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MC POLL
INLD ‘gets road repaired’
Violation of code of conduct alleged

Panchkula, January 15 The ruling Indian National Lok Dal is leaving no stone unturned ‘literally’ at least on the road leading to its election office in Sector 6 here. In violation of the model code of conduct, the ruling party got the road in front of the party office recarpeted to ensure a smooth ride for party candidates to the office — if not in the elections.

Potholes on the road leading to the Indian National Lok Dal election office in Sector 6 being repaired by HUDA employees in violation of the model code of conduct. — Photo Parvesh Chauhan

• Fake I-cards issued, allege candidates

HIKE IN PROPERTY TAX
Mayor opposes Admn’s proposal
Chandigarh, January 15
The property tax imposed by the municipal corporation on commercial and government buildings at the rate of 2 per cent of the annual rent is still not going down well with the Chandigarh Administration, which has recently indicated that it wants the rate to be hiked to 10 per cent as notified earlier.

Fire in cooperative bank Chandigarh, January 15 The establishment branch of the Haryana State Cooperative, Agriculture and Rural Development Bank was here today gutted in a fire that spread panic in Sector 22. Fire engines engaged in dousing fire in the Haryana State Cooperative, Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Limited building in Sector 22 in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

29 protesting panchayat secys held

Chandigarh, January 15 The Chandigarh Police once again swooped down on agitating dismissed panchayat secretaries of Punjab here today and arrested 29 of them. All of them were later sent to judicial custody in Burail Jail by a local court. With this the total number of panchayat secretaries sent to judicial custody, so far, has reached 85. Chandigarh Police personnel arrests panchayat secretaries in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Haryana asked to deposit money for laying pipeline
Panchkula, January 15
The excessive cost of laying the pipeline from Sector 39 waterworks to Panchkula is coming in way of Haryana getting its due share of water from Punjab under the Chandigarh Water Supply Augmentation Bhakra Main Line Kajauli scheme.

We are better: cell operators; we are cheaper: WiLL
Chandigarh, January 15
As the war between cellular phone operators and limited mobility telephony hots up, the two sides have begun to question the sophistication of technology being offered by either side to provide mobile phone services to the subscribers.

• Airtel, Spice told to restore calls with Connect

COMMUNITY

‘Wild’ guest visits township SAS Nagar, January 15 The township had a surprise visitor today. A female sambar strayed into the courtyard of a Phase X house early this morning and stayed there for over 10 hours, after which it was taken in a specially designed vehicle by officials of the Wild life Department and released in the wild. TRAPPED: A sambar at a Phase X house in SAS Nagar on Wednesday. — Tribune photo Pankaj Sharma

Canvassing for MC posts gains momentum
SAS Nagar, January 15
Elections to the posts of the senior vice-president and the vice-president of the municipal council here have been tentatively fixed for January 20 and canvassing by councillors has begun to pick up. The terms of the two incumbents expired on January 3.

Save Rs 20 crore through oil conservation: experts
Chandigarh, January 15
Residents of the city, which has the highest per capita cars and two-wheelers in the country, can save crores of rupees through simple methods of oil conservation, without investing any money in technological upgradation of their vehicles. However, they would have to be more careful, while using their vehicles.

Army Day celebrated Chandigarh, January 15 The Army Day was celebrated at the Western Command headquarters in Chandi Mandir here today. The occasion was marked by a wreath-laying ceremony at the command war memorial , Veer Smriti, to pay homage to the valiant soldiers who laid down their lives in the defence of the nation.  The Chief of Staff, Western Command, Lieut-Gen H.S. Kanwar, going to lay a wreath at Veer Smriti on Army Day in Chandi Mandir on Wednesday.

BJYM campaign
Chandigarh, January 15
The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) here today launched a signature campaign to impress upon UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to declare Pakistan a “terrorist” state.

Police seeks help of Commandant
SAS Nagar, January 15
The police here today sought the help of the Commandant, Commando Complex, Phase XI, in the investigation into the murder of watchman Vir Sahai in a house in Phase XI yesterday.

EATING OUT Beat the chill with dumpukht Chandigarh, January 15 The near-zero temperatures in the past couple of weeks that made Chandigarhians shiver to even step out of the quilt, let alone go out for eating, had restaurateurs thinking overtime to lure them to their joints and see a rise in the slump in business. Dumpukht cuisine at the buffet in Cinnamon Roof, Sector 17, Chandigarh. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

• Workshop for mediapersons

CRIME

Cloth merchant murdered
Dera Bassi, January 15
A Ambala-based cloth merchant, Mukesh Kumar Kapoor, who had come to collect business dues here was found murdered in Amlala village near here last night. The body of the merchant had multiple wounds on his chest and strangulation marks on the neck.

Motor cyclist killed in mishap
Chandigarh January 15
Sanjay Khastri died after the motor cycle he was riding skidded near Housing Board traffic lights point here this evening. As per police sources, Sanjay was declared brought dead by doctors at the PGI. He was residing with his brother-in-law at Chandi Mandir cantonment.

BUSINESS

Sector 35 market goes hi-tech with latest electronic gadgets on sale
THE Sector 35-B market, housing a large number of electronics shops, is fast developing as a major market of telecommunication devices and computers. The old image of hotel and restaurant lane is still intact, but the business activity in white goods, telecom gadgets and services and computer shops is changing the complexion of the market.

Reliance starts phone booking
Chandigarh, January 15
Instead of following the traditional retail marketing channels, Reliance Infocomm Limited (RIL) has started booking connections for its WiLL services launched at the national level. It has authorised about 1,000 dealers in the region to accept bank drafts in the name of the company to release the connections.

EDUCATION

City boy wins IIT award for yoga project
Chandigarh, January 15
A research project on management of diabetes through the practice of yoga has bagged a city student the first prize in the Inter-Science Talent Discovery Fair, held at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.

Patiala girl upholds NCC honour
Chandigarh, January 15
Breaking the jinx on them cadets of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh NCC Directorate have won the first prize in national integration awareness (NIA) presentation during the ongoing Republic Day camp in New Delhi. Besides, another cadet representing this directorate, Pooja Gill from No.4 Girls NCC battalion, Patiala, has won the first prize in the solo song competition.

Govt schools reopen today Chandigarh, January 15 While government schools in the city will resume regular classes from tomorrow, students of classes II and below in private schools will continue with their holidays. The timings of private schools for classes III and above have been shifted ahead by half an hour.

PU paper for NASA conference
Chandigarh, January 15
After carrying out research on the evolution of the Solar System, Panjab University is to present a paper on its findings at an international conference being organised under the aegis of NASA, in the United States in March.

RI in dowry death case
Chandigarh, January 15
A resident of Palsora, Chaman Lal, was today sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment by the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla, in a case of dowry death.

2 get RI in jailbreak case
Chandigarh, January 15
Two accused in the Burail jailbreak case were sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment by a local court on the charges of forgery and cheating. Satnam Singh and Balwinder Singh were convicted by the UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh, and were fined Rs 4,000 each for committing forgery by mentioning wrong address and names in the jail record.

CULTURE

Fighting against cultural pollution
Chandigarh, January 15
In a day when majority of the artistes, especially the music fraternity, are busy compromising the rich cultural heritage of Punjab in order to make it big in the entertainment world, Kamal, popularly known as Gulchoo, stands out as one who is willing to put up a fight against this cultural pollution. Miss North India of 1997, Gulchoo, waited for five years to set her career in modelling on the right footing.

Combining cultures through dance

Chandigarh, January 15 Rarely does one find a heartening combination of grace and technique. But in the traditional dance, presented by members of the visiting troupe from Seychelles, there were all elements that make dance one of the finest forms of performing arts. Dancers from Seychelles recreate the magic of traditional dances from the island at Tagore Theatre on Wednesday. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

• Pt Prasanna’s recital today
  

SPORTS

Isha declared best player
Chandigarh, January 15
Isha Sharma a student of the MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, could not have asked for more. She was adjudged the best player of the meet for her excellent performance in the XIVth Chandigarh State Badminton Championship, which concluded here today at the Sector 42 Badminton Hall. Isha had defeated Mala Gaba in (under-19) final and was runner-up in the women singles.

ADMINISTRATION

MC imposes fine for dumping malba
Chandigarh, January 15
The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) has decided to take strict action against those residents dumping malba at sites other than those earmarked for the purpose. MCC officials have decided to constitute special teams for keeping a strict vigil at all such spots, including green belts and vacant plots, where the malba is being dumped without authorisation and impose fine.

100 rehris, pharis removed
Chandigarh, January 15
The Municipal Corporation Enforcement Wing removed around 100 rehris, pharis and encroachments from Sadar Market in Sector 19 here today. The Tesildar (Enforcement), Mr Bhagwan Dass Vishnoi, said the campaign would continue in other sectors for the removal of the encroachment in the city.