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TOP STORIES

CIVIC BODY POLL
Panchkula elects first MC today
Panchkula, January 18
Panchkula elects its first Municipal Council tomorrow. The top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Lok Dal is taking a personal interest in these elections, So, the stakes are high, with political heavyweights of both parties having participated in door-to-door campaigning to ensure a clean sweep.. The top leader of both parties have been camping here for the past four days, canvassing for their candidates and managing the rebels, lending colour to the elections.

No vehicles to ply in town today
Panchkula, January 18
Panchkula will be off limits for all practical purposes tomorrow. According to an order passed by the administration today, no vehicle, other than the ones passing on the National Highway within the township and public buses, will be allowed to ply within the limits of Panchkula Municipal Council.

Lull before the poll in Panchkula
Panchkula, January 18
The township witnessed a lull before the voters here decide the fate of 199 candidates at the hustings tomorrow. The colourful campaigning, which had reached a frenzy over the past three days, gave way today to indirect campaigning by way of distributing votes in various houses by candidates or by campaigning on telephone.

Poisoning case: girl dies at GMCH
Chandigarh, January 18
The 13-year-old Sushma Rai of Burail, who was admitted to the GMCH, Sector 32, yesterday along with her sister, Sita and brother, Raju, after being poisoned by their parents, died at the hospital today .

PU decides to have 60-plus DUI
Chandigarh, January 18
Panjab University has decided to appoint a qualifying professor above 60 years of age as the next Dean University Instructions. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Syndicate here today.

Their only daughter has hole in heart Chandigarh, January 18 Little Isha, being a frequent visitor to the PGI eversince her birth, always wanted to be like the Doctor Uncle who treated her. However, with a hole in her heart and a leaking valve, the chances of her dream coming true appear bleak, as her parents cannot afford the cost of surgery.

Teenaged girl crushed to death
Panchkula, January 18
A 15-year-old helmetless girl was crushed to death by a speeding truck on the road dividing Sectors 7 and 8 this evening. The victim, Lipsy, who was studying in Class IX, was riding pillion with her mother, Mrs Anu on a TVS Scooty, and was going to visit her grandmother.

‘India’s most wanted’ in city cops’ custody
Chandigarh, January 18
The police personnel of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttaranchal are on the hot trail of a notorious gangster, Nazim, alias Shamim, who is in custody of the Chandigarh Police. A record number of 78 cases stand against the dreaded contract killer and his associates. Nazim has also featured in an episode of the India’s most wanted.

COMMUNITY

PUDA fails to implement ban on park use
SAS Nagar, January 18
The PUDA authorities are making a mockery of their own ban on the use of developed parks here for private functions by failing to turn away residents approaching them for permission for such use.

Cold claims 2 more lives
Chandigarh, January 18
The cold wave sweeping across the region for the third consecutive week provided little respite as Ludhiana shivered at 1.9°C. Mercury in Chandigarh dipped to 2.4°C while Ambala groaned at 2.2°C, the meteorological office said today.

Cold wave unabated
Chandigarh, January 18
The cold wave sweeping across the region for the third consecutive week provided little respite as Ludhiana shivered at 1.9°C. Mercury in Chandigarh dipped to 2.4°C while Ambala groaned at 2.2°C, the meteorological office said today.

Artificial limbs for 50 poor patients
Chandigarh, January 18
Fifty poor patients will benefit from the Artificial Limbs Project of the Rotary Club Chandigarh Midtown, with the Nevedac Prosthetic Centre offering special concession. Mr Hemant K. Arora, District Governor of Rotary 3080, visited the Nevedac Prosthetic Centre at Zirakpur today in connection with the project. Under the project, 18 poor and disabled persons have already been fitted with artificial limbs, donated through the Jyot Charitable Trust.

BJP leader takes up fake I-card issue
Panchkula, January 18
The issue of fake voter’s identity cards by the district administration has caught the attention of the top brass of the BJP, as the party’s national vice-president, Dr Harsh Vardhan, was sent to take up the issue with the State Election Commission.

Verka pouch found ‘underweight’             
Chandigarh, January 18
A resident of Ram Darbar Colony today claimed that he found a pouch (500 ml) of Verka milk underweight. Mr Ashok Kumar, a grocery trader, claimed that he had purchased the pouch and got suspicious about its weight while he was carrying it home.

Club membership
Chandigarh, January 18
Young couples who find it difficult to get membership of any club due to exorbitant fees, will now get a chance to become members of the newly established Chandigarh Country Club. The club has been set up in Shivalik Vihar, Naya Gaon, near the Punjab and Haryana secretariat.

CRIME

Woman booked in cheating case
Chandigarh, January 18
The local police has registered a case of cheating U/S 420 of the IPC against Asha Rani w/o Nirmal Singh of Sector 55 in the police station of Sector 39 on the complaint of Rajinder Singh. The complainant has accused the woman of duping him of Rs 1.05 lakh, promising a job for him. She got the money in advance but did not arrange the job.

Delhi lawyer ‘assaulted’ in Sector 17
Chandigarh, January 18
A Delhi-based lawyer today alleged that he was assaulted inside a garment store in Sector 17 where he had gone along with a process server of a local court, to serve summons issued by a Delhi court. A daily diary Report has been lodged at the Sector 17 police station.

EDUCATION

Placement smiles return to UBS
Chandigarh, January 18
With the resurgence of domestic economy, glow has returned to the faces of the students of the Panjab University Business School. Students and teachers are happy that, in spite of retrenchment trends, service- sector companies are making a beeline to recruit the UBS students.

Students get diplomas at convocation
Chandigarh, January 18
About 150 students of professional courses being run by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Sector 27, were awarded diplomas at a convocation held here today. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lieut-Gen Shamsher Singh Mehta, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Applications invited
Chandigarh, January 18
The Government Institute for Mentally Retarded Children, Sector 32, has invited applications for admission to the foundation course on education of children with disabilities through distance mode.

Two-wheelers’ rally Chandigarh, January 18

Over 500 women participated in the Save Oil Two-Wheeler Women’s Rally 2003, organised today as part of the Oil Conservation Fortnight. The rally was flagged off by the Commissioner, MC, Chandigarh Mr M.P. Singh, from Law Ground in Panjab University. Students participate in the Save Oil Two-Weeler Women’s Rally-2003 that was flagged off from Panjab University, in Chandigarh on Saturday. — Photo Manoj Mahajan

School honours teachers
Chandigarh, January 18

The annual prize distribution function of the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 40, was held here today. The Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Mr M.P. Singh, was the chief guest on the occasion. Students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 40, present a bhangra on the occasion of their annual prize-distribution function in Chandigarh on Saturday.

COURTS

Admn likely to file appeal in jailbreak case
Chandigarh, January 18
IN view of the sensitivity of the jailbreak case, the UT administration is likely to file an appeal against the order passed by a lower court acquitting all 10 persons under the Explosives Act. The court has, however, convicted two accused for cheating and forgery. Legal luminaries say a decision in this regard will be taken in a few months by the official concerned.

CULTURE

K. L. Saigal’s death anniversary
Legendary singer’s memory grows stronger
Chandigarh, January 18
More than fiftysix years after his death, legendary singer Kundan Lal Saigal still lives in the hearts of many music lovers who cherish the small collection of his recorded songs. Had his crystal clear, subtle and still strong voice not spilled magic years ago, when he was at the zenith of glory, the many organisations in the city would not have been remembering the star singer on the occasion of his death anniversary which falls today. Saigal had died on January 18 in 1947, after having tasted success which music and films brought him in plenty.

FILM REVIEW
Love stories about ‘dil’, ‘jism’
‘Dil Ka Rishta’ (KC) is a beautiful romantic story. The lead pair, Aishwarya Rai and Arjun Rampal, fits in smoothly into the love story full of obsession and passion. Under all covers of complexities and misunderstandings the stream of love flows unabated with serenity. Ashok Mehta as the cinematographer has captured the scenic settings impressively.

HEALTH

New alternative to hysterectomy
Chandigarh, January 18
Women suffering from the problem of heavy bleeding during menstruation, yet reluctant to go in for hysterectomy now have the option of uterine balloon therapy ablation, introduced in the city for the first time.

SPORTS

Kapil Dev to be honoured today
Chandigarh, January 18
It was a befitting welcome to the ace cricketer Kapil Dev, ‘Wisden’s Indian Cricketer of the Century, when a road show was organised by the UT Cricket Association. The main attraction of the show was the designed float carrying the giant card. The show was flagged off from Sector 17 by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. Ramsekhar. It gathered momentum as it passed through various sectors of the city from Sectors 17 to 24, from Sectors 26 to 38 and then from Sectors 7 to 14.