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| Wednesday, February
13, 2002,
Chandigarh, India
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UT seeks Rs 200 cr for development Chandigarh, February 12 Something for south, too Residents of the neglected southern sectors can relax — a “southern sectors development plan” has been put in place and more money has been earmarked for it, with a focus on engineering works, architecture, planning, roads, green spaces and other municipal works. Stress will be on roads, that have to be recarpeted frequently as the traffic load is heavy. Where traffic is heavy, roads will soon be expanded and divided. Green spaces will be developed and streetlights made functional. The plan has been launch softly, with a minimum publicity. The idea is to get some works started and then show it. Dividing roads of sectors will receive a special attention. The UT Finance Secretary and Secretary Engineering, Mr Karan A. Singh, says that changes will soon be noticed. The demand is for almost Rs 46 crore more than what was sanctioned for the financial year ending March 31, 2002. Meanwhile, the Government of India has agreed to hike the non-plan expenditure of the Chandigarh Administration from Rs 757 crore to Rs 778, according to sources. A large part of the increased amount goes in paying salaries of about 400 teachers to be appointed in the UT schools. The appointment process is already under way. Planned expenditure is used only for development in the city, while money under the non-plan head is for expenses. The increase has already been reflected in the budget of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). All expenses of Chandigarh are shown in the MHA budget. A major part of Rs 200 crore, that has been sought, is for stabilising the power-supply system. This includes the completion of a vital 66 KV power grid loop around the residential area. The link between the Civil Secretariat and the BBMB distribution station in Phase I of the Industrial Area is unfinished. This will help engineers shift the load from one feeder to another whenever
there is a breakdown. A good part of the money will be used to procure and set up a management software system to have a real-time management of the city’s power input-output. With no power generation system of its own, the Administration is no more than a facilitator. It buys from several sources and sells to consumers here. Money will also be available for the 400 KV line from Nalagarh to feed an upcoming 220 KV substation at Mani Majra. The other need is the completion of the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). Rs 38 crore has been sought for the project in next year, compared to 27 crore this year. The project is nearing completion and this money is required for purchasing equipment. Urban development demands Rs 50 crore, compared to Rs 48 crore previous year. |
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Working overtime for excuses on Valentine’s Chandigarh, February 12 Go to cafeterias and fast food joints, even in college canteens, and you can see worried girls discussing ‘strategies’. The reason for this is there for all to see. Getting out of their residences on February 14 won’t be easy in 2002 because daddies and mummies know all about “love excuses”. College or no college, stay home — those are the instructions. “I so desperately wanted to go out and zoom on the geri route with all my friends,” asserts Riju, an undergraduate, “We had even arranged for a car but daddy did not allow me to leave the premises. That is why we are thinking of excuses this year”. Riju, however, is aware of another fact — excuses like birthday bashes, sports day, blood donation camps, extra classes, project work, pujas and havans in college won’t work on St Valentine’s day. Even the age-old excuses of driving down to the PGI for meeting a friend recovering from a minor operation won’t work this time, she is sure. Realising the urgency, she and her friends are thinking hard, real hard. Some of them have already come up with ideas they believe sound convincing. “Wedding party is a convincing excuse”, feels college student Reena. “You can dress up in an elegant velvet gown, apply eye-shadow, nail polish and blush-on before walking out of the house to meet your lover-boy without arousing suspicion of ever vigilant parents”. She adds: “I knew this kind of a problem would crop up on February 14. So I informed my parents about an imaginary marriage of a non-existent friend in December last year. Now they have no reasons to suspect my intentions. Nothing is going to stop me from going out to a discotheque with my friend”. If you have already exhausted this excuse or do not find it convincing, try going out of your house on the pretext of attending mehndi or rangoli competition. Even attending a seminar or a debate, a declamation contest, a poetry symposium or a dance recital is a good idea. If nothing else works, say you have to pay the examination fee — suggests another student Rubina. “Once you are out of your house, you can grab as many cards and gifts as you want to but you should always keep one thing in mind — not to take home these trophies of love,” she warns. “After all, you do not get gifts and chocolate packs in a declamation contest”. |
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Shopkeepers against sealing of geri route Chandigarh, February 12 Though the association members appreciate the efforts of the police to control hooliganism by unscrupulous elements on February 14, they are strongly protesting to a complete ban on the entry of customers and residents to the Sector 11 market. The president of the association, Mr Diwakar Sahoonja, in a press release, stated that they would further appreciate the police if sober, fun-loving, youngsters are allowed to cross through the market area. The geri "carnival", he claimed, was enjoyed by young and old alike and had even been aired by popular TV channels. "The festival in fact gives an opportunity to the city youth to release their emotions and feelings on the Valentine's Day". "We will even ensure free and safe passage to anybody who lawfully wants to pass through the market on that day," said Mr
Diwakar. |
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DPI’s instruction to
employees Chandigarh, February 12 Meanwhile, keeping in view the Punjab Assembly elections, the Chandigarh Administration today decided to allow special casual leave on February 13 to its employees and to the employees of the boards and corporations under its jurisdiction to cast their votes provided they are registered voters in Punjab. |
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Hyena, lion cub
die in zoo Chandigarh, February 12 The 17-year-old hyena could not eat because of an inoperative lower jaw. The hyena which was transported to Ludhiana for special treatment was sent back as the veterinary doctors felt it would not be able to bear the operation at this age. The lion cub had been suffering from meningitis for the past three months. A re-examination at the veterinary hospital in Ludhiana could not bring respite to the ailing cub. The two died today. |
Proposal to make Panchkula
permit-free zone for autos Panchkula, February 12 Sources in the department yesterday informed Chandigarh Tribune, that a draft policy in this regard had been prepared and it would be soon submitted to the state government for its approval. With this, the illegal plying of hundreds of auto-rickshaws in Panchkula and its peripheral areas would be regularised and auto-rickshaws from Chandigarh and neighbouring areas of Punjab and Haryana would also be able to ply in the township without a permit. As of now, auto-rickshaws having permits to ply in Chandigarh, SAS Nagar, Kalka and Zirakpur have been plying illegally in the township. With the UT Administration having imposed a ban on the plying of auto-rickshaws that are more than 15-year-old, these have now found their way into Panchkula. The District Transport Office has allegedly failed to check this illegal plying. Mr Jagtar Singh Sandhu, District Transport Officer, said, “We regularly check old auto-rickshaws that are plying here and fines are imposed on the violators. However, auto-rickshaws are rarely challaned for plying without permit as this would cause inconvenience to public.” It may be noted that auto-rickshaws are allowed to ply only in areas within the municipal limits. Since the township did not have a municipal council till last year and even now it remains a toothless body, there is no check on the illegal plying of three-wheelers and no permits are issued to them as of date. Even the rates for plying between various sectors of the township have not been fixed by the MC. Sources in the Transport Department said the new policy of converting this area into a permit-free zone had been framed on the lines of policy for the districts of the state that fall in the National Capital Region. “In these districts of Faridabad and Gurgaon, auto-rickshaws having permits from Delhi authorities are allowed to ply there”, they said. Following the approval of this policy, rates for plying within the sectors as well as surrounding areas of Zirakpur, Chandigarh, SAS Nagar, Pinjore and Kalka would be fixed, said a senior official of the Transport Department. Meanwhile, the Citizen’s Welfare Association has alleged that the auto-rickshaws plying here were charging exorbitant fares in the absence of any check on them by the administration. They have demanded that a local ring bus service on no-profit-no-loss basis should be started in Panchkula. Mr S.K. Nayar, president of the association, lamented that there remained an acute shortage of transport facilities here. “Most of commuters travel between Panchkula and Chandigarh daily, but the government has so far failed to provide a suitable mode of transportation,” he said. The District Transport Officer, Mr Jagtar Singh, said there was no proposal to start a local ring bus service. “The electric trolley bus service, to be started by the Chandigarh Administration in collaboration with the Governments of Punjab and Haryana, will ply from Chandigarh to the Housing Board traffic light point and then extend to the Mini-Secretariat,” he said. |
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Counter-complaint against
Badals Chandigarh, February 12 The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), through its ex officio general secretary and chairman of the Economic and Planning Cell, Mr R.R. Bhardwaj, today filed a criminal complaint against Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mr Kirpal Singh, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and Mr N.S. Minhas, general secretary of a local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal. The Congress, while filing the complaint in the court of the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal, alleged that these four had defamed the party through statements and advertisements in newspapers. The CJM, it may be added, is also hearing the complaints filed by the Badals against the Congress chief, Capt Amarinder Singh. Mr Bhardwaj has filed the complaint on the behalf of the PPCC and the National Congress under Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC read with Section 199 of the Criminal Procedure Code. In his complaint, Mr Bhardwaj, has alleged that earlier Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) had filed two cases — a criminal complaint and a civil suit — against the congress in order to mislead the general public and create bad impression in the eye of the public against the Congress as a whole, including the PPCC president, Capt Amarinder Singh. He added that publication of the complaint in newspapers had adversely affected the name and fame of the PPCC and its office-bearers. Mr Bhardwaj further alleged that with a view to defame the PPCC, Mr Sukhbir Badal had also got published an advertisement in one of the national newspapers on February 10 of this month whereby office-bearers and the president of PPCC had been alleged to have taken a loan of Rs 22 crore. Claiming that the contents of the advertisement were wrong, he added the poster published in a newspaper was against the facts as the PPCC had taken a loan of only Rs 1.50 crore. The SAD had published it in order to lower the image of Capt Amarinder Singh and the Congress as a whole. Mr Bhardwaj further said that Capt Amarinder Singh was always ready to repay the loan, but the bank had not accepted it. He added the matter was now pending in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The matter was sub-judice thus he did not elaborate in the petition. Regarding the land allotted to Orbit Resort Limited in Gurgaon, Mr Bhardwaj alleged the allotment of the plot to the members of the Badal family was a clear case of corruption and abuse of the official power and position. He further alleged the allotment was in total disregard of the prescribed rules and policies laid down by the Haryana Government and its agencies — the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC). He also alleged that the special favour had been shown to Mr Sukhbir Badal by the HSIDC officials and the same was mentioned by several industrial entrepreneurs in courts for seeking restoration of their plots which had been resumed by the HSIDC. Meanwhile, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee(PPCC) today also filed a complaint in a lower court seeking quashing of a defamation complaint filed against it by the general secretary of a local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal. The complaint was filed by the PPCC through its counsel in the court of the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) in the morning. Acting on the complaint the magistrate has issued a notice to the general secretary of a local unit of the SAD, Mr N.S. Minhas, for February 19. |
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Bagpipers to attract crowd for poll rally SAS NAGAR, February 12 Says a candidate, “Drummers or bagpipers have become important to attract the rural voter”. To see for itself the campaigning styles, the TNS travelled along with some of the candidates in the poll fray in Kharar. At one of the election rallies of the SAD candidate, five bagpipers were accompanying the candidate, throughout the campaign. Before a candidate had to address rally, the bagpipers came into action to attract crowd. Some candidates brought drummers and others relied on famous number of Punjab pop singers. |
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Muddy road denies access to schools Chandigarh, February 12 “In my five years of tenure as a teacher here, I have seen a number of teachers and students falling victim to this unsafe approach road, especially during the rainy days,” said a teacher on the condition of anonymity. The recent victim is Sai Gopal, a teacher who got his limb fractured, he added. As the students toss over the topic as which is important — health or education, the school in the meantime is recording the lowest attendance ever. Though students of senior classes have managed to brave the situation, students of middle school have preferred to remain absent during these hours of crisis. “During the last three days, not more than 200 students have come to attend the classes,” said another teacher. “Even with the rickshaw-pullers refuse to ferry us to the school gate and many of us who have our own conveyance do not dare to cross this slippery patch,” said students. Though the rain has stopped and the weather promises to be sunny again, it hardly brings a ray of hope for the students and teachers here. “With the inhabitants of the nearby colonies draining their water and waste material on the road and school campus, the situation remains more or less the same throughout the year,” said a teacher. An inspection by Chandigarh Tribune team round the campus revealed holes in the boundary walls to give free access to the slum dwellers to the school premises which they have been using for pig rearing and waste disposable ground. And with no securityman to chase the pigs away even during the school hours, the campus resembled more of a piggery then a school. Though the authorities have lodged innumerable complaints, nothing has been done so far. “When we lodge a complaint to the municipal corporation to pick up the stray animals, they shunned away from their duty by saying that it was the responsibility of the Estate Office to take care of the matter,” sources said. While contacted Mr D.S. Saroya, DPI (Schools), said looking at the deplorable condition of the approach road to the school, the Education Department of Chandigarh Administration has sanctioned money to build the road which is likely to be completed soon. As for the stray animal and other related problems, they will be solved only when the colony is shifted from its present location, he added. |
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Taxi union gives rent offers to MC Chandigarh, February 12 The offer has been made through Senior Deputy Mayor Surinder Singh in a representation. The MC had decided to impose a parking fee of Rs 5000 and 7500 in year 2000 but the House decision could not be implemented because of a litigation. The union has also favoured levying of charges on 40-odd unauthorised taxi stands. The city has around 90-odd taxi stands. Appealing to the Municipal Corporation to relax rates imposed by the House, they said even the parking contractor was charging Rs 50 per month per vehicle. The union president Joginder Singh Gharuan said that most of the taxi operators were middle-class persons and their volume of business was much lower than their counterparts in Delhi. The Administration was also charging them Rs 200 per month in 1986, they said. He said a reasonable levy of charges would not hamper business of the operators. Official sources said the offer had been received and officials were examining the offer saying the charges would be from retrospective effect. |
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Residents want meat market shifted Chandigarh, February 12 The Citizens Association, Sector 21, president and nominated councillor, Mr P. C.
Sanghi, said the meat market should be shifted to some other place as population in the sector had increased manifold. Mr Sanghi said truckloads of live birds and animals were slaughtered here daily, creating unliveable conditions for the residents. He said the meat market had added insult to injury to the sector residents as they were already facing illegal occupation of public space by motor mechanics despite having been allotted alternative sites in different sectors. The councillor urged the Chandigarh Administration to immediately shift those 700-odd mechanics at least who had been allotted sites and decision on 60-odd mechanics could be taken up after alternative sites for them could be found. He said the presence of mechanics and meat shops had hampered development of the sector. Mr Sanghi said the process of shifting 700 mechanics, who had been allotted sites in other sectors, should not be linked with finding alternative sites for 60 mechanics who remained to be provided alternative sites. The association has been engaged in a legal battle for removing mechanics and had demanded stoppage of Sunday scooter market couple of days back. |
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YOUNG VOICE “JUST aim and achieve — that should be your policy in life, if you want to be successful,” says Nitin
Mahajan, a city-based software engineer. “Instead of wasting your time trying to be jack of all trade, it is better to work hard and become master of one.” According to him, “Ambitious and capable students should be clear about their aim early in life. After deciding on their career options, they should work towards achieving their goal.” He says, “One should not step in two boats at the same time by joining coaching classes for different courses. I know a brilliant guy who took tuitions for both engineering and NDA entrance examinations. In the end, he could make it nowhere, for he could not devote his full attention anywhere. After realising his mistake, he again took entrance examination for engineering course and was successful. What my friend leant the hard way can be leant the easy way by following his
example.” Nitin says: “Ever since I was in Class VIII, I wanted to become an engineer, even though almost everyone in our family is working in one bank or the other. After my Class X examinations, I did not waste time on movies and cricket. I joined coaching classes and eventually cleared the tests. Today, I can proudly say that I have no regrets.” |
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Book hunting contest Chandigarh, February 12 The competition aimed at generating awareness about the use and selection of reference books and use of library catalogue to locate books on the shelf and other library related informations, according to Mr J.K. Kataria, in charge Librarian of the State Library. Followings are the winners of today’s completion in various categories: Category I — Harsimran Khural and Himanshu Arora from DAV Public School, Sector 8 (1), Anshul Goel and Varun from AKS International Public School, Sector 41 (2) and Richa and Sadhika from Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35 (3). Category II — Karaminder Singh and Varun from AKS International Public School, Sector 41 (1), Abhimanyu and Ishan from St. Stephen’s School, sector 45 (2) and Ajay and Amrit from St. Mary’s School, Sector 46 (3). Category III — Rohit Bhat and Simrat from AKS International Public School, Sector 41, and Deepak and Vaibhav from Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35 (1), Prena and Thshar from Hansraj Public School, Panchkula (2) and Manish Mahajan and Prubhdeep Singh from Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 33 (3). |
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Mr Burger just a call away Chandigarh, February 12 Mr Harmohan Dhawan along with his son Bikram said they had been encouraged to launch this service for the residents of Chandigarh, Panchkula and SAS Nagar following the success of their venture, Gourmet Mall. The restaurant offers a whole range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delectables of Indian, Chinese and Italian cuisines. Home delivery of Mexican foodstuff has been withheld for some time as Mexican bread becomes soggy fast. But when in need of soups, salads, burgers, pizzas, pastas, noodles, spring rolls, continental dishes, or Indian fare from the Dhaba or ice-creams and cakes and other confectionery goodies, Mr Burger is just a call away. |
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READERS WRITE Double standards A citizen of Chandigarh earlier, I now live in London. Those opposing the paid parking system in Chandigarh say it puts a burden on them. Let me ask any shopkeeper in Sector 17 who takes home less than Rs 10,000 a day. Two rupees a day will not even make Rs 800 in the whole year. We are a selfish nation and have double standards. We want everything for free but when it comes to us giving something for a convenience or facility, we protest and just skip it. The trading community is perhaps the worst offender. Our traders do not want to pay octroi (now abolished), income tax, house tax or just two rupees for parking their vehicles. If things go on like this, Chandigarh will not attract investment and soon be in tatters. Jaspinder Sandhu, London Welcome decision As one who has been suffering frequently because of haphazard parking, I welcome the recent introduction of paid parking system. The parking rates should not be more than Rs 2 for two to three hours. The authorities should deal with those opposing this system firmly. The paid parking system will not only check haphazard movement of vehicles but also enforce traffic discipline and protect our vehicles during the period of parking. J.K. Sama, Chandigarh
Average bill I am a resident of Sector 40C (House No. 2193). The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has been harassing me in the past ten months. Nobody comes to my house for bill reading and the bill is being collected on an average basis for quite some time. The amount is so hefty that a salaried employee like me cannot simply afford to foot the bill. My account no. is 310/4006/219300E. Almost every month, I am forced to go to the office for bill correction. Repeated requests for justice after monthly reading of the bill have fallen on deaf ears. Who will help me in this regard? Satpal Katyal, Chandigarh
Defies logic The decision of the Chandigarh Union Territory Administration’s Electricity Department to send electricity bills to the consumers on the basic of sanctioned load and not for the units actually consumed defies logic. On the one hand, the authorities exhort people to save energy with slogans like ‘Energy saved is energy produced’. On the other, the hapless consumer is forced to pay more even if he has availed himself of less power and thus conserved energy. For instance, while one consumer has received bill for Rs 767 for having consumed 373 units, another consumer has been charged Rs 701 though his consumption is only 184 units during the same period. This implies that the authorities concerned are prompting the latter to use liberally electric gadgets like heater etc (and save on gas) so that his electric consumption is in consonance with the sanctioned load. The Administration has recently announced power cuts in the city in a phased manner, thus admitting their inability to meet with the minimum requirements of the people. But those consumers who co-operate with the Administration in conserving power are being penalised for no reason. The authorities should review this obnoxious and illogical decision, particularly in respect of residential houses. S.P. Sood, Sector 43-B,
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Tribune employee bereaved Chandigarh, February 12 She is survived by her husband, a son and a daughter. Her cremation held in the evening, was attended by a large number of people. |
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Former Judge dead Chandigarh, February 12 |
1 held for rash driving Chandigarh, February 12 Injured: A resident of Janata Colony, Neelam, was injured after the cycle on which she was travelling with her father-in-law was knocked down by an unidentified vehicle near the Himachal Bhavan, Sector 24. She was admitted to the PGI. The car driver sped away from the spot. The police has registered a case. Two booked: The police has booked a resident of Dhanas and his wife after a resident of the same colony, Harbans Kaur, reported that the duo had assaulted and threatened her. A windowpane was also broken by the accused, the complainant added. Booked for stealing: The police has booked a resident of Ludhiana after a resident of Abohar reported that the accused ran away with a gold ring and Rs 17,000 from his room at the Chanan Ram Dharamshala, Sector 15. A case has been registered. Stolen: A Sector 28 resident, Gurpreet Kaur, has reported that her scooter (HR-12-0042) has been stolen from her residence while she was out of town. A Mani Majra resident, Amarjit Singh, has reported that his Atlas cycle has been stolen from the parking lot in front of the showrooms on the Chandigarh-Kalka road. The police has registered cases.
SAS NAGAR Body found: The body of a 35-year-old beggar was found in Phase 2 here today. The victim,
identified as Bichu, died of cold, suspects the police. Inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Cr PC have been initiated by the police. Fire incident: Confectionary items worth around Rs 8 lakh were gutted in a blaze which erupted in Amrit Confectionary Shop in Phase 5 here last night. The fire started from an electric spark and gutted the major portion of the shop. According to fire officials, the fire, which was noticed at around midnight, was extinguished at 1.30 am. |
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Principal held in forgery case Chandigarh, February 12 The police has also recovered two bogus degrees of the State Council of Ayurvedic and Unani Medicine, Patna, made out in his name, a fake identity card and five blank migration certificates of the Board of School Education, Haryana. The arrest is the result of the interrogation of the Principal of Akal Shakti Public School in Kejheri, Balkar Singh, who was apprehended by the police on February 8. Five fake certificates had been recovered from his
possession. He had procured these certificates from Manmohan after paying Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 for them on different occasions. Manmohan Singh revealed that he had procured the fake certificates and degrees from various sources in Aligarh, Patna and Lucknow on payment ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 15,000. Further investigations into the case are in progress and the police expect more arrests and recoveries. |
BIZ CLIP Valentine offer: Luxor Writing Instruments has come out with a special Parker Valentine Series. The pens are designed with little hearts and Parker Beta Valentine and Parker Vector Valentine are available for Rs 90 each. Meanwhile, Godrej Fairglow has also announced the launch of its Valentine Special.
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