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June 6, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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30 jhuggis gutted SAS Nagar, June 5 Although the specific cause of the fire could not been ascertained, residents of the colony claimed that an overhead high tension electricity wire snapped resulting in sparking on the ground which burnt their belongings. But according to officials of the Fire Brigade, although initially it did seem that an overhead electricity cable had snapped causing the fire, but later it proved to be wrong. “We had a talk with staff of the Electricity Department today and they reported that there was power failure in nearby areas much after the fire had started in the colony. The electricity cables started breaking after the fire started,” said Sub Fire Officer, Mr K.C. Sood, who reached on the spot at 1.50 am. Meanwhile, power supply to nearby areas like Desu Majra etc has been disrupted since last night following damage to electricity wires passing through the colony. The colony residents are yet to give the extent of damage but have been busy since last night trying to salvage household items from the ashes. Relating the extent and intensity of the fire, residents state that the fire raged for over two hours before it could be brought under control by the three fire
engines. Most of the jhuggis were reduced to ashes. |
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Save Water World Environment Day is not just another day. Commemorated each year on June 5, the day is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness about the environment. The theme for the year 2003 is: Water - Two Billion People Are Dying for It! For India, this theme could not have been more relevant. Thanks to the drought conditions in large parts of the country, water shortage has become even more acute. Temperature is soaring. Wells, ponds, baolis, rivulets, tubewells have gone dry. In many areas, water has become costlier than milk. And to top it all, the weatherman has predicted that the monsoon will be delayed this year. The need for conserving water has never been more urgent ! We invite school students to send in original and innovative ideas on how to conserve water for publication in Chandigarh Tribune. The write-up should not exceed 300 words and should be accompanied by a passport size colour photograph. — Editor Platform
Today, because of rising population the need for water has increased manifold though reserves have decreased drastically and the water table is forever falling. And only we can help. Charity, they say, begins at home. We must start with cutting down on water use in our houses, while cooking and bathing, washing and cleaning. The rest comes later. In our everyday chores, every drop we save counts. While brushing and bathing every morning, it helps to fill water in a tumbler and bucket rather than leave the tap running and contribute to wastage when so many people in villages are going without water for days together. Harnessing rain water is another alternative with us. By collecting rain water and allowing it to flow into a deep trench in the ground would help replenish ground water. Watering lawns with recycled water is another step in conserving water. Ours being a primarily agrarian set up requires a lot of water for the fields. Drip irrigation wherein the water is supplied to the roots only instead of filling the entire field with water in an option which ought to be used. Also, factories disposing off sewage and waste in waters must be forced to discontinue this practice of contaminating water and making is unfit for use. Therefore, the need to conserve water is urgent. By not doing this we are endangering not only our survival but that of generations to come. We can live without food but not without water. Aarushi Gupta, Class VII  |
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Will rallies, contests save environment? Chandigarh, June 5 The CII staff planted saplings on their office premises to mark the day. The Environment Society of Haryana started a “Water is Life” campaign at the Indira Colony in Panchkula, urging its residents to avoid misuse of water. Keeping in view the high incidence of water-borne diseases they were instructed to take precautions and refrain from using unsafe drinking water. The Parakeet Eco-Club, Sector 37, organised a rally, an essay-writing competition and an on-the-spot painting contest in this regard. Students carrying banners and placards went through residential areas and the market of the sector. Pamphlets with the logo of World Environment Day, released by the
UNEP, were also distributed among students and public. The Vasumati Environment Club in Sector 37 organised a slogan-writing contest, in which over 200 students participated. Government Model Senior Secondary school, Sector 37 Principal Karan Singh emphasised the importance of preservation of environment. |
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Govt looks to pvt sector for saving environment Panchkula, June 5 Mr Chatterjee was speaking at a workshop on “Human Settlements and Environmental Planning” organised by the Haryana Chapter of the Institute of Town Planners India here today to mark World Environment Day. Over 100 delegates from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh participated in the deliberations. Pointing out the deterioration of environment in big cities, the Director, Town and Country Planning and Chief Administrator,
HUDA, Mr N.C. Wadhwa, emphasised that an attempt should be made to restrict the growth of big cities by promoting small and medium-size towns. The President of the Institute of Town Planners India
(ITPI), Mr D.S. Meshram, stated that the ITPI had already organised five national-level conferences in this regard all over the country. The consultant of NCR, Planning, Mr
R.C. Aggarwal, emphasised the need to amend the Town and Country Planning Acts and also prevailed upon the need to conduct environmental impact assessment appraisals. Speaking on the occasion, space design consultant Vinod Gupta stressed the need of taking local environment into consideration while designing buildings, especially on islands, hills and extreme climates. District Town Planner Anil Kumar Kashyap stressed that environmental information assessment for industrial projects should be undertaken by the public and the government before permission was granted. The delegates attending the workshop were of the view that the Centre and state governments should take immediate steps for formulating an urbanisation policy for the development of urban settlements so that the rapid growth rate of mega cities and other-large size towns was restricted. The District Town Planner,
HUDA, Mr Nadeem Akhtar also spoke on the occasion. Meanwhile, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board and the Education Department organised a rally in this regard. About 400 students of various schools took part in this rally. It was flagged off from Yavanika Park, Sector 5, here and ended at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 7. A painting competition was held here and 25 students of various schools took part. In the category comprising students of class VII to X Sanjay
Chauhan, Amit Saini and Pancham of Jainendra Gurukul School got first, second and third position respectively, while in the competition for Class III to VI, Pallavi of DC Model School stood first, Richa Gupta of New India School second and Ishani Gupta of DC Model School third. |
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CAT ruling in favour of merit Chandigarh, June 5 In a ruling on an application filed by the Western Command’s Principal Controller of Defence Accounts, Ms M.R. Nath, the tribunal held: “If a junior officer is more meritorious and superior in performance, he would certainly stage a march over his superiors”. In her application taken up by the tribunal, comprising Justice O.P. Garg and Administrative Member C.S. Chadha, Ms Nath had earlier contended that respondent V.K. Mishra, junior to her, was recommended for promotion as Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts even though she was eligible. Arguing before the court, her counsel had added that she should have been considered by the departmental promotion committee as there was nothing adverse against her. Counsel had added that the applicant was not selected because a member of the promotion committee, a former Controller General of Defence Accounts, had a grudge against her. The respondents, on the other hand, had asserted that the applicant’s case was considered by the committee and found unfit for promotion as she had not achieved the benchmark. It was added that the allegations of bias against the committee member were “ornamental and sweeping in nature”. After going through the documents and hearing the arguments in the case, the tribunal dismissed the application after ruling: “From a bare comparison of the annual confidential remarks, it would appear that while Mr Mishra had been graded `outstanding’ twice, the applicant did not earn the grade”. The tribunal further ruled: “Undoubtedly, the record of Mr Mishra was far superior than that of the applicant. Therefore, as a result off comparative merit, he, though junior to the applicant, made a march over her. To this extent, the decision of the committee could not be challenged or faulted by the applicant”. The tribunal added: “The submission on behalf of the applicant that she being senior was entitled to be empanelled in preference to Mr Mishra, her junior, is to say the least fallacious and untenable”. In their detailed order, the tribunal observed: “Certain scathing remarks have been made by the applicant against her superior, former Controller General of Defence Accounts. We have sifted the averments on the point and find that they are not only casual, but scrappy and jumpy.... Even otherwise, he cannot be expected to have such a monstrous capacity so as to manoeuvre things to feed his grudge against the applicant, if any, by mobilising other members to fall in line with him”. The tribunal concluded: “The selection of Mr Mishra cannot, in any manner, be termed as capricious or arbitrary. The applicant does not have a vested right to promotion, she simply had a right to promotion. Her case was considered, but since she was found not to have met the benchmark, she was not selected.... We find that the applicant has no case to challenge the promotion of Mr Mishra. The application, therefore, turns out to be devoid of any merit and substance. It is accordingly dismissed”. |
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MC, Admn on warpath over Mayor’s order Chandigarh, June 5 Opposing the anti-encroachment drive, which was carried out today with the involvement of the corporation, House members, cutting across party lines, registered their protest. Ruling Congress and Chandigarh Vikas Manch (CVM) councillors, including Member of Parliament Pawan Bansal, staged a walkout. The walkout by a ruling party was unprecedented. Councillors of the BJP and the Akali Dal (Harjinder Kaur), along with the nominated ones, remained in the House meeting held here today to consider privatisation of sanitation, among other scheduled items. The BJP members joined its member Gian Chand Gupta in saying that the walkout showed “no confidence” in the Mayor and he should resign to register his protest. Ms Harjinder Kaur said, “We should stage a protest before the Governor over the defiance of the Mayor’s order.” The anti-encroachment drive cast a shadow on the House meeting, which could not transact any business and had to be adjourned before taking up any agenda. Immediately after adjourning the meeting, 14 councillors, including two Independents who earlier owed allegiance to the Chandigarh Vikas Manch, went to the scene of the demolition drive and staged a protest before SDM (East) S. P. Arora and other officials. The councillors’ delegation, which did not include Mayor Subhash Chawla and Mr Pawan Bansal, later met Deputy Commissioner Arun Kumar to halt the anti-encroachment drive on municipal land. The councillors pleaded with the Deputy Commissioner that these people should have been given an opportunity to remove their material and alleged that no notice had been served on them. The delegation termed the drive as undemocratic and a conspiracy to put the blame on the Congress for carrying out demolitions. A total of 65 structures, including those belonging to junk dealers, nurseries and woodcutters, were demolished today in the day-long drive. The entire House rallied behind the Mayor when he informed the House that a file for the drive had come to him last evening and he had asked the officials to send it for the consideration of the House. Mr Chawla said immediately after he got the file, he went to UT Administrator O. P. Verma to discuss the issue and lodge his protest. As soon as the House met, the Congress councillor from Mani Majra, Mr Surinder Singh, raised the issue, saying that the Mayor’s order had been defied by officials of the Municipal Corporation. Mr Bansal asked Commissioner M. P. Singh whether the drive today was not a contempt of the House when the matter was on the agenda for discussion. Mr Bansal said it was a serious matter which could create a constitutional crisis, adding that the Mayor’s observations on the file had been ignored. Nominated councillors Amar Kulwant Singh and Dildar Khan said the demolition drives were unfair till those officials with whose collusion encroachment took place were also not punished. Another nominated councillor, C. K. Sawhney, also supported the Mayor and his authority. The Commissioner clarified that the drive was not that of the corporation. Mr Bansal said the corporation could not be allowed to become an “appendage and doormat” of the Chandigarh Administration. |
Residents go thirsty as PUDA
sits on water project SAS Nagar, June 5 The report on the new project for providing canal water to the tune of 20 million gallons per day (mgd) from Kajauli was submitted by local PUDA officials to the higher authorities in July last year. The approval for the project is to be given at the level of the Vice-Chairman of PUDA. Sources say that the plan was again discussed at a meeting held on May 29 at the PUDA office here which was presided over by the Chief Administrator (CA). No decision was taken on the matter, and the PUDA CA asked the officials concerned to “put up the file” on the project. It is reported that if the work is started by PUDA on a war footing immediately the water pipeline will become functional only by the year 2006 when there will be a very big gap between the demand and the availability of water in the town. The sources said that one of the reasons why the approval for the project is being delayed is because a section of the PUDA officials is not presenting the “true picture” of the town’s requirement of water. This section, comprising mostly non-technical officials, feels that it will be a waste of funds (Rs 56 crore) on a project which is really not needed. The sources further say that another reason why PUDA is not taking a decision on the new project is that Chandigarh is considering a scheme to get water from Ganguwal through the Punjab territory. Under this scheme a pumping system will not be required and the water will flow under gravitational force. As the quantum of water will not be a problem, PUDA officials feel that SAS Nagar will get a share from the water. According to the project report, this plan includes the setting up of a pumping station at Kajauli, an electrical substation, an intake structure and pipe work within the waterworks. This part of the project will be completed at a cost of Rs 4.38 crore. If one goes by the figures provided by the officials of the Department of Public Health, the main agency distributing water in the town, SAS Nagar is heading for a major water shortage. According to them there is a big gap between the demand and the supply of water in the town. According to Public Health officials the only way to fight the shortage is to get canal water and this was being brought to the notice of the PUDA authorities for the past several years. |
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Governor
leads war on lantana weed Chandigarh, June 5 At a function organised at Kansal forest on the occasion of the World Environment Day the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Justice O.P. Verma, today released the first report in this regard. Justice Verma said the Forest Department had adopted a three-pronged strategy to control the weed growth viz removal of the cause of weed infestation, physical removal of lantana, encouraging natural regeneration and afforestation of non-weed indigenous species. He said lantana has been removed from 400 acres of forest land so far and in the next three years a programme has been drawn up to completely wipe it out from the forests. Speaking on the occasion, Justice Verma said of the 32.47 square km of forest land in Chandigarh, 13.70 hectares were infested with the weed. Moreover, land along fire lines, nature trails and roads and berms were infested with parthenium weed. He said the removal of lantana and parthenium on a war footing was required as it was having an adverse impact on the bio-diversity of the region. Earlier, the Governor planted a sapling at the sanctuary. Children of KBDAV School, St. Stephen School and Scouts and Guides presented cultural items, emphasising on the protection of environment. The Administrator gave away prizes to the winners of on-the-spot painting competition and cultural programme. |
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Man dies as car rams into truck Dera Bassi, June 5 The car occupants — Gulshan Kumar, alias Sonu, a resident of Ambala City, his friend Pankaj Gupta and an employee, Ashok Kumar — were on their way to Ambala from Mani Majra when they met with the accident around 10 pm. Gulshan Kumar was running a stationery shop in Ambala and had gone to Mani Majra for personal work. According to the police the car with a temporary registration number rammed into the truck from behind, killing Gulshan on the spot. The collision was so powerful that the front-half portion of the car got entangled underneath the truck that was loaded with coal and parked on the road. Hearing the sound of the collision, passersby and residents of the nearby area informed the police and began a rescue operation. To lift the truck, jacks were used. To extricate the occupants, the car windows were broken open with iron rods. The police claimed that the body of Gulshan was extricated while Pankaj Gupta and Ashok Kumar were released from the badly damaged vehicle. The seriously injured were rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, in Chandigarh. After finding them in critical condition, they were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh. The condition of the injured is said to be stable. On receiving information from the Dera Bassi police, family members of Gulshan Kumar reached the spot and the body was taken to Civil Hospital, Rajpura for a post-mortem examination. The body was later handed over to the family members. The police found Rs 17,500 and jewellery from the car and later handed over these to the family members of the victims. After impounding the vehicles involved in the accident, a case under Sections 283, 337, 427 and 304-A of the IPC was registered by the police against the truck driver, who is said to have fled after the accident. |
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Plots’ auction cancelled Panchkula, June 5 The auction was cancelled today after HUDA’s request for allowing the auction was turned down by the court today. The HUDA authorities now state that a fresh date for the auction of 99 commercial plots and two hotel sites would be announced once they get the property released from the court. Sources said 13 land owners, whose land had been acquired by HUDA for carving out Panchkula extension, had moved the court earlier after HUDA had failed to pay them the enhancement cost on the acquired land. Rupees 4 crore had been awarded as enhancement charges of which HUDA had paid only Rs 2 crore to the land owners. Officers at HUDA said half the enhancement cost had been paid as they were in the process of getting a stay against the
enhancement from a higher court. |
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Rumour
on Bhardwaj keeps scribes on toes Chandigarh, June 5 Late in the evening reporters and photo journalists stationed themselves at the Sector 16 General Hospital, where Mr Bhardwaj was supposed to be brought for a medical examination. No one knew how the rumour made the rounds. Everybody attributed it to a well placed and highly credible source in the establishment. Some reporters were repeatedly trying to ascertain the latest developments from various sources. A few of them were also present at the CBI office in Sector 30. Two Inspectors of the Chandigarh Police — SHO of the Sector 3 police station Jagbir Singh and CIA in charge Satbir Singh, both of whom are associated with the case, made a round of the hospital in an official Gypsy, fuelling further speculations. It was after midnight when most of the mediapersons decided to call it a day. |
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Unhygienic
food items seized Chandigarh, June 5 During a campaign that started on May 14, 28 challans had also been issued for creating insanitary conditions, an MC release said here today. Around 1,550 kg of sugar cane, 20 litres of sugar cane juice and 275 bottles of soda water have also been seized.
TNS |
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TRIBUNE
IMPACT Chandigarh, June 5 Ms Pepper, a local resident, along with Rajpura residents Mr R.K. Jain, Singla and Mathew A. Augustine of Holy Angels School and Mr Shori of Patiala’s Lions Club have also agreed to sponsor the treatment. Some others are also waiting for treatment. Generous residents can contact Father Thomas at 01762-227004 in this
regard. |
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Dharna
by UT powermen Chandigarh, June 5 Addressing the
meeting, Mr Bhag Mal Rana, general secretary of the union, lamented that since the administration had failed to accept the genuine demands, they were left with no option except to intensify their agitation. He said,
‘‘The employees would observe relay fast on June 16, and two hour pen down strike on June 27 and one day token strike on July 27 as part of their next course of action.’’ |
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Shramdaan
timings Chandigarh, June 5 |
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ULTA PULTA The inmates of Tihar Jail can avail any vocational course of their choice — be it computer education, carpentry, plumbing, cooking etc. With admissions now getting tougher outside, the jail inmates have a golden chance to prove themselves. If professional courses like medicine, law and engineering are also started, I’m sure people will start looking for ‘sifarish’ to go to jail. One man will be heard, saying proudly, “My son is doing law from Tihar!” while the other person will say, “Bhai sahib, aap kitne lucky hain! My son couldn’t get through to Tihar but he managed a seat in engineering in Jodhpur jail”. Most inmates feel that their vocational proficiency certificates signed by the Jail Superintendent makes it difficult for them to seek jobs. Most people hesitate hiring them. The jail authorities have written to the technical education department that these certificates should be certified by the department for the easier rehabilitation of the inmates. Once these degrees and diplomas get more popular, students will soon be displaying their jail degrees and diplomas in drawing rooms and employers would accept them gladly. Jails are the breeding houses of politicians. A recognised degree in political science should be issued to them. This political science degree from any Indian jail will surely be of international standard. A day will come when our Law Minister would graduate from Central Jail, Ambala, and receive his LL.B degree from Varanasi jail. If these courses get prestigious, jails can also start asking for donations. The donation money can be used to improve the conditions of the jail. If courses in jails get more and more sought after there is a danger that some students who do not get admission in other colleges will willingly commit crimes just to be eligible for admission to Tihar Jail. |
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House attacked Chandigarh, June 5 A personal enmity was stated to be the cause of the attack. Rinka, according to the complainants, attacked their house last night with a gang of over 20 boys armed with lathis and sharp-edged weapons. A case has been registered under various Sections of the
IPC. |
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Man found
murdered Chandigarh, June 5 The victim was wearing a blue shirt and black trousers. His face was wrapped in a shawl. The victim was over five feet tall and had dark complexion. The body was found lying on the road by a police patrol party at around 3.30 am. The police believes that he was killed at some other place and the body was later dumped on the road. The police also found a bicycle lying near the body and it appears it belonged to the victim. The body has been sent for post-mortem. The police is trying to ascertain the identity of the victim. A case under Sections 302, 34 and 201 of the IPC has been registered against unknown persons. PANCHKULA One
Arrested: The police has arrested Darbara Singh from Pinjore on charges of eve-teasing. He had made some unsavoury remarks against the wife of a local resident, Umesh Sharma. One
held: The police has arrested Sant Ram from Gandhi chowk, Kalka, on charges of drinking alcohol at a public place. |
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Porno CD made with hidden camera seized Panchkula, June 5 The police found 500 pirated CDs at Electrofive. A senior police officer, confirming the seizure of pornographic films during the raid, said one of the CDs seized was made using a Ludhiana-based couple without the knowledge of the girl. The police said the couple was having an affair and the man had made the film with a hidden camera. Copies of this CD were then sold and the man made lakhs. The owner of the video shop, Rajiv Kumar, has been arrested. |
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Shrinking water reserves are sounding the death knell for humanity. With water paucity ailing the entire world, its conservation assumes greater significance in today's times. Its conservation not only implies wise and careful use of water resources but maintaining its quality as well.
