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City richer by Rs 130 cr
Chandigarh, February 29
The cash rich city became richer today. The Union Budget has earmarked Rs 1547.65 crore for the City Beautiful, almost Rs 130 crore more than the money that the UT got last year.

Paid Parking
Eight councillors challenge admn’s decision
Chandigarh, February 29
Nearly seven months after the UT Administration annulled Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh’s resolution to abolish paid-parking system in the city, eight BJP-Akali councillors today challenged the Administration’s order before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

At PU, tiles threat
Chandigarh, February 29
Hundreds of students passing by the Arts Block VI of Punjab University barely saved their lives this morning when a whole lot of large tiles, about 27, fell from the wall of the building. The building was constructed about five years back and houses Centre for Women Studies. At the time of the incident, a class was in progress on the premises. Fortunately, the girls sitting outside had a narrow escape. Worse than what happened was the reaction of the university’s engineering wing.

BIG BEE PERIL: Beehives at the PU English department and the Research Block and APC of the PGI in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photos: Pradeep Tewari

Residents feel pepped up
Chandigarh, February 29
Dream Budget or a populist one aimed at wooing the voter during the last year of the UPA government’s tenure? Whatever be the case, city residents are hailing it because of its impetus on education, health and the social sector.

‘Nude’ threat by student gets him degree
Chandigarh, February 29
A day after Amit Datta created ruckus on the campus of Government College of Art in Sector 10, another harassed student threatened to strip if he was not given his degree. He had completed his course in 2005.




CHAIN REACTION? Manpal Singh got his degree from Government Art College, which was denied to him for long, after he threatened to strip on the campus. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

COMMUNITY

Centre for mentally challenged takes wings
Chandigarh, February 29
The region just got richer. Deprived for years of a centre for the rehabilitation of mentally challenged, it got its due today, with people across the city joining hands to make a mighty dream come alive. The Society for Rehabilitation of Mentally Challenged, Sector 36, nursed by social activist Promila Chander Mohan, took wings with the help of Ved Vinayak, a US-based NRI, who donated Rs 5 lakh for the cause.
NRI Ved Vinayak (second from right) donates Rs 5 lakh to Promila Chander Mohan’s (extreme left) Society for Rehabilitation of Mentally Challenged, as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Vijender Jain (extreme right) looks on. 
A Tribune photograph

BRO to outsource projects
Chandigarh, February 29
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will outsource certain projects and works pertaining to construction and maintenance of strategic roads and bridges to civilian construction agencies wherever feasible.

Councillors at loggerheads over parking lots
Mohali, February 29
Even as the proposal to hand over the work of maintenance and traffic control of parking lots in the commercial areas of the town to private parties was unanimously cleared by the House, heated arguments between councillors belonging to the ruling group and those of the opposition were witnessed over alleged discrimination at the meeting of the municipal council held today.

Voters’ List
Residents irked over discrepancies 
Panchkula, February 29
Residents and political leaders belonging to different political parties have alleged serious discrepancies in the final voters’ list released recently for the forthcoming municipal council elections. Irked with repeated allegations in this regard, finally the deputy commissioner Rajinder Kataria, has issued instructions that the people alleging about bogus votes without any proof to substantiate their claims in the electoral rolls could face action.

MC sets terms for maintaining parks
Mohali, February 29
The municipal council today set terms for taking over maintenance of parks from the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) stating that this could be done only if funds for the work were provided by the authority.

Four Cs to combat stress
Panchkula, February 29
“Simple life management skills, along with yogic techniques and meditation, can help alleviating stress from our life,” stated Dr Girish Patel, a noted psychotherapist, who is here to conduct programmes for the Army personnel at Western Command, Chandimandir, Haryana Government officials and general public.

Cop injured in scuffle
Panchkula, February 29
A policeman was injured when shopkeepers near Mata Mansa Devi Temple attacked him, here today. According to the police a constable Kuldeep had gone to get a recharge coupon for his mobile phone when he had some altercation with the shopkeeper following which the shopkeepers of the area injured Kuldeep.

Arun Govil turns spiritual 
Panchkula, February 29
Actor Arun Govil has decided to turn towards spirituality. “I have not accepted any new offer for the last one-and-a-half-year and want to go on a spiritual journey at least for now.

New 2 Corps commander takes over
Chandigarh, February 29
Lieut Gen J.P. Singh today took over as the General Officer Commanding 2 Corps from Lt Gen V K Singh at Ambala today. Gen V K Singh will take over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, at Kolkata tomorrow.


Lt Gen V K Singh (right) hands over command of 2 Corps to Lt Gen J P Singh in Ambala on Friday.

Heart patient needs help
Chandigarh, February 28
Vikram (25), a heart patient needing double-valve replacement at the PGI, is struggling for life in the wake of acute shortage of money.

Tribune manager retires
Chandigarh, February 29
N.K. Mehta, business manager with The Tribune Trust, retired today after putting in over 37 years of service. Mehta was given a warm send-off by his colleagues at a function oganised here today. Anil Pandhi, AGM, and Rajeshwar Chopra, circulation manager, were prominent among those who lauded his services to the institution.

Tribune employee retires
Chandigarh, February 29
Ram Bahadur Yadav, senior foreman (Rotary), The Tribune, retired today after putting in 38 years of service. He had joined the institution in 1969. He was given a warm send-off by his colleagues. His contribution to the institution was lauded by Vinay Verma, deputy general manager.

Letters
Cycle tracks need attention

EDUCATION

PU Notes
‘Jhankaar’ from March 3
Chandigarh, February 29
The PU Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) will organise the annual national youth festival ‘Jhankaar-2008’ from March 3-6. This year, around five universities and 200 colleges from the northern region have registered to participate. The function shall start with a traditional ‘Jago’ on the evening of March 2.




Students of Panjab University buy hanmade products created by children of local NGOs ‘Chhoti Si Aasha’ and ‘Sadhana’ at Students’ Centre of Panjab University in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

From Schools & Colleges
Students rally to stop child labour
Chandigarh, February 29
With an aim to stop child labour and to motivate people of the slum areas for sending their children to schools, the students of AIE today organised a rally under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, UT, Chandigarh. The rally started from Government High School, Khajeri, and scattered at contact center at rehabilitation Colony, Sector 15, Chandigarh. More than 1,500 children participated in the rally.

Vocalist delights audience
Chandigarh, February 29
The Spic Macay and vocal music department of GCG-11 organised a captivating recital and interactive session with renowned vocalist Dr Prabha Attre on the college premises, here yesterday.

Show-cause notice to Shivalik School
Chandigarh, February 29
The Chandigarh Administration has issued a show-cause notice for withdrawal of provisionall recognition accorded to Shivalik Public School, Sector 41.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Sale of sex-determination kits
In a reply to a petition aimed at ending the menace created by sale of illegal sex-determination kits, the union ministry of health and family welfare has claimed the initiation of a move to constitute the National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC).

Lok adalat on cheque-bounce cases today 
Chandigarh, February 29
The State Legal Services Authority, UT, has organised a special lok adalat to take up cheque- bounce cases on March 1 in the District Courts.

Consumer Courts
Man fined Rs 20,000 for frivolous complaint
Chandigarh, February 29
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on a Panchkula-based resident for filing a frivolous complaint.

Refund fee, forum tells Kundan School
Chandigarh, February 29
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Kundan International School School, Sector 46, to refund fee totalling Rs 30,000 of two schoolchildren on the complaint of a resident of Sector 19. The school has also been asked to pay Rs 2,100 towards cost of litigation.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Hitesh wins 100m race
Banur, February 29
Hitesh Kumar emerged winner in 100 m race while Mayan and Manoj Yadav were second and third, respectively, during the second annual athletics meet of Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering and Technology (SVIET), here today.


Girls participate in spoon race during the athletics meet of Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering and Technology in Banur on Friday. A Tribune photograph 

Manpreet is best athlete
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 29
Manpreet was adjudged the best athlete in the 5th Annual Sports Day of the Chitkara College of Education for Women, which was held at the Chitkara campus today.

Bomb hoax puts police on tenterhooks
Ambala, February 29
A bomb hoax in Ambala Cantt and Ambala City had the police on tenterhooks today. Officials informed that a threat had been received at the residence of the SP K.V. Ramna, today morning.

Peddler held with smack
Bassi Pathana, February 29
The police today arrested a peddler, Babandeep Singh alias Babbu of Hakima Mohalla, with smack. According to the DSP the police has started a campaign against the anti-social elements, particularly drug sellers. 

2 held for duping people
Bassi Pathana, February 29
On the complaint of a retired teacher Kailsah Kaur, the district police has registered an FIR against Tejinder Singh and others, who were owners of a Chandigarh-based firm, Top Indian Promoters and Colonisers. They were developing a residential colony 'Anmol City' at Fatehgarh Sahib.

From Schools & Colleges
Nursing students awarded degrees 
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 29
As many as 14 nursing students of Canadian Institute of International Studies (CIIS) were awarded bachelors degrees and advanced citations under CIIS- UCOL joint programme in nursing during a convocation-cum-pass out ceremony organised here today on CIIS Jalvehra campus.
Tiny tots of Om Parkash Bansal Modern School show victory sign after receving degrees during a convocation function in Mandi Gobindgarh on Friday. A Tribune photograph

SPORTS

Allot funds for rural uplift, says former hockey champ 
Chandigarh, February 29
Lashing out at huge expenditure on organising mega events like the forthcoming Commonwealth Games-2010, renowned Indian women hockey captain Avinash Sidhu said it would not benefit in the development of sports scenario here.

YPS Athletics Meet
Vasundhra bags gold in shot put
Mohali, February 29
Mohammad Wasim of Tagore House cornered glory by clinching two gold medals in 400 and 800 meters races in above 16 boys’ category on the fifth day of the 29th Annual Athletics Meet of YPS that concluded at Yadavindra Public School here today.

A player in action during the 29th Annual Athletics Meet of YPS in Mohali on Friday. A Tribune photograph

Dharamvir wins 3 golds
Panchkula, February 29
Dharamvir of Rewari won three gold medals in 100 m race, 200 m race and long jump event on the opening day of the two-day 10th Annual Sports Meet of Haryana Warehousing Corporation that started at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Sector 3, here today.

City eves thrash Uttaranchal
Chandigarh, February 29
Chandigarh girls thrashed Uttaranchal by 2-0 on the opening day of the 2nd Under-18 Junior Dodge Ball Championship, which began at the Sector 7 Sports Complex here today.

Appointed
Panchkula, February 29
The Indian Cricket League has appointed Varinder Chopra as the administrative manager of Chandigarh Lions team during the third edition of its league.

HEALTH

Ischemic heart diseases on the rise: Doc
Chandigarh, February 29
The joint meeting of the International Society of Heart Research (ISHR), the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS) and the Heart Failure Society of India got under way at the PGI here today. Speaking on the rheumatic heart disease and rheumatic fever, Dr Kiran Sagar highlighted that echocardiography and corrective measures for these diseases using minimal surgical intervention were not available. This provides hope for future interventions in young Indian patients.

CRIME

Another female infant found dead 
Chandigarh, February 29
A day after a newborn female infant was found dead in the city, another dead female child was recovered from a garbage bin in Mauli Jagran here this morning.

Mystery behind death of two
Chandigarh, February 29
A 16-year-old girl and a man in his early fifties died under mysterious circumstances in different parts of the city during the past 24 hours. The police, while quoting the families of both the deceased, ruled out the possibility of foul play behinds the deaths.

Scooterist hits car driven by DSP’s son; booked
Says police acted with bias
Chandigarh, February 29
A scooterist escaped with minor injuries following a collision with a car near the temple in Sector 23 here this afternoon. The car driver is said to be the son of a DSP of the Chandigarh Police.

CULTURE

Poignant play on plight of Kashmiri Pandits
Chandigarh, February 29
Trishna, a play depicting the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, was staged by ‘Roots in Kashmir’ (RIK)-an initiative launched by the Kashmiri youth. The play highlighted the atrocities inflicted upon the minority community.



Artistes stage a play "Trishna" at Law Auditorium of Punjab University, Chandigarh, on Friday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Two get Koser awards
Chandigarh, February 29
The 4th annual Guru Madan Lal Koser-Guru Shobha Koser Awards for excellence in the realm of performing arts were presented today at a function organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra at Randhawa Auditorium here.