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TOP STORIES

Shotgun’s words to prevail 
Evening OPDs to start on schedule, says PGI director
Chandigarh, November 30
Notwithstanding the adamant stand adopted by the Resident Doctors of not joining evening OPDs, with faculty, nurses and technicians joining in, the PGI Director, Prof S.K. Sharma, today put an end to all uncertainty, firmly stating that as per the wishes of the Health Minister, the PGI would meet the December 2 deadline.

Police station sans phone, power!
SAS Nagar, November 30
No electricity, no telephone and water barely reaching the taps. No, this is not a medieval Indian village...this is the state of the Central Police Station Phase VIII here catering to more than half the population of the township.

WORLD AIDS DAY TODAY
Half of AIDS victims are women
Chandigarh, November 30
Striving to catch up with their male counterparts in practically every field, this is one domain where no woman would ever want to foray. Latest figures indicate that out of the new HIV infections being reported, 50 per cent belong to the fair sex.

7,000 students hold rally against AIDS

Chandigarh, November 30 Around 7,000 young boys and girls comprising NCC cadets along with NSS volunteers and students from different schools held a rally to observe World AIDS Day Campaign-2002. Students take part in an AIDS rally to mark World AIDS Day in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

‘Govt doing precious little on AIDS’
Chandigarh, November 30
The fight against the AIDS virus is 98% awareness and just two per cent control and management, says Nafisa Ali, well-known film personality of yesteryear, who is now one of the country’s leading campaigners against the dreaded disease. Nafisa Ali has made Delhi the main area of her fight against HIV and set up her own organisation called “Action India Trust” for the purpose.

Chandigarh, November 30 Had the students of the Government College of Art, Sector 10, not laboured through the past week, the venue of the Chandigarh Carnival would not have looked as impressive as it looked today. Government college of Art students lead the procession of colours from Madhya Marg to the Leisure Valley, where The Tribune - sponsored Chandigarh Carnival began on a vibrant note on Saturday. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

Shankar’s songs add zing to carnival

Chandigarh, November 30 Keeping its promise of live concerts during the Chandigarh Carnival that opened here today, CITCO presented a live concert by the Punjabi singing star Shankar Sawhney, who had hit the music shelves with his album “Kudi Kurmuri”. Shankar Sahni performs at The Tribune-sponsored Chandigarh Carnival at the Leisure Valley on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

COMMUNITY

Residents lose sleep over ‘noisy’ problem
Authorities do little to enforce rules
SAS Nagar, November 30
Being woken up at four o’clock in the morning or not being allowed to sleep till late in the night by blaring loudspeakers is common for residents here. The authorities responsible for enforcing the rules relating to noise levels are doing little to bring the offenders to book.

Communal rivalries cannibalistic: Nayar
Chandigarh, November 30
These are “cannibal” times that the country is facing in terms of the communal rivalries, said Mr Kuldip Nayar, a Member of Parliament, in his lecture on “Communal Tension in India”.

200 attend seminar on women empowerment
Chandigarh, November 30
Over 200 men and women participated in ‘Women Empowerment Day’ programme organised at Janta Colony, Sector 25, here today by the Slum Development Committee of the Municipal Corporation.

READERS WRITE
Rent Control Act: a perspective
The Supreme Court and the High Courts, in various rulings, have opined that a statute may, with the passage of time, become arbitrary and unreasonable. In so far as a social legislation like the Rent Control Act is concerned, the courts have ruled that the law must strike a balance between rival interest and should try to be fair and just.

CBI inspector dies in mishap
Chandigarh, November 30
A CBI Inspector, Bharat Bhushan, who was posted at Chandigarh with the Special Investigation Cell died on the spot when his car was hit by a speeding vehicle on the Pinjore-Nalagarh highway near Madhawala village here this evening.

‘Shocking’ bill
Chandigarh, November 30
A resident of 3134, Sector 44, Mr Satish Kadiyan, who lives all alone in his house has been ‘‘ shocked ’’ by the UT Electricity Department. Mr Kadiyan, who is out of his house between 9 a.m and 6 p.m has been sent a bill of Rs 1.73 lakh for having allegedly consumed close to 24,000 units.

• Tribune employee retires
• Clarification

CRIME

Child murdered within hours of ‘kidnapping’
Chandigarh, November 30
A six-and-a-half-year-old boy, Nihal, who was found dead at a secluded place in Sector 29 here yesterday was murdered within hours of being “kidnapped”. The victim was reported missing at around 3 pm on November 27 last.

Youth held with 2 kg opium
SAS Nagar, November 30
The police seized 2 kg of opium from a youth during a special checking of vehicles at the PCA Chowk here last night. The youth, Ajvinder Singh, a resident of Nurpur Bedi, has admitted that he has been transporting opium in small quantities from Dher Majri village to addicts in SAS Nagar, Ropar, Morinda, Khamano etc.

Three held for stealing cars
Panchkula, November 30
The police today achieved a major success by busting a three-member gang of car thieves. The gang was involved in stealing luxury cars and then selling them after preparing forged registration papers at a lower price.

Committee constituted
Kharar, November 30
The Punjab Government has constituted a committee for the delimitation of wards of the local Municipal Committee and appointed Mr S.S. Gill, SDM, Kharar, as its Chairman.

Scooterist killed
Chandigarh November 30
A 25-year-old scooterist was killed and the pillion rider was seriously injured when the scooter they were riding on was hit by a truck near the Dhillon Complex, Mani Majra, on the Chandigarh-Panchkula highway.

BUSINESS

CORPORATE HONCHO
From medical representative to Managing Director
Chandigarh, November 30
Since multinational and big domestic pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to check their overhead costs while they seek hefty profit margins, patients have to pay extra price even for life-saving drugs and other medicines. In that scenario, there is a scope for those small and medium-sized firms which can provide quality medicines at a reasonable price and ensure a reliable delivery system, says Mr Paramjit Singh Chhatwal, Managing Director, Torque Pharmaceutical (P) Ltd.

Celebrities at Agro Tech
Chandigarh, November 30
Agro Tech 2002 which opened in the City Beautiful today drew a bouquet of compliments from certain distinguished women who went round the mega agri technology exposition. Maya Alagh, well known media and film personality and wife of Britannia baron, Sunil Alagh, was quite impressed with the fair. 

‘Agriculture key to economic growth’
Chandigarh, November 30
India’s agricultural economy will have to play a key role if the country is to realise the tenth Five-Year Plan target of eight per cent economic growth.

Industrialists support beopar mandal
Chandigarh, November 30
The Chandigarh Industries Association today joined in the protest against the amendment to the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, saying this act was unjust and industrial units will be adversely affected.

EDUCATION

 FROM SCHOOLS
Inter-school science exhibition
Panchkula, November 30
An inter-school science exhibition-cum-competition and art exhibition for DAV schools in Ambala zone was organised at DAV Senior Secondary Model School, Sector 8, here today.

Students honoured
Chandigarh, November 30
Three students, who have topped in their respective engineering streams, were honoured by the Institution of Engineers India (Punjab and Chandigarh centre) at a function held here today.

COURTS

DISTRICT COURTS
Banker’s bail plea dismissed
Chandigarh, November 30
The UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh, today dismissed a bail plea moved by the General Manager of the State Cooperative Bank, Chandigarh, Vinod Sharma, who had been arrested by the CBI for his alleged involvement in Rs 11 crore scam.

BAR COUNCIL POLL
Sidhu, Munjal lead
Chandigarh, November 30
Dr Anmol Rattan Sidhu, Mr C.M Munjal, Mr Bhupinder Singh Rathore, Mr Brij Mohan Vinayak and Mr Jai Vir Yadav were today leading on the fifth day of counting of votes polled in elections to the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana held on November 22 and 23.

HIGH COURT
Acquitted
Chandigarh, November 30
In a complete reversal of events, an accused, sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment under the Opium Act, has been acquitted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court after holding that it was unclear from the prosecution evidence whether the sealed sample of the recovered item was kept in safe custody.

CULTURE

FILM REVIEW
Novel comedy on cross-cultural bonds
‘The Guru’ (Piccadily and Suraj, Panchkula) is a hilarious story of Indians in search of the great American dream. Cross-cultural bonds explore the worlds of their counterparts. The moneyed need a ‘guru’ and the ‘guru’ needs money.

Wedding show
Chandigarh, November 30
City Beautiful will play host to a unique event early next year —”Vivah 2003.” Billed as a wedding show with a class, the four-day event will be held at Hotel Shivalikview from January 9 to 13. It is a total wedding solution show – anything and everything required in arranging a wedding is being showcased here in the exhibition, says Mr Rahul Beri who is organising the event.

SPORTS

Virdi’s book released

Chandigarh, November 30 Sikh community might constitute only 1.8 per cent of the total Indian population, but their contribution to the nation in general and sports in particular is unfathomable. For the audience who gathered at the Chandigarh Press Club to witness world renowned cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu releasing Mr Harbans Singh Virdi’s book “Sikh Sportstars — Past and Present”, it was an occasion to remember and cherish.

Cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu releases Harbans Singh Virdi’s book “Sikh Sportstars- Past and Present” at Chandigarh Press Club on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

P’kula eves steal the show in roller skating
Chandigarh, November 30
Panchkula eves dominated the roller hockey events on the penultimate day of the 16th Sushil Kumar Memorial Haryana State Roller Skating Championship played here today at Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, Panchkula. Helped by star players Amrita Singh, Priyanka and Chandita Kamboj, Panchkula, the team outplayed Panipat 7-0 in senior girls section, while in sub-junior girls section the team won two matches by beating Panipat 7-0. Earlier, last evening, Panchkula blanked Panipat 11-0.

ADMINISTRATION

Ad hoc appointments: Admn asked to file affidavit
Chandigarh, November 30
Coming down heavily on the Chandigarh Administration and the Government of India for making ad hoc appointments of lecturers in the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology and continuing with them for years together without sending requisitions to the Union Public Service Commission, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the UT authorities “to file an affidavit of the secretary concerned for explaining why the requisitions were not sent to the commission for appointments annually”.