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MC tightens noose to claim pending water bills
Chandigarh, May 5
The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh has disconnected more than 1,200 water connections in the recent past, following non-payment of water bills.

Sector 38 boy was killed on day of kidnapping
Chandigarh, May 5
It took the Chandigarh Police over 12 hours to just tell the anxious father of the 12-year-old Anurag that his child had been brutally murdered after being kidnapped on April 29.

Grieving father of Anurag (inset) who was murdered in Rajpura, and (right) two youths Narender and Sonu accused of kidnapping and murdering Anurag arrested by Chandigarh Police on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

Sanjay, Gaurav engineered kidnapping
Panchkula, May 5
Three cousins and their friend get together and plan to make quick money. A kidnapping is planned and executed successfully. Their victim is released only when his family pays Rs 1 crore. But their dreams came crashing down.

MASTERS OF THE GAME: Sanjay Nai and Gaurav Bhalla who minutely planned and executed Sachin Garg’s kidnapping. — A Tribune photograph

3-day police remand for Bawa
Panchkula, May 5
Amarjit Bawa, President of the Himachal unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), who was arrested from Simla in a case of wrongful restrain criminal intimidation and assault, was today remanded to police custody for three days.

Amarjit Bawa, President of the Himachal unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), being produced at the Panchkula district courts amidst tight security on Monday. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

Admn says it will not pay power bill arrears to BBMB 
Chandigarh, May 5
Claiming to have petitioned for partner status in power projects of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) the Chandigarh Administration will not be paying any arrears to the BBMB on account power or pay any higher rate for the power it consumes.

UK cops on Mohali youth’s trail
SAS Nagar, May 5
A team of the Hampshire Police is scheduled to visit the township in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old student, Hannah Foster, who was killed in the UK allegedly by Mahinder Pal Singh Kohli, a resident of SAS Nagar. Some British journalists are also here to cover the visit.

Kharar’s only college in dire straits
Kanya Vidyalaya, too, embroiled in controversy
Kharar, May 5
While the very existence of Kharar’s only college, Arya College for Women, is stated to be in danger, the township’s oldest girls’ high school, the college’s sister establishment, is also in dire straits. Both institutes are running from the same premises.

A view of the building of Arya Kanya Vidyalaya in Kharar. The Arya College for Women is housed in the building’s first floor. — Photo Pankaj Sharma

Drunk Home Guard volunteer ‘detained’
Chandigarh, May 5
Agitated residents who had gathered for a jagran in Sector 20, detained a “drunk” Home Guard volunteer on a Police Control Room (PCR) vehicle, who disrupted the function and asked the organisers to pack off in the wee hours of this morning.

COMMUNITY

Coverage of upper floors: reduction of fee sought
Chandigarh, May 5
While welcoming the move to permit coverage on the upper floors of shops in older sectors, the Hotel Association Chandigarh said the heavy fees will act as a deterrent in this case and demanded reduction in fee for conversion.

Wildlife Act to be made more stringent
Chandigarh, May 5
Owners of wildlife trophies, passionate hunters, keepers of private zoos, owners of unusual pets which may generally fall in the category of wildlife animals and even madaris beware. The government of India is planning to make certain policy changes and make the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act more stringent.

Forests Ministry building opens
Chandigarh, May 5
Mr M. K. Sharma, Director-General of Forests and Special Secretary, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, today formally inaugurated the regional office building of the ministry.

Take fire safety steps, cinema owners told
Chandigarh, May 5
Taking note of the compensation awarded to the Uphaar Cinema tragedy victims in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation here today asked the cinema hall owners to improve the fire-fighting facilities within a month.

Uphaar tragedy no lesson for city cinemas
Chandigarh, May 5
Nearly five years ago cine-goers enjoying a Bollywood blockbuster in Delhi were caught unawares as the cinema went up in flames. Soon after the incident, safety measures were taken. Some concrete, some on papers. Cinemas in other cities also took steps to prevent such incidents in future.

‘Disrespect’ to Shiva idol
SAS Nagar, May 5
High drama ensued at the Phase IX Shiva temple here today with some members of the temple management committee alleging that the controlling group of the management had ‘‘disrespected the Shiva idol’’ which had been reportedly replaced by a new one recently in the mandir.

Parrot Garden to have lighted tracks
Chandigarh, May 6
Morning and evening walkers in Parrot Garden in Sector 21-A and B will from tomorrow find their tracks lighted with a new arrangement being introduced in the garden. Mayor Subhash Chawla today inaugurated the lighting arrangement.

Water supply scheme inaugurated
SAS Nagar, May 5
The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, has appealed to villagers to constitute panchayats unanimously in their villages in the ensuing panchayat elections. He advised them to select development oriented educated members to the panchayats.

Office records gutted
Chandigarh, May 5
Documents and wood fittings worth Rs 1.5 lakh in the office of the Director of Haryana Fisheries in Mani Majra were today reduced to ashes and two persons were trapped when the building housing the office caught fire due to a suspected short circuit.

VCD case: Dr Bali to file defamation suit
Chandigarh, May 5
Adding a twist to the controversy, the Additional Professor of Cardiology, Dr H.K. Bali, said today that he would soon be filing a defamation suit in the famous VCD case. He also sought a probe into the entire episode by an independent agency

Van, not ambulance, DPRO clarifies
Chandigarh, May 5
Reacting to a news item in Chandigarh Tribune about a scooter being ferried in an ambulance, Moga’s District Public Relations Officer today clarified that “the van in question was not an ambulance”.

Boy missing
Chandigarh, May 5
A 22-year-old boy of Saragpur village has been missing since April 29.

FAUJI BEAT
Defence veterans hold medical camp
TO commemorate the martyrdom of Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Zorawar Singh, the two elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh, a medical camp was organised at Gurdwara Chamkaur Sahib by the Defence Veterans’ Polyclinic, SAS Nagar, and the Health Care India, Chandigarh, on April 25.

• Refixing of seniority

• Unconcern for casualties

LEAF FROM HISTORY
Basanti Devi temple a tribute to Sheetala Mata
COLONIAL times were troubled times for the people of India. The economy was doing poorly. There were no industries to speak of. Agriculture was as heavily taxed as alcohol and tobacco are nowadays. Facilities for education and health care were so sparsely spread on the ground as to be non-existent.

The Basanti devi temple in sector 24

SAVE SUKHNA
Stop ploughing near catchment area of lake
Manual efforts to de-silt the Sukhna lake (shramdaan) is a gimmick and a waste of time, energy and manpower. The answer is mechanical de-silting during summer months. An increase in the height of the dam wall will give temporary increase in volume of water, but this portion will also get silted after a few years.

READERS WRITE
Combat helmet and head protection
IN TV coverage of the recent Iraq war, at one place a British soldier was shown as all smiles after he survived the full impact of a burst of enemy fire (3 to 4 rounds) on his head. His bullet-proof steel helmet had saved his life.

• Civilians with firearms

• Arrogant elected representatives

• True meaning of Tribune

• Destroy beehives at lake

• Rent Act and senior citizens

• ‘Cleaning up’ operation a must

EDUCATION

St John’s boys’ date with ‘Annie’
Chandigarh, May 5
In true Shakespearian style, boys of St John’s High School enacted the roles of women characters with elan in the light-hearted musical play “Annie” staged at Tagore Theatre this morning.

OH BOY! In true Shakespearian style, boys of St John’s High School enact the role of women characters during the staging of a light-hearted comedy ‘Annie’ at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Monday.
— Photo Pawan Sharma

5-day orientation programme begins
Chandigarh, May 5
A five-day orientation programme for Hindi and mathematics teachers started at the State Institute of Education in Sector 32 here today.

Tiny tots splash around
Chandigarh, May 5
It is that time of the year when students of Strawberry Fields look forward to experiencing the thrill of getting into their very own paddling pool. This is an activity which promises not just a break in routine and a cooling of the body and mind but also an occasion to socialise, befriend and bond with one another.

Children of Strawberry Fields ride high on enthusiasm as they splash around in the paddling pool in school on Monday morning.

Portable planetarium at YPS
SAS Nagar, May 5
More than 50 children belonging to the under privileged section of society had a wonderful time here today when they were taken to view some wonders of the universe at the portable planetarium installed at Yadavindra Public School (YPS). These children have been adopted by YPS.

School on ‘public ground’ opposed
Chandigarh, May 5
Resentment prevails among residents of Sector 29 over the reported allotment of a school site on a “public ground”.

SCHOOL WORLD
About Australia
LOCATED in South - West Pacific Ocean, Australia is an island country. To its west lies the Indian Ocean and the island of Tasmania.

COURTS

CM case: next hearing on June 13
Chandigarh, May 5
In a civil suit filed against the Chief Minister of Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, by the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and his son Sukhbir Badal, accusing him of defaming them through the publication of “defamatory” advertisements in various newspapers during Assembly election, was adjourned for June 13 by a local court.