Verma, officialdom set on collision course
Battelines drawn over reversion of deputationists
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15
The UT Administrator and the bureaucracy are set on a collision course. Justice O.P. Verma’s order yesterday to send back deputationists to their parents cadres in Punjab and Haryana has raised the hackles of thousands of employees. They claim that the Administrator’s order is impractical and will not help the cause of Chandigarh.

The UT Administrator issued the order with an idea to stamp out complacency among long-serving deputationists. However, the bureaucracy had reportedly advised the Administrator against issuing such an order. The officialdom, in its second advice, had sought exemption for teachers and doctors, saying they were serving the cause of Chandigarh with their experience. But, any flexibility on this was also categorically denied by the Administrator, who had held that the five-year limit should be enforced for all categories.

The order has made the deputationists resentful. It also threatens to snowball into a major political controversy for the newly elected MP, Mr Pawan Bansal. The MP has been apprised of the situation.

This is not the first time that the Administrator and the bureaucracy have disagreed on an important issue. The last time they disagreed was when the Adviser to the Administrator put up the case for seeking one-year extension for the Finance Secretary, Mr Karan Avtar Singh. The Administrator had denied extension, saying the culture of extensions had to end. On May 8, while talking to mediapersons, he clarified that his refusal to grant extension was not under a hard and fast rule and it would vary from case to case.

Similarly, in January, officials suggested that all commercial property in Chandigarh be auctioned on leasehold basis for higher revenue generation citing, the case of Delhi. The Administrator was reportedly not keen on it, but agreed. He had reasoned that it was against market trends in various urban centres.

Later, the auction of a shopping mall and the site for an 11-storey complex was withheld due to poor bids. It vindicated the stand of the Administrator. About two years ago, the Administration had decided to auction all commercial property on freehold basis and had then reversed its decision in January this year.

The slow progress of development in the city had irked the Administrator and in March, he had asked officials to get down to some serious planning. The bureaucracy, however, felt that the time-bound orders of the Administrator were difficult to follow as he gave little time for removal of lacunae in any new scheme. The bureaucracy was of the view that if it rushed into anything without a proper study, it could create problems later.

Clearly unhappy with the officials’ attempt to drag their feet, Justice Verma had emphasised on May 8: “Officers of the Chandigarh Administration will soon learn to keep pace with my speed.” Another issues was the Administrator’s desire to set up an inquiry by the Central Vigilance Commission into how land acquired in Chandigarh was allowed to be encroached upon by migrant labourers.

The issue was put on the backburner by officials and no request was sent to the commission for six months. The Administrator found out about it in December last and expressed his displeasure over it.

What the employees say Going by the Punjab Civil Services rules, which are applicable in Haryana and Chandigarh, and a 22-year-old letter from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Chandigarh Administration may find it difficult to carry out its orders of sending back persons who have completed five years on deputation in Chandigarh. Acting on the orders of the Chandigarh Administration, heads of departments have started making lists of deputationists. A key letter being quoted by the deputationists is dated July 1982. It says, “The orders of the Department of Personnel dated December 2, 1981, will not apply to deputationists from Punjab and Haryana working in Chandigarh.” The Personnel Department, in its order, had laid down norms for reversion of deputationists. Sources in the Administration have confirmed that after 1982, no other communication has been made by the ministry regarding deputationists and thus, the letter stands. In the Punjab Civil Services Rules, the chapter on Foreign Service and Deputation in India says, “In case of deputation to the Chandigarh Administration, where no deputation allowance is admissible and replacement from among Punjab Government employees cannot be insisted upon, the government may extend the period of deputation beyond 5 years.” The state governments, as per the service rules, cannot insist upon sending an employee on deputation to Chandigarh. This means the Administration is empowered to extend the period beyond five years, argue employees. As per the Reorganisation of States Act, 1966, the Chandigarh Administration has to take in employees and officials on deputation from Punjab and Haryana.

Four of family killed in accident
Our Correspondent

Kharar/Mohali, May 15
Four members of a family, including two Mohali residents, were killed and two other seriously injured when a Maruti van fell into a nullah near Sahora village, about 5 km from Kharar, today.

Those killed in the accident have been identified as D.P. Sood (60), a resident of Phase XI, Mohali, his son Raja (18), Ashok Sood (55), a resident of Dehra Dun, and his wife Indu (50). While D.P. Sood, Raja and Indu died on the spot, Ashok Kumar succumbed to his injuries on reaching the Kharar Civil Hospital. Ms Sukesh Sood, wife of D.P. Sood, and Ashwan, their five-year-old grandchild, were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, in a serious condition.

The white Maruti van, bearing a Haryana registration number, was badly damaged. The vehicle, after a bump near a bridge, swerved off the road, smashed against a tree and fell into the seasonal nullah. The police had to cut the doors of the vehicle for taking out the bodies.

The bodies were handed over to family members after a post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital, Kharar. While the bodies of D.P. Sood and Raja were cremated at Mohali today, the bodies of Ashok Kumar and Indu were sent to Dehra Dun. These would be cremated tomorrow.

Ashok Kumar is survived by two daughters. One of them is doing M.Com, while the other one is a BA II student.

Raja was doing MA in fine arts from a college in Hoshiarpur. He used to come to Mohali only on weekends. His mother, Ms Sukesh Sood, works in the AG office, Chandigarh.

The occupants of the van were returning from Hoshiarpur after attending the retirement party of Sood’s brother-in-law, Mr Vinod Kumar. Indu was a sister of Mr Vinod Kumar who had retired as the Principal of SD Senior Secondary School, Hoshiarpur, and had hosted a party.

Mr Vinod Kumar, who reached Phase XI, Mohali, along with his wife, late in the afternoon told Chandigarh Tribune that the party had ended late last night. Everybody was told to leave only in the morning, but Mr Sood insisted on leaving for Mohali in the night as one of his daughters, Ms Rajni, had to appear in an interview today. His sister, Indu, and her husband, Ashok Kumar, who worked at the Tehri Garhwal branch of the State Bank of India, also decided to take a lift in Soods’ van to reach Chandigarh. They had to go to Dehra Dun. All of them left Hoshiarpur around 1.30 am. Around 7.30 am today, they got information that the van had met with an accident, he added.

In a statement to the police, Ms Sood said Raja, who was driving the van, probably dozed off at the steering wheel.

According to a neighbour, the Sood family had left for Hoshiarpur around 10 a.m. yesterday.

When some mediapersons visited their in Mohali at 11 a.m., it was found locked. Even neighbours in the area were not aware about accident. His son-in-law, Mr Sanjeev, along with some relatives, came and opened the lock at the house around noon.

The accident took place at around 4 a.m., but the police got information about it around 5.30 a.m. as the van was not visible from the main road and passers-by had probably not noticed the damaged vehicle.

Man commits suicide
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 15
A 19-year-old resident of Mauli Complex here, Lalit Mohan, committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan of his room in the wee hours today. No suicide note has been found.

According to the police, Lalit Mohan had been suffering from depression for the past one year, as he had failed in Class XII examination twice. He was undergoing treatment at the PGI. Last night he had gone to sleep around 3 a.m. His body was noticed this morning by his family members. His father is a government employee.

In a separate incident, 32-year-old Ms Kaluji sustained burn injuries as a kerosene stove burst at her residence in Mauli Jagran here today. She was admitted to the GMCH, Sector 32, with 60 per cent burn injuries. She termed the incident as an accident in her statement before the Magistrate. She has two daughters and her husband, Mr Silver Raj, sells eatables.

Meanwhile, the body of an unidentified man in his early 20s was found near a brick kiln in Mauli Jagran this morning. The victim was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. No apparent signs of external injuries were found on the body. The body has been kept at the mortuary of the General Hospital, Sector 16.

Those who couldn’t vote — 5th list

Chandigarh

Vimal Batra 106, Young Dwellers Society, Sector 49

Vinod Kumar Grover. 53, Sector-24-A

Suman Grover. 53, Sector-24-A

Abhinav Grover, 53, Sector-24-A

S.K.Batra 106, Young Dwellers Society, Sector 49

Yogesh K. Rawal 1422, Pushpac Complex, 49-B

Vijay Kumar Dang 1110,Sector 43-B

Santosh Kumari Dang 1110,Sector 43-B

K.R.Goel 3005,Sector 28-D

Krishna Goel 3005,Sector 28-D

Sunil Goel 3005,Sector 28-D

Dimpi Goel 3005,Sector 28-D

Pam Rajput E 1-14, Panjab University Campus

Anil Rana ` D-45, Sector 14

Rupinder 2092, Sector 15-C

Kunal Sharma 2368, Sector 23-C

Santosh Joshi 154, Sector 38-A

Manish Joshi 154, Sector 38-A

Babu Balakrishnan 3492 /1 Sector 35-D

Bibhuti Roy 136/T, Sector 32-A

Ravi Prakash Khare 2048/2 Sector 47-C

Vanita Khare 2048/2 Sector 47-C

Ashok Dhote 2048/2 Sector 47-C

Meenakshi Mitra 3493, Sector 37-D

Sekhar Majumdar SA-15, Imtech Housing Complex, Sector 39-A

Sadhana Majumdar SA-15, Imtech Housing Complex, Sector 39-A

Navpreet Singh Sekhon 339, Sector 9-D

Preetpal Sekhon 339, Sector 9-D

Jagdish Singh Sekhon 339, Sector 9-D

Sartaj Sekhon 339, Sector 9-D

Sandeep Gautam B-258, Sector 14, Panjab University Campus

Kusum Gautam B-258, Sector 14, Panjab University Campus

Parkash Gautam B-258, Sector 14, Panjab University Campus

Gurbachan Singh 181, Village Baadheri, Sector 41-D

Jaswinder Kaur 181, Village Baadheri, Sector 41-D

Ramesh Kaushik 1034, Sector-35-B

Sarvesh Kaushik 1034, Sector-35-B

Ritu Kaushik 1034, Sector-35-B

Anuradha Kaushik [ 1034, Sector-35-B

Ved Mitra Pahwa 409 FF Sector 37-A

Manorama Pahwa 409 FF Sector 37-A

Kavita Pahwa 409 FF Sector 37-A

Pushpa Dewan 2 Sector 23-A

Sunil Dewan 2 Sector 23-A

Medha Dewan 2 Sector 23-A

Prabha Sethi 3005, Sector 27-D

Punam Saini 3006, Sector 27-D

Nirman Singh 2243, Sector 27-C

Harmohinder Kaur 2243, Sector 27-C

Ravinder Pal Singh 2243, Sector 27-C

Inderpreet Kaur 2243, Sector 27-C

Manpreet Kaur 2243, Sector 27-C

Jaspreet Kaur 2243, Sector 27-C

Neerja Raina 141, Sector-11

Sanjeev Raina 141Sector-11

Ajay Gupta 112, L.B.Envlave, Sector 49-A

Meenu Kumari 112, L.B.Envlave, Sector 49-A

Gunninder M. Lamba 7, Sector 9

Satinder Singh Lamba 34, Sector 9

Sanjit Singh Lamba 134, Sector 9

Tania Lamba 135, Sector 9

Muneesh Goel 2949, Sector 42-C

Praveer Goel 2949, Sector 42-C

Manju Goel 2949, Sector 42-C

Mridula Goel 2949, Sector 42-C

Arti Goel 2949, Sector 42-C

Ashish Bhatia 73, Sector 9-A

Jaskirat Singh 73, Sector 9-A

Diltaj Kaur 73, Sector 9-A

Lalita 73, Sector 9-A

Harinder Pal Singh 1609A Sector 38-B

Dinesh Dania 145(F.F), Sector 16-A

Sheenu Dania 145(F.F), Sector 16-A

Parvinder Singh Bhatia 6390-B, Rajeev Vihar, Awho Complex

Iqbal Kaur Bhatia 6390-B, Rajeev Vihar, Awho Complex

Rakinder Singh Bhatia 6390-B, Rajeev Vihar, Awho Complex

Surjit Kaur Bhullar 219,Sector 46-A

Keshav Lal Arora 711, Sector 8-A

Janak Dulari Arora 711, Sector 8-A

Gargi Arora 711, Sector 8-A

Minkal Arora 711, Sector 8-A

Anurag Yadav 711, Sector 8-A

Urvashi Arora Yadav 711, Sector 8-A

Naresh Kumar E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Usha Singla E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Amarnath E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Parkash Devi E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Dharminder E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Surinder Kumar E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Puranchand E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Bal Kumari E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Savitri E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Rajender Kumar E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Veena E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Bikkar Singh E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Jsmel Kaur E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Keemti Lal E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Raj Rani E.S.I.Dispensary Campus, Sector 29

Prabha Sethi 3005, Sector 27-D

Punam Saini 3006, Sector 27-D

Varinder Kaur Dhillon 211, Sector 35-A

Veena Jain 154, Sector 15-A

K.C Jain 154, Sector 15-A

Neeru Gupta 1634 Sector-22-B

Rashmi Yadav 2675 Sector 40-C

Sumitra Rawal, 1422/49-B, Pushpac Complex

Yogesh Kumar Rawal 1422/49-B, Pushpac Complex

Sanjay Jain 8H/4, Sector12 Pgimer

J.R. Kundal 1015, Sector 24-B

Varinder Dutt 5688, Modern Housing Complex

Upkar Singh 2443, Phase 10

Jatinder Pal kaur 2443, Phase 10

Kushpal Singh 2443, Phase 10

Zirakpur

Deepali Malhan 118 A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Monika Kapoor 161, Tribune Model Gram Baltana

Nagina Malhan ` 118 A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Richa Malhan 118 A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Richa Malhan 118-A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Nagina Malhan 118-A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Sandeep Malhan 118 A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Sandeep Malhan 118-A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Sandeep Malhan 118-A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Sangeeta Malhan 118 A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Sangeeta Malhan 118-A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

V.S Malhan 118-A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Vidya Sagar Malhan 118 A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Vinish Garg, 606, Harmilap Nagar, Baltana,

Vishal Malhan 118 A Govind Vihar Baltana NAC

Patiala

Sudarshan Goya 6, Jagish Marg

Suman Lata 6, Jagish Marg

D.N. Bhardwaj 6, Jagish Marg

Neelema Bhardwaj 6, Jagish Marg

S.Charanjit Singh 74, Phase-1 Urban Estate

Surinder Kaur 74, Phase-1 Urban Estate

Mehtab Singh 74, Phase-1 Urban Estate

Amir Singh Chhina 4197, Phase 2, Urban Estate

Daljeet Kaur 4197, Phase 2, Urban Estate

Raman Chhina 4197, Phase 2, Urban Estate

Kulwant Singh Brar 86 Rose avenue, New officers colony

Gursurinder Brar 86 Rose avenue, New officers colony

Balraj Singh 46,SST Nagar

Prakash Kaur 46,SST Nagar

Raminder Kaur 46,SST Nagar

Yogesh Vermani 51/1A Dashmesh Nagar Tripuri

Om Parkash Vermani 51/1A Dashmesh Nagar Tripuri

Usha Rani Vermani 51/1A Dashmesh Nagar Tripuri

Meenakshi Vermani 51/1A Dashmesh Nagar Tripuri

Sukhminder Singh Bahia 1201/3, Naya Bas Raghomajra

Harkesh Kaur 1201/3, Naya Bas Raghomajra

Harminder Singh Sidhu 1201/3, Naya Bas Raghomajra

Basdev Sharma 1035, Seva Singh

Thikriwalla Nagar

Sohan Singh Matharu 65, Teg Colony

Surinder Kaur Matharu 65, Teg Colony

Shiv Shankar Menon 328. Majithia Eclave

Subhadra Menon 328. Majithia Eclave

Smita Menon 328. Majithia Eclave

Prem Sagar Passi 95-D, Model Town

Damayanti Passi 95-D, Model Town

Sanjay Passi 95-D, Model Town

Ambika Passi 95-D, Model Town

Rani Banayat 6, Street no 25, Tripuri Town

Aman Priya 6, Street no 25, Tripuri Town

Sharanjit 6, Street no 25, Tripuri Town

Pardeep Saini 6, Street no 25, Tripuri Town

Sarv Priya 6, Street no 25, Tripuri Town

Priyanka 6, Street no 25, Tripuri Town

Shalini 6, Street no 25, Tripuri Town

Balbir Singh D-10 focal point

Rajinder Mohan D-10 focal point

Ajinder Singh D-10 focal point

Panchkula

Rakesh Sharma 343, Sector 2

Manu Sharma 343, Sector 2

Dharamvir Walia 1660, Sector 15

Kamlesh Kumar 1660, Sector 15

Navneet Kumar 1660, Sector 15

Karambir Walia 1660, Sector 15

Anjali Walia 1660, Sector 15

Moti Lal Sopory 525, sector 21

Asha Sopory 525, sector 21

C. N.Dhar 525, sector 21

Pramila Dhar 525, sector 21

Pankaj Bahel 206, GH 7A, Peace

Apartments, Sector 20

Neena Bahel 206, GH 7A, Peace

Apartments, Sector 20

Amit Arora 2010, Sector 21

Col.A.L.Bakshi(Retd) 424, Sector 12

Sunita Bakshi 424, Sector 12

Amar Bakshi 424, Sector 12

Rishi Bakshi 424, Sector 12

Anuj Malhotra 865, Sector 2

Krishan Singh Nandra 929, Sector 16

Sham Lal Sharma 455, Sector 10

Swatanter Devi 455, Sector 10

Gulshan Sharma 455, Sector 10

Simmi Sharma 455, Sector 10

Jyoti Sharma 455, Sector 10

Vikas Sharma 455, Sector 10

Narinder Kumar 39-B, Swastik Vihar

Mohali

J.P. Singh HIG-745-B, Phase-9

Bhajan Kaur HIG-745-B, Phase-9

Khushwant Singh 1391 Sector 70

Ssarabjot Kaur 1391 Sector 70

Sukhpal Singh Jolly 849, Phase-7

Kamal Jit Kaur 849, Phase-7

Smt Raj Kumari Bedi 97, Phase 6

Joginder Singh HIG 668 'B' Phase 9

Baljeet Kaur HIG 668 'B' Phase 9

Gurbakash Singh 896 Sector 65

Livjot Sachdeva 70, Phase - 3A

Ishwar Devi 2676 ,Phase -7

Gurcharan Singh Sahota 2440, Phase 10

Sudershan Kaur 2440, Phase 10

Simranjit Singh Sahota 2440, Phase 10

Devjit Singh Sahota 2440, Phase 10

Saravjit Kaur Sahota 2440, Phase 10

Sunder Singh Luthra HIG 830, Phase 2

Sheel Luthra HIG 830, Phase 2

Ambala

Manohar Lal Khosla 32, Model Town,

Chitra Sharma 5, Chitra Cottage Sector-B, Defence Colony, Kallerheri

PD Sharma 5, Chitra Cottage Sector-B, Defence Colony, Kallerheri

O P Mongia 11 Vikas vihar

Renu Mongia 11 Vikas vihar

COMMUNITY

Residents suffer as Mountview violates law
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15
Hotel Mountview, run by the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO), is becoming a source of nuisance for residents of Sector 10. Any late evening social functions in the lawns of the hotel means blaring music for the ears.

The residents of the area lament that their pleas to the authorities concerned in this regard seem to have made no impact. For the past few days the residents are facing another problem. The horticulture wing of the hotel has dumped cow dung manure outside its boundary wall, leading to unhygienic conditions in the area.

Gyan Chauhan, a resident of house No. 31, Sector 10 said, “The unbearable smell of the manure makes our lives miserable. For their convenience the manure has been dumped outside the boundary wall so that it can easily be lifted to the storage pit on the hotel premises”.

When the Chandigarh Tribune team visited the area, employees of the hotel were physically lifting the manure and throwing it into a pit on the hotel premises.

Another resident Iqbal Singh, who lives in house No. 32, Sector 10, said late evening marriage parties had become a source of nuisance. Mr Singh, who is a senior citizen, said during the marriage season parties were normally held in the rear lawns of the hotel.

The residents also objected to the laundry located at the southern end of the hotel.

Ms Chaudhary, another resident, said the dry leaves adjoining the boundary wall of the hotel had caught fire which threatened the overhead electricity wires.

Another resident, Mr Rana Nalwa, an advocate living in house No. 24, said, “The late evening parties do not allow me to continue with his work”.

Traffic blocked over challaning of BSP candidate Kashyap
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15
Traffic was disrupted for at least half an hour at a busy road separating Sectors 34 and 35 during the peak evening hours yesterday when losing BSP Lok Sabha candidate Hemraj Kashyap was challaned by two traffic policemen. He accused them of demanding a bribe.

He lodged a written complaint with the police against the two traffic police personnel, saying they took Rs 100 from his friend and on being questioned, booked him for talking on the mobile phone while driving. DSP S.S. Randhawa said the complaints seemed to be in reaction to the action of the traffic police personnel.

BSP workers gathered at the roundabout separating Sectors 34 and 35 and almost a one-km queue was formed during an altercation between traffic policemen and the BSP leader and his supporters. Mr Kashyap said his friend Bhupinder Singh, who was driving his Qualis, was stopped by the two traffic policemen, who asked him to pay a penalty of Rs 1,100 for talking on his mobile phone while driving.

Mr Bhupinder Singh refused to pay the challan money. The policemen allegedly demanded Rs 500 from him, but he refused. A deal was allegedly struck for Rs 100, according to Mr Kashyap.

The BSP candidate added that his vehicle reached the spot by then and the police personnel pocketed Rs 100. He further said he asked the police personnel to return the money and instead book his friend, but the police personnel denied having taken money.

Mr Hemraj claimed at this one of the policemen asked him if he had a driving licence and he gave them his licence. He alleged that the traffic police personnel then booked him for talking on a mobile phone while driving as an afterthought.

This led to Mr Hemraj calling his party workers. Inspector (Traffic) S. S. Sidhu said Mr Hemraj was unnecessarily reacting on being challaned and was bent upon blocking traffic. He said the police had to be called to sort out the matter and clear traffic.

Bansal told to remember poll promises
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15
Various local organisations have welcomed the election of Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal as Member of Parliament for the local seat in separate press notes here yesterday. Mr Amarjit Singh Sethi, general secretary of the Chandigarh Nagrik Sabha, congratulated Mrs Sonia Gandhi for success in the Lok Sabha elections. The Mazdoor Sabha, while congratulating Mr Bansal, asked him to remember his promises of providing jobs to the unemployed and making amendments in the Rent Act.

Mr B.B. Bahl, president of the local unit of the Congress, said people have expressed faith in the candidature of Mr Bansal. He said the BJP-led NDA government had nothing to deliver except promises.

Mr Bansal’s election has also been welcomed by the Fari Welfare Samiti, Mr Gurmeet Monty Sehgal, a former district president of the local Youth Congress, Mr Amritpal Singh Chadha, general secretary of the district Congress (Urban), Mr Bhupinder Badheri, a functionary of the Congress (Rural), the Marble Traders Association and the Gandhi J.P. Vichar Manch.

Panel formed to assess Jain’s defeat
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 14
The local unit of the BJP today set up a five-member committee to ascertain the reasons for the defeat of Mr Satya Pal Jain.

The committee members include Mr Yash Pal Mahajan, president of the local unit, Mr Bal Krishan Kapoor, general secretary, Mr Purshotam Mahajan, vice-president, Mr Chetan Mittal, president of the legal cell, and Mr Ram Vir Bhatti, secretary.

The party will hold a meeting on May 16 at the Kamalam, the party’s office in Sector 33, to thank party workers.

MC to hire ex-servicemen for octroi posts
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 15
The Municipal Council will tie up with the Punjab Ex-servicemen Corporation to man various octroi posts in the township. According to sources, the move comes in the wake of acute shortage of staff in the council and to ensure efficient management of octroi posts.

Sources added that a decision to this effect will be taken only during the next meeting of the council but a suggestion to this effect has already been received by the council from the Director, Local Bodies, Punjab.

The Municipal Council has 13 octroi posts where it has deployed its employees to collect octroi and transit fee. Till last year, the octroi collection in the township was in private hands but this year the council’s move to privatise octroi collection was stayed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Council authorities said since the council worked only for five days a week, a shortage of staff, which was ready to work on the weekend, was being felt by the council. This was leading to a loss of revenue too. Thus the council had written to the Local Bodies Department, demanding more employees but, according to sources, the department had instead asked the council to tie up with the ex-servicemen corporation and deploy staff from members of PESCO. These employees will be on contract and work on weekends to supplement the current octroi post employee strength.

Acute shortage of postal orders
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15
Hundreds of prospective candidates, planning to appear in competitive examinations or applying for government jobs, fear losing out on the opportunity as postal orders used to pay the application fee are not available at post offices in the city.

At a majority of the post offices, postal orders have been out of stock for the past over one month. Postal orders are used to deposit fee for applying for a government job or to pay the application-cum-entrance fee for competitive examinations.

At some post offices, postal orders of denomination of below Rs 2 are available, but in limited stock. An employee at the Sector 9 post office has said postal orders of Re 1 and Rs 2 denomination are available.

At the post offices in Sectors 15, 18 and 22, the staff has reported non-availability of postal orders. At the post offices in Mani Majra town and Ram Darbar, the staff has reported shortage of postal orders. At all post offices, seekers of postal orders have been referred to the General Post Office, Sector 17. A senior officer has said the department is aware of the shortage.

As a stopgap arrangement, unused postal orders have been requisitioned from the post offices where there are not many buyers. At the General Post Offices the last set of postal orders of Rs 100 denomination was sold this morning.

Postal orders are printed at the Nasik Security Printing Press. The central store of the Punjab circle of the postal department is in Ludhiana.

Complaint of highhandedness against councillor
Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, May 15
A Panchkula resident has complained to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Dera Bassi, against the highhandedness of a councillor of the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat.

In his complaint to the police, Mr Ashok Kumar, a resident of Sector 15, Panchkula, alleged that the councillor, restrained him from constructing a boundary wall around his land in Bhabhat village, along the Chandigarh-Ambala highway. The councillor and his men also allegedly thrashed certain labourers who were at work there.

In his complaint to the DSP, Mr Ashok Kumar, alleged that he was constructing the boundary wall on the directions of the court, but was restrained by the councillor on last Sunday. A DDR has already been registered at Lohgarh police post in the regard.

The complainant has also sought police help in completing the construction work.

Zirakpur shopkeepers resent PPWD order
Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, May 15
Resentment prevailed among shopkeepers after authorities of the Punjab Public Works Department (PPWD) along with the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat and revenue officials from Dera Bassi visited the local market and asked them to remove goods kept outside of shops.

The officials also warned shopkeepers against encroaching upon the passage in front of their shops. They were also directed to pull down their illegal structures.

Following this, the shopkeepers assembled in the market and protested against the directions saying that the decision would affect their business.

It may be recalled that the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while taking serious note of encroachments by shopkeepers, haphazard parking of vehicles on the busy highway and gross violation of traffic rules here, had directed the National Highway Authority of India and the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat to remove encroachments from the market.

Slum-dwellers get power connections
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 15
Slum and hutment dwellers of Janta Colony, Naya Gaon, Jujhar Nagar within the Chandigarh periphery heaved a sigh of relief with the release of electricity connections. The inhabitants of the colonies had been facing difficulty due to lack of provision of electricity. For long, electricity connections in the periphery area of Chandigarh had been stalled because of High Court stay.

According to the information provided by Morinda MLA and Cabinet Minister Jagmohan Singh Kang here today, the PSEB authorities took up the case with High Court after which connections were released in these villages recently. But in spite of this, jhuggi and hutment dwellers were deprived of electric connections. Mr Kang further disclosed that now electric connections would be given to them after they furnished an indemnity bond to the Board.

Expect cool relief today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15
There is good news for residents of the city. The weekend crowd can plan their day out tomorrow as the Meteorological Department has forecast rain or thundershowers at isolated places in the city and its surrounding areas.

Weathermen said the new weather phenomenon could remain for 24 hours. They did not rule out the possibility of the heat wave taking over the region again.

For the past few days, the ongoing hot and dry spell has forced the residents to remain indoors. The maximum daytime temperature was recorded at 42.8°C. Yesterday, the maximum daytime temperature was 43.2°C.

Explaining the approaching weather phenomenon, an officer at the Meteorological Department said air disturbances over the central Rajasthan could result in rain.

The intensified spell of hot and dry conditions was already causing trouble for those prone to sunstroke and those suffering from skin allergies. Doctors said these weather conditions could result in spread of water-borne diseases.

Chain snatched
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 15
An unidentified youth snatched a gold chain from a woman near the Rock Garden here this evening. The woman from Maharashtra is on a visit to the city along with her husband, Mr Sunil Kumar.

The snatching took place around 7 pm. A case has been registered. The chain weighed 15 gm.

BUSINESS

Single-window system at PNB branch soon
Our Correspondent

Mullanpur-Garibdass, May 15
The Mullanpur-Garibdass branch of Punjab National Bank will soon introduce single-window system for its clients by the end of June.

This was stated by the Senior Manager of the branch, Mr Baljit Singh, during the 35th Foundation Day celebrations of the branch at the village yesterday. According to him, the branch has a deposit of Rs 22 crore and has given advances of about Rs 438 lakh. In the last financial year, the branch earned a profit of Rs 83,000. Last year, the branch distributed Krishi Cards worth Rs 30 lakh to farmers of the area.

The first client of the branch, Mr Surjan Singh (75) was the chief guest. Mr D.D. Puri, president of the Puri Development Trust of Mullanpur-Garibdass, while speaking on the occasion thanked the bank for carrying out development works like providing a pucca chowk in the village.

Among those present on the occasion included Mr Naib Singh, former sarpanch of the village, and Mr Arvind Puri, chairman, Rural Area Development Committee, Ropar. Panchayat members and Mr S.S. Sandhu, Manager of the branch, were also present.