Chandigarh, January 19
Panjab University has proposed to rescind the system of issuing ‘letter of intents’ (LOIs) for granting affiliation to colleges for new courses or grant extension to existing courses. This proposal would be discussed during the forthcoming meeting of the Syndicate to be held on January 21.

The decision to issue LOIs was taken by the syndicate in May this year following which a large number of colleges had reportedly started misusing these letters, admitting students to courses which had still not been granted affiliation.

An office order stating that this system be rescinded forthwith forms a part of the supplementary agenda for the meeting. LOIs were issued on behalf of the Syndicate in cases where inspection reports had been received but the NOC for grant of provisional/extension of affiliation was received late and the cases could not be placed before the syndicate.

“Sometimes the colleges take it for granted that affiliation/extension of affiliation has been granted and admitted students. To save the interest of students, avoid unnecessary legal complications and to avoid any confusion, no letter of intent will be issued” states the office order.

The University proposes to admit 12 students to a new 3-year integrated degree in BSc Medical Lab Technology course and 20 students in the new MSc Solid Waste Management course to begin from the session 2006-2007.

The syndicate would take up the case of FDO Ashok Raj Bandari and Joint Registrar H.C Malhotra for the grant of two increments instead of one already granted for holding posts of higher responsibility and importance than their posts of deputy registrar.

The syndicate would also consider grant of accelerated and special increments in case of non-teaching employees including some ad hoc employees who have acquired higher educational qualifications during the period of their service.

Mohali, January 19
The Mohali SP, Mr Varinder Pal Singh, has asked the authorities of various banks in the town to get close-circuit cameras installed in their establishments so that it becomes easier to nab criminals.

The SP was talking to representatives of various banks at a meeting held here today where bank authorities were asked to step up security arrangements as burglars had recently decamped with cash after breaking into the extension branch of the Oriental Bank of Commerce in Phase VI.

It was also suggested that security guards posted at banks should be asked to remain more vigilant.

Zirakpur, January 19
The 1.8-km Zirakpur flyover, being built as part of ambitious project of four-laning of the Ambala-Chandigarh highway, will just fly over the township.

Meanwhile, preliminary work on the much-awaited four-laning project has started with the survey and alignment works being carried out by the company allotted work by the Central Government. The actual work on the 35-km “killer stretch”, slated to be completed by mid-2008, is likely to start next month, according to sources.

In fact, a major portion of the township would get under the flyover as it would stretch from near the Bains Petrol Station (near Silver City Extension) to this side of the Mayur Hotel on the Chandigarh side.

The completion of the project, which entails building a huge flyover at Zirakpur, three major bridges besides the service roads, will remove major traffic bottlenecks on the highway. With thousands of vehicles passing through the road everyday, accidents are a routine affair making this a “killer stretch”.

The four-laning of the road will also reduce the travelling between Chandigarh and Ambala. While currently close to one hour is spent for travelling between the two towns, the four-laning would reduce the time up to 30 minutes much to the relief of the harassed commuters.

Currently, in the wake of the alleged encroachments on both sides of road on Zirakpur, traffic jams are everyday affairs. The flyover at Zirakpur, the sources said, would take care of the traffic jams.

While a major portion of Zirakpur will virtually get under the overbridge, the connectivity between Dera Bassi and Chandigarh would make the travelling faster.

The four-laning project had been hanging fire for at least a decade now inconveniencing the commuters. It was during the previous NDA regime that the project was approved under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP). The then Minister for Surface Transport and National Highways, Maj-Gen B.C. Khanduri (Retd), had performed the “bhoomi poojan” of the project over two years back.

Mohali, January 19
There was excitement among residents of Sohana village here today as a guest from the wild strayed into the area.

To the surprise of everyday a sambar entered the village. No one knew from where the wild guest had appeared but it had certainly created anxious moments for some residents of the village.

A number of people gathered near a pond where the sambar had entered and was hiding itself in the wild growth. For sometime, nobody dared to enter the pond which was full of dirty water and sullage but soon some persons got ropes and long wooden pole to pull the animal out. However, after some effort the villagers were able to capture the sambar.

As it had become difficult to control the animal, its legs were tied so that it did not run away. Residents were trying to get in touch with the officials of the Forest Department to hand over the sambar to them.

The animal was then taken to a college of nursing located in the village and kept there till the evening. Officials of the Forest Department came to the village after 6 p.m. and took away the sambar.

Mr Jasbir Singh, a resident of the village, said that the sambar was spotted in the area around 12.30 p.m. and the dogs of the village were barking at the animal which was running here and there. He said that the sambar had entered his house also.

“I got scared that the animal will damage my car which was parked in the area but it jumped over the vehicle and also over some persons standing there giving scary moments to them”.

Mr Jasbir Singh further said that animal then ran out of the house. Some dogs of the village were after the sambar. One of them had, in fact, even bittten the guest from the wild. 

Chandigarh, January 19
With a view to promoting rural tourism, the Chandigarh Administration plans training programme for the residents of the UT villages gearing them to play host to tourists interested in staying at their homes.

A senior officer of the Administration said that efforts would be made to design training programmes for the interested parties with the help of the Institute of Hotel Management and the Food Crafts Institute.

The aim of the training programme would be to educate the selected hosts about the facilities that the visitors expected and the hosts needed to provide. “Any tourist will appreciate cleanliness, good food and a comfortable stay. They can be taught about different menu that could be provided to the visitors”, the official said.

The Administration was also working out possibility of a tie-up with a bank to finance the interested party. “Certain parties having adequate space in their residential apartments might be interested in additional construction of rooms and providing additional facilities where the banks can be of help”, he said.

The Administration would first draw a list of the houses which are fully equipped to host the visitors with adequate infrastructure and dining avenues. This would be done with help of a team appointed specialty to identify the suitable places.

The Administration had, in the first phase, identified Khuda Lahora village for promotion of ‘rural tourism’ in the Union Territory. The village had been selected as a part of the national policy of the Ministry of Tourism where each state was expected to develop at least one village as a pilot project for promoting tourism and which could be implemented elsewhere.

The blueprint suggested careful planning of activities to develop tourism potential of the village in a coordinated manner and on a sustainable basis. Local panchayat would be involved in policy making.

The first step in this direction would be carrying out the cleanliness drive in the whole village followed by constructing a theme based gate at the entry point. An information centre would also be provided at the site.

Chandigarh, January 19
For the past two days the city's meat supplyline has been snapped and meat suppliers have been seeing red, courtesy the Municipal Corporation which has effected a hike in slaughter charges since yesterday.

In protest against the hiked charges of Rs 30 against Rs 2.50 previously, the meat suppliers have gone on an indefinite strike and no mutton has been supplied to shops and hotels for the past two days.

While shops have announcements of "No meat available", hotel owners said they were serving mutton dishes from previously stocked supplies of red meat. This has had a spiraling effect on demand for chicken which has gone up in the last couple of days.

Says Rohit Gawri of Peshawaris in Sector 19: "Our supply comes on a day-to-day basis and we have not had any since yesterday. There's nothing we can do to meet the demand. So, we have just put up a board outside our shop announcing unavailability of red meat".

Other supermarkets, too, had exhausted their meat supply and were turning away customers. In Panchkula, too, meat supply is hit in a big way with most shops dependent on suppliers from the city. Adds Mr Bishamber Singh of Singh Sons, Sector 7:"We have no supply of meat on account of the strike by suppliers. All our sales of non-vegetarian products are coming from chicken mainly. We are awaiting the calling off of the strike."

Having stocked meat in deep freezers, hotels continued to dish out mutton delicacies without problem.

Meanwhile, the 60-odd mutton suppliers stuck to their stand of continuing with their strike if the hike was not withdrawn. "From Rs 2.50 as charges for slaughter of a goat, the MC has hiked the charges to Rs 30. We have met various MC officials but they have shown no inclination to withdraw the hike. They even suggested that we call off our strike since the withdrawal, if it could happen, would take at least two months," the president of the Meat Welfare Union, Mr Balak Ram, said.

If all persuasion fails, the union plans to move the high court to stay the hike on the plea that in Delhi, too, the slaughter charges are Rs 2.50 only.

Meanwhile, the Mayor, Mr Surinder Singh, said the bylaws, including hike in slaughter charges, were passed by the MC House and notified by the UT Administration. "I have received a copy of the representation of the union. We will see what can be done since it is the prerogative of the House and the Administration and will consider their case," the Mayor said. 

Chandigarh, January 19
Even as mystery shrouds the letter behind the phone-tapping controversy pertaining to tapping of telephones of six persons, including two judicial officers, similar letters were received by a former BJP MP, Mr Sat Pal Jain and Danik Tribune correspondent Ramesh Handa.

When the Danik Tribune correspondent tried to bring the matter to the notice of senior police officers he was denied an audience, even during visiting hours. Repeated efforts to meet senior officers proved futile. On the other hand Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has termed the letters as “forged”.

It was learnt that among the list of telephone numbers being tapped by BSNL for Chandigarh Police, according to the letter, were those of Mr Sat Pal Jain, Mr Anmol Rattan Sidhu, a former president of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Council, Sector 33 resident Mr Labh Singh, Mr Sanjeev Kumar, a district courts Judge, UT Law Department and another department of UT Administration.

The letter further mentioned that the BSNL had confirmed a payment of Rs 79,110 made by the Chandigarh Police for tapping of the above mentioned phone numbers.

Mr Sat Pal Jain, when contacted, confirmed the receipt of the letter mentioning six telephone numbers that were allegedly being tapped by the BSNL for the Chandigarh Police. He had received the letter on Wednesday. Mr Jain added that he tried to contact the UT Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Yadav, today, but he was not available. Mr Jain, who was on his way to Delhi, said he would contact the UT Police again after coming back to the city.

Mr Jain also condemned the attitude of the UT police officials who did not hear out city journalist, Mr Ramesh Handa, on such a sensitive issue.

Mr Handa alleged that Mr Gaurav Yadav was deliberately trying to avoid him.

Chandigarh, January 19
Bhai Jasbir Singh Ji Khalsa (Khannewale), a preacher and chairman of Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Charitable Eye Hospital Trust, Sohana, today distributed 1000 sweaters to poor children in different school of various Krara, Krari, Hansala, Mamoli, Buta Singhwala, villages.

He said serving humanity was equal to serving God. With his guidance, philanthropists pooled their resources. They were actively engaged in helping the needy people.

They have already provided ambulances at National Highways for immediate assistance to the trauma patients, ceiling fans/air coolers distribution in SOS village and different schools in various villages. 

Chandigarh, January 19
Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Panjab University, organised a lecture on “Culture and Peace in UNESCO Perspective” by Swami Buddhanand, a renowned spiritual educationist at the Gandhi Bhawan here today. Swamiji in his lecture emphasised that Buddhism can be equated with humanism and trans-humanism. He talked about the contribution of Buddhism in furtherance of peace at the global level.

Professor Rajesh Gill of the Department of Sociology, PU, presided over the lecture. In her presidential remarks, she stressed that peace should be seen from individual perspective rather than global. According to her, a person cannot be at peace with others if one is not peaceful with oneself.

“Today the meaning of culture is lost. We are aspiring for materialistic things and not peace. We are to set our priorities and evolve our own agenda for the attainment of peace,” she said.

Prof. N.K. Ojha, Chairman, Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, proposed a vote of thanks .

Chandigarh, January 19
An unidentified youngster snatched a gold chain from a woman in the Sector 40 this evening. In a separate incident, a purse containing gold ornaments, Rs 4000 and other articles was stolen. Elsewhere, two unidentified occupants of a car sped away after taking computer parts worth about Rs 80,000. Besides, a scooter was stolen from Sector 35.

Police sources in the Sector 39 police station said Ms Sudarshana of the Sector 40 lodged a complaint with the police alleging that an unidentified youngster in his twenties snatched her gold chain from out side her house at around 5 pm.

Chandigarh, January 19
As many as 47 branches of the UCO Bank under the Regional Office, Chandigarh, celebrated ‘krishak divas’ today by launching ‘UCO Kisan Samridhi Yojana’ throughout the country.

Under this scheme, loan upto Rs 15 lakh will be provided to the farmers, not only to meet their production and investment requirements but also to meet their personal needs.

Foundation day: The National Federation of Insurance Field Workers of India celebrated its 49th Foundation day today. Many social welfare activities were carried out in all 18 branches of the division. Free medical camps were organised in the city.

Shoes and sweaters were distributed to poor students in Kumhar Colony and quilts and blankets were distributed to Mother Teresa Children House and Chandi Kusht Ashram.

Training camp for private banks: A one-day training camp was organised for officers of private banks, including ICICI, IDBI, HDFC and UTI banks, by National Savings Institute.

As many as 20 representatives participated in the camp. A one-day camp was held for small savings agents of Chandigarh and Panchkula, yesterday.

SBI Loan Mahotsav:- The State Bank of India is organising an SBI Loan Mahotsav from December 20- 22 at Sector 34 exhibition ground, as part of its bicentennial celebrations. An exhibition of the bank’s 200 year history will also be showcased here.