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UT Admn’s free hand to PU on students’ poll
Chandigarh, September 18
Panjab University today remained undecided over the fate of elections to the Panjab University Campus Students Council. Due to various administrative reasons, no decision could be arrived at a special meeting convened by the university today following a communication in this regard from the UT Administration.

Day 2: kayak remains untraced
Chandigarh, September 18
The mystery regarding the disappearance of ace kayak Ravi Ankit has deepened, as even after two days of search by divers in the Sukhna Lake, the CRPF cop could not be traced. Even the oar, which the kayak was supposed to be using, remains missing.

Father’s anxious wait: Balbir Singh, father of Ravi Ankit, looks for his son, who is feared to have drowned in the Sukhna Lake while Army divers continue with their search operations on Wednesday. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

IAF objects to motor market
Chandigarh, September 18
Is the landing and take off from the Indian Air Force base a safe proposition? No, if one goes by the changes which have occurred around the air base in the past one year or so.

No cut in exchange programmes: Harrison
Chandigarh, September 18
“There has been no cut in exchange programmes for Indian professionals going to the USA” says Dr Marjorie R. Harrison, Exchange Officer of the US Embassy in India, maintaining that the number has “rather gone up”.

CHANDIGARH NEWS DIGEST
No surprise in BJP appointment
Chandigarh, September 18
The appointment of Mr Yash Pal Mahajan as the President of the Chandigarh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party a couple of days ago has not come as a surprise to either the party cadres or observers of the political scene in the Union Territory.

COMMUNITY

IT Dept, senior citizens join hands to raise taxes

Chandigarh, September 18 The Department of Income Tax here has decided to experiment a noble exercise to create awareness among the potential assessees about the voluntary tax compliance of filing correct income tax returns. Mr Ashwini Kumar Luthra, IRS, Commissioner of Income Tax-1, Chandigarh, addresses a press conference in DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh on Wednesday. Mr Subhash Maria, Principal of the college, is also in the picture. — A Tribune photograph

Application format blues for job applicant
Chandigarh, September 18
Procedures of the government can be irritating and stifling. A resident of SAS Nagar, Mr Surinder Pal Singh, is at the receiving end due to official red tape. His application for a job hangs in balance as the certificate declaring him to be belonging to backward class is not on the format as prescribed by the prospective employer, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). 

Biotechnology research to get boost
Chandigarh, September 18
The Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), today held an interaction with members of facilitation and technology committees constituted recently by the Chandigarh Administration to finalise the basic concept of biotechnology policy.

FACE TO FACE
‘I will rejuvenate BJP and make it fighting fit’
Chandigarh, September 18
The appointment of Mr Yash Pal Mahajan as the president of the Chandigarh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party a couple of days ago has not come as a surprise to either the party cadres or observers of the political scene in the Union Territory.

Brisk walk contest for senior citizens
Chandigarh, September 18
The Chandigarh Senior Citizens’ Association is organising a brisk walk competition for senior citizens of Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Panchkula at the Lake car parking on September 24.

PRICE WATCH
Prices of winter vegetables come down
Panchkula, September 18
A random survey of the vegetable vends in the city today revealed that where as prices of some vegetables had come down by two to three rupees while those of some others had witnessed an increase in comparison to the last weeks prices. The prices also varied according to the quality of various vegetables.

• Satsang by Asa Ram ji Bapu
• CSIO declared prohibited area

CRIME

4 thefts reported in city
Chandigarh, September 18
During the past 24-hours at least four cases of thefts have been registered in local police stations. Mr Harvinder Kumar, a resident of Manimajra, reported that his Maruti (CH 01 P 7789) was stolen from near the Circus Ground, Sector 17 yesterday.

Stepfather held on murder charge
Kharar, September 18
The local police has arrested Harvinder Singh, a resident of Mundi Kharar village and stepfather of Rahul (5) on the charge of murdering the child by throwing him in the Bhakra Canal near Morinda.

Man cheated of Rs 10,000
Chandigarh, September18
Ram Asare, a resident of Colony 4, was allegedly cheated of Rs 10,000 by a man in Sector 28 here today. Police sources said, Ram Asare withdrew the amount from the Sector 28 branch of Punjab National Bank.

Scooter dealer taken for a ride
Chandigarh, September 18
A youth posing as a customer allegedly drove away with a new Bajaj Chetak scooter, which he had taken out of a Sector 22 showroom on the pretext of a test-drive here this afternoon.

Arrest warrants against Principal
Zirakpur, September 18
The Panchkula police today issued arrest warrants against Mr Bhanu Dutt, Principal of Trimurti Public School, Bartana, for his alleged involvement in the Amita suicide case.

BUSINESS

Bajwara Market comes of age

Bajwara Market Sector 22 D, created in 1975 to rehabilitate an uncouth mushrooming of shops across the road, has come of age and boasts of providing certain things like electrical items even cheaper than Bhagirath Palace in Delhi. Bajwara stood as a blot in the planned city with the area across the present market just looking like a shanty with khokhas dotting about it. A night view of the Bajwara market in Sector 22-D. — Photo Manoj Mahajan

• Problems

Honda Dio aims to boost scooter market

Chandigarh, September 18 With the increase in sale of motorcycles in the two-wheeler market, the regional and all-India market has witnessed a drastic fall in the growth rate of sale of scooters over the past few years. However, Honda motor cycle and Scooter India, a 100 per cent wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Co, Japan, has embarked upon a plan to boost the sale of gearless scooters in the country, said Mr Deepak Mutreja, Area in charge, sales, HMSI, here today. He was in the city to launch — Honda Dio, a 102-CC sporty scooter with four-stroke engine and automatic transmission, at platinum Honda showroom in Sector 35. Honda Dio model that was launched in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Roadshow in Zirakpur
Dera Bassi, September 18
To educate residents of the rural areas about their latest communication services, Bharti Mobile Limited today conducted a road- show in the Zirakpur, Dera Bassi and Lalru areas of the subdivision.

EDUCATION

Panel for reforms in PU exam system
Chandigarh, September 18
The existing examination system of Panjab University is obsolete and lacks continuous evaluation at different levels of education which encourages copying in the final examination with a view to getting through, using any means: ‘fair or unfair’.

Students apprised of police role
Chandigarh, September 18
A youth contact programme under the aegis of the youth liaison unit of the Chandigarh police was conducted on the “Role of the Chandigarh Police in Reconstructing the Social Fibre” at Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, here today.

NIIFT students’ talent on display
SAS Nagar, September 18
An in-house presentation of garments was arranged at the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) here today. The presentation was made by 25 students of one-year certificate course in fashion designing. The presentation also marked the culmination of the course.

AIESEC holds seminar
Chandigarh, September 18
The local chapter of the AIESEC, a student managed world’s largest exchange-based organisation, organised a seminar at the University Business School Hall at Panjab University here today.

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
Rape case: hearing of bail pleas today
Chandigarh, September 18
A bail application moved by the three suspects in rape case of a Shimla-based girl will come-up for hearing tomorrow in the court of UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh. The suspect, M.K Jain, and the victim girl in the case had moved anticipatory bail pleas. Meanwhile, Surinder Sharma, Ram Lal and Baldev had filed regular bail pleas in the case.

Harbhagwan Singh
Chandigarh, September 18
Mr Harbhagwan Singh, Advocate-General of Punjab, has been elected Chairman of the All-India Advocates-General Conference. His election took place in New Delhi yesterday. He replaces the Advocate-General of Andhra Pradesh.

CULTURE

Exploring conflicts of mind

Chandigarh, September 18 The impact of changed times on the upper middle-class women, in particular, who are finding their ways of life in the urban settings of contemporary India was central to “Uske hothon ka chhup,” staged at Tagore Theatre here this evening. A scene from the play “Uske Honton Ka Chup” at the Rashtriya Natya Parv-2002 at theTagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

HEALTH

Common man to bear the brunt
Proposed hike in PGI test charges
Chandigarh, September 18
With the PGI authorities proposing a substantial hike in hospital charges for various tests, patients, especially those belonging to the lower income group, may feel the pinch, if the move gets the official nod from the standing finance committee(SFC), which is scheduled to meet on September 28.

Young boy battles for life
Chandigarh, September 18
Never has Raju, a daily wager from Naya Goan village in Ropar district, felt more helpless as he sees his seven-year-old son, Vishal, battle for his life at the PGI as he is in immediate need of a pacemaker, which will cost almost Rs 1 lakh.

Drive to check spread of malaria on
Chandigarh, September 18
If you believe in blaming the authorities for everything wrong in the city because of their inaction, read this: the Health Department officials have launched a massive drive to check the spread of malaria and other diseases that stagnant water can cause.

SPORTS

Row plays spoilsport as CFA wins

Chandigarh, September 18 The Chandigarh Football Academy lifted the trophy in the inaugural Chandigarh Junior Challenge Football Tournament edging out St.Stephen’s School, Sector 45, by a solitary goal in a well-contested final at the Sector 42 Sports Complex here today. A keen tussle to gain control of the ball in the final of the Chandigarh Junior Challenge Football Tournament played between the Chandigarh Football Academy and St Stephen’s School at the Sector 42 Stadium in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photo Pankaj Sharma

Amanpreet to lead Panchkula cricket team
Chandigarh, September 18
Amanpreet Singh will lead Panchkula district cricket team in the Haryana State Inter-District Cricket (below 15) tournament to be held from September 20, being conducted by the Haryana Cricket Association. According to Mr Sandeep Moudgil, Secretary, Panchkula District Cricket Association, the team will play its first tie against Chandigarh on September 20 at Panchkula.

• Adventure team flagged off

ADMINISTRATION

• NSA extended