Chandigarh, December 9
The UT state guest house in Sector 6 here has virtually become an extension of the Punjab Raj Bhavan.

Ignoring the norms, Raj Bhavan functionaries are allegedly booking rooms at the guest house for accommodating persons who are not entitled to stay in the circuit house area, thereby causing financial loss to the state exchequer.

The circuit house portion, where a room and a suite is available for Rs 100 to Rs 150 per day, respectively, is being misused by certain persons who overstay their visit by over three months on the “recommendations” of the Raj Bhavan functionaries. This was revealed in documents procured by RTI activist R.K. Garg.

Hyderabad resident Khaleel Ahmed, who is usually recommended by an ADC to the Punjab Governor, seems to have made the guest house his second home.

Khaleel stayed at the guest house for over two months from November 2, 2006, till January 5, 2007. Again, he put up at the guest house from April 1, 2008, to July 7, 2008.

This is despite the fact that rules clearly state that “no person shall ordinarily be permitted to stay in the guest house for a period exceeding 10 days at a time”.

A perusal of the documents revealed that of the 50 rooms booked at the circuit house in January 2008, 41 were booked through Raj Bhavan. As many as 12 rooms were booked in the name of Ruchi (C/o the Punjab Governor) on January 9 alone. In June, 18 rooms were booked through Raj Bhavan.

In a city like Chandigarh where good accommodation is costly, the UT guest house is a reasonable place to stay for the friends and acquaintances of senior government functionaries. While the rates for individuals are Rs 900 and Rs 1,800 for a room and suite, respectively, the corresponding rates for the circuit house portion are Rs 100 and Rs 150.

Officers on official duty are also charged Rs 100 and Rs 150 while their family members are charged Rs 225 and Rs 400 for a room and suite, respectively.

Chandigarh, December 9
A proposal has been mooted by the administration to convert Leisure Valley in Sector 10, opposite the Museum and Art Gallery, into a theme park. This prime chunk of land has natural drainage system for rainwater and provides open green space for walkers.

The Tribune is in the possession of an official communication to be treated as “most urgent” by the administrator for the development of garden/theme park at the Leisure Valley.

The letter, procured through the RTI and addressed to the UT chief engineer, has been dispatched by the office of the chief architect “for taking necessary action quickly so that the area in front of the Museum and Art Gallery, lying in a state of disuse, may be properly landscaped and spruced up”.

The chief architect’s office has asked the engineering department to conduct a survey there on levels/contours and the existing features/monuments, etc.

Meanwhile, the fate of the 73-acre theme park at Sarangpur is uncertain due to a delay on part of the Chandigarh administration in granting final approval to the project. Unitech Developers Limited was allotted land in March by the administration on revenue-sharing basis.

Even though the project has got approval “in principle” from the administration, sources confirmed that the final drawings are yet to be approved.

The director, tourism, Samwarthak Singh, said Unitech had been asked to deposit the instalment of Rs 5.5 crore and the architecture department had also pointed out some changes required be done in the drawings.

The dropping of another bid for the project at the last minute, which was offering 13 times more annual gross revenue, had also attracted strong criticism from various quarters.

“An inquiry should be conducted by an independent agency and the guilty officials should be punished,” Hemant Goswami, a social activist, said.

Chandigarh, December 9
A routine search at the Sector 17 ISBT by the CRPF and the police personnel led to the recovery of a dozen gelatin and two novel gel sticks with detonators, capable of causing extensive damage, from six Nepalese, including a minor, early this morning.

Though the police has yet to confirm if the suspects have any terror links. They are being interrogated by a high-level multi-agency probe team comprising officials of the intelligence bureau and the police.

Senior intelligence officials said nothing was being “left to chance” and they were probing the possibility of a Maoist link as the ISI’s connection with Kathmandu are well known. “They could be couriers,” an official said.

However, the suspects have claimed that they were construction workers employed at a remote place beyond Rohru in Himachal and were going to UP as the work at the construction site had been stalled due to snow. They claimed that they had “picked up” the explosives from the site to make some easy money.

Five of the accused are in their early 20s while the sixth is 15 years old.

Sources in the police said the explosives were enough to blow up any major structure in the city and investigating officers were trying to find out if the accused were working as conduit for some terrorist organisation.

Gelatin sticks are equivalent to RDX as far as the explosive quality is concerned. Similar sticks were used in the Shingar cinema blast in Ludhiana.

The SSP, S.S. Srivastva, said the accused were nabbed at the ISBT at around 5 am and the seizure comprised 14 dynamite sticks (weighing 1.75 kg), out of which 12 were gelatin sticks and two high quality novel gel. Besides this, six small detonators, 7 m of fuse wire and 18 ball bearings were recovered from the suspects. The police also found two Nepalese identity cards from the suspects.

The SSP stated that no terrorist connection had surfaced during the preliminary interrogation.

A team of the Chandigarh police has been dispatched to Himachal to verifying the claims of the accused. The police would question the contractor for whom they were working.

Meanwhile, a local court remanded the accused in three-day police custody.

Chandigarh, December 9
Panic prevailed in the city as national as well as international TV channels flashed the news about the arrest of six Nepalese “terrorists”, carrying “huge amount of explosives” by the Chandigarh police.

Within minutes of airing of the news, newspapers and other media offices were flooded with frantic phone calls inquiring about possible terrorist attack in the city.

People rang up their near and dear ones and exchanged text messages to confirm the incident.

It is learnt that visitors to the shopping centre in Sector 17 also preferred to stay away from the area, anticipating terrorist attacks.

The surprise recovery of the explosives was also linked to the India-England match scheduled to be played at the PCA Stadium, Mohali, on December 19. With such reports pouring in, international media also flashed the arrest of the suspects here.

Mandeep Kumar, a student of Panjab University, said he got a call from his parents from Sangrur inquiring about him in the wake of the news about the “huge” seizure of ammunition in the city.

A senior police officer said in an attempt to put rumours to rest, the police decided to hold a press conference to clear the picture to the media.

Chandigarh, December 9
The mood among the Muslims in the tricity was distinctly somber today, as the grief of the recent Mumbai terror attacks overshadowed Eid-ul-Zuha festivities.

Unlike in the past, a large section of Muslims celebrated their biggest festival wearing black badges — a clear message to terrorists that “we’ll not get cowed down” — and forgoing the otherwise lavish celebrations.

Even the message from the mosque in Sector 20 was clear that all communities were united in India’s hour of grief.

Masjid’s Shahi Imam Maulana Ajmal Khan, before the Eid namaaz, decried violence in the name of Islam and admonished those who indulged in it. He prayed for peace and tranquility in the country and also for the families of those who lost their lives in the senseless act of terror.

However, there were some in the community who purposely chose not to wear the badges, as they felt it defeated the message of India’s unity by segregating them from the masses.

“Our grief is common and so is our anger against the perpetrators of terror,” said Mushtaq, a city-based shopkeeper.

“How can one celebrate when hundreds of people are still recovering in hospitals of Mumbai or mourning the deaths of their loved ones. There is no place in Islam for those who link violence with religion,” said Raziq Zadidi, a retired Mohali resident. He said even the namaaz in the mosque in Mohali preceded with strong words against terrorism.

Municipal corporation’s nominated councillor Arshad Khan said: “Eid is a holy occasion that symbolises sacrificing in the name of God, which will be observed in my house. There will be no more celebrations. No religion, especially not Islam, preaches violence.” He said this year he was not organising any festivity on Eid as a mark of solidarity with the grieving people.

Khan added that he was keeping things very simple this Eid and had decided not to celebrate New Year’s Eve as well.

ICRA foundation president Haffiz Anwar-ul-Haq said it just didn’t feel like Eid this year. There was no excitement in the neighbourhood and he just didn’t feel like feasting, he added.

Chandigarh, December 9
It is Human Rights Day and once again, the city is all set to revise and restate its pledge to protect the rights of all inmates.

However, a visit around the city is enough to reveal the blatant denial of these basic rights, especially to kids who are regarded as ‘underprivileged’.

“Main jab bhi kisi bachhe ko badi gaadi me dekhta hun to mujhe lagta hai ke pata nahi us seat par gaane sunate hue jaana kaisa hoga. Mere papa ke paas to bas richshaw hi hai.” 11-year-old Ramesh, who sells groundnuts on Sector 35 light point, says.

“Main 2 saal se yahan samman bechta hun. Mera bahut dil karta hai ki main bhi aur bachon ki tarah popcorn khane yahan aaun par ye nahi ho sakta.” a 5-year-old kid, who insists this correspondent to buy a pair of socks for him, tells.

Meanwhile, various city organisations claim to work for such children and provide them with the basic amenities.

“We teach the slum area kids and even distribute them clothes, books and toys donated by others. We try our level best to make them literate.” a social worker says.

However, efforts like these are hardly approved by kids like Ramesh who has been working on the Sector 17 railway station for the past seven years

Chandigarh, December 9
Staying in Sector 38 A can be quite troublesome and residents opposite the Prajapati Bhavan know it way too well.

In gross violation of the UT estate office’s allotment rules, Prajapati Bhavan has been carrying out commercial activities - primarily marriages and parties - much to the inconvenience of residents, who have to live with blaring music, rowdy crowds and chocked roads every night.

And this has been going on for the past eight years as the authorities have failed to check the menace despite numerous complaints from residents.

Considering the noncompliance of rules, the bhavan should be resumed by the estate office, but no such action has been taken yet, allege residents.

Jagdish, office in-charge of the bhavan, said though the management had “officially” stopped accepting bookings due to litigations and complaints, organising a party or a marriage function “was not a problem” there. These correspondents, who approached Jagdish with a request for booking a farewell party, were told that everything would be managed within Rs 2,100.

“Late-night music is no problem but you may have to lower the volume if the police comes after 11 pm. As for liquor, you’ll have to procure it and we will serve it,” said Jagdish.

He made no mention of the need to have a licence for serving liquor at public place.

For the past eight years, residents of the sector have been lodging complaints in this regard with various departments, including the estate office, the sub-division magistrate (south), department of Chandigarh pollution control committee, police station-39, but the authorities continue to turn a blind eye to their pleas.

Assistant estate officer Ashwani Kumar refused to talk on the issue. “I have been on leave for the past 15 days. I am not in touch with my office,” was his reply.

Atul Sharma, a resident of Sector 38, said: “The estate office has not taken any action on our complaints. It was only after we bound them under the RTI Act did they issue a memo to the bhavan management. The last date of hearing was November 16. Since then we have not heard anything from them. Even issuing the memo took them five months.”

The music systems put up for parties often exceed the prescribed noise limits in the daytime and these continue to play beyond the 10-pm deadline. Alcohol is openly served on the premise without permission from the authorities concerned.

Shekhar Bansal, another resident, said: “My children are studying in class 10 and their board examination is not so far but they cannot concentrate due to the blaring music.”

Notices for resumption of property have been issued to owners of other bhavans in the city, but no action has been taken against Prajapati Bhavan authorities yet.

Zirakpur, December 9
The newly constructed Dappar toll plaza, near Dera Bassi, is being inaugurated tomorrow by the union minister for shipping, road transport and highways, TR Balu. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would also be present there.

The toll would be charged for the costs incurred by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the four-laning of the Chandigharh-Ambala National Highway. The road users would, however, have to pay the toll at the Derabassi flyover. The period to charge the toll for the Derabassi flyover is till next year.

Commuters moving from Chandigarh to Ambala and Delhi have to shell Rs 25 for car/van/jeep, light commercial vehicles would be charged Rs 40. Meanwhile, trucks and buses would be charged Rs 80 for single journey.

Now, the journey would be costlier for the commuters, as they would have to pay at two different toll plazas at Derabassi flyover and Dappar.

With the operation of the toll plaza, commuting through bus and train would be cheaper for the daily commuters. Travelling by bus from Chandigarh to Ambala would cost around Rs 20 and through train, it would be merely Rs 11.

Meanwhile, the land which was acquired by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) from a number of private owners in order to complete the project has not been paid for yet.

The president of the Zirakpur Market Welfare Association, Mahavir Aggarwal, stated owners of shops on either sides of the National Highway-22 in Zirakpur had surrendered their land to the NHAI but has not been paid for yet, for which the land owners had decided to raise their demand in front of the union Minister tomorrow.

On the other hand, residents are opposing the toll, terming it against the highway norms, as double toll cannot be charged within a distance of 8 km on the same highway while the residents of nearby villages have demanded a toll-free facility for them. 

Chandigarh, December 9
The Chandigarh administration’s October 2 ban on plastic bags has provided a perfect opportunity to certain unscrupulous shopkeepers to fleece consumers. With the plastic bags banned, paper or cloth bags are being sold separately to buyers in a substantial number of department stores and retail shops, forcing customers to shell out as much as Rs 20 per bag extra.

With negligible cost of plastic bags, shopkeepers used to give them free of cost earlier. However, with ban in place, this is now a thing of the past. “Earlier, the cost of plastic bags was low so we charged no extra money from customers but paper bags are more expensive so we cannot give them for free,” said a Sector-20 shopkeeper.

“The slump in the market has reduced the profit margin considerably, forcing us to charge for paper bags,” said owner of a department store in Sector 9.

In fact, traders claimed that the entry of big corporates in retail sector was giving a tough competition to the traditional markets in the city. While big corporates can absorb the cost of separate carry bags, small traders have no alternative but to charge for the paper or cloth bag,” said Charanjiv Singh, president of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal.

On the other hand, customers have reacted sharply to the alleged malpractices by shopkeepers. “It becomes difficult to carry products as shopkeepers do not give any carry bag. We are left with no alternative but to buy paper bags separately,” said Simardeep Kaur.

“Selling of paper bags is just another way to fleece customers. The common man is already burdened by rising inflation and additional money for separate paper bags puts extra financial burden on us,” said Parvinder Malhotra.

Chandigarh, December 9
Certain people are virtually abandoning the ashes of their dead at the city cremation grounds. In fact, in some cases, the ashes haven’t been collected even after one year of the cremation as families of the deceased have failed to turn up.

The pandits, who perform the last rites of the dead here, say: “Some people who come here for the last rites never return to collect the ashes of their family member from the lockers.”

Not only the illiterate, even those who are literate neglect their duty towards the dead, they add.

A visit to the cremation grounds of Sector 25, Mani Majra and Panchkula revealed the presence of ashes over 20 people in the lockers even a year after their death.

A pandit, on condition of anonymity, said: “I remember the family members of the deceased who claimed that they would collect the ashes once all family members were around. However, even after one year, they have not returned.”

“It is shocking to see people forgetting to collect the ashes of their own family members,” says Harish Kumar, a senior citizen.

Sham Lal, a pandit at the cremation ground, Sector 25, said: “The ashes are put in a locker and family members collect these for immersion in rivers for the peace of the departed soul. Generally, people return on the fourth day of cremation to collect the ashes. However, certain people lack awareness or are insensitive towards the dead.”

Baldev, a pandit at Mani Majra cremation ground, said: “At each of the cremation grounds, ashes of over 10 individuals are lying in lockers.”

Chandigarh, December 9
The Citizens Awareness Group today organised a workshop on drug de-addiction at Government Primary School, Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, here today.

According to a press note, over 100 persons participated in the workshop. The area councillor, Sarla Sharma, presided over the workshop.

Welcoming the participants, chairman of the group, Surinder Verma, said the increase in the consumption of the narcotics drugs posed a threat to the youth and it was our duty to make the youth aware about the ill-effects of the drug abuse.

Chandigarh, December 9
The Alternative Living Theatre, Kolkata, presented the 248th show of their play “Tritiya Yudh” on the third day of the ongoing national theatre festival being held at the Tagore theatre.

The play conceived and evolved by acclaimed thespian Purobir Guha debated the issues of socio-cultural and economical relevance.

The actors virtually participated in the political dialogue of the present times.

Purobir gave an innovative treatment to the thematic content of the play of a well-planned war waged by the vested Western powers on our pristine Indian culture.

The play depicts the celebrations of Indian cultural tradition enmeshed with the ritual ceremonies of wedding and such similar occasions.

While the festivities are in full swing, an unfamiliar face emerges from nowhere just to allure the innocent people around with imported goods, intoxicants, arms and ammunitions that leads to unwanted situations.

Though it was Purobir Guha all the way with live musical renditions in Bengali, enunciating shlokas or brief dialogues besides playing on drums and tabla, it was obvious for him to be out of tune sometimes on vocals.

Shayantuni, Gautam, Shuburdeep, Tana, Zakir, Yati played main roles while Sudeep composed the music.

The chief guest, Ram Niwas, home secretary, UT, honoured the artists. 

Chandigarh, December 9
While the Panjab University authorities claim to have curtailed the campus violence by restricting the entry of vehicles in the students’ centre, the move is yet to gain any appreciation from the shopkeepers operating there.

Blaming the ever-decreasing number of customers following the ban, the shopkeepers have started demanding a reduction in the rent being paid by them.

“Hardly a few of our regular customers come here now. The sales have gone down due to the university authorities, then they should reduce the rents, too, a shopkeeper said.

Along with shopkeepers, even the students feel the move has taken away the charm of this place.“The move seemed illogical, as those who had to create a nuisance would not stop. If violence has to happen, it will happen anywhere. This move has left the most popular joint deserted,” complained another shopkeeper.

A student, Angad, said the centre had been a favourite hangout spot, but following the ban, it had become 
difficult to go there, because the authoriites did not allow to take the vehicles there.

Namit Modi, a pass out from the university, said, “Though we have passed out, still the centre is the most favourite hot-spot for us. It’s sad to see this place deserted. The authorities should have taken better steps in order to curtail violence on the campus.”

It may be mentioned that the university authorities had banned the entry of vehicles in the student centre vicinity following a brawl between two student groups.

Dean Students’ Welfare (DSW), Naval Kishore, said, “We are maintaining law and order in the university and if it disturbs anyone, then what can be done.”