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Work on monorail system resumes after eight years
Mohali, Panchkula to be roped in
Chandigarh, February 3
Work to have an integrated monorail transport system connecting Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula has been
re-started after a gap of nearly eight years.

No ‘monkey’ business please, langoors are here
Chandigarh, February 3
Mithun Chakravarty and Chandaal are the new entrants to the Panjab University campus. Not to be mistaken for any docile freshers on the campus, they are two langoors who have been “employed” by the university to get rid of the monkey menace.

Mithun and Chandaal, the two langoors, employed by the PU to drive away monkeys from the campus on their job near Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Malkiat Singh

Man kills pregnant wife
Chandigarh, February 3
A nomad, suspicious of his 21-year-old pregnant wife's character, allegedly kicked her in the stomach and hit her with a stone resulting in her death in the PGI after a night-long struggle.

Work on rail link with Ludhiana gathers speed

But route to remain non-electrified Chandigarh, February 3 Even as the prestigious Chandigarh--Ludhiana rail link is in its final stages of completion , the project will stand out as a sore thumb. It would remain a non-electrified stretch in the middle of electrified rail routes in North India. Railway engineers are working on a war footing to meet the March deadline. the process of laying the rail line has started .Operating trains on the system would mean more engines and manpower. Also, at least 20 minutes would be consumed in changing engines from electric to diesel and vice versa. Work on the Chandigarh-Morinda-Ludhiana rail line has started in Chandigarh. — Tribune Photo by Pradeep Tewari

Her mission is to document Sikh art
Chandigarh, February 3
She is a person who does not prepare lecture notes from history books - she prefers to travel and study first-hand before delivering talk that aim at spreading awareness of Sikh history and culture among people of Sikh origin overseas.

• Passing Thru

COMMUNITY

Where peons work as clerks
MC octroi wing has only 1 vehicle, no telephone
Mohali, February 3
It’s a civic body wing where peons are working as clerks, no telephone facility and just one vehicle to nab evaders and for collecting cash from various octroi posts. That’s octroi wing of the local municipal council.

PUDA destroys wheat crop on ‘encroached’ land 

Mohali, February 3 In a unique anti-encroachment drive, a team of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) today flattened wheat crop on over 450 acres of land in Sectors 77 and 78 here. The crop had been sown by farmers living nearby on the PUDA land as it was lying vacant for years. PUDA removes “wheat encroachments” on Sectors 77 and 78 in Mohali on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Kharar MLA decries Mohali MC chief’s statement
Mohali, February 3
The MLA, Kharar, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, today criticised Municipal Council chief Kulwant Singh for calling his attendance-checking visit to the Municipal Council office yesterday a publicity gimmick.

Environmentalist Shiva terms Seed Bill anti-farmer
Chandigarh, February 3
Blaming globalisation and domination of multinational companies for working against the interests of farmers, noted environmentalist Vandana Shiva has lashed out at the proposed new Seed Bill that was tabled in the Rajya Sabha last December.

Plan to improve road transport
Chandigarh, February 3
Road transport within the city will improve with the introduction of low-floor buses as a first step in this direction, observed the UT Administrator, Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd), while meeting a delegation of the PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Accounts, audit officers launch agitation
Chandigarh, February 3 The All-India Accounts and Audit Officers Association has launched a nationwide agitation, demanding upgrading of the pay scales of senior accounts officer and accounts officer.

City gets Golden Icon Award for e-Sampark project

Chandigarh, February 3 The Department of Information Technology, Chandigarh Administration, was presented the Golden Icon Award at the National Conference on e-Governance in Bhubaneswar by the Union Minister for Information Technology, Mr Dayanidhi Maran today. Union IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran (left) presents the Golden Icon Award to the Chandigarh Administration at a function in Bhubaneswar. The Joint Secretary, Finance, Mr Dalip Kumar, receives the award. — A Tribune photograph

Kidney patient needs help
Chandigarh, February 3
If crippled by poverty alone was not enough, the dreadful disease has compounded problems for Chamal Lal. This 31-years-old labourer’s life has come to a standstill ever since both his kidneys have failed.

Andhra handicrafts exhibition is here

Chandigarh, February 3 Craftsmen from Andhra Pradesh have begun an exhibition at the Panchayat Bhavan, Sector 18, here today. The exhibition, Lepakshi, is organised under the aegis of the AP Handicrafts Development Corporation. Visitors admire handicraft works at the Andhra Pradesh Handicraft exhibition at Panchayat Bhavan, Chandigarh, on Thursday.

Police ignoring NHRC directions, say lawyers
Chandigarh, February 3
A human rights body — the Lawyers for Human Rights International — today charged the Chandigarh police with disregarding the directives of the National Human Rights Commission.

Short service officers’ plea to Army chief
Chandigarh, February 3
Short service commission officers who have been released from service on completion of their tenure have sought that benefits of the Ex-servicemen's Contributory Health Scheme be extended to them.

Plan to provide round-the-clock security to Mohali residents
Mohali, February 3
The police is working on a novel scheme of providing round-the-clock security to the residents of the town. Funds for the purpose will have to be pooled in by residents themselves.

Sambar carcass found Panchkula, February 3 A carcass of a sambar, reportedly hit by a vehicle, was found near Bhanu on the Panchkula- Naraingarh highway this morning. The animal bled to death. When a Chandigarh Tribune team reached the spot, it saw some stray dogs feeding on it. The carcass of a sambar near Bhanu on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Pardeep Tewari

Painting contest to be held on Cancer day
Chandigarh, February 3
As the world gets on to celebrate International Childhood Cancer Day on Friday, oncologists emphasise that 90 per cent of the cancers are curable, if they are diagnosed at the initial stage. What is crucial is the stage at which it is diagnosed.

Pattar relates agony and poetry
Chandigarh, February 3
Renowned Punjabi poet, Surjit Singh Pattar, delivered a lecture in the Department of Correspondence studies, Panjab University, yesterday. He spoke about the relationship of poetry and humanity.

• APRO dead
• Bijli sabha on Feb 6

CRIME

Jewellery worth Rs 90,000 stolen Chandigarh, February 3 Thieves decamped with jewellery, worth Rs 90,000, from the house of an acting Principal of a senior secondary school of Sohara in Sector 55 today. Mr Lakhbir Singh, resident of house number 197/2 in Sector 55, said, he along with his wife Paramjit Kaur and his son Navrit Singh had gone out of their house at 8.45 am. The couple was working and the son had gone to school. When his son came back at 12 pm, he saw the two locks of the main door of the house broken. A man shows jewellery boxes from which his belongings were stolen in Sector 55, Chandigarh, on Thursday.

Theft in two houses
Mohali, February 3
Gold, cash and other items were stolen from a house in Phase IV here today. It is learnt that no one was at home when theft took place. The head of the family, Mr Chamkaur Singh, had gone to his work while his wife had gone in connection with a death of a relative and daughter had gone to college.

Immolation bid by youth
Chandigarh, February 3
A 22-year-old unemployed youth Vipin Kumar, tried to allegedly immolate himself at his house in Sector 28 after his mother refused to give him money. He is fighting for his life in the PGI with 70 per cent burn injuries.

Police swoops down on gamblers
Zirakpur, February 3
Tightening noose around gamblers, the enforcement wing of the Punjab Police raided the lottery vends and arrested one person while other managed to flee from the spot, here on Tuesday evening.

EDUCATION

PU to have ATM for depositing fee
Chandigarh, February 3
Panjab University students will no longer need to stand in long queues to deposit fee as talks are on between the State Bank of India and the Panjab University authorities to introduce ATM facility for the same.

Bhawan Vidyalaya wins quiz Chandigarh, February 3 The team from Bhawan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, won the Verka Genius Challenge quiz held at the Tagore Theatre here today. St John’s students came second. The third position was won by Guru Nanak Public School, while all six teams shortlisted for the quiz were given consolation prizes. Students of Bhavan Vidyalaya who won the quiz contest held at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

From Schools and Colleges
115 students win prizes in vocational contests
Chandigarh, February 3
As many as 115 students were awarded prizes at the annual prize distribution function for the winners of the 12th and 13th state-level vocational contests held at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 10, here yesterday.

Seminar on 'Trading in derivatives'
Chandigarh, February 3
The Postgraduate Department of Commerce, Government College, Sector 46, organised a seminar on "Trading in derivatives" today. Dr A.K. Vashisht, Professor, University Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh, spoke on the subject. Students of M.Com and B.Com participated.

15 schools take part in drawing competition
Mohali, February 3
Students from more than 15 schools from Mohali participated in an inter-school drawing competition organised at Sanjay Public School, here today. The aim was to make children aware about their environment.

COURTS

Notices to DC, SSP in land deal case
Mohali, February 3
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice of motion to the Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ropar, and the SDM, Mohali, among others in a case filed by a resident of Chilla Manoli village here.

CULTURE

Repercussions of female foeticide highlighted

THE future repercussions of the rampant evil of female foeticide were brought alive in a Punjabi play “Vauhti Nahin Labhni” staged at the Tagore Theatre on Wednesday under the aegis of the Inter-Media Publicity Coordination Committee of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The play written and directed by Jasbir Singh featured Artistes of the office of the Haryana Accountant-General. The play, presented in two acts, dealt with prospective ramifications of the current trend in society to neglect the girl child. The pre-natal determination of sex illegally carried out by nursing homes came under severe attack. A scene from the play “Vahuti Nahi Labni” at the Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

New Releases
‘Black’ — a sensitive sound of silence

‘Khamoshi — The Musical’ heralded the birth of a sensitive new director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He again proved his place among sensitive directors with ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ and ‘ Devdas’. This week he is ready to take centrestage with small-budget ‘Black’ starring the Big B and Rani Mukherjee. The film was to have starred Kareena Kapoor until Amitabh Bachchan refused to work with her after the split between Abhishek Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee in Black.

SPORTS

Indo-Pak tennis series ends on note of geniality

Chandigarh, February 3 Love, friendship and above all fair play dominated the seven days of the 'The Fort Ramgarh' Indo-Pak Total Tennis Friendship Series, which concluded today at the YMCA Total Tennis Academy, Sector 11, here. Tennis players from Pakistan and India pose for a photograph at the conclusion of Indo-Pak Friendship Tennis meet a YMCA Total Tennis Academy, Sector 11, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Malkiat Singh

18-member city archery team
Chandigarh, February 3
Gaurav Chaudhary will lead an 18-member Chandigarh Archery team in the 25th Senior (men and women) Archery Championships to be held from February 10 to 15 in Kerala, according to Maha Singh, Secretary, Chandigarh Archery Association.

Yoga camp at Lions Club Bhavan
Chandigarh, February 3
The Lions Club in association with Sanjivani, an NGO, organised a three-day yoga camp at the Lions Club Bhavan, Sector 18, here. Achraya Priya Krsihna Nanda Avdhata taught yoga to over 10 participants from Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali at the camp.

ADMINISTRATION

DSP issued notice in missing files case
Chandigarh, February 3
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr B.K. Mehta, today issued notice for February 15 to a UT Deputy Superintendent of Police to file his reply in the infamous missing files case.