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Liquor shop allotments OK, rules HC
Chandigarh, March 30
In an important decision, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition seeking quashing of the allotment of liquor shops in Chandigarh under the new excise policy, which introduced a licensing policy instead of the existing practice of auction of shops.

Residents of Palsora village protest in front of the proposed liquor shop on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Slum kids clear Class V exams Chandigarh, March 30 They’ve grown up watching their mothers pick rags from the streets of Chandigarh. And while watching this, they have nurtured dreams of a life spared of dearth. Putting adversity behind them, Anup, Sahil and Lucky - children from the slums of Janata Colony - cleared the Class V examination conducted by the UT Education Department. What’s more, they managed impressive scores - by far the best their colleagues at the special school run by Theatre Age have managed. At this school, run from the premises of Government High School, Sector 24, slum children undertake part-time study programmes offered by volunteers. THE FLIGHT OF SUCCESS: Slum children from Janata Colony express their joy after clearing Class V exams of the UT Education Department. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tiwari

Bheora admits attempts to reviving terror
Chandigarh, March 30
Paramjit Singh Bheora, one of the prime accused in Beant Singh assassination case, used to hold meetings at a Rajpura-based hotel to “instigate” people against the state oppression and to join his terrorist module.

SSP post: UT yet to send panel to MHA
Chandigarh, March 30
More than a month after the Punjab Government sent a panel of three names to replace the SSP of Chandigarh, Mr Gaurav Yadav, the Chandigarh Administration is yet to even forward the panel to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for a formal appointment.

USA still under ‘Islam phobia’, says Muslim scholar
Chandigarh, March 30
An overwhelming number of Muslims in the United States-59 per cent to be exact, perceive some discrimination in the post-9/11 scenario. However, most of them are determined to continue living there because they feel that historically attempts have been made to suppress every community in that country until they bounced back and became actively involved in key decision-making processes.

Need to regulate foreign varsities’ campuses: expert
Chandigarh, March 30
The University Grants Commission Secretary Prof Mool Chand Sharma said there was an urgent need to regulate the functioning of private and foreign universities’ campuses in the country.

Befitting tribute to printing
Chandigarh, March 30
If the story of printing is the story of civilization, you have it all told in a succinct, form on a 13-page table-top calendar - Printers Calendar 2006-2007. A brainchild of Ludhiana-based printing shop owner Kamal Chopra, the calendar offers a complete history of printing that goes back to over 100, 000 years.

COMMUNITY

Chandigarh-Morinda rail line inspected

Chandigarh, March 30 The final exercise to certify the safety of the 45-km section of the Chandigarh-Morinda railway line began today with the Commissioner Railway Safety (CRS), Northern Railway, Mr Bhupinder Singh, inspecting the track. Railway staff on push trolleys wait at Mohali railway station to resume the inspection of the Chandigarh-Morinda railway track on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

SEZ may not be feasible in Zirakpur-Dera Bassi belt
Dera Bassi, March 30
The ambitious plan of the Amarinder Singh government to develop a 700-acre special economic zone (SEZ) along the Zirakpur-Dera Bassi belt to give a fillip to the industrial activity ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections early next year may not see the light of the day.

Benches, railing in park okayed
Chandigarh, March 30
The Environment and City Beautification Committee, Municipal Corporation, today approved various agenda items, including providing precast concrete reinforced benches for various gardens/green belts under the jurisdiction of the corporation.

BJP protests against contractor
Chandigarh, March 30
Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party today lodged a protest against the electricity contractor for allegedly misbehaving with the public over inflated bills. At a demonstration held at Transport Chowk, the activists demanded the cancellation of the contract and burnt an effigy of the contractor.

Devotees throng Mansa Devi

Panchkula, March 30 Hundreds of devotees from all over the region converged at Sri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine here to pay obeisance on the first day of the Chaitra Navratra Mela today. The nine-day fair began at the shrine with traditional fervour and gaiety. Amidst elaborate security arrangements and arrangements for public utilities, the devotees started gathering at the shrine from the wee hours. The illuminated Roza Sharif at Sirhind on the occasion of annual urs on Wednesday night. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Kaimbwala residents prevent demolition

Chandigarh, March 30 Residents of Kaimbwala village today blocked the road leading to the village against an effort by the Administration to demolish houses constructed outside the lal dora of the village. Residents of Kaimbwala village protest against a move by the Chandigarh Administration to demolish the houses outside the lal dora on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

New Indira Colony residents’ protest
Chandigarh, March 30
The residents of New Indira Colony, Manimajra, today, took out a protest march from the colony to Sector 9 to protest against the attitude of the Chandigarh Housing Board authority.

PPCB to prosecute MC Mohali, March 30 The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) will be prosecuting municipal councils of five towns, including that of Mohali, for violating pollution control norms. This was stated by Mr Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Chairman of the PPCB, at a function organised in connection with the inauguration of the regional office building in Phase II here today. A girl performs at the inauguration of the Punjab Pollution Control Board building in Mohali on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

No ties with de-addiction centre in Zirakpur: NA
Chandigarh, March 30
In connection with a news item published in Chandigarh Tribune under the headline “Ex-drug addicts join hands against abuse”, the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) today clarified that the was not associated with any outside enterprise, including the rehabilitation centre in Zirakpur.

Corruption charges against DC’s staff
Chandigarh, March 30
Residents of Colony No 2 and Lal Bahadhur Shastri Colony, Palsora, today levelled charges of corruption against field staff of the office of the Deputy Commissioner who were undertaking the bio-matrix survey in 18 slum areas of the city.

Rally by insurance staff
Chandigarh, March 30
A large number of employees from the four public sector general insurance companies, working in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, held a demonstration and rally today.

Two from city for reality show
Chandigarh, March 30
As Zee TV gets set to identify Business Baazigar, Nandini Hirianniah and Puneet Anand, the chosen ones from the city, are hoping to make it big through the reality show.

Scooter procession from Hussainiwala concludes
Chandigarh, March 30
A procession on scooters under the banner of the Internationalist Democratic Party (IDP), that began from the ‘samadhi’ of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at Hussainiwala on March 23, concluded at the Matka Chowk here today.

Recruitment rally for airmen begins
Chandigarh, March 30
About 300 candidates appeared for selection as airmen on the first day of a recruitment rally organised by the Air Force for persons hailing from Chandigarh. After initial screening, 100 candidates were found eligible and they would now be required to undergo a written test, interview and medical examination, based upon which a merit list would be drawn up for the final selection.

Fauji Beat
Should RTI Act apply to Army?
Those who feel that the Right to Information (RTI) Act should be applied to the Army, do not realise that any such action will jeopardise the national security of the country. The Army cannot be compared with the civil organisations because unlike the latter, the former has very little that can be brought under the public gaze.

• Bank holiday
• Gita Pustak Mela held
• Chief Architect

CRIME

Theft in 4 shops
Mohali, March 30
Goods worth about Rs 70,000 were allegedly stolen from four shops in Shahi Majra village here last night. According to information, the thieves allegedly decamped with DVD and CD players, mobile phones and other items from an electronics shop. Two shops dealing in kiryana items were also targeted by the thieves.

Car, mobile stolen
Chandigarh, March 30
A car and a motor cycle were today reported stolen from the city. Besides this, in two separate cases the local police arrested two persons for allegedly indulging in gambling.

BUSINESS

Traders resent shortage of CST forms
Chandigarh, March 30
Due to the shortage of Central Sales Tax (CST) forms, traders in the city have demanded that amendment in the Central Sales Tax (Registration and Turnover) Rules be made effective from March 31, 2007.

Wi-fi enabled restaurant
Chandigarh, March 30
Food Swings, a hi-tech restaurant in Sector 17 here, claims to be the first wi-fi enabled restaurant in the city and promises to take restaurant culture to the common man.

EDUCATION

Syndicate may discipline PU staff
Chandigarh, March 30
Initiating a move to discipline Panjab University employees, PU Syndicate members would consider a resolution proposing strict disciplinary action against those university employees who cast aspersions over the working of the Senate and Senators.

PCET wins awards
Lalru, March 30
The Punjab College of Engineering and Technology (PCET) brought laurels to the institution by winning several awards at the “Saturnalia-2006” organised by Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, recently.

PU students on indefinite fast Chandigarh, March 30 A group of Panjab University students today go on indefinite fast outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor here this morning in support of students of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET). According to the students, the institute authorities had withheld the results of II and IV year students due to shortage of lectures. Students of Panjab University on an indefinite fast in front of the office of the Vice-Chancellor in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Globalisation has spread poverty, says Prof Sharma
Chandigarh, March 30
Forces of globalization and marketisation have not only impeded the pace of poverty eradication ,but have created new terrains of poverty. Prof Mool Chand Sharma Secretary, University Grants Commission ,delivering the 2nd and 3rd lectures in the series of 6th Mehr Chand Mahajan Memorial Lectures observed this here today.

COURTS

Nanda plans court complex in Sec 43
Chandigarh, March 30
He has seen the district courts get along in years. From the days of few lawyers and fewer cars, he has witnessed the problems multiply. And now as the newly-elected president of the UT District Bar Association advocate N.K. Nanda plans to do something about it.

Charges framed
Chandigarh, March 30
The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.S. Baswana, today framed charges against Dr Deepak Kaura in the case of death of his wife, Dr Babita Kaura, who had jumped to death last year. The charges were framed for abetment to suicide. He had earlier been booked for murdering his wife.

SPORTS

Back with a smile
Chandigarh, March 30
Dr C.K. Jairath, the only person from the city who was a part of the contingent for the Commonwealth Games at Melbourne recently, returned with a smile. He had accompanied the boxing team, which won one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

City official for Wimbledon
Chandigarh, March 30
The International Tennis Federation of India has selected Parveen Kumar, a tennis coach with the Chandigarh Sports Council, to officiate in the Wimbledon tennis championship in England in June and July.

Surjit, Vipin, Geeta best athletes

Chandigarh, March 30 Surjit Singh, Vipin and Geeta Aggarwal were adjudged the best athletes in the two-day Fourth Inter-District Food Corporation of India Meet, which concluded at the Sports Complex, Sector 46, here, today. Winners of the FCI sports meet pose for a photograph at the Sports Complex, Sector 46, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph