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Pvt publishers make hay as NCERT fails to supply books
Chandigarh, April 7
The new NCERT textbooks of various subjects are yet to hit the stands in Chandigarh. The much talked about books, which promise to promote activity-based learning, reduce curricular burden and examination stress, are not available at any of the authorised stores, which sell NCERT books in the city. In fact, most parents have already purchased books available in the market printed by private publishers.

43 jhuggis gutted in Colony No 5
Chandigarh, April 7
A major fire was broke out at Colony No. 5, here today. More than 43 jhuggis were gutted, destroying property worth lakh of rupees. No causality was, however, reported.

Firemen douse the flames at Colony No. 5 in Chandigarh on Friday.
— A Tribune photograph

Dejected, student goes berserk Chandigarh, April 7 Amit Dutta shook the establishment of the Government College of Art, Sector 10, here this morning. Alienated by the authorities, this final-year applied art student chose the language of aggression to register his resentment against the system that, he says, “stinks”.

(From left) Amit Dutta with his brother at the Sector 3 police station, Chandigarh; Amit’s artwork on walls of his hostel corridor; and graffiti written by Amit on walls of his hostel and gallery of the Government College of Art, Sector 10, Chandigarh. — Tribune photos by Vinay Malik.

Travails of getting an FIR registered
Chandigarh, April 7
The police initially refused to register an FIR in a mobile phone theft case. Subsequently, it registered a daily diary report, saying the phone had been misplaced.

Sarus breeds at Chhatbir zoo Chandigarh, April 7 The world’s tallest flying bird is breeding successfully in captivity. Five chicks have been bred in Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir, near here, in the past three years. The zoo is now home to eight sarus cranes. These days, two young ones are the centre of attraction for bird lovers. They can be seen sauntering and flapping their wings. They were separated from their parents. The heads of these eight-month-old chicks are covered with cinnamon brown feathers. Newly born chicks of the sarus crane flap their wings in Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Raids at ex-Navy officer’s in-laws house
Chandigarh, April 7
CBI sleuths have seized documents pertaining to foreign investments, besides other items during a raid on a house here in connection with the ongoing investigations in the Navy war room leak case.

COMMUNITY

City pools gear up for the summer

Chandigarh, April 7 The city has prepared itself to beat the scorching heat. One can have a splash in the water in a number of pools. Various clubs and centres are in the offering. Here are a few places being geared up for swimming enthusiasts. Watery blues: For that deep plunge to beat the heat of the summer of 2006, the Panjab University swimming pool being filled up in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

UT villages to have mini-sampark centres by May
Chandigarh, April 7
All the 18 villages of the Union Territory will have mini sampark centres by May. The structures are coming up on Built Operate Transfer basis.

Centre to promote development in small towns
Chandigarh, April 7
The Centre has decided to promote urban development in small and medium towns by subsuming existing schemes of integrated development of towns with the accelerated urban water supply programme.

ISKCON devotees perform the “Abhishek ceremony” on the occasion of Ram Navmi at Hare Krishna Dham in Sector 36, Chandigarh, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Smart cards system to be
operational soon
Chandigarh, April 7
The non-implementation of the smart card system for making purchases from CSD canteens at Chandimandir is causing inconvenience to serving personnel visiting the military station.

Bank forum pledges support
to SBI staff
Chandigarh , April 7
The indefinite strike called by the joint forum of the State Bank employees and officers federations today entered its fifth day.

YPS old boys to honour Bansal today
Chandigarh, April 7
Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of State for Finance, will sport an old school tie instead of his customary attire when he meets students from his old school here tomorrow.

Progress of war memorial reviewed
Chandigarh, April 7
To expedite the construction of war memorial, a meeting was held under the supervision of Mr S.K. Sandhu, Secretary of Engineering Wing, here today. The job is likely to completed by July 31.

Labour policy reforms discussed
Chandigarh, April 7
The Council Of Indian Employers in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the All India Organisation of Employers today organised a social dialogue on labour policy reforms.

Six new members inducted into BJP
Chandigarh, April 7
The Bhartiya Janta Party today inducted six new members to its party. Mr Rajesh Gupta (Bittu) who had contested the past two Municipal Corporation elections as an independent candidate was inducted with his supporters Mr Rakesh Gupta, Mr Sanjay Gupta, Mr Harminder Singh, Mr Ramesh Batra and Mr Nand Lal Nagpal.

Punjab Regiment to hold bi-annual get-together
Chandigarh, April 7
The Punjab Regiment is holding its bi-annual get-together here on April 9. Serving and retired regimental officers from all over the country are expected to attend the meet, a statement issued here said today.

Residents protest opening of liquor shop
Zirakpur, April 7
Local residents are up in arms against the opening of a liquor shop at the Kalgidhar Enclave here. In a representation to the Dera Bassi SDM, about 150 residents alleged that the opening of the shop would prove to be a nuisance for the residents.

Public health official clarifies
Mohali, April 7
An official of the Department of Public Health said here today that small creatures could not enter water supply pipes laid inside buildings as a wire mesh was put on both sides of the water meters which prevents them from entering the pipes.

Camp to exchange soiled notes
Chandigarh, April 7
To create awareness among the public regarding the clean note policy, HDFC Bank, in association with the Reserve Bank of India, will conduct a camp for the exchange of soiled notes at its branch, SCO 147-148, Sector 17-C, on Saturday between 10 am and 2 pm.

• Yoga classes

CRIME

Two killed in road mishaps
Chandigarh, April 7
An unidentified man was killed while another suffered serious injuries after being crushed by a truck here, this evening. The accident took place at the Sector 45, 46, 49 and 50 traffic lights point, when the truck hit the moped of the victims.

A breach of trust
Chandigarh, April 7
In a bizarre incident, a man decamped with the motor cycle of an accident victim on the pretext of offering him help.

Kaithal man held for cheating
Chandigarh, April 7
The local police today arrested a Kaithal resident on the charges of breach of trust and cheating as he tried to decamp with Rs 1.50 lakh from a resident of Rajpura.

Sketches of looters released
Panchkula April 7
The Panchkula police has released the sketches of two accused persons allegedly involved in an incident of looting at Panchkula on April 2.

Kidnapping case: gangster held
Chandigarh, April 7
The police today arrested the gangster involved in the kidnapping of a Sector 23 shopkeeper.

BUSINESS

Post offices to provide loans up to Rs 75,000
Chandigarh, April 7
Loan seekers can now approach post offices in the city to get personal loans up to Rs 75,000. After tying up with G.E. Countrywide, the Postal Department today started the new facility at 11 post offices in the city and Mohali.

ACs, refrigerators showcased in exhibition
Chandigarh, April 7
Coolex 2006, being held at the CII in Sector 32, is offering options to beat the summer heat by showcasing refrigerators and air-conditioners.

EDUCATION

PU revises evaluation rates by 10 pc
Chandigarh, April 7
The rates of payment for evaluation of answer books of various university examinations of 2006 and for conduct of practical examinations to laboratory staff of the Panjab University and affiliated colleges has been increased by 10 per cent over existing rates w.e.f. 1.4.2006.

Dera Bassi-Lalru belt to have nursing college
Dera Bassi, April 7
The Zirakpur-Dera Bassi-Lalru belt will get another professional college this academic session. This time it will be a nursing college to be started by the Sri Sukhmani Group as a run-up to the setting up of a full-fledged medical college.

PU professor gets emeritus status
Chandigarh, April 7
Professor Harnam Singh Shan has been chosen as Professor Emeritus by Panjab University. Professor Shan is a renowned expert on Punjab, Punjabi, Sufi and Sikh studies.

Another striking student hospitalised
Chandigarh, April 7
Another student of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), who was on hunger strike along with others on the Panjab University campus, was forcibly taken to the hospital today. He is the seventh student to be hospitalised following deterioration of his condition as the strike entered 10th day.

School celebrates founder’s day Mohali, April 7 To mark the 27th founder’s day celebrations of Yadavindra Public School, Mohali, a fun filled day called ‘Pagal Gymkhana’ was organised on the school premises. Girls participate in ‘paint the face’ competition as a part of the 27th founder’s day celebrations of YPS, Mohali, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

Attractive packages for NIIFT students
Mohali, April 7
Students of the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology Mohali , have been given attractive packages by placement companies. The placement week in the institute ended here today.

Exam dates clash
Chandigarh, April 7
A clash of examination dates has been reported by students of Bachelors in Education (B.Ed) studying in various colleges affiliated to Panjab University.

• Declamation contest

HEALTH

PGI to acquire unique device for focussed radiation
New Delhi, April 7
The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, has got a provisional approval from the Health Ministry for the proposed installation of Positron Emission Tomography, cyber knife, creation of a dedicated burns unit and upgradation of MRI.

Patients’ attendants ‘big help’ to ICU staff
Chandigarh, April 7
It houses the PGI's most critical patients, is out of bounds for practically all outsiders and entry of infection is particularly checked. The Intensive Care Unit, one of the most sterile of places in the institute, however, is now giving infection a walkover in the entire ward if the visits by attendants to the ward are any indication to go by.

World Health Day observed
Chandigarh, April 7
The World Health Day was observed today at various places in the city. At the UT Red Cross, Chandigarh, the theme 'Working Together for Health' marked the day. A free health checkup-cum-awareness camp was held in collaboration with the Health Department, UT.

Pulse polio drive from April 9
Chandigarh, April 7
The Director Health Services, UT, Chandigarh, Dr Inderjeet Kaur Walia today announced the launch of pulse polio immunisation campaign on April 9.

ADMINISTRATION

UT to review expenditure of all depts
Chandigarh, April 7
The Chandigarh Administration has decided to review the plan and non--plan expenditure of all its departments on quarterly basis for the effective and efficient utilisation of resources and funds available with it.

Naunihal Singh SSP of SAS Nagar district
Chandigarh, April 7
Mr Naunihal Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police at Khanna, has been posted as Senior Superintendent of Police of the newly created SAS Nagar district.