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TOP STORIES

Congress sway over mining operations in Ghaggar
Panchkula, March 21
The change in government has affected on the mining operations in the Ghaggar river bed and other rivulets in Panchkula district. The mining contractors, who were affiliated with the previous Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) government, have now lost control on mining of river bed material (RBM) to supporters of the newly elected Congress government.
Heavy showers lash city, suburbs

Chandigarh, March 21 Chandigarh and its adjoining towns of Mohali and Panchkula received heavy showers this afternoon with the city recording 15 mm of rainfall by 5:30 pm.

Rain in the city on Monday forced residents to take out umbrellas. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Father alleges foul play in daughter’s death
Zirakpur, March 21
A former sarpanch of Naraingarh Jhungian village has complained to the Inspector General (Patiala Zone) of Punjab Police against his daughter’s in-laws.

Parents allege favouritism in admissions to MBA course
Chandigarh, March 21
The final merit list of the students aspiring to get admission in the MBA course under the NRI sponsored category at the University Business School (UBS) has surprised parents who resented that in many cases the students who had a lower marks in the Common Admission Test (CAT) have managed to score a much higher rank in the final list after the interview and the group discussion.

India worried over Pak cricket fans’ disappearance
Chandigarh, March 21
India is worried over disappearance of between six and 14 Pakistani nationals who had come to Mohali to watch the first India Pakistan Test.

Quark to hold public hearing on environment impact issue
Mohali, March 21
Quark would soon be holding a public hearing in Mohali as part of the environment impact assessment study. The study has been undertaken by the company in compliance with the Government of India notification on the issue.

Passing Thru What genre of writing interests you? So far, eight of my books have been published. Out of these, three are travelogues, three are short story books and two books are on Punjabi poetry and I also work for the ‘Daily Khabren’, one of the most reputed newspapers of Lahore. I comment on editorial columns. Bushra Ejaz, writer, poetess and columnist from Lahore, Pakistan. She was in the city to participate in a seminar on Punjabi culture and language held at Panjab University.

Chandigarh Calling
Spring rain
JUST as the sun was showing its heat in the merry month of March and people had taken out their summer wear, the weather gods turned benevolent. First came the cool breeze, then the clouds and finally the rain. So light shawls and silks are being pulled out of the trunks again.

COMMUNITY

Ranbaxy told to improve fire-fighting capability
Mohali, March 21
The Director, Local Government, Punjab, has asked the Municipal Council here to get the recommendations of an eight-member sub-committee in connection with fire fighting arrangements at Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd implemented at the earliest.

Old-age home residents entertained
Mohali, March 21
The staff and students of SAS Institute of Information and Technology here extended a unique gesture towards senior citizens by presenting an entertainment programme for the inmates of the old age home Sector 15, Chandigarh.

98 file nomination for ZP poll
Panchkula, March 21
As many as 98 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the Zila Parishad (ZP) elections to be held here on April 9. Three forms were rejected during the scrutiny of forms carried out today, while the decision on the nomination forms of a woman candidate from Ward No 2 has been kept pending.

BJYM protests denial of visa to Modi Chandigarh, March 21 The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today organised a demonstration against the denial of US visa to the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, at Sector 17 Plaza here. Activists of the BJYM burn an effigy of the US Government to protest against denial of visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Chandigarh on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

Fauji Beat Why this callousness towards the Army? Since the government has not issued any orders to exempt CSD canteen stores from the value added tax (VAT), the ex-servicemen are perturbed over it. No doubt, in the Budget speech it was said that the CSD canteen stores would be exempted from VAT, but nothing has emerged from it so far.
Maj-Gen (now Lieut-Gen) B. Sadananda, during whose stewardship, the Command Hospital, Chandimandir, was declared as the best hospital in 2003, observing a patient put on ventilator.

Special prayers mark Palm Sunday
Chandigarh, March 21
The most solemn week of Christianity begins with Palm Sunday or the Sunday of Passion, commemorating Christ’s triumphant arrival in Jerusalem.

Eight bomb-like objects found
Panchkula, March 21
Panic gripped Firojahri village after the villagers found eight explosives in the nearby forest area, last evening. The villagers found eight bomb-like things in the forest area and the news spread in the village.

Readers Write
Flats for common man, a distant dream now
I wish to bring to the notice of the authorities concerned the difficulties being faced by the middle class people desiring to own flats set up by the cooperative housing societies.

Youth clubs involved to check drug abuse
Chandigarh, March 21
With drug and human-trafficking cases surfacing in the region, the Chandigarh Administration has roped in around 928 members of 27 rural youth clubs to keep an eye on these unlawful activities.

Vet pharmacists to hold rally
Chandigarh, March 21
Members of the Veterinary Pharmacists Union, Punjab, on Monday decided to organise a rally outside the Office of the Director, Animal Husbandry, on March 28 in support of their demands.

CRIME

Four vehicles stolen in city
Chandigarh, March 21
Two Scorpio SUVs and two scooters were stolen today in the city, according to the police. Mr Nairinder Pal Singh of Phase VII, Mohali, reported to the police that his Scorpio SUV (PB-44-A-9044) was stolen from outside House Number 459, Sector 20-A, during the night of March 19.

Four held for stealing
Mohali, March 21
Four persons were arrested by the police on the charge of theft here last night. According to the police, two persons, Chotte and Anil, residents of Amb Sahib Colony, Phase X, were arrested on the dividing road of Phase X and XI.

• Travel agent arrested
• Two drug peddlers arrested

BUSINESS

Mohali dream destination for IT companies
Mohali, March 21
Quark, Infosys and Dell are already here and Convergys Corp is all set in to come in by the year end. “We have done a good job in marketing Mohali as an IT destination and have brought in a lot of investment in Punjab, said the Quark head Mr Fred Ebrahimi, during an informal chat at the inauguration of Dell’s third customer contact centre here today”.

Dell team raring to go
Mohali, March 21
A call centre is as good as the voices behind the phones. And the 300 young girls and boys who have been employed by Dell to man its International Call Centre from Mohali a raring to go. The centre goes live on March 28, and these youngsters are all trained and ready.

Business page: Dell sets foot in Punjab

‘City better suited as IT destination’
Chandigarh, March 21
When Mr Michael S. Dell, Chairman, Board of Directors of DELL, America’s Information Technology (IT) giant, greets an audience with folded hands saying, ‘Sat Sri Akal’, it means that the world has started taking the potential of Punjabis in the area of IT seriously.

Private sector’s role in healthcare stressed Chandigarh, March 21 “The State Government is keen on partnership between public and private sectors for providing quality, easily accessible and affordable health services to people of Punjab.” Mr Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Chairman, CII, Northern Region (left), discusses a point with Mr R.C. Dogra, Health & Family Welfare Minister, Punjab, at a conference at CII in Chandigarh on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

• New bank chairman

EDUCATION

Workshop on research methodology inaugurated
Chandigarh, March 21
A Four-Day Training Programme on “ Research Methodology in Social Sciences” was inaugurated today at ICSE North-Western Regional Centre, Panjab University.

PU students’ bodies seek roll back of fee hike

Chandigarh, March 21 Panjab University students have criticised PU Senate’s decision of 10 per cent fee hike in all departments. The Students Organisation of Panjab University today protested against the decision on the campus and met the Vice-Chancellor Prof K.N. Pathak, today to demand a roll back of the hike. Students of Panjab University holding a protest dharna outside the VC’s office against fee hike on Monday. — A Tribune photo

400 take part in camp for needy children
Mohali, March 21
A two-day camp for the poor and needy children organised at the Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir Model High School, Sector 71, ended here yesterday. The Sarvhitkari Educational Society is running 74 Sanskar Kendras which are free schools where very poor children are admitted to impart quality education.

Forestry awareness rally held
Chandigarh, March 21
Students of Maharishi Dayanand Public School-Daria organized an awareness rally on the occasion of “World Forestry Day”, here today. Mr Vinod Kumar, Principal of the school, flagged off the rally.

Fashion institute function
Chandigarh, March 21
A great deal of excitement is prevailing among the 66 students of the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD) who will vie for top honours in various disciplines on their annual awards function on March 23 at Kalagram.

Hamara School
A school with a difference

Having proved itself in the field of education by establishing two schools in Ambala city, the PKR Jain managing committee takes the next step in its endeavour to focus on the best of education, blended with innovative curriculum, to shape the future — which is also the motto of PKR Jain Vatika which is taking shape at Nasirpur, Hisar Road, Ambala city. Bharat Bhushan Jain, President, PKR Jain Vatika managing committee

Training course for teachers held
Dera Bassi, March 21
More than 40 teachers from various government schools of Block-I here participated in a five-day in-service teachers training course organised at the local Government High School. The course was organised under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan launched by the Punjab Government to enhance the competence of the teachers.

COURTS

DCC Gen Secy gets bail
Panchkula, March 21
The General Secretary of District Congress Committee, Mr Hemant Kinger has been released on bail by a local court here today. He was accused of killing his wife, Kailash alias Namrata.

21 cases decided at Lok Adalat
Chandigarh, March 21
As many as 21 cases were decided and an amount of Rs 8.67 lakh awarded as compensation at a Lok Adalat organised by the State Legal Services Authority here today.

SPORTS

Explosive knock by Rocky

Chandigarh, March 21 An explosive knock of 50 runs in 15 balls by Rocky Ratta helped the Minarva Academy Cricket Club to beat the Prudential Cricket Club by three wickets to lift the 10th Prudential Cricket League Cricket Tournament at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, here today. Players of the Minarva Academy Cricket Club after winning the 10th Prudential Cricket League Cricket Tournament in Chandigarh on Monday.

ADMINISTRATION

Police to launch scheme for senior citizens
Panchkula, March 21
The new Superintendent of Police, Dr R.C. Misra, has plan to introduce helping old age people police scheme, in the town. He is also aiming to enthuse a sense of responsibility in the Resident Welfare Associations towards the senior citizens residing alone in their houses.

Door-to-door survey in Colony No 5
Chandigarh, March 21
The Estate Office is creating a fresh database for rehabilitation purposes in the city. Deputy Commissioner Arun Kumar, in a press note here today, said that a door to door survey was currently being conducted in colony number 5.