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UT to lease out new school buildings
Chandigarh, December 15
Chandigarh Administration has decided to lease out fully constructed new school buildings to educational institutes on an annual charge of Rs 1 only. A decision in this regard has already been taken while the policy awaits a formal clearance from the UT Administrator. There are 10 school sites on the list and the Administration is finalising certain other sites.

Wooing voters with ‘chai’, ‘coffee’
Chandigarh, December 15
With less than a week to go for the Municipal Corporation elections, the candidates have intensified campaigning in the city. They are going all out to woo the voters with various “sops”. Candidates standing humbly at your door with folded hands and asking for your vote is a common sight these days.

More councillors want MC chief to quit
Panchkula, December 15
The expose on horsetrading by dissident Congress councillors came as the first blow to MC president Manvir Gill. Now, seven more councillors of the party have jumped on to the protest bandwagon against Gill and demanded that she should step down from her post on moral grounds.

Public holiday on Dec 20 Chandumajra plays anti-Cong, SAD card Bansal, HP minister campaign for Chhabra CPI manifesto promises basic amenities Badal on campaign trail in city

Ward No. 23 Ward No. 24 Ward No. 25 Ward No. 26

Ex-general from UT is Lt-Governor
Chandigarh, December 15
Lieut-General Gen Bhopinder Singh (retd), a resident of Burail village in Chandigarh, has been appointed Lieut-Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. “The warrant of appointment was signed by the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, last evening,” General Bhopinder told The Tribune from New Delhi, where he is on a visit.

SC restrains CBI in power theft case
Chandigarh, December 15
The Supreme Court has put the case pertaining to the role of seven officers of the BBMB and the UT Electricity Department for allegedly facilitating the theft of power by Bhushan Industries on hold, at least, for the next three months.

Youth dies in mishap
Chandigarh, December 15
Twentyeight-year-old Karamjit Singh of Manauli Surat village lost his life when his car rammed into a divider on a road separating Sectors 19 and 20 opposite Jama Masjid here late last night.

Watch out Prem Singh, a defender in the hockey team of SGGS College, Sector 26, will represent Panjab University today in the ongoing north zone inter-University hockey tournament at Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. A star of the junior national hockey tournament at Tikamgarh (Rajasthan) in 2002, Prem is playing his fourth inter-university tournament.                                                Prem Singh
In Town Sudesh Bhosle, a leading singer will be performing at the Leisure Valley on Saturday at 7 p.m. Bhosle is coming to the city in connection with the ongoing first-ever Chandigarh Film Festival jointly organised by Chandigarh Tourism, the CII and the National Film Development Corporation. Bhosle is a widely acclaimed singer of Bollywood and is known for his playback records for Amitabh Bachchan.                                                             Sudesh Bhosle
Passing Through Tell us something about Star Interactive Services. We had initially started off by launching our short code 7827 — Star on your handset keypad, to enhance viewer and channel interactivity by offering instant participation in popular shows and contests of the Star bouquet of channels. Viren Popli, Senior Vice-President, Star Interactive Services

COMMUNITY

Admn yet to wake up to parking woes in Industrial Area Chandigarh, December 15 The Chandigarh Administration appears to be unclear over change in parking areas of the Industrial Area in the wake of the conversion policy. Haphazard parking in the Industrial Area needs immediate corrective measures in the wake of the upcoming shopping malls. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

More rare animals to delight Chhat Bir zoo visitors
Chandigarh, December 15
More rare animals will delight visitors to the Mahendra Choudhary Zoological Park at Chhat Bir, near here, from next week. In fact, the conservation efforts of the Punjab Wildlife Department are set to get a boost with the zoo gearing up to receive some of endangered species from the zoos across the country.

Army seeks details of JAG officers’ law degrees
Chandigarh, December 15
In an unprecedented move, Army Headquarters is seeking to verify the authenticity of the professional law degrees of Judge Advocate General Department officers. This comes long after the officers have passed their JAG Department examination and have been undertaking regular department work.

IT Dept holds language function
Chandigarh, December 15
The Income Tax Department organised the annual official language prize distribution function here today. According to a press note issued here today, Mr Tilak Raj Sharma and Mr Rajesh Arora won the first prizes in Hindi work and Hindi typing.

Christmas presents for underprivileged kids
Chandigarh, December 15
Children of three creche run for the underprivileged children at Dadumara, Dhanas and Hallomajra by the Durga Das Foundation were given presents today in connection with the forthcoming Christmas celebrations here.

Encroachments removed
Panchkula, December 15
The enforcement wing of the Haryana Urban Development Authority removed over 100 temporary structures from Chhota Haripur village in Sector 11 here today. With the removal of the structures, HUDA claimed to have cleared 14 kanals from unauthorised occupation.

• Drug inspectors conduct special drive

CRIME

3 held for stealing signal cable Panchkula, December 15 Three teenagers were caught red-handed by the Government Railway Police while stealing the signal cable from the track near Bapu Dham colony here today. One of their “friends” fled the spot. A single round was also fired in the air to scare the culprits. The three boys involved in stealing signal cable of the Railways at the spot where it was recovered, near Bapu Dham colony, on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Car stolen from PU
Chandigarh, December 15
The Chandigarh police has registered three cases of theft on complaints lodged by city residents. According to available information, Mr S.R. Mehra, a Panchkula resident, has complained that his Maruti car has been stolen from Panjab University.

3 held for thefts
Chandigarh, December 15
The Chandigarh police has recovered a video camera, five gas cylinders and two mobile phones following the arrest of three persons, namely, Dhira Kumar, Bhupinder Kumar and Surinder Shah.

BUSINESS

Discounts jack up car sales
Chandigarh, December 15
December is no longer a bleak month for car dealers. Thanks to the discounts offered by most car manufacturers and dealers, the year-end has become the best time for car business. Customers are flocking car dealers to get the best deals on cars.

Centurion Elite launched Chandigarh, December 15 Turning on the heat during the chilly weather, models sashayed down the ramp at The Taj during a fashion show organised by Centurion Bank of Punjab here tonight. Models display designer wear during a fashion show in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari Biz Clips

EDUCATION

Coalition politics here to stay: Dr Wallace
Chandigarh, December 15
“Coalition politics in India is here to stay, at least till the foreseeable future. At the same time India’s electoral politics continues to be full of surprises. Macro trends show a clear shift from dominant one-party to coalition politics. Diversity rather than uniformity marks Indian politics as reflected in an increasingly decentralised democratic federal political system embracing over a billion people”.

No unanimity on quota in private schools
Chandigarh, December 15
The 15 per cent quota for the economically weaker sections in private schools continues to raise dust with unanimity on the issue eluding school managements. As a result, a big question mark hangs on the future of children from the economically weaker sections who are in a catch-22 situation.

Science students make most of Internet
Chandigarh, December 15
A Panjab University study has found that use of the Internet by science students in the university is far higher than the students pursuing disciplines in social sciences and humanities. The study conducted by Dr Preeti Mahajan, a reader in the Department of Library and Information Science, concludes that science researchers make maximum use of the Internet facility provided by the university.

Book on psychopharmacology released
Chandigarh, December 15
Dr R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, released a book “Developments in psychopharmacology” authored by Prof S.K. Kulkarni in his office here today. Taking about the book, Dr Kulkarni said psychoneuropharmacological research had received special attention during the past four decades, particularly after the discovery of psychotropic drugs, chlorpromazine and reserpine.

KVS foundation day celebrated
Chandigarh, December 15
The regional-level Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan foundation day was celebrated today on the premises of Kendriya Vidyalaya OCF, Sector 29, here on its 44th anniversary. Ms Swati Sharma, SDM (East), who is also an alumnus of the KV school, was the chief guest and Mr J.P. Sharma, General Manager, OCF, was the guest of honour.

Bank honours students
Chandigarh, December 15
Four students of Sri Aurobindo School, Chandigarh — Rohit, Sushant, Akshay and Aditi— were honoured by the State Bank of Patiala, Sector 7 branch today. These students were honoured for having secured above 85 per cent marks in their matriculation examination.

COURTS

Judicial remand for NIIFT teacher
Mohali, December 15
Head of department of textile engineering (HoD), NIIFT, K.Krishnamurthy, who had been arrested for allegedly sending vulgar SMS and making obscene phone calls to girls students, was today remanded in judicial custody by the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Mrs Poonam Ratti, this evening.

CULTURE

Let experts manage film festivals, says Kaul
Chandigarh, December 15
Goa or Chandigarh, celebrated film critic Gautam Kaul has the knack to say the right things at the right time. Only recently he had lambasted organisers of the International Film Festival of India held at Goa for “”meek handling of a phenomenal academic event .”

Finally, city gets its film fest
Chandigarh, December 15
Chandigarh has finally entered the league of big cities, where cinema and social evolution go hand-in-hand. As the first Chandigarh Film Festival took off at Fun Republic today, the aspirations of organisers ran high.

Framed for you — spring and its hues

Chandigarh, December 15 It is as if the Centurion Bank of Punjab is fulfilling its corporate social responsibility. What started as a humble effort to launch budding artists and recognize existing ones has now become the bank’s annual ritual, a much-awaited one. The 10th annual art exhibition of the Centurion Bank of Punjab, which is going on at the art gallery of Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16, Chandigarh.

He makes officers dance to his tunes Chandigarh, December 15 Dalbir Singh Sakhowalia makes officers dance to his tunes. He has been teaching bhangra to IAS and other trainee officers at Lal Bahadur Shashtri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, since 2001. Dalbir Singh Sakhowalia (centre) with a bhangra team of officers of the 2005 batch at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

Musical giants to come alive
Chandigarh, December 15
Recreating the past is a tough task. But the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi is all set to take up the challenge. Tomorrow, Tagore Theatre in Sector 18 will come alive with the aura of the days gone by.

HEALTH

A rare surgery
Chandigarh, December 15
A 40-year-old woman from Bhawanigarh in Sangrur has been successfully operated upon for aortic aneurysm at Grecian Super-Speciality Hospital in Mohali. Mother of two sons, Mr Lovely Rani, was operated upon by Dr Shivpreet Singh Samra for treating aneurysm — weakness of aorta wall — right at the root of the aorta.

Hearing in PGI standoff deferred to Jan 8
Chandigarh, December 15
The hearing in a dispute between the PGI management and the Medical Technologists’ Association was deferred to January 8 by the Labour Commission here today. It was deferred as office-bearers of the PGI Medical Technologists’ association failed to appear before the commission.

Union-management rift stalls PGI projects
Chandigarh, December 15
Infighting between the PGI management and the employees’ unions have been causing huge losses to the PGIMER Contractors’ Welfare Association, besides hindering the pace of various undergoing constructions works.

Doctors wear black badges Mohali, December 15 Doctors of the Civil Hospital wore black badges against the transfer of a lady doctor from the hospital on the complaint of a local MLA, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, here today. The doctors also staged a dharna to revoke the transfer order. Doctors protest at the Civil Hospital in Mohali on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Blankets given to poor patients
Chandigarh, December 15
Poor children admitted to the paediatrics ward of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, were distributed blankets by the Chandigarh Industrialists Association here today.