Youths vandalise pub, attack proprietor
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
A group of youths last night assaulted the proprietor of Mercury Restaurant and Pub in Sector 46 and vandalised the premises. About 15 youths, armed with hockey sticks, hit the proprietor, Mr Yogesh Sharma, and his brother, Mr Naveen Sharma, on the head. The former received a deep cut, which needed eight stitches.

The youths looted Rs 8,200 from the cash counter, broke windowpanes, chairs and paintings in the pub and restaurant.

Mr Yogesh Sharma told Chandigarh Tribune that two persons in an inebriated condition entered the pub and started misbehaving with the restaurant staff and the customers. He asked the youths to behave themselves but they threatened them with dire consequences.

The two youths came out of the restaurant and kept on calling Mr Sharma to come outside his business establishment. The youths were also making calls on their cellphone.

Gauging the mood of the youths, Mr Sharma made a phone call to the police control room around 8.15 pm. When the police did not arrive, he rang up the SHO of the area, Mr S. S. Rana, saying that a group of youths armed with hockey sticks were advancing towards his shop.

But help did not reach in time. The youths injured the proprietor, broke windowpanes, a CD player and his telephone.

The mayhem continued for about 15 minutes, five minutes before the police reached the spot. Mr Sharma said he informed the police to nab the youths as they had just left the scene. The police instead decided to take the injured to the hospital.

Mr Yogesh Sharma was taken to the GMCH in Sector 32, where he received eight stitches. A case was registered only after six pm today. The police could not even identify the attackers.

Mr Sharma, however, himself inquired about the persons who attacked him and identified two of them. One of them is Georgi, a resident of Sector 45, and one Dhillon, a resident of Sector 46. The shopkeepers in the area told Mr Sharma that Dhillon was recently seen campaigning for a political party.

Mr Sharma said one of the police officers had last night recorded his statement in the presence of the president of the market association, Mr Balwinder. He was discharged from the hospital last night.

The SHO of the area, Mr Rana, said a case had been registered and a hunt was on to nab the assailants.

He refuted the charges of delayed response, saying that the police had reached the spot as soon as it got information and taken the injured to hospital in its vehicle.

Villagers start relay fast against land acquisition
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 17
The three-month-long struggle of thousands of villagers against the acquisition of their lands by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) intensified with landlords starting a relay fast here today. The fast that began amidst loud sloganeering against PUDA at Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Sohana, will continue till the demands of the villagers are met.

Members of the Kisan Hit Bachao Committee, the body leading the protest, said they had to resort to fast as PUDA had failed to take notice of their protest and stop the acquisition process. ‘‘We had informed PUDA that in case they did not take any action in our favour till May 16, we will intensify our struggle. We are beginning with a relay fast but later it could turn worse,’’ said Mr D.P. Singh, general secretary of the committee.

The five landlords who started the fast today are Mr Tejinder Singh Jakhar, Mr Prem Singh, Harjit Singh. Jasmer Singh, Gurdev Singh, all residents of Sohana village. Mr Jakhar is also the president of the Kisan Hit Bachao Committee.

On April 26, thousands of residents, including hundreds of women, from over 40 villages in the Mohali subdivision had marched to the PUDA Bhavan in Phase VIII. The protesters demanded the cancellation of the notification issued by the government dated January 19, 2004 with respect to the acquisition of approximately 690 acres in five villages. According to the PUDA notification, over 170 acres will be acquired in Sohana village, another 209 acres in Lakhnaur village, 21 acres in Landran, 124 acres in Bermpur and 162 acres in Manak Majra village.

In a memorandum to the Punjab Government, the committee members had stated that the land owners should be given a share in the profits that PUDA earned after developing the acquired land. Stating that they were not ready to part with their lands, Mr Jakhar along with some other affected landlords told The Tribune that PUDA was ‘looting’ the landlords in every possible way. ‘‘PUDA buys the land from us at Rs 10 lakh an acre and then develops it at the rate of Rs 15 lakh an acre. But when it comes to selling, PUDA makes on an average a profit of Rs 7 crore an acre. PUDA does not allow us to sell our land to anyone as it is within the periphery controlled area,’’ he said.

Mr D.P. Singh, one of the leaders of the farmers, pointed that the land within the Sohana village lal dora was selling at Rs 1.5 crore an acre and PUDA was paying a paltry sum of Rs 10 lakh. ‘‘We condemn the fact that PUDA pays peanuts to the land owners and after spending a little amount on developing the land sells it at exorbitant rates,” said Mr D.P. Singh.

The delegation of the committee had also met the Land Acquisition Officer (LAO), PUDA, Mr Purshottam Singh Sodhi, last week and offered to follow the ‘pooling-in scheme’ to acquire the land. According to the ‘pooling-in scheme’ proposed by the delegation, they will willingly give their land to the authority for developing it and carving new sectors out of it. But instead of the money reward that is granted to the landowners by the government, these landowners have demanded a part of the developed land in proportion to the size of the land acquired. 

Tanzanian fails to provide proof of owning currency
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
The Tanzanian patient who claimed to have lost $ 17,000 from Sunbeam Hotel in Sector 22 has failed to provide any proof of the currency in his possession before it was stolen on May 11.

The police is examining if the Tanzanian, Mr Richard Kami, who had reported that $ 17,000 had been stolen from his room of the hotel, actually had this much of money.The Tanzanian was insured against theft.

The direction of the investigation focussed on Mr Kami's claim after a chance arrest of an addict-turned-thief of Sector 21, Inderpreet Singh. The police recovered $ 2,800 from the thief after a key of the hotel was found in his possession on May 13.

The thief had told the police that the bag he lifted on the night of May 11 from the hotel had only $ 2,800, some loose Indian currency notes and a wad of Rs 10,000. The thief had told the police he was sure that the amount he had taken was exactly this much.

He told the police to get a diary from his house. The diary had calculations converting dollars into the Indian currency. The calculations matched the amount of dollars.

The police has also arrested a woman drug peddler, Kamla, from Daddu Majra for allegedly providing the thief heroin in lieu of the stolen watch and mobile of the Tanzanian.

The woman has shown a few watches to the police but the Tanzanian says that none of them is his.

The police has questioned the Tanzanian asking him to produce any documentary proof of his bringing $ 17,000 when he came to the city for a spinal surgery.

As per the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India, a foreigner cannot bring more than $ 5,000 to India unless he had document supporting his need in the country for a specific purpose.

The foreigner came to the PGI on March 9, got himself examined and went to Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai for a medical examination. He returned to the city on May 8 and checked in Sunbeam Hotel. The police has handed over the dollars and the recovered property to the Tanzanian.

Sources told Chandigarh Tribune that the drug peddler arrested in this connection might have been involved in as many as 150 cases of theft, burglary and drug selling in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

The peddler is estimated to earn an amount of Rs 27,000 per day through the sale of drugs. She is a “das nambari” in the records of the police. She has been convicted in many cases and served sentences many times.

NRI killed, 4 hurt in mishap
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 17
An NRI was killed and a Chandigarh-based couple along with two other women were injured when their car rammed into a truck on the Kharar-Kurali road, near Burmajra village, late tonight.

The deceased, Mohan Lal from England, was driving a Hyundai Accent car when the accident took place. The police said he died on the spot, while the co-passengers — Mr D.R. Sudan and his wife Ms Santosh of Sector 40, Chandigarh — were taken to the PGI. Their condition was stated to be stable. Two other occupants — Ms Rajrani of Panchkula and Ms Shiela — also sustained injuries, but were out of danger.

According to Mr Sudan’s neighbours, he along with his wife had left this morning by bus for Kurali to meet Mr Mohan Lal and collect some items sent by their relatives in England.

However, Mr Mohan Lal offered to give them a ride back to Chandigarh in the evening.

Child’s body found
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
The decomposed body of a four-year-old boy was found in a nullah in Makhan Majra today. The body seemed to be around three or four days old. The face of the child had been bitten by some animals, according to the police. The child wore a red T-shirt. There were no injury marks on the body.

The body was sent for postmortem examination to the Sector 16 General Hospital.

There are doubts as to how a child could have died a natural death and why no complaint had been made by his family members for his disappearance in any of the police stations of the city.

This raises a suspicion that the body might have been dumped after an incident in the city.

Tie-up with more private hospitals on cards: Lt-Gen JJ Singh
Poonam Batth
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt- Gen J.J Singh, today said that a tie-up with a few more major private hospitals in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali was on the cards.

Following their approval from the Defence Ministry, these hospitals would be empanelled under the Ex-servicemen's Contributory Health Scheme ( ECHS) to provide medical treatment to defence veterans and their dependents.

Talking to TNS, he said applications had been invited from leading private hospitals in the region, who were wiling to get empanelled under the scheme to provide specialist treatment, not available in military hospitals. The addition of these hospitals will enable the retired soldiers to get proper medicare for most of the serious diseases.

At present, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research ( PGI), was the only hospital empanelled under the scheme and the tie-up was also only for renal and heart treatment. Besides this, only the BBC Heart care Pruthi Hospital in Jalandhar has been covered under the scheme and that is inadequate.

General J.J Singh said 10 odd leading private hospitals in Chandigarh and the surrounding areas were likely to get empanelled in the near future, besides few other leading hospitals in Jalandhar, Amritsar and other important stations. The applications from these hospitals will be forwarded to the ECHS authorities for necessary approval. As a result of this, ex-servicemen will be able to avail benefits under the scheme for serious ailments like bypass surgery, valve replacement, pacemaker implant, angiography, renal transplant, dialysis, cancer and spastic paraplegics. `` We are also shortly going to start the process of empanelling diagnostic laboratories for getting the required medical tests done and applications for the same would also be invited, '' he said.

The scheme requires contributions from retired armed forces personnel based on the scale of their pension. Those contributing towards the scheme are entitled to free medical treatment at military hospitals and designated medical institutions.

But till the ECHS was launched last year, ex-servicemen and their dependents were entitled to free medical treatment only at military hospitals. However, under the scheme ECHS members are to be referred to super specialists in the station for diseases requiring specialised treatment.

If the specialists were not available, then the commanding officer or the commandant of the service medical establishment may refer the patient to government or private hospitals recognised by the Central Government Health Scheme or the Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services after seeking approval of the ECHS authorities.

Ex-servicemen are of the view that legitimate benefits of the scheme will come to them only after the process of empanelling hospitals is completed and tamper-proof smart cards were issued to the beneficiaries.

Those who couldn’t vote — 7th list

CHANDIGARH

F.C.Gogna 999, Rajdhani Apartments, Sector 49-A

D.R. Batra 3057, Sector 23-D

Sunita Batra 3057, Sector 23-D

Jagat RamSanwal 1206 Sector 37-B

Krishan Kant Sanwal 1206 Sector 37-B

Nirmal Sanwal 1206 Sector 37-B

Gurbachan Kaur 55, Sector 9-A

Dharampal Kaur 55, Sector 9-A

Kamal Kumar 1407, Sector 49-B Pushpac

Sunita 1407, Sector 49-B Pushpac

Kanwardeep Singh 1276, Sector 34-C

Ravleen Kaur 1276, Sector 34-C

Ropar

Kiran Kapoor  986, Mohalla-Uchha Khera
Rajeev Kapoor 986, Mohalla-Uchha Khera
Pankaj Kapoor 986, Mohalla-Uchha Khera
Kanika Kapoor 986, Mohalla-Uchha Khera

Kapil Kapoor 986, Mohalla-Uchha Khera

PATIALA

M.K. Paul 5202, Arora Mohalla

Sushil 5202, Arora Mohalla

Ravi Anand 5202, Arora Mohalla

Suman 5202, Arora Mohalla

Rajinder Pal Batra 78-C, Partap Nagar

Geeta Bali 78-C, Partap Nagar

Harpreet Singh 160, New Green Park Colony

Kiranjit Kaur 160, New Green Park Colony

Raghvir Singh 302, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Avnash Chander 305, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Jagit Singh 307, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Savringer Singh 308, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Balwinder Singh 310, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Baldev Singh 315, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Lakshami Devi 316, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Sanjeev 318, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Rachpal Singh 319, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Darshan singh 320, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Jaswant Singh 321, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Prakesh Kaur 322, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Jeevan Kumar 326, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Harkirat Singh 330, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Harbans Singh 336, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Ram Singh 340, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Satya 342, Urban Estate, Phase-I(B)

Gurbachan Kaur 343, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Kuljit Singh 344, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Gurdarshan Singh 345, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Manohar Lal 347, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Gurcharan 350, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Rajinder Singh 358, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Savirtri 359, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Amrik Singh 362, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Virsa Singh 364, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Balwant Singh 368, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Teja Singh 374, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Ujaggar Singh 380, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Amarjit Singh 382, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Avtar Singh 384, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Gurchman Singh 385, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Balraj Singh 387, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Harbans Singh 395, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Jaswinder Kaur 396, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

H.K.Manmohan Singh 398, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Balpreet Kaur 404, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Sajjan Singh 405, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Ajit Singh 406, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Harshran Singh 408, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Bhupinder Singh 409, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Gurdev Singh 410, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Bhola Ram 413, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Jayoti Parkash 417, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Parshotam Singh 421, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Narinder Kumar 422, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Hakam Singh 427, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Gurpal Singh 428, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Gurmail Singh 429, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Joginder Singh 433, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Ved Kaur 434, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Bhupinder Singh 443, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Widwan Singh 444, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Kartar Singh 452, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Manjit Singh 459, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Harinderpreet Singh 463, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Malwinder Kaur 465, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Gurmail Singh 466, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Harbans Singh 467, Urban Estate, Phase-I (B)

Raghbir Singh Pabla 22, Amar Niwas,Yadvindera Colony, The Mall

Gurpreet Singh 22, Amar Niwas, Yadvindera Colony,The Mall

Rekha Bawa  Adarsh Colony

Kamelesh    Adarsh colony

Gagandeep Kaur  Jhujar Nagar

Gurpreet Singh Adalat Bazar

Veena Mann  285, St no 8, Old Bishan Nagar

Rajinder Singh Mann 285, St No 8, Old Bishan Nagar

Manjeet Singh Mann 285, St no 8, Old Bishan Nagar

Raj Sarbans Pal Kaur 4A, Dhillon Marg, Model Town

Navleen Wadalia 4A, Dhillon Marg, Model Town

Amindra Bir Singh Wadalia 4A, Dhillon Marg, Model Town

Nitin Malhotra 23-D Hira Nagar

Jaimal Singh Khamba CI/3, Thapar Technology

Campus

Akwinder Kaur Khamba CI/3, Thapar technology

Campus

Manpreet Singh Manna    216, Charan Bagh

Swaranjit  Kaur 216, Charan Bagh

Harbans Singh Nimana    216, Charan Bagh

Tejinder Kaur       216, Charan Bagh

PANCHKULA

Krishara Devi 359, Sector-7

Mohinder Kumar 359, Sector-7

Surinder Kumar Garg 359, Sector-7

Savita Garg 359, Sector-7

Anita Garg 359, Sector-7

Chandan Garg 359, Sector-7

Naresh Chand Jain 713, Sector-21

Meena Jain 713, Sector-21

Kanika Jain 713, Sector-21

Nipun Jain 713, Sector-21

Suresh Chander 1031, Sector-15

Surinder Kumar 626, Sector-11

Seema Rani 626, Sector-11

S.K.Kapoor 12011, Sector-7

Veena Kapoor 12011, Sector-7

Pawan Kumar 20, Sector 6

Rakesh Kumar Vasudeva 103, GH-01, SECTOR 20

Sanjivan Lata 103, GH-01, SECTOR 20

MOHALI

Mukesh Kumar 1801/GF, Phase-70

Meena Rani 1801/GF, Phase-70

Upkar Singh 2443, Phase-10

Jatinder Pal Kaur 2443, Phase-10

Khushpal Singh 2443, Phase-10

Jagtar Singh 3532, Sector-71

Sukhdev Kaur 3532, Sector-71

Surinder Pal Singh 3532, Sector-71

Lovleen 3532, Sector-71

Madan Lal Wadhwa 1947, Phase-5

Bharat Bushan 475, Phase-2

Shashi 475, Phase-2

Ashinash Singh 365, Phase-11

Harpreet Kaur 2419, Phase-11

Ashok Kumar   782-A, Phase-9

Sarita Ahluwalia        782-A, Phase-9

Shweta Ahluwalia        782-A, Phase-9

Ashish Ahluwalia        782-A, Phase-9

Manpreet Singh         730, Phase-3B1

Navjeet Kaur   730, Phase-3B1

Ps Dhindsa Hig 839 Phase-2

Navjyot Dhindsa Hig 839 Phase-2

S.Mohan Singh 1421, Phase 3B2

Iqbal Kaur 1421, Phase 3B2

Hardeep Singh 1421, Phase 3B2

Navkiran Kaur 1421, Phase 3B2

Gursharan Kaur 477, Phase 3B1

Rajiv Aggarwal 336, Sector 71

Sangeeta Aggarwal 336, Sector 71

ShriKant Kala 1666, Phase 3B2

Kunjlata Kala 1666, Phase 3B2

Anirudh Kala 1666, Phase 3B2

Abhijit Kala 1666, Phase 3B2

AMBALA

Rajneesh Chopra 56, Rajindra Park

Suman Chopra 56, Rajindra Park

Rajender kumar 524, Vill. Kardhan

Jai prakash Gupta Sector -8

Kanta Gupta. Sector -8

Ashish Gupta. Sector -8

Abhijeet Gupta. Sector -8

Anish Gupta. Sector -8

Jiya 106 Vashisht Nagar

Saroj Rani   106 Vashisht Nagar

Sanjeev Kumar 106 Vashisht Nagar

Sushma Rani 106 Vashisht Nagar

CHANDIGARH CALLING

The city might be the education hub, given its many educational societies, schools and colleges. However, it also provides fertile ground for mushrooming of illegal institutes, not accredited and yet, in the business of imparting education.

At a press conference of an institute offering the Nursery Teachers Training (NTT) course and accredited to the National Council of Technical Education (NCTE), the director released the names of a few institutes offering the same course without accreditation.

When contacted, all these institutes admitted they were offering the course without the required accreditation. They claimed they were honest enough to inform every candidate applying to them for admission that the course was not recognised. They justified that students continued to be attracted to their institute since their NTT course was enough to get them a job in private schools, a fact denied by the candidates themselves.

Summer workshops

It is summer workshop time in the city with the summer vacation in most schools beginning from next week. The publicity for the numerous workshops conducted by professionals and amateurs is already in full swing and the organisations are leaving no stone unturned to attract the maximum number of participants.

Activities ranging from cooking to painting, dancing and theatre, singing and the various crafts, are available to students to suit their timings and tastes. The parents, too, are pre-occupied, identifying how best to utilise their children’s holidays and provide them a chance to hone their skills and indulge their interests.

While plans for spending the vacation are in place, most parents have ensured it is not at the cost of the summer classes. The children, too, are enthused by the idea of attending these classes, making the running of summer workshops one of the most lucrative options.

A dull election

The election scene in Panchkula for the Ambala Lok sabha seat proved to be a lacklusture affair this time round. Devoid of much of the colour election campaigning is known for, the candidates focused more on door-to-door campaigns rather than making it a public affair.

There were no late evening rallies of any of the candidates, no blaring loudspeakers advising the public to vote for any particular candidate and no posters adorning the walls, unlike the many previous elections.

Besides, it was a forgone conclusion that the Congress candidate, Kumari Selja, would win hands down from Ambala. This, too, contributed to a dull election.

Sonia and Sushma

An agitated 92-year-old reader of The Tribune, Mrs Dhan Kaur, a resident of Sector 8 in Chandigarh, called up the Tribune and wanted to express anguish over the recent political developments in the country. Normally readers are free to write in their views or send e-mails on any issue. But here Mrs Dhan Kaur a graduate from Lahore in the pre—partition days, insisted that a reporter must come to meet her.

A colleague was sent and Mrs Dhan Kaur said: Good you have come I want ask certain questions to Mrs Sushma Swaraj, who had threatened to resign from her Rajya Sabha membership if Sonia Gandhi becomes Prime Minister. “ Well why did Sushma not resign when innocent young Muslim women were raped and killed in Gujarat or when women were killed in a stampede during the free saree distribution campaign in Lucknow by a leader of the BJP.” If she feels so strongly about nationality then these issues should have also hit her, Mrs Dhan Kaur said while adding that Sonia Gandhi was a “bahu” of the country and she deserves to be accepted.

Officials jittery

The virtual clean sweep of the Lok Sabha seats in Haryana by the Congress, it seems, did not go well with the district officials. After the results showing the drubbing of the INLD trickled in, officials, a majority of them being close relatives of the top functionaries in the Haryana Government, were a worried lot.

Even as the counting at Panchkula was a smooth affair, the officials’ discomfort was apparent in view of the elections to the Haryana Assembly early next year.

If the Congress were to form the next state government, what would happen to their present posting, the officials wondered.

Helping society

For some students the summer vacations is not the time for picnicking or enroling in personality-development programmees, it is the time to do something constructive in life.

Some believe in giving back something to the society. Aware about their duties, students of Vivek High school have offered themselves as volunteers for the Youth Technical Training Society in the field of education. The students would be assisting the members of the NGO in providing adult education to the learners in the slum areas of the city.

Another group of students from different schools would be spending time in slums educating the inhabitants about the precautions to check spread of water borne diseases.

— Sentinel

COMMUNITY

Move to boycott Sonia’s swearing-in criticised
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 17
A former city Mayor and local Congress leaders today criticised the decision of the BJP-led NDA to boycott the swearing-in of Ms Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister. According to them, the action of the NDA and the BJP in particular was against all norms of democracy and against the spirit and provisions of the Indian Constitution.

In a press note issued here, they said the threat of resignation by Ms Sushma Swaraj and her husband from the Rajya Sabha was a politically motivated drama to befool the electorate. In the light of the threat, they wanted to know from Ms Sushma Swaraj that if she nursed such feelings for Ms Gandhi, then why had she contested from Bellary against Ms Gandhi. The Congress leaders said Ms Swaraj was irked because she could not defeat Ms Gandhi. They dared BJP MPs like Mr Pramod Mahajan, who supported the view of Ms Swaraj, to resign and seek a fresh mandate.

It was stated that it seemed that Ms Swaraj and her husband had lost their mental balance. Ms Gandhi was very much an Indian as per provisions of the Indian Constitution and the BJP had no locus standi to question the citizenship of Ms Gandhi, they stated.

The Congress leaders who issued the statement are Ms Lalit Joshi, councillor and former Mayor, Mr Surinder Singh, councillor and former Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Balraj Singh, councillor and former Deputy Mayor, Ms Geeta Chaudhary, Deputy Mayor, Ms Shyama Negi, Ms Pushpa Sharma, and Ms Anu Chatrath, councillors of the municipal corporation, and Mr Ram Pal Sharma, vice-president, Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee.

HUDA to float housing scheme in Sectors 27, 28
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, May 17
It is raining plots in Panchkula. Close on the heels of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) floating a housing scheme in the Mansa Devi Complex (MDC), another scheme is in the offing in Sectors 27 and 28 of Panchkula Extension.

According to sources, a number of plots measuring 6,8,10 14 marla and 1 kanal, which were not allotted in the draw of lots held on March 22, would be offered to the general public next month. These plots were withdrawn by HUDA on account of adequate number of applicants not applying when these were floated in September and October last.

A meeting of senior officials was held under the chairmanship of the HUDA Chief Administrator, Mr N.C. Wadhwa, to fix the prices of various categories of plots again. A proposal to fix the prices of various categories had been sent to the Chief Minister’s office for final approval.

After approval, HUDA would work out modalities for the allotment and the exact number of plots. The prices were likely to be a little higher than the last time. The earlier price for the 1 kanal plot was Rs 4,468 per square metre. For the 8,10 and 14 marla plots, it was Rs 4,061 per square metre, with Rs 3,655 per square metre for the 6 marla plot.

During allotment, there were not enough takers for certain categories, with the results that those, who had applied for plots were assured of allotment. In the meantime, property prices in the township looked up and certain property dealers wrote letters to allottees, offering them premium.

The offer of premium by property dealers showed that there was a demand for property in these sectors. HUDA was toying with the idea of providing additional facilities to attract the general public in these sectors, situated opposite Ramgarh on the Panchkula-Yamunanagar highway.

Administration in a fix over reverting deputationists
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CM backs teachers The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, has also reportedly put in a word for teachers. In a letter to the UT Administrator, he says Chandigarh has one of the best education systems and some of the best teachers and lecturers from Punjab are posted in Chandigarh. By sending all of them back, the education system will get a jolt in the UT, he adds.

Chandigarh, May 17
A controversy has arisen, over sending back long-serving deputationists. With no policy or criterion to follow, employees feel this could be more of a witch hunt than anything else. They opine that the “powerful” may just stay back thanks to their links.

Now the Chandigarh Administration is in a fix. It cannot send back all deputationists in one go. The programme of reverting deputationists back to their parent cadres has to be carried out in phases, admit senior officials.

So where to start is the question faced by officers who have to sign the orders. Will the reversion of deputationists start from the person who has had the longest stay or will it be at the whims and fancies of the respective head of the department? Can the Administration pick and choose as to who has to be sent back or will it follow some guidelines? Sources say there are no guidelines on this.

The sources said senior functionaries in the Administration, who faced these questions from middle-level officials, had opined that some sort of guidelines needed to be circulated. At least two heads have referred back the matter to the Administration, asking what will be the formula of reverting back people in phases.

Meanwhile, several employees, fearing that their departments may pick and choose by leaving out the well connected and also the wives and kin of the “powerful”, have sent letters to the Finance Secretary, seeking exemption.

Some departments are making lists based on the employees’ length of stay in Chandigarh. Separate lists are being prepared of employees who have spent three years, five years, seven years, ten years, 15 or 20 years. An official said he did not know who would be sent back first. A policy needed to be framed to ensure equality, he added.

The policy or guidelines on reversion, sources say, will have to be drafted very carefully. Also, care will have to be taken with regard to people from Punjab and Haryana. The Administration will also to follow guidelines of the Union Public Service Commission. In the case of lecturers, the University Grants Commission has also laid down its own criterion which will have to be followed.

Irate residents ‘attack’ PSEB complaint centre
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 17
The Punjab State Electricity Board complaint centre in Phase VII was ‘attacked’ by irate residents who had been trying to contact the employees at the centre to complain against a power cut.

The residents, in a fit of anger smashed the centre’s windowpanes and broke the vehicles parked there. The telephone at the centre was also taken away by the residents.

The incident occurred on Saturday night when a Sector 71 resident came to the centre and shouted at the employees for not picking up the telephone.

He told the employees there was no electricity in his sector and no one seemed to be bothered about it. The employees on his complaint went to Sector 71 to repair the fault but when they returned to the centre they found it partially destroyed. On inquiring, they were told that a large group of residents of Sector 7 had come to the centre to complain about a power failure but when they found the complaint centre locked, they attacked it in a fit of anger and broke the windowpanes.

The junior engineer on duty, Dilpreet Singh, along with two other employees informed the SDO, Mr A.K. Sharma, about the incident and demanded that action be taken against the residents who had behaved this way.

Campaign to spread peace in city
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
“Peace from within self leads to peace in community,” said Mr Shantum Seth, Adviser, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Delhi, while launching peace clubs in schools and colleges in the city today. The function was held at Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36.

The clubs were launched under a campaign for “Peace city — Chandigarh” by Yuvsatta, an NGO, in association with Srijan Peace Education Centre, NSS, Dev Samaj College of Education, Rotary Club of Chandigarh, Indian Council of Gandhian Studies and Gandhi Smriti.

Mr Seth, who also flagged off a motor cycle rally of Indian and foreign students, spoke on the importance of peace in every sphere of life. The UNDP Adviser appreciated the organisers of the event. Under the campaign, students and teachers in 100 local government schools will take a pledge to spread peace.

Mr Parmod Sharma, coordinator of Yuvsatta, said as a creative response to growing violence, an initiative had been launched to identify students, teachers and families who had faith in non-violence. Those identified for the campaign have taken a pledge to shun violence.

He said the objective of the campaign was to bring a social change for the establishment of a non-violent social order and encourage youngsters to experience the creative aspects of non-violence in their daily life.

The target of the NGO was to enroll one lakh families under the campaign.

On the occasion, Mr Dilip Kumar, DPI (colleges), also addressed the participants. Prof Rajan M. Welukar, senior programme officer, Commonwealth Youth Programme, Asia, briefed the audience about the outcome of a workshop held to sensitise teachers about peace and non-violence. Mr K. Khanna, a senior journalist, Mr Vedabhayas Kundu, programme officer, Gandhi Smriti, and Mr Bitoo Sondhi of Action Age, were honoured on the occasion.

Fauji Beat
Fake killings a blot on Army discipline

What makes the Army different from the civil is its strict discipline. To maintain this, a Commanding Officer (CO) is vested with the requisite disciplinary and administrative powers over his troops. This makes him accountable for everything that happens in his unit. Unfortunately, this notion is being diluted and that too by the senior officers.

Taking the example of fake killings by 5/5 Gorkha Rifles in Siachen for glory. It is the CO who is responsible for these concocted killings in his unit, irrespective of the fact whether Major ‘A’ or ‘B’ stage-managed them. The CO’s credentials are evident from the letter that his Brigade Commander had written to him on December 11, 2003. In this letter, he (Brig H.P.S. Bedi) had blamed the CO (Col K.D. Singh) for “indulging in gross untruths”, “misquoting facts” and for “conceal in grave irregularities in operational matters”.

When such serious failings of the CO had come to the notice of his Brigade Commander, why did the latter not recommend the removal of the CO from his command to the higher authorities straightaway? This is not to say that the other blameworthy officer/officers should not get appropriate punishment. But what is essentially being brought out is that it is the CO who is the main culprit. If the senior commanders soft-peddle over these serious issues, the time is not for when the Army would go the civil way.

Faulty decisions

Experience shows that our military top brass is not credited with the virtue of taking unbiased decisions. Three recent examples prove this point beyond any doubt.

The white dress that the Military Nursing Services (MNS) had adopted at the time of its inception was considered the most appropriate one. Changing it to olive green (OG) in 2001 was an immature decision. The blunder was soon realised but the effort to revert to the white dress met with great opposition. When this year the authorities decided to change the OG with a new beige colour dress, it created an ugly situation. Eventually, the top brass heaved a sigh of relief when after a sow down, the self-created problem was sorted out.

The Navy make a thoughtless change in the colour of its flag on Independence Day in 2001, leaving the St. George’s cross intact on it. The folly of the change soon dawned on the Naval top brass and the flag has been changed back to the pre-2001 flag with the Ashoka Lions emblem on it, on April 25.

The Indian Army officers have always worn the badges of rank on their shoulders. Now all of a sudden a bright idea has struck us that we should ape the US Army and depict the ranks by stars on the collars. The serving officers are highly against this idea and we sincerely hope that the status quo would be maintained.

Loss of decorum

The unsavoury news that a Major-Gen’s wife regaled the troops with her “naughty and scintillating” Hindi film songs at Jodhpur the other day, has shocked most veterans and their wives. It is also reported that she tried to engineer a lively interaction with the troops who “put up their best behaviour and joined in the chorus in measured tones when asked to do so.”

Surely our Generals are mature enough to know what should or shouldn’t be done in the presence of the troops. Granted that most of the officers’ wives are busy with their vocations today and do not have time to know enough about the Army life. But this does not absolve their husbands of the responsibility of guiding them correctly. Why did this Chief of Staff of a corps allow his wife to sing to entertain the troops? Why did the Corps Commander clear this event? Why couldn’t this corps get an entertainment troupe for the jawans?

There is nothing wrong with the Indian troops. All wrong practices start from the officers; most of whom need to put on a wisdom hat to preserve the good reputation of the Army.

Pritam Bhullar

City shops to remain open on Sundays
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
Shopping in the city will never be the same again. The Chandigarh Administration today allowed several categories of shops to remain open on Sundays. This will start as an experiment for one year.

The following categories of shops have been allowed to remain open: department stores, books and stationery, crockery and utensils, domestic appliances and gadgets, electrical goods, general merchandise, hosiery goods, ornaments and jewellery, photography goods, readymade garments, sports goods, suitcases, shoes and leather goods, textiles, toy shops, musical instruments, handlooms and painting stores, including signboard printing shops.

These shop owners, however, will have to give a weekly off to their employees if they open their shops on all seven days. It has also been decided that the opening and closing hours of all shops and other commercial establishments will remain the same on all seven days.

Dhanas residents sore over erratic power supply
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
Residents of Milk Colony, Dhanas (UT), are sore over the erratic power and water supply in their locality for the past several days. Mr N.K. Sharma, a spokesman of the colony said such a state of “power crisis” took place every year after the onset of the summer.

The Chandigarh Administration should take a serious view of it.

Due to power failure taps went dry for several hours. Fluctuation further took its toll as several electronic and electrical gadgets were damaged.

Engg student missing
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 17
A 19-year-old engineering student has been missing from his Phase 11 residence for the past two days. According to the information provided by the family of the youth, Navjot Singh had yesterday gone to hand over some notes to his friend, Vikas, who lives nearby, but failed to return.

The family, which lives in H No. 2647 Phase 11, said Navjot was a first-year student of Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran, and was preparing for his semester examinations that begin on May 24.

Stating that he had gone on foot to Vikas’s house, HIG 724 Phase 11, Navjot’s father Hardev Singh said he had left home saying that he would be back in few minutes.

We have contacted all our relatives but no one has any information about him. In case of any information kindly contact us at phone No. 2213647,” he said.

PSEB worker electrocuted
Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 17
Manjit Singh, an employee of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) here, was electrocuted while he was repairing a fault in Industrial Area, Phase IX. Manjit Singh, who was accompanied by a co-worker, was rushed to a private nursing home here with serious burn injuries.

According to sources, Manjit Singh was on duty at the Industrial Area, Phase IX, complaint centre and grid with Hari Singh, substation attendant. The two had to turn off four switches before undertaking the repair, but one switch remained loose. Working without gloves or other protective gear, Manjit Singh began to use a screwdriver, but suffered a major shock.

His arms, face and chest received serious burns. He was rushed to Cheema Nursing Home. The doctors attending on him said he had received 25 or 30 per cent burns and was stable.

CRIME

Contractor booked for embezzling college parking fee
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
The parking contractor of the Dev Samaj College for Girls, Sector 45, has been booked for allegedly illegally charging annual parking fee from around 200 students and not depositing it with the college.

The Principal of the college, Ms Vimala Bhargav, had made a complaint to the Sector 34 police station in November last against the contractor, Abhlinder Sidhu, who allegedly cheated the college and girl students of around Rs 20,000.

The complaint said the matter came to the notice of the college authorities while accounts showed that 200 girls had not deposited their annual parking fee. The college authorities put the names of the defaulter students on the notice boards. The girls approached the authorities, saying they had made the payment to the parking contractor, who promised to give them receipts later. The receipts were never given to them.

The students told the Principal that the money was paid in July last and the matter came to the notice of the authorities in November. The police was informed. As per the arrangement of the college, 60 per cent of the fee collected annually was to be given to the contractor and the rest would remain with the college authorities. The 60 per cent money was distributed into monthly instalments for the purpose of payment to the contractor.

The police registered a case of cheating under Section 420 and breach of trust under Section 406 of the IPC against the contractor.

Servant escapes with Rs 50,000
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17
A 16-year-old domestic help of a Sector 18-based cloth merchant allegedly stole Rs 50,000 from the latter’s house yesterday. The servant, Vinod Kumar from Bihar, had been serving Mr Naveen Chhabra for the past two years and had access to the keys of Mr Chhabra.

Mr Chhabra said he had kept the money in a safe in the house. He opened the safe to take out Rs 50,000 but found the money missing. Vinod Kumar left the house before the theft came to light.

Mr Chhabra told the police that his servant had visited Bihar two months back and he had returned only a month ago.

The servant was provided to the Chhabra family by a friend two years back. The servant had earned the faith of the family. Mr Chhabra said before engaging the servant, he had got his police verification done. Mr Chhabra along with his family had gone out and when they returned, they found the servant missing. However, the family did not suspect anything. The family thought that the servant had gone out to run some errands.

Mr Chhabra runs a cloth shop in Sector 20.

Rs 50,000, jewellery stolen from Panchkula house
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, May 17
About Rs 50,000 and jewellery have been stolen from a house in Sector 16 here. According to information, thieves broke into house 709 in Sector 16, belonging to Mr Sohan Lal Kher, a former Haryana State Electricity Board official, and decamped with the cash and valuables.

Mr Kher has been away to Delhi since May 11. His neighbours noticed the theft and informed his son Sunil, who lives in Chandigarh.

A case has been registered.