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Desilting machinery rusts at Sukhna 
Chandigarh, April 4
Even as the Chandigarh administration is awaiting Centre’s nod for wet dredging at Sukhna Lake, expensive heavy machinery meant for desilting has been left to rust near the rowing channel of the lake.

WASTED: A heavy machine purchased by the UT engineering department for desilting lies abandoned near the rowing channel at Sukhna Lake. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

Chandigarh ungoverned
Happy hunting ground for squatters
Chandigarh, April 4
Sector 17 has turned into an encroachers’ paradise. Even as the municipal corporation of Chandigarh plans it big for the city centre, scores of encroachers are mocking at the civic body threatening to derail the ambitious spruce-up plan.  Customers pick out items from a squatter in Sector-17 plaza, Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

INLD’s fast one on Congress
Ropes in four Independents against rival’s one
Panchkula, April 4
Claims and counter-claims were the order of the day for the post of Panchkula municipal committee chief even as the Congress and its bête noire Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) came out with the names of municipal councillors who joined them today.

Showroom @Rs 6.75 lakh per month
Chandigarh, April 4
Commercial rentals in Chandigarh are going the metro way. In fact, a square foot of commercial space in Sector 43 is valued at Rs 400, with a showroom fetching a whopping Rs 6.75 lakh per month.

Cop’s son caught for snatching
Chandigarh, April 4 The special crime investigation cell of the Chandigarh police is believed to have got a major breakthrough with the arrest of a youth who is believed to be involved in over 20 incidents of snatching.

NATURE’S BEST: Bougainvilla plants form a beautiful pattern on the rain-soaked road opposite the Rose Garden in Chandigarh.  Tribune photo: Karam Singh

COMMUNITY

CHB scheme: Pay more for assured allotment
Chandigarh, April 4
Persons willing to shell a few lakh rupees more than ordinary applicants can have assured allotment of flats in the recently launched Sector 63 housing scheme of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB).

Nithari on Reel
Approach Censor Board, court tells Pandher’s son 
Chandigarh, April 4
Terming the petition filed by Karandeep Singh Pandher, seeking permanent injunction on the film titled “D-5” based on Nithari Killings of 2006 as “premature”, a local court today suggested the petitioner to approach the Censor Board of Film Certification.

Admn gears up for Navratra fair
Panchkula, April 4
This year during the Navratra fair, devotees will be able to offer better ‘prasad’ to the deity at Mata Mansa Devi Temple starting from April 6 as the Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board has asked the Haryana Dairy Development Co-op Federation to prepare it. The prasad will be available against payments between Rs 11 and Rs 101.

Ousted from village, liquor vend runs from tent
Mohali, April 4
Ambience obviously does not matter to bacchus lovers. Shunted out of the assigned location in Kambala village, a liquor contractor has opened his vend in a tent outside the village. The bottles are displayed on tables in the tent and a lone employee is shelling out these to villagers.

A liquor vend running from a tent near Kambala village in Mohali. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Hospital declares girl with fractures fit
Mohali, April 4
Ved Prakash Goel, a Phase XI resident, has alleged that he had been cheated by doctors of a private hospital in Phase IX which declared his daughter fit even though she was suffering from multiple fractures.

V.P. Goel with the hospital report and his daughter’s picture in Mohali on Friday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Train to Jaipur on its way
Chandigarh, April 4
In the midst of ‘dhol’ beats and celebrations by members of the Rajasthani community, the Chandigarh-Jaipur special train was flagged off by UT mayor Pradeep Chhabra from the Chandigarh railway station, here today. Around 200 passengers boarded the train for the 605-kilometre journey.
UT mayor Pradeep Chhabra waves after flagging off the first Chandigarh-Jaipur train at the railway station on Friday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Mohali in Mess
MC follows ‘dig and run’ policy
Residents a harrased lot due to uncovered pit
Mohali, April 4
The Mohali municipal council follows a ‘dig and run’ policy when it comes to repair and maintenance works in the township.

A large pit left uncovered in Mohali on Friday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Damaged divider poses danger to motorists
Mohali, April 4
The Mohali municipal corporation and the police seem to be too busy to look into the basic amenities of the town.

The damaged divider of Phase IX-X poses a threat to motorists. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Ramakrishan Mission Ashram’s annual celebrations begin
Chandigarh, April 4
The annual celebrations of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Chandigarh, began today with the invoking of the gurus. A gamut of thinkers, social workers and people from all walks of life converged to listen to and imbibe from the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.
Onkar Chand, president, Servants of the People Society, addressing the gathering during the annual celebrations of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Chandigarh. Also, in the picture are: H.K. Dua, editor-in-chief, The Tribune, Swami Shashankananda and Swami Brameshwarananada. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Summer-time solutions at Coolex-2008 
Chandigarh, April 4
With the mercury set to soar in the coming months, ‘Coolex-2008’ - an exposition on air-conditioning and refrigeration is here to provide city residents with a host of options to beat the heat.

Imported machines to sweep city roads soon
Chandigarh, April 4
In a bid to make the city dust-free, the municipal corporation here is on the verge of adopting a novel, high-tech approach. Sanitation will be ensured through three mechanical sweeping machines bought from Italy, which will be plying on city roads.

Cleanliness drive set in motion
Chandigarh, April 4
UT mayor Pradeep Chhabra inaugurated a month-long cleanliness campaign in Sector 20, here this morning. The campaign will cover the V-4, V-5 roads, parkings, markets of all sectors of the city including Mani Majra Complex.
Two sides of the coin: UT mayor Pradeep Chhabra flags off the cleanliness drive in Sector 20, Chandigarh, on Friday and (right) under-developed areas in parts of sectors 50, 51 and 63. Tribune photographs

Residents rue lack of development 
Chandigarh, April 4
While on one hand the municipal corporation is launching a cleanliness drive in the city, on the other the UT administration it is turning a blind eye to development works in sectors 50, 51 and 63. Residents here allege that they are tolerating a lot of nuisance caused by people living in colony number 5 and the entire area is full of litter. 
under-developed areas in parts of sectors 50, 51 and 63. 

Cab mishap: Police on challaning spree
Panchkula, April 4
After booking Ajay, the driver of a maxi cab that was involved in the death of four teachers yesterday, for causing death due to negligence, the district police has started a challan drive against erring drivers on highways.

BJP to protest rising prices today
Chandigarh, April 4 In protest against the spiralling prices of essential commodities, the local unit of the BJP will hold a demonstration against Congress-led UPA government on April 5.

Letters
City has too many liquor vends

RWA members air grievances
Chandigarh, April 4
The residents’ welfare association of Sector 35 met the SHO of Sector 36 police station and discussed various problems being faced by them, yesterday evening. Davinder Sharma, SHO, Sector 36 said, “We have requested the association to deploy a security guard within the sectors, as this will help better coordination with the police personnel on duty during the nights.” — TNS

EDUCATION

Fee of govt schools revised
Chandigarh, April 4
The Chandigarh administration has revised the rates of fee and pupils’ funds for the students of Class  IX, X, XI and XII (all streams) for all the government as well as privately managed government-aided schools of Chandigarh from the academic year 2008-2009.

Admn gives final nod
Chandigarh, April 4
The Chandigarh administration has given its nod to sanction of two new posts of District Education Officers (DEO), today. Kushinder Sharma, the present DEO, has been promoted as deputy director, Adult Education and Schools.

ABE launches Brit education programme
Chandigarh, April 4
The Association of Business Executives (ABE), an international examining body and provider of business and management qualifications, launched its British qualifications programmes for India in Chandigarh today.

Central Varsity Status
PUTA decides to go on chain fast
Chandigarh, April 4
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of teachers and students today held a meeting in the office of the PUTA and decided to go for a chain fast from Monday to further press upon the demand for central university status for Panjab University.

No discrimination against students opting Punjabi
Chandigarh, April 4
The schools that are reluctant to allow Punjabi as a medium or as a subject will think twice now.

JNV welcomes UK teachers
Chandigarh, April 4
Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Chandigarh, under the project UKIERI, today welcomed a team of teachers from the UK, at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, here today.

COURTS

Complete Saini probe in 3 months, CBI told
Chandigarh, April 4
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) three months for completing preliminary inquiry into the Saini blast case. A High Court Division Bench, comprising Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Justice Harbans Lal, also fixed July 4 as the next date of hearing in the case before asking Rajasthan’s director-general of police to hand over to the CBI the case record of a first information report registered in a connected matter at Jaipur.

ADMINISTRATION

Review Dhingra’s suspension, CAT tells admn
Chandigarh, April 4
The Chandigarh administration has been directed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to review the suspension of V.P. Dhingra, superintending engineer, UT electricity operation circle, and reinstate him with all permissible benefits on merit.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Staff brought in to cover up shortage
Patiala, April 4
On learning that a team of experts from the Medical Council of India (MCI) would be paying a visit to Government Rajindra Hospital, the state government got panicky and transferred scores of doctors from Faridkot Medical College to Rajindra Hospital. Highly placed sources revealed that this was done by the authorities to ensure that staff shortage was not taken cognisance of by the MCI team.

The annual convocation of Khalsa College in progress in Patiala on Friday. A Tribune photograph

From Schools & Collegess
Degrees conferred on 150 students
Patiala, April 4
Khalsa College, Patiala, today organised its annual convocation function in which 150 students were awarded degrees. Former president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar was the chief guest.

Unpaid Bills
Bassi Pathana plunges into darkness
Bassi Pathana, April 4
Residents of Bassi Pathana town are a harassed lot as there is nobody to give ear to their problems. Officials of the local Punjab State electricity Board have unplugged the connection of streetlights allegedly due to non-payment of previous bills, forcing the residents to live in darkness.

Residents resent shifting of PSEB office
Bassi Pathana, April 4
Resentment prevails among the residents of the town, due to shifting of the electricity bill depositing-cum-complaint centre from the town to a nearby village, Rasulpur, in main grid, 2 km from here. Earlier, the office was situated in the main bazaar of the town near post office and the electricity bills as well as the complaints regarding electricity were lodged here.

MC chief behind damaged vends, alleges owner
Dera Bassi, April 4
A liqour contractor who runs three wine shops near the Dera Bassi bus stand here have alleged to the police that the local municipal council chief Amrit Pal Singh had got their vends damaged.

Free forms come at a price
Kharar, April 4
The lok suvidha camp held by the Kharar administration in association with an NGO has come under scanner.

SPORTS

Mankad-Roy lift ITF trophy
Bopanna books berth in final 
Chandigarh, April 4
The duo of Rohan Mankad and Rupesh Roy lifted the doubles title in the $10,000 India F5 Futures ITF Men's Circuit at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association courts, Sector 10, here today.

Rohan Bopanna in action during the $10,000 India F5 Futures ITF Men's Circuit at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association courts, Sector 10, on Friday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Chandigarh tour from April 11
Top golfers to participate
Chandigarh, April 4
More than 80 golfers from all over the country and abroad are expected to participate in the third Chandigarh Golfing Tour to be held on the greens of Chandigarh and Panchkula from April 11 to 13.

Cricket Tourney
Sector-16 academy storm into final
Chandigarh, April 4
Cricket Stadium Academy, Sector 16, stormed into the final by beating CCA-Guru Nanak Public School Academy, Sector 36, by five wickets in the semifinal match of the Chandigarh Under-13 Inter-Academy Cricket Tournament at the St Stephen's School ground, Sector 45, here today.

10-year-old rides to glory
Chandigarh, April 4
Local rider Zoravar Singh Thiara brought laurels to the city by clinching gold medal in the hacks (under-13) event during Delhi Horse Show, the national-level equestrian show, held recently at Army Polo and Riding Club. In the dressage event, he secured the fourth position.

ALL SMILES: Zoravar with his medals. A Tribune photograph

Tiger Jeet vows to fight drug menace
Chandigarh, April 4
Exhorting Punjabi youth to refrain from using drugs, world-renowned wrestler Tiger Jeet Singh said healthy lifestyle was the key to success.

Tiger Jeet Singh addresses mediapersons at the Chandigarh Press Club on Friday. A Tribune photograph

Probables selected
Chandigarh, April 4
The Association for Twenty20 Cricket, Punjab, has selected probables for the five-day coaching camp for the upcoming under-13 nationals to be held in Chandigarh from April 12 to April 16 here.

ICL
Spectator injured during practice
Panchkula, April 4
For Anju Mehandiratta, watching the first final of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, here, turned out to be a harrowing experience.

Cricket lovers watch the first final of the ICL in Panchkula on Friday. A Tribune photograph

HEALTH

MRs’ to strike on April 24
Chandigarh, April 4
Medical representatives will be on strike on April 24. The decision was taken during the 14th conference of Punjab and Chandigarh Medical and Sales Representatives Union (PCMSRU), held at Lions club recently.

PGI doctors retire
Chandigarh, April 4
After serving the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science Education and Research and heading various departments for a long time, Prof H.S. Chawla, (oral health sciences), Prof J.D. Wig, (general surgery) and Prof Anil Narang (paediatrics) superannuated on March 31. Prof Madhur Gupta, head of department of anatomy also retired on the same day.

CRIME

32-yr-old labourer raped
Mohali, April 4
A 32-year-old woman today alleged that she was raped by a construction worker here yesterday.

Constable roughed up
Chandigarh, April 4
A constable at the Sector 36 police station, Sultan Singh, was allegedly manhandled by the Station House Officer, Devinder Sharma, after the former approached the SHO for a leave yesterday.

2 injured in separateaccidents
Chandigarh, April 4
A youth was seriously injured when a car (PB-12-B-6461) collided with his scooter (CH-04-A-3462) in Sector 17, here this evening. He has been rushed to the PGI in a criitical condition. Police have registered a case under sections 279 and 337 of the IPC.

BUSINESS

CRRID Seminar
Prospects of Indo-Canadian partnership discussed
Chandigarh, April 4
In the backdrop of Canada attaching importance on further developing bilateral relations with India, experts discussed prospects of developing Canada-India strategic partnership at a roundtable organised at the Center for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), in association with the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada, Vancouver, here today.

Nilesh Tandon, ABE’s North India representative, Kevin McLaven, first secretary British Council and Maria Wejshag during the launch of ABE’s UK qualifications in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari 

CULTURE

City girl bags role in Bollywood flick
Chandigarh, April 4
Pragati Trikha, a student of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Sector 26, has added another feather to her cap. The child artiste is now a part of the Bollywood flick ‘Sadiaan’, which is being directed by producer-director Raj Kanwar.

Pragati Trikha with director Raj Kanwar.