C H A N D I G A R H   S T O R I E S


 

UT Administration to develop villages
Tribune News Service

* All 18 villages of UT to be developed as per the building controls in Chandigarh.
* No more unplanned high-rise buildings.
* No more unauthorised shops and housing colonies.
* Will apply from the date of notification.
* The existing buildings will be unaffected.

Chandigarh, January 20
In a move aimed at checking unplanned growth in surrounding villages and the periphery of Chandigarh, the UT Administrator, Justice O.P Verma (Retd.), today issued directions to the Finance Secretary to extend the ‘Capital of Punjab Development Regulation Act, 1952’ to all villages of Chandigarh.

The building bylaws being framed for four villages that come under the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, will also be applicable to the villages of Chandigarh.

The Notifications will be out within a fortnight after the Legal Remembrance has a look at the draft. Legally, the Administration can notify any land in village for urban development.

Not only will this improve civic amenities in the villages, but improved facilities will mean cheaper residential and commercial property in these areas. It may be recalled that high-rise buildings have come up in villages like Sarangpur, located adjacent to the proposed bio-technology park, and Kishangarh, which is next to the IT Park and the golf course.

Already the delay by the Administration in framing village bylaws has resulted on major violations and haphazard growth of commercial establishments.

Meanwhile, the UT Administrator today visited Kaimbwala, which is being developed as a model village. He inspected the progress of works being carried out by various departments.

Justice Verma asked the Engineering Department to expedite work on concrete paving of the road as well as the storm water drainage system as the Administration had to cover maximum villages under this scheme.

He asked the Department to submit a monthly report on the same. The Administrator also inspected the bus queue shelter, being constructed in the village.
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Shopping malls fetch Rs 49.66 crore
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 20
The first-ever auction of shopping malls by HUDA today drew an overwhelming response with HUDA netting Rs 49.66 crore through the auction of two sites in Sector 5 here today.

The auction, which was held under the chairmanship of the HUDA Administrator, Mr C.R. Rana, drew 26 bidders. The reserve price was fixed at Rs 11 crore and the bidders were required to deposit Rs 5 lakh. The auction of the shopping mall (SM-5) was taken up first and the site was auctioned for Rs 25.5 crore to the Hari Colonisers. Situated near the main market in Sector 7 and several tourist spots, the prime land has been auctioned for less than the market rates, sources said.

However, contrary to expectations, the auction of the other site, SM-8, dragged on for over an hour. Being at the far end of the City Centre in Sector 5, which is yet to be developed, the site failed to attract the bidders until the middle of the auction. This forced Mr Rana to warn the bidders that the site would be withdrawn and next time the reserve price would be kept at Rs 25 crore. It seemed to have worked and the bidding began. Ultimately, a Delhi-based firm, Contel Private Ltd, got the site for Rs 24.16 crore.

Claiming that the response to the auction was “very good,” HUDA sources said the authority was in the process of finalising the dates for the auction of commercial property in the state, including shopping malls in Gurgaon, Kurukshetra and Faridabad.

The sources said after the success of the Fun Republic multiplex at Mani Majra, an encouraging response was expected. The allowing of the multiplex in the malls and the freedom to design the internal space to maximise land use seemed to ensure a good response to the auction.

Apart from the multiplexes, retail commercial showrooms, food plazas, fitness centres, call centres, clubs and corporate offices would be allowed in the malls. The development of the sites, which would be governed by the HUDA(Erection of Buildings) Regulations, 1979, would have a permissible ground coverage of 40 per cent of the area. A three-tier basement to meet the parking requirements was also being planned.
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MC to auction 99 sites today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
As many as 99 commercial sites in different parts of the city will be auctioned by the Municipal Corporation tomorrow, official sources said here today.

The commercial sites include booths, showroom-cum-offices(SCOs) and showroom-cum-flats(SCFs). The list also includes shops on rent located at the subway between Sectors 17 and 22. The sites which feature at the open public auction are located in Sectors 38-C, 38-D, 39-B, 39-D, Mani Majra and Mauli Jagran.

This is one of the biggest auctions being conducted by the MC. It is felt that the sites in the sectors of the city and Mani Majra are likely to fetch high prices. Booths in Mauli Jagran are likely to fetch low bid.
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PU tells affiliated colleges to deduct PF from salary
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

* Circular directs PF deduction from total salary rather than basic pay
* Teachers to gain Rs 5 lakh at the time of retirement
* A benefit of nearly Rs 2.5 lakh to accrue to the non-teaching staff
* City colleges begin process of implementing the direction.

Chandigarh, January 20
Panjab University has issued a circular to all its non-government affiliated colleges asking them to deduct provident fund (PF) of lecturers and employees from the salary rather than basic pay as has been the practice in the past.

A long-standing demand of the college teaching and non-teaching staff, the deduction of PF at the rate of 10 per cent from the basic pay was causing a loss of nearly Rs 5 lakh to the teachers and Rs 2.5 lakh to the employees at the time of retirement.

The letter issued by the Registrar of the university to presidents of college managing committees as well as principals, states that the colleges should follow the regulation pertaining to the deduction of PF strictly.

Senator Charanjit Chawla, who raised the issue in the PU Senate meeting last year, threatened to move court in case the managing committees of private colleges, in violation of the university calendar, stuck to their stance of deducting PF from the basic pay.

Meanwhile, private colleges of the city, taking note of the letter, have approached the UT administration to initiate the process of implementation.

Principal A.C. Vaid of GGDSD College, Sector 32, has sought the permission of the administration to implement the directions of the university.

The college teachers as well as the university staff is also demanding a raise in the PF deduction limit from 10 to 12 per cent. This raise was recommended by the Government of India and the Law Ministry in 1997. It has still not been accepted by the UT and Punjab Government since it will mean giving more funds in the form of 95 per cent grant-in-aid scheme which covers all private-aided colleges.

The teaching fraternity is especially sore over the non-implementation of the new limit for deduction since there is no pension scheme in the university and colleges. Interestingly, the raise in deduction limits from 6.25 to 10 per cent over the last few years was readily implemented by the two governments till 1997 when the fresh recommendations came. 
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Now fashion studies as elective subject
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced fashion studies as an elective subject in Class XI and Class XII. The students can opt for the new subject alongwith other subjects, said the Director (Academics), CBSE, Mr G.Balasubramanian.

This has been done keeping in mind the employment avenues at the centres of fashion and textile industry in the country. It is also aimed at meeting the global demand of trained fashion designers, said the Director.

Being started across the country as part of a programme to introduce skill-based courses, the subject can be opted by students in Class XI — beginning from the new academic session this year. Mr Balasubramanian, who was in the town to chair a meeting at the regional office of the CBSE, said the curriculum had been designed in coordination with the National Institute of Fashion (NIFT).

The subject would have 70 per cent theory and the rest would be practicals. The focus would be on good manufacturing practices and textile designing with focus on fashion.

He said out of 7000 schools affiliated with the board, the subject was initially being introduced in 200 schools.

To maintain the standards, the selected schools would be asked to employ qualified teachers who have a degree from NIFT or a three-year diploma in fashion designing or an MSc in clothing and textiles with three years of teaching experience. The candidates with qualifications from certain institutions would be acknowledged by the board, he added.

To have the option from the schools, the board would be soon sending a circular to all the schools in the country.

Mr Subramanian said the elective subject had been introduced under the skill-based programme. Earlier, the CBSE had introduced subjects of web designing and multimedia, biotechnology and entrepreneurship.

On being asked about the change in the style of the question papers, he said over the past two years after the introduction of new curriculum, the board has decided to reduce the number of questions.

He informed that the board had asked the schools to set up mathematics laboratories for students from Class III to Class VIII. A book on the subject was circulated to the schools for the new academic session. Later on, the concept would be extended up to Class X. The subject of disaster management was now being introduced from Class IX, he said

To catch up with the application-based learning programmee offered by international organisations, the CBSE has introduced a new concept of life skill education under which focus would be on basic development of a child, appreciation of values, dignity of labour, shaping of personality and integrated relationship. The concept is being introduced from Class VII. Introducing the concept would not attract any additional fee, said Mr G. Balasubramanian.
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Study highlights cyber violence against women
A. S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
The growing phenomenon of cyber violence against women in India, against which the weaker sex has no protection so far, is the subject matter of a new study conducted by a senior research fellow of Panjab University which has called for urgent measures by the government to tackle it

Cyber violence against women has been defined as cyber-stalking, e-mail harassment, and using internet to publish obscene information material to exploit or embarrass some woman.

The study has been conducted by Ms Jyoti Rattan, UGC Senior Research Fellow in Law, Department of Laws, Panjab University. It points out that in “Computer Age”, the new digital revolution, information technology, the internet and globalization are proving to be a double edged sword for women all over the world. With a tremendous potential to improve the status of women in every country, advances in information technology during the past 10 years or so, have facilitated a global communications network and a global media that transcends national boundaries with impact on public policy, private attitudes and, above all, individual and social behaviour.

Unfortunately, apart from providing tremendous benefits, particularly for women, to realize their human rights, the new digital revolution has its seamy side too. The double-edged technological weapons have come in as a handy and extremely powerful tool in the hands of those who want to create trouble for women by causing violence against women in ever new ways, unheard of before. No doubt the cyber crimes are pretty easy to commit with very little resources, but the damage caused could be huge.

There are any number of cases relating to criminals operating under pseudo identities to enter the internet “chat-rooms” and exploit helpless women, girls and even children.

Studies have shown that about 60 per cent of all websites are sexual in content. Twenty per cent of them solicited their visitors, 13 per cent went voluntarily and the rest were pictorially lured. An estimated 100,000 pornographic websites generate revenues in the region of $1 billion annually. The increasing popularity of chat rooms and the vulnerability of personal data to criminal access makes women and children the easiest targets for a range of culpable crimes.” The bottom-line is that the Information Technology and the internet are like technological tornados bound to sweep every woman and man off the floor and no country in the world can either ignore or afford to go slow on these. Therefore, it should better be prepared in advance to be able to utilise the same to its benefit, or else be prepared to be left on the wrong side of the digital divide.

The internet technology came into existence only in 1986, but it has shown unparalleled exponential growth.

People often compare the growth of the internet to the historic growth of other technologies. But there are differences between the birth of the internet and technologies that preceded it.

For example, electricity was first harnessed in 1831, but it was not until 1882 that the first power station was built, and it was another 50 years before electricity powered 80 per cent of the factories and households across the United States. Radio was in existence 38 years before 50 million people used it; TV took 13 years to reach the same benchmark. It was 16 years before 50 million people used a personal computer. Once the internet was made available to the general public, it took only four years for 50 million people to go on-line.”
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Online help for CBSE examinees
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
City students who are to sit for the forthcoming Class X and XII examinations have a reason to cheer. Showing concern for such students, the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) had decided to extend the facility of tele-counselling to the city, says the Director (Academics), Mr G. Balasubramanian.

The students can call up at the listed telephone numbers of counsellors which includes principals, representatives of non-government organisations (NGOs) and psychologists. By the first week of February, the list of the counsellors will be available on the website of the CBSE.

To further help students, a set of frequently asked questions (FAQ), including answers to stress-related issues, will be posted on Siksha net, a link page of the CBSE’s portal. Mr Balasubramanian says the academicians are aware of the stress- faced by the students. The CBSE has been issuing a set of sample question papers before the examinations and the number of questions have been reduced.

He says the teachers are being trained to deal with the problem of stress. The CBSE has been conducting training programmee for teachers so that they become co-learners.

The Director says the curriculum of the board is under continuous and comprehensive evaluation. It has been observed that due to parental and peer pressure, stress-related problems surface among students during the examinations.
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Govt school timings changed

Chandigarh, January 20
Students of government schools in the city would have to reach schools half an hour early from tomorrow. The opening time of the schools, which had been changed to 8.30 am due to winter, would now again be 8 am.
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3 call girls land in police net
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
A call girl racket was busted today by the operations cell of the Chandigarh Police, arresting three girls from near a Sector 19 dispensary.

A decoy customer sent by the police struck a deal on his mobile phone with one of the girls, who was earlier arrested in 1998. The police said 27-year-old Nisha (not the real name) accepted the money given by the decoy customer.

The police said Nisha, the racket kingpin, had allegedly been alluring girls into the racket by initially helping them with money when they were in need.

Two of the girls, one from Himachal and another a plus two student, were cajoled into the illegal profession by Nisha through this tactic.

These girls reportedly told the interrogators that they charged between Rs 2000 and Rs 5000 from their customers. Nisha would take away half the money.

One of them had met Nisha in the PGI when she came for treatment of her brother.

Nisha was caught by the crime branch on November 6, 1998, for the first time along with five other girls.

The police is also investigating the role of another girl from Kinnaur.

Nisha lived in rented accommodation in Sector 19. She had a masters degrees from the Panjab University. The raiding party was led by DSP P.K. Dhawan. Balwan Singh, Pala Ram and Head Constable Inderjeet Kaur were part of the raiding party.

The police will produce the girls before a court tomorrow for judicial remand.
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Fog hits rail, air traffic
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
Foggy and cold conditions prevailed in the city for the second consecutive day affecting normal life. The road, rail and air traffic was affected as trains were running several hours behind schedule. The flights took off from the city after 3 pm as the fog lifted.

Weather men said the foggy conditions would continue for another two days. Water droplets falling along with fog had been noticed for the past two days. Though visibility was negligible in the morning, it improved by 3 pm.

The maximum day time temperature today was 14.5°C while the minimum temperature was 9°C. A partly cloudy sky and possibility of light rain was predicted by the Meteorological Department. 
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Channel focuses on land of  the sages

Chandigarh, January 20
Discovery channel is showcasing the historical town of Punjab, Malerkotla, this week in its premiere ‘Discover India’ programme entitled “A Legend of Malerkotla: A Tale from the Punjab”. Discovery focuses on this remarkable town, where every face in the crowd is a picture of faith.

The programme was premiered on Saturday and will be repeated on Thursday, January 22, 2004, from 12 noon to 1 pm. India has witnessed communal aggression in the recent past, but even today a small town in east Punjab stands out as an example of tolerance and brotherhood. Malerkotla, where Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs have lived in harmony for over five centuries, presents a perfect picture of peace.

After the British left India in 1947, widespread violence and bloodshed rocked the nation’s soul and Punjab was worst hit by this ethnic frenzy. In this mayhem there was only one island of peace in Punjab, and that was the tiny Muslim ruled principality of Malerkotla. Legend has it that for centuries the town has been peaceful because of the special boon bestowed upon it by Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the Sikh Gurus.

Others feel that it is simply the presence of the shrine of Baba Sadruddin, popularly known as Baba Haidar Sheikh, the Sufi saint, who founded the town of Malerkotla more than 500 years ago. TNS
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Power board staff block traffic
Say privatisation will not do
Our Correspondent

Mohali, January 20
Employees of Mohali division of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) staged a dharna near the Balongi barrier, disrupting traffic for two hours today in protest against the move of the government to go in for privatisation, apart from turning the board into a corporation.

At least 250 employees squatted on the road on a call by the PSEB Employees Joint forum. Slogans were raised by the protesters against the Punjab Government and the board management for indulging in “anti-employee” policies.

The protesters said they did not want to harass the public by blocking traffic but the government had compelled them to resort to such moves. The Punjab Government was turning the board into a corporation under the Electricity Bill, 2003, which was against the interests of employees, farmers, industry and the common man.

Union leaders Jai Kishan and Brij Mohan Sharma warned the Punjab Government that if the decision to make the board into a corporation was not taken back, employees would go on an unannounced strike and the government would be responsible for such a move. They said they would enlist the support of farmers and consumers in this regard.

The protesters said the assurance of the government that power would be given at reduced rates to consumers if the board was made into a corporation was baseless. They said that corporations had been set up in other states but all were running in to losses.

Due to internal reforms the PSEB had managed to come out of the red and the profits could be raised by improving the working of the board further. Employees were ready to cooperate in this regard.

Union leaders said if the government did not withdraw its decision, a state-level dharna would be held in Chandigarh on February 4 when protesters would march to the Punjab Assembly.

The police present at the dharna site diverted traffic. The protesters, however, allowed an ambulance to pass that way.
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BJP kicks off poll campaign with ‘havan’

Chandigarh, January 20
The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party today performed a ‘havan’ to kick-off campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections at ‘Kamlam’ (party office), Sector 33, here today.

Prominent among those present were Mr Yash Pal Mahajan, state President of the BJP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, a former member of Parliament, Mr Bal Krishan Kapoor, Mr Kewal Krishan Adiwal, Mr Purshotam Mahajan, Mrs Kamla Sharma (a former Mayor) and Mr Sanjiv Kumar.

The ‘Atal sandesh yatra’ will be launched by the BJP from January 23 onwards to reach out to every house of the city. It aims at underlining the achievements of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee during his tenure in the Prime Minister’s office during the past five years.

The ‘yatra’ will commence from Nehru Park, Sector 22, and will cover all houses in the same Sector on the first day. All houses in the city will be covered by February 21. As a part of the campaign programme, more than 200 public meetings will be addressed all over the country by national leaders.

The local unit of the BJP claims to have resolved its inner differences. The observation is important in the context of murmurs that the party might choose a leader of national following to contest for the city’s parliamentary seat.

A senior office-bearer of the local unit said an official announcement regarding the candidature will be made by the central command, but Mr Satya Pal Jain seemed the strongest candidate.

Mr Krishan Lal Sharma was the BJP candidate who fought the last elections and lost. “A local candidate always has an advantage over an outsider. TNS
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Post-surgery, his struggle for survival continues
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, January 20
The struggle for survival continues. Even after undergoing a kidney transplant operation at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research here, Nepal-based school teacher Kashi Nath is striving for life in a foreign land. Though the operation held in November last year was successful, he has no money left for buying life-saving medicines.

His imploring eyes, filled with anguish, look at you hopefully as Nath sits on a mat in a Sector 15 rented accommodation. Shielding his face from afternoon sun’s direct onslaught with frail hands, he says, “I have already spent over Rs 3 lakh on my treatment. Even for that, I had to sell a chunk of ancestral land and take loan from banks and relatives. I have no money left for further treatment”.

Trying to hold back the tears misting his sullen eyes, he asserts: “Even now I am buying medicines worth Rs 15,000 every month. This is not all. I am paying something like Rs 2,000 for the third floor accommodation. Then there are other expenses also. Food has to be bought....”

Requesting you to sit on the mat along with him, he says: “I have no way of raising funds. I was forced to retire from the post of social science teacher due to illness. Do not know if I will ever be able to work and earn again”. He adds: “My wife doesn’t work. Has never gone out of house. I have three sons, two of them are married, but even they are not so well off. They have been contributing towards my treatment, but its not enough”.

Standing next to him with a glass of water, his wife Komal asserts: “We are living in an alien land for the past seven months with just friends and compatriots to depend upon. They have been helping us out without complaining. But then, even they are not so affluent. I do not know how will we ever make it”.

She adds: “We desperately want to go back to our own land. But the doctors have advised three months rest after the operation. We still have a month to go. In any case, he will have to take medicines even after the rest period is over”. Their only hope is generosity of city residents and social organisations. “We just do not know whom to approach for help,” she says with folded hands before breaking down.
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Library sans electricity for a month
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

Mohali, January 20
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Mohali, today conducted a surprise check of Government Public Library here and found that it had no electricity for the past one month and the staff was absent from duty.

Only a peon was present in the library with both the clerk and the librarian absent. The peon informed the SDM that the librarian was on leave and the clerk Ms Maninder Kaur, was absent.

‘‘Since the librarian is on leave since the past one month, the electricity problem has not been solved and there is no light in the library, ’’said the peon, Mr Amrik Singh.

The over-all condition of the library is pitiable. Over 20,000 books are stacked in almirahs in damp, dark corners. The library does not have a catalogue of books and the only record available at the library is the accession register.

There is no way a book can be found on demand as the library follows no system of classification. The books are merely stamped and the accession number written on them.

The library is housed in a three-room damp building within the PWD campus in Industrial Area here.

‘‘This is a blind man’s library. Here, you will be lucky to find the book you want. All one can do is browse through the shelves and see if any title interests you and pick that book,’’ said the SDM, Mr M.L. Sharma.

The library has over 800 members but not more than 10 visit the library in a day. ‘‘A majority of those who visit the library are those who come to read newspapers,” said a member in the library.

A written report on the condition of the library is being sent to the district headquarters for necessary action.
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Cops turn deaf to fire victim’s plea
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
A 22-year-old woman Renu lies in the burns ward of Government Medical College and Hospital with 90 per cent burn injuries waiting to get her statement changed.

In her statement on January 18, she said she was burnt after a stove burst in Kurukshetra, the house of her in-laws.

One of the family members, Mr Vinod Kumar, told The Tribune that the girl had alleged that she was asked by her in-laws to say that she had received burn injuries from the stove burst. The family members of the woman suspect that she was allegedly burnt by her in-laws for dowry. They claimed that the girl had told them about the incident.

The girl from Panchkula, who was married three years ago in Kurukshetra and has a three-month-old baby, reportedly told her family members that her in-laws had told her that she would survive and for the sake of her baby she should not complain against them.

Mr Vinod Kumar said the woman could die and the family’s appeals to the Kurukshetra police and the local police to get a fresh statement recorded had fallen on deaf ears.

He said both the Chandigarh police and Kurukshetra police had been dilly-dallying the change in the statement at a time when chances of her survival were bleak.

Mr Vinod Kumar said the area judicial magistrate could record the statement only in the presence of the police, which he alleged, was not coming forward.
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Three ‘shatabadis’ to be celebrated

Mohali, January 20
The three major celebrations linked to Sikh religion, which fall in the current year, will be celebrated in a big way in the town here.

This was stated by Mr Hardeep Singh, member, SGPC, while talking to mediapersons here today. He said the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Angad Dev was being celebrated on April 18 at Khadur Sahib and 400th anniversary of the first parkash of Guru Granth Sahib on September 1 at Amritsar. He said functions in connection with the 300th Shaheedi Purab of the four Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh would be organised at Chamkaur Sahib and Fatehgarh Sahib on December 25.

He said programmes had been planned for Mohali from February 3 to February 8 for which a 101-member committee, including representatives from the industry, educational institutions, market associations, truck unions and social organisations would be set up. The name of the committee would be Kendri Shatabadi Committee.

On February 8, a function would be organised at the mela ground in which lecturers and kirtani jathas would participate. OC
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Religion’s role in civilisation discussed

Chandigarh, January 20
Role of religion in civilisation was today discussed during an all-faith meeting held on the occasion of World Religion Day. The meeting organised by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai’s of Chandigarh was held in the auditorium of Panjab University’s Gandhian Studies Department.

Members of the Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Bahais faith took part at the meeting. Speakers were of the opinion that the path to civilisation was through religion. Giving details, they added that civilisation was not possible without mutual trust and faith between the members of different religion. Moreover, no religion taught people to fight with each other.

The day is observed on the third Sunday of January every year. It was started by the National Spiritual Assembly of Bahai’s of America. OC
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Flower show likely by Feb-end
Our Correspondent

Mohali, January 20
While preparations for the first flower show to be held here are going on in full swing by the Punjab Planning and Urban Development Authority (PUDA), the event has been put off by about a fortnight.

The two-day show, which was to be held on February 14 and 15, is now likely to be held in the last week of February. The date, however, has not been finalised so far.

The flower show had to be postponed because a heritage show was being held in Patiala on February 14 and 15 and many senior officials of PUDA would be involved in that event.

Sources said the flower shows held in Chandigarh and Panchkula had many categories of entries in addition to flower competitions. These include baby shows, rangoli and cactus competitions. But PUDA and the local Municipal Council, which were jointly organising the flower show at Silvy Park in Phase X here, proposed to curtail the scope of entries because the show was being organised for the first time.

Apart from holding competitions in different categories, PUDA would also organise competitions for best lawns and best roundabouts. Competitions would also be held in the spheres of painting, artificial flowers making, potted plants, bonsai and foliage and flower decoration. Both individuals and institutions can take part in the contests.

PUDA sources said since recurring festivals were often given a name, a number of proposals had been made by the officials involved in this regard. The proposed names include “Guldasta — the bouquet”, “Phoolwalon ki Phulwari”, “Bahar — The Spring”, “The Phalgun — Spring”, Phalgun Mela”, “The Blossom and Sepals”, “Blossom and Foliage” and “Nature Spread”. The flower show held in Chandigarh is called Festival of Gardens, while the one held in Panchkula is called Spring Fest.

It is learnt that PUDA is looking for sponsors in connection with the show and letters to various companies, including Spice Telecom, Airtel and Quark, etc, would be dispatched soon.
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Painting contest marks Tourism Week
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
The UT Administration has lined up a series of events as part of India Tourism Week celebrations which began yesterday.

According to Mr S.P. Singh, Special Secretary, Tourism, the tourism industry has become an important segment of economy and it has become the largest foreign exchange earner in the country. To further give impetus to tourism, the Ministry of Tourism has taken initiative to celebrate the tourism week so as to create more awareness about tourism.

Earlier, National Tourism Foundation Day was being celebrated on January 25 annually but this year the tourism week is being celebrated from January 19 and 25.

During this week various activities will be organised. These are: January 21: Free sight seeing on Hop On Hop Off tourist coach; January 22: Tourism quiz at the Institute of Hotel Management, Sector 42; January 23; Telecast of a documentary on Chandigarh at DD at 6.20 pm; January 24: Cultural evening at Sector 17, Piazza; and January 25: Musical evening at the Sukhna Lake.

Students of the Institute of Hotel Management yesterday gave a warm welcome to passengers of the Shatabdi Express in the morning at the railway station and the airport.

On-the-spot painting competition on “Tourist spots in Chandigarh” was organised today at the Lake Club in which more than 300 students took part. The following students were awarded the cash prizes of Rs 1,000, Rs 750, Rs 500 and Rs 250: Category ‘A’: Ist — Pankaj Uniyal; 2nd — Sahil Aggarwal; 3rd — Rahul Aggarwal, all of Government Model High School, Sector 28; and 4th — Manjeet Singh of Government Model High School, Sector 38.

Category ‘B’: Ist — Paras Sharma, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 40; 2nd — Swati, Government Model High School, Sector 38; 3rd — Arvind Kaur, Government Model Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 18; and 4th — Khushdeep Kaur, Government Model High School, Sector 38.
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Licences of 12 city residents cancelled
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 20
The UT Licensing Authority has disqualified 12 city residents, who had been habitual traffic offenders, from driving vehicles for a period of two to three months.

On recommendation of the Licensing Authority, Kalka, driving license of a resident of Sector 27 here has also been cancelled. The disqualifications and cancellation has been done under the Section 19 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. Till date, the Chandigarh police has recommended the names of 106 habitual traffic offenders for action .
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Corneal expert Prof Saini cremated
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
A recipient of the P.N. Raju Oration award from the Indian Council of Medical Research and renowned corneal expert, Prof J.S. Saini from the Ophthalmology Department at the PGI, died here early this morning.

Prof Saini, who joined the PGI in 1985, died due to cardiac arrest while in sleep. The cremation was attended by a large number of PGI doctors and other employees in the evening. A condolence meeting will be held at the PGI Lecture Theatre-I at 9.10 am tomorrow morning.

Prof Saini, who was a product of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, was a renowned corneal diseases and surgery and helped in the establishment of the finest corneal services centre in the PGI. He was also on the Advisory Committee of the ICMR Task Force for research on cornea and eye banking.
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Council appeals for books, toys

Panchkula, January 20
The District Council for Child Welfare has appealed to the residents to donate old books, magazines and toys for setting up of Children’s Library and Toy Bank at Bal Bhavan in Sector 15. TNS
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CRIME

Two crushed to death

Dera Bassi, January 20
In less than 24 hours after a cyclist was crushed to death and two scooterists sustained injuries, two motorcycle-borne men were crushed to death by a tractor-trailer on the Kalka-Ambala highway at Devi Nagar village, near here, late last night. According to Mr G. P. Singh, SHO, Dera Bassi, the tractor-trailer was going towards Dera Bassi when it ran over a motorcycle, killing the two on the spot.

The deceased have been identified as daily wage earners Shiv Kumar (35) of Gholumajra village and Prakash Singh (41) of Issapur Jangi village.

The tractor-trailer overturned in a ditch along the highway after hitting a tree. The driver of the tractor reportedly fled from the scene. Meanwhile, the police has registered a case. OC
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ESI employee commits suicide
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
Jagjit, a head clerk of Sector 19-based ESI, today allegedly committed suicide consuming poison at his residence in Sector 30.

He was taken to Sector 32 hospital where he died. The head clerk was reportedly upset over his failure to mobilise Rs 1 lakh for a house he wanted to buy, the police said.
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BUSINESS

Impressive display of Kashmir crafts
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
Kashmiri handicraft items never fail to impress. The intricate play of colours, delicate carvings and etching and excusite weaves are some of the ways in which Kashmiri artisans make magic. The Mughal Handicrafts co operative society has organised an exhibition of Kashmiri handicraft items at Panchayat Bhavan, Sector 18, Chandigarh. Embroidered namdas and wall hangings in bright colours are priced between Rs 30 to Rs 750. Embroidered cushion covers and bed covers (Rs 1200 to Rs 1400) are ideal to add warmth to your home decor. Woollen jackets, gowns for children and grown ups and shawls in Pashmina, half pashmina and Jamavar too promise to envelop you in warmth in chilly winters.

An exhibition of Kashmiri handicrafts is incomplete without papiermache items and there is ample choice of these here . Napkin holders (Rs 25), elegant bells (Rs 25), trinket boxes (Rs 40 onwards), lamps (Rs 560 onwards). Another attraction is the walnut wood furniture. Carved centre tables, side tables and lamp stands are reasonably priced. Also available in walnut wood are wall hangings, figures, fruit trays and a host of other utility items. The exhibition will continue till February 3.
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Centre’s fiscal policies questioned
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 20
Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, president, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, today highlighted the “incongruity” between the economic policies of the Centre and the socialist objectives in the Preamble to the Constitution.

In a statement issued here, he said the ongoing World Social Forum meeting in Mumbai had brought under scanner the real face of globalisation of world economies, adding that this had a direct bearing on the politico-economic situation in the country.

“During the past decade, there has been a quiet transition to American-style capitalism in the name of structural integration of Indian economy into the emerging globalisational dispensation,” he said.

Dr Ahluwalia asked: “In this scenario, where does remain the rationale for the expression ‘socialist’ in the Preamble to the Constitution which is supposed to reflect social and political values and economic policies to be pursued by the State?”
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Now take loan on gold jewellery

Chandigarh, January 20
Karnataka Bank is planning to tap a huge market of short-term loans by launching a loan scheme tomorrow against the security of gold jewellery. Other banks have so far concentrated on housing and auto loan market but the new scheme will enable the customers to avail themselves of loans to any extent at 12 per cent rate by pledging their gold jewellery with the bank.

The bank officials claim that it will be the first of its kind scheme in the region, that has been very successful in the southern states. Initially, the scheme will be launched in two bank branches in Chandigarh and in Mohali, and later extended to other branches in Punjab and Panchkula, said Mr B.M. Ramesh, Senior Branch Manager, Karnataka Bank Ltd. TNS
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