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Pedalling by day, freezing at night
Rickshaw-pullers at the mercy of elements
Chandigarh, December 24
At 10.30 pm, when you are tucked in your quilts snugly, watching your favourite soap on television, homeless Surya Shukla and his friends are shivering in the open, with torn blankets as their only guard against the winter chill.

Race for top PGI post hots up
Chandigarh, December 24
The race for the post of PGI Director is hotting up as 11 doctors have filed their nominations with the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, with the tenure of the present incumbent Prof S.K. Sharma, ending on March 31.

Kamlesh set to be new Mayor
Chandigarh, December 24
Decks were cleared today for an unopposed election of a 32-year-old two-time Congress councillor, Ms Kamlesh, on January 1 as the first Scheduled Caste woman Mayor of the city.

COMMUNITY

Panchayat not to give land for biotechnology park

Lalru, December 24 The setting up of a prestigious Rs 100 crore biotechnology park in Malikpur village, 5 km from here, seems to have been doomed with the village panchayat today withdrawing its decision to lease out 94 acres of its land (shamlat) for the project. Members of the Malikpur panchayat oppose the decision to lease out 94 acres of village common land for  setting up of a bio-technology park at the village. — A Tribune photograph

Panchayat poll: lobbying on
Chandigarh, December 24
Lobbying between the winning sarpanches and the loser candidates continued in the 18 villages of the Union Territory today, a day after the panchayat poll results were declared here yesterday.

Dowry victim fights for life
Chandigarh, December 24
Twentysix-year-old Shamina, mother of a four-year-old girl, is fighting for life with 95 per cent burn injuries after her husband and his parents allegedly set her ablaze yesterday.

Devotees attend midnight service
Chandigarh, December 24 Even before the hands of the clock touched each other, the devotees rushed to the churches decorated with colourful blinking lights and balloons all over the city for attending the midnight service and Holy Communion. Santa distributes ‘fun’ among the physically challenged children at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

When chocolates sell like hot cakes Chocolates are a girl's best friend. And if dextrous hands mould them like bells, stars, flowers, wine bottles, even Santa Claus, they become all the more alluring. That is the reason why more and more youngsters are rushing towards markets for buying boxes and satchels of chocolates in alluring designs. Special chocolates for Christmas on display at an exhibition in Sector 17, Chandigarh. — Tribune photo by Pravesh Chauhan

Santa Claus distributes sweets
Panchkula, December 24
Santa Claus distributed sweets and toffees among kids in various schools to celebrate Christmas today. Enthusiastic students of Manav Mangal School, Sector 11 here sang and danced to celebrate Xmas with fervor.

All-women petrol station in city Chandigarh, December 24 One of the male bastions city will fall tomorrow with the formal commissioning of city’s first all-women petrol station in Sector 4. Four girls, trained by the BPCL, have been dispensing petrol, handling cash and giving driving tips to the customers visiting the station for the past couple of weeks. Chandigarh’s first all-women petrol station becomes operational from Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

PGI moves, attends to Deepak
Chandigarh, December 24
It was after three days that PGI doctors came to the rescue of 12-year-old Deepak, whose plight was highlighted by the media. He had been lying unattended in the PGI emergency, writhing in pain due to a neurological problem.

British Library to open membership on Jan 3
Chandigarh, December 24
After much delay, the British Library finally shifted to the more swanky space in Sector 9 yesterday. The new library, which commands an area almost double than that in Sector 8, has many new sections, including a full-fledged section for children.

• Governor calls for peace

• Stray cattle sent to Delhi gaushala

EDUCATION

FLASHBACK ‘03
Panjab University
PU managed to tide over financial crisis
Chandigarh, December 24
Loose ends in the academic and extra-curricular arenas of Panjab University continued to linger on in the environs of one of the most coveted academic institutions of the country in 2003.

From Schools Schools celebrate Christmas Mohali, December 24 Students of Sanjay Public School, Sector 70, Mohali, celebrated Christmas on the school premises. Displaying a wide array of colourful stage items, the students enlivened the spirit. Starting with art and craft activities, the students made a collage of Santa and a Christmas tree. Students of Sanjay Public School, Sector 70, Mohali, celebrate Christmas. — A Tribune photograph

From Schools
Fancy dress contest, races mark Christmas celebrations
Chandigarh, December 24
Students of Manav Mangal High School, Sector 21, participated in a fancy dress contest held as a part of the Christmas celebrations in school, here today. Students from Class nursery to II came dressed as Lord Krishna, Kalpana Chawla, Nihangs and Sonpari but Santa Claus seemed the favourite at the contest.

Christmas cheer for special students
Chandigarh, December 24
The Church bell did not toll, nor was there any Santa Claus with his long flowing beard. Yet the real Christmas message, sharing and caring, was very meaningfully translated into action, as Mr G.K. Chaudhary presented gifts and study scholarships to physically challenged students, primarily to graduate-level students, being rehabilitated under the care of the Roshni Society.

14 nursing students graduate Chandigarh, December 24 A lamp-lighting ceremony marked the initiation of 14 nursing students into the noble profession today. The students belonged to the 38th batch of probationary nurses trained at the School of Nursing in Chandi Mandir Command Hospital. A lamp-lighting ceremony marks the initiation of students into nursing at Chandi Mandir on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Vocational students receive diplomas Chandigarh, December 24 Diplomas were given to 100 students at the annual convocation of the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Institute of Vocational Studies, Sector 27, here today. The Chairman of the National Council of Technical Education (Northern Region committee) handed over the diplomas to the pass-outs of the nursery teachers training course.
Students of the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Institute of Vocational Studies, Sector 27, during their convocation in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Inter-school singing contest Chandigarh, December 24 An inter-school singing competition based on Punjabi writer Shiv Batalvi’s poetry was organised at Government Girls Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 18, on Tuesday in connection with the silver jubilee celebrations of Punjabi Tribune. Prize winners of the inter-school singing competition organised at GGMSS School, Sector 18, Chandigarh. — A Tribune photograph

COURTS

26 file papers for Bar body poll
Chandigarh, December 24
At least 26 candidates, including the former president and secretary, today filed nomination papers to contest election for the various posts of the District Courts Bar Association on the last date for the filing the paper.

Hearing in graft case adjourned
Chandigarh, December 24
Hearing in a corruption case involving two judicial officers was today adjourned to January 16 by a local court after the CBI sought more time to supply important documents in the case.

CULTURE

A jazz treat from Indian Ocean Chandigarh, December 24 For a city bereft of western musical influences, this evening was all about welcome surprises, sprung in plenty by members of Indian Ocean, the band that plays western harmonies with an Indian heart. Rahul Ram, one of the four members of the Indian Ocean band, under a melodic spell at the opening of SJOBA’s winter festival at St John’s School on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

New Release ‘LoC’ opens to 100 per cent booking J.P. Dutta is ready to take the centrestage again today. With a war film that is bigger than ‘Border’ was. At a time when mediocrity still rules, J.P. Dutta and his mammoth cast of over 50 actors are hoping to give us another super duper war film which will bring back to public memory names like Kargil, Drass and Batalik.

A scene from J.P. Dutta’s ‘LoC’

LIFESTYLE

Home Decor In this house, the elements are in perfect harmony THERE are no jazzy interiors for this interior designer turned Feng Shui expert. A harmony of colours, simple architecture with the elements of light, wind, space and ventilation being thrown in full swing are the quintessential features of Shivani Sharma and her musician husband Atul Sharma. The front garden has been designed keeping in mind the principles of Feng Shui. — Tribune photograph

Today swanky cars, not small gifts, impress kids His dreams are too big for his stockings. For Christmas, the young innocent wants a flashy limousine parked in the driveway of his Sector 9 house, instantly. Rahul’s happily-married sister also believed in Santa when she was in her teens, but never demanded anything. Santa face-masks main attraction for the kids during Christmas. — A Tribune photograph

Forget your worries — let Kasauli or Forest Hills
be your destination
Dad’s home on Christmas, surfing channels after reposing on a comfortable sofa with his feet on the center table. No wonder, your dancing shoes are gathering dust in some remote corner of the closet.

Eating Out Piccadily cuts prices, woos masses The upmarket Piccadily Hotel, Sector 22, Chandigarh, has been renovated and prices slashed by nearly 50 per cent to accommodate the masses. It’s newly done up multi-cuisine restaurant — Curry’s — threw open its opulent ornate door to the public on Wednesday, luring the middle class by catching its pulse favouring Mughlai khana.
Cooks dish out a Lucknowi treat in the new ‘open kitchen’ of Hotel Piccadily, Sector 22, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

It’s my life I am passionate about singing MY name is Setu Rattan and I am studying in Class IX in Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh. I am 13 years old and passionate about singing. I started singing when I was in class VIII. My parents recognised my interest and thought that I was talented enough to take it seriously. Setu Rattan, class IX, Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh

HEALTH

GMCH lab technicians go on strike
Chandigarh, December 24
Patients going for treatment to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, could be in for inconvenience as 40 junior laboratory technicians working at the hospital on contract, today proceeded on an indefinite strike, in protest against the non-payment of their salaries by the R.R. Associates.

SPORTS

SD College girls clinch tennis title Chandigarh, December 24 GGDSD College, Sector 32, clinched the Panjab University Inter-College Tennis (women) Championship played here today at the Panjab University grounds. In the final, GGDSD-32 downed Punjab Engineering College, Sector 12, 2-0. Harsimran Bedi (centre) Ritu Bala and Kriti Pasi, of GGDSD College, Sector 32, who won the Panjab University Inter College Tennis Meet in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Noor aims high in skating
Chandigarh, December 24
Noor Kataria, a class X Student of St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, is all set to polish her skills in order to become a national-level skater. Noor (16) had taken to speed skating about five years ago at the initiative of her elder sister who herself won laurels in skating few years back.

ADMINISTRATION

• Khanna joins as Postmaster-General