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MC panel for property tax from September 1
Chandigarh, July 10
The collection of tax on commercial and government buildings is likely to begin on September 1 continue till September 30. This was decided by the House Tax Committee of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Mr C.K. Sawhney.

BA students await results
Chandigarh, July 10
Even as Panjab University declared the results of 80 BA (III) students today, a large number of students who had appeared in the BA (II) and BA-III examinations conducted by the university are still awaiting their results. This has put a question mark on their admission to higher courses.

Gunshot causes panic in court complex
Panchkula, July 10
Mystery shrouds the firing incident in the district courts complex this morning. Though the police and eyewitnesses claim that the gun shot was fired accidentally by a lawyer’s gunman, the lawyer, Mr M.K. Shishodiya, maintains that he fired the shot in order to disperse some goons who had come to the courts to “eliminate him.”

Theft at TBRL reveals chinks in security
Chandigarh, July 10
The reported theft of certain items from the range of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), a key organisation involved in India’s nuclear weaponisation and missile programme, near here, has focused attention not only on the security procedures being followed at high-profile defence establishments, but also on the problem of encroachment on defence land by civil population residing in close proximity to such establishments.

UT in damage-control mode on demolitions
Chandigarh, July 10
The UT Administration today launched a major damage-control exercise to prevent the row over the public pronouncements by the Union Minister of State for Home, Mr I.D. Swami, calling for a halt to the anti-encroachment drive in the city, and the apparent defiant stand taken by the Administration on the sensitive issue, from snowballing into a major political controversy.

• Swami’s remarks draw flak

• Verma wants survey on eligible squatters

COMMUNITY

Vulture population declining due to infection
Jodhpur (Pinjore), July 10
The nationwide annual vulture survey for 2002, has shown an alarming 50 per cent decline in population of white-backed vulture species and 25 per cent decline among the population of longbilled and slender-billed species of Gyps vultures, because of a viral infection.

Rally by powermen Chandigarh, July 10 The UT Powermen Union at a rally today said in case the Chandigarh Administration failed to fulfil its demands, the employees would have no other alternative but to observe one-day token strike on July 16. Members of the UT Powermen Union hold a protest rally in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph.

Advani to open BJP training camp today
Chandigarh, July 10
The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, will visit Chandigarh tomorrow to inaugurate a three-day BJP training camp here.

Garg is Rotary Club chief
Panchkula, July 10
Mr Rajneesh Garg was installed as president of the Rotary Club, Panchkula for 2003-04 by the outgoing president, Mr Mohinder Nandwani, here last night.

Beads that bring peace
Chandigarh, July 10
Interested in rudraksha for good health, better career prospects or simply for fashion? Walk into an exhibition going on at Piccadily Hotel in Sector 22 and have a look at the collection of rarest beads.

Muddy water gushes out of taps
SAS Nagar, July 10
Residents of Sector 71 have complained that the water they are getting from their taps is muddy and not potable. Every time the taps are turned on, dirty brown water gushes out and continues to do so for over five minutes after which it gets clean and is used. The president of the New Residential Welfare Committee, Sector 71, Mr Manohar Singh, said the residents had complained to the authorities regarding the water but no action had been taken so far. 

• Platform: Save water

Applications for bravery awards invited
Chandigarh, July 10
The Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) invites application in the age group of 6 to 18 years for the national bravery award for 2003. According to a press release by the ICCW, the deed should be an act of selfless service in the face of danger to life or threat of physical injury.

• Reedhima’s statement
  

CRIME

3 held for snatching mobile phone
Chandigarh, July 10
Three persons have been arrested for snatching a mobile phone from Mr Nayan Kishore Puhan here yesterday. The three accused, Dinesh, Narinder Kumar and Anil, had allegedly snatched the phone near Arya Samaj Mandir, Sector 22-A, yesterday. They have been booked under Sections 356, 379, 411 and 34 of IPC.

EDUCATION

MLA ‘exposes’ another school
SAS Nagar, July 10
Continuing with his spree of laying bare the pitiable condition of school education in Punjab, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, MLA of Kharar, today visited Government Senior Secondary School at Bhabat village in Dera Bassi, the third in a series of worst performing schools in his constituency.

Sawera — school for special kids turns one

Chandigarh, July 10 For some strange reason, even the best among slow learning children are not encouraged to join mainstream education in various schools of the city. This despite the fact that the matter was taken up some time back by the Secretary, Social Welfare, UT, who, reportedly, even directed schools of the city to come forward and integrate special children in the normal stream. A mentally challenged child performs at the first anniversary of Sawera, Sector-32, in Chandigarh on Thursday. — Photo Pankaj Sharma

TTTI to prepare curriculum for vocational courses
Chandigarh, July 10
A workshop on vetting curriculum documents, being complied for vocational courses, was organised at the Technical Teachers Training Institute (TTTI) in Sector 26, here today. A large number of experts from various fields attended the meet.

COURTS

Distinction between ‘paid’ and ‘free’ seats challenged
Chandigarh, July 10
Issuing a notice of motion on a petition claiming that the distinction between “free” and “paid” seats could not be maintained in the engineering courses being run by Panjab University, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed that fees further paid shall be subject to the decision of the writ petition.

• Registration certificates
  

CULTURE

NIFD’s fashion story rolls on the ramp

Chandigarh, July 10 Pleasant weather could have been just another excuse to be at Hotel North Park which played host to beautiful models who participated in the annual fashion show of the National Institute of Fashion Design, Sector 8, this evening. Charming models sashay down the ramp during the annual fashion show of the NIFD which was organised at Hotel North Park in Panchkula on Thursday evening. — Photo Manoj Mahajan

Theatre festival begins
Chandigarh, July 10
A seven-day theatre festival organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre started with the Punjabi Sabhyacharak Kala Manch presenting its first production, Zakhmi Sherni, at Kalagram today. The manch, a theatre outfit from Kot Kapura, will be presenting seven Punjabi plays during the festival.

Fortis plans corpus of donations
SAS Nagar, July 10
Fortis Heart Institute here has decided to form a corpus of donations to introduce free cardiac surgeries in the hospital for poor patients. This was stated by Dr Achintya Moulick, chairman, cardiac vascular sciences, at a press briefing here yesterday.

SPORTS

Cricket match ends in tie
Chandigarh, July 10
Fateh Academy and Minerva Academy had a tie in the IS Deol memorial cricket tournament played here today at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium. In another match of the day, IAF XI defeated Khalsa Cricket Club by two wickets. IAF XI in another tie, outplayed Maa Saraswati XI by five wickets.

Industrial Area violators beware
HUDA plans to act tough
Panchkula, July 10
The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has decided to act tough against large-scale violations of HUDA bylaws in the Industrial Area, here. A survey of the Industrial Area, Phases I and II, is being undertaken by the Estate Office to assess the violations.