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Land allotment policy on pvt schools to change
Residential area schools to shift
Chandigarh, January 9
The policy for allotment of land to primary schools in Chandigarh is all set to change. Also, the last date for closing schools in residential areas may be extended by one year. 

Chill fails to dampen devotees’ spirits
Chandigarh, January 9
Melodious shabads filled the air as devotees celebrated the 337th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh with religious fervour in the city today.

Devotees partake of langar in a gurdwara on the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary, in Chandigarh on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Cold claims one in Ambala
Chandigarh, January 9
One person has died due to the cold in Ambala City on Thursday. The deceased who seemed to be a beggar has not be identified so far. According to information, the body was found in a compartment of the Ambala-Ludhiana passenger train on Thursday. The railway authorities has sent the body to the local Civil Hospital for a post-mortem.

7-year-old girl kidnapped, strangulated
Chandigarh, January 9
A seven-year-old girl was last night kidnapped deceitfully and strangulated to death allegedly by a former neighbour estranged with her parents on a minor drunken brawl on the day of Divali last year in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony here.

MC ELECTIONS
From home ministry to kitchen cabinet
Panchkula, January 9
The advocates of women’s liberation have something to cheer about in this town caught in the election frenzy. For a change, men are promoting their wives, especially the ones in the fray, thanks to the State Election Commission that declared certain wards reserved for women.

Vigorous canvassing by candidates in Panchkula
Panchkula, January 9
With days numbered for the first-ever elections to the Municipal Council here, candidates are going all out to woo the voters. Other than distributing pamphlets to voters, car rallies and processions of candidates are being organised.

CSIO asked to supply 11 more units for LCA
Chandigarh, January 9
The Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has approached the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation here to supply eleven additional units of the head-up display (HUD) for installation on the light combat aircraft (LCA).

COMMUNITY

Traffic police distributes literature

Chandigarh, January 9 In the ongoing campaign to create awareness among the public on road safety measures, the Chandigarh Traffic Police today distributed literature on traffic rules and regulations. The main purpose of today’s drive was to educate the outsiders visiting the city. Policemen distribute road-safety literature in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph.

Senior citizens’ meeting 
Chandigarh, January 9
A general body meeting of members of the Senior Citizen's Welfare Association, Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, was held today under the chairmanship of Justice B.S. Nehra(retd). In his address, Justice Nehra appreciated the efforts of the organisation in achieving its goal.

CPGI Secretaries Welfare Assn
Chandigarh, January 9
Mr Swarnjit Saini and Mr Ram Parkash Sharma have been elected President and Secretary, respectively, of the PGI Secretaries Welfare Association (a representative body of the Private Secretaries and Principal Private Secretaries).

CRIME

Truck hits rickshaw, one killed
Chandigarh, January 9
Jaherulla, father-in-law of a rickshaw-puller, died after the rehri he was riding was hit by a truck near Sectors 32, 33, 45 and 46 roundabout here yesterday. The truck driver was arrested and later released on bail.

BUSINESS

Jacob announces IT policy
Chandigarh, January 9
The Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Lt Gen J.F.R. Jacob, (retd.), today announced a policy for promoting IT- enabled services here. The policy was announced in New Delhi by the Administrator at an exclusive presentation organised for the local IT Department by NASSCOM (National Association of Software Companies) which was attended by 60 Chief Executives of IT and Telecom companies.

City software export touches Rs 125 cr
Chandigarh, January 9
The software export figures in the city is expected to touch Rs 125 crore this year. This was disclosed today by the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the city, Lt-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd). Speaking during a presentation on “Chandigarh — Technology Destination” in Delhi today, the governor invited the leading figures of IT and IT-enabled services industry to visit Chandigarh and see for themselves the quality of infrastructure that was being set up for the industry.

Wedding show opens
Chandigarh, January 9
The four-day wedding show ‘Vivah — 2003’ opened in the city today. The stalls in the exhibition load you with choices to make the wedding an experience of a lifetime. The entrance is marked with designer labels from the likes of Neelam Saxena, Ragini Singhania, Sonu Gandhi, Nandita Marwaha, Ashish Panday and Amarjyot Singh, who indulge in the best of fabrics to deck up the dresses of bride and grooms. 

CORPORATE HONCHO
Coke to launch own tea, coffee
Chandigarh, January 9
Coca Cola India Ltd, the world leader in the soft drink market, is set to launch tea and coffee under the brand name of Georgia in the region. These would be available, in addition to focusing on Kinley mineral water and soda water. The company is making efforts to even out its sales volumes due to seasonal market of soft drinks in India, as the total sale of soft drinks substantially dips during the cold season, says Mr Assem Mathur, Regional Marketing Manager, Coca Cola India.

New insurance scheme
Chandigarh, January 9
Om Kotak Mahindra (OMKM) has launched two retirement plans. The Kotak Retirement Income Plan and the Kotak Capital Multiplier Plan are aimed at helping the Indian consumer start planning for retirement early in life.

EDUCATION

Night schools fail in mission
Chandigarh, January 9
The popularity of night schools in the city which were opened with much fanfare has witnessed a decline. After seeing a phenomenal growth during the past couple of years, such schools are now recording sharp dropout rates with waning student strength and enthusiasm.

2-day workshop at Army Institute of Law
Chandigarh, January 9
The Army Institute of Law will hold a two-day workshop on “Legal Education and Teaching Methodology in present scenario” on its campus on the Sangrur road in Patiala from tomorrow.

NSS volunteers for Kerala
Chandigarh, January 9
Ten NSS volunteers, including six girls, are participating from the Chandigarh regional centre, comprising states of Punjab, Himachal Pardesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh, in the Eighth National Youth Festival — 2003, scheduled to be held at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

COURTS

Contempt notice to Defence Ministry
Chandigarh, January 9
Nearly 38 years after a trooper lost his both legs and arms in an accident, his counsel has issued a contempt notice to the Ministry of Defence and other authorities for immediate implementation of Lok Adalat orders regarding the payment of disability pension.

DISTRICT COURTS
Ranjit Bajaj, others remanded
Chandigarh, January 9
Ranjit Bajaj, a son of a senior Punjab bureaucrat couple, and his two accomplices, Naresh and Maninder, were remanded in judicial custody by a local court today. The trio had been arrested in connection with a theft case from Sector 23. Ranjit Bajaj had allegedly stolen a Maruti car to help out his friend, Maninder, in securing spares for his car, claimed the police.

CULTURE

NEW RELEASE An action-packed love story “Love is a wonderful feeling... until it happens to your daughter.” Watch this catchline in Gulshan Kumar’s movie, a production of Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., and Anubhav Sinha Productions Pvt Ltd, “Aapko Pehle Bhi Kahin Dekha Hai”. This one opens today at Jagat, Chandigarh, and Suraj, Panchkula. Delhi boy model-turned actor Priyanshu Chatterjee is upbeat about this film. This is his second film with T-Series after ‘Tum Bin’.

Fits & starts as evening OPDs reopen
Chandigarh, January 9
Faced with the mammoth task of running the evening OPD with skeletal staff and little help from the Health Ministry, the PGI today resumed the facility with the hope that the adamant resident doctors would finally join in, realising that without their participation, keeping the show running could prove to be an uphill task.

SPORTS

N. Chuaba Singh wins 200-m race
Chandigarh, January 9
N.Chuaba Singh of L and C won the 200 metre final race on the penultimate day of the 22nd Inter Sector Athletic Meet of the ITBP being, held at Basic Training Centre, Bhanu near Ramgarh. Suresh Pal of J and K II secured second place while Bhim Singh of the Training Centre was adjudged third. In the 800 metres race, Sanjay Kumar of L and C was first while Kashmir Singh of HP bagged second place while Lal Singh of training centre was third.

ADMINISTRATION

Adviser submits joining report
Chandigarh, January 9
The new Adviser to the UT Administrator, Mr Virender Singh, a 1969-batch IAS officer of the UT cadre, submitted his joining report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi yesterday. He is expected to come to Chandigarh on Friday or Monday.