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| Thursday, September 12, 2002,
Chandigarh, India
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College students
take to streets Chandigarh, September 11 Students of MCM DAV College, Sector 36, led the protest along with ABVP activists. They branched out and urged students of other colleges to join them. Accompanied by university students, they tried to disrupt classes at Government College, Sector 11, and Government College for Girls, Sector 11, but were not allowed inside the latter. However, later, they joined them at Panjab University. While students of DAV College, Sector 10, accompanied the protesters to the university, at GGDSD College, Sector 32, boys joined the protest while girls were not allowed to leave the premises before 12 noon. Activists of the ABVP organised three gate meetings to convince students to join the strike. These were held at Government College, Sector 11, Government College for Girls, Sector 11, and the university roundabout and addressed by ABVP secretary Saurabh Joshi. Meanwhile, the students gathered at Panjab University to protest against the university’s decisions. The ABVP activists said the agitation would continue in all colleges till their demands were met. In the evening, they met Vice-Chancellor K.N. Pathak and submitted a memorandum to him, stating that though the two decisions were in the interest of the students, these needed to be implemented in a more practical and efficient manner. The memorandum added that instead of making 75 per cent attendance mandatory, the university should increase its teaching days to 180, as stipulated by the University Grants Commission. The students also demanded that instead of giving weightage to September and December examinations, the university should give 10 per cent marks in annual assessment on the basis of the December tests alone. The students urged Professor Pathak to reconsider the decisions. The students were sent back with the assurance that the matter would be looked into. The two decisions had been approved by the university Syndicate and the Senate.
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Rape case transferred to CBI Chandigarh, September 11 Ever since the case was registered, allegations and counter-allegations had “created an air of suspense”. While the alleged victim had claimed that she was raped in a car after being drugged and later thrown outside a petrol station in Sector 33, senior police officials, on the other hand, had termed the entire case as a mere ‘‘frame-up’’. The transfer of the case assumes significance as just two days back, the UT Inspector-General of Police had ordered the shifting of two Station House Officer, reportedly in connection with the case. The matter also assumes significance as the name of a senior Haryana bureaucrat was also being dragged in the controversy. This is not all. According to sources in the Administration, the case was transferred to the premier investigating agency as there were reports regarding the involvement of certain UT cops. Earlier during the day, Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered that the alleged victim “shall continue to remain at Chandigarh in the protective custody of the Chandigarh police” and would be “available for interrogation whensoever required ”. Mr Justice Garewal added: “It is furthermore directed that whenever the alleged victim was to be interrogated by the investigating officer, her lawyer should also be present”. The case will now come up for further hearing on September 13. It may be recalled that the alleged victim, in an earlier petition, had sought directions to the Chandigarh Administration and other respondents to protect her life and liberty. Claiming to be just 21, the petitioner had submitted that she had boarded the car of a Sector 8 resident from Sector 20 on August 14 but lost consciousness after consuming a cold drink purchased by him. Later, she had found herself unconscious in Sector 16 General Hospital where she came to know about the act of violence against her. Going into the background of the case, the petitioner had added that her search for a part-time job and quest for knowledge about computers brought her in contact with the accused, running a computer institute. The accused, after alluring her with the promise of a job, had taken her in his car from his Sector 20 office, she further added. The police, on the other hand, had claimed that it was a frame-up and had initiated proceedings against the alleged witness. |
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Main
accused Ram Lal held Chandigarh, September 11 Police sources said that his interrogation began right after his arrest to establish the involvement of a Haryana bureaucrat in the case. The police had been on the look out for the prime suspect, Ram Lal — said to be enjoying good relations with a senior bureaucrat of Haryana — who, the police claims to have hatched the entire plot, and had promised to pay Rs 2 lakh each to the eye witness, Surinder Sharma, and the girl. Sources close to the suspect had revealed that his life was a perfect example of a rags-to-riches fairy tale. He rose from poor background, established business of construction material, got disputed properties vacated and worked to safeguard interests of various politicians. It was also alleged that he enjoyed good relations with certain officials of the Chandigarh Police. The police has already arrested Surinder Sharma who is allegedly involved in the case. |
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Census has bad news for eves Chandigarh, September 11 The Director Census, Mr Sham Lal Goel, at the release of a book on the Census here today, said this was the last of the provisional reports on the distribution of workers and non-workers. The UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), released the book. Mr Goel told the Administrator that this paper contained figures of the sexwise distribution of main workers, marginal workers and non-workers. Total workers (main and marginal) have been further distinguished by economic activities. The cagegories include cultivators, agricultural labourers (AL), workers in household industry (HHI) and workers in other activities (OWs). The term “other workers” includes all government servants, municipal employees, teachers, factory workers, employers and employees engaged in trade, commerce, business, transport, banking, construction, politics and social work. It also includes priests, artistes etc. In India, the percentage of work participation was 39, while in the UT, it was 37.63 (56.10 for men and 14 for women). Like most other states and the UTs, the work participation rate for Chandigarh is higher in rural areas (43 per cent) than urban areas (37 per cent). Men here follow a similar trend, while women follow a reverse trend. Compared to the national average, 18 states and the UTs — Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Haryana, Nagaland, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Daman and Diu, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Mizoram — have a higher and 17 states and the UTs (including Chandigarh) have a lower work-participation rate. NOT MANY WORKING WOMEN %age of total workers 34.94 37.63. %age of working Males 54.34 56.10 %age of working Females 10.39 13.72 Mr Sham Lal said, between 1991 and 2001, the percentage of total workers here had increased from 54.34 to 56.10 in case of men and 10.39 to 13.72 in case of women. Female work-participation rate has increased in urban as well as rural areas. Compared to the 1991 figure, the percentage of total women workers in rural areas has almost doubled by 2001. The percentage of total workers here is about the same as that in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana. Among the city’s neighbouring states, Himachal Pradesh leads with figures of 49 per cent and Delhi ranks the lowest with a The percentage of “other workers” here is 98.38, while the figures for agricultural labourers, cultivators and workers in household industry are 0.11, 0.47 and 1.04, respectively. The percentage of “other workers” in 1991 was 98.03. Papers 1 and 2 of the Census of India 2001 conducted in February/March 2001 have already been released. These carried information on population, sex ratio, literacy rate and percentage of urban population. General Jacob praised the Census Department for compiling this data, which he said would be useful for the city planners. He asked the Director Census to measure the demographic shift of population from northern sectors to southern sectors to help the Administration plan infrastructure for these areas. |
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Power tariff hiked Chandigarh, September 11 A notification will be issued soon. The Administration has partially followed the pattern of Punjab and hiked the rates. Punjab had hiked the rate last week. In Chandigarh the hike will translate into an increase of about 10 paise per unit for residential users and about 14 paise per unit for industrial and commercial users. The exact figures are being worked out as to what should be minimum cost increase. The hike will be across the board and will affect residential, commercial and industrial users. Officially the Administration needs to bridge the gap between cost of purchasing power and money it recovers from people by way of bill collection. Source say the Union Finance ministry has hiked the target for revenue collection in the power sector from Rs 200 crore in the last financial year to Rs 214 crore in the ongoing financial year. Last financial year the Administration had lost money as the line losses (read that as theft) had gone up. |
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City lawyer in Rajdhani mishap; blames driver Chandigarh, September 11 Surrounded by family, friends and relatives, who are pouring in to inquire about his well being at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Mr Bedi, is equally critical of the tardy rescue work on the part of the government. However, his wife and children are relieved to see him safe and sound. “Apart from dislocation in the right ankle and some minor bruises, he is absolutely fine, though we will keep him under observation for a few days,” said the doctors attending on him. Mr Bedi, had gone to Kolkata, in connection with a case he was handling and left the court at 2.30 p.m. before boarding Rajdhani Express the same evening. Recalling his 13-hour ordeal, while being trapped inside the bogey, he says despite all its shortcomings, the people have no option but to travel by the Indian Railways. “After having dinner all passengers in the AS-5 bogey were preparing to sleep at about 10.40 p.m., when suddenly jerks were felt, as everything went upside down,” he says. Despite my best efforts I could not gain balance, and then I got trapped under the side berth, with a five-year-old boy, next to me crying for help, he revealed.” There was utter chaos as children started crying, while a pregnant woman in our bogey wailed saying a rod had pierced her body, while nobody knew what had happened,” he recounts. Finally we all realised that the train had met with an accident as part of bogey A-6 had piled on top of our bogey. “Thanks to the efforts of the passengers who were unhurt and the villagers, who swung into action immediately and started rescue work, without waiting for government teams to arrive,” he says
appreciating their initiative. He added that Gaya despite, being barely 40 km away, the medical teams arrived at the accident site, much later, which led to a lot of delay in giving medical aid to the injured passengers. “The harrowing experience for all of us continued as one of the passenger died due to delay in evacuation, as we remained trapped inside, till 11.30 a.m, the next morning, when the bogey was cut open with the help of gas cutters,” he revealed. “Even then we could not spot the medical teams, as people were still crying for medical help,” he said. Mr Bedi, said after shifting all passengers to a nearby station, they were sent to Delhi, from where he travelled by road to Chandigarh. “I got a call from my mother at about 2.45 p.m, while I was in my department at Patiala, informing me about my father being on the train that had met with an accident, about which she, too, had learnt from the news on a TV channel,” said Monica Singh, a student of Journalism and Mass Communication. There might be a number of debates and discussions on the safety of passengers travelling in trains in India, but for the time being Mr Bedi’s family cannot help but thank God for saving him from the disastrous accident, which has claimed more than 100 lives. |
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Jagmohan
spells out plan Chandigarh, September 11 Union Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan told this here today to media persons at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) where he came to give the concluding lecture on ‘’Governance’’ as part of the week-long Haksar Memorial seminars and discussions. The Minister said these areas would be developed on the lines of the Ajanta caves where tourism, culture and local governance had been attuned to attract tourism. He said the ministry was trying to identify at least one place in each state for massive developmental initiative with the help of the Central Government and Japanese aid. The Minister said the Union Law Ministry had also given the go- ahead to prepare a draft legislation of the Tourism and Culture Ministry for states to bring religious places as national cultural endowments under an arrangement where their development and management on similar lines would be possible. Mr Jagmohan said that the Centre would soon be spending Rs 2 crore on Raghurajpura village in Orissa to develop village tourism in the country. The Minister said a tourism police at the national level and annual cultural programmes promoting local culture on all important monuments would be arranged to take care of enforcement of laws and facilitate cultural, spiritual and tourism comfort to visitors. He said the whole programme was likely to be implemented in two years. About Chandigarh and Anandpur Sahib, he said they would be linked to nearby places where tourism potential was there to develop them as circuits. He referred to Morni Hills and Anandpur Sahib in Chandigarh’s context. The Minister said once the draft legislation was ready for the management of religious places, which is a state subject, it would be sent to states for adoption. He said his initial interaction with Chief Ministers was very positive as they were ready for such an arrangement and Haryana was ready to do so in case of Kurukshetra. Speaking at the seminar, he said post and pre-liberalisation eras had equally been failures in terms of providing a desired form of governance due to lack of ideology and work ethos, a factor ignored by all. He said in spite of these constraints, things were possible to do as he did in Ajanta in a short span of eight months in this ministry. He said that understanding the right thing and right motivation was required to change this work culture. The Minister said he had been warned not to do right things by political colleagues who say if such things were done, he would lose elections. He showed slides of Chor Bazaar and a transformed Lal Kila to prove his point. Mr Jagmohan said that his attempt was to project a strong cultural and spiritual image of India through attracting people to visit marvels of national cultural endowments. These areas were strengths of India, he said. The Minister said he would revive the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. |
Common body for ex-servicemen launched SAS Nagar, September 11 The brotherhood would also have among its members retired and serving soldiers, sailors and the airmen. In a recently-held meeting of the ex-servicemen (ESM) of the region, it was felt that there was a need to provide a common platform for these organisations so that their efforts were ‘synergised. It was, however, stated that other ESM organisations/bodies need not merge with the ‘Defence Brotherhood’ or disband themselves and they would retain their original identity. It would allow dual/multiple membership i.e. members of other organisations could become members of the brotherhood. The brotherhood would not be affiliated to any political party but would mobilise all ESM to act as a vote bank or pressure group in pursuance of their welfare-related goals. The organisation would have a number of mutually-inter-acting committees. The apex body would be in the form of a thinktank comprising senior retired persons and other intellectuals of repute to generate ideas, inspiration and guidance. The thinktank would be supported by two parallel committees — analysis and policy formulation committee and monitoring and advisory committee which will deliberate upon the ideas generated and other inputs received from various sources. A co-ordination committee would then synthesize all inputs with a view that the same were synergised for optimum action by the executive committee. The executive committee would have a number of cells to deal with the ESM’s problems or to deal with specific civil departments. Similar committees would be at the state/regional levels. Lt Gen H.R.S. Maan and Air Marshals P.K. Jain and B.S. Basra, among others, would be a part of the thinktank. Among the state chapters, Brig M.S. Dullat would head the branch in Chandigarh, Col J.S. Bal in Punjab, Brig S. Mohan in Haryana, Brig. G.S. Khamta in Himachal, Col Uday Singh in Rajasthan and Col J.S. Babbar in J&K. (all retired) At a press conference held here, members of the SAS Nagar branch of the brotherhood pointed out bureaucratic apathy against ex-defence persons. Stating that about a month had passed since a retired colonel’s house in Sector 12 Panchkula was trespassed and he and his wife were assaulted by villagers, nothing substantial had been done by the Haryana Administration or the police against the accused so far, despite a delegation of retired senior officers having met and requested the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP Panchkula to take appropriate action against them. According to Lt Col. A.S. Sandhu (Retd.) general secretary, another example of bureaucratic apathy against the defence personnel was the Army Welfare Housing Complex Phase 2, SAS Nagar. This complex had been developed contiguous to Madanpura village on its eastern boundary. The Army officers purchased the flats as at the time of allotment of land by PUDA it had been promised that the village will be evacuated but the process had been stalled due to intervention of certain influential politicians. Though PUDA had fully paid the cost of land etc to the villagers long back, the village had not been evacuated till now. Unauthorised jhuggis have come up along the boundary wall constructed at the cost paid by retired officers. Cow dung heaps could be seen all along the wall. A little bit of rain brought all the filth in the Army Complex, as the slope of the land was towards this complex.  |
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They got pigeonholes for shops
Chandigarh, September 11 According to the order, no extra fee shall be charged for this change. The exterior of the buildings should remain the same and person wanting changes can apply to the Estate Officer. The order has been issued on note of the Capital Project Secretary of Punjab. The agreement between the shopkeepers and the Chandigarh Administration reached in the 1950s provides that the site is totally commercial. The signed deed mentions nowhere that some parts of the buildings are for residential purpose. The shopkeepers said they were being billed at commercial rates for the supply of water and power. The flat portions of the shops do not have bathrooms and toilets, considering which, it seems absurd that the portions have been designated as flats. In the past 40 years, several properties were resumed and fines running into crores of rupees were imposed, as this critical order was overlooked. This being the oldest market here, several promises were made in the early 1950s when the Chandigarh terrain was bare, but the designs gave the shops ugly exteriors that made these look like small pigeonholes. Now, the shopkeepers want change and expansion, the only way to have which is to use the first and second floors of the SCFs for commercial purposes. A Supreme Court judgment delivered in February says that the shops in Sector 22 are basically meant for commercial use and were allotted on commercial plots. The association said the Administration’s decision to charge Rs 1.88 lakh for each conversion of an SCF into an SCO was illegal, in view of the court order. The association wants building of basements to be permitted. Building bylaws say that the basement will be allowed to be built, unless the zoning plan recommends otherwise. In Sector 22, Punjab National Bank was permitted to have basement in its branch, so, the association wants that same rule should apply to all. ‘Rehri’ markets are against the zoning plan, says the association. It wants the CBI to conduct an inquiry to know how many of the original allottees are still in the market. |
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Christian Council criticises Gaurav Yatra Chandigarh, September 11 In a statement issued at Chandigarh Press Club, the president of the council, Dr Joseph D. Souza, and the secretary-general, Dr John Dayal, said these statements had rubbed salt on the wounds of survivors of the worst ever religious violence the country had witnessed in the recent times. Condoling the death of passengers of the Rajdhani Express train tragedy, they called for action against religio-political terror unleashed in India against minorities. Giving details regarding their activities, they asserted that the council had worked actively, with other organisations, in relief and rehabilitation programmes among riot victims in the state. They also congratulated the Election Commission for ensuring that the homeless and injured were not disenfranchised in a premature election. The members also paid homage to victims of the terrorism in the USA and other countries. The members of the council called upon the governments of Punjab and Haryana to ensure adequate representation to Christian community in subordinate and senior service in the states. Expressing solidarity with Dalits in the two states, the members demanded action to end alleged caste-based discrimination in several parts of the states. They alleged that in Haryana, land of several churches, including cemeteries, had been encroached upon and schools were under threat by certain elements in bureaucracy and political parties. Earlier during the day, the members discussed Christian response to Dalit mass movement in India, pending FCRA regulation that could be revived again any time and its effect on Christian activities. Other topics included current issues on the safety of the minorities. |
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Cong warns of Gujarat-like situation in city Chandigarh, September 11 Addressing a press conference, president of the local unit B.B. Bahl said a section of city felt these elements in the BJP could repeat a situation, similar to Gujarat, in the peaceful city if they go unpunished for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of a section of society. He alleged that it was on the instance of the Union Home Ministry that the Chandigarh Administration had failed to take action against Mr Jain and local BJP president Yashpal Mahajan, among others. Mr Bahl alleged the BJP leaders, including its national secretary Om Prakash Dhankar, had shown disrespect to the feeling of Hindus by sprinkling the muddy water of Sukhna and defiling the havan kund on the site where a havan was performed by Congress leaders, Mr Bansal and Ms Ambika Soni. The CTCC president said the UT police was allegedly under pressure for not even acting on a complaint of the local MP. He said the effort to ignite the religious fire was done by the local leaders of the BJP at the behest of Union Home Minister L. K. Advani as part of their strategy to replicate a Gujarat-like situation in the city. Mr Bahl said the Congress would start day-to-day peaceful protests demanding action against BJP leaders if the Administration buckled under pressure. The CTCC president claimed people from various communities had informed him about the ‘’devious design’’ of the BJP and Mr Advani to disturb communal harmony in the city for electoral gains. Mr Bahl said he got information from credible sources that such a drama was being enacted as Mr Advani wanted an early Lok Sabha elections. The Congress president also alleged that certain leaders of the BJP, including the top brass at the Centre, had opened a fictitious unit in Baddi in Himachal Pradesh. Mr Bahl alleged that the Himachal Pradesh Government had allotted land to these leaders, including one from Chandigarh, for the unit which is getting its supply of raw material from Vadodara in Gujarat. |
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Senior citizens’ body’s programme Chandigarh, September 11 It planned an interaction with Commissioner, Income Tax, on September 14 at Government Museum and Art Gallery, brisk walking, sports and interaction with Inspector-General of Police at Sukhna Lake on September 24, a medical camp on September 25 at Senior Citizens Home, Sector 43, a medical camp for slum dwellers and the handicapped at Karsan village on September 26 and a declamation contest at DAV College on September 27. A seminar on ‘senior citizens and the nation, would be held on September 28 at the Senior Citizens Home, Sector 43, a picnic with residents of Old Age Home, Sector 15, on September 29, a lunch for blind students on September 30, Senior Citizens’ Day function at Tagore Theatre and Senior Citizens’ Day function for school students on October 1. |
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Help for the elderly Chandigarh, September 11 Run by five school teachers, the organisation will expand its scope from tackling troubled students and their parents to helping the elderly, pushed out of their own homes and disrespected by their children. Says one of the counsellors, Ms Neeru Dyal, “As good teachers and good humans, we can empathise with the student community. At the onset, it helps to understand that a child’s problem is not his problem alone, but that of his parents as well.” The vision to venture into the area of counselling for the elderly has come after the group saw a number of unhappy elders, dissatisfied with the way their children had turned their backs on them. “The people between 40 and 50 are so caught up in the rat race that they are not bothered about children or the elders. Old people have the money, but that is no compensation for the love of their children. We want to help them and make their children understand that the elderly are an asset to them. They are the ones who stand to gain,” she adds. |
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‘Kids need guardians’ Chandigarh, September 11 All these issues were discussed at a workshop organised by the Government Institute for Mentally Retarded Children. The Joint Director of the institute, while addressing over 50 parents of such children, stressed the need and importance of guardianship. Children with intellectual deficit do not become independent even after 18 years of age and the parents, relatives, trust or institution can be appointed a guardian. The National Trust Act has simplified the procedure and the local committee has been vested with legal powers to appoint a guardian. It has been stressed that parents of all such children must apply for guardianship. |
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Housing project gets underway Chandigarh, September 11 Mr Sunil Parti, chairman, Chandigarh Housefed, and Mr Kuldip Singh, chairman, Market Committee, were also present. |
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Suicide Chandigarh, September 11 |
Flesh trade racket busted Panchkula, September 11 The police sent a decoy customer with a marked Rs 500 note. After the deal was struck, the pimp was picked up along with two women. A scooter (CHI-7658) was also recovered. A case under Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act has been registered. Booked Dowry case Bag stolen One killed CHANDIGARH Purse stolen As per police sources, an unidentified man disappeared with purse of Ms Promila (60), a resident of Sector 20, from a bus stop in Sector 22 last evening. It is learnt that Ms Promila took a CTU bus for ISBT, Sector 17. A man helped Ms Promila to carry her luggage and he himself also boarded the bus. When, the woman disembarked the bus, the man again helped her with the luggage. It is alleged that the man stole away a purse, lying in her luggage while helping her. The purse contained a gold chain and Rs 20,000 besides other things. A case has been registered. An incident of chain snatching was also reported from Sector 23. As per information available, Ms Kamlesh Kumari, a resident of Sector 23, was waiting for a bus when two unidentified scooter-borne youths snatched gold chain. A case has been registered. Stolen Scooter stolen 3 arrested |
MARKET PULSE Chandigarh, September 11 Accpording to the company, it is for the first time that a product in this category has been brought to the consumer in a factory-sealed format. It will also carry with it a warranty of superior performance and lab report. The product has been crafted in collaboration with international partners of its textile division, including Levis, Hagger and Graham. The company is offering 1,200 fashion fabrics in this range. |
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