The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Roof collapse in school; none hurt
Tribune News Service

Lalru, January 15
A major tragedy was averted this afternoon when the roof of the computer room of Government Kanya High School collapsed. The incident took place during recess in the school when students were buys having their lunch and playing in the ground.

The school building is in a shambles and according to Saroj Bala, principal of the school, the roof of the computer room was repaired by a team from the PWD less than a fortnight back. She added that she had again written to the district education officer and PWD regarding the incident that happened in the school today.

At least 20 students occupy the computer room at a time and the roof collapse could have led to a major tragedy. A class of students had left the room barely a few minutes before the roof came rumbling down in the room.

Local residents have demanded an inquiry into the incident pointing out that if the roof had been repaired some days back, it should not have caved in such a short span.

Guv visits Chhatbir Zoo
Tribune News Service

Dera Bassi, January 15
It was the General’s day out truly. Punjab Governor and UT administrator General S.F. Rodrigues visited the Chhattbir Zoo here today. Accompanied by his wife Jean, daughter-in-law and two grand daughters, the Governor’s visit presented a perfect picture of a family who had come out to enjoy a sunny winter day at the zoo.

The Governor arrived at 10.30 in the morning and spent a good three hours at the zoo.

He visited all the enclosures and even went at the back of the enclosures where the animals are housed.

The zoo authorities had organised a special tilak ceremony of the baby elephant Rajveer by the Governor who happily obliged.

His grand daughters were thrilled to see the little elephant. Rodrigues also visited the deer and lion safaris and spent a long time next to the small lake watching the migratory birds.

The Governor was bowled over by the effort put in by the authorities to maintain the zoo.

He made his pleasure clear in the comment he wrote in the zoo’s visitor book: “This has been a very interesting visit to one of the better zoo’s in the country. Very well maintained, with a continuous programme of up-gradation will ensure it keeps its status. I congratulate the director and his team for a really professionally managed and maintained park.”

Life term for 3 in double murder case
Our Correspondent

Ambala, January 15
Additional sessions judge L.N. Jindal sentenced three persons to life imprisonment in a double murder case here today. Those convicted include Guljar, Balkar and Jagdish.

According to police report, there was a dispute between two groups of villagers over the storage of paddy husk which was burnt by some unidentified persons. Guljar suspected that Ram Kishan and his relatives were involved in the incident.

According to prosecution, Prem Chand, a resident of Segta village, had filed a complaint with the Naggal police that on May 4, 2001 when he, his brother Ram Kishan and his three nephews were at home, Guljar came and fired at him. Ram Kishan and Sukhvinder died in the incident while Mam Raj and Krishan sustained injuries.

Later, a case was registered against Guljar and others.

SPORTS

Bangladesh duo clinch amateur golf title
Donald Banerjee

Chandigarh, January 15
Three teenagers, including 19-year-old Ajeetesh Sandhu from Chandigarh, shot the best two-under par 70 cards as Bangladesh ‘A’ team clinched the team event at the end of the stroke play event in the 107th LG All-India Amateur Golf Championship on the par-72 greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club here today.

The other two to share the day's best cards were 17-year-old Rudresh Sharma from Delhi and 19-year-old Jamal Mollah from Dhaka.

The Bangladesh duo of Jamal and Shahid clinched the team event with a two-day aggregate of 289. Their nearest rivals were Chinese Taipei ‘B’ team comprising Chien Yao Hun and hao Sheng Hsu who finished 11 strokes behind at 300. The second placed Chinese were six strokes better than their ‘A’ team comprising Chi-Hsien Hsieh and Tao Huang who finished at 306. Sri Lanka finished fourth at 307 with Malaysia ‘B’ occupying the fifth slot at 309. The defending champions and the favourites, India, finished a poor sixth at 310.

Dhaka's Jamal also clinched the individual title in the qualifying round with a 36-hole total of par 144. His team-mate and overnight leader Shahid finished one stroke behind at 145. Occupying the third spot were Rudresh and Chandigarh's Rahul Bakshi with a total of 146.

But the 17-year-old Rudresh created a flutter as he approached the final hole at four-under. But this is where he faltered. A bad approach shot saw the ball landing in the water feature on the 18th. The resultant double bogey saw him finish at two-under par 70.

Ajeetesh Sandhu found his touch as he equalled the day's best card of 70. But his poor start yesterday (76) saw him finish fifth at 147. Vikram Rana was sixth at 148.

Jamal began on a sedate note when he made a bogey on the opening hole. However, he quickly rectified it with a birdie on the par-5 second. Playing some steady golf, he pared his way till the eighth while saving a stroke on the ninth to take the turn at 1-under. However, he began his back nine in a similar fashion making a bogey on the 11th. He recovered superbly making birdies on the 13th and 15th to finish at two-under.

Rudresh played some flawless golf on his front nine where he made three birdies - second, third and eighth to be three-under after the first nine. However, he went astray with his drive on the par-4 10 th and paid the penalty in the form of a bogey. He was back on road with birdies on the 13th and 15th to be four-under after 17 and erred on his second shot on the finishing hole where he made a double bogey.

Chandigarh Golf Championship from Jan 24
Our Golf Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 15
The seventh Chandigarh Golf Championship will be played on the par-72 greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club on January 24 and 25.

Giving this information the general secretary of the Chandigarh Golf Association, J.S. Cheema, said competition would be held in the open category as well as in different age-groups and handicaps.

Competitions will be held in the following categories: Open category (18 years and above with handicap of nine and below); Open Ladies (15 years and above with handicap of 24 and below); 15 to 17 years with handicap of 12 and below; 13 to 14 years with handicap of 16 and below; 11 to 12 years with handicap of 24 and below; Under 10 years with handicap of 30 and below; Girls under 15 years with handicap
of 30 and below.

According to Lt Col B.S. Chahal entries for the tournament close on January 22 at 5 pm for which entry forms will be available at the CGA Golf Range, Chandigarh Golf Club and the Panchkula Golf Club.

Other details regarding the tournament can be taken from the Chandigarh Golf Range (2742011 3252658) or Col H.S. Baidwan (9814192059).

City pacer books slot in under-19 squad
Mandeep Puri

Chandigarh, January 15
“My dad is behind my success,” says an elated Siddharth Kaul, who has been selected to represent India in the upcoming under-19 Cricket World Cup to be held in Malaysia next month. Siddharth has been playing for Punjab in the under-15 and under-17 categories since the last five years.

The young medium pacer, who had a good outing during the Rajni trophy, is confident of repeating his performance. “I am very excited and looking forward to the World cup”.

“I honed my cricketing skills at Guru Nanak School. My dad Tej Krish Kaul is behind all my success. He guides me throughout the day,” adds Siddharth.

The under-19 team is scheduled to attend a conditioning camp at Bangalore in the last week of January. “I still can’t believe this. It would be a wonderful learning experience,” says Siddharth.

ADMINISTRATION

Yash Chopra gives UT admin tips on tourism promotion
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 15
Fresh from the success of his film “Chak De India”, Yash Chopra, the grand daddy of the Indian film industry, today gave UT administration tips on tourism promotion. And his ideas on the subject were out-of-the box as his ideas on films.

“Chandigarh needs better rail links and flights to all major cities of Punjab,” said the filmmaker, who thought Chandigarh was not marketing its potential well. “This is the age of packaging. The city needs to wake up to the magic of marketing. Till today evening, I didn’t know Akshay Kumar was shooting here or that Chandigarh museum has a rich phulkari collection. We were desperately scouting for some during the shooting of Veer-Zaara. I wish we knew where to look for them,” Chopra said, after he had chaired the third meeting of Chandigarh Tourism Advisory Forum (CTAF), which met to discuss the past achievements and set future agenda.

Though Chopra was happy with the way UT administration was steering its tourism agenda, some of the forum members thought it could do better. A point repeatedly hammered was lack of focus in Chandigarh’s tourism sector. The city is known for everything from wedding tourism and rose festival to Chandigarh Carnival, but it doesn’t have an edge- something it needs to move ahead, some members felt.

Chopra could not agree less. “There’s no doubt that the beauty of a project lies in focus and detail. Building on local strengths is important. The city is so famous for catering colleges. It could try tie ups with foreign universities to improve its service sector. That will bring capital and boost tourism,” said Chopra, deflecting questions about the political crisis in Pakistan and a possible film idea around it.

“I never do films with political colours. My only interest is the projection of Punjabi culture through celluloid. That’s what I want my colleagues also to do. I have been asking Manmohan Singh to make bi-lingual films so that the world can enjoy his Punjabi imagery,” Chopra said, referring to annual Chandigarh film festival as a good step forward.

Though the filmmaker hoped people would give UT administration some more time before judging it on tourism sector performance, some forum members thought the agenda wasn’t really moving ahead. They said glut of cultural activities was causing the city more harm than good especially when there was no cultural calendar to set the events apart.

Chopra has now asked the UT administration to prepare a cultural calendar.