The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Marriage palace owner found murdered
Nishikant Dwivedi

Kansal (Kharar), August 17
The owner of Gill Estate, Satwant Singh Gill (52), was found brutally murdered at his estate in the wee hours here today. The victim was stabbed several times on face, chest and lower abdomen with a sharp-edged weapon.

The body was found in a pool of blood in his room by his servant, Shesh Pal, at 5.30 am when the latter went to serve the morning tea. There were apparent signs of the victim having resisted the attack but the police is yet to ascertain the motive and the number of assailants involved in the incident. Sources in the police said the deceased was under a debt of over Rs 50 lakh from different quarters. A police official said the victim dealt in real estate business and also used to send people abroad.

Gill Estate is a marriage palace, located 8 km from Chandigarh in the foothills of the lower Shivaliks.

Satwant Singh Gill was found in a pool of blood on his bed. The deceased’s son, Mr Ravinder Singh Gill, immediately rushed his father in his car to the PGI, Chandigarh, where he was declared brought dead.

However, it could not be confirmed whether Satwant Singh was alive at the time his son rushed him to the PGI. Ruling out the possibility of burglary behind the murder, the police suspected it to be the handiwork of a person known to the victim. The possibility of the assailant(s) being a relative of the victim was also not ruled out by the police.

The Senior Superintendent of Police, Ropar, Mr GPS Bhullar said the police was working on several theories. Investigating officials confirmed that from the circumstantial evidence, it appeared that the murderer was familiar with the layout of the Gill Estate and also knew that Gill used to sleep in the annexe, while members of his family were staying in a nearby house within the estate.

Family sources suspect that the assailants entered Gill’s room sometime between 2.30 am and 5.30 am. The weapon used in the attack was yet to be recovered by the police. The police has rounded up some labourers and servants for investigation. The priest at the temple in the Gill estate, Mr Narinder Kumar, was also taken into custody for investigation.

Describing the reason behind Satwant’s staying separately, the priest, Mr Narinder Kumar, said “Ms Sunita Gill, wife of the victim was a religious person and Mr Gill used to consume liquor. Keeping in mind his wife’s sentiments, Mr Gill used to sleep in the annexe”.

Meanwhile, family sources did not point the finger of suspicion towards anybody. According to the family’s servant, Shesh Pal, Satwant Singh Gill was lying in a pool of blood on his bed with a two-foot-long knife. But the police ruled at the use of the knife in the murder.

At the time of the incident, Ms Sunita Gill, Mr Ravinder Singh and Ms Namita Gill, wife, son and daughter, respectively, and Mr Narinder Kumar, the priest, were at the estate. The pet dog Lika was also in the compound but the priest said that it did not bark.

According to the priest, Satwant was alive at around 2.30 am. According to him, there was a power failure and he had gone to start a generator. “I went upstairs where Mr Gill was sleeping. I heard him snoring. Before I could start the generator, the power supply was restored”.

The SSP, SAS Nagar, Mr G.S Chauhan, said it would be premature to say anything about the motive behind the murder. A case under Section 302 of the IPC has been registered by the police.

Sources said there were at least 10 labourers in the estate when the murder took place. The servants used to sleep in servant quarters in the estate. Meanwhile, the Ropar police has sought the help of the Chandigarh Police. It is also being ascertained whether any case was pending against the victim with the Chandigarh Police.

Incidentally, Satwant Singh Gill was a regular blood donor and had donated blood 117 times.

Decision on octroi abolition soon: Tandon
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, August 17
The Labour and Employment Minister, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, today said that holding of lok adalats to settle the industrial disputes was a big success in Punjab. Of the total 18,000 cases pending with the Labour Department, 11,500 had been solved and a compensation of around Rs 9 crore disbursed.

The minister was in the town to inaugurate a medical check-up camp for industrial workers at a unit in the Industrial Area, Phase 8, here. He said it had been observed that industrial cases lingered on for years together without any settlement. With this view the lok adalats were started. The Union Labour Ministry had also evinced keen interest in the system of justice to industrial workers. So far three lok adalats had been held.

Mr Tandon said the government was waiting for a report of the Shakir Committee set up to find out ways to manage the revenue losses incurred on that account. He indicated that a decision to abolish the octroi would be taken in a few days.

He said the Labour Department had also started a project of holding medical camps for industrial workers.

Dr BC Gupta, Secretary, Labour Department, who was the guest of honour, said the department had started a unique project of providing employment through the Internet. So far 48 persons had got jobs under the scheme. Mr S.S. Channy, Labour Commissioner, said the factories had been divided in hazardous and non-hazardous categories, while checking the workers at medical camps. He urged the entrepreneurs to look after the welfare of their workers.

Mr B.S. Baidwan, president of the Mohali Industries Association, said more camps would be held in the future. Mr Manpreet Singh, president of the Rotary Club of SAS Nagar, said under a unique project of the Rotary Vocational Centre, under-privileged women would be trained in various vocations. He urged the minister to get the Phase 5 primary school upgraded.

During the camp, over 700 workers were examined. A similar camp was organised at Pivot Fabrique, Industrial Area, Phase 3. As many as 200 workers were examined at the camp.

Mayoral election today
BJP, Cong not to participate
Tribune News Service

The MCC House, which was scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. to elect the new Mayor, will now meet at 2 p.m. The Presiding Officer, Mr Harish Bhanot, told Chandigarh Tribune that the time had been changed on the request of councillors who wanted to see the draw of lots for fresh reservation of constituencies scheduled at 11 a.m. at Tagore Theatre.

Chandigarh, August 17
The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) will tomorrow elect its sixth Mayor in a fight which has two Akalis contesting the post in the wake of all major parties forgoing their Mayoral aspirations ahead of the elections to the corporation which has passed a resolution to dissolve the House.

As the BJP and the one-member Chandigarh Vikas Manch boycotting even the proceedings of the House and a divided four-member Congress deciding not to contest the poll, the election has been left in the hands of six nominated members who are likely to be present in the House.

Rebel Akali candidate Harjinder Kaur, who is said to be more popular among nominated members, is sounding confident and is trying to convince her party rival and Deputy Mayor, Mr Mohinder Singh, that if he withdrew from the contest, he would still remain a Deputy Mayor and the party would also be seen united ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

However, the local Akali Dal chief, Mr Gurpartap Singh Riar, supporting Mr Mohinder Singh, said that there was no question of withdrawing from the election as Ms Harjinder Kaur had deviated from the party line and not Mr Mohinder Singh and ‘our election is just to punish those who are violating the party norm’.

The Congress today left the decision to the conscience of councillors to decide whom to vote in the meeting tomorrow, fearing a section of the BJP might come to the House to help Mr Mohinder Singh win the election. The acting Mayor, Mr Gurcharan Dass Kala, and Ms Sunita have decided to stay away from the House meeting as the party is not supporting anybody.

The BJP clarified that the earlier decision of not taking part in the proceedings still remained valid and there was no question of the party joining the meeting.

The Mayoral candidates today contacted all nominated members likely to be present in the House to elicit their support.

The BJP and Akali Dal local unit presidents, Mr Dharampal Gupta and Mr Riar, today met the Home Secretary, Mr R.S. Gujral, to again say that there was no need of holding the election tomorrow and dissolution of the House should be taken up immediately.

The BJP did not issue any whip claiming that the earlier whip was still valid and apprised party national Secretary, Mr. O.P. Kohli, of the preparations the local unit had made to ensure the party decision of not being part of the election.

Mr Kohli, when contacted, in Delhi said that the party's stand still existed.

Ms Satinder Dhawan stuck to her stand of not being part of the proceedings tomorrow since she too had moved the dissolution of the House.

BJP may stall MCC meeting today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
The Mayoral election meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) tomorrow may witness clouds of legal wranglings as the BJP determined to get the House dissolved, is likely to again stall the meeting on some legal point either in the court or before the Presiding Officer.

Certain party members today explored all possibilities of moving the court for a stay but since the high court being closed on Saturday, the idea seemed to have fizzled out.

The party may, however, be tempted to repeat August 10 effort when it got the reconvening of the House meeting deferred on legality of the Authority of the Presiding Officer to convene an adjourned meeting saying the authority for which rested with the Deputy Commissioner.

The effort of the BJP, somehow, to get this meeting also stalled may force the Administration to dissolve the House on the ground that it ‘’failed to perform its duty’’ stipulated in Section 407 of the MC Act for the dissolution of the House.

The BJP may also confront the Presiding Officer with a reply for the objection raised by them earlier before announcing another date.

The question on whether the last adjourned meeting for the Mayoral election was at all a meeting considering the fact that there was no quorum, is also likely to puzzle the Presiding Officer. The BJP, however, is likely to challenge the election of the Mayor in the court and press for the dissolution of the House keeping in view the party direction.

The contacted legal luminaries of the city today seemed to have formed a pre and post Mayoral election strategy but wore keeping it under wraps. However, the situation may take a favourable turn for the BJP, if its alliance official nominee Mr Mohinder Singh romps home victorious. The BJP will then try to persuade him to resign and seek the dissolution of the House.

Petrol costs Rs 29.02 per litre in city
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 17
The price of petrol in the city will be Rs 29.02 per litre and not Rs 28.92 as was erroneously worked out due to application of general sales tax at the first point instead of applying it at the last point. However, the revised price of diesel remains at Rs 16.69 per liter.

According to a press note issued today, the Chandigarh Taxation Department has confirmed that the general sales tax on petrol is applicable at the last point and not the first point as applicable on diesel. The prices of petrol and diesel were reduced in the city after a depot of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd started functioning in Sector 25 here today. With the new retail prices of petrol and diesel at Rs 29.02 and Rs 16.69 per litre, respectively, the products have become cheaper by Rs 1.09 and Rs 0.65 per litre.

Poor GK landed doctor in CBI net
Kiran Deep

Chandigarh, August 17
Poor general knowledge of topography of the region landed Dr Asha Kiran in the CBI net for allegedly issuing fake medical certificates.

Dr Kiran was today produced before UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C. L. Mohal, here along with, her husband Vinod Kumar and remanded to judicial custody till August 31.The CBI was also directed to produced the accused in the court of Special CBI Judge on August 31by the magistrate.

The discharge certificate of the General Hospital, Sector-16 Chandigarh, mentioned the address of the patient, Ms Joginder Kaur, who had reportedly arranged the fake medical certificate in a case on the complaint of Mr Gurbax Singh. The certificate showed Joginder Kaur, as resident of Fatehgarh Sahib of Karnal. Unfortunately for Dr Kiran both were separate districts of Punjab and Haryana, respectively.

The complainant in the CBI case, Mr Gurbax Singh, who helped the agency to nab the two accused revealed here today.

Talking to the Chandigarh Tribune, Mr Gurbax Singh said that in a case of land dispute his father Karora Singh had made a complaint against Joginder Kaur and others through him on October 10 to the SSP, Fatehgarh Sahib. The case under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 120-B IPC against Joginder Kaur and others.

He said Joginder Kaur had applied for an anticipatory bail in the court of the Sessions Judge, Fatehgarh Sahib. But the Sessions Judge had dismissed her bail. Then she had made an application for the anticipatory bail before the High Court.

A notice was issued to the complainant Gurbax Singh by the High Court. Joginder Kaur had produced a medical certificate about suffering from heart ailment from General Hospital, Sector 16, for taking benefit. Gurbax Singh said at that moment only he had doubted about the veracity of the medical certificate as he knew that Joginder Kaur did not suffer from any heart ailment and even if she would have had any such ailment then she should have been rushed to nearest hospital at Fatehgarh Sahib. There he expressed this doubt to his counsel, Ms Jaspal Kaur Gurna.

He said that while opposing bail on August 14 his counsel contested before the High Court that the medical certificate of Joginder Kaur was a fake one and the counsel had requested for the constitution of the medical board and the court was pleased to constitute the same.

He added that by moving different places and after meeting number of people he came to know that the certificate was issued by Dr Asha Kiran of the General Hospital, Sector 16.

On knowing that the certificate was issued by Dr Asha Kiran of the General Hospital, Sector 16, he went to her resident in the guise of a villager and sought a false medical certificate for one of his relations who, he pretended, had committed a murder and a false certificate was required for getting his bail from the court.

He alleged that Dr Asha Kiran demanded Rs 20, 000 but the deal was finally struck for Rs 6,000. Dr Asha Kiran told him to bring his relative on August 15 evening during her duty time.

So he got his brother-in-law Jarnail Singh admitted under the fake name of Savinder Singh and paid Rs 2,000 in advance. The doctor told Gurbax Singh that she would prescribe the medicine for a heart ailment and also pretend to give injection to the fake patient so as to show the seriousness of the disease.

After that on August 16 a trap was laid by the CBI and doctor, along with her husband, was caught red-handed while accepting remaining Rs 4,000 from Gurbax Singh.

Dr Kiran had private practice
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
The CBI sleuths have found that Dr Asha Kiran, who was arrested yesterday for demanding and accepting bribe for issuing false certificates, was also involved in private practice at her residence.

According to the CBI sources, the accused doctor would often ask her patients at the hospital for more medicines than were required. After the medicines were used for the patients, the remaining ones would be sneaked away by Dr Kiran., informed a senior CBI official.

The fact came to light when the CBI recovered two trunks full of medicines from the residence of Dr Kiran yesterday. Sources said that these medicines were taken away from patients admitted to the General Hospital under Dr Kiran. These were then sold to the patients who visited the doctor at her residence. A number of physicians samples were also found among these medicines.

The CBI also recovered cash worth Rs 1.19 lakh from her house in Sector 41-A.

Third Shatabdi welcome, but cheaper superfast wanted
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
The introduction of a third Shatabdi is good but there is a need to have a non-stop superfast train between Chandigarh and Delhi, opined city residents, while welcoming the move to have the third Shatabdi from August 25.

Mr Sandeep Singh, Member Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC), Northern Railway, said that there was an immediate need for a superfast non-stop train between Chandigarh and New Delhi.

Mr Sandeep Singh said that without doubt the Shatabdi Express trains helpful to the people of Chandigarh, but on the other hand, a superfast non-stop train would provide great relief to the citizens of Chandigarh, he urged the Railways Minister to immediately start a train like this.

A train like the Pink City Express between New Delhi and Jaipur for Chandigarh-New Delhi was the need of the hour, keeping in mind the large middle class population in Chandigarh, this kind of train would provide relief to them as it would be more economical and practical.

A superfast non-stop train would also be a boon for those passengers who undertook distant journeys by long-distance trains from New Delhi. These passengers could not afford the steep fares of the Shatabdi Express.

Mr Joginder Singh Bhogal termed the introduction of proposed third Shatabdi as an added facility for the upper class commuters of the region, who were in minority.

The lower middle and middle class people constituting majority of population would feel disappointed, and have reasons, to express anguish over the non-caring attitude of the Railway Ministry. Ever since Independence North stood totally ignored, as if it did not constitute a part of country. No long distance train was sanctioned during the past over five decades.

He demanded the introduction of a low-cost fast moving ‘janta class’ train between Chandigarh and New Delhi which should leave Chandigarh early morning and arrive late at night, without disturbing the Shatabdi schedule. It could run on the pattern of inter-city trains running in other states.

He also demanded full-fledged train to Mumbai from Chandigarh, instead of present system of running a link express, which presently runs as a part of Paschim Express. Besides this a direct rail link to South (Bangalore/Chennai) by extending the existing trains to Chandigarh, was also demanded.

The president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, Chandigarh, Mr Manmohan Singh, had a different opinion of the Shatabdi. This would negatively effect the tourism and hospitality industry of the city which, in any case, had already been hit by industrial slow-down. The little recovery it made this year might peter out.

It was highly unfair to think that a traveller or a guest be held back on account of non-availability of suitable transport. But to make very easy availability on the other hand also became a ‘disincentive’ for a guest to stay back.

Multiple options always held advantage for the user and not for the service providers. It was also a misnomer that only the hospitality industry would be effected. In fact, it would effect the entertainment, shopping, dining, local transport and many other services enjoyed by the floating population.

We would have to make Chandigarh an eventful city to hold the guests back for a night. Speedy highways, a developing bypass and new rail links, would steal the city of its only tourism that is of the ‘transit variety’.

A resident of Sector 23, Mr Jagdish Pal, a trader by profession was happy over the Shatabdi but wanted a superfast train at an affordable rate as going by the Shatabdi was expensive. With the superb highway beyond Ambala traders today preferred to use their cars to reach Delhi instead of the train. A superfast train at affordable rates was the only answer, he opined.

The officials, politicians, advocated headed for the Supreme Court were naturally happy as they could now go by the evening Shatabdi instead of the afternoon one to attend their several meetings in Delhi.

So would be others who would want to board the evening train and catch a late night flight to places like Mumbai or Chennai or any of the metros.

SPECIAL REPORT
CAG report indicts Army
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
Headquarters, Western Command, and the recently-established Army Institute of Law (AIL) are in the eye of a storm, objections having been raised at the manner in which public funds amounting to Rs 52 lakh were used by the army authorities to assist the AIL. “Grossly misusing delegated powers, HQ, Western Command, sanctioned repairs and modifications to surplus buildings to be used by a private society,” a report tabled by the Comptroller and Auditor General a few days back states.

The AIL, funded and managed by the Army Welfare Education Society, registered as a private society, was conceived as a welfare measure to provide professional education to dependants of Army personnel, ex-servicemen and war widows.

Stating that meeting the expenditure from public funds for use of a private institute is questionable, the report adds: “This calls for fixing of responsibility apart from recovery from the institute.” In December, 1998, the Chief of Staff, Western Command, had approved the use of 11 surplus vintage barracks located in a unit area at Patiala by the AIL as an interim measure till its permanent accommodation at Mohali comes up.

In order to bring the barracks “up to the dignity of the institute”, special repairs to the barracks and ancillary facilities were sanctioned on the pretext of renovating the barracks to make them habitable for JCOs and other ranks (OR) of the unit and to provide additional storage facilities for inventories worth Rs 150 crore held by the unit. The report states that sanctions were accorded despite sufficient accommodation being already available in the unit. The expenditure on these repairs amounting to Rs 32.21 lakh was debited to public funds.

According to the report, the Chief Engineer, Western Command, had stated that the approximate expenditure on special repairs was Rs 25.5 lakh, while original works amounted to another Rs 17.24 lakh. The Chief Engineer, however, could not furnish the requisite authority for sanctioning accommodation for the JCOs/ORs.

The Commander Works Engineer (CWE), Patiala had concluded two contracts for Rs 31.11 lakh in March, 1999, and one in December, 1999, for Rs 3.08 lakh for executing the works. The entire work was completed in December, 1999, at a cost of over Rs 40 lakh. In addition to the aforesaid works, the CWE, at the instance of the GOC-in-C, Western Command, also initiated three cases between May and September, 1999, for provision of additional rooms, false ceilings, glazed tiles etc at an estimated cost of Rs 11.25 lakh, the report adds.

FLAVOUR OF THE WEEK
Celebrations fill the air

Chandigarh
The Independence Day has passed by. As always, the city went all out to pay tributes to those who sacrificed their lives at the altar of freedom. But as a top official of the UT Administration put it: “We still have a long way to go before we celebrate our freedom.”

Most of the city, however, remained busy celebrating freedom. The biggest celebration was arranged by the UT Administration at Tagore Theatre, where representatives of various government model schools gathered to present cultural programmes based on the theme of Independence. The evening was all mirth, with highly-placed UT Administration officials joining the gaiety in the true sense of the word. So, one could spot the Adviser, Ms Neeru Nanda, and the Home Secretary, Mr R.S. Gujral, dancing on the stage with excited children. As always, it was the bhangra beat that commanded foot movements.

The mood of celebrations was only furthered by the news that city’s Irina Brar had won the Singapore Open Golf Championship. With this award, while Irina marches ahead to make her mark in the international golf circuit, the city gets ready to share moments of pride with this wonder girl.

The sports section suddenly registered hectic activity this week. The Flying Sikh, after long deliberations, finally announced the rejection of the Arjuna Award conferred upon him. At a press conference in Chandigarh Golf Club, Milkha Singh looked perturbed. And that for obvious reasons. Not only had his pride been hurt on account of his comparison with other athletes who nowhere match his standard of excellence, but also the award was highly mistimed.

The weather continued to add to the woes of city residents who kept reeling under the impact of heat. Heat and humidity have suddenly caught up. Nature also played havoc in the city where recent showers caused the unpredictable Ghaggar to almost explode. A bridge was damaged and two persons were killed in Baltana village.

On the art circuit, playwright Atmajit’s latest production,’Main taan ikk sarangi haan,’ is being highly talked about, not only for the bold issue it addresses but also for the sensitivity with which the issue is addressed and analysed. People are waiting for the production, to be staged at Tagore Theatre. Interestingly, some very famous professionals are associated with the play: Kamal Tewari, Dolly Tewari, Ashok Sagar Bhagat, Atul Sharma, to mention a few.

As for exhibitions, only one opened in the city this week. The ensemble, now on display at the IndusInd Bank Art Gallery in Sector 8, has attracted a fair number of visitors on account of its finesse and appeal. Themes are relevant and have been powerfully portrayed.

The prices of vegetables and fruits have been rising. Peas are costing Rs 20 per half kg; cauliflower stands at a huge cost of Rs 40 per kg. Lotus stem is Rs 40 per kg.

Sec 71 lacks basic amenities
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, August 17
Occupants in a pocket of over 200 houses in Sector 71, adjoining the Industrial Area, Phase VIII rue the day they moved in the area. Caught between the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) and the local civic body, the area badly lacks even the basic amenities.

Recent rains have been no exception. The internal roads in the area continue to be cesspools of water in absence of any storm water drainage. Agitated residents lament that they have to face a lot of inconvenience to move on the water filled roads. The pot-holed roads have not been repaired for the past over two years. The condition of a road, especially in front of row of houses from 3403 to 3408 is in bad shape. Mr Malkiat Singh Bath, a resident of the area, says repeated representations to the civic body and PUDA have fallen on deaf ears.

He laments that inspite of paying a hefty price of the plot, PUDA has not been able to provide basic amenities in the area. The parks in the area are in poor shape. The residents complain that the horticulture wing of PUDA, which is developing parks in the block A of Sector 70, is ignoring their area.

Officials of the civic body said PUDA has been asked to provide all basic amenities before handing over it to the council.

Hand over mosques to Muslims: panel
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, August 17
The Punjab Pradesh Muslim Welfare Committee, Ropar, yesterday demanded the handing over of various buildings of mosques and graveyards to the Muslim community.

Addressing a press conference here Dr M.M. Rahman, secretary of the committee, said certain mosques in the Ropar district, including two at Kharar, had been under unauthorised occupation for years. In a few areas, the premises of these buildings of mosques, which were locked, were being used as areas for dumping waste.

The committee said these buildings should be handed over to the Muslim community which would renovate them and use them for the purpose for which they were built.

Dr Rahman said complaints had been made by the Muslim community that the Wakf Board, Punjab, was leasing out the property of the community to certain bodies.

He said such leasing out should be stopped and the matter should enquired into by the authorities concerned.

The committee, which extended support to the SAD and favoured the giving of the party ticket in the coming Assembly poll to Mr Amrik Singh Mohali, said the Urdu language was being neglected.

It should be taught in schools and colleges and an Urdu library should be opened in Chandigarh or SAS Nagar. It also demanded the setting up of the Khwaja Garib Nawaj Bhavan in Chandigarh on the pattern of bhavans belonging to other communities.

EATING OUT
In the cool clime of Kasauli
Harvinder Khetal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh
The picturesque Kasauli Resort, just at the entrance of Kasauli, 55 km from Chandigarh, has come as a boon for the hill-loving people of this area. When you are in mood for adventure and the soaring temperatures of the plains become oppressive, a day out in Kasauli is usually the choice of many Chandigarhians. After just about two hours’ drive, you come back cooler and refreshed.

You just can’t miss the impressive red-roofed Kasauli Resort on the right side as you near Kasauli.

A stopover at the resort to freshen up and have a bite could be a good idea.

While the bar is to be opened shortly, their restaurant offers Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines, says Capt N.P. Ahluwalia and Mr Arun Oberoi, partners of the venture. Their third partner, Capt P. S. Chimni, was busy elsewhere. Not surprising, as development of the resort is continuing. For example, some cottages and a health club are coming up.

Frequent visitors and those familiar with the area express delight at the beautiful building that now stands where wilderness prevailed just about 16 months ago. Mr Ranjit Singh Walia, an NRI who has a bungalow down below at Nalwa village, is all praise for the well-stocked restaurant.

Spread over 10,000 sq yards, the resort provides a panoramic view of the pine-laden mountains in which are nestled the towns of Shimla, Sanawar and Dagshai.

Even as you enjoy your snacks or meals at the restaurant or on its terrace, the contours of Baba Balak Nath Temple across the hill stand out and the lights of the surrounding towns and villages twinkle, provided of course, clouds do not cover them. In this ambience, with the cool breeze soothing your skin, eating is simply heavenly.

Good food with a big range and variety is normally hard to find in the hills. Their tea and milk, too, do not quite taste the same as in the plains. But you will not face this problem in Kasauli Resort as it offers delicious fare cooked in a huge kitchen equipped with modern gadgets with raw material bought from Chandigarh. Their juices, jams, cheese and coffee are imported, a first in Himachal Pradesh.

In the snacks menu are egg and chicken, breads and spreads. The choice of topping for pizza includes cheese with onion/capsicum, mushroom or combination. Chicken in bun is a juicy chicken patty in a sesame bun with tongue-tingling sauce served with coleslaw and French fries. Veg burger has a filling of a delicious veg patty in a sesame bun topped with cheese.

Or, you could opt for the tangy chicken chaat, cutlets, pakoras, balls or pao bhaji. Then there are tasty bits like fish fingers, fish Amritsari, spring rolls, kalmi kabab and tikkas that you can partake of in the marbled Tea Lounge.

For the main course, the piece de resistance is karela kebab. It is a breast of chicken stuffed with minced chicken and enhanced with rare Indian spices cooked in tandoor. Another Indian favourite is pindi chana in which steamed chick peas are blended in a special gravy finished in select dry herbs and spices and garnished with coriander, ginger and green chilies.

If you are fond of continental cuisine, the special attraction is chicken salt and pepper. The chicken steak sizzler is also attractively cooked in pepper or mushroom sauce and served on a sizzler with seasonal vegetables and French fries.

Besides the American chopsuey, you could try the mouth-watering garlic flavoured chicken preparation in Chinese cuisine.

ITBP adopts Shatabgarh village
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
The locally-based Transport Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force has adopted Shatabgarh village, located on the Chandigarh-Patiala road, about 15 km from here.

According to the battalion Commandant, Mr S.S. Harta, several events were organised by the ITBP in the village on the occasion of Independence Day. These included a medical camp, where villagers were examined and medicines given to patients free of cost. A veterinary camp was also organised.

Keeping hygiene and sanitation aspects in mind, ITBP personnel sprayed DDT at several places in the village and also carried out a tree plantation drive. Pencils, rubbers and sharpeners as well as sweet packets were distributed among school children in the village. On the eve of Independence Day, a meeting of the village sarpanch and village elders with the ITBP officials, local Subdivisional Magistrate, Mr P. S. Johal, and local officials was also organised.

Although the village has a primary school, ITBP personnel will assist in an adult education programme and also promote plantation in uncultivated tracts in the village. Assistance will also be taken from the authorities concerned as well as non-governmental organisations to redress the villagers’ economic problems.

Namdharis fail to meet CMs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
Over a hundred Namdharis here today unsuccessfully sought to meet Punjab and Haryana Chief Ministers to get a top Namdhari saint’s nephew Thakur Dalip Singh , incarcerated in an attempt to murder case, released.

A group of Namdharis from various districts of Punjab and Haryana went to the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, without appointment to get him released.

Both the Chief Ministers were said to be out of station and the group could not meet them, the police said. The leaderless group then returned without giving any memorandum, it said.

The group said Mr Thakur had been framed-up to deny him the right to succeed his uncle Satguru Jagjit Singh by allegedly implicating him in an attempt to murder another prominent Namdhari figure, Mr Avtar Singh, of SAS Nagar.

Mr Thakur yesterday surrendered before the CIA staff of the Punjab Police.

CRIME

2 more arrested in dowry death case
Our Correspondent

Panchkula, August 17
Demanding the arrest of the accused in the Balwinder Kaur death case, more than 50 residents of Chaugama, near Karnal, protested outside the Sector 16 police station here yesterday.

These residents, including the parents of Balwinder Kaur, alias Bindu, who allegedly was forced to commit suicide by her in-laws, reached Panchkula and sought arrest of all the family members of Goverdhan, the main accused in the case. The police has already arrested Iqbal Singh, husband, and Goverdhan Singh, father-in-law, of Balwinder Kaur, who was married to Iqbal Singh, a resident of Rajiv Colony, in 1999.

The police arrested two accused, Roshani, mother-in-law, and Kamlesh, sister-in-law, of the deceased, tonight. Three other accused in the case — Dinesh, brother-in-law, and two sisters-in-law, Neelam and Malti — are still at large. They have been booked under Sections 304-B and 201 of the IPC.

Mr Banarsi Das, father of Balwinder Kaur, had alleged that his daughter was forced to commit suicide by her in-laws who had been demanding more dowry. Moreover, they cremated the body without conducting any post-mortem.

One held for having fake RC
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
The traffic police yesterday found the use of fake registration copies by certain drivers, when they challaned a scootorist for driving without helmet.

According to an FIR registered against Gulshan Garg under Sections 420, 468 and 471 of the IPC, the accused was challaned while he was driving scooter (CH-24 T 4147) . The police found that the RC of the scooter was fake and original was (HR-61-B-HQ-4147). The accused was arrested in this case and the police claimed that they were investigating the possibility of the vehicle being a stolen one.

Four theft cases: Four cases of theft have been registered in different parts of the city during the past 24 hours.

A resident of Bhatha Colony, Bache Lal, has been booked by the police on charges of stealing power from Rock Garden through a kundi connection. Bache Lal has been arrested in this case.

A pick-pocket fled away with Mr V.K.Walia’s purse containing Rs 3,000 cash, registration copy of his vehicle, driving licence, SBI card and ATM card last morning from Grain Market. In a similar case, Kewal Sharma, a pick-pocket, was caught red-handed while attempting to pick Mr Gurnam Singh’s purse last morning.

A Luna (CHJ-9835) was stolen from near the GPO, Sector 17, on August 14.

In all these cases, police has registered cases under Section 379 of the IPC.

Four booked: Kuldip Singh, Gopal Dass, Sunil Kumar and Gorakh Nath were arrested for quarreling at a public place in Chaman Colony, Dhanas. A case under Section 160 of the IPC has been registered.

BUSINESS

CBM for ban on sales in bhavans, hotels
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 17
The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) has decided to take up the pending issues of the trading community with the authorities concerned on a priority basis.

The president of the mandal, Mr Jagdish Arora, said the issue of the imposition of a ban on sales from the premises of the bhavans, halls and hotels would be taken up with the officials of the Chandigarh Administration soon. These sales were a direct loss to the Administration as the persons holding sales do not pay any sales tax and income tax and sell sub-standard articles with the result that the consumer was at the receiving end.

The general secretary (public relations), Mr Jagdish Pal Singh Kalra, while demanding a complete ban on such sales, wondered why the Administration was not taking any action against “unauthorised” sales. The shopkeepers in the legal markets pay all kinds of taxes and the bhavans and halls are meant for social and religious functions and not the sales, he added.

Mr Arora informed that the issue of allowing two feet space in front of the shops for the display of the goods was taken up with the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC), Mr MP Singh, at a meeting here. Now, the issue would be taken up with the councillors of the MCC so that a resolution to this effect was passed by the MCC House. The display of the products had become very important following the entry of new products range by the companies, he said adding that the display would not be on road berms.

Demanding the introduction of the Apartment Act, he said that the Administration should allow necessary internal partitions without any charge. However, the external structures of the buildings should not be changed.