issued and a number of applications for issuing similar passports were recovered. People, especially from the rural pockets of
Punjab, were lured on the pretext that these passports ensured an International Exit Visa. The visas issued by the World Service Authority ensured entry into the chosen country at a much lower cost. |
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Hospitals having ultrasound warned again Chandigarh, August 15 Following the directions of the Supreme Court, the health authorities all over the country, including Chandigarh, had issued notices in June, asking all those having the facility of ultrasound to get themselves registered. Following this, 30 clinics, hospitals and laboratories in the city had got themselves registered with the Director, Family Welfare. This had been done following instructions from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and was aimed to check misuse of the prenatal diagnostic techniques in the city. Despite this, under the guise of determining congenital abnormalities and other diseases in a foetus, the sex determination tests were being carried out all over the city. Recently, there were also reports about certain city doctors carrying out prenatal sex determination tests, for which the UT Director Health Services, Dr Rameshwar Chander, had marked an inquiry. However, social workers, besides the Health Department officials, lamented that when a mother carrying the baby was willing and the doctor was ready to carry out the test, it was difficult to impose any realistic restriction. The difference between the number of males and females was, however, increasing by the day, which the experts called as alarming. Census 2001 revealed that Chandigarh had probably the lowest male-female ratio of 1000:773. In 1991, the ratio was recorded 1000:790. The main cause for the lopsided male-female ratio was the sex determination tests, followed by large number of abortions and female foeticide taking place in the city every year. Sources added that the number of registered births was more or less the same as the number of abortions in the city. Unofficial figures revealed that 9 out of 10 clinics in the city were running as abortion centres and more than 16,000 abortions were being carried out in the city every year. In a recent judgement, the Supreme Court had directed the implementation of the Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (regulation and prevention of misuse) Act, 1994, by June 30 this year. The health authorities had asked all those carrying out or interested in carrying out these tests for congenital anomalies, genetic metabolic diseases, haemoglobin abnormalaties, sex-linked diseases and chromosomal abnormalities to get themselves registered. It would also be compulsory for all hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and laboratories to display a dark blue board with the message — Here pre-natal sex determination (boy or girl before birth) is not done; it is a punishable act — written in white at the main entrance of the institution concerned. |
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MC election date likely today Chandigarh, August 15 The Congress has again deferred its meeting for disciplinary action for an unannounced date. The Acting Mayor, Mr Kala, today communicated to a top party functionary that his stand was in the interest of the party while another section of the party, which seems determined on his expulsion, has gathered evidence against Mr Kala for his “anti-party activities”. The crisis in the Akali Dal
intensified today with a group against the local President, Mr Gurpartap singh Riar, holding a meeting and warning Mr Riar to either mend his ways or they might resort to raising a
parallel party unit. The group also decided to meet party general secretary, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, to explain their position and they will also try to meet the Akali Dal President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, in this regard. The group has already met certain party functionaries in this regard. The factionalism in the BJP reached peak with a group of the party meeting the central leadership to raise voice against the local leadership. |
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‘Tainted’ JE suspended SAS Nagar, August 15 The JE, Surinder Singh, who has been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, had demanded bribe from a contractor involved in landscaping the campus of the Academy of Martial Sports, Anandpur Sahib. The JE had been arrested while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a contractor to release the security amount. The JE is reported to the relative of the MLA from Amloh constituency. Sources in the Vigilance Department said a commission of around 28 per cent was charged on development works undertaken by the horticulture wing of PUDA. The percentage of commission, shared among the officials concerned, went up when a work was delayed, said the sources. The JE was looking after a number of development works in the town. The Judicial Magistrate today remanded the JE in judicial custody. Earlier, he had been remanded in police custody till August 15. |
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Celebrating I-Day
on frozen continent Chandigarh, August 15 “At 10 am, with the temperature being minus 46 degrees Celsius, I moved forward and pulled the string to hoist the Tricolour and with that we all clapped on this historic occasion when the national flag fluttered on the frozen continent for the first time on Independence Day,” recalled Maj-Gen S.S. Sharma (retd), team leader of the First Indian Wintering Expedition to Antarctica. All team members, along with some Soviet and German guests from adjoining stations, stood to attention in front of the flag-post at Dakshin Gangotri and sang the national anthem, General Sharma, who is at present posted as Director, Snow and Avalanche Studies, here, said.. The 12-member winter team comprised three scientists, a doctor and eight defence
personnel. The leader of the Soviet team, Vladmir Schirschov along with two other Russian and the leader of the East German team, Peter Junghans also attended the functions. The message of the then prime minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, flashed to the team was also read out, in which she sent special greetings and good wishes to the members. General Sharma, who was then a Lieutenant-Colonel, made a brief speech following which the Soviet leader spoke in Russian and the German leader made a small talk in English. This was followed by a tea party and a photograph session. “There were icicles inside our noses, on our eyelids and beards, but with face masks removed, chest two inches up with pride, we congratulated and hugged each other, and accepted the greetings of our guests,” General Sharma recalled. Chess and TT matches were organised between the Indian, Soviet and German Antarctic teams, which saw the Indian TT players emerging victorious. Independence Day lunch followed, with special dishes being prepared, which went on till about 3 pm. “While others relaxed, the Soviet leader had discussions with me, and in the evening everyone assembled for cocktails,” General Sharma said. “The cocktails and dinner got prolonged with singing and dancing, which continued till 4 am. It was only by 7 am that the guests departed and the team leaders retired to the guest rooms. Even the eve of Independence Day witnessed a flurry of activity at Dakshin Gangotri. Messages from the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, departmental heads and top functionaries began flowing in. The President’s broadcast was listened too. The Soviet and German teams arrived with a big cake weighing about 2 kg, inscribed with “38th Independence Day of India”, along with a lot of other items like potatoes, cucumbers, eggs and rusks. At 7 pm, a bottle of champagne was opened and the cake was cut, followed by a feast. “Our guests had come well prepared, in suits and ties, while we were in our winter dresses as we had not carried any formal dresses,” General Sharma recalled. “Anyway, the Russians were more interested in after-dinner drinks, which continued till 2 am along with dancing and singing,” he added. A lot of preparations had to be made to celebrate Independence Day. The day before, in temperature as low as minus 41 degrees celsius, the station and its surroundings were cleaned. The station’s ante room was decorated and the furniture in the dining room was re-arranged to accommodate more people. Flag posts were erected outside and a special menu was decided. A dry run for shooting video footage of the ceremony was undertaken. All vehicles were inspected and readied for lining up. |
Councillor submits reply to Bahl Chandigarh, August 15 Mr Bahl had on August 9 issued a letter to all the councillors directing them to be present in the House for Mayor’s elections. In her reply, she has cited medical reasons for her absence and attached the medical slips and bills of her treatment in both Sector 16 General Hospital and a private hospital in Sector 12-A, Panchkula. She has stated that she was discharged from the hospital at 6.15 p.m. on August 10 after six bottles of glucose were administered on her. Later, she was advised complete rest for three days. She has assured the president that she has not done anything against the party deliberately and has complete faith in the leadership of the local MP, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, and Mr Bahl. She has also promised to abide by the directions of the party in future also. Further, my husband has been a sincere worker of the party for the last 25 years. She has asked him to consider her reply sympathetically. |
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Octogenarian’s 16-year struggle for justice Chandigarh, August 15 The UT Chief Judicial Magistrate said on August 14 in his order, “The complaint being under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC is committed to the UT District Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla, for August 31 under Section 209 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The accused are also directed to appear before the UT District Sessions Judge on the same date”. The body of Inderjit Singh was found hanging in Sector 34 on July 8, 1985. The deceased had taken one room on rent on the ground floor from Hardev Singh on January 26, 1985. Hardev Singh had lodged a report on July 8, 1985, in the Sector 34 police station. The police and post-mortem reports had termed it a case of suicide. As per the post-mortem report, the deceased had died on account of asphyxia due to hanging. The father of the deceased, Mr Allaha Singh, had then submitted a petition to the Home Minister of India, following which the Private Secretary of the Home Minister had requested the IG (Crime) to register a case and investigate the matter to find out the actual cause of death. Mr Sita Ram, SI, in his inquiry report had concluded that it was a case of murder and the suicide story was false. During the course of investigations, the accused were taken into custody and released on bail. Thereafter, Inspector Sita Ram was repatriated to his parent state of Punjab and investigations done by the other police officer could not establish that the death of Inderjit Singh was homicide. Aggrieved by the findings, the complainant, Mr Allaha Singh had filed a petition before the Supreme Court, praying for ordering of investigations by an independent agency. As per the directions of the Supreme Court, the investigations were entrusted to, Mr A.K. Sharma, Inspector, CBI, Chandigarh branch. After the completion of the investigation, the Chandigarh branch of the CBI had filed a cancellation report in the court, stating that the death of Inderjit was a case of suicide. The CBI had chargesheeted Inspector Sita Ram for having collecting evidence against the accused in connivance with the complainant. The petitioner had then filed a protest petition, seeking to demolish the conclusion of the CBI. In 1995, the court had directed the CBI to conduct a fresh investigation, to be conducted by a comparatively senior officer of the CBI. The court had dismissed the CBI report for the cancellation of the case. The court had observed, “On the basis of evidence coming before this court, the only possible conclusion which could be drawn is that it appears that the accused, Hardev Singh and Harpreet Singh, who were instrumental in commiting the crime and then hanging the body of the deceased with a turban, were rightly challaned. The cancellation report submitted by the CBI is not based upon the factual position”. The case had then been handed over to an SP in the CBI, Mr Kirtti Chandra Kanungo (now DIG, CBI North-East Region, Guwahati). During investigation, he had examined more than 100 witnesses and concluded that death of Inderjit Singh was homicide and not suicide.  |
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IN FOCUS SAS
Nagar Initially planned for industrial workers, the flats were later converted into Low Income Group (LIG) flats. But the authorities failed to remove encroachments in front of the flats and the allottees are refusing to take physical possession of the dwelling units. The condition of the flats has started deteriorating on account of neglect. The terraces of some first floor flats have been damaged. Water tanks on the roofs of some of the flats have disappeared. A watchman has been posted to check encroachment, yet theft of some of the fitting of the flats has been reported. A few months ago when the problem of slum dwellers occupying the flats was highlighted, the authorities swung into action and the flats were freed from the squatters. But the situation became the same after some months. The allotment price of the flats was about Rs 2 lakh and a draw of lots was held a few months back. The allottees, after depositing 10 per cent of the price of the flats, are now refusing to pay the next instalment of 25 per cent of the price. Some have even asked for a refund of their deposit. The reason for their disinterest is that the slum dwellers are using the flats for defecating. As there are no doors to check the entry of outsiders, the slum dwellers are also using the flats to store their household goods. Lack of street lighting in the area is also said to be responsible for the theft of the fittings from the flats. |
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Resentment brews among dismissed employees SAS Nagar, August 15 They lamented that in spite of an order of a Division Bench staying termination of the petitioners till September 25, the board authorities had issued the termination notices. The employees would serve a legal notice upon the board authorities tomorrow, seeking compliance of the court order, failing which a case of contempt of court would be filed in the high court, said one of the petitioners. The employees alleged that the State Education Minister was keen on adjusting his men. An inquiry into the alleged irregularities committed in selecting the candidates of the 1988 type test by the Central Bureau of Investigation was demanded by the employees. They demanded that the board should regularise the services of the employees who had been serving in the board for the past over eight years. The Punjab School Education Board (non-teaching) employees’ union said it would organise a rally in support of the terminated employees. |
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IN FOCUS Panchkula The authorities too, it seems, have accepted their existence. As open spaces in the city continue to be occupied by jhuggi-dwellers, the Haryana Urban Development Authority has filed an affidavit in court stating that encroachments have been removed from the markets. However, the reality is that just a day after an anti-encroachment drive in the markets, the encroachers return to occupy their old places with hardly any fear of action. “Once the drive is over, we know we will not see them again for a couple of months. Encroachment in the corridors is necessitated by the small size of the shops which do not have enough space to keep the stocks and also to leave room for the movement of customers,” says a shopkeeper in Sector 8. Now, the markets in all sectors can boast of open-air restaurants that provide adequate seating arrangements for the customers. To the jhuggi-dwellers, the drive against them means just the loss of a tarpaulin sheet. “If at the cost of a sheet we can have weeks and weeks of comfort, it is worth it. We have nowhere to go and cannot afford to pay rents in the city,” says a jhuggi-dweller of Sector 9. |
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Members of Lions Club installed Chandigarh, August 15 Mr M.R Sharma had been raised to the august office of District Governor at Indianapolis on June 28, 2001. The members of his cabinet include vice district Governor, Mr Subhash
Batra; Deputy district Governor, Mr Kuldip Kuthiala; district cabinent secretary, Mr J.P. Singh; District Cabinet Treasurer, Mr Anil Mittal and District PRO ‘s, Mr Om Dutt Sharma for Haryana and Himachal and Mr Pradip Vijh for Delhi. Besides, district special secretaries, region chairman and zone chairman were also installed. While Ms Sushiel
Agrawala, past International Director, was the installing officer at the ceremony, Mr Ashok
Mehta, past International Director, was the chief guest. Nearly 150 members were installed on various posts during the function. Mr Sharma said the appointments were purely based on the capabilities and past performance of the members and that he had not yielded to any pressure or politics In his presidential address, district Governor, Mr Sharma talked about the activities he planned to undertake during the current year. He emphasised on the collection of more units of blood than the target of 8,000 units. With a view to checking blindness, he set a target of conducting 2000 Intra-Ocular Operations, besides other routine cataract operations. He appealed to all club presidents to make eye-care their special projects. Mr Sharma listed youth development programmes as the prime projects for the year in his work schedule. He appealed to the clubs to focus on some of the projects in accordance with their needs. He asked them to continue with the ongoing projects of distributing tricycles, wheelchairs and limbs to the physically handicapped, health check-up and child-care camps. He also emphasised on the need to educating the poor illiterate children. He laid stress on organising health and education programmes in schools. He also announced that punctuality awards would be given to those clubs who started their club installations within 15 minutes of the time printed in the invitation cards and finish the same within 90 minutes. The first newsletter “Passion” of Lions Clubs International District 321-A2 was also released today. |
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Lions Club president installed Chandigarh, August 15 Expressing gratitude to his fellow members for reposing faith in him, Dr Kamra said that he had already undertaken four service projects before being installed as the president of the club. These include a blood donation camp, where 125 unit were collected; rakhi celebrations with the inmates of Institute of Blind, Sector 26; sapling plantation and distribution of stationery items free of cost, to the needy students of Government Model Secondary School, Mani Majra. He assured the members that several new projects would be undertaken during his tenure. These would include an eye operation camp, blood donation camp, youth development, mass marriages, medical and dental check-up camps, Celebration of UN, Hindi Divas, Teachers Day, etc. |
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SAS NAGAR DIARY SAS Nagar There had been no system to restrict the number of persons in the pool. At times the number touches 100 against the pool’s capacity of about 30. Much to the surprise of professionals, the SDO (Buildings) and his staff in the building branch are reportedly not trained either in swimming or in life saving and prevention of drowning. The coach appointed by PUDA was absent on the day the accident took place. No effort was made to post a substitute. Now PUDA officials say that steps are being taken to prevent such accidents in the future. * * * The Ropar traffic police has taken upon itself the task of educating students in rural schools about traffic rules. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (D), Mr Randhir Singh, Inspector (Traffic), Mr V.K. Vaid, and ASI Jasmer Singh visited BSH Arya Senior Secondary School, Sohana, and Government Model School, Mauli Baidwan, and educated over 100 students about traffic rules. The students assured the police officers that they would follow the rules. |
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Youngsters launch website Chandigarh, August 15 “The idea is to bridge communication gap between the city youth via the Internet”, said Deepak Thakur. The website contains attractive features like CT Bol — an open message board, CT Info which provides information like tourist spots, religious institutions, interactive guide map of the city and CT Chat. One can also access information relating to education facilities, movies, daily and weekly forecasts. For fitness freaks, the site contains information relating to health clubs and beauty clinics, whereas there is separate section for music lovers. One can also participate in various contests including quiz related to health, love, relationships etc. |
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Three-day bhandara Chandigarh, August 15 |
2 cars, scooter stolen Chandigarh, August 15 A Maruti car (CH-01J-6615) was stolen from outside the Sector 20 residence of Mr. Pawan Kumar during the intervening night of August 13 and 14. Another Maruti car (CH-01P- 6351) was stolen from outside a parking in Sector 17 on August 13. A scooter (DL-35C-5912) was stolen from outside the Modern Housing Complex, Manimajra on August 14. In all these cases, the police has registered FIRs under Section 379, IPC. Crackdown on liquor smugglers: The local police has arrested three persons, including a woman, from different parts of the city and seized 320 pouches of Hero whisky from them. While 150 pouches of whisky were seized from Parmeshwari in Sector 29, a similar number of pouches were seized from Om Prakash near Government High School, Sector 25. Twenty pouches of liquor were also seized from Ram Kesh near Indira Awas Rasta. Krishan Lal was arrested late last night for selling wine at a public place in Daddu Majra Colony. Five bottles and a nip of Officers Choice whisky were seized from him. In another incident, Narain was arrested for consuming liquor at a public place near Tagore Theatre last evening. In all the cases, the police has registered cases under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act. |
More wait for poor man’s mobile Chandigarh, August 15 “The WLL sets taken to Delhi by Korean technicians will be brought back to Chandigarh tomorrow. These will straightaway be put through call test, the final stage for launch of the WLL phones,” the Principal General Manager Telecom, Chandigarh, Mr R.C. Vaish, told Chandigarh Tribune here today. He added that the promise of launching the WLL on Independence Day was made on the basis of other tests conducted. Mr Vaish said the promise could not be kept as the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in Chandigarh faced a peculiar problem in the billing process. At other places, LG had supplied Code Division Multiple Access handsets and other equipment. He said as soon as the fault in the billing process was found out, Korean engineers of the company came to Chandigarh to rectify the problem, but could not do so. They then took it to Delhi and had informed them that the sets would reach the city tomorrow after repair. He said within a couple of days, the local BSNL office would make an announcement about details of the WLL phones and who could avail himself of the facility. He said the minimum time likely to be taken for launching the service could be two to three days. The launch of the WLL phones by the BSNL has been hanging fire for months. Talk of its start picked up as soon as private operator HFCL began its Connect service, which launched WLL technology based fixed phones and CDMA handsets. The announced cheap price of the BSNL WLL phones, to be almost equal to that of the basic phone, had raised hopes of the people to go in for the latest technology. The BSNL had announced that its WLL phone would be at lease Rs 10,000 cheaper than that of Connect as the BSNL had decided to charge only Rs 20 per month towards the insurance of the equipment, costing around Rs 10,000. |
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