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Camerata choir performs at school
Ambala, December 8 The Camerata is one of the India’s renowned choirs that was formed in 1999 and is known for their quality of repertoire and presentation. To celebrate the centenary of CJM, Ambala, a small group from the Camerata performed a short concert of choral music. Performing under its expert director, Neecia Majolly, the concert comprised a range of styles from western classical music to light jazz and pop to celebrate the festive season of Christmas. The school choir also participated in the programme. Three solos, Mary did you know, sleigh ride and O Holy Night, left the audience spellbound. Earlier, the principal of the school, Sister Tara, welcomed the chief guest Bharti Arora, SP, Railways, Haryana. |
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IMA forms patient grievances panel
Patiala, December 8 The IMA members unanimously condemned the terrorists attacks in Mumbai and observed a two- minute silence to condole the death of innocent persons killed during the attacks. The doctors pledged to get united and fight against terrorism. In another important decision, the IMA members constituted a Patients State Grievances Committee under the chairmanship of civil surgeon (retd) and former director of Fortis Hospital Dr HS Gill to address the grievances of public against the doctors. According to Dr DS Bhullar, president of the Patiala branch of IMA, similar committees would also be constituted at the district level to redress the patients’ grievances in light of the recent notification passed by the state government to check rising incidences of attacks on the doctors. More than 50 state council members from the district branches of IMA, Punjab, attended the meeting. They expressed gratitude to Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal and adviser to CM Dr Daljit Singh Cheema for getting the Punjab Protection of Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Care Institutions Act, 2008, passed vide which the attack on medical professionals and hospitals had been made cognizable and non-bailable with imprisonment upto one year or with fine upto Rs 50,000 or both. In another resolution, the state council directed the local branches to follow the state and headquarter guidelines for completing the election process of the office-bearers by this year end. |
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125-year-old Sirhind bridge unsafe
Ropar, December 8 Area residents continue to ply on the 125-year-old structure that had been declared unsafe by the PWD B & R department around a decade ago. Time and again the district administration had made claims in public that the construction of another bridge, near Beas Satsang Bhawan, would start by the end of this year. This was aimed at providing respite to the present structure. However, as per the PWD B & R department, the tenders for work of construction of the bridge were called thrice, but had to be cancelled. The government’s rates were higher and received very less number of bidders. As a result the government had to float the tenders again. The work of evaluation of tenders is presently underway. The proposed bridge is 135 meters long and 14 meters wide. However, the old bridge is easiest and shortest way to access main Ropar town markets. The area residents, especially the traders, have been demanding that instead of closing the old bridge, the government should undertake its repair work. “Presently, we do not have any plans to repair the old bridge. Any decision could be taken in this regard only after the department undertakes a survey of the structure. It could be left open for the light vehicles,” said PWD B & R, XEN S.S. Dhindsa. The old bridge was declared unsafe following a technical report of engineers of Ropar municipal council and irrigation department. According to the report, thickness of slab over bridge has been eroded, making it unsafe for heavy traffic. It has also developed potholes at many places that have been unsafely plugged with sand bags. |
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Farmers rue erratic power supply
Bassi Pathana, December 8 They even expressed their desire to pay electricity bills. The farmers were agitated at the erratic power supply in their respective villages. They alleged that they only received power for three to four hours every day. Representatives from Lohari Kalan, Khalspur, Behrampur, Ganduan Kalan, Fatehpur Jattan villages said sowing of wheat had been affected due to erratic power supply. They said the provision of free electricity by the government was a bane for them and they no longer wanted to be at the mercy of the electricity board. They were ready to pay electricity bills provided they received regular power supply, they added. They claimed that they had approached higher authorities in the PSEB but they were instead told to make a representation to the chief minister in this regard. They today met the deputy commissioner to forward their memorandum to the chief minister. |
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Long-haul buses give bus stand a miss
Kalka, December 8 Dayal, who commutes daily, says passengers have to depend on the local bus service between the two stations, which was a time-consuming process. Also, the service was insufficient to cater to the needs of the local population. The problem aggravates in the evening, as long-haul buses from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and the UT do not enter the main bus stand or pick up passengers from outside the bus stand. Consequently, passengers have to wait for long periods for local buses or board private taxies that charge hefty fare. Sources in the sub-depot of Haryana Roadways here said soon after the bus stand was made operational, higher authorities in the roadways had issued directives making it mandatory for buses of all roadways to enter the bus stand and carry passengers. In case of violation, the defaulter was liable to be challaned. Area residents, especially commuters, have urged the general manager, Haryana Roadways, Chandigarh, to make it mandatory for all buses to enter the bus stand and challan violators. They have also urged him to increase the frequency of local bus service between the two stations, especially in the evening. |
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Fake Encounter
Patiala, December 8 The CBI had filed a case in 1997 against 21 policemen for their alleged involvement in fake encounters and Ram Singh was one of them. The case was registered by the CBI under Sections 302, 364 and 120B against the 21 accused. Vijay Pal Singh, an accused in a bomb blast case in Jalandhar a few years ago and is in the custody of the Delhi police, had named three policemen — Daljit Singh, Rajwinder Singh and Mukhtiar Singh — for their involvement in the incident. All three were later killed in a fake encounter allegedly by the Punjab police. DSP Ram Singh was posted at Lambra police station when the police tried to recover arms used in the Joga Singh later filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court following which the court directed the CBI to inquire into the incident. Claiming ill health, Ram Singh, who had been declared a proclaimed offender by the CBI, surrendered before the court accompanied by doctors. |
Buyer to get compensation from builder
Chandigarh, December 8 The petitioner, Jaspreet Kaur, resident of Mohali, had stated that she was allotted a showroom, which was promised to be handed over to her in two years. The complainant completed all the formalities. She submitted the standard form and also deposited an initial amount of Rs 5,40,000. The real estate company sent the acceptance and demand letter to the petitioner. However, even after depositing Rs 31.2 lakh towards the showroom, its possession was not given to Jaspreet. In its reply, Shalimar Estates argued that they are liable to pay compensation to the allottee at the rate of Rs 10 per sq ft per month, if they fail to deliver the possession of the showroom in the committed time. They said their liability to pay compensation would not be more than Rs 5,000 per month. The forum, headed by Jagroop Singh Mahal, ruled that if the rate of interest is counted at 15 per cent per annum, the builders are liable to pay Rs 39,000 per month to the buyer. It also held the builders responsible for unfair trade practices as they took money but failed to accomplish the job.
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Consumer Forum
Chandigarh, December 8 Santosh Raikhy, petitioner, had purchased a double-door refrigerator from the shop in Sector 22 on November 2004 for Rs 25,000. The refrigerator had a five-year warranty that was valid up to November 9, 2009. The refrigerator was not giving proper cooling from the very beginning and stopped functioning on June 29, 2007. Despite getting the refrigerator repaired on several occasions the problem re-appeared. Thereafter a service engineer informed the complainant that due to the technician’s fault while repairing the refrigerator, some of its critical component was burnt and as such it is now beyond repairs and therefore, they are unable to deliver the refrigerator after repair as promised and the same was lying with them unrepaired. The company replied that after expiry of one year of comprehensive warranty on functional components, only the compressor of the refrigerator was covered under the said warranty and the charges for consumables are to be borne by the customer, including transportation. The forum held, “In the present case the refrigerator was purchased for Rs 25,000 and 55 per cent of this amount comes to Rs 13,750. In this manner, the complainant would be getting Rs 13,750 for a non-repairable refrigerator, which was purchased by her on November 20, 2004, i.e. the refrigerator is four-year-old.”
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Transport dept told to refund Rs 31.52 lakh
Chandigarh, December 8 The court has directed the transport department to refund the security deposit worth Rs 31.52 lakh to advertising firm, Pisces Communication Pvt Ltd. The department on the plea that the firm had not deposited the service tax withheld the security deposit of the firm. The advertising firm had entered into an agreement with the transport department, which the petitioner has taken a space of 417 buses owned by the respondent for the display of advertisement of the clients of the firm on monthly rental basis for period of two years commencing from April 17, 2006. The firm had deposited Rs 31.52 lakh as security with the department. The contract was to end on April 16, 2008. However, the department continued to receive rent from contractor from advertisements displayed on the buses. In November 2007 the service tax department clarified to the transport department that the advertisers were liable to pay the service tax. Thereafter, the CTU applied for service tax number that was allotted. The director transport asked the firm to deposit the same. Pisces India Limited informed the department that they had already deposited the tax and also requested it to send them the service tax number of the department to enable them to deposit the service tax. The contract came to an end on April 3, 2008. The firm had applied for refunding the security deposit worth Rs 31 lakh that was not refunded by the department on the plea that the firm had not deposited the service tax. Subsequently, the advertising firm issued a legal notice to the department for releasing the security amount. The director of the CTU replied to the said notice but the security amount was not refunded with the request to deposit the amount of service tax. Pisces India filed application under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, requesting the court to pass order for releasing the security amount. The department in reply stated that there was no dispute regarding performance of contract but the firm had not deposited the service tax. Pisces India Ltd again filed an affidavit along with the copies of challan by which they had claimed to deposit the service pertaining to the CTU. This affidavit was contradicted by the director transport, Chandigarh.
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Man held for outraging modesty
Chandigarh, December 8 ASP (central) Madhur Verma said: “Navdeep was found violating the law and has been arrested by the police.” The accused had earlier used fake number plate on his Kinetic scooter with ‘DSP’ written on it. The accused also had a dispute with his wife and she had been living with someone else, Verma added. A case under Sections 323, 341, 354 and 506 of the IPC has been registered at the police station-17. The police has arrested the accused. Scooter stolen Mohit of Sector 30 was arrested from the market of Sector 20 for allegedly stealing a scooter. Naresh Kumar, a resident of Sector 19, had lodged a complaint alleging that his scooter (CH 01 K 3454) was stolen from rehri market of the sector yesterday. A case under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC has been registered at the police station-19. Theft Ramandeep Sharma, a resident of Mukatsar, lodged a complaint with the police alleging that his two purses and one bag containing Rs 4,500 in cash, gold ear-rings, a gold ring and a gold chain were stolen from his Indica Car (HR 02 N 3402) from the parking of Sector 30 yesterday. A case under Section 379 of the IPC has been registered at the police station-39.
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Forest Games
Chandigarh, December 8 The games have already been in the news for violation of prescribed norms. Now after the games are over, those at helm have apparently turned a blind eye to the games venue. Let alone cleaning up the venue, the authorities have not even visited the site. On a visit to the venue, packets of eatables and plasticware were seen strewn across the area. Gursimranjit Singh, a student, said: “It is unfortunate that after ignoring earlier violations on the campus, the authorities did not even bother to get the grounds cleaned up once the games were over.” “It’s astonishing that the university has failed to keep a check on the activities of the games’ organisers once the venue was given to them. How can outsiders come and pollute the campus?” said a professor. Earlier, too, students had voiced resentment against the use of loud-speakers during examination days. The practice continues unabated even now. The university authorities also failed to take steps to check traffic chaos created during the games. “If they can’t handle things, why do they allow such events to be organised in the first place? It seems the university only sees the revenue generated on account of such events,” said an official. Dean students’ welfare (DSW) Naval Kishore was not available for comments in spite of repeated attempts to reach him. |
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Rolling Tigers on a roll
Panchkula, December 8 Seventeen districts of Haryana had participated in the championship. In under-6 boys’ rink race-II and road race, Akshit Kharab of Gurukul School got two bronze medals. In under 6-8 boys’ road race, Adhiraj of St Xavier’s School clinched a bronze medal. In under 8-10 boys’ rink race II, Siddhrath Jain of Doon Public School also secured a bronze medal and in under 8-10 boys’ inline rink race IV and road race II, Anuj Sood of Gurukul School won two bronze medals. Gaurav Bishnoi of Gurukul School secured a bronze in the rink race III. In under 8-10 girls inline category, Chhavi Bishnoi of Gurukul School secured a silver medal in rink race IV and bronze medal in rink race V. In under 10-12 girls’ category, Meghna Bisht of Shishu Niketan School got a bronze medal in rink race I. In under 12 to 14 boys’ category, Vaibhav Singla of DC Model School clinched a gold medal in rink race II. In the under 12 to 14 boys’ inline category, David of St Xavier’s School secured a bronze medal in road race II. |
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Bhavan Skating Club grab 44 medals
Chandigarh, December 8 Medal winners: Hardeep Singh Dhull (14-16 yrs): two gold medals (rink race-I and road race); Sahil Ashat (10-12 yrs): two gold (rink race-I and rink race-II); Manharsh Pal Singh (4-6 yrs): two gold (rink race-I and road race); Balkirat Singh Rangi (8-10 yrs): two gold (rink race-I and road race); Himanshi (4-6 yrs): two gold (rink race-II and road race); Kumar Mahismat (4-6 yrs): one silver (rink race-II); Vanshita Kukreja (6-8 yrs): two silver (rink race-I and road race); Varun Sindhu (12-14 yrs): one silver (rink race-I) and one bronze (rink race-II); Naman Huria (14-16 yrs): one silver (rink race-II); Mohit Singla (14-16 yrs): one bronze (rink race-II); Karan Dangi (8-10 yrs): one bronze (rink race-I); Amandeep Dhull (10-12 yrs): one bronze (rink race-I); Ujjwal Singh (6-8 yrs): one silver (road race-I) and one bronze (rink race-I); Pranav Awasthi (6-8 yrs): one silver (rink race-II); Simrat (12-14 yrs): one silver (road race) and one bronze (rink race-I). |
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Coaching camp for kids at CGA
Chandigarh, December 8 The camp, to be held under EGTF-certified coach Ajay Gujral, will be open to wards of members as well as non-members. The camp will introduce the young trainees to the basics of the game that include posture, stance, alignment, aim, grip, chipping, bunker shots, putting, safety, etiquette and rules of golf, etc. During the camp, to be held from 3 to 4 pm, the trainees will get an EGTF certificate on the completion of the camp, which will be conducted on the guidelines of the European Golf Teachers Federation, UK. Gujral said in order to motivate trainees, a competition would be held on the last day of the camp in which the winners will get golf prizes worth Rs 1,500. More details can be obtained from Gujral at the club. |
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Back-to-back wins for MCM DAV cagers
Chandigarh, December 8
In the second match of the day, GTB Khalsa College for Women, Dasuya, outclassed Government College for Girls, Sector 11, 60-28. Playing their second match of the day, MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, found an easy rival in Dasmesh Girls College, Badal (Muktsar), whom they thrashed 68-12. Once again, their last match performers Sweety and Monika with 19 and 14 points, respectively, were the main scorers for the wining team. Narmata too made her contribution by chipping in with 12 points. For Badal college, Kamalkit Kaur was the only contributor with 12 points. Kho-kho: In the men’s section, DAV College beat Government College-11 by nine points and an innings and SCD Government College, Ludhiana, beat PU campus by 17 points and an innings.
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Inter-school meet from Dec 13
Chandigarh, December 8 The matches will be played on a specially laid synthetic mat/pitch and will be of 20 overs each. All schools excluding cricket academies will be invited to take part in the tournament. The students up to class IX (born in 1994) are eligible to take part in the tournament. The matches will be played after school hours at 2 pm. |
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Addl soccer trials for girls
Chandigarh, December 8 Players will be selected for the ongoing coaching camp in preparation for Chandigarh’s participation in the All-India Football Federation Under-14 Girls Festival of Football to be held in Chennai from December 23. According to CFA general secretary Rakesh Bakshi, girls born between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 1996, will be eligible to take part in the trials. The additional selection trials have been necessitated as seven players, including international Tanvi Bhargawa, have been dropped under the directions of the All-India Football Federation. Players who have participated in the sub-junior football national meet for girls in Haldwani are not eligible to participate in the All-India Football Federation Under-14 Girls Festival. |
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