Mohali, May 26
Even as the Mohali police slapped a bill of Rs 1.88 crore on the PCA for providing security for IPL matches, the association today washed its hands off the ongoing controversy between Kings XI Punjab team owner Ness Wadia and the SSP, R.S. Khatra.

The bill, which the police had not claimed earlier on the ground that it was “their duty” to provide security, was taken to the PCA stadium by the area SHO. The SSP confirmed the development, but no PCA official was willing to comment on it.

The issue that the PCA being a private body should pay for security had cropped up earlier also, but no money had been given.

While the SSP seems determined to recover the money, senior PCA officials claim that this could be a “ploy” to pressure Ness through the association. “It’s an ego problem,” they say.

When asked why the bill had been raised against the PCA and not the IPL team owners, Khatra said, “We only know the PCA.”

PCA president I.S. Bindra said they had not received any communique from any side. “Neither Ness, nor the SSP have sent us anything in writing about the allegations. We will not intervene in the matter,” he said.

A PCA official on the condition of anonymity said what Ness had alleged was right. Many T-shirts of the team and liquor bottles were found missing from the place where only team officials and police officials have access.

“The involvement of police officials in getting entry for their relatives and others without valid tickets is also a known fact,” the official added. 

Chandigarh, May 26
The city is set to join the league of metros in flesh trade. If things go unchecked, the area around Mani Majra may soon be what GB Road is to Delhi, Sona Gachi to Kolkata and Falkland Road to Mumbai.

Though prostitution is a reality in the city, it was usually happening in dingy guesthouses and hotels. But it was never as open as it is now. Girls soliciting customers in the open and striking deals without hesitation was unheard of earlier.

Just have juice at a corner shop in the market adjoining the Mani Majra bus stand and you will see it for yourself. It will not be an exaggeration to say that by the time you finish a glass of juice, a dozen deals would have been struck right before your eyes.

“The rate is between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500,” says a local shopkeeper on the condition of anonymity. This correspondent went to one such girl to get a true picture. “It will be Rs 500,” she said, saying that Rs 200 would go to a nearby “hotel” owner who rented out a room by the hour.

The police apparently finds nothing unusual about it. Even shopkeepers are mum. “What can we say? The police is obviously in the know of it and these people do have some sort of protection,” a shopkeeper said, adding that raids had been conducted in the area earlier, but nothing had changed.

While shopkeepers won’t admit it, the truth is with hundreds of people, particularly jawans from Chandimandir, visiting the area, they, too, are getting their pound of flesh of with increased sales of their products.

Most of the girls say that they have been forced into the profession due to reasons like poverty, extra-marital ties and domestic violence.

“I had four kids to feed and my husband was not worried. Fed up with his drinking, I became a prostitute 15 years ago,” said Rani (name changed). Sunita (name changed), in her 30s, entered the world of flesh trade after having an extra-marital affair with a close relative. Then there is Ranju, in her late 20s, who finds it an easy way to earn money.

The city has more than 3,000 sex workers and a majority of them live in places like Bapu Dham Colony No 4, Mani Majra and Daria village.

However, it gets awkward for girls living in the Mani Majra area. Those who visit the juice shop or wait for a bus get embarrassed when they are approached by customers, mistaking them to be a sex worker.

COMMUNITY

Fire in Sec-35 eatery
Ramanjit Singh Sidhu
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 26
Customers ran for their lives from Gopal sweets shop and restaurant in Sector 35, here, when a fire broke out in the building this afternoon. No one was reportedly injured in the fire.

The fire broke out in an electric oven in the kitchen at the first floor of the building. Within minutes, the entire area was engulfed by thick smoke billowing up from the chimney. The incident took place at around 1.30 pm when the restaurant was jampacked with customers.

The restaurant staff immediately swung into action and rushed to the first floor carrying fire extinguishers and doused the flames before it could spread further. They also rushed to the terrace of the building and put off the flames emitting through the chimney.

Lack of coordination between the police and fire department and haphazardly parked vehicles in the parking lot resulted in the loss of time. Though the police reached the spot before the fire tender could reach there, the cops kept on waiting for the fire tender and did not think it fit to remove the vehicles parked in front of the restaurant to make way for the fire engines.

According to S.K. Gosain, station fire officer, the fire was caused due to overheating of the oven and was brought under control by the restaurant staff. The fire tenders sprinkled water to completely extinguish the blaze.

A fire officer said they had lost time in removing the wrongly parked vehicles near the restaurant.

Sources in the fire department informed that the department had a recovery van to remove wrongly parked vehicles, but it was not dysfunctional for want of a battery. The fire officials told The Tribune that the vehicle was in working condition and would come on roads in a few days.

Chandigarh, May 26
Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla today lodged a complaint with the UT inspector-general of police (IGP) seeking probe into alleged misuse of the official logo of the Chandigarh municipal corporation by Jaypee Group of Companies.

It was alleged that the company had used the logo without seeking consent from the authorities concerned on the invitation cards printed for the inauguration of the municipal solid waste processing plant at Dadu Majra on May 21.

Babla, in his complaint purportedly lodged on behalf of Congress councillors, mentioned that the company’s directors, MC and UT administration were partners in the construction of the plant.

According to Babla, it has been found from enquiries on the floor of the MC house that neither the municipal commissioner nor the medical officer, health, are or were aware of the the fact that the logo was being printed on the cards for the function.

“The use of the logo without permission, therefore, becomes an offence as it is tantamount to fraud and for this act, we would like to lodge a complaint against the directors and officials of the Jaypee Group of Companies. We would like the police to initiate an inquiry into the matter,” said Babla.

Seeking a prompt action, he asked the IGP to bare the truth as to who was responsible for committing the offence and thus lowering the dignity of the mayor.

Chandigarh, May 26
Violate law and then get concessions from the administration seems to be the mantra for the city’s politically well-connected encroachers. And godown owners of Daria village are religiously following this single-thumb rule.

Construction activity in Daria village apart, illegal construction activity on the agricultural land is on the rise on the outskirts of Daria, Kaimbwala, Kajheri, Khuda Ali Sher, Raipur Kalan and Raipir Khurd villages. In Kajehri village, construction is being undertaken on the acquired land.

But the district administration seems to have turned a blind eye to it. Though the activity is in violation of the periphery act, the violators have conveniently got electricity connections.

Incidentally, the Chandigarh administration in a fresh set of guidelines sent to different heads of the departments has made different officials responsible to check encroachments. Apart from keeping a constant vigil on encroachers, the officials have been asked to seek police help for immediate removal of such structures, temporary and permanent. At the level of the district magistrate, a task force under the respective sub-divisional magistrates is already in place.

It appears that for the past few months, the administration is desisting from carrying out major anti-encroachment drives. The last drive carried out in Daria village against the godown owners on December 11, 2007, was halted after demolishing around 20 structures. Located near the Chandigarh railway station, the structures have been raised on unacquired land in violation of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952. At least 50 godown owners had been served demolition notices.

Demolition drives were carried in Daria in 2005 and 2006. A visit to the spot revealed that illegal structures had come up outside the lal dora of the village. Similar activity was witnessed in Kaimbwala and other villages. 

Chandigarh, May 26
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Employees Union (CMCEU) today staged a protest outside the municipal corporation building demanding to revoke suspension of junior engineer Balraj Singh.

Irked over the undue interference of the councillors into their day-to-day functioning, the representative of the union made it clear that they would not follow orders from anyone except their authorities.

Later in the day, president of the union A.K. Dadwal told The Tribune that the municipal commissioner D.R. Roshan Sunkaria had assured them proper and fair probe into the matter and ordered re-examination of the case. The union leaders expressed satisfaction over the talks they had with the commissioner.

Earlier, other than the union leaders, president of the local unit of the BJP Kamla Sharma and former mayor Harjinder Kaur addressed the protesters and extended their support to them. They stated that they would not allow anyone to harass the employees at the behest of the Congress councillors. Thereafter, they met the commissioner and submitted a representation to him seeking a fresh probe into the matter.

Balraj Singh, in his representation to the commissioner, held that it was following the demand of the area councillor that the executive engineer provided the machinery to carry out the work. He threw sand/earth on the road berms till 4.30 pm that day and was not aware of who dumped the garbage/debris thereafter.

Meanwhile, the BSP spokesman stated that the inquiry report submitted in this connection was delayed as the official concerned was under pressure from Congress councillors. BSP convenor Harmohan Dhavan demanded that the Congress councillors involved in the incident should be suspended from the house.

The union leaders further informed that they were seeking legal opinion into the allegation of corruption levelled by the Congress councillors against the enforcement staff and would proceed against them as per the law. 

Internal roads in almost all sectors of Panchkula are in a deplorable condition and crying for maintenance but nobody seems to be bothered.

This reflects the callous attitude of the administration as well as official apathy. The roads are full of potholes, which, at some places are as deep as two feet or even deeper.

Residents have been repeatedly knocking at the doors of the municipal council but to no avail. Right at the entrance to the city, one experiences a rough ride.

When there is such a pathetic condition of the roads in the month of May, what will be the result during rains?

The administration should be sensitive to the hardships being faced by the residents and take immediate measures to restore the roads as early as possible.

Dr Shruti Kapoor, Panchkula

Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at news@tribuneindia.com or, write in, at: Letters, Chandigarh Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh – 160 030

Chandigarh, May 26
The efforts of three fine art teachers took shape in the form of a unique mural depicting the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan message at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 47, here. This work of art, having dimension of 45x8 feet, has been created by Vishal Bhatnagar, sculptor and fine arts teacher of GMSSS-47, Rajender Kumar, sculptor and fine arts teacher of GMSSS-10 and Subhash Shorey, painter and fine arts teacher of GMSSS-16. “It took us more than two months to give it a final shape with the help of cement, ceramic tiles, leaf work, painting spray along with other material,” told the teachers. 

Finance-cum-education secretary Sanjay Kumar formally inaugurated this piece of art. Appreciating the artwork, he honoured the creators for their outstanding endeavour. DPI (S) S.K. Setia and assistant director, vocational education, Saroj Mittal were also present. Principal of the school J.S. Basota said it was for the first time that any government school of the city had initiated to create such kind of artwork. Setia said such mural work would be done in other schools also. He said the purpose of this mural was to give the school an attractive look. He also said it was a sort of platform for the teachers to show and develop their talent. The education secretary also inaugurated a beauty culture and health lab on the school campus, which comes under the vocational stream. He inspected the lab where the latest equipments related to beauty culture were installed.

MANAGEMENt PROGRAMME: A two-day management development programme (MDP) organised by Aryans Business School, concluded at Hotel Shivalikview, here. Dr R.K. Ranga, finance commissioner and principal secretary, Haryana, was the chief guest. Management experts Prof J.S. Saini, Prof S.P. Singh, Prof Gitanjali Bhatnagar, Wg Cdr D.P. Sabharwal, Dr Sanjay Kaushik, Prof A.K. Vashisht, S.V. Malhotra and Dr Parveen Kataria interacted with the participants.

Chandigarh, May 26
The 18-member group of students, teachers and NGO representatives who visited Singapore, today shared their experiences.

Educational and cultural exchange programme ‘Internationalisation Programme -2008’ facilitated this trip to broaden the students’ learning and acquire new knowledge in a cultural environment different from their own.

The education system in Singapore, they discovered, was “well equipped, very focused and stress free”.

Priya (GMSSS-40) said, “The frankness and openness with which teachers-students talk and discuss things is really admirable.”

This fact can well be gauged from the fact that in Singapore, the teacher-taught ratio is maintained at one against 20. “Here, barring a handful of good government schools, we have an average ratio of one against 50,” said Rajni Taneja, teacher at GMS-32.

For Sacred Heart student Nipunya, the drama and mystery of the tropical jungle came alive after dusk at the world's premier night safari in Singapore. Jasmine and Karan Bhai of KB DAV-7 were mesmerised by the ‘song of the sea’ at Santosa Islands.

For Pransh of Bhawan Vidyalaya and Ritika of KB DAV-7, the experience of the largest observation wheel, Singapore Flyer, standing at a stunning 165m from the ground is unforgettable.

Ritika, another student was impressed with the infrastructure and education system in the Singapore schools. “There, sitting arrangement is too innovative. Instead of sitting in a row, they sit around a round table in groups of four and change the tables on rotational basis every week.”

Eshita Malik, Sacred Heart student, was impressed with their well-equipped libraries. “Their innovative annual campaigns like ‘read Singapore’ and ‘catching’ even newborns with story telling sessions is beyond one's imagination.”

Their policy ‘teach less learn more’ impressed every one. “Their approach is concept based and very practical. No rote learning,” said Parmod, representative from NGO Yuvsatta.

Teachers Sudha Bhardwaj and Rekha Kiran said, “We are not lagging behind in education but the need of the hour is to implement it in a systematic manner. In Singapore, schools are not like a burden but a playing while learning centers for the kids. Naturally, this tempts them to go to school.”

Chandigarh, May 26
“Aspire big, there is always a way. I could not think in the wildest of my dreams that I would ever get a chance to visit Japan, experience their culture, their lifestyle, their technology, but it was to be that way”, says Abhinav Sharma, who has just returned from Japan after attending a 10-day exchange programme held recently.

Abhinav, a student of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, was the only student from government schools of the city to be selected for this prestigious Japan East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth 
Programme.

Abhinav was selected by the Chandigarh Education Department at the state level and finally by a high level selection committee instituted by the ministry of human resource development (HRD), Government of India, and the Japanese government at the national level.

Two other local students Medhavi Gugnani from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sector 25, and Anish Punj from DAV, Sector 15, were also his batch mates.

Abhinav made a power point presentation on “Self, Family, School and Community” before the Japanese students, teachers and  host family.

Sharing his experience with The Tribune, elated Abhinav said, “It was a unique kind of experience to stay with a Japanese family for two days. Cricket, they say, is a sheer wastage of time to play and watch.

They give attention toward sports like baseball, football and basketball at the  school level.”

During his stay, Abhinav visited Tokyo and Nagano, a Japanese prefecture. “It was good to travel in bullet train - ‘Shinkansen Asama’. I visited Imperial Palace, Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Zenkoji Temple, Edo Tokyo Museum etc”, said Abhinav.

But visit to Nagano Seisen Jogakuin Senior High School and Seisen Jogakuin College provided him firsthand knowledge about the Japanese education system. “The education system over there is concept based. The students over there are very focused and clear about their approach.

Their varied education system has been designed to meet the mindset of different students. Above all, the frank and friendly teacher-taught relationship counts the most, which I find missing in our system.”

About the education policy at the school level, Abhinav said the play way methods, education through dance and music, learning by doing and learning through self experience techniques, adopted by them had made their education system quite practical and conceptual. “One thing we score over Japanese is at mathematics.

They are scared of tedious mathematical calculations and I taught them how to solve them applying simple method,” said Abhinav.

Abhinav, the winner of several state level awards in essay writing, debates was also honoured with runners up during Race for Awareness and Knowledge (RANK) Award 2007. 

Chandigarh, May 26
Admit cards of the eligible candidates who are to appear in OCET-2008, to be conducted by the Panjab University, Chandigarh, from June 1 to June 3, have been despatched by registered post. Those who do not receive the admit cards by 29.05.2008, should may get the duplicate cards from the university office (CET Cell, Aruna Ranjit Chandra Hall, near post office) on May 30 and 31.

ONLINE PROGRAMME: Ministry of science and technology, department of biotechnology, Government of India, has launched a nationwide online programme to engage young bright students with issues and concerns associated with management of bio-resources. The programme has been launched to enhance the students’ sustainability and potential to contribute to human welfare.

For this purpose, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), New Delhi, selected as the regional resource agency (RRA), is coordinating a programme (fully supported by DBT) in Delhi and Haryana. In the four-week programme on bio-resources (VPBR), scheduled to be held from May 15 to June 12, at different institutes, two groups of Class XI students (each group comprising 30 participants from 10 identified partner schools, spread across each of the above two states) are participating.

As part of the above programme, the participants will attend a four-day training module at the department of botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh. Under the above said programme, a four-day training on bio-resource vacation programme was inaugurated by Prof S.K. Kulkarni, dean, iniversity instructions, at the botany department here today. In her welcome address organiser Prof Harvinder Cheema, department of botany, exhorted the students to be an asset for the welfare of the society by being honest, positive, humble and better person. Prof Kulkarni, in his inaugural lecture on ‘Reaching New Heights’, highlighted that the students should achieve now heights in their lives to benefit the society. Vinod Aggarwal, co-coordinator of ATREE, explained the theme of the programme, which is being financed by the department of bio-technology. Dr Promila Pathak proposed the vote of thanks.

Chandigarh, May 26
The officers of the UT special crime investigation cell seem to have turned chivalrous. The courtesy they are extending to Noor Kataria, the controversial model, is raising eyebrows.

While those in police custody are usually brought or rather “herded” to the court in rickety jail vans or police Gypsies, Noor today arrived for the hearing of her remand proceedings in a white air-conditioned Hyundai Verna. Sitting in the rear with a woman constable and an ASI, she reached the court premises at about 2 pm.

While Baljinder Singh, the main suspect in the Anuradha murder case, was taken to the court, almost around the same time, from the main gate, Noor entered from the side gate where vehicles of lawyers and judges are parked.

Unlike her earlier two appearances when she came with her face covered and surrounded by half a dozen cops, she appeared more relaxed and even “obliged” cameramen to take her photographs. She even ignored an ASI’s offer to cover her face.

When contacted, senior police officials were miffed at this “VVIP” treatment to Noor. Though they refrained from commenting on the future course of action in this regard, they admitted, “This was against norms. As per rules, an arrested person is supposed to travel in a police vehicle rather than a private car,” they said. The car is reportedly being used by one of the officers of the cell.

Though both Noor and Baljinder were produced before the judicial magistrate first class, P.K. Lal, they did not face each other. While Baljinder was made to sit in the courtroom of the ilaka magistrate, she sat in the ahlmad’s room.

All three siblings of Anuradha, including Sandeep who lives abroad, came to the court today. There was a brief argument between Anuradha’s sister and Baljinder’s elder brother, Karamjit Singh, when the latter greeted Sandeep.

While Anuradha’s siblings were present during the arguments for Noor’s remand, they were not there when Baljinder was produced.

Both Baljinder and Noor were today sent to judicial custody for 14 days. Noor has applied for bail which will be taken up by the court tomorrow.

Chandigarh, May 26
District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum today directed the chief manager of Punjab National Bank to pay compensation of Rs 20,000 to a resident of Mohali for furnishing wrong information.

The forum also specified that if the amount was not deposited in 30 days then the bank would have to pay the compensation at an interest of 12 per cent per annum from the filing of the complaint, along with Rs 2,200 as cost of litigation. The petitioner, Om Prakash Malhotra, stated that he had a joint saving account in the said bank and had applied for five fixed deposits from his savings that were started on March 5, last year.

He alleged that the fixed deposit was issued with incorrect maturity values and no nominations were recorded. He brought the problems to the notice of the bank official, but no action was taken. It was only after a few visits to the bank that the complainant could get the nominations written from the official concerned.

Thereafter, Malhotra applied for issuance of certificate of interest earned on the savings and fixed deposits, but it was delayed on one pretext or the other. Finally, he was informed that the interest certificate was not traceable. He was not given the tax deduction at source (TDS) certificate. Malhotra added that though the interest earned was same in each fixed deposit, yet the tax was deducted.

The bank denied supplying any information to the income tax officer with ulterior motive.

The forum headed by Jagroop Singh Mahal stated, “The bank officials acted in most negligent and irresponsible manner without caring for their duties towards its customers. They were grossly deficient in rendering proper service due to which the complainant was harassed and humiliated.” 

Chandigarh, May 26
Argument between a lawyer and a Division Bench found its echo outside the courtroom with the advocate blaming the judge for “shouting at him” in a formal complaint submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court bar association.

The association, in turn, took up the matter with Chief Justice Vijender Jain, who reportedly assured the members of resolving the issue within next 24 hours.

Association president Rupinder Khosla said the executive would meet the Chief Justice again on Tuesday. Senior executive member Kapil Kakkar said they were hoping for an early resolution to the problem.

Giving details of a resolution passed by the executive in light of the developments, Khosla said the members had resolved that disrespect should not be shown to them when they appeared before the Judges.

It all started when senior advocate and former judge of the Rajasthan High Court J.C. Verma appeared before the high court division bench of Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain in a case pertaining to the property left in control of a trust by senior advocate Seth Bhagirath Dass before his death. The Bench observed that the property had “plundered”; and asked Verma to name any senior advocate of the high court who could be appointed as a trustee. Verma said as he was appearing in the court for the first time; he needed time. Justice Gill did not agree with his contention and again asked him to name any advocate.

When no name came from the advocate, the judge said they would themselves appoint a trustee, to which Verma objected. Justice Gill said as no name was given they were forced to take suo motu cognizance of the matter and dictated senior advocate M.L. Sarin’s name in the order, which again led to objection by the advocate.

Referring to a case in hand, Verma said retired and sitting judges had been playing havoc. Taking exception to the statement, Justice Gill said he would not listen to anything against any sitting or retired Judge. As the argument turned into heated exchange of words, Justice Gill asked Verma to stop, lest he issued a contempt notice. Verma, however, said he had no objections to that.

Chandigarh, May 26
When it comes to taking people for a ride nobody matches UT bureaucrats. The administration’s reported flip-flop on the transfer fee for the regularisation of the general power of attorney (GPA) holders in group housing societies is a case 
in point.

The functioning of the estate officer and the registrar of cooperative societies (RCS), the charge of which is held by the DC, has come under a scanner with the RCS recommending to the finance department that the transfer fee should be “nominal” on the Haryana pattern.

Surprisingly, it was on the recommendations of the estate office that the finance department had imposed hefty charges up to Rs 5.25 lakh for the regularisation of the GPAs in February.

With the estate office and the finance department failing to act in coordination, hundreds of GPA holders were left confused. It was believed that the fee had been imposed to create panic among GPA holders.

However, the administration’s decision had kicked up a storm with the Chandigarh State Federation of Coop House Building Societies Limited (Chandigarh Housefed) opposing it.

The Chandigarh Housefed had termed the decision illegal as it ran counter to its earlier decision regarding the transfer of plots allotted under the Cooperative Housing Scheme of 1979. Besides there was no provision in the Cooperative Act for the charging of the hefty fee.

Chandigarh Housefed chairman Jai Dev Sharma said the decision was anti-people and against the spirit of the cooperative movement. It was heartening that the administration was reconsidering the decision.

Earlier, the administration had allowed the cooperative societies to levy substitution fee for enrolling members.

Since substitution members were also GPA holders, the same criteria should have been followed for the regularisation of GPA holders in cooperative house building societies, the Chandigarh Housefed had contended.