Chandigarh, April 7
Traffic signals being installed at several rotaries in the city fails to serve purpose as traffic chaos becomes a routine owing to seemingly unplanned duration of time set for these signals. Residents continue to stick in jams at these roundabouts to give way to the traffic coming from the other direction.

For the motorist taking a U-turn around these rotaries have to wait for the traffic to clear from other sides. The traffic signals on the rotaries have failed to counter the frequently occurring traffic jams and the resultant mishaps.

As the roundabout has a large circumference, it takes a lot of time to circle around it. The time duration of the traffic signals for green light at Piccadilly light point is 35 seconds and at Tribune roundabout is for 25 seconds. The green signal is given to the traffic at the opposite ends, simultaneously. As the traffic starts to flow in from both sides, the vehicles, which are to take the right turn, have to cover a long distance and by the time they reach the exit, the traffic from their left hand moves in. This creates confusion, as vehicle owner face hard time to move out of the maze. Situation aggravates during the office hours in the morning and evening.

It is even harder for those who want to take a U-turn as they have to drive around the full circumference of the chowk. They are stranded midway in traffic at three points.

Even an increase in the duration of traffic stop does not give the desired result, as the traffic starts accumulating in front of slip roads, blocking the way of vehicles that are to take a left turn to bypass the roundabout.

Sources in the traffic police say looking at the increasing vehicular traffic in the city, the roundabout itself has become a traffic hazard. A project of widening of road around the roundabout is ongoing, but it is only a temporary solution to this nagging problem.

According to Jasbir Singh Cheema, DSP Traffic, the Chandigarh Traffic Police keeps on changing the duration of the signals keeping in minds the vehicular traffic.

Chandigarh, April 7
The Joint Action Committee, constituted jointly by PUTA and the Panjab University Students’ Council, started chain fast from today in front of the gate of the University Guest House and pitched tent by the roadside to register protest.

Dr Sunita Srivastave, Department of Physics, Dr Keshav Malhotra, fellow PU, Dr Karamjit Singh, UBS, and Gagandeep Kaur, vice-president, students’ council, and Ravi Kant Negi, Department of Law, sat on the fast for the first day.

Teachers and students are demanding the central university status for the PU so that the university could be pulled out of the current financial crisis. At this occasion, PUTA president Prof A S Ahluwalia clarified that central status for the PU did not mean to hand over the PU to the Union Government. In fact, Chandigarh contributed to the Centre thousands of crores of rupees annually by way of Central taxes and it was absolutely legitimate to ask for a small fraction of the total taxes on higher education in the UT.

The budget of the PGI is more than doubled of the PU and it is flushed with funds for research and teaching for the only reason that it is totally funded by the Union Government. By being funded by the government, the PGI has not debarred Punjab from the modern facilities for patients. The Punjab government, instead of contributing a 40 per cent share to the PU budget, has arbitrarily frozen its share to Rs 16 crore and that too has not been released. In the just closing financial year, Punjab released only Rs14.7 crore. How can such a big university be run with pittance, asked Prof Singh.

Those who have volunteered for tomorrow to sit on the fast are Prof. Rajan Gaur, vice-president PUTA, Dr Ashok Kumar, Department of Hindi, Dr Jatinder Grover, DCS, and among the students are Parambir Singh (Sunny), Department of Laws, and Ravi Shankar of Department of Geology.

Chandigarh, April 7
It’s perhaps for the first time in the history of the Chandigarh Administration, a 1986-batch PCS officer has been delegated quasi-judicial powers of the Chief Administrator under the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation Act) Act, 1952. Now, the PCS officer Pirthi Chand, who is also joint secretary, Finance, will hear the appeals against the orders passed by his “superiors” in the Administration.

In the role reversal, the appeal against the orders passed by the DC R.K. Rao, as estate officer in cases relating to non-payment cases of all properties, will be heard by the newly appointed Chief Administrator. While the DC is a Haryana-cadre IAS officer, the hearing authority is a PCS officer.

Though the finance secretary Sanjay Kumar, who enjoys the powers of the Chief Administrator has, in his orders, said the appeals which are to be heard by the joint secretary as the quasi- judicial authority, would be decided by the former, officials feel that the move could lead to heart burning among the top bureaucrats.

In a separate order, the finance secretary has withdrawn the powers of the estate officer entrusted to the chief executive officer, Chandigarh Housing Board, Amar Nath, and Additional Deputy Commissioner, I.S. Sandhu and entrusted the same to the land acquisition officer (LAO) Hargunjit Kaur. Under Section 15 of the Act, the powers of the Chief Administrator is also being delegated to the LAO, it is learnt.

Earlier this year, the previous adviser Lalit Sharma, while talking about transparency, responsive and an efficient administration, had delegated the quasi-judicial powers of the estate officer to the two officers. While R.K. Rao had been appointed as estate officer for issues relating to non-payment cases of all properties, the chief executive officer of the Chandigarh Housing Board Amar Nath had been given the cases of building violations of all properties and the additional deputy commissioner I.S. Sandhu had been delegated powers to listen to the cases of misuse of all properties.

The case of reshuffling of powers under the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952, surfaced after a vigilance probe into a controversy over the restoration of commercial and residential properties by the adviser’s court but the same was not being implemented by the estate office.

Then the administration had decided that lAS officers with at least five years’ seniority or HCS/PCS officers with at least 10 years of seniority would be invested with the powers of the estate officer.

COMMUNITY

Chandigarh to become first solar city soon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 7
Chandigarh now plans to counter the affects of global warming in its own way. The first planned city of the country will soon be the first solar city that will use renewable energy to large extent to meet its needs by the year 2012.

Adviser to the UT administrator Pradip Mehra, chief guest on the occasion of the World Health Day announced the scheme.

To make the city a solar city, Mehra was speaking in the symposium on “Protecting Health from Climate Change” organised by the Indian Public Health Association at the advanced paediatric centre at the PGI here.

Talking of the role played by the administration, adviser said soon 1,100 CNG three-wheelers would be moving on the roads of Chandigarh and the Mass Rapid Transit System was also in progress that would help in reducing the carbon footprints in the city.

Mehra said people should accept that they were in the middle of climate change and the frequency of natural disasters was increasing at an alarming pace.

He said with economic development accompanied with the Industrial Revolution had led to the unprecedented development and great increase in welfare activities and thus increased the comfort levels.

But consequent to it was the huge consumption of fuels leading to global warming, he added.

While addressing the gathering, experts discussed the consequences of global warming which would lead to the rise of sea level and submerging of islands and coastal areas of the world.

This will again lead to greater migration from coastal region in the internal cities getting influx of people thus would metamorphose the face of the cities in another 50 years.

Showing deep concern over the water scarcity in the country, the experts said it was unfortunate that a planet with more then 70 per cent of water cover was facing such shortage.

Director, PGI, Dr K.K. Talwar, many senior doctors and students were also present on the occasion.

The World Health Organisation placed “health” at the centre of a global dialogue by making it the theme of the World Health Day today. This follows an overwhelming scientific consensus that the climate change is happening and making it one of the most critical challenges of our time.

According to an eminent expert, if the increase in greenhouse emissions continues at the current pace, air quality will suffer greatly and respiratory illnesses will worsen. Lack of safe water will most probably trigger outbreaks of diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. Projecting the risks associated with the climate change in 2030, the WHO estimates that the number of malnutrition cases will increase by more than 10 per cent.

The WHO estimates that warming and precipitation trends due to anthropogenic climate change currently claims over 1,60,000 lives a year.

Chandigarh, April 7
Congress leaders yesterday submitted a memorandum to the mayor Pardeep Chabra for ensuring developmental works in and around the Manimajra town. They urged the mayor to allocate sites for constructing a library, gurdwara, proper stands for taxis, auto-rickshaws, rickshaws and hand carts, community centre, development of green belts, multi-specialty hospitals, playground and a marriage-cum-convention centre.

The delegation led by former mayor Surinder Singh comprised Block Congress Committee (Manimajra) vice-president Giri Raj Sharma, District Congress Committee (Urban-II), Chandigarh, H.S.Nagra and District Congress Committee (Urban-II), Chandigarh, general secretary Pardeep Manchanda. The memorandum submitted by them incorporated suggestions and objections regarding the master plan for developing the Manimajra town.

The delegation apprised the mayor of the municipal library functioning from the old NAC office lacks in basic facilities. They sought 2 kanal plot in the pocket Nos. 2 or 5 for relocating it.

They on behalf of sizable number of Sikhs living in the Modern Housing Complex, Rajiv Vihar, pocket No.1 to 6, motor market, Gobindpura and Thakardwara demanded an acre plot in pocket No.5 near the railway line for constructing a gurdwara.

Besides this, they urged the mayor to allocate sites for constructing taxies, auto-rickshaws and hand carts’ stands at suitable places in pocket No. 8 on the old Mata Mansa Devi Road, pocket nos. 2, 4 and 5. For developing the old NAC office near Rana haveli as a community centre and to relocate the primary school run by the education department from a community centre in Thakardwara. They also wanted the green belt on the backside of the commercial areas in pocket nos. 2 to 5. to be converted into parks with musical fountain, footpaths and cafeteria. Fully-equipped sports complex, a marriage-cum-convention centre and 2 acres plot for constructing two multi-specialty hospitals for providing better medicare to the residents in pocket No. 8. The delegation also urged the mayor to get the people ousted in 1985, 1990 and 1992 from pocket nos. 1 to 11 rehabilitated by the administration under special schemes. 

Chandigarh, April 7
It seems that the directive of the UT Administrator SF Rodrigues to speed up the widening of roads in the city is restricted to the VIP areas only.

At the cost of the roads cutting through the densely populated areas catering to heavy flow of traffic, the work in the VIP parts of the city is being done on a fast track. Several main roads in the city connecting it with the adjoining areas are left incomplete for several months, if not years.

Motorists coming from adjoining cities, using the connecting main roads, are a harried lot owing to delay in the completion of widening and maintenance, which is under way for the past many months. On the other hand, the road- widening work in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan is under way on a war footing and is expected to complete in a month. The precedent is a classic example of the North-South divide in the city.

The patch leading from The Tribune chowk in front of Kanthala Sahib Gurdwara, near the Kalibari temple traffic lights point and again near the gurdwara in Sector 47, is a troubled zone for motorists for the past several years.

The road division has not been able to finish work on the patch for years much to the chagrin of the road users, even as long-route heavy vehicles pass through the stretch. Similar is the situation on the road dividing Sectors 37 and 37, used by motorists coming from Mohali to the city, which has been dug for months and awaits competition. While the work on the stretch of the road dividing Sectors 19 and 20, leading from Industrial Area to Sector 22 is also left midway.

The busy Madhya Marg faced traffic jams due to maintenance work last month.

The roads catering to heavy load of traffic throughout the day have become a nightmare for the road users, who find it hard to meander through the slow-moving traffic. So mush so that the motorists coming from outside get stuck in the jams as they are not aware of diversions ahead on their routes. To avoid traffic jams, these motorists take detour to the internal road, leading to traffic hazards.

The slip road constructed along these roads to ease the traffic flow, fails to serve the purpose as a majority of them are in a shambles and are full of potholes. With non-functional streetlights on these roads, the problem is further aggravated.

UT superintending engineer Kishenjit Singh maintained that the delay in the completion of work on a road stretch in front of the Kanthala Sahib Gurdwara was due to the recent rain. The work would be completed within a week. He, however, said that the road dividing Sectors 36, 37 and in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan came under UT chief engineer Jailtley.

The mayor, Pardeep Chhabra, said all these come under the administration. 

Chandigarh, April 7
A seminar on “Safe Blood- Be the Link” for school teachers was organised on World Health Day by the Blood Bank Society, Sector 37, here today. S.K. Setia, DPI (schools) was the chief guest. He emphasised the need of knowing facts of blood donation.

Swroop Krishen, president of the society, emphasised the role of teachers in spreading the message of safe blood amongst the students to ensure a steady stream of future voluntary blood donors.

Stressing the need of good health through proper diet, Dr S. Bambah, vice-president of the society, gave an idea about right food habits to ensure physical fitness of people wishing to donate blood, many of whom are anaemic.

Secretary Niti Sarin spoke on blood donation being the need of the hour. She gave details of who need blood, how blood banks are the only link between donor and patients.

A movie “Red” made by Guarav Chabra was also screened. Few teachers donated blood. Certificates of participants and token gifts of blood bank greetings were given to each participant.

Chandigarh, April 7
To commemorate the gallant actions of its men in warding off a Pakistani attack in the Rann of Kutch in 1965, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the parent paramilitary force of the country, is celebrating “Shauraya Diwas” on April 9.

An investiture ceremony to award meritorious service medals as well as honouring of gallantry award winners of the force is being held at the CRPF complex here to mark the occasion.

On this day in 1965, a small detachment consisting of just two companies from the 2nd Battalion of the force bore the brunt of a pre-dawn attack by an Infantry Brigade of the Pakistan army at Sardar post in the Rann of Kutchh.

Thus, about 250 men faced the equivalent of three battalions, an artillery regiment and other support elements. The Pakistan army did manage to penetrate the CRPF post and take 19 prisoners, but they were thrown out in a counter attack in which 34 of the enemy were killed and five taken prisoners. The Pakistan army Brigadier was sacked for this failure.

Mohali, April 7
Residents of Matour village held a protest outside the office of the Municipal Council against the failure of the civic body to take over the village for development works, here today. The protesters, led by municipal councillor Harpal Singh, raised slogans against the council and demanded that the work of giving sewerage connections in the village be started at the earliest.

Harpal said the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had provided sewer network in the village, but sewer connections were to be provided by the civic body after taking over the village from GMADA. He said he had been persuading council officials over the past few months to take over the village for development works but nothing had been done so far. Various streets were dug for sewer connections and the recent rain had added to the problems as the flow of water had got obstructed.

He said in all other villages under municipal limits, development works were carried out by the council but in the case of Matour it was showing reluctance to take over the charge of the village. However, president of the council Rajinder Singh Rana said engineers of the civic body had inspected the sewer network provided by GMADA in the village and found some shortcomings. 

Chandigarh, April 7
World Health Day was celebrated at 3 Base Repair Depot (BRD) here today under the aegis of Air Force Wives Welfare Association (Local). An educative lecture was organised by Flt Lt (Dr) S K Umar for the children of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 31, Kendriya Vidyalaya 3 BRD and Air Force School to mark the occasion.

A procession with banners and placards highlighting the impact of climate change on health was also held by the school students. The children were accompanied by Renu Luthra, president, AFWWA (Local), and other ladies of the station. 

The education department has resolved the issue of school fee for model and non-model schools. According to the statement issued in newspapers, all Muslims, Christians, OBCs and other categories of students along with SC and ST will get exemption and rebates in the fee.

It has been discussed time and again that criteria of concession should be economics rather than caste and creed. It is unfortunate that even after 50 years of independence, we are still playing the appeasement of politics.

This caste-based exemption from fee is ridiculous. The move, which creates differences among various religions like this religion-based rebate in fee, should be immediately withdrawn.

Instead, all categories of parents should be asked to submit their income proof for fee exemption. For admission to EWS categories, parents’ income cap is one lakh where as for some other categories; income cap of Rs 1.5 lakh has been announced. This confusion should be removed and all residents having income less than threshold income of Rs 1.5 lakh should be allowed free admission in all government schools.

Mohali, April 7
The newly set up The Millennium School started with an impressive orientation programme on the school premises at Sector 67 here today. The programme, which commenced with the lighting of the traditional lamp by students and parents, saw students being apprised of the new concepts of the school.

Principal Komal Singh said there would be no burden on the students, who would be taught through an advanced learning style. “The studies will entirely be activity based,” said Komal Singh while introducing the staff to the students. Later, the staff also presented a welcome song, saraswati vandana and the school anthem.

Panchkula

AWARENESS campaign: In order to sensitise students towards global warming, Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, in association with Health Plus Pvt Ltd, held a poster making competition on the occasion of World Health Day.

This was with the idea of encouraging children to think about global warming and their viewpoint vis-a-vis this growing menace.

ORIENTATION: An orientation programme for parents was held recently in Blue Bird High School, Sector 16, to let the parents meet the class teacher and share their views. It was an interactive session and parents were acquainted with many facts through which they could act as a bridge between their wards and teachers. 

Chandigarh, April 7
Law students hoping to crack the judicial services exam need not to wait till the completion of the course. They now have the option to study and prepare for the services during their course.

The University Institute of Legal Studies, Panjab University, is starting a crash programme for the fourth year students from May this year. Earlier, only those students who had finished the course were eligible for the programme.

Giving details about the programme, Prof R.S. Grewal, director, UILS, said, “ Preparing early for judicial services saves time. Most of the students after doing the course join coaching centers. Now, they will have the option to join the course offered by the university soon after their exams are over”.

The two-month course is being organised in collaboration with Centre for IAS and other competitive examinations, PU. The Centre for IAS examination is designing the curriculum and the best teachers would be engaged for the purpose, said Prof Grewal.

The students will have the option to either join a corporate for internship or join the crash course. This way, they will be engaged during their two-month vacation as well, he added.

Initially, 40 students will be selected on the basis of merit and if any student from three-year law wants to join, he or she may also apply. Special arrangements would be made in the hostels during vacations if hostellers want to take up the course after paying a nominal fee.
Visibly happy with the move, the students of five-year law are all geared up to make use of their vacations with the course.

Parul, a student of the department, said, “ I was considering some coaching centres for the same but now, when my own department is arranging it, there is no need for me to go for it outside”.

Harpreet, another law student, seconding her opinion said, “With this timely coaching, I would know what my chances are in the examination and I will have enough time to improve the shortcomings”. 

Chandigarh, April 7
Ruchika Garg and Rhytheema bagged the first and second prize, respectively, for the overall performance during the prize distribution function of Centre for Management Training and Research. The function was held at Makhan Shah Lubhana Hall, Sector 30, here yesterday.

In the fourth semester, Ruchika Garg received the first and Isha Deep got the second prize. Madhuri Khosla and Prakarti Mehta shared the first position while Monika Singla was placed on second place for the 2nd semester.

The function witnessed some excellent dance performances. Vivek Atray, director of tourism and public relations, Chandigarh, who was the chief guest. Vipin K. Diwan, director, CMTR, presented the institute’s annual report.

COURTS

Sunil Gaur appointed Delhi HC judge
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 7
The President has cleared the name of city-based Sunil Gaur for elevation as a Judge of the Delhi High Court. The warrant appointing him as a High Court Judge has already been issued and he is likely to take oath later this week. This is, perhaps, the first time that a judicial officer from the city is being elevated to the prestigious Delhi High Court.

After practising in the Punjab and Haryana High Court from 1984 to 1995, he chose to join the Superior Judicial Services in Delhi. He has dealt with sensitive cases like the Jessica Lal and Shivani Bhatnagar murder case. He was also posted as CBI Special Judge, Delhi, and his name was recommended for elevation in December last year.

He is son of Haryana’s former Advocate-General U.D Gaur, who had resigned from the post “on issue of principles”.

Chandigarh, April 7
All heads of the departments were today asked by the UT Administrator, Gen SF Rodrigues (retd), to listen to public grievances between 12 noon and 1 pm on all working days, except Friday. The instructions are in continuation of the earlier directive on hearing of public grievances by UT officials.

It has often been seen that UT officials are busy at meetings and members of the public keep on waiting. Now, it will be seen whether heads of the departments adhere to the directives of the Administrator or not.

In a two hour-long public hearing session, the Administrator, while addressing 32 complaints relating to different departments, directed the officer concerned of the Administration to sort these out in a time-bound manner.

Accompanied by Jean Rodrigues, the Administrator, while listening to the complaints regarding irregularities by Housing Cooperative Societies, directed the deputy commissioner to make a detailed analysis of the functioning of all cooperative societies and initiate legal action against defaulters. He said all such complaints against the management of different societies must be given top priority.

MC officials were at the receiving end when residents of Sector 67 brought to the notice of the Administrator that sewage and dirty water was flowing in the nullah passing near to their houses, emitting a foul smell. The MC has been given one month’s time to solve the problem.

On receiving complaints of encroachments in Sector 22, he directed the deputy commissioner to take immediate action against unscrupulous elements.

A spokesman for the administration said the session was held on the first and third Monday of every month. The complaints have to come to the UT secretariat on the fixed days to put across their point to the Administrator. 

Chandigarh, April 7
Three days after the administration announced to depute the officials of education department at two newly created posts of district education officers (DEOs), the incumbents are in dark about their status.

According to the official communique, dated April 4, the present DEO Khushinder Sharma has been allocated the post of deputy director, schools and adult education. The other two officials Prem Malik, at present working as assistant director of adult education department-cum-registrar, examination, and Chanchal Singh, presently the deputy DEO, have been deputed for the two new posts of DEOs.

Now, all these sitting officials are in catch-22 situation about who’s who? Interestingly, the parents and students who were supposed to meet the designated officials are also seen trudging from one official to another to know “Who exactly is who?

“Since, no official intimation in this regard has been received by anybody, we are not clear about which office should we hold”, said one of the incumbent.

“I only came to know about it three days ago, when one of my relative informed me after reading in the newspaper about my new posting”, said another official.

The education officials, withholding their identity, said the proposal for new appointments had been sent to higher officials for final approval and got delayed for reasons best known to them.

Meanwhile, the public relations division of the department released the press note about new appointments. “ Actually, the higher officials were not available to endorse the proposal and hence this situation occurred”, said an official.