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Spy ring busted, 2 ISI agents held
Chandigarh, February 24
An espionage network, funded by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI and being operated from the city, has been unearthed by the Chandigarh Police.

Two ISI spies — Aabid Mehmood and Mohammed Aarif — being taken for police remand on Monday.
— A Tribune photo

MC levies 2 per cent tax on commercial buildings
Chandigarh, February 24
The annual plan of the Municipal Corporation pegged at Rs 64.57 crore and non-plan estimated budget of Rs 183.48 crore for the financial year 2003-04, adding a burden of 2 per cent tax on commercial buildings and property and 1.5 per cent tax on all Government buildings was passed unanimously here, today.

Budget session of the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh in progress at MC House on Monday.—  A Tribune photograph

Over 50 ‘bonded labourers’ rescued
SAS Nagar, February 24
Twentyseven years after the Union Government banned bonded labour in the country, a Chandigarh-based NGO, in collaboration with the Ropar district administration, on orders of the Punjab Labour Commissioner, today got “released” over 50 labourers reportedly working in bondage at a brick-kiln situated at Lakhnaur village in SAS Nagar sub-division.

REGIONAL BRIEFS

Local girl Candy Brar, who has made to the finals of the Gladrags Mega Model-2003, was in Chandigarh on Monday.
— A Tribune photograph

	Jagat assistant manager held February 24, 2003
	Panel upholds charges of sports funds misuse February 23, 2003
	Petrol dealers to join nationwide stir February 22, 2003
	MC deficit may rise further February 21, 2003
	Cops given clean chit February 20, 2003
	Girls charge teacher with molestation February 19, 2003
	MC okays changes in auction rules February 18, 2003
	Drunken medicos misbehave with girls February 17, 2003
	PU Syndicate comes to the aid of law students February 16, 2003
	Love birds fly to Himachal February 15, 2003

Spring from Belarus Chandigarh, February 24 Spring came a little early to Chandigarh. When the Kappanika troupe from Belarus danced and sang with spring in their step and wearing flowery headgears the troupe made the audience at Tagore Theatre forget the winter chills. A troupe from Belarus performs in Tagore Theatre on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

Conditional tests find favour with students
Chandigarh, February 24
There has reportedly been an increase in the number of students appearing for conditional tests in city colleges this year as compared to the previous years. While conditional tests began in some of the colleges today, these will be conducted in other colleges shortly.

PU not to accept “care of” forms
Chandigarh, February 24
Panjab University has decided not to accept examination forms of private candidates who have given their address under "care of" of institutions instead of their actual residential or permanent address.

COMMUNITY

The Kala Gram Utsav concluded on Monday with a show of Haryanvi dances. Three renowned folk artistes from Haryana- Ishwar Sharma, Sarita Choudhary and Mahavir Guddu sang ragini while a dance troupe presented khoria and dadwal dances. Besides the main programme there were other dance numbers that pulled the audience which included jindwa and bhangra from Punjab, Sidhi and Dhaman from Gujarat. Two city- based sufi singers Mansoor Ali and Alamgir presented Sufiana kalam. On the concluding day various stalls in the crafts bazar did brisk business while the food stalls which provided Rajasthani and Punjabi traditional dishes proved to be another major attraction for the visitors.

Surjewala denies report on beef eating by Vajpayee
Chandigarh, February 24
The All-India President of the Indian Youth Congress, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, today denied that his party had ever accused the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, of eating beef.

Modi stops over in city
Chandigarh, February 24
The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr Narendra Modi, briefly stopped at Chandigarh Airport while on his way to Himachal Pradesh for election campaign.

MUNICIPAL POLL
2 file papers
Kharar, February, 24
The process of filing the nomination papers for the coming municipal elections of Kharar has started and two candidates filed their nomination papers in the office of Kharar, SDM, Mr Sukhwinder Singh Gill, here today. Meanwhile no nomination paper have been filed for the Kurali MC.

Encroachment on govt land?
Kharar, February 24
A private Company of New Delhi which had purchased a piece of land measuring 8.28 acres from Kharar Textile Mills, a unit of National Textile Corporation, owned by the Union Government, of India, has allegedly encroached upon a piece of land measuring 2 acres.

LEAF FROM HISTORY
An old library in a new city 
The written word has been the most democratic and the cheapest form of transmitting knowledge. It also has the added advantage of having a longer life, being relatively fixed in time and available to the recipient without any interlocutor.

FAUJI BEAT
Centre for defence  studies needs faculty
THE Centre for Defence and National Security Studies (CDNSS) of Panjab University, has been facing difficulty over the past few years to get teachers with the requisite qualifications. As a result, the posts of a professor and a lecturer are lying vacant.

Recruitment rules IMTRAT’s raising day

Kargil on air map

READERS WRITE Blots on the face of City Beautiful THERE are certain blots on the face of the City Beautiful which need to be removed immediately by the authorities. Repeatedly, the issue has been brought to the notice of Municipal Corporation, but there has been no result so far. Stray cattle and dogs continue to roam the roads and streets.

Baba Hardev Singh birth anniversary
Chandigarh, February 24
The local unit of the Sant Nirankari Mandal observed the birth anniversary of Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj as 'Guru Pooja Divas' here yesterday. The samagam started at Nirankari Satsang Bhavan, Sector 30.

• Employees plan march to Delhi

• Amarinder to meet Press

• Prasad appointed BJP spokesman

• Underweight Verka pouch

CRIME

Burglary in Panchkula house
Panchkula, February 24
Cash and jewellery worth Rs. 30,000 has been reportedly stolen from the Sector 12-A house of a Zirakpur businessman, Harinder Kothari, while the family was away to Sirsa.

Body sent for autopsy after 24 hrs
Zirakpur, February 24
After a delay of 24 hours, the body of Joginder Sahani, a 19-year-old labourer from Amsaar village in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh who was electrocuted to death in Shalimar Enclave Colony at Dhakauli village, near here, on Saturday, was sent to Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination yesterday.

Charas seized
Chandigarh, February 24
At least 19 grams of charas was seized from Shiva ,alias Shalu, in Sector 25 here on Monday. The suspect, a resident of Sector 25, has been remanded in judicial custody. A police official said he was involved in at least five cases of theft, snatching and assault.

BUSINESS

MIA forms TQM foundation
SAS Nagar, February 24
The Mohali Industries Association (MIA) has formed a Total Quality Management (TQM) foundation, the governing body of which will comprise of seven members. Stating this at a press conference here today, Mr B.S. Baidwan, the president of the MIA, said the step was taken to promote the culture of TQM, modern R&D design, world-class management and environment conservation for raising the acceptability of their products.

MARKET PULSE
Max Insurance projects threefold growth
Chandigarh, February 24
Max New York Life Insurance Company expects its premium income for the current year to increase threefold compared to that of last year. The company had last year earned a premium income of Rs 38 crore. “We are doubling sales and tripling revenues,” said Anuroop ‘Tony’ Singh, the CEO and Managing Director of Max New York Life (MNYL), in an interview here yesterday.

Indian oil check and win draw

Chandigarh, February 24 Indian Oil held a lucky draw for its customers who had participated in ‘‘Check and Win Campaign’’ at its retail outlets in the city from February 10 to 16.  Mr Sanjay Kumar (second from left), Labour Commissioner, Punjab, takes out the lucky draw organised by the Indian Oil in Chandigarh on Monday. Also in the picture (from left to right) are Mr J.P. Singh (DGM), Mr M.L. Toora (CJM) and Mr P.C. Mehta. — A Tribune photograph

LPG project
Chandigarh, February 24
Energy Infrastructure India Ltd has set up an LPG project targeting distribution of domestic, commercial and industrial LPG in the western and northern region of the country, said Mr Arun Sharma, Director, Arshya Agencies, Mani Majra, here today.

EDUCATION

FROM SCHOOLS
Stone of school building laid
Dera Bassi, , February 24
‘‘Good educational background of children makes nation’s future bright . For a bright future one should give good educational opportunities to children.’’ This statement was made by Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal, while addressing a gathering at the annual function of Lord Mahavir Public School, here on Monday.

Exhibition on Kalpana

Police remand for Ravinder 
Chandigarh, February 24
Former Assistant Manager of the Jagat cinemas, Ravinder Kumar, who is the main suspect in the murder of Harjinder Singh, manager of the Kiran and Jagat cinema was today produced in a local court and remanded in police custody. He was arrested by the police yesterday.

CULTURE

Meeting on modern heritage
Chandigarh, February 24
The second Asian regional meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre on modern heritage was held at Government Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10 today. Inaugurating the meeting, the Chandigarh Administrator and Punjab Governor, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), said the initiative by UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre to hold its meeting in Chandigarh was a testimony of the value that the apex world body assigned to the heritage of City Beautiful.

ADMINISTRATION

Property conversion policy approved
Chandigarh, February 24
The Chandigarh Administration today approved the policy for converting commercial as well as Industrial property in the city from leasehold to freehold. The UT Administrator, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), approved the policy. 

PUDA removes encroachments
SAS Nagar, February 24
In a day long operation, a team of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority cleared over one acre of prime land skirting Mohali village here of encroachments.

Interview for MC post held