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Ex-BJP Mayor caused 16 cr loss to MC: Chawla
Chandigarh, September 22
A former BJP Mayor allegedly colluded with certain officers of the Chandigarh Administration and municipal corporation to cause a loss of over Rs 16 crore to the civic body, the Mayor, Mr Subash Chawla, said here today.

Biggest-ever haul of poppy husk
Chandigarh, September 22
The Maloya police today claimed to have made the biggest ever seizure of contraband seizing 6.63 quintal of poppy husk, worth more than three lakh, from a house on the outskirts of Maloya village. However, the man who had reportedly brought the husk managed to give police a slip. The police has rounded up a person who introduced the poppy husk dealer when he yesterday rented an accommodation in Maloya.

Residential premises being used commercially

Chandigarh, September 22 Misuse of residential premises for commercial purposes is not just on the rise in city, it has achieved such proportions that it is now difficult to differentiate between commercial areas and residential areas. The problem is more acute in the central sectors or those that had come up in the first few years of Chandigarh’s development in the 60’s. The use of a residential area for commercial purposes is common in the city. This creates problems of privacy for residents of adjoining houses. — A Tribune photograph

From bleak past to bright future

Panchkula, September 22 Rajiv Mandal (12) had never thought of life outside the confines of his jhuggi in Sector 7. Though a keen learner, his family circumstances were not conducive enough to let him have a good education. Students from economically weaker sections who were admitted to DC Model Senior Secondary School, Panchkula, showed excellent results after a year of coaching. — A Tribune photograph

Jawan denied disability pension for 44 years
Chandigarh, September 22
Can the disability factor be reduced if a bullet continues to remain embedded in the body 10 years after the injury and no subsequent medical examination is conducted? This is precisely the question being asked by an 82-year-old ex-serviceman whose disability pension was abruptly stopped 44 years ago.

Trailing Taj Mahal and its splendour Chandigarh, September 22 Two years ago when Chandigarh-based writer, director Robin Khosla had promised to translate the grandeur of Taj Mahal on to celluloid, he was far off from the realisation of his dream. All he had in hand was a well-researched script, a string of famed technicians and the will to create history on screen. But this time around he has returned home with the dream in hand, ready to share with the world the inspiration that makes Taj Mahal glow with divine flames of love. Robin Khosla, director of the first-ever international English feature film on Taj Mahal, shares space with Purnima who plays Mumtaz Mahal in the film, due for world release on October 17. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

HC Registrar faces criminal case
Chandigarh, September 22
After placing Punjab and Haryana High Court Registrar (Additional) Tara Chand under suspension, the Chief Justice, Mr B.K. Roy, today reportedly directed the registration of a criminal case under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against him.

CBI opposes bail to Bhardwaj
Chandigarh, September 22
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today claimed that Chandigarh's suspended Judicial Magistrate S.S. Bhardwaj could cause fatal injury to the complainant in the case if released on bail.

COMMUNITY

Abhay Chautala’s driver booked for drunken driving
Chandigarh, September 22
The Chandigarh Police impounded a white Mercedes Benz, carrying a daughter-in-law of Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, when its “inebriated” driver threw tantrums flaunting connection with the Chief Minister on being challaned for overspeeding.

Now human rights interludes in Ramlilas
Chandigarh, September 22
The Ramayana an epic about the victory of “good over evil” — will convey another theme, this time of human rights protection. In an attempt to spread across the message of protection against unnecessary harassment by the police, besides torture and other such evils, members of a human rights organisation have resolved to address the gathering during Ramlila everyday.

Dying, she cries for help
Chandigarh, September 22
Thirty-year-old Srimati is fighting a losing battle. Afflicted with renal failure, she has been asked to arrange a sum of Rs 1.5 lakh for kidney replacement by the PGI. With no source of income to meet the expenditure, she has given up all hope of recovery.

Booksellers can run business from road side
Chandigarh, September 22
A ray of hope today emerged for the sellers of secondhand books in Sector 15, who were forced to shut their four-decade-old business on last Friday.

PUDA burns old files, raises suspicion
SAS Nagar, September 22
The PUDA authorities burnt hundreds of old files near the office building in Phase I here today with a section of the officials alleging that the action was against the rules.

Mock disaster control plan on BPCL’s premises

Lalru, September 22 In an attempt to check the effectiveness of its emergency preparedness plan in case of a mishap, the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) conducted a mock disaster control management plan within the premises of company’s bottling plant, here today. Employees of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited fight with fire in a mock drill under the disaster control management plan conducted at its bottling plant in Lalru on Monday. — Photo by Malkiat Singh

Department store selling low quality products

Chandigarh, September 22 A section of customers have alleged that Farmer’s Hyper Market, Guron Food Farm Private Limited, a department store (SCO 218-219, Sector 34-A) is selling spoiled, low quality and adulterated products. They said though the Department of Health, Chandigarh, had conducted raids on its premises just two days ago, it was still selling the same products. Mr B.S. Sethi, a resident of Shivalik Cooperative House Building Society, shows a packet of white gram purchased from a department store in Sector 34 that was full of pests. — A Tribune photograph

Seminar on national security on Sept 27
Chandigarh, September 22
The Forum on Integrated National Security will be hosting a two-day seminar on “Integrated Management of National Security” in Chandigarh on September 27 and 28.

Breached water reservoir repaired
Panchkula, September 22
A breached water reservoir in Bhudd village near Raipur Rani has been desilted and repaired by the Ningana Social Welfare and Environmental Society.

Congress rally on Sept 30
Chandigarh, September 22
The local unit of the Congress will take out a rally on September 30 against the “failure” of the NDA government at the Centre and submit a memorandum to the UT Administrator seeking from the President of India dismissal of the government.

READERS WRITE
Development, not a bane for Morni
APROPOS Ruchika M. Khanna’s report captioned “Development becomes Morni’s bane, five new link roads threaten fragile ecology” in Chandigarh Tribune of September 13, she has built her entire story around five new link roads to be built and then has proceeded to conclude that government departments are working at cross purposes, giving an impression that the Forest Department and the Shivalik Board are fighting and in the process Morni forests are facing destruction.

• Sukhna’s silt problem — a paper tiger

FAUJI BEAT
Military action cannot solve Kashmir problem
THE Defence Minister, George Fernandes, said at Mattan in Kashmir the other day that “the security forces will give a befitting reply to the stepped-up violence by militants in J&K”.

CRIME

Thief held with stolen goods
Chandigarh, September 22
A thief was arrested last evening along with stolen goods while trying to flee into a jungle near Makhan Majra.

6-yr-old crushed to death by truck
Panchkula, September 22
A six-year-old boy was crushed to death by a truck near the Naddha bridge this morning. It is learnt that Vijay was on his way to the school when he was crushed by a speeding truck ( HR- 55- 1519).

BUSINESS

Japanese nail art major attraction
Panchkula, September 22
It was ladies day out at Hideout - a discotheque at North Park. Women of all ages gathered here to shake a leg and freak out during a special evening organised for them by the VLCC on Saturday.

Reliance claims record in mobile data services
Chandigarh, September 22
Reliance Infocomm claims to have created a world record in the growing field of mobile data services in India. On September 20, the very first day of introducing "Navratri" - a multi-media mobile service offering ring tones, greeting cards, pictures and video clips of Navratri festival, over 10 million Navratri specific content downloads were reported.

EDUCATION

Food, fun and frolic at freshers’ party
Chandigarh, September 22
The week-long Canadian Institute for International Studies’ (CIIS) Founder’s Day celebration came to an end with a freshers’ party through which students were inducted in the CIIS family with food, fun and frolic. The party was organised at its Mohali campus.

My colleague instigating students: teacher
Chandigarh, September 22
“I have made a name for myself in the music world despite my handicap and my students are putting me to shame, bringing me a bad name,” laments Dr Jatinder Singh Khanna, the visually impaired teacher accused of citing vulgar examples to explain topics in class.

Students seek suspension of music teacher

Chandigarh, September 22 Agitated students of the Department of Music, Government College for Girls, Sector 11, and their parents here today demanded the suspension of the visually impaired music teacher for the alleged use of indecent examples in the class during explaining lessons. Students make a point before PUSU president Malwinder Singh Kang (extreme right) during a protest organised against the alleged misbehaviour of a college teacher at Government College for Girls, Sector 11, in Chandigarh on Monday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Book-binding project for mentally challenged
Chandigarh, September 22
After developing book- binding skill among the first batch of four students from the Government Institute for Mentally Retarded Children, Sector 32, the institute is gearing up to train more such children. The project which was started about two years ago by the institute, aims at making the children who suffer from mild retardation, self -reliant.

CAMPUS NOTES
PU allocates marks for attendance

Panjab University’s initiative to increase classroom attendance has generated an interesting debate. The university has decided to give classroom credence to attendance by reserving 5 per cent marks in the annual examination of undergraduate classes to be added to the total. An enormous beehive disturbing students of English Department since long being removed at Panjab University on Monday. — Photo by Pankaj Sharma

Kalam to attend NIPER convocation
SAS Nagar, September 22
The President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will be the chief guest at the second convocation of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) here on September 29.

Tribune organises outing for children
Chandigarh, September 22
It was a day out for at least 190 students of three different schools from Chandigarh and Panchkula, who took part in various fun-filled activities at Rose Garden in Sector 16 here this morning. The trip was sponsored by The Tribune as part of its Tribune in Education programme.

New method for early board exam results
SAS Nagar, September 22
The Punjab School Education Board here has decided to introduce a new method to reduce errors in the examination results and ensure their early declaration.

210 kids take part in drawing contest Chandigarh, September 22 To provide an outlet to the creative potential of children of different age groups, an interschool drawing competition was organised at Anees School, SAS Nagar here today. Children from various schools take part in an inter-school painting competition organised by Anees School, Sector 69, SAS Nagar, on Monday.

COURTS

SC sends back records summoned in Bhattal case
Chandigarh, September 22
In a significant decision, the records summoned by the Supreme Court in a corruption case registered against the Minister for Agriculture, Punjab, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, from Chandigarh court were today ordered to be sent back to the same court by the Assistant Registrar, Supreme Court.

HIGH COURT
Cattle menace case
Chandigarh, September 22
Taking up the stray cattle menace case, a Division Bench of the High Court directed the issuance of notice to the states of Punjab and Haryana for November 10. The court had earlier directed the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh to "indicate steps taken to prevent the entry of cattle and stray animals in the city during night time".

District Courts
Order on Sidhu’s bail plea reserved
Chandigarh, September 22
A local court today reserved its order on a bail application moved by former Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) Chairman, Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, in connection with a case under the Arms Act for tomorrow. The bail application had come up for hearing before the UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh.

CULTURE

Turkmenistan dancers leave audience spellbound

Chandigarh, September 22 Dancers of Mengli troupe from Turkmenistan wove a magical spell at the Tagore Theatre last evening when they bared before the gathering the cultural richness of their land. Among the many musical items presented on the occasion, which marked the concluding ceremony of the Haryana Government’s Kala Ratan award conferring ceremony, was the traditional presentation called “Gola Gel”, literally meaning come up to me.

Dancers of Mengli Troupe from Turkmenistan perform at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

A sensitive portrayal of eunuchs

Chandigarh, September 22 In continuation of its theatre festival, the National School of Drama Repertory Company today presented yet another relevant production from its collection. Based on Machhindra More’s plat titled, “Jaaneman”, today’s presentation sought to lend voice to the pain and suffering of those, who have always been denied their rightful place in the society. A scene from play ‘Janemann’ being enacted at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Monday. — A Tribune photo

Bhangra star holding workshop
Chandigarh, September 22
About 40 youngsters of the city are availing an opportunity to polish their dancing skills during an ongoing 15-day workshop organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre at Kalagram. Rising bhangra star Gurdarshan Singh Toni is conducting the workshop.

HEALTH

Charitable workshops for heart patients
Chandigarh, September 22
Inscol, a heart care institute, plans to launch a series of charitable angiography and angioplasty workshops. The first such workshop will start from October 1 and will continue till October 31, according to an announcement by the hospital.

Car rally saw medical support by Fortis
Chandigarh, September 22
The Fortis Heart Institute and Multi-Speciality Hospital ensured complete medical support to the participants of "Motorsport One", national car rally championship, held in Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh over the weekend.

SPORTS

Dharminder, Alok surge ahead in pool meet
Chandigarh, September 22
Dharminder Lilly of Punjab displayed his prowess as he trounced Chirag Thakker, 5-1, on the third day of the Chaudhary Vishnu Parshad Singh Nine-Ball National Pool Tournament played here at the Chandigarh Club. National pool champion, Alok Kumar, had to fight out with Neeraj Kumar before he could win, 5-3. Manoj Tyagi earned the tag of the slowest player of the meet.

Promote cue sport in India, says Alok
Chandigarh, September 22
‘Cue sport, involving three events, billiards, snooker and pool, is now increasingly becoming popular in this part of the country’, feels Alok Kumar, who was recently given Arjuna Award for his stupendous achievements last year. He has come to take part in the third National Pool Championship being played at the Chandigarh Club. He has proved his prowess in this field.

ADMINISTRATION

New posting for executive engineer
Chandigarh, September 22
The Chandigarh Administration today decided to post Executive Engineer Harsh Kumar away from sensitive posting in view of his previous record. He was suspended in connection with a scam in which a former Chief Engineer, K.K. Jerath, was dismissed, from service.

P.K. Dhawan promoted as DSP
Chandigarh, September 22
The Chandigarh Administration in a late-evening order today promoted Inspector P.K. Dhawan as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). The place of posting is yet to be decided, sources said, while adding that it might take a day or two.

Special counters for filing of tax returns
Chandigarh, September 22
In view of the September 30 deadline for filing of income tax returns, the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, North-West region, has made special arrangements for the purpose.