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Close shave for labourers as building collapses
Zirakpur, November 13 The digging (precariously close to the inhabited New Generation Apartments) was being done for a double basement for a hotel proposed at the site. Occupants of the apartments nearby blamed the builder for the incident. “It is strange how the planning wing allows such digging that can endanger the lives of hundreds of people. A block of the apartments can collapse as the dug-up portion is hardly 20 metres away,” they said. Neither the MC nor the civil administration has taken steps to prevent any damage to the surrounding building or the track passing through the area. The executive officer of the Zirakpur MC, Girish Verma, said: “It is an approved plan, but if the builder is violating rules, action would be taken.” The builder could not be contacted for comments. The collapsed building is also near a level crossing. Though employees of the builder claimed that they had themselves razed the structure and it was owned by the same group, evidence at the spot did not gel with their version. Office furniture and other articles lay buried under the debris along with a JCB machine. Labourers engaged in laying the foundation of a retaining wall escaped after the driver of the trapped JCB machine raised the alarm. There is enough evidence to indicate that the building collapsed due to faulty digging by the builder. The official record of the Zirakpur and Dakoli patwar khanna, housed on the first floor of the collapsed structure, was being moved out by revenue officials. The police has, however, accepted the version of the builder and maintained that no case could be registered as the digging was being carried within the fortified site and the builder owned the building that collapsed. The SHO, Ranjodh Singh, said the builder had razed the structure on his own and no life had been lost. Arun Thukral, president of the residents’ association, said they would write to the deputy commissioner and the MC about the threat posed to their apartments by the digging work. He said the damaged building could collapse further due to the vibration caused by moving trains.
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Fake papers used to take away vehicles
Chandigarh, November 13 In another incident, a Sector 31-based Housing Finance Company has reported that one of its employee had embezzled Rs 15 lakh. The police said Benny John, deputy manager (commercial), Mahindra and Mahindra, Sector 26, lodged a complaint alleging that a former employee, Dharmvir, had taken away the vehicles from the company’s yard at Darua village on October 3. Dharmvir was with the company for over 12 years. He forged two CDS billings and gate passes. Being well versed with the functioning of the company, not even the guards suspected his intension and he could easily take away the vehicles. He carried out the plan in such a meticulous way that the theft came to light only when the company checked its stock and found two vehicles missing. The other employees who connived with him have also been identified. The company told the police that Dharmvir’s services were terminated due to his nefarious activities. He had delivered a vehicle directly to a customer from the stockyard against the normal practise of handing over the vehicle from the showroom. A case has been registered. In the other case, the police said Dowager, area manager of GIC Housing Finance Limited, had lodged a complaint alleging that Dalip Ganesh Kulkarni, an employee, had defrauded Rs 15 lakh. The accused forged documents and procured loans worth Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh for his acquaintances by submitting fake documents. A case has been registered.
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Congress set to fire another salvo
Chandigarh, November 13 The Congress is set to “use” the visit of union home minister Shivraj Patil to the city on November 16 to open another front against the city administration for its alleged anti-Congress policies. The Congress leadership is preparing the list of the party’s grouses against the administration and these would be put before the home minister during a workers’ meeting, a senior Congress functionary told The Tribune. The stage for confrontation was set by minister of state for finance Pawan Bansal when he shot off a letter to the administrator, alleging that senior officials were trying to run down the Congress-led central government by “selectively” leaking information to a section of the media about cut in the budget allocation. This, coupled with the “inaccessibility” of bureaucrats to Congressmen, besides other issues like low land compensation to farmers, would also be taken up with the
minister, whose ministry controls the UT. During the recent visit of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi here, Congress spokesman Amarjit Sethi had expressed the anti-administration sentiments prevailing in the rank and file of the party. With the administration hell-bent on sidelining Bansal and party leaders, the Congress would face an uphill task during the Lok Sabha elections next year, party
sources said. The “indifference” of the ministry of home affairs to the “genuine” concerns of the Congress and its turning a blind eye to the alleged acts of omission and commission by the administration, would cost the party dear, a leader claimed.
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Paramour kills woman
Chandigarh, November 13 The victim, Sangeeta, allegedly had illicit relations with Ashok Kumar, also a safai karamchari. Both were working at a hospital in Mohali. According to sources in the police, Ashok (28) was married and had two children. The victim was also married and Ashok had taken a room on rent at Mauli Baidwan village. Both of them entered into an argument and he killed the woman. The assailant then surrendered before the police. A case of murder has been registered against him.
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23-yr-old woman hangs herself
Chandigarh, November 13 According to the police, the death came to light when Seema’s mother came back home from a gurdwara at 3 pm. She found the door locked from inside and there was no answer to her knocks. She thought that Seema might be sleeping and waited for a while. When there was again no reply to her calls, she called a neighbour, who broke open the door and found Seema hanging from a hook with a dupatta. The SHO of the Sector 36 police station said the deceased had not held anyone responsible for her death in the suicide note. She had not given any reason for the extreme step.
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Irregularity in plot allotment
Panchkula, November 13 N.K. Sud directed the director, urban estates, to forward copies of the chargesheet issued against the officials concerned, copies of their replies and the orders passed by the competent authority. The lokayukta said the nexus between officials of the land acquisition office (LAO) and applicants of plots was prima facie established in the case. “It is common knowledge that the value of residential plots in Panchkula is extremely high and the false reports by the officials of the LAO had resulted in the allotment of plots to ineligible persons,” he said in his order. The orders followed a complaint filed by Parmanand who alleged that HUDA had reserved two 10-marla plots for Gurdev Singh whose land had been acquired. Similarly, a plot was reserved for Gulzar Singh, another land owner, who also applied for it under the oustees quota. The complainant said this was in violation of HUDA’s policy for oustees. According to the policy, the landowner whose land was acquired, was eligible to claim a residential plot in the same sector. The landowner is offered a plot between 50 sq yard and 500 sq yard as per entitlement. If no 500 sq yard plot was available, the claimant was offered two plots of 10-marla each. However, the claimant should have the ownership of the acquired land in his name before the notification of Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act. In this case, however, when Parmanad brought the matter before the lokayukta, the Panchkula estate officer stated that the officers had wrongly reported that Gulzar Singh and Gurdev Singh were owners of the land before the notification. The case has been fixed for December 11.
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World Diabetes Day
Chandigarh, November 13 According to the PGI endocrinology department, several young diabetes patients are reported these days; most of which are adolescent girls. Dr Rama walia of the endocrinology department, PGI, said the root cause could be directly linked to obesity, bad food habits and lack of exercise. Adolescent girls were more vulnerable because the growth of feminine hormone estrogen creates insulin resistance. Type II diabetes has always been considered a disease of those in 50s and above. However, the onset of this disease in puberty is a phenomenon, which was certainly not there some 15 years ago, says Prof JS Bajaj. It was prevalent in children of developed countries earlier but, with more Indians adopting western lifestyle and food culture, the emerging picture here is no different, he adds. He said managing Type II diabetes in children could be a difficult task because in future, one could not restrict their food intake. Growing children have an enormous appetite and cutting down on the intake can do no good, he adds. Hence, a modulation in diet with a lot of physical activity to expend calories was the essence of managing this disease in children. It is important that parents become aware that obese or overweight children can develop diabetes in the adolescent years. He suggests health task forces be set up in schools and medical check-ups be conducted regularly, with special focus on obese children. “Diabetes is a lifelong disease and if we pick them up at an early age, we have better chances of putting them into a moderate life style and food habits,” experts said.
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Mediation and conciliation
Chandigarh, November 13 The high court was already referring cases for mediation and conciliation. But after Justice Sinha’s visit to the high court Saturday last for inaugurating 17 such centres, it has stepped up the process and is now issuing notices to the parents of runaway couples. Once the parents are brought into the picture, the cases of their estranged children can eventually be referred to the mediation and conciliation centres, now running from the high court. Besides this, Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur has made it clear that the high court is coming out with a programme for training the judges of the subordinate judiciary, so that the judicial officers are “in a better position to refer the cases for mediation”. “The intention is not just to spread greater awareness on mediation, but also to train referential judges so that they know which case can amicably be resolved through the process of mediation,” says Chief Justice Thakur. Talking to The Tribune on the issue, the Chief Justice adds: “The idea is to prevent the wastage of time required for adjudication of matters by referring cases with limited scope for harmonious outcome”. Available information suggests over 90 cases are already before the mediation and conciliation centres in high court under Justice Mahesh Grover. The number is expected to increase once the cases of runaway couples reach
the centres. The earlier practice was to dispose of the cases once the issue of their safety and legitimacy of marriage was adjudicated. But now, Justice S.D. Anand has taken the initiative by going a step further by referring the matters for conciliation. The decision is expected to bring about harmony among the parents and the runaway couples. Viewed from the angle of honour killing, the development is significant. In NRI Jaswinder Kaur’s case, Justice Anand and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel had already observed that in India at least 1,000 women were believed to be killed annually in the name of honour. Besides this, such cases are burdening the overstrained high court. Only recently, Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia had observed the court “was flooded with petitions where married couples come and seek protection…”
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GMSH-16 to have drug de-addiction centre
Chandigarh, November 13 According to Ram Niwas, home-cum-health secretary, the centre will be housed in the office of the State AIDS Control Society, Chandigarh, which is slated to be shifted into Sector 15 next month. Niwas directed the director, health services, yesterday to invite expressions of interest from the interested parties, including the NGOs, for running of the centre. The need for setting up of the centre was felt in view of a sudden spurt in the number of drug addicts in the city. Earlier, the UT IGP had repeatedly requested the Chandigarh administration to set up the drug de-addiction centre for helping the drug addicts. The administration has also proposed a drug de-addiction centre in the building of the government press in Sector 18 here.
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German Rape Case
Chandigarh, November 13 It may be noted that the UT police claimed to have prepared the challan fortnight ago as a gesture to exhibit their “wish” to ensure a speedy justice
to the victim. “We are waiting only for the CFSL report to make the case watertight, otherwise all formalities have been completed,” then claimed a police official. But after receiving the much-awaited report on November 11, the police is now seeking certified copies of statements, made under Section 164 of CrPC by the witnesses in the case, from
the court. “Our prosecution department has approved the challan, but has asked to attach the statements of the witnesses, made before the magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC,” said ASP
Madhur Verma. To nail the six accused, including Manveer Singh, alias Jolly, Sukhwinder Singh, alias Sukhi, Pankaj, Harpreet Singh, alias Dalli and Sompal, the police has made the six witnesses to record their statements before the magistrate. The witnesses are two security guards, Sukhwinder Singh and Naresh Sehgal, of Hotel Taj GVK, from where the victim was taken in Scorpio, Manjit Singh and Pawan, the tenant at the farmhouse in Saha (Ambala), where the victim was taken from Chandigarh, Joginder Singh, owner of the Scorpio and Shoba Singh, the owner of Maruti, in which the victim was brought back to Chandigarh by the accused Pankaj and Dalli. Besides, the police has also annexed the details of mobile phone call records of the accused and their cell tower locations linking them to the scene of crime, lots of circumstantial evidence, and the positive identification of two of the accused and the CFSL report in the chargesheet. “The required documents will be procured in a day or two from the court, enabling us to file the challan immediately after that,” said Verma, adding that the challan would go to the court
by Monday.
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Death of 4 in accident mourned
Mohali, November 13 The family was living in a rented accommodation in Phase 5 here. The mother-in-law of Sarabjeet was also living along with the family. Gurcharan received the bodies of her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren and the last rites were performed at the cremation ground here
his evening. “The fate has been very cruel to the family. The bread earners of the family have been snatched by nature. Two old ladies have been left to defend for themselves” remarked a family friend. While Sarabjeet was working with a pharmaceutical firm, his wife, Naini (40), worked as a beautician. The couple’s daughter Jasleen (15) was studying at Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, Chandigarh, and son Japneet (9) was studying in Government Model School, Sector 35.
Vikram, a friend of Sarbjeet, said his friend had left for Jalandhar at 6 pm on Wednesday to meet his sister and the mishap took place around 8.45 pm. The car rammed into a truck while Sarabjeet was avoiding a drunkard motorcyclist.
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Sector 46 roads in darkness
Chandigarh, November 13 While most of the area on V5 road is only a black yawning tunnel ahead with no lights at all, there are pockets of pitch darkness on the internal roads of the sector as well. In Sector 46, the road leading to residential area and the market is absolutely dark. While residents fret and fume over the situation, little has been done by the municipal corporation regarding the maintenance of lights. All the efforts of Municipal councillors and residents too, have fallen on deaf ears. S. S. Chawla, general secretary, resident welfare forum of Sector 46, said the streetlights had been non-functional for the last more than six months. He said there were other problems also regarding roads, sanitation and menace of stray dogs. The unlit roads are also creating a law and order problem. Activities of anti-social elements have also increased with the problem of streetlights. Streetlights fed by underground cable fall under the purview of the municipal corporation, while other streetlights fall under the
purview of the UT administration.
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Aerotech seminar from today
Chandigarh, November 13 About 50 technical papers would also be presented by experts. The seminar, “Christened Aero Tech-2008, would provide an open forum for people involved in aerospace technologies and business to exchange views, ideas and experiences on the latest technological of aero industry in northern India,” Dr Satish Kumar, director Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, said. “The rapid growth in aerospace technologies in the alst century has opened up new areas of immense opportunities and the seminar would also aim at promoting industry and their services towards advancement of aerospace technologies,” he added. The seminar would be inaugurated by former President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Dr Satish Kumar said owing to some unavoidable changes in Dr Kalam’s schedule, the seminar would now commence at 11 AM instead of 3 PM.
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Gurparb celebrated with gaiety
Panchkula, November 13 Devotees started reaching the gurdwara since Wednesday night to pay obeisance, as the doors of the gurdwara were scheduled to open at 2.45 am. Shabad and gurbani recitals started early in the morning amid hectic schedule and kirtan was held after which Dhadi and Ragi Jathas performed. A special langar was also served to
the devotees. The management said around 1,25,000 devotees had already visited the gurdwara by afternoon. The administration and the police had made adequate arrangements. The police was deployed at various places near the
gurdwara, with cops in plain clothes posted near the premises, to keep a check on miscreants. Elsewhere in the town, devotees thronged the Sector 7, 12 and 15
gurdwaras, and paid their obeisance. The NH-73, however, remained jammed with traffic chaos even after the police enforced one-way traffic on the road leading to the gurdwara from Majri
chowk. The heavy vehicular traffic towards Barwala, Naraingarh and
Yamunanagar, was diverted from the new Ghaggar bridge to the NH-73. The Gurpurb here was observed with traditional
fervour, zeal and gaiety. Long queues of devotees could be seen at
gurdwaras, which were decked especially for the occasion. A special programme of shabad kirtan and gurbani by ragi jathas was
organised. Community kitchens were also popular among the devout, who partook
langar.
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Hindi play a powerful satire
Chandigarh, November 13 The play is a thought-provoking and a powerful satire on the general administrative, societal and judicial structure, however, without any prejudice to a particular person. Decorated with Safadar Hashmi award, director Sudesh Sharma brought substantial aberrations to the original script of its playwright Shanker Shesh to project the contemporary realities. The issues raised in the play relate to a common man, the national psyche and introspection of our achievements after half (aadhi) century the Independence is over. The playwright and director has employed three diverse characters with a contrast, that of a judge, a thief and a mediaperson to excavate explosive truths in different spheres of reality. The trio not only justified their roles but excelled in bringing the intent
of the script with crisp dialogue delivery, movements and emotional expressions. The lead role of a judge was executed to perfection by a real life judge KK Doda, District and Sessions Judge ( Retd). Thespian Dr Rani Balbir Kaur honoured the artists while akademy chairperson expressed gratitude for the audience participation.
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Poetry festival starts today
Chandigarh, November 13 The council secretary general Prof Rajpal Singh told 24 poets of Indian languages would participate. It would be inaugurated by the Punjab minister, Manpreet Singh Badal at 9.30 am at the Randhawa auditorium.
— OC
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Kalam arrives in city
Chandigarh, November 13 He will inaugurate the conference of the Association of Medical Biochemists of India at GMCH-32, and visit Bhavan Vidalaya, Sector 27, besides attending another conference in the city tomorrow.
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Lottery shop gutted
Zirakpur, November 13 Fire department officials are looking into the possibility of a short-circuit that led to the fire. A fire engine from Dera Bassi was pressed into service and the fire was brought under control within an hour. Ajay Kumar, owner of the shop, said his colleague called him at around 9.30 am to tell him about the fire. When he reached the shop, he found that computers, furniture and counters had been destroyed.
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City pavilion in trade fair to open today
Chandigarh, November 13 As many as 16 stalls will be installed at the pavilion. The administration will also exhibit models of the Vocational Training Centre for Street Children in Maloya and beautified roundabouts promoting LPG, CNG and battery operated autos.
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Curb student violence
There has been a drastic increase in the number of incidents of violence in Panjab University and the colleges in city. Clash among students is now a regular feature on the campus. The student unions have become symbols of violence, indiscipline and muscle power. Even these incidents have gone up in schools also. The lawlessness on school and college campuses calls for stern measures by the concerned authorities and the police. Rules and regulations on campuses should be made more stringent and the authorities must also engage the local police to tackle the problem. Instead of rusticating or banning the students, they should be given proper counselling. The parents should keep a check on their children’s activities. Dr Shruti K. Chawla
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
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PU library to go hi-tech
Chandigarh, November 13 An auto issue system, which will enable students to return the books anytime in an automatic machine, is in the pipeline. The students will not have to walk upto the library to do so, as the machines will be put near girls hostel, outside library and other such places. All this will be possible with an “auto issue system”. The auto system will require students to punch in their identification proof for issuing a book. For return, drop boxes will be placed outside the library. Also, PU’s library would be the first one in the country to adopt an upgraded security system - Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID). Giving a lowdown on this, V K Anand, chief librarian, informed a chip or a tag would be inserted in every book, which would carry a book’s description, including author, and title. “Once the book is issued, the chip will be rendered non-functional. If anyone tries to take the book with the chip, it will start beeping,” he said. Apart from this technology, the library will have a digital library assistant to help locate books. To avoid such a situation, the digital library assistant will come handy. “It takes us many days sometimes to locate the book but with the digital assistant it would be a minute’s job”, he said. In a month’s time, a pilot project with one-lakh books will start though the library houses nearly 7 lakh books. The first phase of this technology will be functional within a month’s time.
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Varsity to have medical research institute
Chandigarh, November 13 Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union minister of state for finance and parliamentary affairs, will be the guest
of honour. Official sources said here today the Research Institute and Hospital would be attached to Dr H.S. Judge Institute of Dental Sciences, would have a provision for 100 beds in the hospital and be in consonance with the requirements of the Dental Council of India. To be built at an approximate cost of around Rs 20 crore, the Research Institute and Hospital will have a state-of-the-art building with latest research facilities. It will also have special facilities in addition to OPD’s for general public and employees of the
university.
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Children’s Day celebrated
Chandigarh, November 13 Fun and Frolic: Rotary Club DAV College organised a fun-and-frolic event for children of Missionary Of Charity, Mother Teresa, Sector 23. A vibrant dance performance was presented by the children that was widely appreciated by the audience. A round of singing and dancing was followed by a painting competition, which showed little angels drawing vivid imaginary shapes. Children’s day: Students of BMD Public School, Sector 63, celebrated Children’s Day by dedicating it to their grandparents. They not only recited self-composed rhymes and songs but also discussed at length the need to inculcate more respect for their grandparents.
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