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| Wednesday,
July 10, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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‘Devdas’ — the countdown begins Chandigarh, July 9 If you do not believe it, go to Piccadilly in Sector 34, Suraj in Panchkula or Bassi Theatre in SAS Nagar at about 5 pm. Everywhere you look, you will see hundreds of
movie lovers shifting their weight from one leg to another while waiting for their turn in serpentine queues. “It’s a typical Hindi movie scene, except it is being enacted outside the cinema house, instead of being screened inside theatres,” asserts Raghu Yadav, a young executive working with a multinational organisation. “It reminds me of a scene from Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Rangeela’ in
which Aamir Khan was shown
selling tickets in the black market”. Yes, the crowd here is no
less — in numbers, and enthusiasm. “Apparently, young innocents,
anxious to watch ‘the grand saga of timeless love’, are not even
minding the heat and high humidity characteristic of this sultry
weather,” reveals Dinesh Sharma, working with a cinema theatre.
“Sweat trickling down the visage is obviously no deterrent for them
as they wait for the queue to move on”, he adds. Agreeing with him,
city-based businessman Dhruv Vashistha says, “Literally through the
sweat of their brow, the enthusiasts are buying tickets to watch the
magnum opus”. The last time a city cinema house witnessed such a
rush was for viewing “Gaddar”, reveals canteen employee Raman
Kumar. “It was probably in July last year. Every other day, for
almost two weeks, the police was forced to cane charge unruly crowds.
An unprecedented rush was also witnessed for Amitabh Bachchan’s
‘Shehanshah’ in the previous millennium”. Among those waiting
in the line for their turn are Chanchal, Neeraj and Harjeet — all
from Sangrur. “You may think we are crazy or something about seeing
a Shah Rukh Khan-starrer, but the truth is that we could not resist
the temptation of watching lissome Aishwarya Rai and gorgeous Madhuri
Dixit together in a movie, perhaps for the first time,” says Class
XII student Chanchal. Adds his friend Neeraj: “Oh, I am here to see
the movie just for savouring the ‘maar dala’song sequence. Madhuri,
in her glittering green lehenga, simply looks ravishing in the song as
seen in the promos. I believe something like Rs 3 crore has been spent
on the song. This is not all. Rupees 50 crore has been spent on the
entire movie. But expensive or inexpensive, it is worth travelling all
the distance”. But couldn’t they have watched the movie in
Sangrur? “We are not sure whether the cinema houses out there are
going to screen the movie or not. In any case, it is not being
screened this Friday. And who has the patience to wait another
week?” asks Neeraj. Standing next to them is 72-year-old retired
government employee Inderjeet Singh. “I am buying the ticket because
I basically want to compare the old ‘Devdas’ with the new one,”
he says. “I can bet on it that the media has created a hype and
there is going to be nothing worth watching in the new version”. Ticket at your doorstep Strange, but true. Perhaps for the first time in the history of movie viewing, a cinema house in Panchkula is offering tickets at your door step. “I am aware of fast-food joints offering free home delivery of pizzas and burgers”, says cine buff Tanya. “But home delivery of cinema tickets is something unheard of. I am going to order tickets for the whole family even if I have to pay more. At least I will not be forced to wait for my turn in a queue”. |
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Two cranes born in captivity Chhat Bir (Patiala), July 9 This the only zoo in the country where a pair of cranes has bred for the fourth time in captivity. Moreover, two chicks have hatched for the first time in the zoo. The bird breeding programme in the zoo has borne fruits with the pair of cranes increasing the family from three to five by adding two newborn chicks three days ago. According to wildlife experts, the birds lay two eggs in a year and breed very rarely in captivity. The male incubates the eggs and holds equal responsibility in rearing up the chicks. Dr Vinod Sharma, Chief Warden (zoos), Punjab, claimed that the Chhat Bir zoo authorities had taken an initiative to breed the birds in captivity keeping in view their dwindling numbers. When questioned about the deformity in one of the claws of a newborn chick, Dr Sharma said: “We will not disturb the bird. We would rather leave it to nature”. It may be recalled that the pair had hatched a chick last year. The chick had however died of injuries that it sustained while it was being shifted to another enclosure by a veterinary compounder. Prior to this, a juvenile was killed by the male crane. A chick, hatched by the pair earlier, had been segregated from the parents and kept in a separate enclosure by the zoo authorities. Sources in the zoo disclosed that out of nearly 15 rare species of birds, eight have been breeding successfully in
captivity. |
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MC’s financial position in dire straits Chandigarh, July 9 The Administration gave
Rs 18 crore less than the money it spent on services transferred to the Municipal Corporation in the shape of grants-in-aid, the Resource Generation Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh was informed here today. The Administration later gave a revised grant of Rs 8 crore, still leaving a gap of Rs 10 crore. The committee headed by Major General (retd) A.S. Kahlon was also informed that the corporation was placed in a precarious situation despite having imposed tax on the commercial and government property due to an accumulated effect of the deficit and annual reduction in the grants-in-aid. The whopping annual increase in the non-plan side of the Municipal Corporation had been depriving it of resources to undertake major developmental activity, the Committee was informed. The committee comprising Ms Amar Kulwant Singh, Mr Dildar Khan, Mr Surinder Singh and Ms Kamlesh, was also informed the Second Delhi Finance Commission which was duty bound under section 80 A of the Municipal Corporation Act had not yet decided its share of taxes from the Administration’s pool. Taxable functions of advertisement and building bye-laws have not yet been transferred to the Corporation depriving it of resources. Section 90 and 91 of the Act have listed taxes and their share to be divided between the Municipal Corporation and the Chandigarh Administration. The committee discussed a three-pronged approach of getting a higher share in taxes, more grant aid and availing resources from the Centrally-sponsored schemes for slum development, rural infrastructure, education and basic services. The new provisions in the Central Government budget also come as a major resource to the corporation but it has as of now not been able to study the budget. The members were told the corporation had only been given 30 per cent of Administration’s resources for sharing 50 per cent of its responsibilities. |
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No check on sale of unhygienic eatables
Chandigarh, July 9 The Health authorities face a major problem of identification in taking action against vendors as majority of them have not obtained licences, which gives them the liberty to sell any item at any place. During monsoons, it is through the sale of milk products, ice cream, fruits and cold drinks that there are maximum chances of outbreak of water-borne diseases. At present it is the licensing wing of the PFA, under the Municipal Corporation, which issues licences to vendors for selling a particular item, but almost 70 per cent of them are operating without a license. “Though we have sent a case to the government to entrust powers to issue licences to the Health Department, we are still awaiting orders”, said Dr Rameshwar Chander, Director, Health Services, UT. It is felt that if these powers are given to the Health authorities, they will be in a better position to take action against the vendors, who are selling adulterated and infected eatables. Strangely, it is the Sanitary Inspectors, who do not have much knowledge of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, who are the licence issuing authority. With the vendors having no licences and addresses, all that the Food Health authorities do is to destroy their material. However, the vendors are back within no time. Very often the vendors give wrong addresses to the officials of the Food Health authorities, which proves to be a major handicap in checking the sale of infected food items. The Food Health authorities have also been facing a problem in checking the milk being sold by the vendors, as they recently gheraoed a raiding party. With the Milk Vendors Union putting up stiff resistance, it is difficult to take milk samples without the help of the police. Dr Rameshwar Chander said that the PFA wing of the department would be strengthened by filling all vacant posts, apart from the creation of new posts of Food Inspectors and the supporting staff. With the limitation of the Food Health authorities in checking these vendors, there is hardly any check on them.  |
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Meter scam in Panchkula Panchkula, July 9 First, all individuals as well as societies are required to purchase their own meters and submit these to the electricity office concerned which sends them to Ambala for testing. According to information gathered from various sources, residents are compelled to buy meters of a particular make and a particularly company from select shops as these generally get a clearance. The procedure is so complicated and the file changes hands at so many levels that one is made to run here and there. Some of the staff members are not only unhelpful, but also very rude. After clearance the meter goes to a junior engineer’s office in old Panchkula for installation. “The file gathers dust there because the JE is seldom available in his one-room decrepit office, not even by prior appointment. The SDO concerned, when approached for speeding up the matter, does try to get the file moving but his efforts too don’t bear fruit because the JE keeps sitting on the files,” said a harassed meter applicant, who has been making rounds of the various offices for the last more than a month. The meter should normally be installed by an electricity official, but that is not the case. A private electrician working in a shop in Rally, Sector 12-A, which sells application forms and meters, is deputed and he has been charging exorbitant rates for putting up meters with the blessings of the JE concerned, alleged a number of residents. Power breakdowns in Sector 20 are so common that the residents have got used to these and few protest. Even a whiff of air or a shower is enough to disrupt the electricity supply and complaints remain unattended for long hours, leaving the residents fretting and fuming in the hot weather. Because of frequent shutdowns, the residents are forced to install invertors. Some of the housing societies have been forced to install power generators. “Is there a nexus between invertor/generator makers and electricity officials? This calls for a probe”, demands an office-bearer of a residents’ welfare
association. |
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Afghan police officials call on Governor Chandigarh, July 9 The visitors were received by the SP (Operations), Mr H.G.S. Dhaliwal, and the DSP, Mr B.D. Bector. The Afghan officials, led by General Gul Mohammed, showed their interest in knowing the provisions of law providing relief to the women. Mr Dhaliwal spoke in detail about how investigations were held in the cases of crime against women. He interacted with them through an interpreter. The Principal of the school, Mr B.S. Negi, said during the course the 31 Afghan officials, comprising two Major-Generals, 11 Lieutenant-Colonels and other subordinate ranks, were being trained in investigating cases of heinous crime. The officials are also being trained to write FIRs told the TNS that they were also being trained by the German police. Meanwhile, the officials today called on the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Chandigarh, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), at Punjab Raj Bhavan. Gen Gul Mohammed appreciated the training being imparted by the school. He said the training had been simplified, keeping in view the requirement of the Afghan team. General Mohammed also appreciated the efforts of the Chandigarh Police for providing them practical training in regular policing as well as in record keeping and investigation. Mr B.S. Bassi, Inspector-General of Police, Mr Negi and Mr Dhaliwal were present on the occasion. The Afghan officers spent 40 minutes with the Governor. |
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Award for CSIO scientist Chandigarh, July 9 The CSIO has transferred technology of instruments developed under his supervision. He has published 32 research papers. As head of the Geo Scientific Instruments Division of the CSIO, Mr. Shamsi is currently working on the development of highly-advanced instruments for rescue operation and seismic alert system. |
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‘Police fails to register FIR’ Chandigarh, July 9 In a representation to the Adviser to the UT Administration, Mr Bajaj said he was living in a rented accommodation at Rajiv Vihar Army Flats in Mani
Majra. He complained when he had gone to Jaipur for the treatment of his wife, the owner of the flat broke open the lock of the house and removed his belongings. He alleged that the SHO of the Mani Majra police station was not acting in a neutral manner in the case. He lamented that he had already lodged a complaint in this regard with the SSP of the Chandigarh police. An enquiry in this regard was reportedly marked to the SP (City), who is learnt have recommended registration of an FIR. |
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Monsoon
dodges city Chandigarh, July 9 City residents had been waiting for the monsoon since July 5 when it was lashed with rains last. The temperature in the city today went up by 2°C above the normal at 37°C and the adjoining cities of Ambala and Patiala saw the temperature at 37.4°C and 36.4°C, respectively. The night temperature, however,
remained at 28.4°C in the city. |
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Tribune
employee dead Chandigarh, July 9 He will be cremated at his native village Bheol (Ghumarwin) in Himachal Pradesh. |
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READERS
WRITE OF late, there has been some movement on Panjab University campus to restrict the rotation of heads of teaching departments among Professors only. Opposition to this move from Professors is quite understandable. It is already more than two decades since the rotation of headship started in Panjab University, said to be one of the best universities in the country. The very idea of introducing rotation of headship is to democratise the administrative system and give everyone a say in the affairs of the department. Prior to this move, the Heads of Departments enjoyed certain privileges which were not extended to other teachers, not because of any rule, but due to the position they held. Of course, some of them, very few though, suffered at the hands of their heads in their research and academic careers. To do away with all kinds of parity, the university, after due deliberations, has introduced the rotation of headship so that each and every member of the faculty gets an opportunity to involve himself\herself in the affairs of the department. To look after various activities of the department, i.e academic affairs, administrative matters, purchase of laboratory equipment, chemicals and other inventories, different committees are there. Though all members of the faculty are involved in the exercise, the head of the department or the Chairman implements the decision of these committees. It is for the betterment of the department and the student community that such a system was introduced. To what extent the university achieved its goal can be examined by the departments concerned through a careful and dispassionate analyses, but a conscientious teacher will definitely support the old system of the seniormost teacher heading the department. Unfortunately, we find only a few teachers today who can lead from the front for the promotion and development of education, research and the overall improvement of the department. Nowadays, our university teachers seem to be doing their duty just like any other employee. One does not find anymore the authority and dignity with which the HoDs used to manage their departments in the past. A faculty member becomes chairman for three years and during his tenure, he might try to add flavour to his own curriculum vitae and leave the welfare of the department to his successor. Since everybody’s responsibility is nobody’s responsibility, everybody thinks somebody will do it and ultimately it ends up with none doing it. Earlier, the HoD was treating his department as his own child. He took utmost care to develop the department vertically as well as horizontally. The zeal with which some of the founding fathers of the department worked, cannot be seen nowadays. Some of those who made a name for the departments and for the university are Prof R.C. Paul (Chemistry), Prof G.P. Sharma (Zoology), Prof R.P. Bambah (Mathematics), Prof T.N. Kapoor (Commerce), Prof S.R.K. Chopra (Anthropology), Prof P.N. Mehra (Botany), Prof Jagdish Chander (English). Some of them became Vice-Chancellors of the university. Their tenure in the exalted office is remembered even today. It would be better if administrative matters are left to an administrator and academicians concentrated only on the faculty improvement and development. An academician can be a good administrator, but an administrator can never be an academician. Of course, all academicians are not good administrators either. When the father is alive, the son should not head the family. Just as the experience and awareness of the seniormost person in the family is always valued and respected in letter and spirit, the system of assigning the task of HoD to the seniormost teacher, irrespective of whether he/she is a Professor, Reader or lecturer, holds good. There should always be a person on whom the juniors can look upon for valuable advice, direction and guidance. This father figure should be none other than the seniormost teacher in the department. V.V. NARAYANAN Erratic power supply Power supply to Sector 42 has been erratic for the past four days. Our so-called competent engineers of the Electricity Department seem unable to rectify the fault in the cable lines. The Chandigarh Administration’s Superintendent Engineer (OP), who knew little bit of its system, seems to have been transferred. The Punjab Government has now deputed a Superintendent Engineer in his place, but this technocrat is apparently inexperienced in operation systems. The Chief Engineer seems to be a confused person. I request the authorities concerned to do something and rectify the fault in the cable expeditiously. The UT Administration may seek the help of the HVPNL for future privatisation of the system on the DESU pattern. R.R.
SHARMA PUDA proposal The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority
(PUDA) allotted partially built HIG (Ind) houses in Sector 70 and some other sectors in Mohali. The allottees completed the residual construction work as well as wood, electric and sanitary work incurring considerable expenditure. While completing the construction work, the allottees made some need-based changes and additions. It was all done in good faith to meet the basic necessities and, more important, to make the dwelling units habitable. To regularise such changes/additions, PUDA framed a compounding proposal suggesting a penalty of Rs 50 per
sq.feet. (Chandigarh Tribune, April 6, 2000). Though it was a revenue-yielding proposal for the state government, its fate is not yet known to the residents. Minister for Housing and Urban Development Raghunath Sahay Puri had announced that redressal of public grievances would be one of his top priorities and that the attitude of officers would be people-friendly so that the public perception of the organisation improved (Chandigarh Tribune, March 22, 2002). It is hoped that PUDA will accord top priority to redressal of public grievances in letter and spirit. It should frame a policy for regularisation of internal need-based changes/additions in dwelling units constructed by
it. R.K. GUPTA A word of advice I have a word of advice for the Chandigarh Traffic Police. It seems that they are in no mood to remove rehriwallas from roadside stretches which are a potential threat to smooth traffic flow. Every city resident must be irked by this attitude of cops who do not seem to be committed to their duties. What to talk of performance, many a time I have seen traffic cops parking their bikes alongside a rehri not to reprimand him, but to have a bite of “meethe-meethe
aam”. Cops can also be seen standing on roundabouts challenging motorists for petty violations like black films, wrong turns, but they turn a blind eye to these
rehriwallas. Who will rise to the occasion and cry a halt to this menace? If traffic cops continue to do this, people themselves should refrain from stopping at such
rehris. This is one way of ensuring that the smooth traffic flow is not
disturbed. KANWAR NAVNEET SINGH |
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Forged stickers case: travel
agent held Chandigarh, July 9 |
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Army gypsy crushes man to death Chandigarh, July 9 According to the police, Baldev Singh, a resident of Rajpura town and Puran Singh, a resident of Patiala, were sitting near a three-wheeler stand when the gypsy driven by Subedar Kishori hit them. The two victims were rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, where Baldev Singh was declared brought dead. Puran Singh is admitted in the hospital and his condition is said to be stable. The driver was arrested under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A of the IPC. He was later released on bail. He is attached with ‘N’ Area, Air Force Station, Chandigarh.
Chains snatched Reports of chain snatching from different parts of the city is giving the local police sleepless nights. Two more cases of chain snatching were reported from Sector 15 and Sector 46 on Monday. In the past eight days, four incidents of snatching have taken place. Two unidentified pedestrians allegedly snatched gold chain from Ms K. Devi near her residence in Sector 15 at about 9 pm yesterday. In the second incident, two unidentified motorcycle-borne youths snatched chain from Ms Raman Deep Kaur, a resident of Sector 46. The incident occurred when the victim was returning home after purchasing vegetables from Apani Market at around 8.30 pm.
Theft cases During the past 24 hours, the police has registered three cases of theft. Mr Lakhbir Singh, a resident of Ropar district, reported that his Maruti car (PB 12 P 7786) was stolen from a parking lot in Sector 34 on Monday. Mr J. Singh, a resident of Sector 16, complained to the police that his Bullet motorcycle (HR 22A 1729) was stolen from his residence between July 4 and 7. Gold and silver items and a wrist watch were reportedly stolen from the residence of Mr Darshan Kumar in Sector 15 on Monday morning. The were away at time of the theft.
Two booked Rajesh Kumar and Balbir Ram, both residents of Dadu Majra Colony, were arrested for allegedly consuming liquor at a public place here on Monday. The two were booked under various sections of the Excise Act.
Four bodies found Four persons were found dead in four different cases in the city, SAS Nagar and Panchkula on Tuesday. A 52-year-old resident of Sector 41, Ami Chand, was found dead at his residence this morning. He is
believed to have died of cardiac arrest. He was an employee of the Accountant General, Haryana office. He was staying at the house along with his son. The victim was, however, alone at home. The police has initiated inquest proceeding under Section 174 of the CrPC. In another case, a 40-year-old man, Balbir Singh, a resident of Rajiv Colony in Panchkula, was found dead at Mauli Jagran. His body was lying under a tree An unidentified man was run over by an unidentified vehicle near the Barwala bus stand in Panchkula district last night. The man died on the spot His body was taken to General Hospital, Sector 6, and efforts are being made to identify him. The police has registered a case under Sections 279 and 304- A of the IPC. In SAS Nagar, body of an unidentified man in his mid-sixties was found lying behind Phase 5 market in SAS Nagar.. Police sources said there was a minor injury mark on the left wrist of the victim. It has ruled out any foul play. Inquest proceedings under Section 174, Cr.P.C, has been initiated and the body has been sent for postmortem. Meanwhile, death of a 40-year-old employee of a sweet shop in Industrial Area, Chandigarh, led to a protest by 30 friends and relatives of the victim who staged a dharna in front of the police station demanding registration of a case against the shop owner. The protesters alleged that negligence of the shop owner had led to the death. Sources said the victim, Vinod Kumar, had been staying at the shop along with other employees. The protesters alleged that the shop owner used to lock the shop from outside in the evening. On the night of July 7, Vinod reportedly fell ill. He required medical care and the owner was informed about it on telephone. However, the owner allegedly turned up the following morning. The victim was taken to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, where he died. The shop owner could not be contacted. However, police sources refuted the allegations that the owner used to lock his employees inside. Inquest proceedings in the death has been
initiated and the police is awaiting postmortem report.
DERA BASSI One dead A Nepali resident, Man Bahadur, who was admitted to the PGI in Chandigarh after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on the Dera Bassi-Barwala road on July 4 succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. The victim had come to the town to see his uncle. The police has registered a case against the driver of the vehicle.
PANCHKULA 2 women held The police has arrested two women, Tejo and Jeeto, on the charge of snatching a gold chain from Ms Sudesh in Sector 20 grain market on July 6. They were arrested from near Raghunath temple in Sector 15.
Arrested The police has arrested Gurnam Singh, Nanak Pal and Manak Pal on the charge of drinking liquor at a public place in two different incidents. They have been booked under the Excise Act. |
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Temple
priest beaten up Lalru, July
9 The robbers took the priest inside the temple and demanded
opium and other valuable items from him. Later, the robbers attacked
him and left him injured without taking anything. In the attack the
priest sustained injuries on head, arms and legs. He was admitted to
the local Civil Hospital. A case has been registered by the Lalru
police. |
Withdraw resumption notices, say industrialists Panchkula, July 9 The protest was led by Mr S.L. Jindal, President and Mr S.S. Goel, general secretary of the association. They were accompanied by 50 industrialists and protested against the issuing of resumption notices to them. They also threatened to return their industrial plots to HUDA, provided it was ready to take these back at the existing market price. They met the Administrator, Mr Arun Kumar Gupta, who assured them that no discrimination would be done. He reportedly asked the industrialists to inform HUDA in case they changed their business. It is learnt that HUDA had earlier issued resumption notices to the industrialists for carrying on additional work on their premises by either giving a portion on rent or for trading purposes. This tantamounts to misuse of the site for purposes other than what it is meant for. It may be noted that some people have set up retail outlets here and some residential complexes and career guidance academies have also come up. Three schools are also operating from industrial sheds. All this is in gross violation of HUDA bylaws. However, the industrialists plead that there is a large recession in the market, making it difficult for them to run the industry properly. Also, no such restriction is imposed in Industrial Area, Chandigarh. The industrialists demanded that HUDA should withdraw the resumption notices and instead help the ailing industry in the township, or they would be forced to shift their businesses to the neighbouring states of Punjab or Himachal Pradesh. |
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