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Nine school students injured in accident
Bus hits bystander, killing him on spot

Mohali, January 10 One person was killed and at least 16 injured, nine of them school students, when a school bus was involved in an accident with a Punjab Roadways bus on the Sohana- Landran road this morning.

The damaged school bus at the accident site. — A Tribune photograph

Tipper hits St Kabir bus; eight hurt

Panchkula, January 10 Eight students of St Kabir School were injured, one of them seriously, when a tipper hit their school bus here today. The injured were identified as Aryan , Naman , Ushika, Megha, Shrey, Raashi, Aishwarya and Hitesh, residents of Sector 21, Imtiaz Khan (driver) and Yakub (conductor).

The students injured in a bus accident being treated at General Hospital, Panchkula, on Thursday. —Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Now on, no less Green 
Projects told to grow trees
Chandigarh, January 10
In a departure from the practice of “overlooking” norms for development, the Chandigarh administration has decided to go tough while granting permission for felling trees to make way for development projects.

Rebuked by mother, boy kills himself
Poor grades drive girl to suicide
Chandigarh, January 10
Three cases of suicide were reported in the city here today. The first incident came to light at 7.20 am when a constable on beat duty noticed a body floating at the Sukhna. He called for help and the body was fished out. The deceased was identified as 18-year-old Mamta Rani of Bank Colony, Mani Majra.

At last, bin-free
Chandigarh, January 10
A garbage disposal project initiated in 2004 by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will be implemented in July this year. The project costing Rs 9 crore, will be the first of its kind in the country. To do away with the unpalatable dustbin sites, a novel concept of garbage bin-free scheme was introduced in 2004. 

Dynamos look to heaven
Chandigarh, January 10
After a splendid performance on turf, the Chandigarh Dynamos today sought the blessings of the Almighty to achieve victory. Besides a regular workout and training schedule, skipper Rajpal Singh, drag-flick expert Sandeep Singh, custodian Baljit Singh and forward Inderjit Chadha paid obeisance at temples, ‘gurdwaras’ and ‘dargahs’ for tomorrow’s crucial final tie against Bangalore Hi-Fliers at the Sector 42 hockey stadium here today.

Another traffic cop hit
Chandigarh, January 10
In yet another incident, a reckless car driver hit a policeman, carrying him on his bonnet to a distance, when the latter signalled him to haly near Colony No. 5 here this evening. Head constable Nirmal Singh and constable Parveen Kumar signalled a Tata Indica car (PB-65-C-5071) to stop as its driver was on a mobile phone.

COMMUNITY

Many a tumble on sand

Chandigarh, January 10 A number of motorists driving on Dakshin Marg had a miraculous escape today when their vehicles banged against each other. An electricity cable on the central verge dividing Sectors 21 and 34 is being laid by the municipal corporation and the contractor has dumped sand and other construction material on the road. Heaps of sand that have been dumped on Dakshin Marg in Chandigarh. —Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Paresh Parekh

‘Animation is future of film-making’
Chandigarh, January 10
No other form of entertainment offers an arena as wide as animation. With films locales becoming common and monotony creeping into movies and serials, animation is here to stay, believes actor and cast director Paresh Parekh. In city to conduct a three-day workshop for students of Frameboxx Animation, Paresh says it’s acting that is currently running the roost in animation.

Fauji Beat
How to rid Army of corruption
If earlier it bacame difficult to appoint an officer to the highest post — Director General of Supplies and Transport — in the Army Service Corps at the Army Headquarters because the officers on the seniority list were involved in corruption, it is now a Maj-General heading the list for the post of Director-General of Ordnance who is allegedly involved in a graft case. It was only a year ago that a Maj-General who was commanding a division, was cashiered and sentenced to three years imprisonment for siphoning off liquor from the CSD canteens to his home-town.

Class IV employees protest privatisation

Chandigarh, January 10 Members of the Class IV Government Employees Union, Punjab, today organised a rally in front of the office of the director, health services, in Sector 34 here today against the privatisation drive and “anti-employee” policies of the state government. Members of the Class IV Government Employees Union, Punjab, raise slogans in front of the office of the director, health services, in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Beant Singh memorial project gets moving
Chandigarh, January 10
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said his government would complete the much-delayed Beant Singh memorial project in Sector 42 here. It was after one year that a meeting of the governing body of the memorial was held today.

Health minister visits abandoned child
Mohali, January 10
Punjab health minister Prof Lakshmi Kanta Chawla yesterday visited the Mohali civil hospital to see the two-day-old abandoned girl child. Embracing the infant, she said all possible care would be given to the child. Dr Roshan Sunkaria, secretary, health-cum-managing director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, accompanied her.

Electoral Rolls
Last date for submitting claims extended
Chandigarh, January 10
Haryana State Election Commission has extended the last date for submission of various claims and objections to the revising authority that published draft electoral rolls of municipal council, Panchkula, on December 28, 2007.

Four thermal plants on anvil: Minister
Mohali, January 10
Many important projects in the state remained neglected with the change of governments. Setting up of an oil refinery in Bathinda was the biggest project of the state initiated by the SAD but remained ignored for five years when the Congress took over in Punjab.This was stated by minister for rural development and panchayats Ranjit Singh Brahmpura at a public function in Sialba village today.

Letters

CRIME

Graft: Two more traffic cops suspended
Chandigarh, January 10
A day after two traffic policemen were suspended for taking bribe, the traffic police today transferred two more policemen for letting go a violator after allegedly taking a bribe. The traffic police said head constable Nirmal Singh and constable Janak Raj deputed for traffic duty at Piccadilly Chowk stopped the driver of a Tata Safari for not wearing a seat belt.

House in Sector 38-C burgled
Chandigarh, January 10
Thieves decamped with Rs 1.50 lakh and jewellery after breaking into a house in Sector 38-C. Vijay of Sector 38-C has reported to the police that Rs 1.50 lakh and four tolas of gold were stolen from his house during the intervening night of January 8 and 9.

EDUCATION

PU Notes
PU to organise 3-day media fest
Chandigarh, January 10
The department of mass communication at Panjab University will organise a three-day media fest from January 18. This first-ever national-level festival is a students’ initiative and will see a number of events ranging from photography, documentary making, collage making and quiz competitions.

Amendment to Security of Service Act
Teachers to protest, burn copies
Chandigarh, January 10
The Chandigarh District Council of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), in a meeting held today, decided that teachers working in the aided colleges of Chandigarh would not work on January 15 and assemble in front of the DPI’s (C) office, Punjab, Sector 17, where the copies of the amendment made to the Security of Service Act-1974 would be burnt.

From Schools
Road safety week at Gian Jyoti
Mohali, January 10
Students of Gian Jyoti Public School celebrated road safety week. The theme of the week was ‘Drive to care! Not to dare!’ Poster making and slogan writing competitions were also organised.

Government school sans funds, furniture
Hapless children bear the brunt
Mohali, January 10
It’s raining outside, inside is no better... it’s dark and damp. With only floor mats to sit on, almost everyone inside is shivering. Trying to keep their frozen little hands steady on the notebooks, students of Government Elementary School in Mohali are helpless but braving the coldest days of winters.

COURTS

Consumer Court
Non-compliance of order
Indus Airways MD jailed
Chandigarh, January 10
Not complying with the order of the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I has landed the managing director (MD) of Indus Airways Private Limited in soup. The forum has sentenced the MD to one-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 has been imposed on him.

Nigerian gets 10-yr RI under NDPS Act
Chandigarh, January 10
Peter’O Ediae, a 36-year-old Nigerian, was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment (RI) of 10 years by the additional district and sessions judge, Raj Shekhar Attri, today. A fine of Rs 5 lakh was also imposed on him under the NDPS Act. Counsel for the Narcotics Control Board stated that Peter had accused the investigating officer, P.K. Sharma, of implicating him in the case because he was a Nigerian.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Tribune ex-GM cremated
Ambala, January 10
Former general manager of The Tribune group of publications R.R. Sharma was cremated in Ram Bagh, Ambala cantonment, today. His elder son Ranti Dev Sharma lit the pyre.

Day I: Encroachments removed amid tight security
Pinjore, January 10
Backed by a heavy police force, the National Highway Authority of India started an anti-encroachment drive here today and razed dozens of buildings to ground. However, no protests from the public were reported. Instead, many building owners starting demolishing the encroachments themselves to avoid the JCB machine attack on their buildings, which could result in severe damage to the buildings.

Man gets life term for killing uncle
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 10
A local court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for having killed his uncle about two-and-a-half years back. The court of additional sessions judge sentenced Supinder Singh, a resident of Mehmadpur village, to 20 years in jail for having murdered his uncle Malkiat Singh of the same village. 

90 tonne spurious jaggery seized
Rajpura, January 10
In an overnight operation carried out by the district health department, 90 tonnes of suspicious jaggery (gur) was seized from five trucks at Shambu barrier. The health officials stated that they had received a tip-off that some people were trying to bring in spurious jaggery into the state in view of the upcoming Lohri festival.