Operation Sadbhavna launched
Panchkula, December 25
The Panchkula police today launched Operation Sadbhavna at Sector 10, which aims at promoting police-public interaction. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, City, Mr Om Vir and the Station House Officer of the Sector 5 police station, Mr Ashok Bakshi, exhorted the people to “help the police help them”. 

Three in fray for DSOI top post
Chandigarh, December 25
Three candidates are in the fray for the post of vice- chairman of the management committee of the Defence Services Officers Institute, Sector 36, the elections for which are scheduled to be held on January 11.

No one wants to shelter the homeless
Chandigarh, December 25
In a city that prouds itself of a large number of community centres, temples, churches, gurdwaras and bhavans, no one is ready to provide shelter to over 500 homeless rickshaw-pullers and rag-pickers, who have to brave the chill in the open.

Nagar kirtan on Jan 3
Mohali, December 25
The Gurdwara Coordination Committee will organise a nagar kirtan procession here on January 3 in connection with the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.

Violence over “LOC”
Chandigarh, December 25
Chaos prevailed at the Batra cinema house for over 30 minutes during the night show of Hindi film, “LOC”. Angered over the delay in starting the movie, viewers broke windowpanes and hurled cold drink bottles on the screen tonight.

Stray dogs can also be trained, says expert
Chandigarh, December 25
Open spaces and lush green parks in the city offer perfect environment for dog lovers, but there is a general attitude of indifference towards stray dogs. With proper care and training, they can also be trained into being as obedient as any other good breed, says Mr Shiv Kaushal, a city-based professional dog trainer, who was declared the Best Dog Trainer by the Bharat Kennel Club, New Delhi, at a competition held on December 21.

Programme for pharmacists
Mohali, December 25
The Department of Pharmacy Practice at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in collaboration with the Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs and the India-WHO Programme of Essential Drugs will organise a programme on “promoting rational use of drugs by involving the pharmacist” on December 26 and 27 here.

Widows of BJP leaders honoured
Chandigarh, December 25
Wives of three Bhartiya Janata Party leaders, who were killed during days of terrorism in Punjab, were honoured at the Vijay Vikas Sankalp Divas organised at the party office here today. The occasion was the 79th birthday of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

PUDA allowed to collect development charges
Mohali, December 25
Dismissing a writ petition filed by promoters of various colonies, the Punjab and Haryana High court has allowed the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority to collect external development charges from these promoters.

Territorial Army ADG served legal notice
Chandigarh, December 25
In perhaps the first case of its kind, the Additional Director General, Territorial Army at Army Headquarters has been served a legal notice for allegedly ordering recruitment of candidates into the Territorial Army in violation of statutory rules, it is learnt.

• Office-bearers

Hunt for Navneet's attackers on
Chandigarh, December 25
The local police today constituted a team of three inspectors to find out who assaulted Ms Navneet Kaur, a granddaughter of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on Tuesday in Sector 15. SSP Gaurav Yadav named Inspector, CIA, K.I.P. Singh, Sector 17 SHO Satbir Singh and Sector 11 SHO Prem Singh Chauhan to investigate the incident in which Navneet Kaur was robbed of her purse after she was attacked.

Two injured in road accident
Mohali, December 25
Two persons were injured, one of them seriously, in a road accident this morning. Anil Kumar, a resident of Dadu Majra village was driving a van which collided head on with a car.

BUSINESS

Online lottery launched

Rotary training for youth
Panchkula, December 25
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards for 2003, a major programme of Rotary International focusing on leadership and personality development, was inaugurated by former Army Chief General V.P. Malik at Jainendra Gurukul in Sector 1 here.

Kids convey message of unity in diversity
Mohali, December 25
A colourful cultural programme was presented by students of Sant Isher Singh Model Senior Secondary School, Phase VII, on its 23rd annual prize distribution function here yesterday.

Nostalgic moments for ex-Yadavindrians
Mohali, December 25
It turned out to be a nostalgic evening for former students of Yadavindra Public School here as members of the old Yadavindrians Association held a meeting yesterday.

212 students get scholarships
Panchkula, December 25
As many as 250 children belonging to the underprivileged section were given cash prizes, gifts, and scholarships by the Shivalik Foundation, at its ninth annual day function today.

Varisty to outsource work
Mohali, December 25
The Board of Governors of Punjab Technical University today decided to outsource the Distance Education Programme work to a central agency in order to improve its effectiveness.

Hamara School
Social activities are encouraged here
Nanak Jyoti Public School, Mundi Kharar, was set up in 1995 in a rented building. It shifted to its own 2-kanal premises in 1999 and now has more than 250 students from nursery to Class X.

Students of Nanak Jyoti Public School, Mundi Kharar coming out of the school.

Emphasis is on classroom teaching
Classroom teaching is important. Students are taught according to the syllabi and keeping in mind their mental ability. We do not advise the students to go in for private tuitions. 

Kulwinder Kaur, Principal

FLASHBACK ‘03
Schools City saw new schools, higher fee, better facilities
Chandigarh, December 25
The opening of prominent educational institutions in the city was the high point of 2003 while the year also saw the commercialisation of school education with all the new schools charging exorbitantly in the name of better facilities and unique teaching methods.

• Scholarship

Fashion Fundas Use shimmer to simmer
at New Year bash
It is that time of the year again when young and old alike gather to bid good-bye to the year passing by and welcome the new year with hopes and aspirations. In the last week of December everyone gets into the party mood. and the spirit of celebration rules everywhere. If you are among those bombarded with invitations for pre-new year, New Year Eve or New Year bash this time and want to be the cynosure of all eyes at the hep do’s then deciding the right look and outfit is not an easy job.

There’s fire on your plate
It's the Christmas-New Year festivity time. And city restaurants have also taken care to jazz up their interiors with stars, lights and buntings and dish out special fare for Chandigarhians in a holiday mood and hungry for a treat.

Former cricketer and actor Yograj Singh takes a sip of a drink at Bhatia International Supermarket, Sector 35, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

It’s my life
Fashion is my passion
Fashion has always been my passion and, therefore, joining NIFD after completing my graduation was a natural choice. I did my schooling from Carmel Convent and thereafter bachelor in arts with honours from MCM College. I scored good marks in my graduation with which I could have easily got admission in MA regular at the university, but that was not my cup of tea. 
Sweety Bedi

Choco cheer for the New Year
PATIALA: This is a temptation few have been able to resist and with the New Year just around the corner, it is perhaps impossible to withstand the simply chocolicious onslaught coming your way. Look around where gift packs bursting with choco cheer seem to be ringing in the New Year.

Ismeet with her packets of chocolicious goodies.

All that glitters is gold here
Patiala: Diamonds may be touted as a girl’s best friend but owing to the large amount of ready cash required to keep the association strong many of us would settle for the more accessible gold and pearls. Especially so when the package includes an authentication certificate besides a 100 per cent money back guarantee in the bargain.

HEALTH

More staff to join technicians’ stir
Chandigarh, December 25
Contractual junior laboratory technicians at Government Medical College and Hospital continued their strike for the second day today, causing inconvenience to patients as some of the tests could not be done in case of emergencies, last night.

Chatwal’s team wins SJOBA treasure hunt
Chandigarh, December 25
Excited shrieks drowned the constant din of roaring engines as dust-raising jaunty jalopies zipped up and down the city roads and streets in search of glory during a treasure hunt organised by St John’s Old Boys’ Association this morning. 

Chill failed to freeze the thrill during a treasure hunt organised by SJOBA in Chandigarh on Thursday.

A male bastion falls
Chandigarh, December 25
One of the male bastions in the city fell today with the formal commissioning of city’s first all-women petrol station in Sector 4.

Three gold medals for city sportspersons
Chandigarh, December 25
UT school sportspersons won three gold medals and a bronze medal in the ongoing 49th National School Games being held at Delhi. As per information provided by Mr Prem Puri, vice-president of the School Games Federation of India, the gold medal winners included, Ashish Thakur, Sarita and Ranjana Rana. Bronze medal was bagged by Vijay Chauhan. 

City gymnastics team announced
Chandigarh, December 25
An 18 member gymnastics team has been announced by the Chandigarh Gymnastic Association for the forthcoming 44th Senior National Gymnastics championship to be held at Shivalik Public School, Phase VI, Mohali from December 27 to December 31. According to Mr S.S. Budhwar, secretary of the association, the team stands better chance this time to garner medals in the nationals.

ADMINISTRATION

MC office to distribute voter cards
Mohali, December 25
The municipal council has decided to set up counters at its office in Phase VII for the distribution of voter identity cards.

Pickets set up along city, Mohali border
Chandigarh, December 25
The UT police and the Mohali police today jointly set up night pickets along the Chandigarh-Mohali border. As many as 250 police personnel sealed all routes between Chandigarh and Mohali and to Faidan and Jhampur villages near Maloya.