NEIGHBOURHOOD

Sirhind mishap: Jewellery, cash missing from car
Gurdeep Singh Mann
Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 17
World Diabetes Day was celebrated by Punjabi University in collaboration with Fortis Hospital, Mohali, here today. Dr Jaspal Singh, vice-chancellor of the university, was the chief guest.

A special lecture was conducted by Dr K.P. Singh on “Diabetes Mellitus”, which was followed by a free medical counselling and examination. Dr Jaspal Singh insisted that such awareness camps should be conducted every three-months so that people are made aware of existing medical problems and their prevention.

He further said the main role of the university is to teach and spread academic awareness among the masses.

Medical profession is also linked with such awareness with ever-changing face of medical problems and new medical researches. He also insisted that these kinds of health awareness programs should also be conducted in rural areas where medical facilities are scarce.

Dr K.P. Singh, claimed that people with diabetes were at more risk of heart diseases. Lipid profile and waist circumference are the early recognisable symptoms of diabetes.

Dr S.S. Khaira, registrar of the university, Dr G.I.S. Jawa, Dr A.S. Chhabra and Dr Regina Maini also spoke on the occasion.

Patiala, November 17
A big theatre complex, comprising an ultra-modern auditorium, a conference hall, rehearsal rooms, a library and a rest house, will be built with a cost of Rs 2 crore at Patiala. Surjit Singh Rakhra, former MLA and president of Punjab NRI Sabha, said here this had been announced by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Rakhra was speaking at “Norah-Nanda Theatre Festival 2008”, organised by the National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS), Patiala, in association with Bhagwan Shankar, NZCC director, at the auditorium of the Central State Library. Rakhra appreciated the theatre services rendered by NTAS theatre couple Pran Sabharwal and Sunita Sabharwal.

Presiding over the function, S. K. Ahluwalia, president, Patiala Kala Parishad, lauded NTAS for setting a new trend by taking initiative of presenting Punjabi University's zonal and inter-zonal awarded plays for general public for the first time in the history of youth festivals.

NTAS president G. S. Kakkar, dedicating the festival to Norah Richards, mother of modern Punjabi theatre movement, and her disciple Prof I. C. Nanda, said the NTAS, which had completed half a century of its dynamic theatre service, now was planning to present its value based play “Daairey” in other parts of the country after its 121 performances in Punjab and other states.

Dr D. I. S. Brar, principal, Government Mohindra College, and Satish Kumar Bhardwaj, principal, M. M. Modi College, also dwelt upon the contribution made by Norah Richards and I.C. Nanda.

Patiala, November 17
State Bank of Patiala celebrated its 92nd foundation day at its head office here. On this occasion the bank organised a special DRI loan distribution mela where managing director A.C. Varma distributed cycle rickshaws, cheques to the beneficiaries to establish pan shops, tailoring shops, tea stalls and other such activities so that the beneficiaries may become independent.

More than 25 beneficiaries have been given financial assistance at a very nominal rate of interest. Varma congratulated the staff and thanked its customers and patrons for their unstinted support for the past 91 years.

From a small network of 47 branches in December, 1960 with business level of Rs 15 crore, the bank has grown to a network of 829 branches and 42 extension counters spread over 19 States, with a total business of more than Rs 1,00,000 crore.

Dinesh Bhatia, GM (P&D), Sudhir Garg, GM (CB), S. Sridhar, GM (Tech& Insp), Amar Singh, director, State Bank of Patiala, Jyoti Ghosh, DGM Patiala zone and other high officials and a large number of bank employees were also present.

Continuing the celebrations, the bank will also organise a blood donation camp on November 20 and a cultural evening on November 22, the sources added.

Rajpura, November 17
A formula car, designed and manufactured by the students of Chitkara Institute of Engineering and Technology, will be a part of the international competition, “FSAE”, in Australia. As many as 32 universities and institutes from all over the world will take part in the competition.

The formula car, named TAZZ (Torque Accelerated Zoom), weighs 320kg (including driver), uses modified V4 592 cc engine and is capable of running at a speed of 200 km/hr.

It has a stylish Fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) body and a multi-functional steering wheel.

Chandigarh, November 17
The judicial officer, who sentenced Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassins to death, will finally get a new bulletproof car by February next.

As the matter came up, Justice Ranjit took on record a letter by the UT home department to the inspector-general of police (IGP), asserting that a magistrate had made available a bulletproof car with the UT, and it could be used for the judicial officer’s security.

UT counsel referred to a communiqué with the home secretary to say that the car was being purchased by the Chandigarh police and supply order had been placed with the ordnance factory. The vehicle would be used for security purposes of the judicial officer and the car would be available by February, 2009.

Disposing of the matter, Justice Ranjit Singh directed interim arrangement of providing the bulletproof car by the Punjab government would continue till the vehicle was provided.

Chandigarh, November 17
The setting up of Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has come under the Punjab  and Haryana High Court scanner.

A petition filed before the high court has claimed that the body has no jurisdiction to directly plan the municipal or the panchayat areas. The high court has issued notice of motion on it for December 16.

In the petition placed before Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, Mohali district resident Swaran Singh has claimed the Constitution of India envisages the setting up of a district planning committee in every state at the district level.

The intention is to consolidate the plans prepared by the panchayats and municipalities before coming out with draft development of whole district.

As the provisions are constitutional, these supersede the provisions in ordinary law. It means planning has to be initiated at the district level through appropriate committee, if the area under proposed development is a part of a municipality or a gram panchayat.

The state’s function is only to provide financial assistance and guidance to the municipalities and panchayats and to facilitate the creation of other income avenues.

The basic idea is to take the locals into confidence at the district level for development envisaged in the area. As such, GMADA, even Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority, has no jurisdiction to directly plan the municipal or panchayat areas.

The petitioner has asserted by virtue of amendments urban and rural development was completely under the charge of the district planning committees, which were to be constituted under Article 243-ZD.

On these grounds, the petitioner has sought quashing of the August 2006 notification, constituting and establishing the special authority. He has also sought directions for quashing the proposed plan of development notified by GMADA as it was unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary and void.

Directions have also been sought to constitute a finance commission to financially empower the local bodies to enable  them to carry out the assigned work. 

Chandigarh, November 17
Arguments on the bail application of sub-inspector Sanjeev Kumar were held in the Special CBI Court of Jagdeep Jain today, however the orders on the bail were adjourned to November 22.

The accused, Sanjeev, had moved the bail petition on November 10. During arguments that lasted for more than one hour, the CBI submitted an audio CD that was played for one hour in the court. The contents of the CD were not disclosed to the defense counsel as the matter is still under investigation.

Arguing the case, defense counsel Sameer Sachdev said, “When money was offered to Sanjeev he didn’t touch it and the cash was thrown at him. To avoid touching the cash Sanjeev had clenched his fists. Furthermore recoveries were made from Sanjeev and the court has put status quo on the property pertaining to which he was allegedly accepting bribe.”

Contesting the bail petition, special public prosecutor Pawan Kuamr Dogra argued, “The complainant has been partly examined, other independent witnesses are also to be examined and the audio CD has been partly heard, furthermore the CFSL report is yet to come, thus the accused should not be granted bail.”

Sanjeev was arrested on November 7 by the CBI officials on a complaint lodged by a bookstore owner Arvind Kumar Pandey, who alleged that Subash Kataria, representative of the traders and Sanjiv had demanded Rs 50,000 as a “kickback” for evicting his ‘tenant’ from his shop in the Bridge Market.

Officials said since Pandey could not rent his leased shop as per rules, he had given it to one D.N. Mishra, a garment dealer, by showing him as his employee on records. Sanjeev was in charge of the Neelam Police Post.

Chandigarh, November 17
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed National Insurance Co Ltd to pay a compensation of R 50,000 to a resident of Manimajra for unfair trade practice.

The insurance firm was also directed to pay the balance amount of Rs 81,250 to the petitioner.

In his complaint, the petitioner, Arvinder Singh, stated that he purchased a car in July 2001 and got it insured with the insurance company. He stated that his vehicle was stolen in July 2002 and the company was informed about it. However, the claim was repudiated and the matter was taken up with the insurance ombudsman for the payment of the claim. The petitioner received an amount of Rs 2,43,750 as full and final payment from the company.

The surveyor had directed the petitioner to send his consent for the acceptance of the claim for an amount of Rs 3,25,000. Having no option, he succumbed to the pressure of the company and gave consent for settlement at the said amount.

Chandigarh, November 17
Not deposing before the court has cost complainant P.P. Singh Ahluwalia, managing director (MD) of CD Security Services Agency, dear as the court of additional district and sessions judge Raj Rahul Garg has issued him non-bailable warrants (NBW) today.

Ahluwalia had alleged that K.K. Dutta committed robbery, an employee of his firm, wherein goods worth Rs 1.5 crore were stolen from a Gurgaon company whose security his company was handling. The court had issued bailable warrants of the complainant on the last hearing but the complainant was out of station so he didn’t depose before the court today.

Taking strong note of the complainant not deposing before the court in the past few hearing, the court issued non-bailable warrants.

The complainant had stated that computer gadgets worth Rs 1.5 crore were stolen from the Gurgaon office of a company - Actox - in 1989 thereafter the company was sealed and liquidated. The liquidator of the Punjab and Haryana High Court was H.S. Bawa at that time.

An eyewitness claimed that the security officer on duty K.K. Dutta and three others had stolen the goods and kept them in a car and ran away. An inquiry was marked in this case after Ahluwalia filed a writ petition in the High Court.

On the directions of the High Court, an inquiry was conducted by DSP, Davinder Singh of the Economic Offences Wing, thereafter an FIR was registered on May 20, 2003.

The court had booked the accused under Sections 454, 380, 409, 120-B of the IPC and 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

However the accused was granted bail later by the trial court.

Chandigarh, November 17
The local police has registered a case following a complaint of a Sector 44 resident, Sidheshwar Sharma, alleging that some unidentified miscreants took away valuable articles, including a gold chain, a pair of gold earrings, electronic items cash Rs 1 lakh from his residence. A case under Sections 380 and 457 of the IPC has been registered at Sector 34 police station.

Chandigarh, November 17
SGGS College, Chandigarh, edged past SCD Government College, Ludhiana (25-12, 25-15,25-20), to annex the Panjab University Inter-College Volleyball (Men) A-Division Championship for 2008-09 being played on the PU grounds here today.

In the second match played for the third and fourth place, the PU campus beat Government College, Sector 46, to secure the third place.

In the Panjab University Inter-College Korfball Championship, the hosts PU campus bagged the first position beating SGGS College, Chandigarh 10-2.

While DAV College-10 and SD College-32 got the second and third position after the former thrashed the latter.

GGS College for Women, Sector 26, won the Panjab University Inter-College Ball Badminton (Women) Championship after they prevailed over MCM DAV-36.

Chandigarh, November 17
Gaurav Gambhir’s superb all-round performance (40 runs and 4 for 16) led SGGS-26 to a facile win over Panjab Engineering College by 43 runs to enter the final match of the Inter-College Cricket Tournament for the Administrator's Cup being organised by the Chandigarh Sports Department at the Sector 16 stadium here today.

SGGS-26 batting first piled a big total of 162 for 4 in 25 overs. It was brilliant unbeaten batting performance Anupam (40) and Gaurav Gambhir (40) who gave a solid start to the team and became the principal scorer for the team. For PEC, AVM (2 for 33) and Gaurav Chopra (1 for 12) were the only successful bowlers.

Replying to the modest total, PEC’s batsmen couldn’t convert their innings to a big total Nipun Sodhi (42) and Harmandeep (30) were the only batsmen who could score a respectable total. The whole team got bundled out on 119 for 8 in 25 overs.

Their team could not face gruelling bowling attack of Gaurav Gambhir who claimed 4 wickets for 16 while Ashim Narang too chipped in with 1 for 7.

In the second semifinal, DAV College-10 edged out SD College-32 to enter the final. Batting first DAV scored 174 for 9 in 25 overs with the help of Amrinder Singh (58), Simranjit (33) and Harpreet Singh (27)’s batting. SD College-32 found the total too big and got out on 131 for 7 in 25 overs to miss the title clash in the final.