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Poll process starts on April 16 Chandigarh, March 27 The date of notification for conducting the elections in Chandigarh would be April 16. The last date for filing nominations would be April 23. The scrutiny would be on April 24. The last date for withdrawal would be April 26. The date of poll was May 10, he said. He stressed upon the need for creating general awareness about the use of EVMs as the entire process polling in Chandigarh would be through EVMs . He said the use of the machines would not only reduce the number of invalid votes but also leave no scope for tampering with votes. He said the use of EVMs was so simple, that a voter had to press a button only to cast his vote. If the voter had to press the button once which would be followed by a beep indicating that the vote had been cast.
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Chandigarh, March 27 Mr Yadav asked his officers to ensure that their conduct was seen as fair. The officers were instructed to keep a vigil on bad elements so that they did not disturb the electoral process. The police would also make its presence felt to deter such persons from indulging in threatening voters. The SSP asked the police officers to keep a special watch on illegal sale of liquor and illegal arms. He asked the officers to be vigilant against plans of booth capturing and rigging. — TNS
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Vajpayee better PM than Nehru, says Dhumal Chandigarh, March 27 During the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru, India had given away land in Kashmir and China. During Mr Vajpayee’s term, the Indian Army had proven its mettle by clearing Kargil of foreign occupation. Instead of reacting to situations, Nehru had tended to rely on the crutches of the UN, and to no avail, Mr Dhumal went on. He said for the first time the Lok Sabha elections would not be contested on emotional renderings of politicians to garner votes. All earlier polls had ignored performance in office, he added. Mr Dhumal said the BJP was contesting on the basis of its achievements during the past five years. The work, more than words, reflected that India was “really shining”. The government had scored massively in terms of growth rate of the economy. “During the tenure of Mr Chandra Shekhar as the Prime Minister, the country was forced to give its gold in lieu of unpaid loans. The BJP is not just paying back the interest on the loans but also ensuring that part of the principal is also paid back. India has now even given loans to 14 countries”, he said. It was surprising that the Congress was not introspecting on why its tally was rapidly falling, he said. The BJP leader said the Prime Minister was likely to visit Himachal Pradesh on April 26 and Mr L.K. Advani, Deputy Prime Minister, was expected on May 6. |
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Joining Cong was a blunder, says Dhawan Chandigarh, March 27 He had joined the Congress during the elections in 1999. He had split with the Congress and had formed the Chandigarh Vikas Manch which would be merged with the INLD soon, he said. Mr Dhawan’s entry in the fray has made the contest largely triangular . His main rivals are Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal (Congress) and Mr Satya Pal Jain (BJP). He said he was dissatisfied with the functioning of the Congress. “I would like to apologise to the general public for having joined the Congress and it will never happen again”, he said, adding that he would support the anti-Congress government at the Centre. Mr Dhawan was the Civil Aviation Minister in the Janata Party Government in 1989. He said the city in the past 13 years had witnessed the shift of power between the Congress and the BJP camps. “Mr Bansal and Mr Jain need to answer the public about the scores of unfinished tasks pertaining to development,” he said. Mr Dhawan said it would be interesting to read the manifestoes of both candidates over the past years. “They promised the sky but promises remained mere promises”, he said. He said both parties had done nothing to do away with the leasehold system in the city and amend the building bylaws. Panjab University employees still had no pension and problems of government and PGI employees remained unaddressed. He gave a list of three major projects taken up during his stay in parliament. These included Chandigarh Medical College, Kajauli Waterworks and the rehabilitation centre at Mauli Jagran. |
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Rival Cong groups hold rallies for Dullo Mohali, March 27 While a group led by Mrs Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha, OSD to the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, gathered representatives of different organisations to garner support for Mr Dullo, another group led by Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu, member PPCC, held a rally in the evening in support of the same candidate. While Mr Sidhu could draw much larger crowd as compared to the gathering in the morning, Mrs Garcha claimed that representatives, who had gathered at her call, had the support of 1,000 to 2,000 voters each. Asked by newspersons about differences among Congress leaders, Mr Dullo admitted that they had differences. He said they were making efforts to sink differences and in the next few days all three Congress leaders, including Mr Bir Devinder Singh, Kharar MLA, and Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, would be supporting him. While addressing the gathering, Mr Dullo said the Central Government was not lifting sugar worth Rs 600 crore from mills in Punjab. He blamed Mr Parkash Singh Badal, SAD chief, and Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, a former union minister, for it. He said farmers were being harassed as they were unable to get money for sugarcane they had sold to the mills. Sugar was coming to Punjab from other states. Mr Dullo said when the Akali government was ruling in Punjab, farmers had to spend a number of days in mandis to sell their produce. After the Congress had came to power in the state, the produce could now be sold the same day. He said the major issues in his manifesto related to development, good governance, employment, helping the farmers, the Dalits and the backward classes. He said if the government wanted to acquire land of farmers they should be given a good price for it. He felt that they deserved at least half of the profit that government earned after selling the land. Mr Dullo said 1,209 villages fell in his constituency and he had personally visited 947 villages and distributed grants to them. He said grants even to villages, which he could not visit because the Lok Sabha was dissolved before the completion of five years, were also distributed despite that many of these had sarpanches who backed the SAD. He said he had got a grant of Rs 10 crore and a balance of Rs 1.75 crore was still lying
unutilised. |
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Ex-servicemen condemn BJP, Congress Chandigarh, March 27 In a press note issued here yesterday, Brig Sant Singh, a member of the governing council of the IESL, said that at a meeting held in New Delhi recently it had been felt that both the parties “did not ing to protect the interests of ex-servicemen and their
families. If anything,
they lowered the status
of the ex-servicemen.” “In their manifestoes for earlier elections both the parties had promised to ensure one rank, one pension, but they went back on their promise,” Brig Sant Singh added. |
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Residents threaten to
boycott poll Mohali, March 27 Mr Tejinder Singh Shergill, president of the association, told mediapersons at a press conference here today that the residents of the area had taken serious note of the indifferent attitude of PUDA and the municipal council which were not taking the problems of the area seriously. There were more than 500 LIG houses in the area. He said roads in the area, which had been constructed more than six years ago, had pothole. A premix carpet had been laid in the adjoining areas twice over the years, but this colony had been neglected. There were not enough road gullies and the streets got flooded after it rained. The water supply was inadequate. Water booster systems were available in the adjoining complexes, but LIG houses were given the supply of water only after fulfilling the needs of residents living there. There was water leakage at different points in the area. Mr Shergill said a park in the colony had not been developed so far. The level of the park was lower than that of the surrounding area and it got flooded after rain. He alleged that estimates prepared for the development of the park had been cleared, but everything remained only on paper. He said the community centre in the area had become a source of nuisance for them. Apart from blaring music that they were compelled to hear, the area next to the centre was littered with garbage after every function. |
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Take steps to
check sexual harassment: HC Chandigarh, March 27 The High Court, in its judgement, had ruled on March 12 that the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court for preventing sexual harassment at workplaces were “fully applicable to educational institutes as well”. The apex court had held that it was the duty of the employer or responsible persons at work places, and other institutes, to prevent or deter the “commission of acts of sexual harassment”. It was also their duty to provide procedures for resolution, settlement or prosecution by taking required steps. Defining sexual harassment, the Supreme Court had ruled that it would include physical contact and advances, besides demand or request for sexual favours, along with sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography or any other unwelcome physical, verbal, even non-verbal, conduct of sexual nature. The Supreme Court had further directed that the employer was required to initiate appropriate action in accordance with the law by complaining to the appropriate authority in case of sexual harassment. The court had added that appropriate disciplinary action was also required to be initiated by the employer where such action amounted to misconduct in employment as defined under the relevant service rules. Referring to the judgement, a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar and Ms Justice Kiran Anand Lall, had ruled that “the guidelines, which had the force of law by the virtue of article 141 of the Constitution of India, were fully applicable to educational institutes as well”. Speaking for the Bench, Mr Justice Nijjar had observed that the observations made by the Supreme Court, in their opinion, were “applicable to cases where students alleged sexual harassment from individuals who might be in dominant positions and were able to adversely affect the educational career of a girl student”. Mr Justice Nijjar had added young women in educational institutes needed as much protection as working women required in offices. The Judge had further added that the observations made by the Supreme Court “left no manner of doubt that the courts had to adopt a special, protective and parental attitude while dealing with cases of fundamental rights violation of girl students guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India”. |
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Abattoir not fully utilised Chandigarh, March 27 The Municipal Corporation plans to lease out the remaining-three-shifts of the abattoir to a private party in the current
financial year. A report that will be taken up by the House for consideration says that “three shifts can be leased out to a private party, leaving one for the local needs”. The butchering machines of international standard are in use since August 2002. The machines have a working capacity of 16 hours per day. The operational costs are high. As many as 12 butchers have been added to the staff at pay of Rs 4,60,800 per annum. The annual cost of diesel for the generation set and the boiler is Rs 3,00,000 and maintenance costs Rs 12,00,000. The report points out “that a saving of approximately Rs 20 lakh will be made if the venue was leased out and the additional costs will be borne by the party taking it on lease. It will also mean more money”. There is, however, no mention of the estimated revenues. The Finance and Contract Committee of the corporation has agreed in principle for leasing out the abattoir. |
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Satish Aggarwal honoured for charity work Chandigarh, March 27 This Austria-based Indian became part of Bharat Vikas Parishad’s “Sahyog”, a project for helping needy and deserving students. He adopted 300 students last year and helped them financially. Besides Mr Aggarwal also donated a sum of Rs 1.8 lakh to a diagnostic centre, run by the Parishad on the campus of Indira Holiday Home. Mr Aggarwal once again adopted 300 needy students identified by the members of Parishad from 77 schools of the city and donated a cheque of Rs 8 lakh to take care of their needs. Mr Aggarwal who migrated to Austria in 1975 and settled there, is also known for his charity works in his adopted country. Involved with many religious activities, Mr Aggarwal and his Austrian wife Ms. Ing Bourge constructed a temple in Austria. |
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Pak couple doing book on Principal Ram Singh Chandigarh, March 27 On a mission to find facts and personal details about Bhai Ram Singh who became the first Indian Principal of Mayo School of Art , now known as the national College of Arts , Prof Sajida, accompanied by her architect husband Mr Pervaiz Vandal, visited the college in Sector 10 today. “It was only in 2000, when a former Principal, Prof Prem Singh, had invited us to take part in its golden jubilee celebrations, we came to know that Mayo School has a successor in India too,” said Prof Sajida as she looked around the college campus and interacted with the students this morning. “We could not come then because of visa restrictions as well as for the fact that it coincided with the 125th anniversary function of our college,” she adds. Prior to coming to the city, the husband- wife duo is working on a book on Bhai Ram Singh, visited Amritsar to meet the family of Bhai Ram Singh and also to see Khalsa College, one of the greatest creations of this great architect who holds the honour of being one of the first batch of Mayo School to have studied under Lockwood Kipling, father of famous Rudyard Kipling in 1875 and also the first native Principal of the college in 1909. “He is one of the forgotten heros who deserves to be talked about, for he was the first person who successfully combined the elements of modernity and tradition through his architectural creativity,” says Mr Pervaiz Vandal who retired as a faculty of the Department of Architecture in National College of Arts some time ago. “In Amritsar we met two of his great grandsons and saw his works there, specially those he did after Partition,” says Mr Vandal. Finding similarities between the two colleges Prof Sajida said visiting the college felt like seeing home away from home. “The work culture is the same, so is the vibrant energy of the students. It goes for the fact that both the colleges came out of the same root - a great institution like Mayo School,” she said. Another objective of the visit is to trace history of the college from 1945 to 1948. “We started a National College of Art Archives in 2000 which has the entire record of the college except for information on this particular period which is extremely sketchy,” she said. Optimistic about working out on exchange programmes as well as joint research projects between the two colleges in the near future, Prof Sajida said - “ we have a common heritage and even the needs are common for both the countries. We are grateful to both the countries for opening up a path of friendship and hope they continue in the right path so that we benefit from each other’s knowledge.”
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Mohali Diary Mohali, March 27 Dr Rubina Mirza from the Department of Physiotherapy, PGI, explained the importance of physiotherapy in muscular dystrophy with emphasis on chest care and prevention of complications. Several games were organised. Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder, and occurs due to alteration in the gene concerned. It affects muscle fibres and causes progressive muscle
weakness. Aks’ 04:
Dr
J.S. Dhaliwal, chairman, Mr Sukhbir Shergill, general secretary, and Mr Jaskaran Singh, vice-chairman, congratulated the students and staff for their efforts. Mr
I.S. Kaleka, Director, SASIIT, welcomed the participants and appreciated their performance. In the evening, Harbhajan Mann performed. Dr S.K. Salwan, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Technical University, was the chief guest. Dr M.S. Grewal, Registrar, appreciated the students of
SASIIT, for their efforts. 100 pc placement:
Mr J.S. Bedi, chairman,
GJIMT, said “Students have received offers in the range of Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 1.25 lakh per annum for their training period, which is of six months to one year. By now, nearly 75 per cent of the students have been placed in different organisations. The batch will end its session in June 2004 and by that time, the target of 100 per cent placements will be easily achieved.” Contest planned:
Infosys bash:
New cables:
Seminar on polio:
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Personality growth workshop today Chandigarh, March 27 Dr Renee’s contemporary approach takes a spiritual high as she teaches people to reach a level of concentration through meditation. Her first workshop will be conducted on March 28, at Hotel Parkview, between 10 am and 5 pm. She held her introductory lecture here today. “I’ve always wanted to help people improve their self-confidence and develop their personality for I believe that we are spiritual beings looking for a human experience,” philosophises Dr Renee. She is working under the banner of ‘Renee Leadership’. |
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Tribune Engineer bereaved Chandigarh, March 27 |
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600 Punjab Secretariat files missing
Chandigarh, March 27 Gurmeet Singh reportedly told the department that he had allegedly been selling them as waste paper to the junk dealers. TNS
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Bus
runs over woman Mohali, March 27
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One held with poppy husk Mohali, March 27
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Abhaya Jeevan savings scheme Chandigarh, March 27 The premium for the insurance cover is nominal and customer is not required to keep track of the premium payment. Mr S.V.V. Subramanian, Assistant General Manager of the bank’s New Delhi Zone, presented a banker’s cheque for Rs 2 lakh to the nominee of a deceased account holder at the Sector 17-C branch of the bank recently. The deceased had covered himself under the scheme against the increasing fragility of life. The Chandigarh branch of Andhra Bank, which made a beginning in 1976, has an excellent track record in business growth and customer service. The branch provides the latest service in banking with state-of-the-art information technology. The branch is under the process of getting ISO quality certification. |
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