 |
|
| Saturday,
December 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India |
|
||||
|
Burglars’ arrest gives vital clues Chandigarh/SAS Nagar, December 27 The total number of burglaries committed by the gang could be above 30. Though the police officials were tight-lipped about the further progress of investigations in the case, sources said investigating teams of the Chandigarh and SAS Nagar Police had got vital clues about other serial burglaries in the region. On the basis of the information disclosed by the arrested burglars, raids were being conducted at different places The police was hopeful that that burglars could lead to some more sensational recoveries in other cases. In the past two days, the Chandigarh Police claimed to have solved at least 12 burglary cases in their area and at least 15 in SAS Nagar. A countrymade pistol, four live cartridges besides knives and iron rods have been recovered from them. Besides, other tools, believed to be used in the burglaries, have also been recovered from their possession. The sources said that the burglaries were not the handiwork of one gang, it could involve some loose groups of burglars. It is worth mentioning here that stung by recent spate of burglaries, the UT police and SAS Nagar police on December 17 had decided to launch a combined combing operation and also joint patrolling. Subsequently, four police teams consisting of personnel from either of the forces were formed. The DSP, South, Mr SC Sagar had been made the coordination officer. The success of the coordination between the Chandigarh and SAS Nagar Police was visible during the terrorism days. Denying any “differences” between the UT Police and the Punjab Police, a senior police official said after the arrest of Babli in a case of attempt to burglary in Phase 7 of SAS Nagar, joint raids were conducted by cops of two police departments in Colony no. 5. However, none of the suspects could be rounded up. After that, a strategy adopted by the Chandigarh Police led to the arrest of suspects one after the other. When the suspects were rounded up, it was amicably decided to share the suspects equally in the light of the joint operations. All suspects were reportedly interrogated in police stations of SAS Nagar and Chandigarh as the situation demanded.
IG rebukes officers The Inspector General of Police, Chandigarh, Mr Rajesh Kumar, at a meeting of the DSPs and SHOs held at the police headquarters here reportedly expressed his displeasure at mud-slinging among certain police officers in the department. During the meeting, the IG asked the officers to shun from such acts and concentrate on better policing. In light of the alleged controversy over the Chandigarh Police going to the Press after the arrest of burglars, the IG reportedly opined that the police should go to the Press only after making recoveries. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Gaurav Yadav, was also present during the meeting. |
|
New signboards to be put up in Mohali SAS Nagar, December 27 Passing these orders to the township’s Municipal Council, the DC stated that the roadsigns should be both night light reflective and brightly visible in the day, and the orders should be implemented within a week. The Council has, in turn, contacted the firm which has put the bright yellow roadsigns and direction-markers in Chandigarh to consider asking them to do the same in SAS Nagar. The Council, however, is also looking at other options like getting these roadsigns sponsored by private parties, who are interested in advertising through the signboards. The new markers will be placed on various roundabouts and traffic lights and serve as pointers to the landmarks in the township. Currently the township sports more than four different types of roadsigns and direction pointers, all in different colours and all in different stages of corrosion. The oldest are the ones which follow the Chandigarh city pattern of a cemented arrow on the roadside pointing to a particular office, sector, market or park. On various roundabouts, the township has a set of signboards which are neither night reflective not bright. These are of white background with red lettering on top and are dependent on electricity to light these up. Besides these, there are signboards put up by PUDA outside every dividing and phase entry road, giving the phase number and a small map of the phase. These are yellow boards but not night-reflective. Lately these have been replaced by a new set of neon signboards put up by PUDA which are blue and have the complete map of the sector on them. PUDA has, however, not taken off the old boards wherever the new ones have been put. The police has its own set of notice boards at various crowded points in the township, which give details of the police services available along with the telephone numbers and address of the nearest police station. |
|
Live in our ‘gully’: Euphoria boys Chandigarh, December 27 “We are here to invite the entire audience to live in our “gully” and remain there forever,” says Palash, who was here to perform in one of the music house in Sector 17. “This is our fourth visit to Chandigarh and we love to perform here,” adds Palash. Palash might have enjoyed the glitters of Bollywood during his stint of “Philhaal”, but he remains true to his first love, music. “I liked whatever I did in the movie but for the timebeing I am concentrating on music,” he says. When asked how did movie happened, he replied “The makers of ‘Philhaal’ liked my sad look in my video “Maye Ri” and asked me if I would like to play a sad role.” The answer was a definite yes and there he is — the nominee for the Best Newcomer of Year award. However, success did not turn his head. A successful role in a movie, fame as a band and the honour of being the only Indian group to have played at the UN General Assembly on UN Day last year on October 24, but the group remained unaffected. “We are still true to our music, promoting our emotions and our culture in the most unglamorous way,” he says pointing at their outfits. “We do not want to glamorise ourselves because we want people to hear us and not look at us,” he adds. As a group Euphoria has changed over the years through experience but their signature style remains the same — folk-based songs presented through an amalgamation of different styles. “I have written the songs myself and they all are based on my experience which make each of them true,” he says. At present Palash is the only member of the original Euphoria group. But the new members — Hitesh, Gaurav, Benny, Christopher, DJ, Prashant and Rakesh, who have been working since 1998, jell just well. “For the past one and a half year we have been working together, travelling together, eating together and presenting our music to a wider and wider range of audience which leaves very little time for our personal lives,” says Palash. |
Cong fields Subash Chawla for Mayor’s post Chandigarh, December 27 The announcement was made after the All-India Congress Committee Secretary and in-charge party affairs, Mr Satyajitsingh D. Gaekwad had a joint meeting with CTCC members and councillors to seek their opinion. The decision was communicated to the AICC General Secretary in-charge, Ms Mohsina Kidwai by Mr Gaekwad on telephone. They will file their nominations tomorrow, the last day of nominations. The BJP, unsure of a winning support, could today only decide that it would contest the Mayoral election. The BJP had been trying to contact Akali Dal councillor and former Mayor Harjinder Kaur in London to put her up in the contest hoping that she would be able to make some dent in the nine-member block of nominated councillors. But she, sources said, would not be available for the contest. She, however, reportedly told the BJP leaders that she would try to reach the city on the voting day. The Chandigarh Vikas Manch trying to form a front with the BJP as last year but its ranks have been depleted with at least two members thinking to go with the Congress. The possibility of the BJP putting up Rajesh Gupta as a candidate were being talked about in the party in the hope that nominated councillors could be given an acceptable choice. Nominated councillors had been cut up with Gian Chand Gupta and Kamla Sharma for their “obstructive” performance on the floor of the House. The Congress meeting was attended today by the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee President, Mr B.B. Bahl, local MP Pawan Bansal and former Indian National Youth Congress President Manish Tiwari, among others. |
|
YEAR-END REVIEW: MC Chandigarh, December 27 WHERE
MC FAILED *
Spread of cholera. Above this, the corporation had to carry the blot of spread of cholera in the city affecting around 1,800 people. Controversies on the alleged bunglings in recruitments in the Fire Department pursuing “pick and choose” policy, in the Enforcement Department and open allegations and counter allegations between councillors and officers on development issues had been witnessed by the people during the year. The corporation has sought to make the city residents habitual of paying for services, imposing property tax on the commercial and government buildings, raising water charges, increasing ground rent by around one-and-a-half times for functions in open spaces and re-imposing paid parking in Sector 8, 9 and 17. The BJP had accused the Congress of “deceiving” people by imposing financial burden on them despite, what they call, a promise in the ruling party’s manifesto to give a “tax free” corporation. Congress denies having promised a “no tax” corporation. Mayor Lalit Joshi landed in controversies with the BJP accusing her of becoming an “extra-constitutional” authority by seeking to rehabilitate the displaced persons of the Colony No 5 on a vacant government plot and supplying them water from the corporation. The Mayor said the payment for providing water was made by the party. The BJP also accused the Mayor of allowing a private company to put up giant wheels in Mani Majra despite the Finance and Contract Committee rejecting the proposal. The BJP also alleged that the Mayor had even reduced the ground rent to have been charged from the company. The Congress said the proposal was passed on official advice and allegations were baseless as the F&CC ratified the decision of the Mayor saying the earlier mayors had been clearing files. The major achievements of the corporation and the Mayor have been the Second Delhi Finance Corporation accepting its view on sharing resources between the municipal body and the Chandigarh Administration. The Chandigarh Administration later approved the recommendations of the commission providing a solid foundation for its improvement in the fiscal health in the future. The allegations of impropriety in the sale of an SCO became a major issue with the House unanimously seeking an inquiry into the affair apart from the transfer of the presiding officer of the auction, Additional Commissioner Ashok Vashishth, who has now reportedly been exonerated from the charges. The corporation has been successful in earning favours of the Chandigarh Administration, apparently because of tax measures with it restoring the Rs 13 crore cut in the grant, chipping in with one time repair of roads in southern sectors and Industrial areas. The Housing Board also helped the corporation by taking up the recarpeting of several roads. An estimate suggests that the corporation and the Chandigarh Administration have been able to spend around Rs 14 crore in the road maintenance sector. Major beneficiaries have been parking lots in markets and V-6 roads of the city. The House had also been able to solve a major problem of the city by deciding to generate power and bio-fertilizer from the garbage at Dadu Majra dumping ground. The corporation has been claiming to concentrate on sanitation of the city but without much success. A new experiment of directing the people to dump garbage at notified places has tasted success in Sectors 15 and 8 and this experiment may be extended to the whole city but in phases. Political parties except the Chandigarh Vikas Manch have been united and have been engaged in competition. The manch split recently when its supremo Harmohan Dhawan expelled councillor Vijay Rana and party general secretary Devinder Singh Babla. The Mayor has given the city a gift of the afternoon water supply and has made attempts to improve the general supply with some success. The year ended on an unsavoury political note with the Congress sponsoring a move to censure the 10-month conduct of the BJP councillors for remaining uncooperative and making allegations of certain councillors having benami paid parking contracts. Seeking to fulfil the promise of the year, the Congress in the end passed bylaws for ward committees in this month’s meeting. The Corporation Enforcement Wing sort of making a record by lodging criminal cases against traders and sending them to jail.
|
|
YEAR-END REVIEW: CRIME SAS Nagar, December 27
The highlight was one major catch — Sarbjit Singh alias Rick, a Sikh born in Haryana who made it big in Houston (USA), ended up owning two night clubs, but was later accused of being involved in the largest international drug peddling chains, acting as one of their major links. Rick went in hiding when Interpol busted the gang in September. He reached India and stayed in the city for some time before being caught by the police in November. The figures provided by the police show a rise in the number of all kinds of crimes in the township since last year. However, these also point to the narrowing of the otherwise large gap between the number of cases registered and those solved this year. The number of murders in SAS Nagar this year has gone up from 6 to 10 but the number still remains one third of the figure for the city. While nine of these murders have been solved, one is still under investigation. The kidnapping and extortion case of an industrialist, Rajinder Garg, was also solved within days of the incident by the police. A firing incident in a shop led to the discovery of the involvement of a policeman in the incident. Two engineering college students were caught for being involved in unlawful activities. A prostitution racket was busted followed by the busting of a gang of car thieves. While the police had almost hundred per cent success in most of these crimes, the success rate that had remained about 50 per cent or less in the cases of thefts and burglaries through the year jumped up to about 90 per cent by the year end with the arrest of 10 persons involved in over 35 burglaries in Chandigarh and the township. The amount of stolen property increased from Rs 31 lakh in 2001 to Rs 69 lakh this year, while the amount of stolen property recovered also increased from Rs 12 lakh in 2001 to Rs 35 lakh this year. Similarly, in 2001, the police was able to recover only Rs 9,000 out of the total of Rs 1.5 lakh snatched, while in 2002, the police recovered Rs 45,000 out of the Rs 63,000 snatched. There has been just one dacoity reported in the year 2002, which was traced and Rs 20 lakh were recovered. The amount the police has recovered under the Gambling Act and Excise Act also showed a marked rise this year. Change of guard in the police took place in April with Mr Harcharan Singh Bhullar taking over as the Superintendent of Police. With a larger-than-life image to live up to being the Punjab DGP's son, Mr Bhullar introduced effectively the beat patrolling system in the township and also involved the Lions and Rotary Club in providing the policemen with motor cycles. Regular meet-the-citizens meetings were also organised in the township by the police. The police also claimed to have started free registration of cases with the SSP and SP having publically stated that they be contacted directly in case of any complaint against the police in SAS Nagar.  |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
NEW YEAR EVE PLANS Chandigarh, December 27 “Like any other day of the year, I will be performing all my duties on December 31 also,” he says. “Will come to the office dot on time as always, do my work diligently, and then leave for the residence in the evening.” Stay back, repose of a nice comfortable sofa set, and watch with family New Year Eve special programmes being aired by different channels on the television? “Yes”, he asserts. “But then, there is nothing unusual about it. I do enjoy viewing programmes on the television after a hard day’s work otherwise also. Nothing unusual about it”. Advocate S.K. Garg, along with his brother Dr Surya Parkash, is also planning an evening of fun and frolic on December 31 with his joint family. They, however, do not plan to stay back at home in Panchkula and “watch boring song and dance programmes” on the “idiot box”. “At about 8 pm, we will all fit into two separate cars and zoom down the fast lane of life towards 2003,” he asserts. Giving details, the advocate says, “We all plan to go uphill. No, the idea is not to reach a particular destination on the New Year Eve, but to travel together towards celebrations”. His brother, Dr Parkash, adds, “We will cut along the sharp mountain curves till about 11 pm. Then we will enter the first good hotel-cum-restaurant we reach. There, we will celebrate the occasion till the hands of the clock kiss each other. After the celebrations are over, we will come back”. |
|
Barber snips child’s ear Chandigarh, December 27 This is exactly what happened to a city-based couple whose one-and-half-year-old son’s ear was snipped by a barber while giving him a haircut. The child was rushed to a hospital where he got four stitches. The couple, Mr Sukaant Gupta and wife Ritu, took their son, Chaitanaya, for his second hair cut yesterday to Curly Top in Sector 17. ‘‘I went with my son and maid to the shop where the barber started cutting his hair after seating him on a separate chair. A few minutes later, the child let out a big howl and his ear started bleeding profusely. The ear’s outer skin had been cut and the upper portion of the ear got detached from the lower. I was horrified and rushed him to my husband who was getting his own hair cut at another shop in Sector 17,’’ said Ritu who works as the joint member secretary in the Haryana State Legal Services Authority in the city. ‘‘We rushed Chaitanya to a doctor who gave him four stitches on the ear,” said Sukaant, who is the Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. The barber on the other hand states that it was an accident and with children there was often a chance of getting a nick or a cut as they move a lot. ‘‘But in our 35 years of being in the city this is the first time that a child has been hurt,’’ said an employee. |
|
NCC R-DAY CAMP Chandigarh, December 27 Harleen, from No.4 Punjab Air Squadron, was selected as she had stood first in the national-level gliding championship, held during the Vayu Sainik Camp at Bangalore in October. Meanwhile, on the eve of their departure for New Delhi, cadets selected to represent the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh NCC Directorate at the RDC were engaged in hectic last-minute preparations and giving final touches to their equipment. From fittings and minor alterations to their made-to-order uniforms and mufti to a final touch of paint on aircraft and ship models to re-checking the inventory of items required for cultural presentations, cadets remained on their toes through the day. Not to mention the drill practice. The NCC officers told TNS that six cadets had been specially trained to compete for the Best Cadet at the national level. Apart from regular military activities like drill, firing and obstacle crossing, their training regimen included classes on general awareness and personality development. "We have spent a fair amount of extra effort on them and we expect good results," said Gp Capt Ajay Dudeja, NCC Director, here. Besides 10 cadets, including three from Chandigarh have been shortlisted for selection for the Youth Exchange Programme with friendly foreign countries. The 126-member contingent which leaves for New Delhi tomorrow morning includes 32 girls, including seven from the junior division. Among boys, 46 cadets are from the Army wing,19 from the Air wing and 13 from the Naval wing, besides eight from the junior division. Among girls, 17 cadets are from the Army wing, five from the Air wing and three from the Naval wing. Models of INS Kannanore, a mine sweeper in service with the
Indian Navy, the Mi-4, a chopper once in service with the Indian Air Force, the SAAB Grippen, a Swedish fighter and sail boats are also being carried along for competition. The entire paraphernalia for line and flag area displays, props, dresses and musical instruments for cultural presentations as well as equipment for drill is being ferried to Delhi. All cadets have also been issued brand new sets of uniforms, mufti, regimental track suit, shoes, boots and
accessories. |
|
Religious
leaders to mobilise masses Chandigarh, December 27 As a first step in this direction, a joint meeting of the Health Department officials and local Muslim leaders was convened at the UT Guest House here in Sector 6 yesterday. Attended by city Mayor Lalit Joshi and Municipal Commissioner M.P. Singh, it was organised with a view to mobilise public support for the Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign in Chandigarh through the religious heads. The decision to implement the different programmes in several parts of the city, including the pulse polio campaign, with the assistance of religious organisations and leaders is being seen as a significant step as, according to the Health Department officials, “in our present social setup, the word of religious heads is believed to be that of the God by the masses.” “It is Gospel truth,” an official said. “No one likes to be instructed even if the matter involves the health of their child. It is hard fact of life”. He added: “On the other hand, everyone follows the advice of religious heads not merely because of the importance they enjoy in our society but also because of the fact that at most of the places they are seen as opinion leaders. If they make an announcement, people make sure that their wishes are complied with. That is the reason why it was decided to get in touch with the religious heads”. Giving details of the meeting between the health authorities and the religious leaders, Mayor Lalit Joshi said: “It was held to formulate strategies to mobilise public support for the Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign — 2003”. She added: “Cooperation of the religious leaders for ensuring maximum coverage and success of the campaign was sought during the meeting. The Imams, after being briefed about the benefits of the campaign, were also requested to issue appeals to the devotees during the prayer hours.” The heads, she asserted, were asked to urge the gathering to get their kids immunised without delay. They were also requested to inform the congregation about the objective of eradicating the polio menace from the root by bringing children under five years to attend the camps being held on January 5 and February 9 next year”. Another Health Department official added that such meetings with religious heads would be held regularly in different parts of the city “to ensure complete coverage and success of the programme”. |
|
Scheme
to build flats for slum-dwellers Chandigarh, December 27 The Chairman of the Federation, Dr M.L. Khurana, met the registrar, Cooperative Societies-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. Ramsekhar. The administration asked the federation to present a detailed proposal within the next few days. Dr Khurana said the cost of each flat would be Rs 50,000. A total of 50 per cent would be met through available subsidy of the Government of India and the rest would be loans raised through the Chandigarh State Federation of Cooperative House Building Societies (Housefed), said Dr Khurana. For this, the Chandigarh Administration would have to declare Housefed as the implementing agency. Dr Khurana was accompanied by the Chairman of the Housefed, Mr Sunil Parti, and its directors, Mr Surjit Chaudhary, Mr Balwinder Cheema and Mr Kulwant Singh Gill. Mr Parti claimed that during the meeting with Mr Ramsekhar Housefed represented that societies should be allowed to transfer share of members in the name of other eligible members under the scheme. The existing condition of obtaining the approval of the Registrar Cooperative Societies should be done away with. Also Housefed apprised the DC of the fact that it wanted to give loans to people who had purchased the allotments through General Power of Attorney. The same had been forwarded to the DC for onward transmission for approval of the administration. Housefed also asked the Chandigarh Administration to relax the conditions for completion of housing projects. Since societies were clubbed together, the matters of completion certificate and building plans needed to be sorted out. |
|
Pind Bachao Committee demands better deal Chandigarh, December 27 Instead of providing urban development , the villagers were uprooted and slums developed as they were a ready vote bank for politicians. However, despite assurances from various quarters, the 5,000 families who were uprooted have not been rehabilitated. The president of the committee, Mr Angrez Singh, said the Town and Country Planning Department should provide for equal pace of development for villages as well as urban areas. At present, the UT was treating its villagers as below average citizens, even worse than illegal slum dwellers and migrants living in colonies. The committee, in a memorandum to the UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), demanded the setting up of a rural shelter, a totally subsidised rehabilitation scheme at the earliest. Also the “lal dora” should be extended in the 22 villages on priority basis before any acquisition are carried out. The “lal dora” has not been extended since 1986. It also demanded to provide 50 per cent reservation with special relaxation for jobs to rural youth who were uprooted when acquisitions took place. |
|
Police
intensifies patrolling in Raipur Rani area Panchkula, December 27 While residents of the area allege that it was an attempt to rob the bus near Pyarewala village, the police says otherwise. According to the police, the residents had themselves tried to stop the bus so as to board it. However, patrolling has been intensified to avoid such instances in future, said Superintendent of Police, Ranbir Singh Sharma. The incident took place in the wee hours on the morning of December 12. According to information available, the bus (HP-18-0317) was going from Baijnath to Dehradun via Panchkula. As the bus neared a saw mill on the outskirts of the village, the road was found to be blocked with wooden planks. As the driver, Pawan Kumar , got out of the bus to clear the road, at least two Punjabi-speaking miscreants tried to board the bus. As the bus driver and conductor tried to push them away and tried to flee from the scene, the miscreants pelted stones at the bus. Alarmed, the bus driver managed to escape from the scene and straight away drove to the Naraingarh police station at about 4 am. The Naraingarh police then called the Raipur Rani police and the latter registered a report in Daily Diary. |
|
Freedom
Fighters’ pension Chandigarh, December 27 |
|
Gold chain found Chandigarh, December 27 |
Two hurt in mishap Chandigarh, December 27 According to the police, the driver of the car was in an inebriated state. Purshotam, a resident of Palsora, who was walking along with the rehri carrying sugarcane was hit by one of the vehicles. The driver of the jeep, Vikram Jeet, and Purshotam were admitted to the Sector 32 GMCH. The driver of the car has been arrested. |
|
Duplicate
jeans seized Chandigarh, October 27 The seizure was made following a complaint by representatives of the multi-national companies. A police official said Mr Sanjay Sachdev, marketing manager of Hi Fashion Clothing, and Mr Sanjeev Marwaha of Indus Clothing Limited, both based at
Gurgaon, lodged a complaint with the police that the owner of the shop was selling duplicate pairs of jeans under the band name of Numero and Lee Cooper for Rs 450 each. The price of the original product was around Rs 450 each. A case under the Copyright Act and Section 420 of the IPC has been registered by the police. |
|
Man crushed to death Panchkula, December 27 Three arrested: The police has arrested Ashwani Chand, Rajendra and Arjun Kumar on charges of being involved in various cases of theft and burglaries. Intimidation: The police has booked two persons — Nirmal Singh and Jasbir Singh — on charges of intimidating Sukhdev Singh near Kalka, while he was driving towards Rattpur. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
