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SEPT TEST
Datesheet waits for student poll
‘Principals of uncertainty’ take little risk
Chandigarh, August 31
Uncertain of the date of the students’ council elections that is to be finalised by the UT Administration, most college principals are yet to prepare the schedule for the September examinations of first-year students.

1 lakh unemployed in richest Indian city
All due to obsolete courses
Chandigarh, August 31
Most new jobs here are being created in the service sector (IT, telecom, insurance, banking, tourism, marketing, trading etc.), but the UT Administration still spends a bulk of its education budget on obsolete polytechnic and arts courses. 

Gun goes off, kills cop
Panchkula, August 31
Mystery shrouds the death of a constable in the Sector 5 police station late last night. Dev Raj (38) was on duty outside the Sector 5 police station last night. It was around 11 pm when a bullet was fired from his point 303 rifle. Constable Dev Raj 

Warrants against two in fake stamps case
Chandigarh, August 31
Arrest warrants have been issued against two persons, Sarfaraz and Sachin in connection with the one-month-old case of seizure of counterfeit stamps worth at Rs 2.16 crore by the Chandigarh police. Both the suspects, hailing from Karnataka, used to bring the fake stamps from Delhi.

COMMUNITY

Heritage land issue: BJP challenges Cong for a debate
Chandigarh, August 31
The local unit of the BJP led by former MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain and its president Mr Yashpal Mahajan, today asked the Congress for a public debate on the issue rather than level personal allegations.

BJP meeting on land allotment
Chandigarh, August 31
The BJP has called a special meeting of the ad hoc committee tomorrow to chalk out a programme for intensification of an agitation against the allotment of land to the Heritage Society involving the Political Adviser to Ms Sonia Gandhi, Ms Ambika Soni, and the local MP, Mr Pawan Bansal.

CVM supports Cong in MC
Chandigarh, August 31
The Congress consolidated its position in the Municipal Corporation with two of the Chandigarh Vikas Manch (CVM) councillors toeing its political line. While the BJP was holding an expose-Congress rally outside the MC office against the hike in water charges and land allotment to local MP Pawan Bansal, CVM members Devinder Singh Babla and Vijay Singh Rana criticised the BJP for “preparing for Lok Sabha elections.” 

Ex-servicemen ‘being denied’ free treatment facility
Chandigarh, August 31
The All-India Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare Association has alleged that the General Hospital, Sector 16, and city dispensaries, were charging for services from ex-servicemen. This despite the fact that the Administration had issued directions regrading free treatment for ex-servicemen.

Ex-servicemen welfare panel holds meeting
Chandigarh, August 31
The Social Brotherhood Group of the All-India Ex-servicemen Welfare Association held a meeting here today to discuss issues related to ex-servicemen and gave suggestions.

‘City ready to convert to LPG as auto fuel’
Chandigarh, August 31
The environmentalists, if not the Administration or the Judiciary, should be alarmed by the fact that two wheelers and other vehicles have started increasing pollution levels in the city.

Flight safety trophy presented

Chandigarh, August 31 The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lieut-Gen S.S. Mehta, today called upon the Army Aviation Corps to remain battle worthy with excellence in flight safety norms. He was addressing the annual Army Aviation Corps conference held at the Western Command Headquarters in Chandi Mandir today. The Chief of Western Army Command, Lieut-Gen S. S. Mehta (centre), presents the flight safety trophy to a unit of the Army Aviation Corps, in Chandi Mandir on Saturday.

Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations

Chandigarh, August 31 Even though majority of city residents had celebrated Janmashtami yesterday, a large number of devotees thronged Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math in Sector 20, besides the Sector 36 temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), where the jubilations were held today. A mother and her child rock the ‘jhoola’ during Janamashtami celebrations at Sri Sanatan Dharam Radha Vrindavan Chandra Mandir, Sector 12, Panchkula, on Saturday. — Tribune photograph

Paramour behind bars, woman in Nari Niketan
Chandigarh, August 31
It was a ‘love story’ which landed a 23 year-old paramour of a married woman behind bars. The youth, Avtar Singh, a resident of Baterla village, had allegedly eloped with the married woman, hailing from Garhwal in Uttranchal and her two children in April 2001.

READERS WRITE
Sector 16 market — home to rickshaw-pullers
SECTOR 16 in Chandigarh is known for its VIP status. However, the condition of the market complex in this sector is so pathetic that it looks like a slum or a dirty village. The whole market is flooded with rickshaw-pullers who cook food, take bath, wash clothes and sleep in the complex.

Checking cholera Littered streets Ignoring merit

Bitter experience Student politics

Kids section for British Library Chandigarh, August 31 The British Council Library is going to introduce a children section as also few other services. A team from the British Council, New Delhi, comprising Mr Greece Conecher, first secretary, State, British Council, India and Mr Justin Gilbert, Deputy Director, State, South Asia, visited the British Library recently.

Parents’ association flays MCC, Admn
Chandigarh, August 31
A meeting of the Residents Welfare Wing of the Chandigarh Parents’ Association was held here today in which residents criticised the working of the Municipal Corporation and the Chandigarh Administration.

Indian economic centres ‘prime Pak targets’
Chandigarh, August 31
In any future war with Pakistan, India’s economic and industrial centres will be the prime enemy targets, opined Ms Monica Bibbly Sood, chairperson of the National Unity and Security Council, while delivering a talk on “ How real is the threat of Nuclear war from Pakistan here yesterday.

• R.S. Gujral

CRIME

Booked for defacing public property
Chandigarh, August 31
A special drive to check defacement of public property has been initiated by the Chandigarh police. At least two cases under the Defacement Act were registered at the Sector 3 police station today.

CTU driver booked for cheating
Chandigarh, August 31
A case of cheating has been registered against a CTU driver. He has allegedly taken Rs 15,000 from a resident of Darwa village on a promise of getting the latter’s son enrolled in the public transport.

BUSINESS

Trade fair at Parade Ground
Chandigarh, August 31
For those who wish to have a taste of shopping and some entertainment at the same place, Parade Ground in Sector 17 is the place to be for the next nine days. Beginning on Friday, the Exhibition Movers have organised a big cultural and consumer event at the venue, which is now wearing a very colourful face. 

MARKET PULSE
Max Life launches policy
Chandigarh, August 31
Max New York Life, one of India’s leading life insurance companies, today launched a level term policy, thereby enhancing its product portfolio of risk protection solution. The company had recently started its operations in the country. The company, a joint venture between Max India Ltd and New York Life, a Fortune 500 company, is one of the leading private insurance companies.

EDUCATION

Government Primary School sans water, toilets
Zirakpur, August 31
Government Primary School in Bartana, near here, lacks basic facilities like water, toilets, playground, and electricity. Though the government has repeatedly made claims regarding providing potable water, toilets and other facilities in every school, yet all this school has in the name of water is a dry tank, that too tapless.

Fun and frolic at Activity-2002

Chandigarh, August 31 Fun and frolic marked the conclusion of Activity-2002 at Tagore Theatre, here today, in which over 2,000 students participated. A number of events organised were Mr and Ms Activity, Indian group dance, activity antakshari, speaker of the year, quiz, style act, treasure hunt. A section of students in a jubilant mood at a prize distribution function in Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

Inter-house contests at DAV-15

Chandigarh, August 31 Enthusiastic hands expertly moulded figures out of clay, while other students created patterns out of bright colours on the polished floors during VIBGYOR 2002 — an inter house competition held at DAV Model School in Sector 15 here today. A dance performance in progress at DAV Model School, Sector 15, in Chandigarh on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

70 awarded diploma

Chandigarh, August 31 The National Institute of Technical Education organised a function ‘First Udaan’ in the auditorium of the Food Craft Institute, Sector 42, here today, where certificates and diplomas were awarded to the 70 outgoing candidates of Air Hostesses/Flight Stewards and Travel & Tourism Courses. Students of the National Institute of Technical Education, Sector 42, are all smiles after receiving their certificates at a prize distribution function in Chandigarh on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

On-the-spot painting contest
Panchkula, August 31
To promote art and budding artists, Pallavi Restaurant in Sector 5 organised an on-the-spot painting competition in the restaurant complex here. About 450 students from Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula participated in the competition.

PU Senate to meet on Sept 22
Chandigarh, August 31
The Senate of Panjab University will meet on September 22, an official press release said here today. The meeting has been re-scheduled from the earlier announced date of September 29.

CBSE quiz
Chandigarh, August 31
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched a unique educational programme in the form of a national-level quiz contest, “CBSE heritage India quiz.” The preliminary round will start on September 7.

COURTS

CJ can’t restore work: BCI
Chandigarh, August 31
The Bar Council of India (BCI) today criticised the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice (CJ), Mr Arun B. Saharya, regarding the restoration of work to three high court judges.

CULTURE

FILM REVIEW
David Dhawan at it again
‘Chor Machaaye Shor’ (Jagat, Chandigarh, and KC Panchkula) is a situational comedy that bears the trademark stamp of the director David Dhawan. Go minus the expectations of finding any ‘art’ on the screen or any piece that provokes inner reflections and you will not be disappointed with his slapstick formula.

WESTERN FILM REVIEW
Signs of conflict between self, beyond

CHANDIGARH: What more would Mel Gibson have wanted after the runaway success of “What Women Want”? A complex role which would reveal unseen sides to him as an actor. What would producer-director Manoj Night Shyamalan, who earlier had a string of successes, have desired after the debacle of “Unbreakable”? A monster hit to re-establish his image as one of Hollywood’s most-sought-after young filmmakers. Mel Gibson and Rory Culkin in ‘Signs’

Dr Atmajit invited for reading session
Chandigarh, August 31
Dr Atmajit Singh, a local playwright, has been invited by Prithvi Theatre for a special reading session on his play ‘Kamloops Di Machhliyaan’. The play reflects his existential musings. The session, which will also include a special reading of ‘Panch Nad Da Paani’, another play by Dr Singh, will be held in Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai, on September 2.

HEALTH

Breast cancer risk among men, too
Chandigarh, August 31
It may sound alarming, but the fact is that breast cancer may no longer just remain a major health hazard for women as global statistics indicate that more and more men, too, are suffering from it and this number is likely to increase.

• 4 fresh gastro cases

SPORTS

Basketball championship semifinal today
Chandigarh, August 31
The Youth Basketball Championship, going on New Public School, Sector 18, has its semi-final 7.00 a.m. tomorrow. In the girl’s section, Sarvhitkari School, Sector 40, Sacred Heart, Sector 26 and New Public School, Sector 18 and in the boys’ section, St. Joseph’s School, Sector 44; St. Stephen’s School; GMSSS, Sector 33 and Moti Ram School, Sector 27, have entered the semi-finals.

• St Stephen’s clinch soccer trophy

ADMINISTRATION

Compensation demand triggers territorial dispute
Chandigarh, August 31
City Mayor Lalit Joshi has asked the Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd) to give a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to kin of the children who had drowned yesterday in the Indira colony.

Board of directors reconstituted
Chandigarh, August 31
The Chandigarh Administration has reconstituted the Board of Directors of the Chandigarh Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Minorities Finance and Development Corporation Limited.

Book power thieves, says CE
Chandigarh, August 31
The Chief Engineer of the Chandigarh Administration, Mr Puranjit Singh, here directed his officials to lodge FIRs against those indulging in power theft through illegal connections.

NSS survey on disability conditions
Chandigarh, August 31
The Economic and Statistical Wing of the Chandigarh Administration is holding a comprehensive six-month survey to collect data on the conditions of disabled persons, housing conditions of the residents and facilities in villages and slums.