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Enough of political interference!
Piqued Rodrigues briefs PM on Mani Majra land case
Chandigarh, February 23
After local Congressmen protested against the UT Administrator and the Deputy Commissioner before the Prime Minister on his recent visit, Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd) is learnt to have briefed the Prime Minister as well as Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil about the state of affairs, especially removal of encroachment from prime land valued at crores of rupees.

Water samples from govt schools fail test
Dust, waste, algae found in open tanks

Panchkula, April 19 Providing safe drinking water to students in government schools is certainly not high on the priority list of the Education Department here.

The water tank in Government Primary School, Rampur Seori, does not have a lid and waste, especially from nearby stone crushers, fall into this tank. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

How ‘mathi’ project turned sour
Admn blacklists contractor, forfeits security
Chandigarh, April 19
The UT Administration has just about managed to put the ambitious “mathi” project allotted to the Social Welfare Department back on rails. If official enquiries are anything to go by, the project conceived to empower city’s destitute women actually ended up disempowering them.

Car theft accused escapes
Chandigarh, April 19
One of the three car thieves, Suraj, who was arrested by the police, yesterday, gave the slip to the cops in Mauli Jagran, today, here. The cops were taking the accused to identify a spot, when the accused ran away from custody.

Punjab, Haryana wheat likely to enter Pak market 
Chandigarh, April 19
The recent visit of Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf to India had opened a new market for wheat grown in Punjab and Haryana. Facing a shortfall of wheat the Pakistan Government has allowed Indian wheat to be supplied there as this will be the cheapest possible option to import using the railway network in Indian Punjab.

Ravi Shankar calls for change in mindset of politicians

Chandigarh, April 19 Terming wrong ideology, identity crisis and poverty as the three major factors for rise of terrorism, founder of the Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, said terrorists could be constructive and productive if they were shown the right direction. Governor of Punjab, Gen S F Rodrigues (retd) with founder of the Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — A Tribune photo

Ms India to grace NIFD function
Chandigarh, April 19
Femina Miss India Universe 2005, Amrita Thapar, and Vice-Chancellor Annamalai University, Dr L.B. Venkatrangan, will be here on April 21 to launch admissions to BSc and diploma programs in fashion design, textile design and interior design being jointly offered by Annamalai University and the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD). Both will be present for the event being organised to commemorate the first year of the tie-up between NIFD and Annamalai University.

R.C. Sharma joins UT Admn
Chandigarh, April 19
Haryana Civil Services (HCS) official R.C. Sharma joined the Chandigarh Administration today. He is yet to be given a posting. He is 1983 batch officer of the HCS making him the seniormost HCS officer to be posted here.

Passing Thru

COMMUNITY

MC sanitation drive ends, garbage remains
Chandigarh, April 19
A special sanitation drive launched by the municipal corporation in March concluded here today. The month-long programme was delayed by 18 days. Addressing the concluding ceremony in Sector 15, Mr P.S. Aujla, Commissioner, said the sanitation drive took a little longer than expected because of huge malba depositions in various parts of the city. The corporation cleared 2,500 truckloads of waste construction material.

Heaps of garbage in Sectors 20 and 45 in Chandigarh. — Tribune photos by Parvesh Chauhan

CAT stays filling of vacant posts in Railways
Chandigarh, April 19
Before filling vacancies by promotion, the Railway Board will have to implement its restructuring scheme as per the guidelines of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

Tehelka case: tapes shown to witness
Chandigarh, April 19
Prosecution witness Lieut-Col V.P. Syal (retd) today stated before the General Court Martial (GCM) trying Brig Iqbal Singh for professional impropriety in the Tehelka case that there had been a talk about cultivating high officials, bureaucrats and politicians with regard to procurement of Hand Held Thermal Imagers by the Army when the accused was present in Hotel Park on November 5, 2000.

Cashiered Major regrets ‘links’ with Sobhraj
Chandigarh, April 19
Court-martialed Major Gurinder Singh Bhuller, who has been arrested for allegedly carrying contraband, rues his “proximity” with international criminal Charles Sobhraj who floated stories about Bhuller’s daughter being involved with the criminal.

Two-day strike by PSEB employees
Mohali, April 19
Employees of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) struck down work in all offices of the board here on the first day of the two-day strike in protest against the privatisation of the board. The employees did not mark their attendance and organised gate rallies.

Labourer falls to death
Chandigarh, April 19
Labourer Zuber Alam (23), died after he fell from third floor of underconstruction Advance Cardiac Centre of the PGI in the Sector 11, here today. According to the Police, the incident took place at 9:30 am when the deceased was working on the scaffolding at the construction site. He was reportedly pulling a wire, when he lost balance and slipped off the ladder and fell. He received fractured foot and had internal injuries.

VAT confusion to continue for time being 
Chandigarh, April 19
The confusion over the value added tax(VAT) in the city is likely to continue for the time being with both the Chandigarh Administration and the traders in dark about the exact date of its implementation.

Residents resent faulty power supply
Chandigarh, April 19
Residents of Deep Complex, Hallo Majra, lamented that for the past one week the power situation had deteriorated as the private contractor who supplies electricity to the consumers had not upgraded the distribution system.

Traders meet Singla on VAT
Mohali, April 19
A 300-strong deputation of traders’ associations in Punjab, headed by Prof Darbari Lal, Deputy Speaker, Punjab, met Mr Surinder Singla, state Finance Minister. They brought to the notice of the Finance Minister various difficulties which might crop up in the implementation of Vat and the loss of revenue to the Punjab Government as a result of higher rate of tax on items than neighbouring states.

Remedies to save your woollens in summers
Chandigarh, April 19
Packing away woollens for the summer is a responsibility that requires much skill and knowhow, a protocol of a precise nature if the sweaters and shawls are to last through the unbearable summer months.

Rath yatra sankirtan held Chandigarh, April 19 A Ratha-Yatra sankirtan procession organised by Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Matha, sector-20 was taken out today. This was part of the 35th annual festival and Ram Navami celebrations. Devotees take part in “Rath Yatra” organised by Chaitanya Goudiya Math, Sector 20, Chandigarh on Tuesday. - Photo by Manoj Mahajan

Readers Write
Reverse decision on use of open space by eateries
Apropos of the news item ‘Eateries allowed to use open space at night’ in the March 31 edition of this newspaper, I want to say that the markets have just started giving a cleaner look after the anti-encroachment drive, but allowing eateries to use verandahs will again bring the situation back to square one, as it may not be possible to strictly adhere to the timing of 8.15 pm.

Unidentified accident victim in PGI
Chandigarh, April 19
An unidentified accident victim is lying unconscious in the PGI. He was admitted there on April 15 following accident between two Himachal Roadways buses at the Transport and Light Point, Sector 26.

Mishap victim dies in hospital
Panchkula, April 19
Mr Govind Singh (63) who was admitted to the PGI, Chandigarh, in a serious condition yesterday, succumbed to injuries today. A resident of Sector 10, Mr Govind Singh was seriously injured when the scooter he was riding rammed into stray cattle near Saket Hospital, last evening.

PFC directors elected
Chandigarh, April 19
Mr M.K Chopra has been re-elected director and Miss Shikha Chopra Director on the Board of the Punjab Financial Corporation, (PFC) according to the Chairman of the PFC, Mr G.P.S Sahi. Ms Shikha Chopra is a financial analyst with GE Capital.

Girl students cover their heads with dupattas to protect themselves from the sun at Panjab University. — A Tribune photograph

CRIME

Drug addict held for mobile theft
Chandigarh, April 19
The local police today arrested a drug addict accused of stealing a mobile phone while in another incident a man was caught with 1.5 gm of smack. The police arrested Kamaljit Singh of Sector 24 and recovered a mobile he had stolen two months ago.

Suicide by migrant labourer
Dera Bassi, April 19
A body of an unidentified youth, aged about 20, was found hanging with a tree in a farmhouse adjacent to railway over bridge in Bhankharpur village near here, this morning.

Stolen car recovered
Mohali, April 19
The Sohana police here today recovered a car hijacked by a Samrala resident in 1997. The accused in the case filed at the Sohana police station in 1997 was arrested by the police on April 8 and following police remand, the car (a Tata 407), carried away from a Kangra resident was recovered

BUSINESS

Rs 100-crore for fashion technology park in Mohali
Mohali, April 19
The Punjab Government has approved a Rs 100 Crore project for an industrial fashion technology park in Mohali. The park, spread over 14 acres in Sector 90, would bring together various elements of fashion technology, including an incubation facility, a fashion institute and a research and development centre.

Grievance panel for industry sought
Panchkula, April 19
The Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) has demanded the formation of a state-level grievance committee for the industry and provision of tax holiday to industrial units located in the Shivalik foothills of Haryana on the pattern of those in other hill states.

Retail outlets in small industries sought
Chandigarh, April 19
The Chandigarh Industrial Association, in a representation to the Administrator, UT, has sought allowing small-scale industrial sheds to open retail outlets in front of their industries so that consumers can get goods at reasonable price.

‘PM’s assurance to Beopar Mandal on rent Act’ 
Chandigarh, April 19
The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) today claimed that during his recent visit to the city, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, had assured the traders of a “Balanced Rent Act”.

EDUCATION

Students find physics paper ‘very tough’
Chandigarh, April 19
Students of B Sc, first year, who appeared for the paper of physics part C, Electricity and Magnetism yesterday found it very tough and a few questions were out of syllabus. Students are demanding re-examination because they fear that they won’t be getting pass marks.

ODE seminar from tomorrow
Panchkula, April 19
ODE (Optimising Development Education), an organisation dedicated to providing help to slow learners and children with learning disabilities to do better in classroom situation, will organise a three-day seminar, Empower-2005, at Hansraj Public School, Sector 6 from April 21.

Samuel Thomson adjudged best singer
Chandigarh, April 19
At the first ever meet of the first year students of architecture colleges ‘NEXUS-1’, held at Chitkara Institute of Planning and Architecture, students of College of Architecture IET, Bhaddal, won prizes in different contests.

COURTS

Lecturer cremated, police remand for husband
Mohali, April 19
The body of a college lecturer, who allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan, was cremated today. Davinderjit Kaur, who was living at her parents house in Phase III B-1 for the past many years, allegedly took the extreme step yesterday by hanging herself from the fan with a dupatta.

Bhatti appears in court in Hindu sentiments case
Chandigarh, April 19
Comedian Jaspal Bhatti today appeared before in a court here in a case of alleged hurting of religious sentiments of Hindus. In his February 10 order, Mr RK Mehta, Judicial Magistrate summoned Bhatti saying that there was sufficient ground to summon him for the offence under Sections 295-A and 298 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

SPORTS

Mongia defends Kotla defeat, blames it on pitch
Chandigarh, April 19
“The cause of the Ferozeshah Kotla defeat against Pakistan was the deterioration of the pitch at the time when we came to bat in the second innings,” said Dinesh Mongia, member of the Indian cricket team. He came to the city yesterday, for a day after the debacle in the one-day series at the hands of Pakistan team in Delhi. He was scheduled to leave today for England for his county assignment. He had signed a contract with Leicestershire and would remain there till September.

Kotla match: Prabhakar backs Indian team
Ropar, April 19
It seemed strange that the all Indian players were not able to get even half of the runs made by Pakistan in the last one-day match recently. But the reason was obvious for most of the people associated with the cricket, as they knew that the pitch was not fit for the match.

HSIDC reach cricket semifinal
Chandigarh, April 19
A fine knock by Arun Sood (51 n.o.) and good bowling by N.K. Neen (4 for 20) enabled the HSIDC score 8 wickets win over the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) today and enter the semifinals of the 2nd Haryana Tourism Institutional Cricket Cup being held at Government College, Sector 11, here.

Shoulin to meet Mandeep in semis
Chandigarh, April 19
Left-handed Chandam Shoulin of Chandigarh stole the limelight in the boys’ Under-16 singles quarter-final match in the third leg of the AITA Talent Series Tennis Tournament being conducted by Yadavindra Public School , Mohali, at the CLTA Tennis Stadium, Sector 10, here, today.

Anshul fashions CD victory
Mohali, April 19
A century by Shivam Khurana and a 13-wicket haul for just 25 runs in two innings by Anshul Tripathi enabled Chandigarh Diistrict to thrash Minor District in Under-15 Sushil Bali Cricket Tournament (Inter-district) at Punjab Cricket Association stadium here today. The tournament was organised by the PCA.