The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

CBSE painting contest on Oct 12
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 4
A painting contest on the theme of “Disaster management” is being organised by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on October 12. The contest is being organised in connection with as the National Day for Disaster Reduction, which falls on October 29. The topics for the contest include “Preventing a disaster: together, towards a safer community”, “Responding to disaster”: hands that help” and “Disaster: fury and aftermath”

The contest is open to all students of affiliated schools. Interested candidates from the city have to forward their names through their respective schools before October 10 and apply to SD Public School, Sector 32.

The paintings would be judged at the venue on October 13, of which five would be selected for cash awards. While the first prize carries an award of Rs 500, the second prize will be Rs 300 and the third, Rs 200. Two consolation prizes of Rs 100 each would also be given.

The chosen paintings received from various venues would be adjudged at Delhi for the national-level award and 12 best paintings chosen. While six would be declared first with a cash award of Rs 5,000, the remaining six, the second best at the national level, have an award of Rs 3,000.

The prizes for the national-level awardees would be presented on October 29 at a function to be organised by the government in Delhi to coincide with the National Day for Disaster Reduction.

COURTS

Tara Chand's police remand extended
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, October 4
The suspended Additional Registrar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Tara Chand, was today further remanded in police custody by a local court. He was produced in the court of the UT Duty Magistrate, Ms Sangeeta Rai Sachdeva, who after hearing the police plea, remanded him in police custody till October 6. Tara Chand was booked on September 22 for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

While seeking eight-day police custody of Tara Chand, the Additional District Attorney(ADA), Mr J.P Singh, argued that the accused had concealed the details of bank accounts prior to 1998 along with insurance policies and other deposits.

Though during the police custody of the accused he revealed that there was an FDR in the name of Leega but he had not furnished the details.

The ADA further argued that scrutiny of the annual property return revealed that the accused had accounts in Punjab State Cooperative Bank, Sector 17, Syndicate Bank and post office, Baretta, village Mansa Tehsil, Bathinda in 1971.

Claiming that the accused had not cooperated with the police during the interrogation, the ADA argued that all this information had not been disclosed to the police during the interrogation.

The ADA said the accused would be taken to Baretta village to verify about his office accounts and to make investigations regarding other investments.

The ADA further informed the court that the custody of the accused was required to conduct more verification from Noida about property owned by his family member.

Opposing the police custody of the accused, the defence counsel argued that the police was seeking police remand on fake grounds without furnishing the exact details.

The defence counsel further argued that he was falsely implicated in the case as some persons had a grudge against him because of his professional success.

The defence counsel further argued that the accused was made to face an inquiry in 1998 on an anonymous complaint made against him but he had been given a clean chit by the court.

CULTURE

WESTERN FILM REVIEW
Scaling new heights of buffoonery
Rajiv Kaplish

Johnny Depp in ‘‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’’.

CHANDIGARH: Director Gore Verbinski has a belief. That crime can be comical. Adventure can be frivolous. And humour can be boisterous. Consumed by the belief, he cobbles together an army of pirates and makes them scale new heights of buffoonery in ‘‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’’ (Kiran).

While some pirates become skeletons every moonlit night, others get transformed into rogues with hearts of gold.

As evil-incarnate Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) kidnaps the Governor’s daughter, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), to cure himself and his crew of a curse, another pirate, Captain John Sparrow (Johnny Depp), along with Elizabeth’s lover, Orlando Bloom, turns out to be her saviour.

With the movie running the risk of getting reduced to a cartoon film, the director induces a dose of sword fights, cannon fire and special effects to perk up the narrative.

While scenes such as the one in which the pirates stealthily move under the sea before launching an assault on the enemy enliven the proceedings, endless violence and needless humour are a jarring experience.

Johnny Depp as the loveable rogue saves the film from sinking into the depths of mediocrity while Keira Knightley’s shining locks lend it some degree of glamour.

Meher Bhasin opens Decorators
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 4
Model Meher Bhasin is always on the move. She was here again this afternoon to inaugurate an apparel studio put together by budding designer Simple Kaur. After opening the store, which houses an exclusive range of fabric laced with Kashmiri embroidery and a host of traditional motifs, Meher talked about her latest engagement which has roots in fashion. “I have had my hands full all these months. Currently I am paying attention to my academy in Delhi, which trains modelling aspirants. I am now planning to open branches of my academy all over India, and Chandigarh is obviously my first preference after Delhi.”

Referring to the beauty of Chandigarh youth, the model-compere, who became the first Indian to have compered the Miss India USA show in 2003, said, “I think Chandigarh youth are very handsome. They have great talent but less opportunity. That is why I want to bring my expertise here. I am looking for a franchise in the city.”

Also engaged as a hostess for two television programmes– Morning Zee (a health show) and Ik Pyar ka Nagma hai, a countdown show, Meher is busy with her fashion shows. “I love walking the ramp. Compering is another area that fascinates me. You have to be innovative and inventive all the time,” said the model.

“I think Simple Kaur should have opened the store in Delhi,” said Meher. The Simple Kaur label will be available from today at Decorators in Sector 35.