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| Thursday,
August 8, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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34 PU students held, remanded Chandigarh, August 7 The students, who are supporters of the PUSU, have been sent to 14-day judicial remand by a local court. The arrested students are from various departments, including the Mathematics Department, B.Sc (Honours School) and University Business School. Girls, who too were sitting on the dharna, left the venue after being warned by the police. A case under Section 188 of the IPC has been registered against them at the Sector 11 police station. Students of the Mathematics Department said it was not fair on part of the university to charge Rs 2,500 as extra fee from them. Students of B.Sc (Honours School) are demanding a chance for improvement, while students of Business School are seeking a reappear chance in September, otherwise they have to wait for the next annual examinations. Various students’ organisations have condemned the arrests. Activists of the PUSU said the dharna was peaceful and the police action was unwarranted. The Syndicate has already banned the holding of demonstrations in the residential quarters of the university. |
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PU cancels admission
of 7 students Chandigarh, August 7 The admission has been cancelled because these students failed to have the minimum stipulated attendance of 33 per cent on the first 10 days of the classes as per the university requirements. Prof Bal Krishan Chairman of the department, said the admission had been cancelled as per the university requirement of the students not meeting the attendance requirements. The students, however, will be given a chance before the Board of Studies to give their side of the story with proof showing reason for their inability to attend the classes. |
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Robbers
attack couple in Sec 21 Panchkula, August 7 It is learnt that the couple — Ashok Kumar Sharma (60) and his wife Lalita, (54) — were sleeping on the terrace of their house. Their two sons — Rajesh and Rajiv and their families — were sleeping on the ground floor of the house. The incident took place around 1.30 a.m. when a group of about four to five men landed on the terrace of the house and attacked the couple with sticks and iron rods. They took away the gold bangles, earrings and other gold jewellery worn by Ms Lalita. Meanwhile, the son of the victim, Rajesh , woke up on hearing some noise on the terrace. As he got out of the room, he saw some people standing near the main entrance through a wiremesh door. As he tried to close the wooden door of the house, the assailants tried to break it open to gain entry into the house. Hearing the noise, other members of the family also woke up . This made the assailants run away. The couple were rushed to a hospital in Sector 21, where they were stated to be in a serious condition. A case has been registered. |
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CBI TO ENQUIRE Chandigarh, August 7 The girl, who was produced by the CBI before the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal, was rather “unhappy on coming back”, and kept saying that she did not wish to go back to her parents. While the court today sent Uma to Nari Niketan, it also held that the CBI could enquire into the matter of Uma’s mysterious absence from home for two years. Where the girl said that she went to Muscat (without divulging details of her journey or details of her life in Muscat) and served in Mary church-cum-hospital there, the investigating authorities were surprised the whole issue. These facts ranged from Uma’s absence from home, the cause of her absence, her travel to Muscat, her claimed conversion to Christianity and then her sudden reappearance in the city. The CBI is now slated to begin enquiries into the matter which could well be serious. Sources today confirmed that the trend may be graver than what it appears like and like Uma, many more girls could possibly have been converted to Christianity. It needs to be mentioned here that only sometime back the CBI had flashed details of Uma on its website. The idea was to trace the girl safely. Even while the response was awaited the CBI received information about Uma’s return to the city. On being produced in the local court today, Uma maintained that she was working with Mary church -cum- hospital in Muscat. Sources in the CBI informed that on August 5, they received a call that Uma had reached home. When a team of CBI officials reached the spot they came to know that girl had already been taken into custody by the police personnel at Mani Majra police station. Thereafter the police handed over Uma to the CBI. It is further known that the girl changed her religion and became a Christian before leaving India. Now, with some amount of information available, the CBI is trying to track down people who helped Uma reach Muscat. The CJM, while sending Uma to Nari Niketan, said that “the CBI shall be at liberty to enquire from Ms Uma, alias Mussa, for elucidating further investigation in the matter till an appropriate order is passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the request of the CBI.” Uma, in her statement before the CJM in the evening, said that she was 20-year-old and she did not want to stay with her parents. Earlier the statement of Uma was recorded before the UT Duty Magistrate under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code and later before the UT CJM, Mr C.L Mohal. Giving details of the investigation, sources said that the CBI had invested a lot of effort in locating Uma. The agency went to many places looking for her, following court directions. The CBI also contacted state passport officers on the issue of Uma, apart from raiding some flesh trade markets in the country. The CBI also loaded information about the girl on its website and published advertisements in various newspapers, apart from declaring Rs 50, 000 as award for anyone who would furnish information about Uma. |
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CITCO plots will
now be transferred Chandigarh, August 7 The decision will affect nearly 500 local entrepreneurs spread across Industrial Area, Phase I and Phase II, who are running their units from the CITCO sites. Today the Administration issued a notification enabling the CITCO to transfer the ownership rights in name of original allotees thus solving a major issue of the local industrial community. The properties of the CITCO will now be transferred without payment of any unearned increase to the Estate Officer and without any encumbrances. Till now the lessee ( allottee) could not transfer the site for 15 years and thereafter the allottee was allowed to transfer the site in his own name only upon payment of 50 per cent unearned increase. This in line with the Chandigarh Lease Hold of Sites and Buildings Rules, 1973, which makes it mandatory for this payment. The Estate Officer to the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation Limited in a letter on May 21, 1982, had said that the allottee could not sell or transfer his rights for a period of 15 years from the date of the completion of the building. As per today’s notification, the clause stands deleted. The purpose of allotting land to the CITCO was to allow it to function as an agent and an executing agency of the Chandigarh Administration to further the purposes of industrial policy for the development of Chandigarh, it has thus become necessary in the public interest to delete the conditions imposed by Paragraph 11 of the allotment letter, says the notification. |
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Entry tax to affect paper industry Chandigarh, August 7 The government decision to impose 8.8 per cent entry tax on the imported paper in the state has caused furore among thousands of packaging, printing, computer stationery and other paper conversion units. Most of them are now planning to migrate to neighbouring state Haryana or Delhi and Chandigarh for working in Punjab would no longer be economically viable. The government has already issued a notification imposing 8.8 per cent entry tax on virgin paper and basic raw material for conversion units, though its implementation has been delayed as the Finance Secretary is accompanying the Chief Minister on a foreign tour. Insiders say there are about 10,000 paper conversion units in Punjab in which about 3 lakh people are employed. At present they have to pay 8.8 per cent sales tax on paper procured from the state and 4 per cent central sales tax (CST) on imported paper. Now they will have to pay 8.8 per cent entry tax on imported paper as well. However, the units in the neighbouring Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi are exempted from paying any entry tax. Further the units in UP and Maharashtra pay 4 to 5 per cent sales tax on paper. Mr Sarv Daman Bharat, Regional President, Laghu Udyog Bharti, Punjab, said,‘‘The state government’s plan to collect Rs 30 to 40 crore from entry tax on paper would ultimately backfire and spread corruption in the sales tax and excise department, as the price of paper varies between Rs 9 and Rs 60 per kg depending upon the quality.’’ He said at present there were 61 paper and paper board mills in the state with an annual production of over Rs 1400 crore. Of these, units with an annual production of about Rs 630 crore were enjoying tax exemptions. The total turnover of conversion industry was estimated at Rs 800 crore, out of this, a total of Rs 500 crore was done in the name of tax-free exercise books. Manufacturers have brought it to the notice of Commissioner, Excise and Taxation, Punjab, that it will be cheaper to import computer stationery, exercise books and packaging material from other states, since in that case the trader will not have to pay the entry tax on raw material. Mr Deepak Kataria, a leading paper trader, pointed out that the entry tax should be replaced by 2 per cent turnover tax on the paper mills in the state, besides decreasing the sales tax on paper to 2 per cent at the first stage. He claimed with the VAT system going to be started from the next year, the state government should not take such a decision which has wider implications for the industry. |
Ugly welcome to City Beautiful Chandigarh, August 7 The entrance to the village as well as the city reflect the condition of residents in the shanty with as many as 100 persons sharing three to four toilets and drinking unsafe and unchlorinated water. The problems of the village are written off by the authorities concerned with arguments that it has been over populated and attracting migrant labour due to cheap availability of rented accommodation. These are just a few characteristics of Hallo Majra which does not even have a distant connection with any aspect of beauty. Even the Chandigarh Administration, handling its affairs, seems to have conveniently forgotten that this little village can be a potential trouble spot for the entire city. The woes begin right at the entrance to the village where a pool of water and heaps of garbage turn into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. So, even if the city is kept clean after spending a lot of money, it can never be free from the danger of epidemic spread. This is one of the main areas where cholera, diarrhoea and gastro could strike unnoticed. Though no epidemic was reported this year, nearly 2,000 patients suffering from various infections, mostly because of the prevailing unhygienic conditions, have been reported, confirmed the medical authority in the village dispensary. The insanitary conditions are too obvious to be ignored. The village is laced with poly bags, that often find there way into the intestines of animals feeding on litter. A nearby junk dealer said the daily-wagers residing in the village throw poly bags full of domestic waste. Residents even dump the domestic wastes on streets just outside their houses. The story does not end here. The water being supplied to the village is not safe for drinking. The supply directly comes from a tubewell and it is not chlorinated. Even the residents are aware that the water is not safe for drinking. “A few days back when I was filling a plastic bottle, a small snake came out from the tap, ” said Raj Kishor, a resident of the village. The village faces another typical problem. “The house owners have constructed about 50 to 100 rooms, according to the space available to them to earn huge rents. However, they have provided just three to four toilets for them. Therefore, sewer remains blocked many times,” said Bhola, who is living in one of the houses as tenant. He said as many as eight to10 persons share a room in that house and pay Rs 600 for a room. A teacher in the village school said a water purifier had been purchased, but it was yet to be installed. The village sarpanch said the root cause of all troubles was overpopulation. He said the village sheltered as many as 40,000 persons, almost double the population it can cater to. He attributed the problem of improper drainage and accumulation of water to “the inefficient work done by Engineering Department officials.” |
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Ukraine
envoy visits city Chandigarh, August 7 Expressing confidences that the Ukrainian- Indian relations would further continue to strengthen and develop for the benefit of the two nations, Dr Semenets said to give additional political impetus to the bilateral relations between the two nations, a state visit of the President of Ukraine, Mr Leonid Kuchma, had become the focal point of the political agenda. "The unique point is that the President of India, Mr Abdul Kalam and Mr Leonid Kuchma share the same professional background, having contributed to the world of scientific and technological progress in a very special field of designing and construction of missiles and artificial earth satellites and this should give us additional optimism concerning the bright future of the Ukraininan-Indian relations," he said. Talking about the changes in the political sphere as well as mind set, the people of Ukraine had gone through during the span of past 11 years of independence, Dr Semenets said that these transformations had yielded impressive results, helping Ukraine enter the period of stabilisation and steady progress about three years ago with an increase of 9 per cent GDP increase and industrial output showing 14.2 per cent in of 2002. Mr Semenets was accompanied by Prof Nikolay L Aryayer, Vice-Chancellor of Odessa State Medical University and Mr Ihon S. Pasko, Political Counsellor and Deputy Chief of the Mission. Mr Bir Devender Singh, MLA, Punjab also attended the meeting. The meeting concluded with a colourful cultural programme where school children presented Bhangra and other dance items. Dr Harneet Kaur rendered a Ukrainian song for the benefit of the delegation. |
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MC to deworm 16,000
slum children Chandigarh, August 7 The corporation last year had dewormed 22,000 schoolchildren. The corporation is also planning to open medical camps in September for the target group. It has, however, not planned to target children who don’t come to schools as finding them out would require a major survey for the purpose. |
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Missing
woman’s body found SAS Nagar, August 7 A police official said the exact cause of the death would be ascertained after the autopsy. The woman and her child were reported to be missing after she went to her parents’ house in Banur on August 1. The police had registered a case of kidnapping against Surjeet Singh. According to the information, Rita Rani was married to Krishan Lal, a Class IV employee in a Manimajra government school. While it was second marriage of Krishan, but for the woman it was the third marriage. On August 1 she went to Banur along with Surjeet. Both left for Patiala to meet their relatives. The woman told her relatives that Surjeet was her husband. Meanwhile, Krishan lodged a complaint with the police. When the Rajpura police got information about it, the Chandigarh Police was informed about sleepers, some pictures and a diary with the address of the woman which was found along the canal. Already a case under Sections 363, 366 and 302 of the IPC is registered at the Sector 3 police station. |
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Provide
free education to needy: Speaker SAS Nagar, August 7 These views were expressed by Mr Inder Singh Namdhari, Speaker, Jharkhand state, at a function organised by the Guru Gobind Singh Education Society in connection with the laying of the foundation stone of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nursery School in Phase IX here today. He said the Guru Gobind Singh Education Society, which was set up in Bihar, should make efforts to spread education in the entire country and not restrict itself to a particular region. The society had been allotted three sites for opening schools in Punjab. Efforts should be made to get one more site allotted and all four schools to be set up should be named after the four Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh. The Speaker said by opening more schools the society was laying foundation stone of a school being opened by the society but appealed to the committee members to provide free education to at least 10 per cent of the students. Here also he would like that the school provided free education to the needy. Later while talking to mediapersons, Mr Namdhari said Jharkhand state was rich in natural resources but still faced poverty. The government now, he said, was making policies to improve the situation. After the formation of Jharkhand, people of Bihar felt that a big portion of the state had separated. Regionalism had surfaced but matters would be sorted out soon. Earlier, Mr Bhag Singh Ankhi, secretary, Chief Khalsa Diwan, who was the guest of honour, emphasised the need to educate women. He said more than 50 schools were being run by the Chief Khalsa Diwan in the country though the first one was started with four students. The schools should be able to generate funds for themselves. Members of the society were honoured on the occasion. |
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Accident
victim waits for help Chandigarh, August 7 Unable to meet the high cost of his treatment, the 40-year-old bus driver, whose both legs were completely crushed and one eye damaged, says that life has been a nightmare, since the bus he was driving was hit by a speeding truck, at Shahbad on August 14, two years back. “ With not even a single relative or friend by our side, we have been living in the Nehru serai for the past two years as even after a series of operations my husband remains bedridden, with no financial help,” says wife Anjali. She says leave aside money for treatment, they have no money to take care of their sons, who have been living with Anjali’s sister, since they had been confined to the PGI, for the past two years. “Though the doctors say that it will take another two years before I can move on my own , but the problem is that we have no money, as we live on a day-to-day basis,” remarked Brij Mohan. His problem is not just confined to his crippled legs, as he has lost vision in one eye, which has to be operated. The couple who have not moved out even for a day from room No 17 of Old Nehru Serai for the past two years, say that till now they have been managing with the money they raised by selling off the ancestral land, but now there is no hope from any front. They say that it is only because of the help and cooperation they have been getting from the PGI doctors that they could manage to live here for two years and receive treatment. Brij Mohan is sore about the shabby treatment he has received from his family and relatives ever since his accident. “They even shirk to meet us lest we ask for financial help, but I have full faith in God who saved my life to save my children from being orphaned,” he says. Though his operation is scheduled for next month but he cannot dream of visiting his native place, Udhampur in Jammu as it will cost over Rs 8,000. There is no bone in one of his lower limbs, which has been shortened, while the other is also completely damaged. He says that he is most worried about his sons, who are at other people’s mercy. Though the Red Cross has been bearing the cost of some of the medicines he has been prescribed but it will be possible for him to be on his feet to eke out a living only after substantial financial help comes from some quarter. |
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CHB evicts
flat owner Chandigarh, August 7 The first allotment of a flat was made in his wife’s name under the discretionary quota. This flat was sold off on premium. Later he was obliged with another flat under the discretionary quota in Sector 55. This was house number 230. The CHB got wind of this and asked him to explain giving him a 14 day notice. Prem Kumar was given a hearing and it was found that he had allegedly submitted a false affidavit claiming that he or his spouse did not own a CHB flat. Consequently the authorities served upon him an eviction notice. After this one month’s time was given to him to vacate the premises. When he failed to do so the CHB sent its team. Today Prem Kumar was evicted from his Sector 55 flat. A team of the CHB armed with an eviction notice and accompanied by a team of policemen arrived at the flat this morning. The team just kept everything outside the flat and even stripped it off various fitting which the Prem Kumar could have claimed to be his. A lock was put and the flat sealed in the presence of the tehsildar. Sources in the CHB said a few months ago another allottee had been evicted. |
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Shifting
of apni mandis begins Chandigarh, August 7 The committee at its meeting chaired by the Congress councillor, Ms Pushpa Sharma, asked Executive Engineers of roads to identify the places and suggest alternative sites. One of such sites has been allotted to the Heritage Society with which the local MP, Mr Pawan Bansal, and the Political Secretary to Ms Sonia Gandhi, Ms Ambika Soni, are associated. The Joint Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Mr Sunil Bhatia, gave a list of such school sites with detailed maps to the committee which referred it to the Executive Engineers. The issue of allowing rehris and pharis in apni mandis came up for discussion with the Punjab Mandi Board objecting to the illegal practice. However, the matter was deferred till the next meeting with members differing on whether to legalise the practice or put a stop to it. The committee also considered setting up new mandis in Sector 52 and Sectors 29 or 30. It also decided to shift the mandi from Sector 32 to Sector 33 and from Sector 48 to Attawa, alternative site for which has been sent to the Chief Architect. The Enforcement Wing expressed its inability to check intrusion of rehris and pharis in mandis and demanded at least three more inspectors for the job. The Punjab Mandi Board representative objected to the corporation’s proposal of increasing the mandi organising fee from Rs 500 saying that the Board was incurring loss on the account. The committee was told that 90 to 95 per cent of farmers coming to mandis were from Punjab and only 5 per cent from 22 villages of the UT. |
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Major fire averted Chandigarh, August 7 The fire had the potential of engulfing the whole market, the Chief Fire Officer, Mr G. S. Bajwa, who was present on the spot, said. The shop is estimated to have suffered a loss of Rs 50,000. The Fire Department pressed three fire tenders into service to control the
fire. The market was saved because of the timely action. |
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350 saplings planted Dera Bassi, August 7 Mr Y. Saboo, Managing Director, planted a sapling. Earlier, Mr Dinesh Aggarwal, Executive Director, inaugurated the drive by planting a sapling. Mr Raj Singh, Senior Manager, said employees had planted 1500 sapling in the past four years. Mr Y. Saboo, Managing Director, along with employees of Kamla Dials plants a sapling on the factory premises in Dera Bassi on Wednesday. |
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EATING
OUT Chandigarh Back from his studies in England, young Aditya took upon himself the task of rejuvenating the eatery that had been lying shut for the past around seven years. The restaurant doors were reopened in May this year to food connoisseurs. Gone was the staid, conventional joint that old timers would associate it with. The swanky new interiors are an inspiration from the Portuguese belief that loud and bright colours whet your appetite. Yellow, orange and blue hues dominate not only the furniture but also crockery, lighting, flooring and the decor. Once that was done, getting trained chefs was no problem as their old cooks had been retained in their various sister concerns in the city and region. They came back to rustle up Lyon's specialties — continental delights, sizzlers and butter chicken —, besides other stuff in the renovated kitchen. If the rush of clientele to the spot on Wednesday noon is any indication, it seems the residents have more than welcomed Lyon's reopening. Especially, the women. There were four groups of women, dressed in summer cool salwar kameezes, fully occupying all available tables, on both floors. While one group preferred to savour the good old Indian stuff, another one went in for the continental dishes (one of the few restaurants that offers good continental cuisine) and the remaining two had ordered Chinese noodles and rice. As they loudly chatted and played tombola, the waiters were on their toes, even as the restaurant doled out complimentary gifts. Since the Piccadily cinema, Sector 34, is also owned by the family, some guests are pleasantly surprised to receive tickets for a movie. Or, the other way round: If you watch a movie at the theatre, the ticket entitles you to a 10 per cent discount at Lyon's. A unique feature of the restaurant is that besides the goodies on the menu, it makes dishes on request too. The chef’s specialties include tandoori bharwan tangri kebab, kastoori kebab and murg malai tikka in the Indian variety. If you long for continental, their best ones are chicken florentine, baked ala Lyon’s, paneer brochet and chicken shaslik. In the Chinese category, try veg cranchese or chicken sezchuwan. Then there are the regular butter karahi, palak, masala, shahi korma and curry varieties of the Indian chicken. The mutton lovers can have a pick of the meat in the masala, rogan josh, saag dahi or do piaza flavours. Food from the Mediterranean countries (it takes a minimum time of 25 minutes) includes fish fried, grilled, boiled or baked to a delightful mouthful. The chicken dishes are available in a range of grilled, steaked and fried forms or as chops and cutlets. Ham and chicken, chicken mayonnaise, Russian salad, and kachumber form the repertoire of cold dishes and salads. Or, savour the sizzling steaks from the grill. Top the khana with ice-creams, soufle or fruit gateaux if you have a sweet tooth. |
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Suicide
bid by two Chandigarh, August 7 Salochna (24), a resident of Darwa, consumed the poisonous substance this morning at her house reportedly over some domestic matter. In the second case, Babita (31) consumed the poisonous substance and was said to be unfit at the time of filing of this report. In another case, a postman employed at the Sector 9 post office, Ranjit Singh, was found dead at the Sector 17 bus stand. The body has been sent for postmortem. |
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Crematorium
repaired Chandigarh, August 7 |
UTI Bank opens ATM Chandigarh, August 7 Speaking on this occasion, Ms Anu Joshi, Branch Head, UTI, said that it was the bank’s 562 off-site ATM. The bank had Rs 13,933 crore in deposits and Rs 6,433 crore as advances. Out of which Rs 4,462 crore was in retail business. She disclosed that the UTI Bank had recently launched international debit card, which provided up to Rs 2 lakh accidental coverage to the card holder without any additional cost.
Service camp Krishna Honda, the first authorised exclusive Honda dealer in Chandigarh will complete its first year of operations in Chandigarh on Thursday. Celebrating their first anniversary, Mr Sachit Passi said, “With over 3000 satisfied customers of the Honda Activa in Chandigarh, we have reason to celebrate”. To thank all customers of the Honda Activa Krishna Honda is organising a 3-day mega service camp from August 9 to 11. During this camp they would not only attend to complaints and services but would also offer huge discounts on accessories, lubricants, spares etc. This offer would be valid for all Activa customers. Honda shall soon be launching a new scooter in India. This new Moto Scooter, shall be the first of its kind in India and shall kick start a new segment. The Activa was launched exactly a year ago in Chandigarh at Krishna Honda, and even today it has a large waiting period. To meet the ever increasing needs of the customer, Krishna Honda shall soon be setting up a new large workshop which shall be a first of its kind in Chandigarh. It shall be able to service over 150 vehicles a day. This shall be ready by the end of this year.
Workshop inaugurated Dr B.M. Mahajan, Managing Director, Milkfed, Punjab, inaugurates a workshop on Internet-based Dairy Geographical Information System at Verka Milk Plant, SAS Nagar, on Wednesday. This system has been developed by the National Dairy Development Board for use of the milk cooperatives. This programme was attended by the senior officers of cooperative milk unions of Punjab and Haryana. Dr R. Chakrabarty, Manager, NDDB, Anand, made a presentation on the usages of DGIS and its application in the dairy industry. The DGIS, when implemented, would help the milk unions to monitor various activities such as milk procurement, route planning, technical inputs and veterinary services at the village level. Dr A.K. Modgil, State Director, NDDB, Ludhiana, assured all support to effectively implement this system in the state of Punjab. Mr S.C. Aggarwal, general manager, Verka Milk Plant, SAS Nagar also spoke. |
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Dr B.M. Mahajan, Managing Director, Milkfed, Punjab, on Wednesday inaugurated a workshop on Internet-based Dairy Geographical Information System (DGIS) at Verka milk plant, SAS Nagar.