The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Fans line roads for a glimpse of heroes
Mohali, March 9
Cricket mania has taken the entire city in its grip. Those who could not cheer the home team at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, managed to get a glimpse of the Indian cricket gods while they were leaving the stadium after the day’s game.

Punjabi hospitality floors guests from Pakistan
Chandigarh, March 9
Our guests from Pakistan were on Cloud 9 tonight. Smitten by the lavish dinner arrangements made at Chandigarh Club, they literally floundered for words when accosted for reactions. Finally, the best thing they had to say about the reception at the club was: “Aapki mohabbat ka yeh paigaam hum nahi bhool payenge”.

Love counts!
Chandigarh March 9
Overwhelmed by the care and affection showered on him and his compatriots by the Indians, Nasir Mehmood, a real estate developer from Lahore, donated Rs 7,000 to the Chandi Kusht Ashram in Sector 47 in Chandigarh yesterday.

Hunting for forbidden pleasure
Chandigarh, March 9
Most Pakistanis used cricket as an opportunity to come to India, but contrary to their public claims about love for the game, most Pakistani visitors admit in private that cricket has provided them the much needed excuse to visit India.

Guests from Pakistan joy ride on Hop-on-Hop-off bus in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Visa extension, a dream come true
Mohali, March 9
More than 500 Pakistani visitors got their visa extension to travel to various places in Punjab today. The SSP, Ropar, who is authorised to extend visas all over Punjab today stated that majority of the visa extension were given for Amritsar.

A Pakistani cricket fan offers Namaz outside Rock Garden in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Sector 17 market buzzing
with guests
Chandigarh, March 9
The Sector 17 market is buzzing with activity these days. The latest craze among youths and older people is to identify guest from Pakistan strolling around in the market.

2 Pak patients discharged
Mohali, March 9
Two Pakistani citizens, Mohammad Sohail Afzal Butt of Lahore and Mohammad Arshad Khan who were admitted to a hospital here were discharged today.

City is beautiful: Salman Butt
Chandigarh, March 9
It was total chaos at a leading Sector 17 footwear showroom this evening. People thronged the shop to have a glimpse of Pakistan cricketers who had come to visit the showroom at the invitation of the company.

Govt to pay for stadium security

Governor advocates fresh ideas for security environment
Chandigarh, March 9
In the backdrop of emergence of new, multi-dimensional threats to security and the changing nature of warfare, the Governor of Punjab, Gen S F Rodrigues (retd) called for fresh ideas, new methods and concepts which were suited to the local political, economic social and security environment.

A “Lahori” poet with anti-war poems
Chandigarh, March 9
Among the thousands who have arrived from across the border to be part of the Indo-Pak cricket Test at Mohali is Raja Sadiqullah, a well-known poet of Punjabi from Lahore.

Travel agent dupes 190 of Rs 1.5 cr

Chandigarh, March 9
A Mumbai-based travel agent allegedly duped 190 persons wanting to go to Dubai of Rs 1.5 crore. The matter came to light when as many as 150 persons, who were asked to collect their visas from the office of the company in Sector 8, today found the office premises locked.

Duped candidates with their documents outside Sat Narayan Associates in Sector 8, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Passing Thru

COMMUNITY

Mohali MC hikes octroi target to Rs 20.70 cr
Mohali, March 9
The Municipal Council today hiked the proposed income target from octroi by 15 per cent fixing it at Rs 20.70 crore at a special meeting held here today. The amount proposed at the agenda was Rs 19.80 crore.

Move on monorail system for city questioned
Chandigarh, March 9
Architects Yetinder Mathur and Tarun Mathur have questioned the move on elevated rail track for operating a train based mass rapid transport system for Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.

Changes in building bylaws sought
Chandigarh, March 9
The Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh has sought changes in building bylaws of the city and permission for need-based changes in the buildings.

Office-bearers of MC panels
Chandigarh, March 9
A majority of chairmen and deputy chairmen of different committees of the Municipal Corporation were elected unanimously today.

Mian Mir’s descendent honoured
Mohali, March 9
The 19th descendent of Sai Mian Mir, a Muslim seer who had laid the foundation stone of Darbar Sahib at Amritsar, Syed Chand Pir Quadri, was honoured at Gurdwara Amb Sahib here today. He was presented a Siropa by Mr Hardeep Singh, SGPC member, along with representatives of various religious bodies.

3 in race for post of MC senior vice-president
Mohali, March 9
There are three candidates in the race for the post of senior vice-president of the Municipal Council at present. The term of the present incumbents expires tomorrow and the elections for the post of senior vice-president and vice-president of the civic body are likely to be held this month.

Railway chief PRO visits city

CRIME

3 two-wheelers stolen
Chandigarh, March 9
A motor cycle and two scooters were stolen in the city, the police said today.

Four porters held on murder charges
Chandigarh, March 9
The Crime Branch of the Chandigarh Police has arrested four porters of the Sector 26 grain market on charge of killing labourer Jaspal Singh on March 4 over a dispute on Rs 5.

BUSINESS

VAT will push flour price up, say mill-owners
Chandigarh, March 9
Wheat flour prices in the city are likely to go up by 12 per cent after VAT comes into force on April 1. Stating that the price of flour would go up by Rs 1.20 per kg, the president of the Chakki Owners Association, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, added that dry fruit, spices and petroleum products would also be hiked with the implementation of VAT.

EDUCATION

PU may hike charges of holiday home in Shimla
Chandigarh, March 9
Panjab University has proposed to hike the rent of its holiday home in Shimla. Under the existing rates, the university charges Rs 50 per suite for one day which would be hiked to Rs 100 per day if the proposal in okayed in the meeting of Syndicate scheduled for Saturday.

CBSE steps up secrecy
Chandigarh, March 9
In an unprecedented move, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has deputed a retired Deputy Secretary (Examination) as an observer for the Chandigarh region of the board.

IT books in Punjabi
Mohali, March 9
The Chairman of the Punjab School Education Board, Prof Harbans Singh Sidhu, released five books related to computers, information technology and mobile phones here today.

Nursing students take oath
Mohali, March 9
The lamp lighting ceremony of the fourth batch of General Nursing and Midwifery Course (GNM) of the Fortis School of Nursing was held at Fortis Hospital, here today. Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, was the chief guest.

COURTS

HC accepts Munjal’s apology in contempt case
Chandigarh, March 9
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today accepted the apology of former Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana Chairman Chander Mohan Munjal and let him off in a contempt case against him.

Legal literacy mission launched
Chandigarh, March 9
The acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice H.S. Bedi, today formally launched the National Legal Literacy Mission in Punjab and Haryana as well as in Chandigarh.

CULTURE

Rafi musical nite today

LEISURE

Hrithik now understands ‘predicament’ of women
HRITHIK Roshan now looks at women with a newfound respect. And, it has a lot to do with hair — his and theirs. Running his fingers through his luxuriant mane, Hrithik confessed candily, “My new hairstyle has made me respect women. I can now understand how difficult it is to manage long hair”.

Raising voice against female foeticide
THE Mai Bhago Brigade, a well known social organisation and the National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS), Patiala, organised a Punjabi musical play “Daairey”, written by Dr Satish Kumar Verma and directed by Mr Pran Sabharwal and Sunita Sabharwal, to mark the launch of a crusade against female foeticide on International Women’s Day here yesterday.

A comment on society’s deep-rooted evils
Octogenarian thespian Gursharan Singh communicated his intense feelings against deep-rooted evils in society through two plays staged at Plaza, Sector 17, on Wednesday.

Spring Fest begins at PGI
THE annual musical and fun fare bonanza “Spring Fest — 2005” opened at the Bhargava auditorium of the PGI on Wednesday. The event, organised by the Association of Resident Doctors and the PGI Cultural Society, was inaugurated by Dr K.K. Talwar, Director, PGI.

Exhibition of designer clothes and jewellery