The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

SPORTS

Karate champ visits Panchkula
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 1
A 12-year-old karate player from Kolkata, Karuna Gautam, today visited Panchkula to meet her maternal uncle and maternal grandparents. Karuna has been selected for the World Profi Kick Boxing Championship to be held in Greece next month. Last year she took part in the 10th International Martial Art Championships in kata and point sparring held in Sydney.

Karuna, a brown belt holder (3rd KYU), said after improving her on this belt, her next aim was to acquire the status of black belt. Her aim was to represent country in the Olympics. She said like West Bengal, Chandigarh also had a great potential for this sport. She said more awareness was required to be created for the growth of this sport.

Volleyball meet

The Chandigarh Police in the men’s section and Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, clinched the volleyball trophy in the Chandigarh Senior State Volleyball Championships, which concluded at the Sports Complex, Sector 7, here on Sunday.

In the men’s final, the Chandigarh Police defeated Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, in five set thriller with scores 25-20, 25-21, 27-25, 25-27 and 15-5.

In the women’s section, GGS, Sector 26, outplayed Coaching Centre, Sector 18, in straight three sets, with scores 25-20, 25-23 and 25-15. Krishna and Promila were the key players for the winners.

Cricket meet

A fine half century by Rajinder Chaudhary, who scored unbeaten 55 runs in just 42 deliveries, enabled the Jesus Christ Club in beating High Court XI by seven wickets to enter the semi-finals of the second edition of the Jesus Christ Cash Prize Cricket Tournament played here on Monday. In another match, LIC XI defeated Kelvinator XI by nine wickets.

ADMINISTRATION

PUDA fails to comply with orders
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, April 1
Even as the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister has announced review of administrative decisions, including certain absorptions done during the previous regime, the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) is refusing to comply with the orders.

A Superintending Engineer, after have been reverted to the post of a Divisional Engineer (Public Health), has again being promoted as Superintending Engineer. Incidentally, the decision to promote him was taken at a recent meeting of the authority when officials announced review of absorptions of other officials done at the PUDA meeting held on December 22, 2001.

Sources in the Housing and Urban Development Department said the technocrat, Mr Rajiv Moudgil, had been reverted to his original post after an official of the reserved category, Mr Tarlochan Singh, went to the Minorities Commission staking claim for the post of the Superintending Engineer (Public Health). Against two posts of Superintending Engineer (Public Health), there are now three Superintending Engineers. Mr Moudgil has been reinstated as Superintending Engineer (Civil) till a vacancy in the Public Health cadre arose.

The authority has decided that till the creation of the post of Superintending Engineer, the technocrat would draw his salary against a vacant post of Divisional Engineer (Public Health) by clubbing it with vacant post of Sub-divisional Engineer (Public Health).

The PUDA Engineers Association has already taken up the matter with the Housing and Urban Development Minister. The minister, Mr Ragunath Sahai Puri, was not available for comments.

Alleging the appointment as illegal, the association said the rules and regulations were thrown to winds to appoint the technocrat in PUDA. Conditions like two years’ probation period and passing of the departmental examination were waived under political pressure, allege members of the association.

It may be mentioned that Mr Moudgil had gone to the Punjab and Haryana High Court against his reversion. While disposing of a writ petition filed by Mr Moudgil on February 28, 2002, a division Bench consisting of Mr Justice R.L. Anand and Mr Justice Amar Dutt, observed “ Without expressing any opinion on the merit of the case, we dispose of this writ petition at this juncture by giving direction to the Chief Administrator to consider the writ petition as representation of the petitioner and take a fresh decision whether he has superiority over Mr Tarlochan Singh”.

When contacted, Mr Moudgil said the previous government had reverted him without giving him any opportunity. He said his reversion just one day before the modal code of conduct for the Assembly elections became effective was done due to some political vendetta. “I was promoted as SE in June, 2000 and was reverted after one-and-a-half years later. “I have been reinstated at the authority meeting as per the rules”, said Mr Moudgil.

Already a case challenging the appointment of Mr Moudgil as DE (Public Health) is pending before the high court. The case is to be heard on April 24, 2002. Several technocrats in the department lament that the promotion will set a bad precedent. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the reinstated technocrat was likely to be adjusted as a Superintending Engineer at SAS Nagar.

Admn keen on retaining repatriated power officials
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1
Fearing that a vacuum will be created in power management and its distribution in the city, the Chandigarh Administration is keen on retaining two of its senior engineers who have recently been repatriated to their parent cadre of Punjab.

Both the officials, the Superintending Engineer, Electricity Operations, Mr J.N. Sachdeva and the Additional Superintending Engineer, Mr Ajit Singh Gulati, have asked the Administration to be relieved. Their respective files have been moved and cleared for repatriation The Administration fears that sending away these two senior men in one go and that two without replacements will create problems with summer setting in.

Sources said a section of senior officials of the Administration was of the opinion that, both, or at least one of them, should be retained till a competent replacement was brought in their places. Or alternatively relieve the duo in phases with one of them going back first and the next one was relieved in six to eight months later.

Interestingly, both Mr Sachdeva and Mr Gulati have got good postings in Punjab thus are keen on going back. Mr Sachdeva has been posted as the Chief Engineer, Amritsar, which is considered a prestigious posting in the Punjab State Electricity Board circles. It is a crucial career move which very few refuse as the area under command comprise even adjoining districts and at least seven SE-level officials report to the Chief Engineer, Amritsar. As providing of power in border villages has been announced by the Punjab CM, the post will be more in focus and bring him in line for further promotions.

Mr Gulati would go as the Director of Ranjit Sagar Dam phase. If both were sent back the UT would be left with only two full fledged SEs. Mr V.P. Dhingra and Mr S.K. Mehtani. The other SE, Mr Krishanjit is on current duty charge (CDC). Mr Mehtani is already looking after the additional work given to him after Mr V.K. Bhardawaj , SE, Construction circle, was selected Chief Engineer Municipal Corporation. The Administration needs at least six SE-level officials to run the show.

SI suspended
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1
The police post in charge of Palsora, Baldev Singh, SI, was suspended today by the SSP, Mr Parag Jain, for his failure to register a case of kidnapping. Palsora resident Bhagat Singh had reported that his minor daughter had been kidnapped a few days back. She, however, managed to escape from kidnappers’ clutches. Mr Bhagat Singh today met the SSP in this regard.

Meanwhile, Inspector Prem Lal Chauhan has been posted as in charge of the crime branch in place of Inspector J.S. Cheema, who was suspended last month following a case of corruption registered against him by the CBI.

MC asks depts to send expenditure needs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1
The Municipal Corporation has asked its departmental heads to send by April 3 expenditure accounts of the money needed for 2001-2002.

The department heads have been asked to send back the money left unspent by a cheque in the name of the Municipal Commissioner, Chandigarh.

With the financial year having closed yesterday, the departments are required to prepare their accounts of expenditure and budget allocation. The expenditure in excess would only be approved with a prior permission of the Commissioner, sources said.

MC panel chiefs asked to call meetings
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1
The Mayor, Ms Lalit Joshi, has asked chairmen of 10 committees of the Municipal Corporation to immediately call meetings of their respective committees as their agendas have been pending for two years.

These committees of the corporation have not been working since the Congress Mayor, Mr Rajkumar Goel, had assumed charge in a BJP-dominated House.

In a letter, Ms Joshi has asked them to hold meetings within a week of receipt of the letters.

The Mayor is also planning to write letters to the Congress councillors for sending their agenda items to be included in the fiscal 2002-2003 year.

Only one Congress Councillor, Ms Pushpa Sharma, had sent her developmental agenda items by the end of the fiscal 2001-2002 against the appeal of the Mayor earlier.

The Mayor is also planning to reverse the process of developmental planning at the committee-level by suggesting that the committees would propose developmental works and their priorities instead of the officials doing so and getting approval of committees later.

She plans to call a meeting of councillors in this regard to explain the development strategy to party councillors.

Recovery case to come up today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1
The Municipal Corporation’s recent notice notwithstanding, cable operators still owe the corporation around Rs 23 lakh.

In view of the situation, those responsible for the recovery of dues for 27 months from 46 operators are likely to present the case before the Additional Municipal Commissioner, Mr Ashok Vashishth, tomorrow for an action against defaulters. However, 41 operators have paid the corporation Rs 1.08 lakh with Mark Twlly company paying the highest amount of Rs 20,000, sources said here today.

The corporation had issued notices to 87 operators recently after winning a court case against cable operators to start recovery.