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43 mm rainfall & city infrastructure fails
Chandigarh, August 3
The city witnessed a virtual blitzkrieg of rain today. Typical of rain in this area, the “switch-on, switch-off” mode the downpour displayed had everyone surprised.

Ugly side of City Beautiful
Need for links between school buses, authorities

A policeman regulates traffic following failure of traffic lights after heavy showers at Madhya Marg in Chandigarh on Wednesday.	Traffic cops help clear a traffic jam at Press Chowk in Sector 18, Chandigarh. —  Tribune photos Vinay Malik, Parvesh Chauhan and Manoj Mahajan

	From top left: A car in a ditch during rain at the Sector 33-34 dividing road in Chandigarh on Wednesday; (Right) A fire brigade was called by residents of Sector 33 due to accumulated rainwater in Chandigarh on Wednesday; Road damaged due to heavy rain at the Sector 33-34 roundabout in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — Tribune photos

Hawara back in Burail Jail
Chandigarh, August 3
Eighteen months after tunneling his way out of Model Jail in Burail village, the Babbar Khalsa International’s alleged chief Jagtar Singh Hawara returned to the prison after being remanded to judicial custody till August 17 by a local court.

Officers on deputation stay put despite rules
Chandigarh, August 3
Though senior officers in the Chandigarh Administration do not admit to flouting rules in accepting officers on deputation from other states or giving duty charge to its own officers, the situation prevailing in the UT offices, particularly in the engineering wing, seems to be otherwise.

SI nabbed taking bribe
Chandigarh, August 3
A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials today nabbed a Sub-Inspector of the Chandigarh Police while allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from a person in Sector 3 police station here.

Prosecution witness fails to appear
Chandigarh, August 3
Prime prosecution witness in general court martial trying Brig Iqbal SIngh in the Tehelka case, Mathews Samuel, today failed to appear before the court. He had been being cross-examined by the defence for the past four days.

Passing Thru
What brings you to Chandigarh?

COMMUNITY

PSEB ignores Zirakpur, Lalru areas
Residents reel under unscheduled power cuts
Zirakpur, August 3
Loosely hanging electricity cables and naked wires in pole junctions are waiting for a tragedy to happen in various colonies in Zirakpur, Dera Bassi, Lalru and adjoining areas. The problem is more pronounced in unauthorised colonies in the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat limits.

Workers of telecom companies damage footpaths
Mohali, August 3
Workers hired by various telecommunication companies to carry out digging work to lay cables in parts of the town here are damaging footpaths and road berms, while the Municipal Council turns a blind eye to the damage.

1,000 acres needed for IT services
Mohali, August 3
At least 1,000 acres would be required in and around Mohali to cater to the demand put forth by various IT-companies across the nation for establishing IT and IT related services in the area.

Sikh bodies threaten to intensify stir
Chandigarh, August 3
The local wings of various Sikh organisations and the Lawyers of Human Rights International (LHRI) today threatened to intensify stir against the “callous and indifferent attitude” of law-enforcing agencies regarding the alleged kidnapping of a Sector 34 resident, Manjot Kaur.

Benefits elude Territorial Army officers
Chandigarh, August 3
Eight months after the government announced the implementation of the A.V. Singh Committee recommendations on re-structuring the army’s officer cadre, the much awaited benefits continue to elude Territorial Army (TA) officers.

ESI scheme extended
Chandigarh, August 3
The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has extended the ESI scheme to five new centres in Punjab. The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the ESIC regional board held here.

UT signs lease deed with Chandigarh Club
Chandigarh, August 3
In an important development, the Chandigarh Administration today signed a lease deed with Chandigarh Club Limited showing an agreement on a monthly rent of Rs 1,08,208.

Estimates for maintenance works cleared
Mohali, August 3
Estimates for maintenance works worth over Rs 1.5 crore were unanimously cleared at the General House meeting of the Municipal Council here today.

Readers Write
Level crossing, road are sore spots
This is with reference to the report “Manimajra overbridge hangs fire” (Chandigarh Tribune, July 26). I wish to convey my appreciation on behalf of commuters residing in Manimajra for highlighting the problem.

CRIME

Thieves decamp with jewellery
Chandigarh, August 3
Thieves decamped with gold jewellery from a house here during day time today. In two other incidents, two persons were arrested for gambling.

Two held with fake currency
Chandigarh, August 3
They used to make real money after promising counterfeit currency.

Five booked on charge of raping minor
Chandigarh, August 3
Five persons were booked by the police on the allegation of raping a minor girl. The case was registered following information forwarded by the Mohali police.

EDUCATION

City losing foreign students
Chandigarh, August 3
Mass exodus — that’s the only way to explain the “vanishing act” by foreign students from the city that has a fairly large number of educational institutions to its credit. They have virtually packed up their bags and shifted base, primarily to the South, though Yamunanagar, Amritsar and Delhi are still popular destinations for these students.

“Best Speakers”
Chandigarh, August 3
Manonit Kaur of Shivalik Public School, Swati Mittal of Carmel Convent, Charnpreet Singh of St John’s and Aditya Singh of St Kabir were adjudged “Best Speakers” at the Outlook Speakout National Challenge,  an inter-school debate, held at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41,  here today.

Convocation at CSIO
Chandigarh, August 3
Fiftyfour students were awarded diploma and medals at the 40th convocation of the Indo-Swiss Training Centre, which was held at the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) here today.

No teacher for environment studies in four govt colleges
Chandigarh, August 3
The subject of environment studies, made compulsory for undergraduate students, has become a thorn in the flesh of various college authorities.

Hunger strike enters eighth day Chandigarh, August 3 The hunger strike by students of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology supported by the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) entered its eighth day today. A police officer and a Panjab University teacher talk to a SOPU activist on relay fast on the campus on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

BA results
Chandigarh, August 3
The result of BA first-year examination, April, 2005, additional deficient, improvement and compartment candidates except English compulsory, history, political science, economics, public administration and Punjabi elective was declared today.

Session begins at fashion institute
Mohali, August 3
The new session of the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology here began with an orientation course inaugurated by the Director, Industries, Punjab, Mr Sanjay Kumar. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sanjay Kumar said the textile industry was poised for a big leap and students could look forward to a bright career ahead. He said the Punjab Government had promised Rs 5 crore for the construction of a new building for the institute.

COURTS

Doctor denied pre-arrest bail
Panchkula, August 3
Mr J.R. Chauhan, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Panchkula, today turned down the anticipatory bail application moved by counsel of Dr Akash Goel who had allegedly duped a Haryana police personnel for thousands of rupees.

Relief for contractual drivers
Chandigarh, August 3
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has stayed the termination of the services of contractual drivers employed at Motor Mail Service (MMS) in the Postal Department and allowed them to take part in the recruitment process for regular drivers.

LEISURE

Comment on woman’s predicament

THE predicament of a woman and her fight for parity with the role by religious fanaticism and the feudal attitude landlord were brought alive by artistes of the Chandigarh School of Drama through three Punjabi plays directed by grand thespian Gursharan Singh at the Tagore theatre today. A scene from Gursharan Singh’s Punjabi play ‘Ehsaas’ being staged at Moh Malve Da-2005 at Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Destination Mecca MOHAMMAD Ahmed Fauji is 67 years old and his zest for life is unswerving. His mission is a simple one; to cycle his way to peace and amity all around the country and culminate his ride at Mecca, the land of his own faith. For this ‘saint of harmony’ it was a dream that prompted him to go on Haj, but it was his own conscience that impelled the calling. After travelling for thousands of kilometres, this venerable man reached the city to compel the people of the region to pay heed to his pleas to end terrorism, corruption and brutality. Mohammad Ahmed Fauji on his bicycle in Chandigarh. He is on a countrywide peace mission. — Tribune photo by Vinay Malik

SPORTS

Rural sports meet from Aug 25
Chandigarh, August 3
The annual rural sports meet will be organised on August 25 and 26 at the Dadu Majra village. The two-day meet will be organised by the Guru Gobind Singh Sports Club and the Democratic Youth Federation of India.

ADMINISTRATION

Rs 26 cr rise in tax collection
Chandigarh, August 3
The Excise and Taxation Department of the Chandigarh Administration has registered an “unprecedented” increase of Rs 26 crore in tax collection under various Acts during the first quarter of the current financial year as compared to the corresponding period last financial year, an official press note said here today.