Chandigarh, January 6
Two unidentified jeep-borne youths allegedly attempted to rob a lawyer, who is the son of a Deputy Secretary-level officer of the Central Government, of his car near the Fire Station in Sector 17 after attacking him last night. However, the alleged robbers had to flee without the lawyer’s car when an autorickshaw driver along with two passengers came to the rescue of the victim, Mr Kranti Mohan.

Mr Kranti Mohan received seven stitches in his head and was unconscious when unexpected help came his way. The lawyer told The Tribune that he was going to his uncle’s place at Sector 8 after attending the birthday party of his cousin Lt-Col S. Kashyap at the DSOI when two youths, one of them having Mongoloid features, parked their Mahindra jeep in front of his car near the Sector 17 market. He said one of the youths came to him and started abusing him. The youth also informed his accomplice that Kranti was alone. The youth dragged him out of the car and snatched his mobile phone and car’s key. They hit Kranti in the head allegedly with blows. One of them allegedly hit him with a stone. However, Mr Kranti Mohan does not remember if he was hit with a stone. The stone having blood stains was found at the spot.

When Mr Mohan was trying to fight them back, an autorickshaw carrying two employees of Sagar Ratna restaurant stopped to see what was happening. The alleged attackers panicked seeing people approaching and ran away in their vehicle along with the key of Mr Mohan’s car. However, in the process, the snatched mobile phone fell off.

One of the eyewitnesses said the youths could have killed had they not charged at the attacker. Mr Mohan said the two youths were around five feet and eight inches tall and were wearing jeans and jackets. The on-lookers then brought him to senses. He then called up the police, which reached there within 10 minutes. Mr Mohan then rang up his mother Surinder Mohini and broke down while narrating the incident.

His father Hari Mohan, who is a Deputy Secretary in the CSIR, his mother and uncle Mr Vinod Sharma, also a high Court lawyer, reached the spot and took him to the General Hospital, Sector 16. He was given seven stitches. He had to get a duplicate key to open the car as it was auto-locked. The parents of Mr Kranti Mohan said it was unfortunate that such an incident took place near the police station.

The attackers used a jeep bearing registration number CHQ 8943. However, later it was found out that this number was of a Premier Padmini car belonging to a resident of Sector 15.

Incidentally, Mr Kranti Mohan was allegedly roughed up by an Army Captain at the Blue Ice restaurant two months back.

Chandigarh, January 6
The next time you are asked to get an X-ray or a CT scan done, keep in mind their hazards and do not hesitate to ask the doctor if these can be avoided. Besides their benefits in diagnosing various ailments, overexposure to X-rays and CT scan radiations in patients can lead to severe somatic and genetic defects, leading to irreversible chromosomal changes and cancers.

“Over 90 per cent of the exposure of harmful radiations among humans are due to diagnostic radiations in the form of X-rays, CT scans and ultrasound. The patients as well as the doctors should be made aware that given the long-term harm, exposure to these radiations should be as low as possible,” said Prof Suman Kochhar, Head of Department of Radio Diagnosis, at Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) Sector 32, here today.

The department is hosting a three-day national conference of the Society of Indian Radiographers from Saturday. The theme of the conference is “Radiation protection and radiation safety”. Experts say that given the rampant use of X-rays in all medical institutions, the awareness levels about its harms need to be enhanced.

The dangers of the radiations are no less on the radiographers themselves (who are the technicians producing the X-ray images), as experts point out that within the initial years of discovery of these rays in 1895, more than 100 radiographers had lost their lives due to harmful exposure.

“Things are much better now, as the safety standards have evolved over the years to protect the technical staff. But still a lot needs to be done to monitor the private sector, where labs conducting X-rays and CT scans have mushroomed,’’ added Prof Kochhar. What is needed is that the tasks needs to be performed strictly by qualified technical persons, who are aware of the risks involved and can, thus, protect themselves.

“Reputed hospitals are under the direct vigil of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), as a yearly report is to be submitted to the officials about the status of machines and safety standards. But the risk lies in the private labs where the monitoring is still lacking,’’ added the HoD.

Chandigarh, January 6
Le Corbusier’s plan of having an 11-storeyed commercial block in Sector 17 is all set to see the light of the day, with the Chandigarh Administration setting in motion the planning for the building by asking the architecture wing to lay out the blueprint for the same.

The block will have 5 lakh square feet of space and will be located right behind Jagat Cinema. The open ground between the General Post Office and the Estate Office will be used for the purpose. According to information, it will be a world-class project with latest equipment and services.

The building will have two or three floors as office space and the rest as shopping malls and large built-up areas for MNCs to have their shopping arcades.

This will also have restaurants and food courts. The entire building will be air-conditioned like the malls in Gurgaon and Noida.

Senior officials of the Administration confirmed that planning for the building was on and the Chief Architect, Ms Renu Saigal, had been asked to draw up the plans for the building. The matter had come up for discussion about a week ago and the Administrator had expressed his keenness on the project. It may be noted that Le Corbusier, while planning Chandigarh, had envisaged two high-rise buildings. The first was the Civil Secretariat in Sector 1 and the next was this block in Sector 17. In the past, the idea was put on hold several times due to resistance towards changing the city skyline.

Since parking in the area can be a problem, as Sector 17 is already choked with traffic in the morning, all parking will be underground. To provide access to the building, the planners have even been asked to study the provision of an underground road leading straight to the parking. This road will have to take off from the Jan Marg near Hotel James Plaza.

Chandigarh, January 6
Ms Farah Waraich quite enjoyed her minority status today. As the sole woman journalist in the 57-member Pakistani team here to attend the Panj Darya Conference, she commanded media like never before. No wonder her instant reaction to the sudden recognition was, “It feels to be great be on the other side of the fence.”

As News Editor of the Daily Jung in Pakistan, Farah Waraich has long been engaged in news editing and production. She has, however, never really reported from the field, a job that many young women in Pakistan are fast turning to. “That is also why not many were ready to come for this seven-day visit. They cannot afford to be absent from the field for that long. There are many women members of the Lahore Press Club, but the main difficulty was absent from duty,” the journalist rushed to the defence of Lahore Press Club which got just one woman delegate to India for the Indo-Pak journalists meet that began today.

Invariably on the defensive on other crucial issues like political interference in media matters in Pakistan, honour killings and problems plaguing women in Pakistan media, Farah compared the situation in her country with that in India. Trying to trace similarities, she said, “Our problems are similar. At the most, they stem from inconveniences of getting to the workplace and then driving back home. As far as political interference goes, we have hardly any experience of that. We are free to report, as you are.”

The journalist, however, chose not to deflect the talk related to expensive newspapers in Pakistan. “A clear divide exists when it comes to identifying media preferences of people in Pakistan. English newspapers which are as costly as Rs 14 per copy are meant for upper middle classes. Those from the lower sections prefer Urdu newspaper, of which there is a whole range available. They cost around Rs 7 per copy,” she said taking pride in the enhanced participation of women in Pakistan media. She also mentioned that more and more girls were being recruited in primary schools. “At the university level, girls invariably outnumber boys,” she said.

For her part, Farah has never been too keen on reporting. “I like to polish copies of others,” says the journalist who lives on small pleasures like the fact that villages in Punjab bear same names as those in Pakistan. She also makes it a point to declare her fondness for Bollywood, which is admired in Pakistan for its class.

“We love your stars as you love them. As for chasms, they exist in the mind alone. It is well within our power to bridge them. That’s why we are here to tell you that we care,” the woman in command wound up.

Chandigarh, January 6
Members of the Chandigarh Press Club and the Lahore Press Club held a meeting with senior editors from Chandigarh and Lahore today. Various proposals to strengthen ties between the media community of the two countries were discussed. Among other proposals, the Panj Darya Media Conference has mooted a Panj Darya Media Foundation that will firm up professional ties between the journalists in Chandigarh and Lahore, besides drawing up plans for collaborative programmes on a regular basis.

According to Mr Ramesh Chaudhry, president of the Chandigarh Press Club, the Chandigarh Press Club and the Lahore Press Club are likely to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a media exchange programme tomorrow. Likely to be called a ‘Panj Darya Media Fellowship”, the fellowship, one of its kind will be the first such initiative in the region that will help institutionalise professional partnership, besides opening a new window for the journalists on the two sides.

A number of proposals were discussed with senior Editors from both sides that would help strengthen ties between Indian and Pakistani journalists, club Secretary-General, Mr Ramesh Vinayak, said. Final touches were being given to various proposals that would be announced at the concluding ceremony of the conference tomorrow, he said. Issues concerning the format and funding of the fellowship were being finalised.

Chandigarh, January 6
The Chandigarh Police today formed a sports club by selecting 60 persons from Bapu Dham Colony and provided them with a playing space at the police post at the locality.

The club was inaugurated by the UT IGP, Mr Rajesh Kumar, at the Bapu Dham Police Post. The IGP also inaugurated a volleyball court and a gymnasium for the youths at the Bapu Dham Police Post and also distributed sports kits to 26 youths free of cost.

A free medical camp for eye and dental check-up was organised by the Indo-American Eye Care Centre, Sector 8, at the function. Sources said 534 patients were examined at the camp.

Mr Sohan Lal Vaid, Deputy Mayor and councillor of Bapu Dham Colony while addressing the gathering lauded the city police for this noble cause and said the youths would engage themselves in various social activities and thereby serve society. Earlier also a youth club was formed by the DSP East, Mr Vijay Pal Singh, which stopped functioning due to some reasons. He emphasised on the need of setting up more such youth clubs in other colonies too.

The IGP said the police was an agency that could help the youths in various activities. He expressed hope that this effort would help in strengthening the police public relations.

Addressing the mediapersons the IGP said the club would function on its own and the police would only assist them. He said the city police was willing to form such clubs in the colonies and termed it a beginning in this direction.

Mr Balwan Singh, Director Tas Medical Private Ltd, Sector 26 and Mr Shiv Kumar Sharma, proprietor, Carrier transport, Sector 26, announced a grant of Rs 11,000, each to the Bapu Dham Youth Club.

The SSP, Chandigarh, Mr Gaurav Yadav, and other senior officers of the city police were also present on the occasion. The students from K.B. DAV School, Sector 7, presented a welcome song at the function.

Zirakpur, January 6
Over 10,000 persons, including the owners of different godowns, employees and workers of various multinational companies storing their goods in these godowns located in Bhabhat village have been forced to live in inhuman conditions due to the lack basic civic amenities for the past three years. The Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat authorities seem to have forgotten the godown, area of the village. However, it has been collecting crores of rupees from the traders in shape of various charges.

After the merger of the Bhabhat village in the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat limits three years ago, this area has been completely ignored by the authorities thus putting its inhabitants to a great hardship. There is no provision for potable water, sewerage system, drainage systems or streetlights. The roads are too damaged and ‘kuccha’.

In want of such facilities, which the civic body was liable to provide for the resident in its jurisdiction, the Commercial Welfare Association, Bhabhat, has been approaching to the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat authorities and the other officials concerned. But nothing has been done so far.

While taking to the Chandigarh Tribune, Mr F.S. Nagra, president of the association, pointed out that the state government had been collecting about Rs 200 crores from the godowns as sales tax and central sales tax annually. Apart from this, the area has also become a major sources of revenue generation for the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat.

The civic body has been generating a revenue of about Rs 1 crore from the areas in the shape of octroi, development charges, and house tax. Even after collection of such a huge revenue, the panchayat has turned a blind eye towards the basic requirements of the residents he claimed.

The members of the association complained that the civic body had not even given consideration to their demand of potable water, sewerage system, and drainage in the area system

“A majority of the hand pump and deep-bore tubewells have dried up and the rest are drawing contaminated water. The water drawn from the hand pumps is unfit for consumption due to ‘shora’ and other chemicals. In other absence of the potable water, we are forced to collect our quota of drinking water from some left out natural water and residents of different colonies nearby” claimed Mr Raju, a migrant labourer from Bihar.

He also claimed that other the labourers residing in the areas, have also been forced to cut their potable water related needs.

The association members lamented that they were told by the civic body authorities in December 2003 that a resolution had been passed for providing water supply to the godown area but nothing had been done till date.

The association also complained step-motherly treatment by the civic body in laying sewerage and drainage systems in the area. Not a single streetlight pole has been erected in the area till today.

“Every municipal councilors are more interested in developing their own colonies,” pointed out a proprietor of a godown.

The association claimed that they had given repeated representations to Mr Narinder Sharma, president and Mr Girish Verma, Executive Officer of the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat, respectively. The association had also given a representation to the Punjab Human Rights Commission, listing their grievances and basic civic amenities required by the residents.

Both the president and the Executive Officer of the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat were not available for comments.

Panchkula, January 6
Two months ago, the municipal council had decided to repair a few 100 metres of road length in Sector 15 here — for the first time in 11 years. It dug the road so as to relay a new one, but now there is no road here.

What remains is a stretch of dug-out kutcha surface, with stones and gravel spread all over. A vehicle can hardly pass by on the road because it is uneven, and for fear that the tyres could burst because of the sharp-edged stones. Residents allege that while other roads in this part of the sector have been relaid, this stretch was deliberately left out because of political differences between the councillor and the residents association.

With the Model Code of Conduct in force for the upcoming Assembly elections, the authorities say that the road cannot be laid for another two months. Now, over 200 voters residing in the area have threatened not to exercise their franchise during the elections in protest against the alleged apathy of the MC and the district administration to build the road.

Ms Jamila Chauhan, a resident of the area, says that women residents have now decided not to cast their votes. “The only thing that one expects from the government is that there would be adequate water and power supply, and a good road network. Our part of Sector 15 is besieged with problems, but nobody seems to be bothered. Now, we have moved from pillar to post to get the road repaired, or at least get the stones and gravel removed to make it motorable, but to no avail,” she says.

She says that while driving on the road is difficult, it is also dangerous to walk here. Many a time, people slip while walking on the gravel, she adds.

Mr Bhaskar Arya, chairman of the LIG Housing Board Welfare Association, says that a part of the road was repaired once almost two years ago, while a major stretch has not been recarpeted after year 1993. “We made numerous representations to the MC president earlier this year, and were told that the road will be laid before Divali. However, nothing was done then, and when we again approached her in November, she assured that the work would begin soon,” he says.

A contractor was subsequently hired by the council and the original road was dug up. First the malba was not lifted for days, and after the residents approached the district administration, the malba was finally removed. In the meantime, the MC called a meeting of the General House to get a revised agenda for budget allocation passed. But the meeting could not be held as the quorum was incomplete, after the Congress councillors walked out.

The contractor had already left the stones and gravel here in order to lay the road , but after the work order was not given to him, as the agenda was not passed in the MC, he left and the residents continue to suffer.

MC president Seema Chaudhary, when contacted, said she would direct the MC staff to remove the stones and clear the stretch of road from stones and gravel, so that commuting on these roads is not a problem. “After the elections, we will lay the road on a priority basis,” she assured.

Chandigarh, January 6
The Vishav Gurmat Roohani Mission Charitable Trust, Ratwara Sahib, today, despatched two truckloads of goods and medical supplies along with sevadars to prepare and distribute food to the tsunami-affected people of Tamil Nadu.

Appealing to the people of the region to contribute liberally in cash and kind, the chairperson of the trust, Mata Ranjit Kaur, said another convoy of trucks with supplies would leave on January 10 for the tsunami-hit coastal region of the south.

The trust has previously also lent a helping hand wherever calamity has struck. The sevadars of the trust were the first to reach and help flood victims in Patiala in 1993 while the trust gathered and sent supplies to quake-hit Gujarat in 2001. Also, the trust has been providing financial assistance for cleaning up Budki and Siswan rivers.

Chandigarh, January 6
Wheat flour, milled in roller flour mills of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, will now come packed with a punch of iron and folic aid to address micronutrient deficiencies among the lower strata of society. The flour would be available for sale in the market in about two week’s time.

Fortified with the two nutrients in a pre-mix, specially prepared by two Indian companies, to compensate their loss incurred during milling, its marketing became a reality after 60-odd millers under the banner of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India voluntarily decided to join hands with Canada-based Micronutrient Initiative (MI) to provide “strengthened” flour at virtually no extra cost to the consumer.

Launched at CII recently, the fortified wheat flour has been introduced in the two states and the city after an experiment in Darjeeling gave encouraging results in the form of improved health and reduction in anaemic after its consumption.

The millers, led by Mr Vinod Mittal of Chandigarh, Mr Vinod Kapoor of Haryana and Mr GB Gupta of Punjab, said the flour was expected to reach a population of 13.5 million and the average production is expected to be nearly 14.5 lakh metric tons. 

Chandigarh, January 6
The Federation of Industrial Associations today urged the UT Administration to reduce sales tax on furniture items from 13.2 per cent to 8.8 per cent on the pattern of the Punjab Government.

Passing the resolution, the federation also decided to invite tenders from the local manufacturers for its purchases of various items. They demanded that industrial sheds be made freehold after the levying of nominal charges as per the rules of Chandigarh Housing Board.

It was also decided that the federation would urge the administration to allow construction on the first floor of the industrial sheds and regularise constructions already done on the first floor.

The federation authorised Mr P.C. Gupta, unanimously elected Chairman at today’s meeting, to urge the authorities to accede to their demands within 10 days, failing which they would resort to agitation.