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Attempt to loot Sec 34 SBI branch
No lessons learnt
Though an attempt was made to rob the State Bank of India’s Sector 34 branch last year also, lessons were not learnt, apparently.
The grill providing easy access to the bank was only reinforced, instead of plugging in the approach permanently with bricks and concrete. Even night watchman was not deployed. The police on their part failed to step up the vigil despite broad daylight robbery in Jalandhar.
Chandigarh, November 14 Taking advantage of the bank’s “faulty” structure, the robbers reportedly managed to break in after cutting iron grills with the help of LPG cylinders. But the alarm system went off preventing them from entering the strong room. The incident has brought into sharp focus the functioning of the Chandigarh Police. The thieves reached the bank with three LPG cylinders late at night without arousing suspicion of the cops deployed at almost all the intersections. Incidentally, the bank is less than half a kilometer away from Sector 34 police station. The sources in the police headquarters added the Mohali Police had stepped up the vigil in and around the banks in the township after the Jalandhar incident. But no such measures were adopted by the local police. Passing on the buck, the cops said the common wall between the bank’s lavatory and a public toilet made the branch vulnerable. They added that a similar attempt was made last year also. But except of reinforcing the grills in the common wall, nothing much was done. Not even a night watchman was posted at the bank, they said. Giving details of the modus operandi, policemen present at the spot said the thieves entered the public toilet after breaking open the hasp. They succeeded in cutting the grill in the common wall with the help of gas cutters attached to the LPG cylinder before entering the bank. After examining the site, the police said the thieves had enough time to act. They replaced the hasp of public lavatory’s door to prevent anyone from disturbing them. They reached the grill with the help of ropes after climbing over the wash basins. Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, the bank employees said they realised that an attempt to break in had been made as soon as they saw the cylinders and the ropes lying just inside the bank. Broken hasp of the bank’s toilet door only confirmed their suspicion. They added that the police was called by the bank’s Chief Manager, Mr K.C. Klair. Subsequently, a case of attempted burglary was registered by the police.
Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that some clothes and tools, besides the cylinders, were left behind by the thieves in a hurry to leave. The forensic experts claimed that the attempt was made by thieves ‘familiar’ with the bank’s structure and style of functioning. They added that the burglars had planned their move to the minutest detail, expect for the fact that they forgot all about the sensors on the strong room’s wall. Quoting bank officials, the cops said there were not more than Rs 5 lakh in the bank at the time of the attempt. Regarding the earlier bid, they said the burglars tried to break in on November 26 last year. Though the date of the previous attempt was penned down on the strong room door, lessons were not learnt, apparently.
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A mishap, a verbal duel and Rs 1.5 lakh gone
Chandigarh, November 14 Giving details, police sources said Mr Jaspal Singh Cheema, a resident of Sector 68, Mohali, reported to the police that he had withdrawn Rs 1.5 lakh from a bank in Phase VII, Mohali, at around 12:15 pm. Thereafter, he came to the market in Sector 7 along with his daughter in his car. According to the police, Mr Cheema’s Maruti car collided with another vehicle and they entered a debate. His daughter also left the car unattended and joined her father. Meanwhile, someone stole the money lying in the car and slipped away. After finishing the arguments, Mr Cheema went to the Industrial Area to make a payment to a car dealer. The theft came to light when he looked for the money to make a payment and it was not there. A drama ensued when a dispute arose as to which police station will file the complaint. The Sector 26 police maintained that the crime was detected at Industrial Area and hence came under the jurisdiction of the police station there. Later, the UT Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Gaurav Yadav, intervened and directed the Sector 26 police station to register a case. In another incident Mr Sachin Bhandari of Bhandari Mohalla in Batala lodged a complaint with the police, alleging that his Santro car (PB-18-R-1818) was stolen from the Sector 15 residential area on Sunday. A case of theft has been registered in this regard.
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Crime Branch in charge shifted
Chandigarh, November 14 A spokesman of the Chandigarh Police said Crime Branch in charge Inspector Jagbir Singh has been transferred to the security wing. He has been replaced by Station House Officer (SHO) of the Sector 17 police station Inspector Satbir Singh. Industrial Area SHO Moti Ram has been sent in place of Inspector Satbir Singh. The former has been replaced by Inspector Baljit Singh Chadha, who was earlier posted at the traffic wing. Inspector Hari Kumar, earlier deployed with the operation cell, has been sent to the traffic wing. Inspector Bakhshish Singh has been transferred from the police control room and made in charge of the public grievance cell. Two senior Sub-Inspectors Baldev Singh and Surdarshan Kumar have been deployed with the police control room.
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Hawara’s counsel attacked
Chandigarh, November 14 While Mr Thakur, who happens to be the counsel of Jagtar Singh Hawara, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), escaped unhurt, his Esteem car (HR-03-B-8020) was damaged by the assailant. The attack on Mr Thakur, a practising advocate in the district courts, sparked off protests from the lawyers with a delegation of the District Bar Association (DBA) led by its secretary Jaskaran Singh calling on the SSP, seeking strict action against the culprit. The general house of the DBA met in the morning and decided to suspend work for the day. According to a complaint submitted to the SSP, it was alleged that at least four armed persons came to the house of Mr Thakur in Sector 44 here in a Scorpio around 11 p.m. when was locking the front gate. Even as the assailants tried to attack him, he took shelter behind the hedge. When he raised the alarm, the attackers fled but not before damaging his car. It may be recalled that Mr Thakur and a senior advocate Mr A.S. Chahal, had received a threatening letter a couple of days back. The complainant alleged that despite the fact that the advocate, accompanied by certain advocates visited the Sector 34 police station last night and this morning, no case has been registered so far. The police said it was investigating the matter. The Lawyers of Human Rights International (LHRI) president, Mr AS Chahal, has demanded a high-level probe into the incident.
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Better health services for women sought
Chandigarh, November 14 He was speaking on redefining the role of women in education and health at a seminar organized at the Centre for Research in Industrial and Rural Development (CRRID) here today. Dr Attri suggested developing local health services, promoting the incorporation of gender-sensitive community-based participation and specially designed preventive health programmes. He favoured identification of goals and fixing time frames for improving women's health. Implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes on gender-impact assessments using qualitative and quantitative data disaggregated by sex, age and other established demographical criteria and socio-economic variables was also recommended by him. Calling for "reversing the pyramid" for redefining the role of women in health, Dr Rajesh Kumar, Head of the School of Public Health at the PGIMER here, said that this would entail increased women's participation in defining health priorities, planning solutions, policies and programmes and demanding accountability. Above all, he added, that the role and participation of women in health programmes at the grassroot level needs to be strengthened. In her presentation on the status of women in the educational organisation and system in India, Dr Kuldip Kaur of CRRID said that the Muslim community is more concerned with religious education that the others. This has resulted in maktabs and madrasas increasing by the day. She said that keeping in view the status of women in existing madrasas, there is a need for radical reforms. She said that social change is needed for reconstruction of the Muslim traditional system of education. Speaking on the role of education in women's development in Punjab, Dr Bindu Duggal of CRRID said that though wide gaps exist between the stated goals and ground realities, significant progress made in women's education has enhanced her knowledge, awareness and ability to make decisions. She said that only 7.6 per cent girls are enrolled in higher education and professional courses. The situation is the same for vocational courses and skill development programmes. Highlighting issues pertaining to reproductive health and its psychological impacts, Dr Komila Parthi said that the existing women-centered programmes initiated by the government are focused on their contraceptive needs rather than reproductive health problems and its impact on mental health. She said that women need an enhanced understanding and sensitivity training programmes to provide empathetic behaviour besides removing the "silence syndrome" attached to reproductive and psychological health problems. In additional to antenatal care, enhanced family support and counseling sessions for pregnant women is required, she added. Review of gender specific socialization patterns and initiation of a multi-level, multi-sectoral action plan by the government to deal with women's problems were suggested by her.
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Dengue patient dies
Chandigarh, November 14 Meanwhile, a new suspected dengue case, a male from Saharanpur, was admitted to the PGI today. Also the patient admitted to GMCH, Sector 32, who hails from Derabassi, has been confirmed with suffering from dengue.
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Passing Thru
What are your views on Chandigarh?
There is openness but the city lacks character. It is easy to design a building but it is difficult to give it a specific character. The architecture is also marked by monotony. For example, it is hard to differentiate between government schools, colleges and hospitals. However, it is an economical style of architecture. Apart from this, Chandigarh also lacks the elements of culture and heritage as are found in Amritsar and other old towns in Punjab. What other drawbacks do you see? The traffic and parking arrangements are not satisfactory. The width of roads in the entire Chandigarh are the same irrespective of the traffic load. For instance, the stretch from Aroma hotel to the bus stand is almost always congested while many other roads have light traffic. Besides, parking areas are available but there is no proper utilisation of the facility. What are some of the important projects with which you have been linked? I keep coming to Chandigarh off and on. I was closely associated with the design of Punjabi University, and Muscat city. I also designed a Coca Cola factory. I have an industrial project in hand in Australia, where I will be going soon — Kulwinder Sangha
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Chandigarh Calling
Festivity in the cool air: The month of November has been one of festivities. Diwali, Id and now Gurpurb. So even those who are not regulars make it a point to go to the gurdwara on the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru, Nanak Dev. For many it means wearing a trendy new salwar-kameez with a beautiful dupatta to cover the head, of course, and partake of the delicious langar. But there are volunteers who stay up all night to chop vegetables, knead dough and get the langar ready for the next day. Such are the people who do a faith proud.
Soup kiosks:
Winter veggies:
Of scribblers:
Tree tale:
Drilling woes:
Changed jingle:
Mynas’ woes:
Organisers of the Shop Fest have installed a number of speakers on the trees. Some of the trees in front of Capital Book Depot are home to a plentiful of mynas. After the sunset, the music is a source of disturbance for them. Myna, which is a “concrete” scavenger, can be heard chirping restlessly after the sunset due to noise of the music. Dr Satnam Singh Ladhar, Principal Scientific Officer (Environment), Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, says the music after the sunset can affect their biological behaviour. He says the organisers should have avoided installing speakers on the trees as a majority of birds used them for nesting. Critics say the Forest Department is liberal with the organisers for allowing them to install speakers without considering the adverse ecological effects. They say even powerful lights put up on the trees are affecting the dependent flora and fauna. Contributors: Harvinder Khetal, Parbina Rashid, Vishal Sharma Paramvir Singh, Anandita Gupta, Nirupama Dutt and Vishal Gulati
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Peeved at losses, Admn okays 60 pc hike in
The Housing Board flats, which were charged Rs 12000 per sq yard earlier, will now be charged Rs 19,200. The collector rate of the urban residential property has also been increased to Rs 19,200 per sq yard. The residential property in the category of cheap houses, which was charged Rs 7,50,000 earlier, will now be charged Rs 12,00,000 per sq yard. The property in Shivalik Enclave (commercial), which was charged Rs 52,500, will now be liable to pay Rs 84,000 per square yards. It was felt that low collector rates led to stamp duty evasion and administration lost lakhs. The rates are fixed by the administration for different sizes and types of property. The rates also take into account the category of property, including the industrial, agricultural and commercial. The rates are highest for the quite predictable areas in the city, including Sector 17, 35, 22 and around Madhya Marg. The administration had constituted a special committee, including Mr I.S. Sandhu, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.C.Sharma, SDM (S), and Mr N.S. Brar, Assistant Estate Officer.
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UK planning new point system for skilled Indians
Chandigarh, November 14 Disclosing this, Mr. Ranjit Malhotra, who has returned after attending the Fourth Global Immigration Conference, said once the new system is in place it will improve the chances of qualified professionals of getting into the UK in a much simpler and speedier way. But for those who do not fit the requirement, as perceived by the UK government, going to UK for any purpose would become tougher. The consultation process, which finished on November 7, was organised in London by migration committee of the International Bar Association in cooperation with the American Lawyers Association and the Immigration Law Practitioners Association, London. The new system, Mr. Malhotra said, would look more at offshore processing and British Embassies and Consulates would be authorised to issue visas overseas itself, once the new system comes into force. He said that Mr. Andy Burnham, MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, was hopeful that the new system would be approved and adopted by the next year. He disclosed that the UK government wants to do away with the lengthy process of issuing work permit under the present work permit application system. But at the same time the UK follows the best practice where the spouses of work permit holders can work freely under the present work permit regime. There were also specialists' sessions on child immigration and adoption laws. Mr. Malhotra, the only speaker from India, while speaking on Inter Country Adoption in India highlighted that "There has been a growing demand for a general law of adoption enabling any person, irrespective of his religion, race or caste, to adopt a child. There is now a clear case for overhauling the existing adoption law in India. As far as the mechanics of inter-country adoption are concerned, all the major embassies in India are more than stringent in dealing with adoption applications. The refusal rates are very high. There is no room at all for compassion. The hurdles are almost insurmountable, causing lot of hardship to childless non-resident Indian couples." He also emphasised the fact that registered adoption deeds, executed by non-resident Indians, under the provisions of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, were not recognised by Embassies of major jurisdictions, who in terms of their own immigration laws and policies insist on Guardianship Orders which have to be obtained from the Court.
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33 pc quota for women in Parliament,
Chandigarh, November 14 Mr Lalitha Joshi, convener of the Women’s Council of the All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), presented an approach paper highlighting various issues and concerns of the women employees. Later, the delegate session of the convention passed various resolutions, including the continuation of the struggles against Central Government’s attempts like the privatisation of banks, merger of banks and allowing FDI in the banking sector. Hailing the recent wage hike agreement in banks, Mr CH Venkatachalam, general secretary of the AIBEA, called upon the women employees to take active interest in the trade union activities Mr Rajen Nagar, president of the All-India Bank Officers Association, wanted the banks to offer more positions to women in the policy-making bodies. Over 400 delegates from 22 states participated in the convention, which deliberated upon various issues concerning women employees in the banking sector and the trade unions.
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What ails ex-servicemen health scheme?
Little did the planners of the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) realise at the time of launching it in April 2003, that the budgetary side of this gigantic project could be handled only by the financial experts. The result is that the scheme has fallen to a state of indebtedness.
Almost all empanelled hospitals are crying that the Army authorities are not clearing their dues as per the agreed procedure. Of several such examples, only two are quoted here. The ECHS authorities have not been able to clear the dues of Escorts Hospital, New Delhi, to the tune of Rs 10 crore. Fortis Hospital, Mohali, has not been paid Rs 8 crore, of which Rs 3.74 crore has been outstanding for more than 60 days. Its bills on an average, work out to Rs 2.5 crore per month of which not more than Rs 1 crore is cleared every month. At this rate, the arreas will continue to increase every month. Add to this, the poor state of medicines supply because of the bankruptcy of the ECHS. Not only that, the equipment promised in the scheme is not being provided to the members. The hearing aids have not been provided even to those whose cases, duly recommended, were forwarded for sanction to the ECHS authorities more than four months ago. Do we need any more evidence to prove that the scheme has fallen flat on its face? The only way to make this project viable is to hand over its financial control to the professionals.
Motivation to join Army To attract the youth to the armed forces, the three wings of the defence forces have been holding interaction programmes at the schools and colleges for the past few years. At these sessions, the weapons and equipment are put on display to acquaint the students with the military hardware. They are also given a glimpse of the life in the armed forces. No doubt, this is one way of luring the youth to the armed forces at a time when they are in their formative years. But a still better method would be to include essential information about our armed forces as also accounts of bravery of our war heroes in the schools textbooks. At a grievances committee held at Dharamsala the other day, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia (retd), a Congress leader and an MLA had moved a resolution that all village schools in the district would be named after martyrs. He said all roads leading to the villages of those soldiers, who had laid down their lives for the country, would be metalled. Today when we have very few takers for the armed forces, more and more such measures should be adopted in the country to motivate the youth to join the forces.
Seven sister’s regiment Assam Regiment, also known as the “Seven Sisters’ Regiment”, has completed 64 years of its glorious history. It came into existence with the raising of its first battalion at Shillong on June 15, 1941, by Lieut-Col Ross Howman. Soon after its raising, the unit was sent to Burma to fight against the Japanese in World War II. From 1942-45, it won six battle and the theatre honour of Burma. The Assam Regiment has grown into 13 battalions, two Rashtriya Rifles (RR) battalions and a Territorial Army (TA) battalion. It draws its manpower from the seven North-Eastern states. Besides acquitting itself well in all the wars, it has taken part in the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka and UN Peace Keeping Force in Cambodia. The regiment has won seven battle honours, three theatre honours, six exclusive unit citations and several gallantry awards. — Pritam Bhullar
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HUDA removes 100 jhuggis from markets
Panchkula, November 14 The Enforcement team also visited the Sector 7 market to check encroachments in the market corridors. However, today being a Monday, the markets were closed. Sources say that the drive in Sector 7 would be launched again tomorrow.
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Tribune
employee dead Chandigarh, November 14
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Nagar kirtan taken out
Mohali, November 14
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Aujla in charge of gurdwara poll
Chandigarh, November 14
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Pregnant woman’s death: nursing home under scanner
Panchkula, November 14 Sources in the Health Department informed TNS that a four-member team comprising of Dr Veena Chugh,
Director, Malaria, Mr G. L. Singhal, Assistant Drug Controllor, Civil Surgeon, Dr G. P. Saluja and Dr M. K. Garg, District Family Planning Officer, has been asked to inquire into the circumstances leading to the
woman’s death. A young pregnant woman had been admitted to the Siddharth Nursing
Home in Sector12 A here on November 12. The nursing home authorities said that the woman died while she was being operated upon for delivery. However, suspicions were later raised that the victim had come for a late medical termination of pregnancy, and thus an inquiry was
instituted. The inquiry team today visited the nursing home and checked the
records here.
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Cyclists snatch bag from rickshaw riders
Chandigarh, November 14 As they reached Sector 37, two cyclists snatched their bag containing
Rs 500, two mobile phones and some documents and disappeared. A case has been registered.
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Rs 20,000 snatched from petrol station employee
Panchkula, November 14 According to the police a young boy approached the petrol station on the pretext of getting his fuel tank filled. When the petrol station staff asked him for the money, after filling petrol in his mobike, he reportedly snatched the cash bag from the attendant and fled. The petrol station staff raised an alarm and asked some passerby to follow the bike. But no one was willingly to take risk.
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Focus on manufacturing sector: Krishnamurthy
Mohali, November 14 Now Chairman of National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) and member of the National Advisory Council, Dr Krishnamurthy has set for himself an arduous "but possible" agenda: To make the Indian manufacturing industry more competitive, to generate larger employment opportunities and to provide high quality goods and low prices. "It is either now or never. We cannot have a better time to stand up and take notice of the fact that other nations, far less developed than us are leaving us behind in the manufacturing race. China's manufacturing industry contributes 35 per cent to the nation's GDP while we are at 17 per cent. "India's economic growth since the early 1990s has focused on the services sector but manufacturing that could have created more jobs for the urban and rural poor has remained more or less stagnant. But it is still not too late. We are right now the youngest country in the world with tremendous potential. We are being looked upon as a major outsourcing destination in manufacturing," he said talking to The Tribune here today The NMCC was constituted last year following the recommendations of the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP), Government of India to provide a forum for policy dialogue and to energise and sustain the growth of manufacturing industries. "We have come out with a draft of national strategy for manufacturing, advocating changes in taxation and labour laws. The tax burden on the Indian manufacturing industry is very high. It needs to be brought down by at least 15 per cent. I have recommended that the entire gamut of taxes be consolidated into just two - a central VAT and a State VAT," he said. While the report has gone into generic problems like power shortage and infrastructure development, sector specific reports are now being prepared. "These would include automobile industry, the traditional skill based industries like handicrafts, handlooms etc., pharmacy, agro-based industry etc," he said adding that region specific industrial strategies would also being formulated. "Punjab for example, should go full throttle into agro based industrial units like food processing," he said.
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