National College grooms students’ skills
Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 16
The English Literary Society of Patel Memorial National College, Rajpura, organised a fest to groom the communicative and technical skills of the students.

The show started with the lighting of the traditional lamp along with the recitation of welcome song. The audience was enthralled with the rhythmical poems, piercing dialogues, funny tongue twisters and vibrant slogans.

Dr Sanjiv Kalia, principal of the college, assured the students that such events would be a regular feature in future also. He motivated the students saying the awareness and devoted dedication always bring exalting results.

Winners of the various events were honoured with trophies. Dr Suresh Nayak, Dr Satpal Jindal, Dr Jagir Singh and Prof Barjinder Singh Sandhu were members of the jury.

Sub-treasury office yet to take shape
Our Correspondent

Bassi Pathana, October 16
In spite of the government having sanctioned a sub-treasury office for the sub-division and issued requisite infrastructure like computer and furniture, the office has yet to take shape due to lack of requisite space and staff.

In a letter to higher authorities, various social and religious organisations of the town led by council president Kulbhushan Malhotra and Hindu organisation secretary Manoj Banda have urged the district administration to take steps in this regard and mitigate the suffering of people.

The outgoing deputy commissioner, Ashok Singla, had assured a delegation of starting the working of treasury within 15 days, but no steps were taken by the administration after he was transferred.

They said residents especially employees and pensioners had to face great difficulty as they had to travel to Fatehgarh Sahib for small jobs related to the treasury office. The sub-treasury was sanctioned for the town following numerous representations made by people to the government.

Now, residents have urged the deputy commissioner to initiate steps to start the sub-treasury office here at the earliest.

Four suspected with dengue
Our Correspondent

Ambala, October 16
As may as four suspected dengue patients were admitted in civil hospital at Ambala City today. Three of them were referred to PGI, Chandigarh, following their serious condition. According to hospital sources, the platelets of those patients were found rapidly decreasing.

Dr O.P. Arya, principal medical officer of the civil hospital, confirmed that the patients referred to PGI were suspected to be affected by dengue.

The four patients were Sachin (19), Renu (35), Nitin (12) and Samsher Rani (56). Except Samsher the other three patients were shifted to PGI. Nitin belongs to Kotwali Sarai area where a woman, Monika, had died of dengue last week.

The health department had announced to launch fogging and anti-mosquitoes spray in Kotwali Sarai and the adjoining areas after the death of Monika.

The administration has not made any sincere efforts to make this city mosquito free so far.

Heaps of garbage can be been everywhere in the city. People are of the view that the sanitation arrangement in the city is also too little and it causes jaundice, dengue and other diseases.

NHAI to pay for land
Tribune News Service

Dera Bassi, October 16
After the direction was issued by the Mohali district administration, the NHAI had decided to pay the land compensation to those people whose land was acquired for widening of the Chandigarh-Ambala National Highway.

According to sources, the decision was taken following the meeting between the Mohali district administration and NHAI officials held here today. It was decided to pay compensation in Kurli, Lalru, Dappar, Lehli, Janetpur and Bairmajra villages from 
October 17.

Kanwaljit promises compensation to farmers
Tribune News Service

Dera Bassi, October 16
Punjab cooperations’ minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh today visited fields of various villages in Dera Bassi, which were affected on Tuesday by heavy rain and hailstorm. The minister has given strict instruction to the authority concerned that entire compensation amount should be distributed properly among the farmers and he should not receive any complaint of corruption in distribution of compensation.

According to sources, around 28 villages in the area have suffered damages by the rain and hailstorm.

The villagers requested to the minister that they were likely to suffer major financial losses and urged him for compensation.

SDM, Dera Bassi, Sohan Lal Bhumbak said, “The minister told the authorities to distribute the compensation without any delay to the affected farmers.” 

Nine of inter-state gang held
Tribune News Service

Kharar, October 16
Nine members of an inter-state gang were arrested today during a joint operation conducted by the Kharar police and CIA staff. The gang had been operating in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Acting on a tip off, the police laid naka late last night near Bhukri village. The police arrested ringleaders Juri Bangala and Rakesh Bangala, both from Kurali. Others included Raju alias Raja, Raj Kumar, Vishal, Rajan, Ravi, Raj Kumar, all from Morinda. Their driver Avtar Singh Tari from Mullapur Sodhiyan village was also arrested.

The police also confiscated Tata 207 vehicle. Besides, swords, rods and other weapons were also recovered. Police officials have taken all accused on judicial remand.

The gang used car jack to break open shutters of various commercial establishments. In last 45 days, the accused had committed incidents at 15 such places in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, areas in Ropar, including Kurali, Morinda, Kainour, Chamkaur Sahib, Khamano, Bassi Pathana, Sirhind, Rajpura, Patiala, Chunni and Kharar.

Gang members looted goods worth crores and sold the same to scrap and junk dealers in few lakhs. The material would be recovered in the coming few days, said the police officials.

COURTS

High Court
Parwanoo-Zirakpur Highway
Haryana agrees to give land to Army
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 16
The last hurdle in the way of widening of the Parwanoo-Zirakpur stretch was removed today with Haryana telling the Punjab and Haryana High Court that 50 per cent of the demarcated land on the stretch would be handed over by it to the Army by this evening.

The remaining 50 per cent would be handed over within the next three days.

The Army, in turn, will transfer the entire land required for widening the road to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), simultaneously.

This was told to the High Court Division Bench of Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice Daya Chaudhary during the hearing of traffic regulation and highway broadening case.

Haryana had earlier failed to hand over the land to the NHAI for widening the road connecting Chandigarh with Kalka and Shimla. As Army land forms part of the required chunk, Haryana had offered to provide the Army with alternative land for locating certain defence establishments.

The High Court had earlier made it clear that the project to streamline the flow of traffic on the Pinjore-Kalka-Parwanoo could not be delayed on account of red tape.

The case, aimed at ensuring the free flow of traffic by cutting down the delay in widening of the Chandigarh-Kalka highway, will now come up for further hearing on October 24.

The road has been witnessing traffic jams especially on the stretch passing through the towns of Pinjore and Kalka.

The Bench has all along been expressing its unhappiness at the red tape enveloping the issue of transfer of defence land between Chandigarh and Pinjore to the NHAI, and also on the issue of alternative land to be provided to the Army authorities by Haryana in exchange for the land to be transferred to NHAI. The issue of widening the Chandigarh-Kalka highway has its origin in a petition filed in public interest by Harish Kumar Puri of Ambala.

In his petition, Puri had earlier asked for the construction of rumble strips, along with traffic signals, at the crossings. He had stated that his 27-year-old son Ashok Puri had died on May 14, 1996, due to complete failure of the signal system.

Kasauli-based hotelier released
Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 16
The sub-divisional magistrate, Khanna, naib tehsildar, Majri and a patwari, all suspects in a Punjab Vigilance case of alleged forgery, fraud, conspiracy and corruption relating to mutation of 432 kanal at Nada village, today applied their application for anticipatory bail at a local court.

The hearing on the application has been fixed for tomorrow. The three revenue officials were posted in the Majri block during the period when the mutations were done.

Meanwhile, the court today released the Kasauli-based hotelier, Rana Iqbal Singh Jolly, who was arrested by the Vigilance in connection with the case on October 14.

Yesterday, the Punjab Vigilance had moved an application that it had nothing to recover from the hotelier and his police remand was not required. Vigilance officials said original residents of the village had objected to the transfer of ownership of the village land in the name of the suspects even as the revenue department had yet to transfer the shares in their name.

Cash at Judge’s Door
Nirmal granted bail
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 16
CBI special court of Jagdeep Jain today granted bail to another accused, Nirmal Singh, in the cash at judge’s door case. Nirmal was asked to furnish bail bonds of Rs 50,000 by the court.

The UT police had arrested Nirmal on August 20, the day prime accused Bansal had surrendered.

Nirmal’s name surfaced in the case soon after the police recovered Rs 15 lakh on August 13 from the residence of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur.

Thereafter, both property dealer Rajiv Gupta and Nirmal Singh presented the sale deed to the police on August 14, 2008 and claimed that the money was to be used for sale deed of some property and was erroneously delivered at the judge’s residence.

However, the police claimed that both accused had given the sale deed to create a false alibi to cover up the offence of bribing a judge.

While in custody, Nirmal Singh got his statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC before the magistrate on August 24.

CRIME

Purse snatched in Sector 35
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 16
Saroj Gautam, a resident of Sector 35, filed a complaint with the police alleging that her purse containing cash of Rs 12,000, one gold chain and one gold ring, was snatched from Sector 35. A case has been registered at the Sector-36 police station.

Scooter stolen

Sonia, a resident of Sector 22, filed a complaint with the police alleging that her Activa scooter (CH-04-2629) was stolen from her house on October 9. A case has been registered at the Sector-17 police station.

Threatened

Hardoi, a resident of Indira Colony, filed a complaint with the police alleging that some person named Sumer entered her house and threatened her on October 15. A case has been registered at the police station of Manimajra.

Arrested

Local police arrested Tej Pal, a resident of Khuda Jassu, for gambling at public place and recovered cash of Rs 1,400 from his possession. A case has been registered at the Sector-11 police station.

Theft

Raman Narang, a resident of Ram Darbar, filed a complaint with the police alleging that his laptop, two mobile phones and other documents from Scoda car (Ch-03-R-5001) were stolen at Manimajra on October 15. A case has been registered at the police station of Manimajra.

PU Stabbing Case
Despite information, no arrests so far
Archit Watts

Chandigarh, October 16
Even after a lapse of five months, a student was stabbed in the Panjab University, the local police have failed to arrest Gursewak Singh and Sukhdeep Singh, two of the six accused in the incident.

Despite the fact, that the victim had informed the police about the whereabouts of the one of the accused, the police failed to move on the tip-off.

Simrandeep Singh, the victim told The Tribune that the accused, Gursewak, had remained admitted to the Civil Hospital, Kharar. He told the police about Gursewak lying in the hospital, but the police did not conduct a raid to nab the culprit.

On this May 4, almost six youths entered the examination hall at UILS and stabbed Simrandeep, a student of UILS

The case is pending before the session court. Two accused were granted bail earlier in this case namely Brinder Dhillon and Govind Khattra. Another two accused are still in judicial custody at Burail Jail from the past four months namely Harpreet Multani and Bikramjit Singh.

Simrandeep, said, “We have met senior police officials many time but no one listens to us.”

When contacted, Udaypal Singh, investigation officer of the case, said, “I received a call from a person few days back, but I was busy and could not visit all the places. Moreover, sometimes such information turns out to be false.”

When again asked the question, he maintained, “I personally went there, but as Gursewak was injured, he couldn’t be arrested. Now we are moving an application in the court to declare both the accused proclaimed offenders.”

4 P’kula houses burgled
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, October 16
The thieves struck at four houses in the town and managed to take away goods worth lakhs of rupees, including laptops, mobile phone and gold items here today. The thefts were reported from houses in Sectors 17, 20, 25 and 26.

According to information, the thieves entered a house in Sector 17 in the morning, mistaking it as vacant. However, one of the members was at home. The thieves then took away a laptop and a mobile phone on gunpoint. A laptop was also stolen by the burglars from Nazi Munjal’s house in Sector 20, who runs a shop in the same sector.

In a similar incident, the thieves took away around 150 gm of gold from a house in Sector 26. A house in the neighbouring Sector 25 was also found burgled from where goods worth Rs 60,000 were missing.

SPORTS

Simi clinches golf crown
Donald Banerjee

Chandigarh, October 16
It was Simi Mehra all the way. The 34-year-old Kolkata powerhouse continued her excellent form to fire a two-under par 70 in the final round to complete a hat-trick of victories, clinching the fourth leg of the DLF Women’s Professional Golf Tour here today.

Simi was way ahead of the pro pack as she continued to sizzle the par-72 greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club for a three-day total of four under par 212. Her nearest pro rival was Vandana Aggarwal, who finished 29 strokes behind.

Simi pocketed a cash prize of Rs 50,468.

But teenage amateur Sharmila Nicollet, who teed off with the leader group, continued with her display of excellent golf to card a one over par 73 for a three-day total of four over 220. She finished eight strokes behind the champion.

Simi set the pace on the final day firing a flawless front nine of two under 34 with two birdies.

But then she had three birdies and an equal number of bogeys for a par 36 back nine and a card of two under par 70.

Simi hit 13 greens in regulation and had 29 putts.

Vandana Aggarwal, who is a rookie on the tour finished second at 241 followed one stroke behind by Nalini Singh.

Chandigarh’s Preetinder Kaur played a bad front nine of seven over 43. But she fired two birdies on the home course in the back nine for a two over par 38 and a final score of 246. She occupied the fourth spot.

All eyes were on Sharmila Nicollet. The Bangalore girl started shakily conceding double bogeys on the third and sixth after firing a birdie on the second. She lost another stroke on the ninth to take the turn at four over 40.

But the tall teenager came back with a vengeance sinking birdies on the 13th, 14th and 17th holes in a bogey-free three under back nine for a card of one under par 73 and a final score of four over 220. Sharmila clinched the amateur title with Shweta Galande finishing 13 strokes behind.

The Golf Tour has been sponsored by DLF in association with Aegis and Graavaa carrying a total prize money of Rs 1,68,750 for each tournament.

Final scores: 212 Simi Mehra (70-72-70); 241 Vandana Aggarwal (83-79-79); 242 Nalini Singh (77-83-82); 246 Preetinder Kaur (83-82-81); 251 Shalini Malik (91-79-81); 253 Pallavi Jain (87-84-82); 254 Rukmini Mehta (83-83-88); 256 Nitika Jadeja (88-83-85); 270 Nikki Ponappa (87-92-91).

Amateurs: 220 Sharmila Nicollet (72-75-73); 233 Shweta Galande (74-77-82).

Scull boats rot owing to admn apathy
Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, October 16
Call it official apathy or lack of co-ordination, scull boats purchased by the UT sports department by spending over Rs 12 lakh are lying unused for the past three months due to their faulty design.

Though officials now claim that the “imbalanced” boats will be replaced at no additional cost, it raises a question mark on why the administration had not acted so far.

Due to the apathy, participants of the just-concluded Panjab University Inter-College Rowing Tournament had to make do with worn-out boats.

Sources in the department said the rowing boats were purchased three months ago after a gap of over seven years. However, even after spending such a huge amount, the boats were lying defunct.

The lifetime of these boats was three to four years, but the last time these were purchased by the department was in 2001.

“All other equipment are functioning well but the boats were found to be faulty after mandatory tests,” said Arvind Sehgal, coach, Chandigarh sports council.

He said owing to a flaw in design, the boats would be sent back for replacement.

Director sports, Chandigarh, I.S. Sandhu said: “The delay is not from our end. It’s from the manufacturer’s side, as they haven’t turned up so far to inspect the boats. These can be sent back to Pune only after inspection.”

Meanwhile, sportspersons continue to practice with boats that have exceeded their lifetime.