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Admn bows to youth power
Chandigarh, September 15

The Chandigarh Administration today reversed its decision of holding indirect elections to student councils in city colleges. Taking cognisance of the students’ agitation, the UT Administrator, Justice O.P. Verma (retd), today directed the Administration to issue instructions, reverting to the earlier practice of direct elections.	Students in a jubilant mood on hearing the decision of the UT Administration to hold direct elections to student councils of colleges in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan
PU students’ bodies refuse to relent on posters DSP meets student leaders

Police personnel patrol the Panjab University campus in Chandigarh on Wednesday to prevent violence in view of student council elections. — Tribune photo by  Pradeep Tewari

Public services to have same four-digit phone No. nationwide
Chandigarh, September 15
The telephone numbers of major public-utility services all over the country, including the police, fire service, Railways, roadways and airlines, are set to be four digit.

Shower in city
Chandigarh, September 15
After a prolonged dry spell the city today witnessed a revival of the monsoon. The spell of rain, which started yesterday night, is expected to last for another day, as per the forecast of local Met officials.

Northwest, Central India recover from rain deficit
Chandigarh, September 15
Despite an inconsistent monsoon this year, the country has recovered largely from the rainfall deficiency that had been persisting since July end. The revival of monsoon in August has contributed significantly in saving the country from the 2002 situation which saw a whopping minus 21% countrywide rainfall deficiency till the last week of August.

COMMUNITY

Western Command celebrates 57th Raising Day
Chandigarh, September 15
A solemn wreath laying ceremony to pay homage to those who laid down their lives in the line of duty, marked the 57th Raising Day of Western Command at its headquarters in Chandimandir today.

Bias against women: Governor for boycott Chandigarh, September 15 Advocating a social boycott of those responsible for perpetuating inequality against women the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Justice OP Verma (Retd.), today called for collective participation of genuine non-government organisations to tackle the multifarious problems being faced by the women in society.

Representatives of NGOs and National Commission for Women at a discussion on the status of women at Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photograph.

NCW chief against legalising prostitution
Chandigarh, September 15
Dr Poornima Advani, Chairperson of the National Commission on Women, has come out strongly against any move to legalise world's oldest profession, prostitution.

Waiting for good Samaritan
Chandigarh, September 15
Gripped by extreme penury, Anil Chauhan, 26, who hails from Patna, is finding life extremely harsh. With both his kidneys having already failed, Chauhan who is getting treatment at the PGI for last several months, is bogged down by the repeated rounds of the hospital for dialysis.

PUDA to have enforcement wing to curb land violation
Mohali, September 15
The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) today finalised the formation of a separate enforcement wing that would include policemen to control violations on PUDA land within Mohali zone.

Biotechnology can boost farm output: scientist
Chandigarh, September 15
Time has come to take advantage of the bio-technological applications in the agricultural sector to increase production and usher in the second Green Revolution. However, public and private partnership initiatives were needed to transplant the research from the lab to the land.

Bank employees stage dharna

Chandigarh, September 15 Bank employees, representing nine unions owing allegiance to the United Forum of Bank Unions, today staged a dharna in Sector 17 here in protest against the indifferent attitude of the Indian Bank Association (IBA) and the government towards their demand. Members of the United Forum of Bank Unions protest in support of their demands in Sector 17, Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

CRIME

Five held on theft charges
Chandigarh, September 15
The police arrested five thieves from different parts of the city during the past 24 hours, according to information given by the police today.

Chain-snatcher held within minutes of incident
Chandigarh, September 15
The Sector 34 police arrested Rajdeep Singh, a 22-year-old man involved in two scooter thefts and three incidents of chain snatching, in a special anti-snatching drive yesterday.

Labourer electrocuted
Panchkula September 15
A labourer employed at a factory in Barwala was electrocuted on Tuesday. According to the police Dalu, a Nepali, had come out of his quarter on the factory premises, when a live overhead electric cable snapped and fell on him. He was rushed to General Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

EDUCATION

Senate poll: Mahajan, Kohli, Kanwaljit, Sirohi win
Chandigarh, September 15
The third phase of the Senate elections threw up mixed result for the four seats of the Professor, Reader and Lecturer constituency, here today. While two seats went to the anti-establishment group, two independent candidates were also elected.

Functions to mark Hindi week organised Chandigarh, September 15 Functions to mark Hindi Week are being organised at Sharda Sarvhitkari Model Senior Secondary School here from September 13 to 21. A quiz was organised today, in which Class IX students stood first. Prize winners of Hindi Day contests are all smiles at Government Model High School, Sector 20, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph

Engineers’ Day celebrated

Chandigarh, September 15 The 37th Engineers’ Day was celebrated at Punjab Engineering College (PEC) here today to mark Sir M. Vivesvaraya’s birth anniversary. The theme of the function was ‘Engineers in environmental protection’. Dr Umesh Sharma delivers a lecture during the 37th Engineers’ Day celebrations at Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Results declared
Chandigarh, September 15
The university will declare the re-evaluation result of BA/BSc.(General) second year examination held in April 2004 tomorrow. The copies of the result gazette will be available at main enquiry counter on the campus tomorrow from 2 p.m. onwards only for personal consultation by the candidates. Telephonic inquiries from any quarter, for ascertaining the examination result, shall not be attended to.

Good at play, bad in studies leaves a teenager depressed
Panchkula, September 15
For nearly five months, 14-year-old Kiran Kumar Dogra, braved humiliation from his teachers at school. But last Wednesday, he could no longer take it. On reaching home, he locked himself inside a room.

Questions out of syllabus
Chandigarh, September 15
Students of distance education course pursuing B.Sc (IT) from Punjab Technical University have lamented that the questions of 25 marks in the question paper of XML subject was out of syllabus.

COURTS

Flesh trade racket: judicial remand for suspects
Panchkula, September 15
Seven members of the flesh trade racket, busted by the police last evening, were today remanded to judicial custody by the Judicial Magistrate, Mr Ajay Aggarwal.

Modalities being worked out for use of red light
Chandigarh, September 15
A Bench headed by Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar today gave time till October 6 to governments of Punjab and Haryana to decide on the issue of grant of permission for red light to the high and mighty.

LIFESTYLE

Freshers drenched in party spirit TO welcome the new group of students, the budding designers of National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD) organised a freshers’ party at City Club, Sector 8, today. The theme of the party was “Rain Dance Bash”. NIFD students perform rain dance at a fresher party held at City Club, Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Bring home the glory of stained glass

THE mention of stained glass brings to mind images of grand cathedrals or old havelis. The mesmerising play of light filtering through coloured glass has that old-world charm that still floors antique buffs. It has been associated with opulence and wealth the world over. Namita, a city-based artist displays the Tiffany technique of making stained glass items. — A Tribune photo by Pravesh Chauhan

A powerful comment on decadence

S.Vasudev’s “Ek Aur Yudh” hardly seems its age. First created in the 1970s as fallout of the Indo-Pak conflict that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh, the play continues to be youthful, mirroring maladies that refuse to retreat with the passage of time. Staged at Tagore Theatre as part of the National Drama Festival today, Hamidullah’s play develops as a socio-religious and political comment, voicing the urgency of change. Taking a dig at almost all systems that have contributed to the rot synonymous with contemporary India, the play seeks a renaissance. Actors in S. Vasudev’s “Ek Aur Yudh” lend expression to the misery caused by social, moral and political degeneration of India at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

“Physicality” as the tool for theatre
S.Vasudev has no NSD label to flaunt. But he sure is in a class of his own, evolving the little known concept of “physicality”, first introduced to the world of theatre by a German dramatist Wolfron Neherring. In this realm, it is the body that matters more than the spoken word. The idea is to create dialogues at a human level, keeping embellishments of sets as much off the space of performance as possible.

Graphic canvas of mind

RAJESH Chadha’s maiden exhibition of computer graphics is strong and impressive. Taking the physical and the metaphysical elements as the subjects for creative exploration, Chadha has created a delightful ensemble that stands apart for the strength of metaphors. Rajesh Chadha with one of his computer graphics on display at his first exhibition which opened at Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

SPORTS

Kendriya Vidyalaya-1 bags football title

Chandigarh, September 15 Kendriya Vidyalaya-I, Chandi Mandir, won the football title in the ongoing Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Sports Meet played at Chandi Mandir today. Semifinal match between KV No. I and KV, Yol, in progress at the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Regional Football Tournament being played at Chandi Mandir on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Floorball makes its debut in city
Chandigarh, September 15
Floorball has made its debut in Chandigarh. This sport having its roots in Sweden and Finland is all set to take off in India for the first time when an Indian team will take part in the Asian Floorball Championships to be held in Singapore from December 8.

Panel inspects sports venues
Chandigarh, September 15
The core committee of the Indo-Pak Punjab Games, proposed to be held at Patiala from December 5, today inspected various sporting venues in Patiala.

ADMINISTRATION

Special postal counter for senior citizens

Chandigarh, September 15 The Postal Department has offered to open a special counter for senior citizens on Senior Citizens’ Day on October 1. The Chief Postmaster-General of the Punjab and Chandigarh Circle, Mr L.K. Puri, in a letter to the Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association, said the department would open the accounts and hand over the documents on the spot for a special scheme launched by the Central Government on August 2.

Participants of a seminar on the relevance of senior citizens at the Government Museum and Art Gallery Auditorium, Sector 10, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

PSEB bill payment machine to function 24 hrs
Mohali, September 15
The first bill payment machine, installed by the PSEB here, would now be functional 24 hours. The machine installed as part of a pilot project was inaugurated by the Board Chairman, Mr Y.S. Ratra, in July. Initially it was made functional from 9 am to 5 pm.

MC officials found absent from duty
Mohali/Kharar, September 15
A number of employees were found coming late to the office during a surprise check conducted by the SDM, Mr M.L. Sharma, at the Municipal Council office here today.