Pregnant woman falls into manhole, feared dead
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
A seven-month pregnant woman constable of the Chandigarh Police was feared drowned in an uncovered manhole of a sewerage line in Sector 30 adjoining the CSIO along the Dakshin Marg here tonight.

Jaswinder Kaur, in her early twenties, posted at the Sector 34 police Station, was on her way home in Baltana village, near Zirakpur, after paying obeisance at a Sector 20 temple along with her husband, Mr Gurnam Singh, and sister-in-law, Meera.

As the trio reached near the Sector 20-30-32-33 roundabout around 8.45 p.m., Jaswinder complained of uneasiness and asked her husband to stop the scooter. Thereafter, she went to the open area along the CSIO boundary wall to ease herself.

Soon Meera noticed her slipping into a manhole and raised an alarm. However, by the time they rushed to her, she had apparently been washed away in the fast-flowing sewerage.

“I tried to get into the manhole to rescue her but to no avail, “ said Mr Gurnam Singh. He said due to the slippery ladder leading to the bottom of the 15-feet deep sewerage line, he was also trapped inside. He was rescued by passersby, he added.

As many as four vehicles of the Fire Department were requisitioned to search for the victim. The ADC, Mr IS Sandhu, reached the site to supervise the rescue operation. The rescue operation failed to make headway. Two sewer men too failed to locate the woman.

Mr S.K. Gosain, Sub Fire Officer, informed that the fire engines had been stationed at the outlets of the sewerage line at Hallo Majra and the 3 BRD.

Jaswinder was given a job on compassionate grounds after the death of her father in 2002.

This is the second incident of its kind in the city this monsoon season. Earlier, on August 4, Pawan, a 13-year-old Burail resident, was drowned while playing in accumulated water.

The MCC has come in for a lot of flak from different quarters for allegedly digging up sewerage lines and keeping manholes open.

Auction of school sites today
Chitleen K. Sethi
Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 16
All is set for the first-ever auctioning of school sites in Punjab. The first lot of these sites would be put up for sale tomorrow in Mohali by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA).

Earlier these sites were allotted to educational societies and trusts by an allotment committee of PUDA. Shifting from one of the major conditions of allotment of school sites, the auctioned sites would be freely transferable to similar trust and societies.

Earlier, the allotted sites could not be re-sold. Interestingly, PUDA has also allowed the contending trusts and societies to bid for and more than one school site.

As many as six sites would be auctioned tomorrow. The reserve price per square yard laid down by PUDA for these sites is Rs 2000 but PUDA officials expect the auction rate to go as high as Rs 8000 per square yard.

The most expensive is a 3.92 acre site for a senior secondary school in Sector 67 which would cost about Rs 3.80 crore at the reserve price. Another senior secondary school site measuring 3.80 acre in Sector 64 (Phase 11) would not be sold for less than Rs 3.67 crore.

Another senior secondary school site of 2.30 acres in Sector 51 would cost Rs 2.2 crore at the reserve price. Others include two sites for high schools in Sectors 66 and 69 of sizes 1.39 acres and 1.50 acres, respectively, and a single site measuring .87 acres in Sector 69 for a primary school.

While only trusts and societies registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and The Trust’s Act, 1882, which have education as their primary purpose have been permitted to participate in the auction, no time limit has been fixed for existence of such a trust.

This means that a group of persons forming an education trust today can bid for a school site tomorrow. Earlier there was a condition that those trusts which had been working in the field of education for at least some years would be preferred for the allotment of school sites.

PUDA has also allowed re-sale of the auctioned sites. “Earlier, the allotted sites could not be transferred but it came to our notice that the sites were being sold clandestinely. Since the purpose of site allotment was lost, we have allowed re-sale, subject to the payment of a transfer fee at the rate of nine per cent of the total value of the auctioned gross amount to PUDA,” pointed out a PUDA official.

However, some of the contenders for the sites have objected to these new terms and conditions. Mrs Veena Malhotra Principal, Lawerance Public School, Mohali, stated that no preference was being given to educational societies which had been running schools in Mohali for years.

“Our societies do not stand a chance during the auctions. Even rich businessmen with no background in education would be contending for these sites,” she said. 

New bodies spice up PU poll scene
Swarleen Kaur

Chandigarh, August 16
For the coming students' body poll, Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) and Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), the two main contenders, are set to lock horns again. Some new bodies like the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Indian National Council Organisation (INSO) are making a foray into the election spray, spicing up the scene.

PUSU and SOPU have been ruling the election scene for the past eight years, giving each other a tough fight. However, the last three years have seen the PUSU consecutively win the elections. Amandeep Singh, president of PUSU, is hopeful to make a mark this time also.

Last year, SOPU had the support of the Haryana Students Association (HSA), the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and Himachal Pradesh Students Association (HPSU), but this did not make any difference to its performance as it lost the elections.

But the council will not try to secure the support of any other body, according to Dalveer Singh Khangura, aka Goldy, president of SOPU. "We have already started contacting students at hostels," he said.

The Students Federation of India (SFI) which is entering the arena in the university this year will raise some ideological issue. But it has not yet declared its candidate for the post of the president.

"We are planning to constitute a special committee where the problems of sexual harassment could be solved. Though a women's cell exists in the university, it is not functioning properly. We staged a play also on unemployment and we want to create a positive environment on the campus," said Harmandeep Singh Gill of the SFI.

A three- month-old students' body, INSO, which boasts of a national level presence, is all set to enter the arena. In an unprecedented move, the council has tied with a local public relations company to manage its affairs.

Vikas Rathee of the INSO said, "We don't have much time for the campaigning as we have to concentrate on the studies also. We have tied up with a PR company to reach out to the maximum number of students in the shortest possible time. We have started meeting the students and are doing our best to solve their problems."

The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is yet to declare its candidate for the elections but its campaigning is in full swing. Like other groups, it is offering loads of promises to solve students' problems.

Yajvendra Yadav of the ABVP claimed that the parishad had gone from strength to strength in the past three years. "Our relations with the students are getting better day by day. We have been able to win the trust of the students. Last time we were at number two. We will declare our candidates very soon".

Rain plays havoc with city systems
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
Intermittent rain in the city and its neighbourhood since Monday evening has thrown life out of gear, rubbishing the claims of the Chandigarh Administration that it is fully prepared to deal with the onslaught of monsoon. Traffic jams at almost all major roads, submerged roads and breakdown of power and water supplies marked the less than 24-hour rain in the city.

Even though the city recorded only 65 mm rain till 5.30 pm, nearly half of the heaviest rainfall (127.8 mm) recorded on July 5, life in the city turned chaotic with people reaching their workplaces hours after the scheduled time.

The situation was even more acute in the southern sectors that saw almost all roads linking the city with Mohali choked with traffic. The situation on the Chandigarh-Panchkula road was no better with traffic snarls at many places.

Ill-equipped to deal with the 65 mm of rainfall, the city residents saw roads clogged with water as ankle deep water jammed all roundabouts where the traffic jams lasted for hours.

Unlike the blitzkrieg of rain on earlier occasions, the showers were sporadic, but angry at times. Electricity in many sectors like 36 eluded residents for hours, but water pressure was reasonable. Residents in many parts of the city complained of receiving muddy water.

Several visitors to the city spent more time manoeuvring traffic as compared to the time they spent in reaching Chandigarh from places like Patiala, Ludhiana, Kalka, etc where the rainfall was sparse. Mr Tek Chand, who had come to Chandigarh to consult a doctor at the PGI, said, “When I left Patiala in the morning, there were some showers and these continued all the way. It took me nearly 30 minutes more to reach Chandigarh. But reaching the PGI after entering the city took nearly two hours due to the traffic chaos.”

At Panjab University, the pools adjoining Gandhi Bhavan and the university library got filled to the brim with rain. Many children were seen swimming there, beating the summer heat.

The traffic police remained helpless in the face of jams. Whether it was outside Kisan Bhavan in Sector 18 or the roundabout of Sectors 21, 34, 35 and 22, the situation was almost identical everywhere.

Rain exposes chinks in drainage system
Tribune News Service

Farmers upbeat over rainfall
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
Punjab and Haryana, both predominantly agricultural states, have recorded good rainfall during the first half of the monsoon. In fact, a major part of both states had rainfall above normal. The first half of the monsoon is already over. Chandigarh has been the wettest place in the plains in the region so far. It recorded rainfall 24 per cent above the normal level. Obviously, all predictions made by the prophets of doom that there would be drought in the region have gone haywire.

Farmers in the region are in an upbeat mood because the kharif crops are in good shape. They are expecting record yields of paddy and cotton this year if all goes well in the days to come.

Mr Chattar Singh, Director of the Regional Meteorological Office here, told The Tribune today that Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ambala, Jhajjar, Kaithal and Rewari districts of Haryana had recorded rainfall above normal so far. However, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Sirsa and Sonepat had rainfall slightly less than normal. Likewise, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ferozepore, Ropar and Patiala in Punjab had rainfall above normal. However, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Nawanshahr and Sangrur were not that lucky. The rainfall was a little less than normal in these areas.

Mr Chattar Singh said that both states fell in the normal category on the basis of the overall assessment of the rain data made by his department.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Government, expecting the arrival of record paddy this year, has already put its machinery in top gear to make arrangements for procurement. Instructions have been given to the officials concerned to make the procurement arrangements by September 20.

Punjab and Haryana are also expecting a bumper cotton crop this year. Farmers have sown the officially released Bt cotton varieties this year. In both states, the cotton yield will be between 30 lakh and 35 lakh bales.

Passing Thru

Chandigarh Calling

Party time: The middle-class in the city is partying like never before. There is a party for every occasion from birthdays to wedding anniversaries, from success in examinations to recovery from an illness. The mood is upbeat and the favourite party joints are the many hotels and restaurants all in a row in Sector 35. All very well, but party time is creating serious parking problems in the area. Something certainly needs to be done to tackle this problem.

Deft design: Very often a disadvantage can be turned into an advantage and this is what young city architect Sangeet Sharma succeeded in doing while designing a boy’s hostel at Mohali. And not just that he was given a commendation certificate from the Indian Buildings Congress, Delhi, for this deft design of sustainable architecture. “The resources were limited and that got me thinking on how to make do.” Thus he employed natural parameters by harnessing the natural surroundings. The central court was used for free ventilations and all rooms were given a balcony with orientation in the positive direction. Thus the hostel of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) is cool sans air-conditioning even in these hot and humid days.

Tabla wizard: Amit Sachdeva (27), a tabla wizard, who enchanted the city audience, is no more and music lovers are sad indeed. Amit, a star performer at Pracheen Kala Kendra and Kala Bhawan, passed away recently following a bout of depression that started with the death of his Guru, Shafat Ahmad Khan of Delhi Gharana. It is one of those sad stories in which a pupil well ill on hearing of the death of his teacher. Amit’s death is a loss to the music world.

In unison: The peepul tree is not only one of the shadiest of Indian trees but also the most hardy. If the peepul seed does not find soil to take root in, it nestles in the bark of a tree trunk and before one knows it grows into a full-fledged tree. Nature has its own way of grafting and this is what has happened in the Fragrance Garden in Sector 36. Another example of togetherness was discovered when the building of the Chandigarh Press Club came up. The compound that encased parts of the Old Ropar road had a jamun and peepul trees coming out of the same trunk. An oft-quoted wisecrack about this unison was: “Bahman nu Jamun lageya hoya hai.” — Sentinel

Coop substitute members at receiving end
Substitution policy hangs fire 
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
Even as the Chandigarh Administration braces up to construct 20,000 dwellings units for slum dwellers at “concessional rates”, hundreds of substitute members of the cooperative housing building societies are at the receiving end of the Administration with substitution policy hanging fire for several years.

With the Administration dragging feet on recognition of substitute members as members of societies, and with substitution policy nowhere in sight, the dream of members to have a home remains unfulfilled.

In fact, the substitute members suffer on two counts. First, even after spending lakhs on construction of flat, they are not sure when the flat would be transferred in their names. Two, a majority of members had raised loans from banks and financial institutions and are paying interest on these.

The secretary of a cooperative society claimed the substitute members were legally members for intent and purpose since they had paid all dues and had been made members of the society through proper procedure.

Since the society was an autonomous body, as per the judgement of the Supreme Court, the Registrar of Cooperative Societies(RCS) had no say in membership of society.

Not only that, the Chandigarh Housing Board had accepted the cost of land from the substitute members virtually accepting their rights as society members. The only legitimate thing the Administration could do was the levy of substitute/transfer fee which the members were willing to pay, he added.

There are over 100 cooperative housing societies in Chandigarh from Sectors 48 to 51. A majority of them have a substantial number of substitute members. For instance, there are 122 substitute members out of 186 members in the Universal Society in Sector 48.

The society tried to hold draw of lots at least thrice but the RCS put its foot down, saying that the substitute members were not eligible for the draw.

Exhausting all legitimate channels, the members have now moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court for draw of lots. The court has issued a notice of motion to the Administration for August 29.

What has added to the uncertainty is the dilly-dallying attitude of the Administration over the substitution policy. For several years now, the policy has been at the “proposal stage” and is yet to see the light of the day.

It was widely believed that in his address on the Independence Day, the UT Administrator, Gen SF Rodrigues (Retd), would come out with the substitution policy for the benefit of members, comprising lower and middle classes.

However, the Administrator mostly focussed on making the city “slum-free” and construction of 20,000 one-room tenements for all slum dwellers. 

City railway station to have more UTS machines
Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

Girl defies disability to emerge winner
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
Sunita Dogra is every bit a model. Born unprivileged and severely disabled, she has imbibed the art of nurturing frustrations in a way that they yield victories one after the other.

As a child, she was declared medically unfit to use her upper limbs for any task whatsoever. After years of concerted effort and self motivation, Sunita learnt to channel the energy of her legs and use her feet to do things she would have otherwise done with her hands.

Years later, she has again managed to rise to the challenge - this time of using her hands to do things which only hands are meant to do. A teacher at a local government school in Chandigarh, Sunita felt ashamed of using her feet to sign the notebooks of students.

She tells, “For the first time in life, I felt the urge of revolting against medical science and against all that kept me from achieving the “impossible”. I had pushed myself to the brink while learning to use my legs as hands. Initially people laughed at me, but when they saw I meant business, they began respecting me. I thought to myself if feet could become hands why couldn’t hands become hands!”

Medically speaking, the task was next to impossible, given the longevity of the disability and enhanced malfunctioning of the upper limbs. But to Sunita’s mind, it was all quite probable. She says, “I have read biographies of disabled people who have risen from the ranks and courted success. One day when I was returning from school, I promised to myself that I would end the life of indignation.”

From then on, Sunita has been resisting the temptation of operating the computer with her legs and also of turning the leaves of her books with them. The task involves pain that lasts for hours, but Sunita has adapted to suffering by practicing continuously for hours and writing with her hands. She, however, says, “After I write two pages, my hands literally burn like fire. They hurt as though they will split into pieces. But I can handle that much pain in exchange for some dignity.”

No wonder, Sunita’s upper limbs began responding and as they spoke the language of her mind, she worked harder — with greater vim and vigour. Only a month ago, Sunita climbed another ladder to success when she first used her hands to write. Sharing her happiness with The Tribune today, she said, “Now it feels just right. The world also seems to be at peace with me. Earlier when I used my feet to sign the notebooks, I could feel the students gawking at me, as if telling me, “Teacher, it’s not right”. I felt helpless when I confronted those looks. Today I look them in the eye and tell them that I know the difference between right and wrong.”

A heart of steel as she has, Sunita could never have missed the recognition she got last year when she was awarded the National Award for being a model in the disabled category on the Disability Day (December 3).

Battalion granted extension
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
The Delhi Government has granted an extension of three years to the 132 Infantry Battalion (Ecological) of the Territorial Army, which is undertaking a massive afforestation project on the outskirts of Delhi.

The battalion had been raised in 2000 for a period of five years. It was tasked to convert the barren expanses of Bhatti Mines, situated on Aravali ranges along the Delhi-Haryana border into a forest area.

Since its deployment, it has planted about five lakh saplings in the area of about 2000 acres, converting the severely degraded area into a lush green forest. The reclaimed area is to be subsequently converted into a wildlife sanctuary and the project is being funded by the Delhi Government.

The battalion is also developing a herbal garden in association with Delhi University. The garden will have 24 species of medicinal plants which are native to the Aravali Hills. A special nursery for growing such plants has been prepared.

In fact, the area now being reclaimed used to be a natural wildlife sanctuary till 1900. Expansion of Delhi and heavy mining of mineralised quartzite in that area resulted in the thick forest cover disappearing and the area turning into a desert.

Woman sustains burn injuries
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 16
A 30-year-old woman sustained serious burn injuries after her sari accidentally caught fire from a gas stove at her Vikas Nagar residence in Mani Majra, here yesterday.

Police sources, while ruling out any foul play behind the incident, said she suffered 75 per cent burn injuries.

Nirmala caught fire from a gas stove when she was boiling milk for her son on Monday morning. She was reportedly picking up something from a shelf over the gas stove when her sari came in contact with fire and soon she was engulfed by the flames. Her husband, Sanjay, was also at home at that time and he extinguished the fire. Later, she was rushed to the PGI.

She in her statement said that no body was responsible for the accident, said the police. 

Sect followers evicted
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
Barely a week after the enforcement squad of the Chandigarh Administration razed unauthorised structures of Tibba Sahib Gurdwara in Sector 26 here, the enforcement staff had to forcibly evict followers of the sect from the site in the wee hours of this morning.

In the operation which began at around 6 am, the enforcement staff led by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Inderjit Singh Sandhu, and the Land Acquisition Officer, Mr S.K.Setia, and a strong posse of policemen got the land evicted from encroachers.

“They had pitched tents and were planning to reestablish themselves at the spot,” said an officer.

Vanamahotsava at Press Club

Chandigarh, August 16
Mr Hansraj Joshan, Forest Minister, Punjab, will inaugurate a vanamahotsava programme at the Chandigarh Press Club 10.30 am tomorrow. The minister will plant saplings and interact with members. — TNS

Award for social worker

Chandigarh, August 16
Mr Paramdeep Singh Bhabat, president of the Disabled Persons Welfare Organisation, Punjab, was honoured with a gold medal, Rs 11,000 in cash, a shawl and a Parman Patra by the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, for his service in spreading awareness on AIDS and helping the physically challenge. TNS 

Thief arrested with 12 stolen cycles
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 16
With the arrest of a 20-year-old Dera Bassi resident, the local police today claims to have recovered 12 bicycles from his possession. Police sources said a Behlana village resident, Mr Ravinder Kumar, lodged a complaint with the police on August 13 alleging that his bicycle was stolen from Sector 20.

The police laid a picket at T-point in Sector 20-C, the following day and arrested Sachin Thapa (22), a resident of Dev Rali village in Darjeeling West Bengal.

The accused was later produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody till August 17.

During interrogation, Sachin confessed to have stolen 11 bicycles from the city. The police recovered the bicycles from Behra village in Patiala district and from Phase I Industrial Area, Chandigarh. The sources in the police said Sachin was working with Punjab Meats limited, Dera Bassi. 

Cash, gold stolen from home
Our Correspondent

Mohali, August 16
Cash, gold and silver worth over Rs 2 lakh were stolen from a house in Sector 71 here. The thieves broke the lock on the front door of the house to gain entry into the building. Even the back door of the house was lying open.

Mrs Kusum Bhanot, owner of the house, said Rs 50,000 in cash, about 25 tolas of gold and 2.5 kg of silver were stolen from her house when the family was out of station. She said the family was informed about the theft on the telephone by one of their employees yesterday.

Mrs Bhanot said the entire family had gone to Jaipur on Saturday. When they reached back home last night, they saw a number of rooms were ransacked and items were lying scattered on the floor. She said that they had business connections with Spice Communications.

One of the employees working for them had given a room on the first floor of their house. He was in his room on Saturday night but was not there on Sunday night. She suspects that the theft may have taken place on Sunday night.

When the employee came to the house yesterday he saw that the lock on the main door was broken and a theft had taken place. The matter was brought to the notice of the police. Fingerprits were lifted by experts.

Man decamps with cell phone, gold bracelet
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 16
A miscreant gained entry into a house in Sector 38 on the pretext of being a loan agent and decamped with a mobile phone and a gold bracelet. Mr Manohar Lal, resident of Sector 38, reported to the police that on Sunday afternoon a man posing to be an agent from a loan company came to his residence. Mr Lal told the police that his minor daughter was alone at home at that time.

The man told her that her father had applied for a loan and handed over her some documents. He allegedly got Mr Manohar Lal’s unsuspecting minor daughter (12) engaged in reading those documents and in the meanwhile stole a mobile phone and a gold bracelet.

Thereafter, the man went out and again came back after 15 minutes and told the girl that he would wait for her father to come. After spending some more time there the man reportedly left. A case of cheating and theft under Sections 380 and 420 of the IPC has been registered.

Liquor seized: The police arrested two persons from different parts of the city for possessing nine bottles of liquor illegally on Monday.

Police sources said Kishan Lal of Maloya Colony was arrested at his residence on the allegations of possessing three bottles of liquor illegally while a resident of Shahpur Colony in sector 38, Vishwa Nath Methew, was arrested at Sector 38 for illegally possessing six bottles of country wine. Two separate cases under the Excise Act have been registered.

Battery stolen: Mr Rajesh Kumar, resident of Pipliwala Town in Mani Majra, lodged a complaint with the police alleging that a battery of his auto-rickshaw, which was parked at his residence during the night of August 14, was stolen.

A case of theft has been registered.

Housewife consumes poison
Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, August 16
Ms Mohinder Kaur, a resident of Harmilap Nagar Colony in Bartana village, was admitted to the PGI, Chandigarh, after she consumed some poisonous substance at her residence this morning.

Sources in the police said Ms Mohinder Kaur, wife of Mr Rajinder, was first taken to a hospital in Panchkula from where the doctors referred her to the PGI. The victim was unfit to give any statement.

The Dera Bassi police has started investigating the matter.

Tata Indicom opens store
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16
Tata Teleservices Limited, which operates under the brand name Tata Indicom, today announced further expansion in its retail network across Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh with the opening of the another new exclusive branded store at Mohali.

Speaking on the achievements of the company, Mr Sunil Batra, CCO, North Hub-2, Tata Teleservices, said, “Today the need of the hour is to provide improved service to both potential and existing customers. It is truly a momentous occasion for us to announce the launch of 12 new exclusive stores. The True Value Hub is aimed at creating a one-stop solution for customer needs regarding purchase and service of Tata Indicom Telecom services, be it telephony, accessories, bill payment and query resolution as well.