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Mani Majra dwellers in a fix
Confusion over letter of Finance Secy
Chandigarh, February 23
Two years after being exempted from the purview of the Periphery Control Act, the fate of hundreds of families living in 500 dwelling units in Darshni Bagh area, Mani Majra, hangs in the balance.

Local lad VRV in Indian cricket team
Chandigarh, February 23
Local lad Vikram Raj Veer Singh, who is often rated as India’s fastest bowler, made it to the Indian cricket side announced today for the first Test match against England which begins on March 1 at Nagpur. The bowler, known by his initials VRV, is in Vadodra playing for the Board President’s XI against England.               Vikram Raj Veer Singh

Community service centres in UT villages soon
Chandigarh, February 23
While Chandigarh is witnessing an information technology boom, all its 18 villages remain poor cousins. The city will soon be witnessing the hustle and bustle of IT giants at the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Park and already has IT-aided e-Sampark centres, while the villages remain alien to any of these facilities.

Tyagi brothers on transit remand
Chandigarh, February 23
The Tyagi brothers, the two suspects besides Pawandeep in the sensational triple murder case in Sector 34, are being brought by a team of the Chandigarh Police from Jamnagar in Gujarat on transit remand. The police said the team was expected to reach Chandigarh tomorrow morning.

A Tribune Exclusive
Age bar: SC struck down similar BCI diktat in 1995
Chandigarh, February 23
The decision of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana not to give a licence to law graduates who have crossed the age of 45 years, except in a few cases, has stirred a hornet's nest, with some people even talking of moving the court against the decision.

Leaving luxury to work for the marginalised

Chandigarh, February 23 Living life in the luxury lane, it was smooth sailing for 11 Sikh youngsters in the US and Canada till India came calling eight years back. Inspired by the teachings of the Gurus, six girls and five boys, all young and single, knew it was a decision that would change their lives forever. Navpreet along with her husband and Prof D.J. Sandhu at the international seminar at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Shifted staff may be treated on deputation
Chandigarh, February 23
Employees of the Chandigarh Administration shifted to the Municipal Corporation in 1996 may soon be treated as on deputation. The development follows a notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs whose receipt has been endorsed by the Administration.

COMMUNITY

Cycle tracks turn into death traps

Chandigarh, February 23 The city known for its wide and clean roads is drawing a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons. Roads and cycle tracks laid recently are being dug up at several places without observing norms, threatening the lives of residents. Many southern sectors and the housing complex in Mani Majra has been dug up indiscriminately by a private telephone operator.

UT all set for planned development of urban areas
Chandigarh, February 23
The Chandigarh Administration is fully geared up to implement various projects designed to meet the objectives of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission(JNNURM) aimed at having planned development of urban areas with focus on efficiency in the services delivery system.

Analyse pre-fabricated structures, says Rodrigues
Chandigarh, February 23
As a part of the programme to give clean living to the poor and down trodden, Gen (retd) S.F. Rodrigues, the Governor of Punjab and the UT Administrator, today asked the Engineering Department of Chandigarh Administration to analyse the concept of pre-fabricated structures to accommodate displaced persons from slums. It will be an interim arrangement before shifting them to well-built tenements, for which an elaborate plan is already on.

Meeting on threat of bird flu
Chandigarh, February 23
The Animal Husbandry Directors of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and the Union Territory of Chandigarh met here today to draw up a contingency plan in the event of an out break of bird flu.

“Crime more prevalent in educated class”
Chandigarh, February 23
A two-day international seminar on “NGOs and Women’s Empowerment: Indian and Canadian Experiences,” organised by the Canadian Studies Centre and ICSSR North-Western Regional Centre, was inaugurated today at Panjab University.

Newspaper employees observe  ‘‘demands day’’

Chandigarh, February 23 Demanding the setting up of new wage boards, the Confederation of Newspaper and News Agency Employees Organisations today observed ‘‘demands day’’ by holding a rally in front of the The Tribune office here. The convener of the Confederation of Newspaper and News Agency Employees' Organisations, Mr Jagtar Singh Sidhu, addresses a rally demanding the early constitution of wage boards for newspaper employees in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Best roundabout award for Milkfed
Chandigarh, February 23
The Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39, has won the “Best Garden in the City” award in the large garden (over 4 kanals) category, while the first prize in the ‘small garden category went to the Accountant- General, A&E, Punjab.

The Regional Institute of Cooperative Managements, Sector 32, Chandigarh, that got the first prize for the best maintained college campus at the Festival of Gardens — 2006.

The Institute for the Blind, Sector 26, Chandigarh, that got the first prize for the best maintained private school campus at the Festival of Gardens-2006. — Tribune photographs by Manoj Mahajan

Experts: rationalise excise duties
Mohali, February 23
The Budget should make sincere efforts to increase capital expenditure if the country has to continue moving on the path of growth. These were the views expressed by Dr Manoj K. Sharma, Reader University Business School (UBS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, while talking at a symposium on “Pre-Budget analysis 2006-07” organised at the SAS Institute of Information Technology and Management here today.

Inspector Cheema operated upon
Chandigarh, February 23
Inspector J.S. Cheema, against whom a woman Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) had lodged a complaint of sexual harassment on Monday, has today under gone a heart surgery in Mohali-based Fortis hospital.

PNB staff holds protest
Chandigarh, February 23
On a call by the All-India Punjab National Bank Officers Association, officers of the bank today staged a dharna at the bank’s head office in Sector 17. Mr V.N. Gupta, assistant general secretary, and Mr T.R. Verma, zonal secretary of the association, said other than Chandigarh, the dharna was staged by officers at all zonal offices and regional offices of the bank throughout the country.

Kerala samajam’s memo to minister
Chandigarh, February 23
A delegation of the Kerala Samajam, Chandigarh, the Malayalees Association, Panchkula, and the Shri Ayyappa Sewa Samiti, Mohali, met Mr Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Indian Overseas Affairs in New Delhi, yesterday.

Dalit manch demands relief
Mohali, February 23
The Dalit Chetna Manch, Punjab, has demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh and an inquiry into the alleged negligence of some doctors of the GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh, due to which a youth had to lose one of his legs.

• Workshop on management of hazardous chemicals

• Saini sammelan

• ESIC Day today

CRIME

Boy succumbs to injuries; minor girl abducted
Chandigarh, February 23
A 7-year old boy, who was hit by a scoter on Tuesday, today succumbed to his injuries in the Sector 16 General Hospital, here. In another incident, a minor girl from Daria village was allegedly abducted by her neighbour. In two separate incidents, a theft of a motorcycle and a mobile phone was reported to the police. Besides this, the local police has arrested two persons on the charges on indulging in gambling while a Sector 38 resident was arrested with 21 nips of liquor.

Complaint against doc’s ‘apathy’
Chandigarh, February 23
A resident of Ram Darbar today complained to the police against a doctor of the local dispensary. She said she had undergone medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) at the dispensary yesterday. This morning, she developed pain and went back to the doctor, who refused to attend to her. She has sought action against the doctor for not attending to her.

16-yr-old tries to kill self
Chandigarh, February 23
A 16-year-old girl allegedly attempted suicide by hanging at her Colony No. 4 residence this evening here. According to the police sources, 16-year old Shalu was found hanging by her family members, who immediately got her down from the ceiling hook and rushed her to hospital.

Youth falls from fourth floor

BUSINESS

Order on truck overloading proves roadblock for industrial growth
Chandigarh, February 23
The Supreme Court directive banning overloading of trucks is proving to be a roadblock for industrial growth. In the wake of shortage of trucks and more material to be ferried, the freight charges have gone up by over 40 per cent.

EDUCATION

Cultural extravaganza at GJIMT Chandigarh, February 23 "Pratibha-06," the annual cultural and intellectual extravaganza at Gian Jyoti Institute of Management and Technology, Phase 2, Mohali, was held yesterday to test the mettle of students and showcase their talent. Inaugurating the programme, Mr. O. P. Arora, Additional General Manager, The Tribune, released ceremonial balloons and encouraged the students.  Students with painted faces at GJIMT, Phase 2, Mohali, on Wednesday.

Seminar on biotechnology
Chandigarh, February 23
A seminar on ‘Advanced Applications of Biotechnology’ was yesterday organised at the DAV College, Sector 10. The seminar was sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Chandigarh Administration as part of the ongoing science week celebrations.

Gagandeep wins contest
Chandigarh, February 23
Gagandeep Kaur of BA I won the first prize in a paper presentation competition on the topics ‘ Environment and Economic Development’, ‘ Population Growth: Boon or Bane’, and ‘Economic reforms and its impact on social sector’.

• Dayanand’s birth anniversary
• YPS students bitten by bees

COURTS

Uppal turns approver in case against PGI doctor
Chandigarh, February 23
In the CBI case against Dr R.S. Dhaliwal, a cardiologist at the PGI, Surinder Singh Uppal, a co-accused, has turned approver. The approver, who had also been booked by the CBI, was a heart valve supplier.

Nayagaon panel withdraws PIL
Chandigarh, February 23
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), Nayagaon, today withdrew its PIL, seeking investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into alleged nexus among ministers, police officers and bureaucrats with the land mafia operating in the villages in the periphery of Chandigarh, from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

CULTURE

Theatre fest concludes
Chandigarh, February 23
The theatre movement has not come of age for want of participation of the people in the region as compared to the revolutionary trends witnessed in the realm of Punjabi folk or pop music, observed Padmabhushan Sardar Anjum.

HEALTH

Prof J.D. Wig gets award
Chandigarh, February 23
Prof J.D. Wig, Head, Department of General Surgery, PGI, has been awarded the Medical Council of India Silver Jubilee Research Award for the year 2005 in the category of “Outstanding work in the field of medical and allied sciences done in India”.

SPORTS

Boxing championship from today
Chandigarh, February 23
The five-day 13th All India AK Misra Memorial Boxing Championship will start from tomorrow at the Skating Rink, Sector 10, here. Over 250 boxers of national and international fame are expected to participate in the 11 weight categories of the senior division. So far as many as 30 teams from all over the country have confirmed participation.

Annual sports meet concludes Chandigarh, February 23 Kriti Shukla of ECE Department VI th semester was adjudged ‘best athlete’ in the two-day annual sports meet of the Government Polytechnic for Women, Sector 10, which concluded here today. Kirti Shukla (left) on her way to winning the 200 m gold during the annual sports meet of the Government Polytechnic for Women, Sector 10, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Inter-varsity softball championship
Chandigarh, February 23
Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, Delhi Univesity, Delhi and Kurukshetra University (KU), Kurukshetra have moved into the league after defeating the opponents in the Inter-University Softball Championship for Women at PU grounds here.

St Xaviers wins runners-up trophy
Mohali, February 23
Student of St Xaviers School, Sector 71, brought laurels to the institution in the Inter-School Athletic Meet organised by District Athletic Association, Ropar, in Phase VIII here.