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Farmers’ day out at Agrotech
250 Sangrur farmers among thousands of visitors
Chandigarh, December 4
The most heartening aspect of Agrotech today was the presence of over 250 agriculturists from the Sangrur belt where a number of farmers had committed suicide due to debts. Though poverty-stricken, many farmers from the area made it to the fair.

Not only farmers, but city residents also thronged the Parade Ground for Agro-Tech-2004 in Chandigarh on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Agrotech-2004
NECC steals the show with eggs
Chandigarh, December 4
The National Egg Coordination Committee did all it could to hog the attention of farmers and other visitors today.

Pinjore HMT may soon regain financial health
Chandigarh, December 4
HMT Limited, Pinjore, hopes to get back on rails as it diversifies into manufacturing Trantors — India's first transport oriented 25 HP tractor, and jeeps, from next year.

Helpline takes car owners for a ride
Chandigarh, December 4
Scores of car owners in the city have allegedly been taken for a ride by the management of High Speed Solutions, a 24-hour car helpline. With the company closing its operations in the city, the car owners, who enrolled as members of the helpline by depositing Rs 450 each, have been left to fend for themselves.

Chandigarh-Ambala highway to open partially today
Dera Bassi, December 4
The busy Chandigarh-Ambala highway that had been closed since Tuesday night following repair of the Ghaggar river bridge at Bhankharpur village, will be opened for heavy vehicular traffic on Monday evening.

Woman survives fall from 4th floor
Chandigarh, December 4
A woman labourer had a miraculous escape today, after she fell from the fourth floor in the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Kamlesh (25) of Shastri Nagar in Mani Majra accidentally fell from the terrace of the building, while dumping debris.

Boy crushed to death by truck
Zirakpur, December 4
A 10-year-old boy was crushed to death by a truck on the Zirakpur-Panchkula road near Yadavindra bridge here, this morning. According to the police, Amit Maurya, son of a migrant labourer Prem Shankar, was crossing the road when the truck (HR-68-7786) heading towards Mohali crushed him. The boy died on the spot.

GMCH technician attacked outside hospital
Chandigarh, December 4
A group of certain Jeep-borne youth assaulted a senior lab technician of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, while he was coming out of the hospital this afternoon. He was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries.

City YC executive committee dissolved
Chandigarh, December 4
President of the Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress, H.S. Lucky today, dissolved the state executive committee and all cells of the CTYC. While District office-bearers and ward presidents were removed, three district presidents have been retained.

A.V. panel report: 500 additional posts to be created
Chandigarh, December 4
The Defence Ministry has accorded sanction for creating 500 additional vacancies at the level of full Colonel in the Army, it is learnt.

Pakistan fuels piracy in Indian music industry 
Chandigarh, December 4
Growing popularity of music and proliferation of MP3 formats has made the Indian music market more vulnerable to piracy than ever before.

Disparity alleged in promotion policies
Chandigarh, December 4
Certain discrepancies in promotion policies governing the military cadre vis-a-vis their civilian cadre in the Military Engineer Services have come to light, with several affected personnel forwarding a representation in this regard to the Defence Ministry.

COMMUNITY

Police to educate cyclists on safety
Chandigarh, December 4
Chandigarh is heading towards becoming the first city of the world for the cyclist to wear helmets. The city traffic police seems to be catching on with the United States of America where an effort in this direction has begun just this year.

Indo-Turkmenistan ties discussed
Chandigarh, December 4
Visiting Turkmenistan dignitary Onjik Musaev yesterday spoke about the long history of cultural exchange, which India and Turkmenistan have shared over centuries. In India on an invitation from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Mr Musaev, who is First Secretary of Political Council of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan addressed a gathering of scholars at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development in Sector 19. His subject was “Turkmenistan-Republic of India Traditional Relations of Friendship and Fraternity, Cultural Ties.”

‘There can be no suffering in God’s kingdom’
Chandigarh, December 4
Ms Jer Master, member, Christian Science Board of Lecturership, Boston, USA, conducted an interactive session on “What decides your future?” for general public at the auditorium of Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, Chandigarh today.

Robust food supply chain can make India ‘global leader’
Chandigarh, December 4
The management of production, distribution and marketing processes through which a consumer is supplied with a product was highlighted at a conference on “Building a Robust Food Supply Chain” at the CII here today.

MLA to Speaker on martyrs
Mohali, December 4
The names of martyrs from Punjab, both in the Defence and paramilitary forces, should be included in the obituary references as they had sacrificed their lives defending the nation and the House must pay homage to them.

Governor’s wife distributes 300 blankets
Chandigarh, December 4
As many as 300 blankets and woollen garments were distributed by UT Administrator S.F. Rodrigues’ wife, Jean Rodrigues among the poor people of the Colonies No 4 and 5 and Janta Colony at a function organised by the UT Red Cross Society here today.

Burail jail to acquire 3 sniffer dogs
Chandigarh, December 4
The Model Jail Burail is all set to get three sniffer dogs to keep a tab on the supply of drugs and explosives in the jail premises. A dog training centre in Sector 20-A has been given the order to supply the two male and one female pup of Labrador breed, after the Jail Superintendent selected the pups at an inspection recently.

Foundation stone of tourism office laid
Panchkula, December 3
The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today laid the foundation stone of the Haryana Tourism’s corporate office in Sector 2 here. The offices of the Tourism Department, Tourism Corporation and the Hospitality Department would be housed in this new building.

Scared of monkeys man jumps, fractures leg
Chandigarh, December 4
Scared of monkeys, a 22-year-old man jumped from the first floor of a building in Sector 26 and fractured his leg this morning. Mr Ravinder Singh, a resident of Shahpur Colony in Sector 38, went to clean a water tank at the top of the Orion Company office, where he works as a peon.

CRIME

One nabbed in Balongi cheating case
Mohali, December 4
Did the local police nab one of the suspects in the Balongi cheating case today? It is learnt that Major Singh, owner of the house where a business by the name of Jai Lakhmi Super Agency was being run, is in police custody, though this has not been confirmed by police officials.

Jewellery, Rs 50000 stolen from house
Chandigarh, December 4
A house was burgled in Sector 26, the local police said here today. Mr J.R. Dayal of Sector 7-B filed a complaint that some gold and silver ornaments and cash Rs 50000 was stolen from his residence during daytime, yesterday.

EDUCATION

Students of Sociology Department to get roll numbers
Chandigarh, December 4
Panjab University decided to issue roll numbers to students of the Sociology Department, Panjab University, facing lecture-shortage, for the on-going semester examinations in the Department. The decision was taken by a committee meeting chaired by the Dean University Instruction, Prof J.K. Gupta, after the department’s Board of Control met, here today.

Panel deliberates on new PEC Director
Chandigarh, December 4
It could take some more days before the name of the Director of the PEC deemed university is finalised. The five-member search committee, constituted by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development to finalise the name of the candidate for the post of director, today met at Delhi.

Tiny tots of Ankur School, Panjab University wait for theirturn to perform at annual function of the school in Chandigarh on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

Seminar on HRD organised
Chandigarh, December 4
A seminar and discussion on “Challenges of Human Resource Development in Education and Training Sector in India” was organised at Panjab University by Education and Careers Applied Research Establishment (EduCARE - India), an NGO.

Rift in PCCTU over courting arrest
Chandigarh, December 4
Differences have surfaced between two groups of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) over courting arrest at Chandigarh on December 7, to press for the release of grant-in-aid.

From Schools
Sacred Heart School’s model best
Chandigarh, December 4
In the two-day State-Level Children’s Science Congress which concluded at ST Kabir Public School, Sector 26, today a model of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School on rain water harvesting and a model of Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, on people’s perception about the aspects of water were adjudged first and second, respectively, in the junior category.

Seminar at Delhi Public School held
Panchkula, December 4
A two-day academic seminar for students of Delhi Public School, Pinjore, and an orientation programme for the teachers concluded today. The seminar was conducted by Mrs Vinita Kher, Director, Education Management Centre — DPS Society.

Tiny tots shake a leg Mohali, December 4 Tiny Tots’ Foundation School, Phase X, gave a festive look on the occasion of the 21st annual day celebrations here today. Nearly 100 children, between the age group of two and a half years and five and half years, took part in various items presented at the show.  Students of Tiny Tots’ Foundation School, Phase X, Mohali, perform during the annual function of the school on Saturday.

Names of PU Senate notified
Chandigarh, December 4
Panjab University has received a communication from the office of the Vice-President of India and Chancellor, Panjab University, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, that the names of Fellows elected and nominated to the Senate had been notified.

Rayat Trust to set up biotechnology institute
Mohali, December 3
The Rayat Educational and Research Trust will set up an institute in Kharar offering engineering-level biotechnology courses. According to a press note issued by the trust here today, the trust had already acquired 40 acres for the purpose of setting up the institute.

COURTS

Bar Association election on Jan 21
Chandigarh, December 4
Election to the District Bar Association executive committee will be held on January 21, 2005. This decision was taken at the General Body meeting of the Association here today.

CULTURE

Film Review Simple, yet overwhelming A partition plot dealt with fineness and simplicity, ‘khamosh pani’ flows like the never-ending pain of Hindu and Sikh women who were left behind in Pakistan following the riots and are still living there, hiding their true identity. As the camera very candidly captures the poignancy, filmi sentiments take a backseat. What emerges is a panorama presented in an extremely fresh perspective with Excellent cinematography. Kiron Kher in “Khamosh Pani”.

Celebrations over award to Rabaabi
Chandigarh, December 4
The Saanjhey Ranng Punjab De today held celebrations over the honour of ‘Shiromani Raagi of 2003’ bestowed upon Baba Ghulam Mohammad Chaand Rabaabi of Lahore by the Language Department of Punjab at Patiala yesterday.

Googly Woogly Queen-2004 Chandigarh, December 4 It was memorable moment for city-based Nitasha Bhateja when she was crowned Googly Woogly Queen-2004 at a function held in Delhi. She was crowned by Miss Femina India Universe Tanushree Dutta and Femina India Miss Earth Jyoti Brahmin. Nitasha was awarded a cash prize worth Rs 1 lakh and some sarees designed by Ritu Kumar. Ms Nitasha Bhateja (centre) who was crowned Miss Googly Woogly Queen-2004  at a function in Delhi.

HEALTH

World Disabled Day observed
Chandigarh, December 4
International Day for the Disabled was observed by the Society for the Care of Blind, Sector 26 on Friday by organising an eye check-up and screening camp at the Government High School Sector 26 in collaboration with the PGI, General Hospital, Sector 16 and GMCH Sector 32 and ophthalmology society of Chandigarh.

GMCH-32 to tie up with private centres for MRI
Chandigarh, December 4
The Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, will tie up with private diagnostic centres of the city and its periphery to provide the MRI facility to patients.

2 cases of leprosy detected
Chandigarh, December 4
Two new cases of leprosy were detected and given free medicines at the leprosy detection camps organised at three sites in Kumhar Colony and Janta Colony, Sector 25 by the District Leprosy Society, Health Department, UT today.

SPORTS

Indo-Pak Punjab games to herald peace, brotherhood
Chandigarh, December 4
Holding of the first ever India-Pakistan Punjab (East and West Punjab) games beginning tomorrow at Patiala will usher a new era of peace and brotherhood in these two states.

Athletics meet concludes

Chandigarh, December 4 Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, and DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, were winners in the Panjab University Inter-College Athletics meet in the women’s and men’s section, respectively, which concluded this evening on the PU campus.  Cagers of St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, and hosts Tender Heart School, Sector 33, at the ICSE Inter-School Basketball meet in Sector 33, Chandigarh, on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

School’s sports meet held

ADMINISTRATION

PF Commissioner attaches bank accounts of three units
Chandigarh, December 4
Getting tough with the provident fund (PF) defaulters, the Office of the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner has attached the bank accounts and movable and immovable properties of three industrial units in the city and adjoining areas.