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IIT-JEE: Abhinav Garg placed third
Chandigarh, May 30
Around 90 students have managed to get through the IIT-JEE. A total of 9,000 candidates had appeared for the test in the city and the three toppers are from the city.

CITY’S THREE ACES: From left Abhinav Garg, Archit Gupta and Ish Dhand

World No Smoking Day
Hooked to hookah
Chandigarh , May 30
While the world is observing World No Tobacco Day, hookah remains an inextricable part of Haryanvi culture.

It is No Smoking Day today
Introducing telephone helpline for habitual smokers is another step being taken by the Chandigarh administration to observe “World No Tobacco Day” tomorrow, almost a year after the city was declared the first “smoke-free” city in the country.

CBI arrests SDO, JE on graft charge
Chandigarh, May 30
The CBI arrested A.K. Dadwal, SDO (electrical), Gyan Chand, a JE, and Ramesh Chand from the office of the MC on the charges of taking bribe from a contractor here this evening.

Undertake integrated nutrient management, farmers told
Chandigarh, May 30
Young Indians (Yi), an arm of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), brought together “AGROMAX 2008”, a conference focussed on the need to make balanced nutrition a national imperative to solve the country’s food crisis and poor agricultural productivity.

COMMUNITY

Heated arguments mark MC meeting
Proposal on new contract for sanitation work discussed
Mohali, May 30
Opposition councillors launched an attack against the president of the municipal council over the failure of the civic body to tackle issues relating to sanitation, tehbazari, stray cattle at a meeting held here today.

Haryanvi saang fest a draw
Panchkula, May 30
The week-long Haryanvi Saang Festival being organised by the department of public relations and culture affairs and NZCCC at the Indradhanush auditorium proved to be a big draw on the second day today.

Marla Houses
Panel allows changes in building bylaws
Chandigarh, May 30
Applying a uniform yardstick, a committee of building bylaws has recommended that houses governed by frame control be allowed additional room of up to 150 sq yrd in the rear courtyard, subject to payment of certain amount of composition fee.

Pilot’s Murder
Father alleges bias in probe
Chandigarh, May 30
Expressing apprehension over the direction of the investigation by local agencies being influenced in the case of the death of Flt Lt Anubhav Rao, his father Prof Ram Kumar has sought that the matter be handed over to a central agency to ensure fairness and impartiality.

Out on bail, man dies in accident
Chandigarh, May 30
Rakesh Sexena (30) succumbed to his injuries after he jumped from a wall of MLA hostel, Sector 3 here this morning. An iron rod holding the fencing reportedly pierced his stomach. Sexena, a postgraduate, was a drug addict and was arrested for stealing a Kinetic Honda’s battery from Sector 20 on May 27. Though he was bailed out yesterday, he was admitted to Government Hospital, Sector 16, following a head injury, which he received after fainting in the police custody.

Bimlash Sexena, mother of Rakesh, lying unconscious at General Hospital, Sector 16. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Saheli Angan opens centre for adolescent girls
Chandigarh, May 30
Saheli Angan, a centre for adolescent girls, inaugurated its centre at Dadu Majra colony. The centre is managed by the Society for Social Health (SOFOSH), Chandigarh. While inaugurating the center, Former city mayor and Chandigarh social welfare board chairperson, Lalit Joshi said, "At Saheli Aangan we aim at strengthening the self confidence in girls by training them to be self independent in their lives."

Parts of Sukhna Lake may have dried up but the golden waters still lure rowers. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Roadworthiness
Now, school bus operators approach admn
Chandigarh, May 30
A recommendation of the UT secretary transport to allow extension to CTU busses that are not roadworthy has opened a Pandora’s box for the Chandigarh administration.

Free cardiac check-up camp
Chandigarh, May 30
The rising rate of cardiac patients in India calls for urgent attention. According to the World Heath Organisation report there are at least 9,50,000 people in India who die of heart diseases and strokes every year. However, only 15,000 people had been operated for such diseases in the country last year.

Nihang Baba Balwant Singh wearing 303-metre turban addresses a press conference in Ambala Cantonment on Friday. Tribune photo: Kamal Sachar

Allotment of Booths
Shopkeepers seek govt’s help
Mohali, May 30
Shopkeepers of Janta Market in Phase III-B 1 have appealed to the Punjab Government to intervene so that justice, which was allegedly being denied by officials of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) while making allotment of pucca booths, is done.

Fire dept inspects restaurants
Chandigarh, May 30
The fire department of the municipal corporation today carried out an inspection and awareness drive regarding fire safety norms in restaurants and discotheques of the city.

GPA transfer: Extension deadline sought
Chandigarh, May 30
A delegation of the local unit of the BJP, Chandigarh, led by its president Kamla Sharma, today met the chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) and presented him a memorandum demanding the extension of June 4 deadline for the GPA transfer policy.

• Letters

EDUCATION

Prospectus rates exorbitant: Students
Chandigarh, May 30
University education is going out of reach of the common student. With each passing year, leave aside tuition fee, even the cost of prospectuses is mounting out of proportions.

Deemed Varsity Status
GMCH in no mood to give up
Chandigarh, May 30
The Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, has not lost the hope of becoming a deemed university, even as the ministry of family health and welfare has turned down the proposal on two earlier occasions.

City Concerns
Central University Status for Panjab University
Panjab University teachers, under the banner of PUTA, are on a relay strike demanding Central University Status for the premier institution. They claim the status of a Central University will automatically draw in critical improvement and enhancement to the availability of finances both for research as well as for teaching and learning.

Lawyers join PU stir
Chandigarh, May 30
The voice of the agitating teachers and students from the campus of PU has echoed from the Punjab and Haryana High Court where a large number of PU alumni are practicing lawyers.

PU to start course in community development
Chandigarh, May 30
To create an awareness and understanding regarding the issues pertaining to community development at national as well as global level, Panjab University is starting a MA in community education and development in the newly established department of community education and development from the current academic session.

• Varsity results
• 637 attend MBA fest

COURTS

No overbooking of air tickets: Panel
Chandigarh, May 30
Now, those travelling by air can heave a sigh of relief as the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the airlines in the country to curb the practice of over-booking of tickets.

Consumer Courts
BSNL penalised Rs 25,000
Chandigarh, May 30
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has told Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Sector 34, to pay Rs 25,000 in compensation to a Mohali resident with liberty to recover the amount from officials responsible for deficiency in service.

Anuradha Murder
Victim’s siblings depose before court
Chandigarh, May 30
Harish and Rekha, brother and sister, respectively, of Anuradha, who was brutally murdered, got their statements recorded under Section 164 of CrPC before the magistrate today.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Encroachments
3,000 defaulters served notices
Patiala, May 30
Thousands of encroachers doing small and big businesses on the government lands on all main roads in Patiala are seemingly in for a big trouble with the Patiala Municipal Corporation.

NICS a boon for cricketers
Patiala, May 30
National Institute of Cricket and Sports (NICS), a private cricketing academy, has developed a penchant of producing some top drawer cricketers in the region.

Old jail to bear new look
Bassi Pathana, May 30
The old sub jail at Bassi Pathana, which had been lying unused since 1994 after being declared unsafe, would be revived soon, said Izhar Alam, DGP Jails, while talking to The Tribune here yesterday.

Withdrawal of train stopover
Residents threaten to resume stir
Bassi Pathana, May 30
Residents of Bassi Pathana town have warned the Railway authorities that if they withdrew the stopover of 4553, 4554 Himachal Express at the Bassi Pathana railway station, they would restore their agitation. The residents of the town, under the banner of various organisations, had started an agitation and observed a complete bandh against the withdrawal of the train’s stopover a few months back.

Body of 24-yr-old found hanging
Dera Bassi, May 30
Body of 24-year-old Neha Jain was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her in-laws’ house in Dera Bassi late last night.

A file photo of Neha Jain

Govts should step up peace talks: Pak delegation
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 30
A Pakistan delegation of the International Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) from Pakistan today visited Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib to pay obeisance. The organisation is active in undertaking social work and helping the poor.

Notify Kharar MC poll: MLA
Kharar, May 30
The Kharar MLA, Balbir Singh Sidhu, has written to the election commissioner, Punjab, regarding the delay in the notification for the MC elections here.

SPORTS

Mukesh takes one-stroke lead
Stage set for exciting finish in Rs 30 lakh PGTI event
Chandigarh, May 30
The stage is set for an exciting finish with six golfers in contention for the PGTI Players Championship title on the penultimate day of the Rs 30 lakh prize money event on the par-72 greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club, here today.

Mhow golf veteran Mukesh Kumar plays a shot on the third day of the PGTI Players Championship at the Chandigarh Golf Club on Friday. Mukesh leads the field by just one stroke. Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

On a roll: Neyhal Salwan from Sacred Heart High School who scored 94 per cent marks and was a part of the team that won a gold medal in the Asian Roller Hockey Championship in 2007. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Cricket
Punjab, Haryana move to semifinals
Panchkula, May 30
Punjab, Gujarat and Haryana have moved into the semifinal stage of the All-India under-17 National Federation Cup Cricket Tournament being held at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Sector 3, here.

Cricket Tournament
Shasya, Mayank steer APJ Academy to victory
Chanidarh, May 30
A superb 136-run partnership between Shasya Jamwal (90) and Mayank Sood (88 not out) steered the APJ Academy, Kharar, to beat Vivek High School Academy by four wickets in the Inter-Academy Cricket Tournament for Mount Shivalik Trophy for u-17 at St Stephen's School grounds, Sector 45, here today.

No contract with Adlana
Evidence proves Wizcraft’s claim false
Mohali, May 30
The claims of Wizcraft officials that no contract was made with George Adlana proved false as the complainant (Adlana) of racial discrimination today furnished some evidences to the Punjab Police.

Chandigarh junior golf on June 5
Chandigarh, May 30
The Chandigarh Junior and Sub-junior Golf Championship will be played on the par-72 greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club on June 5 and 6.

City takes lead
Chandigarh, May 30
Mohali team lost to Chandigarh on the basis of first innings lead in the u-16 Inter-District Cricket Tournament for M.L. Markan Trophy. — TNS

HEALTH

IRC technique a boon for piles patients
Chandigarh, May 30
Treatment of “piles” is no longer a nightmare for patients as latest German technology based on infrared coagulation (IRC) makes the task painless and hassle-free.

Hospital brings ray of hope for poor
Panchkula, May 30
With the opening of Alchemist Multi-speciality Hospital in the town, the poor as well rich in the region would have access to the world-class health services. This was claimed by Sunil Nath, executive director, Alchemist Hospitals.

CRIME

Chain snatchers give sleepless nights to cops
Chandigarh, May 30
Snatching continues unabated in the city, defying the much touted intensified patrolling and anti-snatching nakas by the police across the city.

Three vehicles stolen
Chandigarh, May 30
Nawaz Ali, a resident of Burail, reported that his motor cycle (CH-04-C-1211) was stolen from outside his residence on Monday.

Domestic help commits suicide
Chandigarh, May 30
A domestic servant in his mid-20s allegedly ended his life by consuming some poisonous substance at his employer’s residence in Sector 18 this morning.

BUSINESS

Sector 17 bears the brunt of real estate boom
High rentals trigger exodus of big brands
Chandigarh, May 30
The high rental bubble seems to have burst in Sector 17, the commercial hub of the city. In fact, high rentals that catapulted the heart of the city to the metro league, are working to its disadvantage with certain big brands making an “exit” from the sector.

CULTURE

Sarangi capable of stirring emotions: Maestro
Chandigarh, May 30
Sarangi, called the lute of a hundred colours (sau-rangi), is capable of stirring all possible hues and shades of human emotion. The touching notes of its strings are closest to the human voice. Yet, it is a dying instrument. Sarangi maestro Vinod Pawar said this while talking to mediapersons here yesterday. He is going to perform on the theme of Bistrot Montmartre at Alliance Café tomorrow.Sarangi is the most versatile instrument, played near the heart on the chest and brings out human emotions.