C H A N D I G A R H

Top stories | Community | Crime | Education

Culture | Lifestyle | Sports | Administration

TOP STORIES

Fog hits air, rail traffic
Flights cancelled, trains delayed
Chandigarh, January 2
Chilly winds lashed the city and its surrounding areas forcing people indoors, as the mercury dipped once again to 2.6ºC. The cold wave continued unabated and similar conditions are expected to prevail tomorrow.

Independent monitors for polio drive
Chandigarh, January 2
Four independent monitors have been deputed by the UT Health Department to ensure that not even a single child, even in the high-risk areas of the city, is left out in the pulse polio immunisation campaign.

3,500 delegates in city for science congress
Chandigarh, January 2
The rush of delegates, the scramble for accommodation and the last minute hassles of identity cards dominated the day at Panjab University here today.

Only veg food for scientists
Chandigarh, January 2
Delegates at the 91st session of the Indian Science Congress, scheduled to begin here from tomorrow, will be served only vegetarian food during their five-day stay in the City Beautiful.

Staff shortage dogs ‘rich’ MC
Panchkula, January 2
Faced with an acute staff shortage, the ambitious campaign of the local Municipal Corporation to privatise civic amenities seems to have fizzled out, leaving the residents in the lurch.

On a mission of love and care Chandigarh, January 2 It was the spiritual quest which brought Katherine Albatova, now christened Mother Wangmo, from Hungary to India, more specifically to the Himalayas. In these 15 years of soul searching, Mother Wangmo did not just confine herself to the study of Indian religion and philosophy. She also made efforts to raise health care standards in the backward belts of Lahaul, Spiti and Kulu in Himachal Pradesh, where she runs a voluntary organisation in Ghurdorh village, which derives its name from the fact that Britishers used to race their horses here.

COMMUNITY

Accident victim awaits police action Chandigarh, January 2 A veteran painter and state awardee, P.S. Verma, is still in a hospital awaiting the Chandigarh Police to nab the person whose “rash” driving a month back left him fighting for life. Mr Verma underwent an operation to remove a blood clot in his brain on December 30. The painter was taken to the General Hospital, Sector 16, on November 27 with injuries to his shoulder and head when a car (PB-65 8562) hit his scooter (CH0I K 2120) on the road separating Sectors 36 and 37.   Painter P.S. Verma in a hospital in Chandigarh. — A Tribune photograph

New Mayor promises to bridge North, South divide
Chandigarh, January 2
The biggest priority during my tenure as the Mayor is to get councillors from different political groups and nominated members to join hands for common causes. The councillors need to be united in fulfilling dreams of the common man and personal or party differences need to be buried while they are in the office for public service.

• Calls on Administrator

Reserve price of octroi collection contract reduced
Mohali, January 2
Following two unsuccessful attempts to auction octroi collection in Mohali, the municipal council today decided to reduce the reserve price of the contract from Rs 19.09 crore per year to Rs 16.9 crore.

Leaders must be accessible, says Canadian Secy Chandigarh, January 2 Politics in Canada has a much cleaner image compared with that in India. A leader’s car is not followed by a maze of escort vehicles and gun-wielding policemen unlike in India. This was said by Dr Kuldip Singh Kular, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Government of Ontario, Canada, while talking exclusively with Chandigarh Tribune here today.

Road Safety Week from Jan 5
Chandigarh, January 2
The 15th Road Safety Week will be observed between January 5 and 11 across the city to focus on “Better roads do not mean batter your life: avoid over-speeding”. A blood donation camp will be held at 12 noon at Sector 17 piazza after the inauguration of the week by IG Rajesh Kumar on January 5.

Senior citizens organise get-together
Chandigarh, January 2
To welcome 2004, the Chandigarh Senior Citizens Council organised a get-together for its 400 members with police officers and B.Ed students of the Dev Samaj College of Education. Bhajans and shabads were recited on the occasion.

• Fire in Sec 47 house

• Railways  official dead

CRIME

Seven held for assault
Chandigarh, January 2
Seven persons have been arrested for allegedly making an attempt to murder Gauravjit Singh of Sector 21 with swords and sticks on December 29, 2003. Those arrested have been identified as Sandeep Singh, Gurbhag Singh, Lokinder Singh, Sunitinder Singh, Viram Singh, Uttamvir Singh and Gurinder Singh.

Man held with 78 gas cylinders
Chandigarh, January 2
An employee of Happy Gas Centre, Sector 35, has been arrested and 78 gas cylinders seized from him. Ajit Singh, a resident of H. No. 1740, B Block, Colony Number 5, was arrested in a joint raid conducted by the Chandigarh Police and the Excise Department.

2 killed in accidents
Panchkula, January 2
Two person were killed and one was injured in three separate accidents in Panchkula district in the past 24 hours. According to the police, Ruldu Ram, a poultry worker, fell to death from a tractor trolley after it was hit by a truck on the Barwala-Naraingarh road here this afternoon.

1 hurt in road mishap
Dera Bassi, January 2
A Chandigarh resident Jasbir Singh sustained injuries when the car he was driving had a head-on collision with a truck on the Kalka-Ambala highway in Jwaharpur village today.

EDUCATION

Move to make PEC autonomous worries staff
Chandigarh, January 2
The process of deciding upon the status of faculty and employees of Punjab Engineering College is threatening to snowball into a major controversy. While the Chandigarh Administration has sent a letter to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs seeking its approval on three points, the faculty has shot off a letter to the ministry seeking clarification on certain points besides making some suggestions.

Schoolchildren take out awareness rallies
Chandigarh, January 2
Schoolchildren in the city today took out pulse polio awareness rallies in their respective sectors to create awareness so that all children below the age of 5 are administered polio drops on January 4 and February 22.

NAAC team to visit Mohali college
Mohali, January 2
As part of a nationwide process, a team from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council will visit Government College Mohali in February. NAAC, an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission, is involved in assessing universities and colleges throughout India grading them on a nine-point scale from C to A ++.

NSS camp concludes Chandigarh, January 2 A 10-day camp organised by the NSS wing of the Sector 11 Government College concluded today. A variety of programmes were organised on the college campus and in the adopted village of Khuda Lahora near the PGI. NSS volunteers at work on the campus of Government  College, Sector 11, Chandigarh, on Friday.

CULTURE

French film festival begins
Chandigarh, January 2
The much-awaited French Film Festival that will feature the entire body of work of the legendary French film-maker Marin Karmitz opened at Kiran Cinema here today. Being organised jointly by Alliance Francaise, Chandigarh, and the French Embassy, the festival has been structured as a homage to Marin Karmitz, a man of images.

LIFESTYLE

Proof of a car’s excellence lies in its driving experience

If the proof of pudding lies in its eating, the proof of a car’s excellence lies in its driving experience. This is just what is being offered by Ford India at its two-day mega event, which offers car enthusiasts an opportunity to “test drive the best” and experience its products in an exciting fun-filled carnival environment in their own town. Thunderbird — the car that featured in the James Bond movie ‘Die Another Day’.

Playing with the hues of fire Against a cream backdrop, the works of photo artist Ashok Kaushal look particularly striking. Showing his collection for the second time in Chandigarh, Kaushal seems to have a sure way with colours, patterns and techniques, which help his vibrant bunch of pictures stand out among the paintings, that occupy the other side of the Indus Ind gallery.
Ashok Kaushal with his photographs on display at IndusInd Art Gallery in Sector 8, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

The story of New Year resolutions
With the New Year arrives a whole set of rituals associated with it. And as the bygones get buried under the sands of time to pave way for new ideas, events and resolves, we take time off to peep into the lives of some trendsetters and find out if they would resolve until they die....

It’s my life
Love for creativity helped me
I was always eager to learn new and interesting things that I could do of my own, including painting, embroidery and sketching. I was an average student. After clearing Class X examination, I opted for home science as one of the subjects so that I can easily get chance to do something creative.

SPORTS

Ankit shines in CCA XI win
Chandigarh, January 2
The Chandigarh Cricket Association Coaching Centre, affiliated to the Punjab Cricket Association, outplayed the Coaching Centre, Sector 16, by five wickets, thanks to a brilliant performance by Ankit Kaushik. Ankit scored 53 runs in 46 deliveries in the First Captain Cander Vijay Memorial Trophy Cricket Tournament played here today.

Afghanistan u-17 team has practice session Chandigarh, January 2 The visiting under-17 cricket team from Afghanistan had its first day of practice session today at the PCA stadium in Mohali. Fifteen players along with two coaches, two doctors and one observer of the International Cricket Council arrived last evening to have a 10-day session here.
Afghan under-17 cricket players warm up during a practice session in Chandigarh on Friday. The 20-member junior cricket team is currently in India for a 10-day training tour and will participate in the forthcoming Asia Cup. — Reuters photo

ADMINISTRATION

Admn clarifies on taxation regime on medicines
Chandigarh, January 2
The Excise and Taxation wing of the Chandigarh Administration today clarified about the taxation regime on the sale of medicines in the city. In case of medicines with labels indicating MRP inclusive of local taxes, no sales tax is payable.

Admn warning on housing societies’  membership
Chandigarh, January 2
The Cooperative Department of the Chandigarh Administration today warned city residents against accepting membership being offered by any cooperative housing society.