Panchkula to be made slumless city
Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 17
The Urban Development Department, Haryana, plans to develop Panchkula as a slumless city. On the other hand, the Union Territory is reviewing its 23-year-old policy of rehabilitating slum dwellers.

Haryana has decided to run a pilot project in Panchkula for its ambitious policy to remove all slums by providing various facilities, including regularisation of all slum and labour colonies. The state proposes to regularise all slum and labour colonies in the state, thus changing the demography of the area.

The formalisation of response of Haryana to the Draft National Slum Policy of Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Department, done in a meeting of senior officials in the state held last month, entails that thousands of slum dwellers in the township will be rehabilitated by being granted tenure on tenable sites owned by the government. Full property rights will be granted on resettlement and/or rehabilitation sites.

It has been decided that since Haryana Urban Development Authority is the main urban development agency for the development of Panchkula, the works for the clearance/ re- development of Panchkula slum areas would be undertaken by HUDA. Thus more than 50,000 residents of Rajiv Colony, Indira Colony, Azad Nagar colony, slum settlements in Mansa Devi Complex, Devi Nagar and Saketri will be entitled for all basic minimum services — water, sanitation, electricity and health.

As per the figures available, the urban population in Indian cities is growing by approximately 3 per cent and the slum population is comparatively growing at a faster pace. About 20 per cent of the population in the big cities is estimated to be living in slums.

In accordance with the already existing policy followed by the Government of Haryana , wherever slums have come up on government or Municipal Council land in conforming land use, liberal leasehold rights to slum squatters will be given at reasonable rates on a long term installments. But colonies in non- conforming land use like drains\ canals, green belts etc. cannot be regularized.

The expenses regarding improvement of slum infrastructure will be a 100 percent grant from the Centre to the state as it would not be possible for the state to recover the developed land cost from the slum dwellers, it is learnt. It may be noted that varied schemes for improvement of slums are already being implemented under Swaran Jayanti Shehari Rozgar Yojna.

The HUDA authorities have been directed to identify the slum dwellers who have been registered under the Punjab Slum Areas Improvement and Clearance Haryana Amendment Act, 1990. It has been decided that a fresh survey should not be conducted as it would lead to generation of wide ranging expectancy, which may not be fulfilled in the absence of specific large schemes targeting individuals.

National Slum Policy opposed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
The Union Ministry of Urban Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has suggested that a draft of the National Slum Policy be implemented. Sources say that a section of officials are opposing this, saying that such a scheme will severely damage the city’s civic system.

Chandigarh already has a controversial rehabilitation scheme for slum-dwellers living illegally on government land.

According to the new slum development policy of the Union Government, the Administration would register all slum-dwellers in a special survey and issue them identity cards. After receiving these cards, slum-dwellers will become eligible to ask the government for all necessary facilities.

Slum-dwellers need to only give a statement that they are living at a particular place. Officials say that this particular place can be anywhere — even outside someone’s house.

Officials, who are opposing the policy, say that already the rehabilitation scheme is becoming a big problem. The city has about 26 slum colonies and if the policy is implemented, authorities will have to give basic services in all of these.

Officials have discussed the issue and the ministry directions. “Already, local population is demanding that the slums be removed and the government should check the migrant problem at source,” said an official, on the condition of anonymity.

Chandigarh being a UT, fears are that the Union Government can run any scheme here without any opposition from the Administration or politicians.

SYL ISSUE
City on the chopping-block again?
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
Chandigarh may be on the chopping-block as a consequence of the Supreme Court direction to Punjab to complete its part of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in a year.

Punjab, which will have to obey the Supreme Court judgement, may take a political position to link the construction with the implementation of the Rajiv-Longowal accord to transfer Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas of Haryana to it.

Former senior officials of the two states, a Professor of the Panjab University and keen observer of inter-state relations vis-a-vis politics and legal luminaries said the implementation of the Rajiv-Longowal accord would now be taken up by politicians and the people of Punjab would have to be given something to make them agree to allow the construction of the canal.

The construction of canal had a bloody history as during the militancy days there had been killings of officials and labourers working on the Punjab part of the canal.

However, most of the experts interviewed by the Chandigarh Tribune said there was not going to be any direct legal and administrative bearing of the Supreme Court judgement

A former Haryana Chief Secretary, Mr B.S. Ojha, said the construction of the canal was a separate issue from sharing the water between the two states. He said not much should be read in the judgement as Haryana had asked the Supreme Court to get an agreement between Punjab and Haryana implemented for the construction of the SYL. Haryana had already completed its part of the canal and paid Rs 600 crore to Punjab for the construction of the remaining part in its territory, he said.

A former Punjab Chief Secretary, Mr A.S. Chattha, expressing his dismay at ‘lax handling of the case in the Supreme Court by the Punjab Government’ said as water sharing was an emotional issue, dormant issues under the Rajiv-Longowal accord would resurface. The transfer of Chandigarh, Punjabi-speaking areas and territorial disputes were bound to crop up again as the people of Punjab might feel that they were being deprived of their riparian right.

Another Haryana Chief Secretary, Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, said that the Supreme Court decision was only confined to implementation of a contract under Article 131 of the Constitution.

Mr Bhagwan, who was the Irrigation Secretary at the time when his state approached the court for the implementation of the contract between Punjab and Haryana, said the issue should not affect the status of Chandigarh as Haryana was only seeking the implementation of a Government of India approved scheme either by Punjab or the Government of India itself.

The Advocate Generals of Haryana and Punjab, Mr Surya Kant and Mr H.S. Mattewal, respectively, while refusing to comment on the status of Chandigarh, said they had not yet got copies of the judgement and had not gone through it.

Mr Surya Kant said the status of Chandigarh was not affected by the judgement and the majesty of the law should be respected by everybody keeping off politics.

A former Chief Engineer of Punjab and expert on water issues, Mr D.S. Dhillon, expressed an apprehension that the implementation of the SC ruling could lead to a bloody phase witnessed during militancy days.

He said when he started survey for the purpose, people of Punjab did not allow it and had threatened his team with dire consequences. The construction move now could take the state back to bloody days of 1984, he said.

He said as a consequence of water going to Haryana, over 125-year-old Sirhind Canal would go dry and areas of Malwa up to Bathinda and Muktsar would be deprived of water.

Mr Dhillon rejected the contention that Delhi was not getting water and said it was already getting it through the Sirsa-Monal Link Canal and Narwana Canal and expressed surprise how the canal could be built till the capacity of water flow was decided by a commission of engineers.

A former Haryana Chief Engineer, Mr S.P. Malhotra, said Haryana would only get a share of surplus water which flowed to Pakistan. Construction of the canal in Punjab was now a law and order question, he said. According to him the SC verdict was limited to fulfiling a contract and water share would be decided by the Eradi Commission which had also attracted the Supreme Court comments.

The first Chief Secretary of Haryana, Mr Swaroop Krishan, expressed happiness over the Supreme Court order.

A political science Professor of Panjab University, Mr Pratap Singh, said the transfer of Chandigarh was impossible as after the coming into existence of the Municipal Corporation, all local parties were unanimous on the status of Chandigarh and the opinion of the local people could not be ignored. He said sharing water would be a real tough task as the water-need scenario had changed from the time when the agreement was arrived at. “The water table is Punjab is going down, there are areas in the state where shortage of water is being felt. Moreover, the crop pattern has increased the need of water”, he said.

He said change the transfer of Chandigarh was not an issue as the people had divorced this idea by now, but it could be an issue for politicians as the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had promised to solve these matters when he came to power in 1997.

‘Ladies of hope’ for the elderly
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
The Punjab Governor and Administrator of UT, Chandigarh, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), underlined the need for setting up an institutionalised system to help the elderly sick people living alone in the cities.

The UT Administrator was speaking after awarding certificates for home care nursing and vocational training programme to 10 women at a function organised by the Dr Vikrant Gupta Memorial Foundation in collaboration with the Punjab Red Cross Society and the Inner Wheel Club of Chandigarh Midtown.

General Jacob further stated that NGOs should come forward to help the elderly people in the changed socio-economic situation specially when the joint family system had given way to nuclear families. ‘‘Old people live alone in their homes and there is an urgent need to set up an institutionalised system to help such people in distress,’’ he said.

Appreciating the Dr Vikrant Gupta Memorial Foundation for starting this unique Home Nursing care training programme, the Governor said that these nurses would be quite helpful to the elderly patients who were convalescing at home and also need support and care during the period of recovery.

General Jacob said that he was happy to know that this foundation had selected candidates from rural areas and girls have been provided training free of any charges. He asked the Secretary, Red Cross, to chalk out similar programme for Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala at the earliest.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, the Punjab State Red Cross Society Secretary, Capt Rajdeep Singh, informed that in the future home care nurses would be given training in driving so that they could drive the patients to the hospital in case of an emergency.

Dr B.D. Gupta, father of Dr Vikrant Gupta, a young doctor whose career was cut short by destiny, welcomed the guests and informed about the various activities of the foundation.

BSNL revises FWT tariff
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has, now, revised call charges for fixed wireless telephones.

Earlier, the tariff for local call was Rs 1.20 per unit with 75 calls free every month and the revised charges are Rs 0.80 per call for 76 to 200 calls; Re 1 a call for 201 to 500 calls and Rs 1.20 a call for more than 500 calls with 75 free calls every month.

With this, the local call charges for fixed wireless telephones of Connect and the BSNL are at par. Earlier, the BSNL had restricted the FWT facility to a few areas. “Now, anywhere in the city, one can take a, FWT-WLL connection,” said Mr R.C. Vaish, Principal General Manager Telecom in Chandigarh.

He said the service would help the BSNL increase telephone penetration in the city with the convenience of voice without interruption.

A registration fee of Rs 500 and a month’s rent in advance (same as in case of ordinary land-line connection) will be charged by the BSNL for each FWT connection.

He said mobile service of the BSNL would be launched here within six months. “Our mobile service (GSM based) would be a much better bargain for consumers due to a large network that the BSNL has. Consumers will get an all-India roaming facility without paying much,” he said. Mr Vaish dismissed the apprehensions of a low success rate due to the launch of the WLL mobility service and the GSM mobile service.

Meanwhile, the BSNL has also reintroduced the scheme of booking second and subsequent telephone connections without registration charges and annual advance rent. The scheme that was temporarily withdrawn, will be open till March 31.

Tax angle to gold theft
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
The police has come up with a new angle to the case where a theft of about 10 kg gold was reported from the shops of two Sector 22 jewellers. The police says that gold of a much smaller quantity may have been stolen from the shops and jewellers may have shifted the remaining gold ornaments to their houses to avoid tax authorities.

Yesterday, the police had recovered about 4.5 kg gold from the residence of Vicky Verma, who had reported the theft. Earlier, the police had recovered 1.25 kg gold and about Rs 3.5 lakh cash from the house of a former landlord of the complainants. The police says that the complainants have recently bought a booth in Sector 22 and that they were planning to buy a showroom in the city.

Vicky and his brother Ramakant had told the police that all gold kept in their shops, about 10 kg, valued at about Rs 50 lakh, had been stolen along with Rs 1.8 lakh cash.

The theft and subsequent recovery of some of the stolen gold, meanwhile, is giving sleepless nights to several jewellers of the city who used to deal with the brothers.

Shopkeepers support paid parking system
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
A large number of shopkeepers in Sector 17 have come forward in support of the paid parking introduced by the Municipal Corporation.

In a statement here today, the shopkeepers numbering about 50, said, “We do not support the unnecessary calls for bandhs and strikes made by the numerous beopar mandals or the self-styled traders’ associations controlled by unelected non-entities. Their sole purpose seems to get publicity and have their photographs published in newspapers to satisfy their feeling of grandeur. Besides, these associations were politically affiliated. Therefore, their political interests came first and traders’ cause later.

“Parking has become so organised since the introduction of paid parking and the parking lots are visibly cleaner. We feel that the parking charges are a small price to pay for such convenience. Besides, the visitors to Sector 17 now get orderly parking rather than the haphazard ‘park where you please’. We would like to make a few practical suggestions to streamline the system which would be for the convenience of all involved,” the statement said.

Copies of the statement have also been addressed by Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, and Ms Neeru Nanda, Adviser to the Administrator.

SI Shiv Ram retired compulsorily
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
A Sub-Inspector of the Chandigarh police, Mr Shiv Ram, has reportedly been retired compulsorily from service for professional impropriety, it is learnt. The order to this effect was passed by the UT IG, Mr B.S. Bassi, here today. This is the first instance of its kind in the Chandigarh police.

While the order is silent on the cause of retirement, sources say that Shiv Ram was reported to have shown professional misconduct while investigating a marital dispute reported from Sector 38 last month. An inquiry into the matter had been conducted by the SSP, Mr Parag Jain, following which the IG issued the retirement order.

COMMUNITY

‘Liberalisation process needs to be intensified’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
The process of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation needs to be intensified but with an effective feedback system to overcome weaknesses.

This was stated by Prof Ashok Mathur, Jawaharlal Nehru University, in his keynote address at the national seminar on ‘Second generation reforms in India: settled and unsettled issues’ being organised by Panjab University Business School here today.

Professor Mathur highlighted the weaknesses of pre and post-liberalisation reforms, particularly in relation to the task of building capital from the agricultural sector to industrial sector. There has been too much reliance on the regulatory mechanisms of the ‘Inspector raaj’.

Professor Mathur said the reforms had led to a high-cost economy but also helped in building a domestic production base, which was commendable. He stressed the need for investment on social sector, particularly in human development and better governance apart from honesty in management of public affairs.

Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, said people were poor not because they are poor but because of poor policies. Globalisation has reduced dimensions of space and time and it is an irreversible process. What is needed is not just policies with a human face but those with a human soul. Reforms must start with the education sector which is showing declining trends.

Prof B.B. Tandon introduced the theme. Inspite of the planning and reforming activity in the Indian economy over the past 10 years, there still existed problems of poverty, malnutrition, gender discrimination and social disharmony. There is a strong view saying that besides growth the reforms need to be oriented towards social development and economy growth.

Prof P.P. Arya, convenor of the seminar, was critical of the first stage of reforms as it has marginalised labour and poor class. The first casualties of the reforms have been health and education sectors where the government spendings have been drastically cut and remained inadequate. The reforms have not been able to concentrate on removal of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Prof K.K. Mangla. chairman of the department, said that globalisation was a throbbing and an inescapable reality and the balance sheet showed more positive aspects than negative.

More than 50 delegates participated on the opening day of the two day seminar.

‘Human clone not likely’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
“The early efforts to clone even a human-like animal like monkey have failed and there is a slight chance that successful human cloning can take place. However, human clones, if successfully produced, will have a nature different from that of the persons cloned,” said Prof Harry Griffin of Roslin Institute of Edinburgh (UK) in his lecture at the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) here today.

He stressed the need for separating fact from fiction when it comes to a debate on the ethics of the use and applications of biotechnology. Prof Griffin said a focus had to be maintained by the governments in the debate.

He said cloning was a small part of research in genetics. Prof Griffin said the current research was being done according to a much higher standard of ethics than before.

Prof Griffin enumerated the uses of biotechnology in genetic modifications, copying elite farm animals, stem-cell therapy, male infertility and creating designer children. He said a lot remained to be done before the first benefits of this research were visible. “A financially viable technique is required to ensure that herds of elite animal clones are produced. Presently, the technique is expensive,” he said.

Dr Griffin said most knowledge on which the debate on ethics of cloning was being based was not well-informed. The media over simplified science and works of fiction.

Dr Griffin is the Assistant Director (Science) in Roslin Institute of the UK, a leading centre of research in farm-animal breeding, who had developed ‘Dolly’, the first cloned sheep in the world. He said a recent news report that Dolly had developed arthritis was true, but the exact cause of it was not yet known. It only proved that a large number of things could go wrong in such experiments. ‘‘This also means that any effort to clone a human will be highly unsafe for the child, who is likely to develop deformities, and the mother,” he said.

Prof Sue Mayer, Director, Genewatch (UK), a public interest science policy research watchdog group, said the first real-time effect of this kind of research was the beginning of gene testing that had to be curtailed with regulations, so that, discrimination on the basis of genes should not start. “There have been instances where employers have dismissed workers and discriminated against them due to the results of their gene test. What we are saying is not too far in the future,” she said.

Dr Amit Ghosh, Director IMTECH, earlier, introduced the speaker. The lecture was followed by a question-answer session.

Seminar on governance of civil society
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
The ICSSR (North Western Regional Centre) and IAS Centre of Panjab University jointly organised a seminar on “governance of civil society: preparing to be a civil servant” here today.

The prominent speakers included Dr R.C. Nayyar, member secretary of the Disinvestment Commission of Punjab, Prof Jitendra Mohan, Prof Pradeep Kumar and Dr Rajiv Lochan.

Dr Lochan presented a historical perspective of the services and said that working conditions of human services changed considerably in the recent past. Today they work in close liaison with politicians for implementing constitutional requirements they are supposed to do.

Prof Pradeep shared his view point relating civil society to democracy, democracy to civil services and civil services to democracy. Professor Mohan and Dr Nayyar dwelled on the changed scenario and the psychological perception of civil services and civil society.

Animal rehabilitation centre inaugurated
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, January 17
An animal rehabilitation centre of the local unit of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was inaugurated at the Civil Veterinary Dispensary at Mataur here today.

The centre, which was opened by the local SDM, Mr Jaipal Singh, aims at prevention of cruelty to animals and rendering assistance to sick, injured and ownerless animals.

Dr R.M. Sharma, president of the local unit of the society, emphasised that SPCA members should encourage volunteers to come forward to help animals in distress by informing the SPCA or arranging their transportation to its centre.

The honorary general secretary of the SPCA unit, Dr Kanwarjit Singh, appealed to animal lovers to create awareness among the public regarding prevention of cruelty to animals.

He demanded the allotment of land to the society for setting up its permanent office in the town and a veterinary hospital. He also urged the local civic body to provide transport to the SPCA till it could make its own arrangements.

The senior vice-president of the Municipal Council, Mr N.K. Marwah, was the chief guest at the function, which was attended by, among others, Mr Jasbir Ralhan, president of the SPCA, Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, the following have been elected office-bearers of the local SPCA unit: senior vice-president — Dr Ram Singh; junior vice-president — Mr Nachhtar Singh; honorary joint secretary — Mr Anil Kaushal; finance secretary — Mr S.B. Kaushal; honorary veterinarian — Dr R.K. Arora; honorary legal adviser — Mr Karnail Singh; and propaganda secretary — Mr Bikram Singh.

‘Think globally and act locally’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
“Think globally and act locally’’ was the message given to all participants on the conclusion of the two-day seminar-cum-workshop on “Face to face with degrading environment’’ held at Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, here today.

Associate Professor, Panjab University, Dr Alok Srivastva, speaking on metal pollution said that the local people should decide the gravity of the problem and how it needs to be tackled.

Another speaker, Dr Shaju Peter, stressed on the importance of public participation in tackling their own environmental problems while narrating success stories. He presided over the valedictory function.

Workshops were organised to visualise the role of schools, colleges and community in the prevention of environmental degradation. Prizes were awarded to the winners of the participants of “Ozone day exhibition’’, Best out of waste’’ exhibition and the poster competition.

These contests were held on the inaugural day of the seminar.

YOUNG VOICE
Learning to crack mysteries

IN an age when most young boys are hit by the information technology bug, Gaurav Sharma is concentrating on a rather unexplored field. He is taking an intelligence course in criminal specialisation from Glothial Detective Agency. The agency, which operates globally, has its branch headquarters in Sector 35 of the city.

As for Gaurav, the opportunity is golden. Currently busy handling criminal cases under the guidance of a leading criminal lawyer of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Baldev Singh Bhinder, Gaurav believes in nailing the evil. “The city does not have trained private investigators. That is why many people who want to pursue cases out of court feel it difficult to fulfil their commitments. I always felt responsible towards society. I don’t vouch that with a valid licence I will be able to do that, but I can at least try.”

After about a year of training, Gaurav will be issued a licence of criminal investigation by the Union Home Ministry. He is presently concentrating on cracking rape and murder mysteries. Not just that, he has also been associated with theater for long.

Among some eminent theatre persons with whom he has worked are Sudesh Srivastava, Gursharan Singh and Charan Singh Sindran. Only recently he had bagged the best actor award in the annual theatre festival held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. 

NEW RELEASE

AFTER films like ‘Phool Aur Kaante’, ‘Suhaag’ and ‘Anari No. 1’, director Kuku Kohli is back with ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa’. The film, a love story with plenty of action, opens today at Neelam, Chandigarh.

Produced by Aroona Irani, it also stars Rajat Bedi, Aditya Panscholi, Johnny Lever, Aroona Irani, Vishal Khanna and Nupur. It has action by Kala Singh, dialogue by Tanveer Khan, cinematography by Baba Azmi, choreography by Farah Khan and Saroj Khan, art by Amit Mishra, sound by Naeem Sheikh, editing by Sanjay Jaiswal, lyrics by Sameer and music by Nadeem Shravan. DP

Unscheduled power cut alleged
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
The Sector 61 MIG Flats Residents Welfare Association today complained of an unscheduled power cut in the sector from 3 pm till sending the complaint to newspaper offices at 7.10 pm.

It also said that most of employees faced difficulty in taking bath in the morning as power went off between 8 am and 9.15 am despite the power cut time being told to be between 8.30 am and 9 am.

The association said water supply was low.

The organising secretary of the Consumer Forum Chandigarh, Mr N. K. Jhingan, said that he was getting reports of muddy water supply since 6 pm in Sector 6 Cenral Government quarters.

Fault in level 63 telephones
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
Subscribers to level 63 telephones in Sector 29-D are a harassed lot these days as the phones have not been working properly for the past over one month.

The subscriber to phone 638393 said here today that no call ''materialises without dialling the number by the calling person for a number of times''.

The subscribers have lodged repeated complaints with the authorities but the fault has not been rectified so far.

Decision hailed
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 17
The youth SC/ST Development Welfare Association has welcomed the decision of the Chandigarh Administration to issue bus permits to the unemployed youths. The president of the association, Mr Banarsi Dass, while welcoming the decision demanded that the SC/ST should be given due reservation while allotting route permits.

CRIME

Sector 37 resident knocked down, killed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
Sector 37 resident Ram Lal was killed after he was knocked down by a truck near Government School, Sector 38. He was rushed to the PGI, where doctors declared him brought dead. The police has arrested truck driver Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of Bassi Pathana, and impounded the vehicle (PB-12-C-1875).

Assaulted: Badheri resident Kirpal Kaur has reported that her son, Lakhwinder Singh, has been assaulted by Suresh Kumar, a resident of the same village. The police has registered a case.

Theft cases: Sector 22 resident Arun Kumar Mittal has reported that his house was broken into and a colour TV set, a gold ring and a pair of gold ear-rings along with Rs 12,500 have been stolen. The police has registered a case.

Sector 22 vendor Dilmohan Singh has reported that two unidentified persons ran away with computer parts worth Rs 12,600 from his shop without paying for them. The police has registered a case.

Sector 38 resident Abhimanu Goswami has reported that his Cielo car (CH-03-E-2069) has been stolen from his residence. A case has been registered.

PANCHKULA

Two booked: In its drive against those who sell land without informing the District Town Planning Department, the police registered two cases at Pinjore police station yesterday.

According to the Superintendent of Police, Mr Manoj Yadav, Gurnam Singh, a resident of Kiratpur village, sold land in Ferozpur village without taking permission from the competent authority. In the second case, Gurmeet Singh and Mohal Lal, both residents of Chandigarh, allegedly sold land in Bitana village without permission.

Held with liquor: The police arrested Gian Singh, a resident of Kiratpur village, and seized 85 pouches of liquor from his possession yesterday. A case has been registered.

Attacked: Mr Sita Ram, a resident of Bharaon Ki Sair village, reported to the Kalka police that Sanjeev Kumar, Ashu Man, Ravinder Verma, Ganju, Ginny and Gorkha Vikram, all residents of Kalka, attacked him with sharp-edged weapons, assaulted him and damaged his shop. The accused also allegedly threatened the complainant.

The police sources said that old rivalry was the reason behind the brawl. A case has been registered.

2 more car thieves held
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 17
The CIA Staff of the police has arrested two other members of the notorious gang involved in stealing Maruti cars. Lakhwinder Singh and Dheraj Kumar were arrested by the police late last night and a car was recovered through them.

It may be recalled that the police had busted a gang of youths involved in stealing Maruti cars for making easy money. With the busting of this gang, the police was able to solve seven cases of car theft and stereo theft.

The police had earlier arrested two members of this notorious gang- Parmod Sharma and Beeru, alias Manmohan Pal, while Lakhwinder Singh, Satish Kumar and Dheeraj Kumar were absconding. A police party has already been sent to arrest Satish Kumar.

It is learnt that a team of CIA staff was deputed at naka on the Sector 10 and 1 roundabout last night when they came across a car being driven by Parmod and Beeru. This car was without a number-plate. It was on persistant questioning by the police that the accused confessed that the car (HR-03A- 9725) was stolen from Sector 10 on January 12.