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July 25, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Hard work took him there: Azad Chandigarh, July 24 Today being Guru Poornima, a day to remember and adore one's guru, added on emotional touch as Azad told The Tribune that he had received an enormous number of calls and in his view there was not a single person in town or outstation whom he knews, who had not contacted and congratulated him. Whatever Kapil is today is because of the hardwork he did at his own little “Mecca” in Sector 16, he said. Azad said, when last night, he received a call from London, Kapil, said ‘‘Dronacharya ji, khush ho’’. (So Dronacharya ji, are you happy?), and I instantly replied,‘‘ Haan mere Arjun bahut jyada (yes my Arjun, too much). Azad further recalled, “The people were jealous of Kapil and had tried to malign him in the match-fixing scandal, but 'touchwood', he came out of it unscathed”. July 23 was the most auspicious day, for him as his trainee achieved this rare feat by virtue of his hard work. Azad said he might not expect another Kapil, since today's sportspersons mainly fall prey to chocolates and want to enjoy the luxury of air-conditioners. |
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Will Kapil’s honour get UT affiliation with BCCI? Chandigarh, July 24 For long the BCCI has been arguing that its constitution does not allow the grant of affiliation to any Union Territory. But the powers that be that control the BCCI seem to forget that the
concept of union territories did not exist when the constitution of the BCCI was drawn up. It is time that it makes the necessary changes in its constitution. But will it be able to do
so is a difficult question to answer. It also turns a blind eye to direct affiliation granted to even clubs, like the Cricket Club of India based at Mumbai and the national Cricket Club based at Kolkata, Both these clubs (which do not field any team in the
national cricket championship) enjoy voting right in the BCCI. The former club has also given a president to the board although he was sponsored by some other zone. Currently, the BCCI is planning to grant affiliation to the newly created states of Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh. Good cricketing facilities exist in Jharkhand at Jamshedpur but the same cannot be said of the two other states. But then since they fulfil the BCCI criteria of being a ‘‘state’’ their direct affiliation is more or less certain. Also, it is learnt that the north-eastern states where cricketing facilities are poor to non-existent may also be granted affiliation with the BCCI in the near future, again on the same principle of being a state. Therefore, why this discrimination with Chandigarh? The BCCI must not forget that the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium has not only hosted one-day internationals but also a Test match in the early 90s. Of course the stadium has grown a lot since the time Kapil Dev used to cycle down from his house in Sector 16 itself to learn the finer points of the game from a much younger Desh Prem Azad, who went on to win the Dronacharya Award for the exploits of his most famous pupil. Players like Yog Raj Singh, Ashok Malhotra (who is now a national selector), Chetan Sharma and nearly a 100 first class cricket players who have played Ranji Trophy for Punjab , Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and even Jammu and Kashmir have leant the finer skills of the game at the Sector 16 stadium. The Chandigarh Administration has spent a lot of money over the years on the development of the stadium. Even now hundreds of young boys go to the stadium every day with the hope that some day they would be able to reproduce the exploits of Kapil Dev on the cricket field. Kapil Dev played his cricket from Haryana and it is for this reason he was given the nickname of ‘‘Haryana Hurricane’’. But now youngsters of Chandigarh are finding it difficult to grab places in the Punjab or Haryana Ranji Trophy teams (both these states are allowed to pick players from the Union Territory) as they have developed their own cricketing infrastructure and coaching schemes. But then this step of these two states only strengthens Chandigarh’s claim for direct affiliation. Meanwhile, Kapil Dev told PTI over the telephone from London that he was thankful to his parents, the BCCI, coaches and colleagues for the success he had achieved. Answering a question he said: ‘‘It is very difficult to pinpoint one person for my success and achievements’’, adding everybody who was associated with him had made some contribution or the other. Asked how he felt now, especially after the match-fixing controversy, Kapil Dev said: ‘‘God gave me 100 times more strength to face life. God helped me come out of it.’’ He said:‘‘I am greatly happy to reach such heights having come from such a small town (Chandigarh). Now I think cricket is around me once again.’’ |
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SPEAKING OUT Chandigarh, July 24 Dr Ravinder
Chadha, who has been Kapil’s first Captain, said he was mentally very tough. He referred to the epic innings of 175 not out that Kapil played against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup to pull India out of the woods. He was very strong physically also and no one can be like him in cricket, said Dr Chadha while adding that despite his achievements, the Haryana Cricket Association led by Ranbir Singh has not bestowed even the basic honours on
Kapil. Cricket lover and the secretary of the Chandigarh Cricket Association, Mr Surinder Singh
Baijee, called Kapil as the modern day Arjun. “He has not only done the city proud, he has also shown that how wrong were the allegations levelled against him in the match- fixing scandal. The subsequent clean chit by the CBI proved everything and today is a very big day, for this national hero.” Childhood buddy Varinder Chopra says he will honour his friend whenever he comes to Chandigarh. He deserves the award, said
Varinder, who has played with Kapil for several years. He said, Kapil Dev, who is now the darling of the world, nation and of course, Chandigarh did his every bit of training by sweating in the city and is the ideal of every sportsperson. Though the awards were limited to top three cricketers, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin
Tendulkar, the choice obviously fell on the hero of Chandigarh, also referred to as the Haryana Hurricane.
Neeraj Biji, a hardcore cricket fan said it was really a dream come true for the whole city, when our own Kapil Dev, was chosen as the Indian Cricketer of the Century. Neeraj now a marketing wizard, said when Kapil achieved that stupendous feat in 1983 World Cup, he was a college student and had rejoiced in India’s success. He said, the day Kapil brought India the coveted World Cup, was a celebration time for all of us.
Sanjeev Talwar, an industrialist at Panchkula, and an ardent sports fan said, he would not forget the day when the hero of the city, Kapil made the country proud by winning the World Cup in 1983. He said though he himself was a badminton player and even the whole of his family was into this sport, each one of them including his father, Mr Balraj
Talwar, his younger brother Vikram, loved cricket. He said basically it was Kapil who had brought the city on the world map in cricket.
Mr Talwar said, the present day generation might have thought Sachin Tendulkar to be the obvious choice for the above award, but considering the overall performance, every sports buff would have voted for
Kapil. Devinder Jindal, a businessman, said in his school days he always wanted to imitate the style of Kapil while playing cricket. He said, really everyone, in those days, had just one ambition and that was to watch Kapil playing live on TV.
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75 teachers face exit from Panjab University
Chandigarh, July 24 While scores of teachers have already availed the two years service period, there are several others who are scheduled to retire this year or the next. The court, however, does not call for any return of reimbursements from teachers who have already served for the two-year period beyond the normal retirement age (60). As many as nine teachers attained 60 years earlier this year. The circular, however, will face stiff reaction with a clear indication of teachers approaching the court for an early intervention. A related fact of the matter is that in case implemented forthwith, many faculties will be left with half the total faculty strength. Certain departments will have even less than half the number of teachers left. The dilemma of the university authorities is evident from the fact that the circular has not been formally communicated among the university staff members as yet. The Panjab University Teachers Association has called an emergency meeting to decide a future course of action on the issue. The MHRD reply has come in response to a university Senate and Syndicate decision enhancing the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 62. The Ministry, however, has taken the plea that since the Punjab government was the 40 per cent funding agency and had refused to allow the enhancement in retirement age, the Ministry would not send an acceptance note. It is pertinent to mention that the retirement age of teachers in universities of Punjab was 60. The age of superannuation for teachers in government colleges was 58 while teachers in private colleges retired at 60. Prof P.K.Mittal, president of the PUTA, said the case had generated a debate because on the one hand the retirement age of teachers in central universities was 62, in case of PU, which was 60 per cent funded by the Centre, it continued to be 60. A senior teacher argued that teaching in university began at a late age ( about 32-33) in routine which was above the joining age in a majority of other sectors. Several would not even qualify for the pension benefits under the current minimum service requirements. So it was necessary that the government took a re-look into the affair. The PU Research Scholars Association, meanwhile, has welcomed the MHRD circular saying that it was a positive step in promoting interests of the younger lot seeking employment.  |
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UT police walks over juvenile justice law Chandigarh, July 24 In a blatant example of the violation of the Juvenile Justice Act, the local police not only arrested a nine-year-old on charges of stealing a kids cycle, they also detained the child overnight. And as the law cried for attention, the child waited for dawn in police custody at Sector 3 police station on the night of July 23. While the police may try to vindicate its stand by saying that they looked for the parents of the child all night and could not trace them, they should again scan the law which states that no juvenile will be arrested without prior intimation to his parents. They also need to know that even the Supreme Court of India has ruled in favour of a very lenient view in handling juveniles. Even in case any child is arrested, he should in most probability, be allowed to go on bail. The present case, however, stands in complete contrast with what the law has to say about juveniles. Not only did the police arrest the child without informing his parents, they also detained him illegally. Talking to The Tribune, the father of the juvenile, Sety Setu, said his child used to play games with the children of the servant of the complainant. "Yesterday while playing as usual, he was attracted by a kids bike cycle of the complainant's child. Later, at about 8 pm, the UT police picked up the child and took him to Sector 3 police station," he said. He further said the police claimed to have tried to locate him all night but could not. Sety Setu added that the only kind thing the police did with the child was that they offered him food. In stark contrast to the provisions of the Act which mention care, protection, development and rehabilitation of delinquent juveniles, the UT police chalked out its own plan in respect with this incident. In the process they made a mockery of their own claim that in order to provide for effect provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, a unit has been designated as the Special Juvenile Police Unit. The said unit is responsible for coordinating and taking initiative to improve the handling of juveniles by the police. While the unit remains on paper with all its duties, the UT police went ahead with registering a case under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC in Sector 3. The complainant has alleged that the juvenile had stolen a BSA-DINOSAUR kids cycle from a house in Sector 8-C. Today the child was produced in the court of the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal. Taking kind note of the nine-year-old's plight the CJM granted him bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 2, 000. The bail bond was furnished by juvenile's father Sety Setu. |
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WATER ISSUE Chandigarh, July 24 “Different agencies of the Municipal Corporation and the Chandigarh Administration are supposed to visit each area, but did not bring to the notice of anybody that pits, hand pumps and even toilets were posing a danger to clean water,’’ the Samajwadi Party president, Mr Shivi Jaiswal, told a press conference here today. The enforcement wing of the Municipal Corporation is supposed to do the job, water supply department must check these leakages, check water quality regularly but nothing “wrong’’ seemed to have been noticed in a “callous manner.’’ Mr Jaiswal said there should be an FIR registered against in charges of these areas for their negligence. Mr Jaiswal was also joined by the Janata Party president, Mr Ajay Jagga, in demanding resignation from the Mayor for failing to keep her promise of keeping the city clean and providing the people with quality basic amenities. Dismissing the suggestion that people were themselves responsible for the trouble by exposing supply lines to contamination, Mr Jaiswal said agencies like the enforcement wing were exactly raised to keep an eye on these developments. He said an administrative inquiry was needed to go into the lapse, which the Municipal Corporation was allegedly trying to cover up. The two leaders also said that the Congress MP had not shown any sympathy with the people by failing to even visit them. The Congress area councillor and Water Supply and Sewage Committee chairman Kuldeep Singh also came in for harsh criticism for reportedly failing to act despite getting a complaint of contamination in water on April 10. The two leaders said the Health Department of Chandigarh was also responsible for failing to monitor developments which are dangerous for the health of people and coordinating with the Municipal Corporation to get the problem solved immediately. They demanded compensation to the family of Dil Bahadur, a job to one member of his family and free medical treatment to those affected by contaminated water. Meanwhile, the BJP president, Mr Yashpal Mahajan, and its national executive member, Mr Satyapal Jain, have asked the Chandigarh Administration to institute an inquiry against Mayor, Lalit Joshi, and the MP, Mr Pawan Bansal, for their “failure’’ to provide hygienic water to people. The two BJP leaders said the Mayor and the MP had failed to act on information regarding cholera with the corporation, and were responsible for the plight of people. The BJP blamed the inefficiency of the Congress for the outbreak of the deadly disease. The two leaders said the Congress was also responsible for bringing to a halt the functioning of the corporation. |
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Hunger looms large
after diarrhoea Chandigarh, July 24 They are among hundreds from Sector 52 Rehabilitation Colony who are bedridden after consuming ‘’contaminated’’ water and their families are worrying about the next meal. Rehabilitation Colony has more than 1000 houses and most of its inhabitants are daily wagers. Except for 50 odd government employees, rest of the people belonged to the daily wager class and their economy had been ruined a colony resident, Mr Satyabhan told Chandigarh Tribune today. Other daily wagers whose children and spouses had fallen sick were also not able to go to work threatening their two square meals, another social worker in the colony, Mr B. S. Kumar, said. Large number of children in the area had not been going to school because of diarrhoea. A number of members some families have been hospitalised so that their houses are locked. The families of daily wagers had no option but to borrow to keep their kitchen fire burning, a woman, whose husband was busy attending to their son in the hospital, said. Pashupati, residing in house number 2508, is in hospital and his five family members are worried about the next meal. His neighbour, Ram Bhaj, a rickshaw-puller, is also anxious about his family members. More cases are being reported in the locality but the number has now reduced to a trickle. It seems the bacterial infection is surfacing in some people a little late as they have not been able to take antibiotics. Residents of the area are also afraid of media attention and visits of officers as a number of people were seen removing their kundi connections yesterday. The Municipal Corporation employees have started doing a house-to-house survey to locate toilets on encroached land, hand pumps and pits. The Social Welfare Society of the area has taken up the task to get the source of contamination removed. A lot of people are filling their pits, removing hand pumps and reporting seepage and leaks. The corporation staff cleaned the area, and checked the sewerage system but the debris of houses lay scattered after the last month’s demolition drive. |
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Session on gender sensitisation Panchkula, July 24 He was addressing a gathering during the inaugural session on gender sensitisation for Panchkula police investigating officers here today. He said the state government was also planning to set up north zone women police training centre at Bhondsi at a cost of Rs 2 crore. The police was not just confined to checking crime, but it also acts as a guardian of society. He said four women police cells had been established at all range headquarters — Ambala, Hisar, Gurgaon and Rohtak. These cells not just look into crimes against women, but also expedite the investigations. Mr Alok Joshi, IG, Ambala range, called upon the police and non government organisations to undertake such programmes on gender sensitisation to change the attitude towards women. Mr Sudhir Chaudhary, SP (Security), said though the fast technology had brought about modernisation , the cultural values were not changing. Ms Pam Rajput, Director, Women Studies Centre, Panjab University, said the present status of women was a creation of society. She said gender-based thinking is imbibed in girls right from the beginning which promotes differences in genders. The Vice-Chairman of the Haryana State Women and Child Commission, Ms Preeti Chawla, Dr Madumeeta, officer in charge of gender training programme, and Dr R.S. Bedi, president of the Rotary Club Himalayan Range, were also present, among others. |
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Models meet Prayaas inmates Chandigarh, July 24 It was a big day for the inmates of the centre. Ever since they had been told that the celebrities were coming to Chandigarh to meet them, despair over their physical condition momentarily disappeared. For once, the children were convinced that they were “actually special”. Excitement was writ large on the faces of children as the three went around caressing and cuddling them. Forgetting the harsh realities of life, they stood amazed, then pushed their way through the jostling crowd of photographers and reporters to shake hands with them. As the photographers rapidly clicked, they patted their hair in position, smiled and posed for photographs. Then rushed after the lensmen, asking for their address. The kids, too, realised that something special was going on. Indifferent towards the ruckus created by the rushing crowd, they flashed smiles at the three celebrities before extending their eager hands. Excited about her first visit to such an organisation, Shruti remarked, ‘’I am really touched. I do not believe in making false promises, but will surely do something for these kids. At present, I am giving 10 per cent of my earnings to Femina Little Princess Foundation’’. Firmly holding a little girl in her arms, she added: ‘’It is unfortunate that the majority of parents cannot afford to pay for the treatment of their children. Prayaas and some other charitable organisations are doing a good job by not forcing the parents to pay exorbitant amounts from their pockets for the treatment of their children”. M. Thiagrajan said, ‘’You need immense dedication to work towards the welfare of these unfortunate children. The first thought which comes to my mind whenever I interact with physically challenged children is that such misfortune should not strike anyone. I have no words to express how am I feeling after meeting these
kids. I wish the best for them.’’ Simran, shaking hands with a little boy, added: “People should donate money to such organisations to promote this noble cause. There are millions of people for whom organisations like Paryaas provide last hope and we should come forward to encourage them”. |
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Nine-month-old cremated Chandigarh, July 24 Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, the father of
Yuvraj, Mr Rajesh Sehgal, said he had left the child at the creche in the morning and the child was in good health at that time. After leaving the child at the
creche, he had left for Ambala in connection with his business. The Mother of the child, Ms Vasudha
Sehgal, is a teacher at Government School in Sohana (SAS Nagar) and was away to the school. Interestingly, the Sehgal couple had
selected the creche for Yuvraj only 10-15 days ago. Ms Krishna
Sehgal, grandmother of the child, said at around 9.45 am yesterday, Ms Sunita Seth, who runs the
creche, came to her and told that Yuvraj was ill. Yuvraj was taken to a private clinic in Sector 19 and from there he was taken to the PGI where he died at around 4.25 pm yesterday. When contacted, Ms Seth said she had given porridge
(daliya) to Yuvraj and after playing for sometime he had fallen asleep. “After sometime I heard him crying and he looked ill”. Ms Seth is running the crech in a government house
allotted to her husband, who is a Haryana PWD employee. |
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Engineering futuristic strategy for Zee Chandigarh, July 24 For a year now, Sandeep has been involved in engineering profitable ventures for the largest television network in the country, which has 15 channels of Zee (TV, cinema, music, English, MGM, education, news), Alpha (Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bangla, Tamil, Kannada) and ETC (Punjabi, music). While today he is guiding Zee to earn an annual profit of Rs 200 crore, he also has a string of past achievements to underline his worth as a man of the future. Sandeep was the first Indian to be invited on the jury of the International Emmy Awards (the Oscars of television) last year. He has also been a visiting faculty member at IIMC, MICA, NIFT, FMS, IIFT and has lectured at many international fora in the USA, the UK, Japan and South Asia. Not just that, he has written extensively for the Economic Times, Financial Express, Hindu Business Line, Business World and a host of other publications on marketing and communication issues. As of today, he is on the Board of the Indian Broadcasters Federation, Media Research Users Council, Advertising Standards Council of India, and National Academy of Television Arts & Science. In the city today to overview the progress of Zee TV’s base at Dara Studios in SAS Nagar, Sandeep spoke exclusively to The Tribune about the various projects up his sleeve, including a full-fledged plan of expanding the coverage from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. While it is not a hidden fact that out of all Punjab channels launched in the region, only Alpha Punjabi is gaining ground, Zee, under the guidance of Sandeep, is now planning to intensify the local coverage. Informed Sandeep, “We are shortly going to introduce six to eight news bulletins a day along with news programmes. This will be over and above the normal six bulletins which are being already run on Alpha Punjabi as also on all other Zee Alpha channels.” Zee is going to launch two more Alpha channels — in Telegu and Kannada. Presiding over a Rs 1,200-crore business that today spans 82 countries besides India, Sandeep still aims to achieve better targets. With him around, Zee has solidified its position as India’s most exported brand. Currently Zee TV is being beamed in 82 countries as a pay channel. While in the UK a consumer pays £ 1299 to have an access to Zee Cinema and Zee Music, in the USA $ 1299 has to be paid to watch Zee TV and Zee Gold that combines Zee Music and Zee Cinema. Despite the fact that carriage in such countries is hard to get, the expansion plan is in full swing. In fact, as Sandeep informs, live Gurbani from the Golden Temple, Amritsar, will be telecast for the residents of the UK shortly for a price of £ 599. This service will later be extended to the USA and Canada. An alumnus of St John’s School and DAV College, Chandigarh, and a graduate with English Honours, Sandeep has spent 15 years in advertising with some of India’s largest ad agencies: HTA, Trikaya Grey and Mudra. At 35, he became the youngest CEO of a top ad agency, Rediffusion DY&R. Under his leadership the agency crossed Rs 600 crore in turnover and for five years the running showed the highest growth rate as per the A&M Report. Besides, Sandeep has created memorable and award-winning campaigns for Colgate Palmolive, Citibank, Nestle, AirTel, Eveready, Reliance, Britannia and Maruti among others. |
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EATING OUT Chandigarh Chandigarhians have been partaking the food festivals organised by Cinnamon Roof earlier this year. As Manan Aggarwal, the young proprietor, says their fortnight-long festivals of Mexican, Mongolian, Italian and Thai cuisines were a hit, especially the live presentations. Mr Manan ventured into the hospitality business soon after college in December 1999 as he has always been interested in food. So, as his father, a steel and leather tycoon, pumped in the cash, Manan went straight into the deep end, with the restaurant, a franchisee of Hot Breads and catering, along with Jailhouse Rock, the Club disc. The discotheque, being a rarity as a combination with an eatery in the city, plays a big role in pulling the younger crowd. And the fact that Parco Centre, as it is collectively known as, has been regularly inviting celebrities to its events, only helps. Who wouldn’t want to head for the place if you get to rub shoulders with Malaika Arora Khan, the belly dancers, the Vengaboys, the Aryans, or Anamika? As the name suggests, Hot Breads is the hot den for fresh confectionery and bakery items. Set up in the ground floor, overlooking the well-landscaped green patch among the buildings of concrete, Hot Breads provides fresh rolls, various types of bread, cake and desserts, complemented by hot and cold beverages. Cinnamon Roof, also as the name suggests, has been built on its roof i.e. the first floor. It is a multicuisine restaurant offering such specialties from the chef’s pan as the yum fajita from the Mexican highland. It comprises charcoal grilled cottage cheese/chicken/mutton strips served in tortilla, salsa and sour cream. Or the enchiladas which are soft tortillas stuffed with cottage cheese, mushroom and chicken, topped with salsa and cheese. Vegetable crouquettes in orange sauce top the list of their popular France Grassa (French cuisine). You also have a pick of Indian delectables, the gharana of exotic spices as well as the Carribean sizzlers or the Mughlai kebabs and Chinese noodles and rice. Start with a range of apperitifs and whet your appetite with salads, quench your thirst with a variety of fruit beverages and have a beautiful ending with sweet desserts. Mr S.K. Sharma, General Manager of the group, says that their experience in the catering business gives them the required exposure to try out new meals and cuisines. In fact, so vast is their list of dishes (at times ‘95) provided at parties all over Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, besides Chandigarh, that they print menu cards and display them on tables for guests to choose the items they would like to savour. Claiming to cater to the taste of the customers, he says Parco Caterers are doing well because they provide more quantity at reasonable rates as per their logo, “Luxury was never so affordable.” Contact 898822 or 9814110777 to book a party. |
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Capturing the sky with camera Chandigarh, July 24 “What began as a simple interest in astronomy for me , has turned into a passion as for hours together I can just keep looking into the sky and admire the beautiful world,” remarks Pradeep. Setting up the observatory was not an easy task as it involved a huge amount of money and even now there is a lot more I want to do, he added. A visit to his observatory can give an insight into the mysterious world, as there is a wide collection of astrophotographs, sketches, valuable notes and observations he has made looking through the telescope. Having no formal training or education in the field of astronomy, it is his mission now to create awareness among people on the subject of astronomy. Being the only observatory of its kind in the city, Pradeep claims to have photographed a “nova” explosion but regrets not getting it registered in the absence of any professional body in the area. He is now being approached by students for guidance classes as well as consultancy by other agencies. He feels that schools should impart education in astronomy to students as there are many who despite having keen interest are unable to do so as there is no facility. |
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4th draughtsmen’s
conference begins Chandigarh, July 24 Mr A.K. Dogra, president of the local chapter, said the delegates had taken a serious note of the Central Government’s “indifferent attitude” towards the demands of the draughtsmen. He said despite clear-cut directions from the court, the government had refused to implement their demands in letter and spirit. It was noted by the participants that the court judgement had been misinterpreted by the department. The delegates decided that if they were not given pay scales according to the court judgement, they would intensify the struggle. |
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Meat market site resented Chandigarh, July 24 The pavement right in front of Government Girls Senior Secondary School (GGSS) in Sector 18 was allotted to the meat market for approximately six months, a fact resented not only by the staff and students of the school but the butchers as well. Today, while these “businessmen’’ were forced to take whatever was being given to them, they said the sale outside a school was not a lucrative proposition and certainly not in good taste. A few boards announcing the seller, however, did make an appearance as an indication of things to follow. At the school, too, the meat market was the topic of discussion. The fact that the pavement used by students awaiting buses or parents had been “usurped’’ by the meat market was reason enough for worry. The school Principal, Ms Rajesh Minhas, it is learnt, met the DPI (Schools), Mr DS Mangat, to discuss the problems resulting from the opening of the meat market in front of the school. Later in the day, sources said that keeping in view the school’s practical difficulties on account of opening of a meat market, an alternative site was being selected for the purpose. “A couple of sites have been identified and the meat market will be shifted from its present location as soon as we zero in on the best possible site which does not inconvenience the public at large,’’ an official of the UT Administration said. |
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Another baby girl in Bal Nikatan lap Panchkula, July 24 A number of children were playing in the garden near the gate, when one of them heard the frail cries of the baby. He informed the Secretary, Dr Madhu Jain and caretaker, Ms Kamal Singh . They rushed outside and found the baby girl wrapped in a brown shawl. The child was then taken to the police post in Sector 2, in accordance with the procedure specified in cases of abandoned children. After the police registered a daily diary report (DDR), she was taken to the General Hospital , Sector 6 for a medical examination. |
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Ex-poll officer dead Chandigarh, July 24 He is survived by two sons and two daughters. |
Constable dies in mishap Chandigarh, July 24 According to information, Jasbir Singh was taken to the PGI, where he died. The truck driver, Harnek Singh, was arrested under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC and the truck has been impounded. In another accident, a scooterist, Mr Rohit Gupta, a resident of Sector 15, was injured after allegedly hit by an Opel Astra car on Madhya Marg, near Sector 16, yesterday. He was admitted to the General Hospital, Sector 16. The car driver fled from the spot. A case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC has been registered. Chain snatched According to information, a clean shaven man snatched a gold chain from Ms Surjit Kaur near the Sukhna Lake. In her complaint, she said the incident took place at around 5.20 a.m. A case under Sections 356 and 379 of the IPC has been registered. Cheating case Case registered Fraud case PANCHKULA In-laws booked 25-year-old Anita was found hanging at her Sector 10 house on July 22. It was alleged that there were major differences between the victim and her husband . Mr Anil Kumar alleged that they were harassing his sister for bringing less dowry at the time of marriage. Four cars recovered |
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Student held for snatching chain SAS Nagar, July 24 According to information, Jaskaran admitted that he had snatched a ‘mangal sutra’ from a resident of Phase 9 along with his accomplice, Viney Kumar, a resident of Bathinda. He also reportedly accepted that he was involved in another chain-snatching incident from a resident of Phase 6. Jaskaran is a student of an engineering degree college at Tangori. According to the police, he belongs to a respectable family of Bathinda. Jaskaran was arrested by a special team formed under the leadership of the Inspector, Mr Jasjit Singh Sohal, by the SP. Mr Harcharan Singh Bhullar. A case under Sections 356, 34 of the IPC had already been registered. Cases of chain and ornament snatching in the town are common and according to the police such activities are on the rise. The police is hopeful that with the arrest of Jaskaran, other members of the gang will soon be arrested. Meanwhile, the police has seized Rs 10,710 from a resident of Phase II, Raj Kumar, while he was playing ‘satta’. In another case, the police arrested a Palsora resident, Birbal, while playing ‘satta’ and seized Rs 4,800 from him. Cases have been registered against them under the Gambling Act. |
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Tehsildar caught taking bribe Chandigarh, July 24 As per information available, Gurnam Singh allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 from two persons for facilitating conversion of their commercial property from leasehold to free hold. The two persons, having booths in Sector 39-B, had approached Gurnam Singh regarding conversion of their proptery to free hold. The latter allegedly demanded Rs 2,500 each from the two to help the job done. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Ajay Kashyap, said the Vigilance Cell laid a trap after Mr Anil Kumar (one of the two booth-owners) complained to the cell. Following this, a trap was laid at around 3.30 p.m. and the Tehsildar was arrested red-handed at 5 p.m. |
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Pigeon-flying hobby costs them dear Chandigarh, July 24 As per information, Yogesh was stabbed in his right hand and Raj Kumar in his stomach and wrist by Balwinder, a resident of the same sector. Talking to Chandigarh Tribune in the PGI, Yogesh said Balwinder along with his mother, Maya, and brother, Narinder, came to his house and enquired about his missing pigeon, which he claimed was with me. ‘‘When I told him that his pigeon was not with me, he started arguing with me and at one point stabbed me’’, alleged Yogesh. Raj Kumar, who was also present during the argument, was also stabbed. Both Yogesh and Raj Kumar are unemployed, while Balwinder Singh sells safety helmets in Sector 28. A case has been registered. |
Price slash to affect second-hand car market Chandigarh, July 24 Customers admitted that such a drastic cut in prices by the leading manufacturer would affect their decision to purchase the vehicle. Mr A.K.Sharma, a bank employee, said, ‘‘Earlier I was planning to buy a second-hand Tata Indica or a Fiat Uno, however, with this price cut, I feel that I should buy a new car.’’ Mr Gaurav Mishra, showroom in-charge at Joshi Auto Zone said, ‘‘The company has reduced rates of all Maruti 800 models by Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000. This is likely to affect the sale of second hand cars by 10-20 per cent. Further th finance companies are offering better schemes for new brand cars as compared to those for old models. Even the insurance companies are already showing reluctance to insure the second-hand cars.’’ Mr Sandeep Singh at Pasco Motors, claimed that the actual gains to the consumer from price decrease would be between Rs 9,000 and Rs 11,000 since the company’s scheme of free comprehensive insurance worth Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 has also closed today. Even then more and more consumers, he said, would be attracted by the price cut. He claimed that these price cuts would also affect the sale of Tata Indica, its competitor in that segment. He said the sale of Maruti vehicles had declined drastically recently in Chandigarh region due to company’s decision to the ban the sale in Punjab, except in nearby towns like Mohali, Ropar and Zirakpur. Though there was a difference of Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 on each four-wheeler due to difference in surcharge on sales tax and octroi, but the consumers would no more be able to buy from Chandigarh. The company is selling about 200 Maruti 800 cars per months, he said. It is likely to increase to 230-250 after the price cuts. The dealers in the second-hand car market admitted that cut in the ex-showroom price of white Maruti 800, Euro I ( Rs 2,08,007), white Maruti 800 Euro II (Rs 2,22,804 ) and Maruti Delux AC model (Rs 2,74,971) by Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000,may affect the sale of second-hand cars in the urban areas, but they said, there would be more buyers from rural areas for old models. One of the dealers, in the car bazar along the Madhya Marg, pointed out it would also affect the price of old models, and thus would attract buyers in the lower income group to buy second-hand models. |
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BIZ CLIPS Training programme: The Surat-based Indian Diamond Institute (IDI) will conduct Outbound Training Programme (OTP) here on diamond identification and grading for jewellers of Chandigarh and the surrounding areas from July 29 to August 3. IDI is primarily engaged in training, consultancy and R and D work related to diamonds, coloured stones, and jewellery. TNS AirTel: AirTel claimed on Wednesday to have registered one lakh customers in Punjab within a short span of 170 days of the launch of its service in the state. With this, AirTel has now cornered more than 25 per cent share of the Punjab mobile services market, claims Mr I.B.Mehra, Chief Executive Officer, Bharti Mobile Limited, Northern region.
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