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Mayor, DC on warpath
Chatrath writes to Rodrigues for action
Chandigarh, March 2
The Deputy Commissioner and the city Mayor are engaged in a war of words to settle their differences over the relief work for victims of fire in the Sector 18 rehri market of Sector 18 on Monday evening.

Abandoned by mother, separated by fate
Siblings gather bits of tattered lives 
Chandigarh, March 2
Life has dealt them a double whammy. Abandoned by their mother in the dark of the night and then separated from each other by another dreadful blow of fate, Pooja, Bhavna and Himanshu have yet to digest the harsh reality of their lives.

Bhavna and Himanshu — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

The Romance of Spring: Panjab University’s Botanical Garden is blooming with chuckling flowers.  — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

3-day police remand in Kharar murder case
Chandigarh/Mohali, March 2
“The mother-daughter relationship is considered to be the most intimate but our faith in it has been shattered after the murder of Bhupinder Kaur in Kharar”, said a colleague of the deceased at the Punjab School Education Board here today.

Sacked warder threatens suicide, arrested
Chandigarh, March 2
A jail warder, who was dismissed for having alleged liaison with one of the alleged Beant Singh assassins and was discharged by a court of the charges, was today arrested for threatening to kill himself and members of his family if he was not reinstated.

Pass-seekers get active
Chandigarh, March 2
Pass pass pass! The pass mantra has begun doing rounds in the city and nearby areas though the first Indo-Pak Test is yet to begin at the PCA, Mohali, from March 8. No doubt, the Punjab Cricket Association, organisers of the event, claims to have sold a large number of tickets, but the usual craze of complimentary passes continues to give nightmares to officials concerned. The officials are, however, saying no to pass-seekers citing court orders. Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and Haryana and kin of hundreds of civil servants, police officers, ministers, use their links to get the passes.

Vintage car being readied to provide joy rides to Pakistani guests who are expected to arrive here on March 6 to witness the Indo-Pak Test match.

• Hotels offer sops to Pakistani visitors

Passing Thru
Q: Do women take part actively in sports in Pakistan?
A: Not exactly, I would blame the staunch Islamic fundamentalists for destroying women sports because they are totally against the idea of women in playing field. But now, it is a bit changed scenario. 

Parveen Atif former President, Pakistan Women Hockey Federation

Canada opens two visa centres in region
Chandigarh, March 2
The Canadian Government has adopted the 'highly successful' method of visa dispensation that will eliminate long queues and waiting outside High Commission and Consulates across the country. In fact, the introduction of the 'visa application centres' would eliminate the need to travel to the High Commission or Consulates, except for those who require an interview. 

‘Living legend of law’ bids goodbye to courtrooms
Chandigarh, March 2
In sports, they call it hanging the boots. Over 67 years after he started coming to courts everyday as a lawyer, Senior Advocate Hira Lal Sibal has finally hung his black gown that lawyers. An institution in himself, Mr Sibal has seen it all. Having started practice as a young lawyer, just out of Dayal Singh College, Lahore, in July, 1937, he was witness to the evolution of an independent India as also the country's legal system.

COMMUNITY

Police seeks Rs 4.07 cr for modernisation
Chandigarh, March 2
The Chandigarh police has sought Rs 4.07 crore from the Union Home Ministry to modernise the force in the next five years beginning with an instalment of Rs 81.44 lakh in the fiscal 2005 and 2006.

Rehri market fire victims stage dharna
Chandigarh, March 2
Occupants of booths in Rehri market of Sector 18 are not satisfied with the relief announced by the Deputy Commissioner for the loss they suffered in the Monday evening fire. Dissatisfied booth owners staged a ‘dharna’ in protest against the ‘marginal relief for a major loss’.

Fire victims of Gandhi Rehri Market, Sector 18, sitting on a dharna against the Chandigarh Administration on Wednesday. 
— A Tribune photograph

405 clear physical test of Assam Rifles
Chandigarh, March 2
Recruitment standards notwithstanding, the Assam Rifles is looking for candidates with a height of 6 ft or above, Liaison Officer of Assam Rifles, Col V.K. Singh, disclosed this to Chandigarh Tribune here today, on the first day of the recruitment rally of the force at the Sector 26 Police Lines. 

An Army man of Assam Rifles measures the chest of a candidate during the first day of recruitment rally being organised at the Sector 26 Police Lines in Chandigarh 
on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

People divided over vendors in residential areas
Mohali, March 2
A mixed response was witnessed from representatives of welfare bodies and municipal councillors in connection with vendors plying on internal roads of the town at a meeting with the SP here yesterday.

CRIME

Man held for forging signatures
Chandigarh, March 2
A man allegedly got a cheque book of somebody else issued forging his signatures and attempted to withdraw Rs 5 lakh but was caught red-handed in Sector 17 today.

Goods worth Rs 30,000 stolen
Mohali, March 2
Goods more than Rs 30,000 were stolen from a house in Phase IX here on Monday. The theft was committed by a servant when the house owner, along with members of his family, had gone out.

Human skull found
Mohali, March 2
The Mohali police today recovered a half-burnt human skull from the nullah near the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in Sector 67 here.

3 arrested in theft cases
Chandigarh, March 2
The police has arrested three suspects in separate cases of theft while a car has been stolen from the city, said the police here today.

Granthi, cashier arrested
Mohali, March 2
A granthi and a cashier of a gurdwara were arrested by the police on a charge of cheating. It is learnt that the granthi, Baldev Singh, and the cashier, Jarnail Singh, of Bibi Bhani Gurdwara in Phase VII, had allegedly collected money from people on the basis of receipt books that they had got printed at their own level.

Sector 21 house burgled
Panchkula, March 2
Burglars struck at a house in Sector 21 here yesterday and took away goods, including cash and jewellery, worth lakhs of rupees. The burglars broke into the house in the absence of the owners.

BUSINESS

BIZ CLIPS
PROPERTIES SEIZED: LIC Housing Finance Ltd on Wednesday took possession of two properties in Pinjore for default of payments. According to an official release, Mr A.K. Dutt, Manager (Operations), led the team and took possession of the property of Mr Kanwar Pal Singh Chauhan situated at 249, Chouhna Chowk, Pinjore.

EDUCATION

307 students awarded degrees
Chandigarh, March 2
Nearly 307 students of Government College, Sector 46, were awarded degrees at 20th an annual convocation here today. The chief guest Professor N.K. Ganguly, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research, Delhi, lighted the inaugural lamp. It was followed by the Sarswati Vandana.

Students of Government College, Sector 46, after receiving degrees at their annual convocation in Chandigarh on Wednesday. 
— A Tribune photograph

Private teachers threaten to boycott Punjab board exams
Chandigarh, March 2
Dr Jagwant Singh, General Secretary, PCCTU, said today that teachers of private colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh under the aegis of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union would boycott the Punjab School Education Board exams.

Five Class X students booked for unfair means
Mohali, March 2
Five students of Class X have been booked on the charge of indulging in unfair means during the examinations being conducted by the Punjab School Education Board. The examinations commenced today.

Unchecked answersheets found, probe ordered
Mohali, March 2
A few unchecked answersheets of the matriculation examination conducted by the Punjab School Education Board last year were reportedly found from parks here. The board authorities have ordered a probe into the matter.

Rs 51,000 grant for stage electrification
Dera Bassi, March 2
The Old Students Association of Government College, Dera Bassi, gifted an open air stage to the college on Monday on the occasion of “Nostalgia”, its annual function, on Monday. Mr Avtar Singh, Director, PCPL, Dera Bassi; and Mr Amritpal Singh, President Municipal Councial, Dera Bassi, inaugurated the stage. 

An open air stage being inaugurated at Government College, Dera Bassi.

Hamara School
A school which believes in turning dreams into reality
“THERE are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality. And then there are those who turn dreams into reality.” Holy Child is a school where both the staff and the students believe in this. The motto of the school is to reach for the stars which can only be achieved with constant perseverance and integrity. 

Holy Child School, Panchkula

From Schools
Vivek School students win science quiz
Chandigarh, March 2
Vivek High School, Sector 38, won the first prize in science quiz at Tech
Kriti-2005, here today. The science and technology festival was held at the Kanpur IIT from February 24-27. Vivek High School was represented by Puneet Singh and Tanveer Gill of Class IX and Prashant Sharma of Class XI and were accompanied by physics lecturer, Mukul Sharma.

Tiny tots of Little Angels School, Sector 38, present a giddha during their outing in Panchkula on Wednesday.

COURTS

HC notice to UT police
Chandigarh, March 2
A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court presided by Mr Justice, S.S. Nijjer, has issued a notice to the Chandigarh Administration, UT Inspector General of Police and Ram Gopal, Inspector in the Chandigarh Police, on a petition filed by Mr Kapil Dev Kaushik, a Sub-Inspector (SI) Mr Kaushik had filed a petition challenging the promotion of Inspector Ram Gopal to the post of Inspector on the basis that the former was a yoga champion.

Police remand for Nidhi’s husband
Panchkula, March 2
The police today arrested Ravinder Singh, a lecturer of Devi Dyal Dental College and Hospital, Barwala, for allegedly forcing his wife Nidhi to commit suicide. Three other suspects in the case are still at large.

LEISURE

Couple of the ‘Shatabdi’
The three-hour journey from Delhi to Chandigarh by Shatabdi may pass uneventfully for many but for Punjabi poet Rajvinder Singh and painter Jyotika Sehgal it was as eventful as it could be. 

Love on wheels: Rajvinder Singh and Jyotika Sehgal. — A Tribune photograph

Sculpting for passion
THE lovers of stone are back and in greater style this time. With Kalagram promising them undivided attention, they might as well stay for long lest they miss their dates with incredible mediums sourced from the best mines across the country.


Pramod Mann and Ram Bali write poetry on stone during the first workshop which NZCC is organising in its attempt to create a permanent sculptors’ studio at Kalagram in Chandigarh. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

HEALTH

India has 60 pc cases of spine TB in world
Chandigarh, March 2
Pay attention if you have persistent backache, are loosing weight consistently, have a low -grade fever that does not go away by routine medication and feel weakness in legs. These could be the symptoms of spine tuberculosis, which if not diagnosed in time could lead to fatal consequences.

Message to stop female foeticide conveyed through programmes
Chandigarh, March 2
A three-day workshop on “Abolishing of female foeticide”, organised by the Inter-Media Publicity Coordination Committee of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, at the Golden Jubilee Hall, Punjab University, was inaugurated here today.

SPORTS

Rural sports meet gets underway
Chandigarh, March 2
A rural sports tournament, being held under the aegis of the Sports Department, Chandigarh Administration, commenced at Sector 46 Sports Complex here today. The three-day meet was inaugurated by Mr J. S. Negi, District Sports Officer, Chandigarh.

Grapplers in action at the rural sports tournament held at Sector 46 sports complex in Chandigarh on Tuesday. 
— A Tribune photograph

His ‘juttis’ attract star cricketers
Mohali, March 2
Cricket fans run after cricket stars, who are treated as demigods. But these stars themselves are fans of an ordinary person and he is a master in his profession. Prem Parkash ‘Pappu’ is the man from Jodhpur who is in great demand not only among cricket stars but among Bollywood stars too. He prepares Jodhpuri ‘mojris’ or ‘juttis’, which is his family profession. The ‘juttis’ made by him have graced the feet of almost every cricketer in the country and most of the top film stars too.

Pappu shows to Sunil Gavaskar the ‘juttis’ he prepared 
specially for him.

Amarinder goes skeet shooting
Chandigarh, March 2
 Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab, a keen clay pigeon shooter, was today a surprise visitor to the Markfed Shooting Ranges, Phase VI, Mohali. Capt Amarinder, a former state-level skeet event shooter, today tried his hand on skeet ranges for more than three hours.

Dravid, Kumble arriving tomorrow
Mohali, March 2
Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, V.V.S. Laxman along with Indian cricket team coach John Wright will arrive in Chandigarh on March 4. However, Indian physical trainer Greg King and Physiotherapist John Gloster will reach here tomorrow.

Boxing championship from today
Chandigarh, March 2
The 12th All-India A.K. Misra Memorial Boxing Championship will be held at Skating Rink, Sector 10, Chandigarh from March 3 to 7. More than 200 boxers, some will take part in 11 categories of the senior division.

ADMINISTRATION

Admn ordered to stall appointment of Asst Engineer
Chandigarh, March 2
The Central Administrative Tribunal today directed the Chandigarh Administration no to go ahead with the appointment of an Assistant Environment Engineer in the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee.