Sunday, September 14, 2003, Chandigarh, India

 

C H A N D I G A R H   S T O R I E S


 

Tax raids on 2 discos
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service


The Excise and Taxation wing of the Chandigarh Administration also raided the Lake club premises and sealed the records pertaining to the sale of liquor at the club. A team that went to the club reportedly found a gap in financial transactions in sales and what had been deposited as liquor licence fee. A report will be submitted to the higher authorities on Monday, sources said. The Lake club is administered by the Sports Department of the UT Administration and has been in the eye of the storm in the past couple of months regarding mismanagement. 

Chandigarh, September 13
The UT Excise and Taxation Department tonight raided the premises of Aerizzona in Sector 9 and Las Vegas in Sector 34 on reports that these had been evading the mandatory entertainment tax. The evasion may run into lakhs of rupees each year. All discos are bound to pay 50 per cent of the cost of entry ticket as tax to the Chandigarh Administration.

Entry tickets to discos vary between Rs 100 and Rs 200 per couple. The rates may be altered for festival seasons. The excise wing chose the right day. The discos have the maximum rush on Saturday nights.

All these years, none of the discos (besides Aerizzona and Las Vegas, the Jailhouse in Sector 17 and Boondocks and Blues, both in Sector 34) had been paying any tax.

The Punjab Entertainments Act, 1955, lays down that any person selling tickets for any place has to pay 50 per cent of the cost of the ticket as tax. Sources said the officialdom found out a few days ago that the discos had been evading taxes.

This evening, a team of the Administration first landed at Aerizzona and confiscated tickets being sold at the disco. Sources said a report will be put up before the Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar. Most likely, notices will be issued asking the disco owners to declare taxes and pay up.

At Las Vegas, the team checked the records of entry tickets. The disco management claimed that these were passes and not tickets. The excise teams asked the management that in this case the word ‘‘free’’ should be used on the ticket.

The team seized three sales book. The discos had obtained temporary licences to sell liquor under ‘‘L-42’’ for the day.
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3 teenagers go missing, one returns home
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, September 13
Three teenagers of Kumbra village went missing from Apni Mandi here last evening. One of them, however, returned home this morning.

Family members of the three boys — Baljit, Kamaldeep, alias Kaka, and Rakesh, alias Monu — said they had gone to Apni Mandi separately and were not friends.

Mr Mohinder Singh, whose 17-year-old son Baljit Singh did not return home from the mandi, said he had gone to Apni Mandi yesterday to buy vegetables around 6 pm and Baljit was home at that time. But when he returned home after about an hour he was told by his wife Sardaro that their son, who works as a milk vendor, had also gone to the mandi around 7 pm. But when he did not return till 9 pm the family members started looking for him and finally approached the police. Mr Mohinder Singh said the police kept looking for Baljit Singh till late in the night.

When asked whether the family members had a fight with Baljit Singh before he left the house, Sardaro replied in the negative saying that he was in cheerful mood. Baljit is the youngest son of Mr Mohinder Singh.

Mr Upkar Kaur, sister of Kamaldeep Singh, alias Kaka, said her brother, who is 14 years old, had gone to Apni Mandi to buy vegetables. She said when he did not return home till 10 pm the family members started a search for him but to no avail. Kamaldeep Singh, who is a student of Class VIII, had lost his father some years ago and his mother, Ms Rajbhinder Kaur, works in the Punjab School Education Board. She had gone to meet the village sarpanch when this correspondent visited her house.

Mr Jaswant Singh, a tenant of Ms Rajbhinder Kaur, said he lodged a complaint with the police this morning. Ms Upkar Kaur said no police personnel had visited their house till the evening and the family was in distress. She added that someone from the village told them that Baljit and Kamaldeep were seen together at the mandi.

Mr Gurmukh Singh, the husband of the village sarpanch, Ms Surinder Kaur, said he suspected that the boys had deliberately left their houses and would return after a few days. He however ruled out the possibility of their being kidnapped.

Rakesh, alias Monu, who is 13 years old and is a student of Class IV in Star Public School, Phase IX, said he had gone to the mandi around 8 pm. There a toy seller told him to hand over an item, which the latter thought had been deliberately thrown near him. He said when he handed over the item to the seller, the latter told him to sit near him and also enquired if he wished to eat something. He said he suspected foul play when he saw the toy seller pull out a handkerchief from his pocket. He fled the scene.

Rakesh said he spent the night in a gurdwara and returned home around 8 am today. The mother of the child, Mr Darshna Devi, said the family kept searching for the child at night.
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Court bars BSNL employees from holding rallies
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 13
In a significant development, a local court today restrained the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Employees Union, Chandigarh, from holding rallies, dharnas or indulging in related activity on the premises of BSNL office in the city or in front of the residential houses of officers of the BSNL within a radius of 250 yards till September 22.

Taking note of the memorandum submitted by the BSNL Employees Union for holding dharnas rallies on September 14 in various parts of the city, the Chief General Manager Telecom, Punjab (Circle), Chandigarh, Mr S.C. Chaudhary, today filed a petition in the court seeking interim injunction restraining the employees from doing so.

The BSNL Employees Union had submitted a memorandum with the CGMT, Punjab (Circle), on September 12 for holding a state-level rally on September 14.

The rally was scheduled to pass through Sector 44 colony, Sector-43 colony, Sector-27 colony and culminate at Sector-30 colony with a demonstration.

Mr D.R. Paul, the General Manager (ADMN/NC), while talking to Chandigarh Tribune, said the only demand of the union was regarding the transfer of a phone mechanic of Batala city on a specific job.

The demand had been accepted partially after consultation with both the unions of the employees by the General Manager Telecom, Pathankot district.

He added that the department got a court order late in the evening.

While the president of the BSNL employees Union, Mr R.L. Moudgil, said the union had called off the strike after the department accepted their four demands late in the evening.

He added that the employees of union had now decided against holding rallies tomorrow.
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Move to give students voice in Senate
Sanjeev S. Bariana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
In a significant development, Panjab University has sent signals that it wants student representation in the senate, the premier governing body of university affairs.

A proposal in this regard, which comes up for discussion during the forthcoming Syndicate meeting, coincides with elections to the student council which concluded yesterday.

The move has been initiated with a view to giving representation to student views on matters of academic interest and other related activities.

A proposal in this regard was originally moved by Principal Tarsem Bahia in the Senate, which was assigned to a committee.

The committee, while accepting the proposal, has said that two student representatives should be allowed to sit in the university House one president of the Panjab University Campus Student Council and another from among affiliated colleges of the university.

The university has been asked to send a representation to the Chancellor asking him till the time the calendar is amended to give representation to students in the House, he should exercise his powers to nominate two representatives to the Senate.

The committee has also suggested that the Dean, University Instructions, and the Dean, Student Welfare, should be made ex-officio members of the Senate.

A member of the Senate said students had every right to have a voice in the House.

Considerable time of House proceedings was spent on matters concerning service matters, problems of colleges or enquires against college and university employees. Student issues remained pushed to the background.

A research scholar said often decisions concerning student interests were taken without taking their opinion. This resulted in routine ‘dharnas’ and other forms of agitation by students. In certain cases the students had to approach Senate members at homes to make a point.

On matters regarding decisions on the syllabus, examination, attendance and fee, it was only fair that their point of view was also considered.

Representation in the Senate is seen as an important step in the direction of giving more powers to the student council. The council so far is rarely associated with critical matters, including the use of amalgamated funds, it is felt.
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Council drafts priority list
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
A grievance cell to handle student complaints concerning university affairs, mainly admission, fees and examination, tops the work action plan of the newly elected office-bearers to the Panjab University Campus Students Council.

Relaxing in his hostel room a day after his victory in the campus poll, Malwinder Singh Kang, president, said he had worked out a rough draft listing priorities. The details would be worked out later.

The Administrative Block catered to students from the campus and more than 105 affiliated colleges located in the city and Punjab. It had been repeatedly pointed out that they did not have easy accessibility to offices inside the block. There was no office to give details concerning specific problems because the Enquiry Office did not have relevant information. A student was made to shuffle between desks even for small problems.

The university had announced a single-window system a couple of years back. However, nothing concrete had happened in this regard. The problems of student remained, Sharanjit Singh Bains, joint secretary, said.

Nimrat Punia, vice-president, spoke on the need for a special cell to cater exclusively to the problems of girl students. She said girls constituted 70 per cent of the total students on the campus. She was of the view that a special cell should be set up to hear to specific problems of girl students.

Vijay Inder Karan, secretary, said each department had a specific problem. The council would list these problems and chalk out a follow-up plan. He mentioned the need for addressing problems pertaining to cleanliness on the campus and other basic facilities.

Kang said the council would urge the Vice-Chancellor and the Dean, University Instructions, to fix time in a week when they could be contacted directly by students.

He pointed out the university needed to regulate the proceedings of the general house during elections. “No candidate was heard, which reduced the whole exercise to a farce,” he said.

Kang was categorical in demanding strict university action against students who indulged in violence. “Even in the case where my name figures in a fight, it should be thoroughly probed. The university has shown poor commitment on this front”, he added.
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Students to seek Bansal’s help in Urmi case
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
The Haryana Student Association will meet Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, MP, seeking the replacement of the tricycle of Urmi, a handicapped research scholar of the Zoology Department, which was damaged during the elections to the Punjab University Students Council.

Chand Singh Madaan, founder chairman of the HSA, had a talk with the girl and assured her help. He said he would ask Mr Bansal for help from the MP Area Development Fund. “We will try to purchase her a tricycle equipped with latest gadgets,” he added.

Talking to The Tribune, Urmi said she had been helped by faculty members in getting the tricycle repaired and was very grateful. She reiterated that she was not interested in any material help but only wanted to send a message to students to refrain from “hooliganism” during polling.
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A correction

Chandigarh, September 13
Amanpal Singh Dhanoa has been elected president of the student council of the local GGDSD College. A news report published in the Tribune today had erroneously mentioned Saravdeep Singh Brar as the winner.
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Offering care to terminally-ill cancer patients
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
When a hapless 40-year-old Premo sought admission to Chandigarh Hospice some time back, she did not know a world of care would descend upon her doorstep. Savaged by cancer of the breast, which led to severe infection in the bones, Premo landed in Hospice, Sector 43, yearning for care, which she could no longer get at her hometown Saharanpur.

All possible medical treatment had been administered to her. Now it was a question of consistent care and medical support, which the family and the hospitals were unable to offer. But ever since she entered Hospice, she has learnt to smile while fighting pain that trails her all the time. Like Premo, Chandigarh Hospice, which started seven months back as a joint project of the UT Red Cross and the Department of Radiotherapy, PGI, is currently housing eight terminally-ill cancer patients, who are in a pathetic physical and mental state, due to disease, which has fatally infected their vital organs. There is, however, hope in their lives, courtesy the home care team of Hospice, which crossed the 102-patient mark today.

Launched as an extension of the home care project of the PGI, Hospice is the only hospice in North India, after the one in Delhi. Dr Suresh Sharma, Head, Department of Radiotherapy, informed The Tribune that the project meant to deliver effective palliative care to terminally-ill cancer patients and provide them with hospital facilities in a homely atmosphere.” In seven months more than 100 patients have been admitted and 13 have sought readmission due to persisting complications. Currently Hospice has 10 beds and an occupancy of nine. The Centre today also received an ambulance donated by one Dr Z.J. Joseph of Mumbai.

The youngest occupant is Sunita from Morinda, who is affected with the cancer of rectum in its most advanced stage. Smiling against odds, she tells us, “I delivered my third child while I was suffering terminally. The pain was unbearable and the family resources limited. I came here, but my husband could not accompany me. He has to look after our children who must learn to live without me. I am comfortable here. The team cares for me as if I were family.” Sunita also cut a cake today, when the Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, Mr Arun Kumar, also Head, UT Red Cross, visited Hospice for the first time.

Meanwhile, the patients stole precious moments of happiness. The profile of every patient makes the heart go out to them, but comfort returns when they talk with hope. Ramavati (45) suffers from cancer of the cervix, which causes unbearable pain in her lower limbs. Shimla Devi from Muzaffarnagar is fighting ovarian cancer. Noor Hassan from Saharanpur is affected by cancer of the skin, which has infected his bones, while Usha Devi has cancer of the cervix, compounded by the merger of urinary and genital tract, which causes constant dripping of urine. With untold suffering at hand, the patients get the courage to fight from the home care team comprising a nurse and two doctors.

The home care project was started in May 2000 and has, till date, taken care of 220 patients. While earlier the patients were being referred to Hospice from the Radiotherapy Department of the PGI alone, now they are being referred by Neurosurgery, Gastroenteritis, Surgery and Pulmonary Departments also. The heartening part is that the home care team offers bereavement support to families whose sick wards have been under their care. Finally, the team cares to complete the cycle of support.
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Railways plans online wheel monitoring
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
Given the size of the Indian Railways, where keeping track of all coaches and wagons in its inventory is a colossal task, the travails of monitoring and keeping records of every wheel disc and axle can well be imagined. And the Railways plans to take up the challenge.

Under the modernisation and upgradation of its Maintenance Practices and Asset Reliability Procedures, the Railways will create a web-enabled portal to keep a track of all coaches and wagons as well as details of the wheels fitted on them.

Sources say there are over 12 lakh wheel discs and six lakh axles on line. A coach has 4 to 12 wheels, depending upon its size and the type of load it is designed to carry.

“The system can warn each maintenance depot about the whereabouts of individual coaches the wheels or axles of which are suspected to require maintenance or repairs,” a senior railway functionary told The Tribune. “Establishment of an on-line wheel monitoring system will lead to better safety management,” he added.

The sources say the Railways’ Research and Design Standards Organisation (RDSO) has initiated projects to develop technology for detecting wheel-impact load and wheel flats. Wheel flats in rail wheels is akin to a flat tyre in an automobile. The portion of the metal rail wheel gets fattened due to stress or impact, which causes heavy damage to tracks.

It may be recalled that some time ago, a train running on the Delhi-Ambala section had developed a wheel flat, resulting in rail fractures over large stretches of the track. The Railways, consequently, had to close down sections of the railway line for a number of days and a large number of trains had to be diverted. The speed of some trains which had no alternative route to reach their destination had to be drastically reduced, causing great inconvenience to passengers. The train driver had faced disciplinary action for his inability to detect the flat.

The sources add that as recommended by the Khanna Committee, the RDSO will work out safety tolerances for different speeds and categories of track on the basis of practices followed in other countries after studying the entire gamut of the track-wheel interaction.

The Railways has also decided to ensure that the rake integrity of every passenger train and coaches are maintained invariably at their nominated base depots. For this coaches shall move to workshops for a periodic overhaul as a full rake unit instead of piecemeal. 
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How safe are our court complexes?
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
The meandering road to truth is safe no more. Even after you reach the doors of justice, chances of law being gagged remain — at least this is what the incidents of violence in court complexes all over the region, including Bhiwani, Panipat, Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Amritsar, suggest.

The furore outside court rooms have, little wonder, created some sense of insecurity not only among the litigants, but even amidst the lawyers, shaking the confidence of the masses in the criminal justice delivery system to some extent.

If you are having any doubts, read this: It was in November last year. Panipat resident Joginder Kaur’s statement was to be recorded by an Additional Sessions Judge in a criminal case regarding the demolition of her house and her alleged kidnapping for taking into possession her property.

In her initial statement before the police, Joginder Kaur had reportedly alleged the involvement of Haryana’s senior politician. As per the reports, she was to “plead for action” against the politician and others as the police had failed to take any action.

But before she could open her mouth, the “accused and their accomplices succeeded in shutting up the evidence by shooting her dead despite the presence of two security guards”.

Taking suo motu notice of the incident, Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had described the incident as a “daring act” before observing, “Investigation must be conducted speedily and effectively to bring the culprits to justice....”

This was not all. A crude bomb had exploded in Ludhiana District Courts over a year ago. Soda bottles were hurled, resulting in stampede, just about a month back following clashes between two rival groups, again at the Ludhiana courts.

In Amritsar also, an advocate sustained injuries in the District Courts complex after being attacked by a group. Another lawyer was allegedly involved in the incident. In his complaint before the police, victim Satnam Singh had claimed that the accused lawyer had raised a “lalkara” as the complainant had dared “to stand as counsel against him”.

Before this, the thundering roar of shots fired in all directions had created an atmosphere of terror in the Chandigarh District Courts complex. For over 15 minutes, lawyers and litigants, even cops, had scurried for cover behind trees and parked vehicles as the firing had continued indiscriminately.

No one was seriously hurt even though a bullet had managed to pierced the glass window of a Judge’s chamber before striking a pipe. It had all started when one group, present in the court complex in connection with a murder case, had challenged the other group.

Describing the incidents of violence as “unfortunate”, former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge-cum-human rights activist Justice Ajit Singh Bains says, “Judiciary is the last hope of masses”.

Fortifying the court complexes would not be enough, he adds. “The rule of law, completely missing nowadays, has to be restored”. 
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Injured model to get free treatment
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
In less than 24 hours after the plight of a budding Pathankot-based model injured in a road accident was highlighted in these columns, the Director of Ludhiana-based Institute of Orthopedics and Superspeciality Trauma Centre, Dr N.K. Aggarwal, has volunteered to conduct the operation free of cost. The victim, Mr Amresh Rana, requires a bone graft.

The doctor adds that they will be able to offer him international quality, FDA approved, implant for his treatment. The implants, he adds, are very expensive otherwise. “We will put in all efforts to ensure that Mr Rana is back on the track in pursuance of his dreams”. 
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COMMUNITY

Better disaster management stressed

Chandigarh, September 13
Every time there is a national disaster like a war, an earthquake or a cyclone, the need for better disaster management and blood transfusion services is stressed.

Delivering a talk on “Disaster management and blood transfusion services”, Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Transfusion Medicine at the PGI, Dr J.G. Jolly, said due to poor preparedness for meeting blood requirement during disasters, we failed to deliver during such times. He was talking at a continuing medical education (CME), organised by the PGI’s Transfusion Medicine Department, today.

“Due to poor planning and a lack of coordination, I have seen that every time there is an emergency like the recent Kargil conflict, thousands of units of blood are wasted as camps are held without assessing the requirement and existing facilities for storage and transportation,” he remarked. “We have failed to learn from our experiences and once the disaster is over, things are once again the same,” he said.

He said there was a need for drawing a proper plan of action in which ministries of Home Affairs, Health and Defence were involved as key players for handling the situation during disasters. In the implementation of the disaster management plan, the National AIDS Control organisation (NACO), state and district health authorities, medical institutes and the Red Cross needed to be alerted and taken into confidence, he added.

Essential ingredients of the plan should be proper processing, screening, transshipment and storage at both ends to maintain a steady supply of blood and prevent its shortage. For this, there had to be a proper coordination between blood-collecting agencies and those handling large quantities of blood, he said.

“One of the most important aspect is having well equipped mobile units and blood containers, ready all the time, so that in case of an emergency precious time is not lost in making arrangements and it can be transported at the right temperature as per guidelines,” he said.

For speedy and effective transshipment of blood to the place of disaster, the assistance of defence forces, civil aviation and the Red Cross was necessary. Along with this, a reserve quota of equipment, software and reagents should always be stocked to meet any eventuality.

Dr Jolly cautioned doctors and other health professionals that even in times of such disasters, there should be no compromise on quality control.”In case proper screening and processing is not done at the time of the emergency, it could lead to a bigger disaster due to threat of transfusion transmitted diseases like AIDS and hepatitis,” he alerted.

Doctors from all over the country are attending the two-day CME on blood transfusion. TNS
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Kohli’s kin quizzed in murder case
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, September 13
A brother of Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, who is wanted by the UK police in a case of kidnapping, rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl, Hannah Foster, was questioned here today.

It is learnt that Mr Ishtpreet Singh, a constable in the Punjab Police, was summoned to the police station by the investigating team for questioning. He lives in Phase X here in the house of his father’s sister. It is reported that the police is pressurising the family of Maninder Pal Singh to effect his arrest.
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Herbal garden to boost eco-tourism
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 13
In a bid to popularise eco-tourism in Morni, the state Forest Department has developed a herbal garden in Morni. Over 100 exotic varieties of medicinal plants and shrubs have been successfully planted in two hectares this year.

Using minimal resources — both monetary and human — the Forest Department has set up the herbal garden, and plans to extend it in another one hectare by next year. The garden has been set up at the cost of Rs 4 lakh, and the forest guards have been asked to take care of the medicinal plants.

Only herbs and medicinal plants specific to the lower Shivaliks (mainly Morni hills) have been planted here. Almost 110 varieties of medicinal plants, including Gheekwar, Amla, Akarkara, Harar, Bil, Arjun Ashok, Neem, Rudraksh, Reetha, Safed Musli, Jatropha etc., have been successfully planted. According to the Divisional Forest Officer, Pinjore-Morni, Mr Ved Prakash, “The herbal garden project was envisaged in 1998, but could never take off. Till the beginning of this year, a mere 20 varieties of herbs were found here. It was during this year, that the Forest Department decided to promote eco-tourism here by developing this herbal garden.”

Forest officials feel that the setting up of the garden will also help educate the residents of various dhanis in Morni of the benefits of these herbs and need for conserving bio-diversity. They feel that the pilferage of these medicinal plants, especially Adhatoda vasis (common name Bansra and used in preparing medicines for controlling cough), will stop when the locals are educated about the conservation of these herbs.

They inform that in order to ensure a continuous supply of water for these plants, it is proposed to lift water from a nearby kuhl with a motor, carry it over a distance of about 2 km, and then irrigate the garden. “Since water flows down the hills, resulting in acute water shortage, we have decided to have a permanent source of water for irrigation of these herbs all around the year,” informed Mr Prakash.

Apart from being an eco-tourism site, the garden is being developed to conserve bio-diversity of medicinal plants and as an educational site. More than 250 different varieties of herbs and medicinal plants are found in Morni hills. Though the Forest Department has made several efforts to popularise these herbs in Morni — by making a CD on the varieties of herbs; and publishing of a book on these herbs and their medicinal qualities — creating a model herbal garden by showcasing all these varieties in the garden is likely to serve the purpose.

An information centre has also been set up in the garden. This centre will circulate leaflets being prepared by the Forest Department on the use of herbal varieties planted in the garden. The leaflet will contain the following details: name of the variety, its family, the part of the plant used for cure and uses.

MEDICINAL SHRUBS IN THE HERBAL GARDEN AT MORNI

* Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi): The plant helps improve memory.

* Rauvolfia serpentina (Sarpgandha): Roots helpful in controlling blood pressure.

* Spilanthes oleracea (Akarkara): Flower heads useful in toothache.

* Acorus calamus (vacha): Rhizomes used in curing epilepsy and improving voice and intellectual quality.

* Asparagus racemosus (Satavari): Roots used as tonic and aphrodisiac; cure of jaundice, dysentery.

* Tylophora indica (Anantamul): Leaves of this plant are helpful in controlling asthma.

* Andrographic paniculata (Kalmegh): One of the most important plants used in ayurveda, it also helps expel worms from intestines. 
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Differential service tax recovered
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 13
The Service Tax officials of the Central Excise Commissionerate has recovered a differential service tax worth Rs 1. 20 lakh from cable operators and photo colour labs in Panchkula. These premises were inspected from September 8 to 12.

The Commissioner, Panchkula Excise Commissionerate, Mr P.K. Sirohi, said that the amount was in addition to the service tax that they had already paid. He said the drive would continue in the coming weeks and warned that penal action would be taken against defaulters.

He said certain other service providers — health centres, chartered accountants, real estate agents, security services and beauty parlours had been noticed as not registered with the department.

Datesheet released

The datesheet for the Haryana Municipal Urban Development Departmental Accountant Examination to be held from October 13 to 15 has been released. The examinations will be held at Lajpat Rai Bhavan, Sector 15. The precis and drafting paper of Group A will be held on October 13 from 10 am to 11.30 am and Paper II of Book Keeping will be held from 11. 30 am to 1 pm. Paper I of Group B will be held on the same day from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Paper II of Group B (OPTIONAL) will be held on October 14 from 10 am to 1 pm, and Paper I (Practical ) in Group C will be held from 2 pm to 5 pm the same day.

Paper II (THEORY) in Group C will be held on October 15 from 10 am to 1 pm.

Encroachments removed

The enforcement wing of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) cleared encroachments from various parts of the town today. Over six persons who had set up shop selling building material on the roadside were challaned.

The verandahs in the markets of Sector 8 and 16 were removed while over 50 jhuggis were removed from Sector 8, 9 and 10. Temporary rooms set up behind two SCOs in Sector 8 were also demolished.

Compensation for subscriber

Following the failure of a cellular company in giving a subscriber a number of his choice and subsequent delay in issuing a connection, a local resident has been awarded a compensation of Rs 1000 for mental harassment.

Mr Sanjeev Garg, a resident of Mansa Devi Complex, has been awarded a compensation of Rs 1000, besides a refund of Rs 1000 along with interest that he had deposited with the cellular company for getting a mobile connection in February last year. Mr Garg had asked for a number of his choice, but was told that the same had already been allotted to someone. He did not get a connection even after three weeks of applying for the same.
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Conference on social reconstruction opened
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 13
“The society today suffers from evils of fear, besides corruption, starvation, terrorism and communalism which can be transformed only by morality, spirituality and human values,” said Haryana Governor Babu Parmananad, while inaugurating two-day social leaders’ conference on moral and social reconstruction at Trimurti Bhavan in Sector 33 today.

He said: “The ancient value system of India, including truth, non-violence, tolerance and spirituality, has shown a new path to the whole world and these values are still relevant.”

The Chief of Rajyoga Centres in Maharashtra, Ms B.K. Santosh, stressed upon the need to inculcate the values of co-operation and compassion. Stressing on the need for transformation, she said goodwill could transform the society.

The guest of honour, Chairperson, Haryana Social Welfare Advisory Board, said the degradation in society was due to the neglect of women and rise of evils, including the dowry problem. “Social leaders should come forward to fight such evils,” she said.

The Medical Superintendent of Global Hospital and Research Centre at Mount Abu, Dr Partap Midha, stressed on the need for social development and upliftment through “self-innovation.”

The National Co-ordinator of the social service wing from Karnataka explained the aims and projects of the conference. About 500 delegates from different social organisations of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh participated.
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Senior citizens’ function inaugurated
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 13
The Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association today inaugurated its month-long celebrations with a cultural function at Government Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10 here today.

The function was attended by more than 200 members, who were entertained by 20 artistes — singers, dancers, poets and mimics. K.L. Sehgal’s songs were presented on the occasion. Mr R.K. Bali and Mr P.H. Vaishnav also presented a few numbers by K.L. Sehgal while others like Mr Bhupinder Singh and Mr S.S. Sethi entertained the audience with ghazals. One of the main attractions of the function was Mr Mukand Lal Bhasin, a 97-year-old singer.

Brig Keshav Chandra, president of the association, while addressing the gathering, said that the month-long celebrations would give an opportunity to the senior citizens for self- expression.

Earlier, Col S.S. Bedi, chairman of the Senior Day Organising Committee, exhorted members and others to participate in full force in all remaining Senior Citizen’s Day events. The association will organise a seminar on the topic of “Senior Citizens and Domestic Value” on September 17, a brisk walking competition on September 26 and the final Senior Citizens Day meeting at Tagore Theatre on October1.
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Remove benches from gurdwara hall: jatha
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, September 13
The Bhai Kanhayia Sewak Jatha has demanded the removal of concrete benches from the darbar hall of Gurdwara Sacha Dhan Sahib in Phase IIIBI here to restore the Sikh sangat “maryada”.

The jathas said in a press note that according to the “maryada”, nobody should be seated on a chair, bed, matress, etc in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib.

Two letters had been written requesting the gurdwara management to remove the benches. Later, an inquiry was conducted by the SGPC representatives into the matter Akal Takht, too, had directed the removal of the structures but to no avail. The jatha sought immediate removal of the benches and punishment to gurdwara committee for disobeying the directions of Akal Takht.
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Special stamps to be released
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
A set of four special postage stamps on temple architecture — Vishal Badri temple, Badrinath; Mallikarjuna Swamy temple, Srisailam; Tripureshwari temple, Udaipur; and Jagannath temple, Puri — in denomination of 500 paise each will be issued on September 15. These stamps, information sheets and first day covers will be on sale to the public from September 15.

An official press note stated that the Postal Department celebrates the diversity and variety of India’s temple architecture with this set of stamps.
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Tribune photographer bereaved
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13
Mr Ravinder Lal Mahajan, father of Manoj Mahajan, Staff Photographer, The Tribune, died at Bhadwar, near Nurpur in Himachal Pradesh, this morning after a prolonged illness. He was 73. His cremation will take place at Bhadwar tomorrow.

Mr Ravinder Lal Mahajan leaves behind three sons and two daughters.
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CRIME

One dead in accident
Our Correspondent

Lalru, September 13
A 40-year-old man died and another injured in an accident involving a truck and a jeep on the Kalka-Ambala highway at the sales tax barrier in Jharmari village, near here, last night.

According to the police Sahib Singh, a resident of Jharmari village, sustained serious injuries when the truck (UP-11A-2515), heading towards Ambala, collided with the jeep (PB-11L-6619) in which he was travelling.

Sahib Singh was taken to the Civil Hospital, Ambala, where he succumbed to injuries this morning. Driver of the jeep Amrik Singh, a resident of Ramgarh Rurki village, also sustained injuries in the accident.

The truck reportedly collided with the jeep while taking over vehicles. The truck driver reportedly fled from the scene after the accident.

The police has registered a case under Sections 279, 304-A and 427 of the IPC against the truck driver.
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Husband booked for murder
Our Correspondent

Kharar, September 13
In connection with the murder of Charanjeet Kaur (28) of nearby Barauli village, the Kharar police has booked her husband Kulvaran Singh, his aunt Karamjeet Kaur, Raghbir Singh and Darshan Singh under Sections 302, 201, 120-B and 34, IPC.

According to an FIR lodged with the local police by the brother of the deceased, Mr Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Sekhanmajra village, his sister was married nine years back to Kulvaran Singh.

On September 11, he got a telephone call from an unidentified person that his sister had been murdered and cremated in the village on September 10. He alleged that a family feud was the reason behind the murder and his sister had been cremated without informing her family.
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