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10-day holiday bonanza for govt staff
Chandigarh, April 10
Juggle with casual leave by taking two days of leave on April 16 and 17 to enjoy 10 days of holidays. The sequence of holidays announced by the government fits in so nicely in this scheme that employees of the Punjab Government, the Chandigarh Administration and the Central Government are in for a ‘‘mega weekend’’.

Bitter pill for doctors
Chandigarh, April 10
After cracking the whip on persons practising quackery, it is the fake MD degrees of some doctors, in this era of super specialisation, which have come under the scrutiny of the UT Health department.

TRIBUNE IMPACT
Overloaded ‘school vans’ challaned
Chandigarh, April 10
In less than 24 hours after the plight of schoolchildren, stuffed in private ‘school vans’, was highlighted by Chandigarh Tribune, these vehicles were challaned for ‘overloading’. Though the exact data was not available, a senior officer of the Chandigarh Police said that raids would be conducted in future also.

Medicinal plants wither away Panchkula, April 10

Hundreds of exotic medicinal plants, meant for making Ayurvedic medicines, in the state-run Institute of Alternative Medicine here have dried up in the past two years. Inspite of a water sprinkling system installed here, these plants have not been watered for several months as there is no gardener to look after these plants. Dry Days: Dried and stunted medicinal plants at the state-run Institute of Alternative Medicine (shown in the backdrop) at Panchkula. — A Tribune photograph

DSP to probe charges against ex-VC
Chandigarh, April 10
Acting on a criminal complaint against a former Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University, Mr M.M. Puri, forwarded by the university to Chandigarh Police, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Rajesh Kumar, today directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police, South, Mr S.C. Sagar, to conduct a thorough probe into the matter.

PGI OPDs open on holidays
Chandigarh, April 10
The OPD at the PGI will remain open during the forthcoming holidays. The Government Medical College and Hospital has also decided to run the facility on April 15.

COMMUNITY

Unions urge HUDA to implement pension scheme
Panchkula, April 10
Representatives of various HUDA employees unions yesterday met the Chief Administrator, Haryana Urban Development Authority, and urged him to expedite the implementation of the pension scheme for over 7,000 employees of the department.

Experts against crop diversification

Chandigarh, April 10 It would be difficult to implement the scheme of crop diversification in Punjab as its result would be a disaster for the state farmers. Stating this in a presentation at a seminar on “Is crop diversification the answer to agricultural crisis?”, Dr H.S. Shergill, Professor, Economics, Panjab University, added that the sheer quantum of area involved as well as its financial implications were too great.

Prof G.S. Bhalla, Professor Emeritus, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (second from right), makes a point during a seminar on crops diversification in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Police to act tough with trouble makers
Chandigarh, April 10
In light of two youths being murdered over slight provocation in the past one week in the city, the Chandigarh police today decided to act tough with trouble makers. Certain trouble-prone pockets in the city have also been identified.

Bank staff resent ‘anti-employee’ policies Chandigarh, April 10
Employees of Punjab State Cooperative Bank and Land Mortgage Bank today held a dharna in front of Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. in Bank Square, Sector 17. Various unions, under the banner of the Employees’ Mahasangh, Punjab, protested against “anti-employee policies” followed by the Additional Registrar and the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Punjab.
A rally of the Land Mortgage Bank Employees Union, Punjab, in progress at Sector 17 on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph.

ULTA PULTA Modern ‘Devdas’  IF Aishwarya Rai is today’s ‘Paro’, then Salman Khan is surely the modern ‘Devdas’. Like Devdas, the bottle has become an inseparable part of Salman’s life. But this “Devdas” in his drunken stupor can also kill rare bucks and run down people in his car.

Devotees throng Mansa Devi Panchkula, April 10 Hundreds of devotees visited the Mata Mansa Devi shrine on Ashtami, eighth day of the Navratras, here. Barbers and Brahmins had a field day while performing mundan ceremonies and collecting donations.
Make hay...before the sun sets: Barbers and Brahmins reap last-minute harvests on Ashtami during the Navratras as devotees get the mundan performed; and (right) a goat being donated to a Brahmin at the Mata Mansa Devi shrine on Wednesday. — Photos: Parvesh Chauhan.

DEBATE: SAVE SUKHNA
Wet-dredging no solution
THE UT Administration has taken a series of measures during the past four years to save the eco-system in and around Sukhna Lake. The first was to stop siltation by developing vegetation on the hills. In the past three and a half years, 180 silt retention dams were constructed. With this siltation which was 160 metric tonnes in 1987-88, has been reduced to a nominal 5.6 metric tonnes per hectare in 2001-2002. Multi-layered forest cover on Shivalik was a great success.

CRIME

Company dupes job-seekers
Chandigarh, April 10
April 1 turned out to be a nightmare for many job aspirants of the city who have been allegedly duped by a fake company on the pretext of getting them jobs on this day. Many aspirants who had deposited security amount ranging from Rs 2000 to 3000 for getting a job were asked by the company to join the office in Sector 17-E on April 1. But when the candidates reached the office, they found the office locked.

5-yr-old crushed to death
Panchkula, April 10
A five-year-old child, Viresh, was crushed to death by an unidentified truck on the Panchkula- Zirakpur highway near Devinagar here this morning. The child died on the spot, while the truck driver fled away.

• Lottery agent kills self

• Suicide bid by plus two girl

MARKET PULSE
‘CII Coolex-2003’ gets under way
Chandigarh, April 10
A four-day "CII Coolex-2003", an exposition on air-conditioning and refrigeration, began here today. Leading brands, including LG, Carrier, Aircon, Fedders International, ETA General (P) Ltd., Blue Star, Daikin Shriram Air conditioning (P) Ltd., Voltas, Whirlpool, Hitachi, Bajaj Electrical and Jogi Refrigeration, are participating in this fair.

Bright hues of Rajasthan in city
Chandigarh, April 10
The three-day Rajasthani festival began at Hotel Park View, Sector 24, this morning. Brought to the city for the first time, the festival has a great deal of exclusive items to offer. Apart from the traditional hand woven fabrics that are a speciality of Rajasthan, the show also boasts of a rich collection of jewellery.

EDUCATION

All-girls NCC team to mount Everest
Chandigarh, April 10
In the first-ever expedition of its kind, an all-girls team is being prepared by the NCC to conquer Mt Everest, the world’s highest summit. The purpose of organising the expedition is to commemorate the golden jubilee of the first expedition organised to scale the peak 50 years ago, plus to give an opportunity to the cadets to scale new heights.

NIFD summer courses from April 14
Chandigarh, April 10
The National Institute of Fashion Design, Sector 8, has announced short-term courses in fashion, textile and interior designing. The courses have been launched to meet the growing demand from various quarters as the institute has been closed for summer break.

Food Craft Institute function held Chandigarh, April 10 Trophies, medals and certificates were given away to students for outstanding performance in various activities during the annual day function of the Food Craft Institute, held here today. The UT Finance Secretary, Mr Karan A.Singh, was the chief guest on the occasion, while Mr S P Singh was the guest of honour.
Prize winners from the Food Craft Institute at their annual function in Chandigarh on Thursday.  — Tribune photo Pawan Sharma

Ajit Karam Singh win state-level quiz
Chandigarh, April 10
The state-level HelpAge India All-India Inter-School Quiz Contest at Ajit Karam Singh International Public School in Sector 41 came to an end today with the host school bagging the prize.

SCHOOL WORLD
History
The boy who would be emperor
Instead of concentrating on learning history, at the age of 11, Mirza Zahiruddin Muhammad had begun to make history. His father, Mirza Umar Sheikh, the ruler of Farghana called him Babar, or “The Tiger”. The boy showed all the persistence and cunning of a tiger out to establish an independent range for himself when he ascended the throne of Farghana in June 1494.

School World Helpline
Impact of TV on children
One of the most common parental concerns that I encounter in my clinical practice is regarding excessive TV viewing among children. Parental queries range from the amount of time the child should be allowed to watch TV, whether TV negatively impacts on child's behaviour and academic achievement, and whether the child should be allowed to watch shows with recurrent themes of violence and horror. Parents also seek specific guidelines regarding TV viewing and strategies for modifying the impact of TV on children.

• PU students submit memo

HIGH COURT
Speaking orders
Taking up a petition filed by the “National Federation of Life Insurance of India Class-I Marketing Officers of India” seeking directions to the Union of India and other respondents against filling up the posts of Assistant Branch Manager (Sales) on job rotation basis, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the respondents to pass speaking orders on their plea within three months.

DISTRICT COURTS
CBI asked to file reply
Chandigarh, April 10
Acting on an application moved by Navjot Singh, one of the accused alleged to be involved in the Beant Singh assassination case, the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh, today issued a notice for April 22 to file a reply.

CULTURE

Bharatnatyam expert to start training sessions
Chandigarh, April 10
Navtej Singh Johar has always taken the road less trodden by others. Years ago, he caught the world of Indian classical dance unawares when he entered the female bastion of Bharatnatyam and enriched it with his creative verve. Years later, he is still doing things new and exciting.

NEW RELEASE
Can ‘Hero’ recapture ‘Gadar’ magic?
DIRECTOR Anil Sharma’s pre-Independence venture ‘Gadar’ was one of the biggest hits of 2001. Will his new directorial film ‘The Hero — Love Story of a Spy’ be able to match the pace and grace of ‘Gadar’ in 2003? Quite likely, going by the talent of Sharma’s team and the pre-release reports of the film. Time Movies ‘The Hero’ is ready to take centrestage at Piccadily, Chandigarh, and K.C. Panchkula.

SPORTS

GMSSS-37 girls emerge winners
Chandigarh, April 10
Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, emerged overall winner in the girls section while Government Senior Secondary School, Karsan, bagged the overall championship in boys section in the UT Inter-School Athletics Championship organised at the Sector 7 Sports Complex.

ADMINISTRATION

• New SDM joins Mohali