Fatehgarh Sahib, August 21
Family members of a truck driver today accused police officials deployed at the Sirhind police station of killing him in custody. The driver had been brought to the police station after a freak accident.

The family of the victim, identified as Maman of Samalka in Haryana, in a complaint to the SSP alleged that he was beaten up by some “influential” with political connections and was brought to the police station immediately after the accident.

His family arrived at Sirhind from Haryana today and said Maman was taking iron rods from Sirhind to Moga. As he neared Sirhind, the door of the truck suddenly opened and hit one of the motorcycle-borne men. The turban of the motorcyclist fell and they all thrashed Maman.

The matter was then brought to the notice of the police, which made him sit at the police station and released the cleaner of the truck. The incident took place at around 10 am and the driver was made to sit till 4 pm, his family alleged.

The truck cleaner, Pradeep Kumar, accused the police of demanding a bribe of Rs 100 in lieu of giving tea and snacks to the driver. After some time, he was called at the police station and was told to take the driver to the Civil Hospital as his condition had deteriorated.

When he saw the body of the driver, he raised the alarm and informed his family. He also accused police officials of threatening him with dire consequences if he said the driver had died in police custody.

The family of the victim said the police was not even registering a case against those who beat him up. The SSP, Dr Kaustubh Sharma, said an inquiry had been assigned to the Bhadson DSP and action would be initiated against the police officials if they were found guilty.

Panchkula, August 21
Polluted drinking water supply at Budhanpur village here is suspected to have resulted in the outbreak of cholera today. More than a dozen patients with symptoms of the disease have already reached hospitals and two samples have been sent to the PGI, district health officer ML Garg said.

The village is located near the slum of Rajiv Colony where cholera deaths were reported last year as water of the nullah got mixed with drinking water pipelines.

“At least 14 patients have been suffering from stomachache, vomiting and nausea since last night. We dispatched a team of doctors and paramedical staff to the village in the morning and the water supply to the village has been stopped,” he said.

“Public health officials have been informed about the situation and water supply would be restored after 24 hours when the leakage in the pipes is fixed,” he added.

AK Aggarwal, superintendent engineer, HUDA, said water was being supplied to the area with tankers and as soon as the health authorities controlled the situation, the supply would be started again. It was being apprehended that in an attempt to install motors on water pipes, villagers had damaged the lines, causing sewage to mix with drinking water, he said.

Chandigarh, August 21
The police today arrested 22-year-old Ashish Buteja for using fake currency to pay his fee at DAV College, Sector 10, here.

The police said while accepting the money, Mohinder Singh, a cashier, found 23 notes of Rs 100 denomination from the fee of Rs 16,390 meant for admission to the mass communication department.

A case under Section 489-B and C of the IPC has been registered against Ashish, a resident of Sector 36, who hails from Abohar.

The SHO of the Sector 3 police station said during preliminary interrogation it was found that the notes were printed by using colour photostat. The cashier got suspicious while counting the money as the paper was of inferior quality. He then informed the police, which claimed that the student knew about the fake notes since it was unlikely that he got so many fake notes, but was not aware of it.

The police would interrogate him to found out the sources from where he procured the currency and it may help unearth some racket.

Ashish’s father is a financier and runs a garment shop at Abohar. He and his father were staying with his uncle in Sector 36.

Earlier, the police had arrested Swinder Kaur of Amritsar for smuggling fake currency from Pakistan. She used to give the notes to Yudhvir Singh Yodha of Amritsar against a commission. Yodha, who is in his early 20s, was arrested after his accomplice was nabbed with the currency.

Chandigarh, August 21
Even as the UT administration’s finance and home departments lock horns over the issue of allowing advertisements on school buses, certain private school bus operators seem to be having their own way.

Not giving two hoots to the Supreme Court’s guidelines, buses of Ryan International School at Sector 49 were found carrying giant advertisement banners on their rear.

One such bus ( CH-O3X-6931; route no 33) was spotted on the road with an advertisement banner for Spectoon Kids TV channel on the rear.

Soon to be launched, the channel is a venture of Ryan Group of Institutes. Displaying an advertisement on school buses is not only a contempt of the Supreme Court guidelines, but also violates the norms of the Chandigarh Advertisement Control Order, 1954.

The State Transport Authority’s (STA) proposal for providing economic bus service for government schools was turned down by the finance department because as an incentive to the bus operators, the STA has proposed to allow advertisements pertaining to education on the buses.

Finance secretary Sanjay Kumar said the Act had defied not only the Chandigarh Advertisement Control Order, but also the guidelines of the Supreme Court meant for school buses. “Absolutely against the norms, if such a thing is in practice, I will direct my team to take notice of it. No school bus is allowed to carry any sort of advertisement.”

STA secretary Vandana Disodia said, “It is totally against the law to carry any advertisement on school buses. If it is happening, it definitely calls for stern action. The school buses will be challaned.”

Chandigarh, August 21
Large-scale irregularities were detected at the parking lots of Sectors 8, 9, 17, 22, 34 and 35 during a surprise check by a team of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation here today.

The team also visited taxi stands of Sectors 8, 22 and 35 and instructed the taxi owners to remove encroachment from the MC land within a fortnight and construct temporary sheds as per directions of the Chandigarh administration.

Officials said that a fine of Rs 5,000 was imposed on five parking contractors for various irregularities like overcharging for helmets, employees not in uniform, improper marking for parking of vehicles and for wrong parking.

The team also found that the parking contractors had not installed CCTV cameras in parking areas even after repeated directions from the authorities. Though two parking contractors, including in front of hotel Sunbeam and in front of Piccadilly hotel of Sector 22, had installed CCTV cameras, but they were not functional.

During a visit to Sector 22, the team found that the markings to park vehicles was not proper and most of the contractors had allowed more vehicles to park than the permissible limit. The contractors had also constructed two unauthorised metal cabins in which the employees of the parking lots were staying.

In another parking area of Sector 8, the contractor had yet to install CCTV cameras and no employee of the parking area was in proper uniform and their identity cards.

The team caught red-handed a contractor in Sector 17 for overcharging from the two-wheeler owners for the helmet.

One of the vehicle owners in sector 35 complained that the contractor was overcharging for issuance of pass than the prescribed rates of the MC. “As per the rates mentioned on the board, the contractor could charge Rs 30 for issuing monthly pass, whereas contractor was charging Rs 60 from us,” he said.

MC Joint Commissioner TPS Phoolka said that instructions had been issued to the contractors for earmarking fire zone areas in the parking lot and install CCTV cameras. He said that the surprise raids were made as they had received a number of complaints of overcharging for issuing pass from various parking lots of the city.

Meanwhile, nominated councillor Arshad Khan had recently sent a proposal to Mayor and the MC Commissioner suggesting that four-wheeler owners should issued smart card.

Chandigarh, August 21
As many as 81 wholesale and retail grocery shops have been found functioning without licence in contravention of the provisions of the Chandigarh Food Articles (Licensing and Control) Order, 1991 issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

As part of the ongoing drive to check hoarding of essential commodities, raids were conducted by officials of the department of food and supplies, Chandigarh administration, at grocery shops in the grain market, Sector 26, under the supervision of SDM (south)-cum-Joint Director, food and supplies, Prerna Puri Wasu.

During the inspection, it was found that a large number of shops had not displayed price list and maintained stock registers as per the provisions of the control order. Penal action was being initiated against the erring dealers.

Raids were also conducted in Sector 37, wherein M/s Jindal Provision Store and M/s Suresh Provision and General Store were found in illegal possession of essential commodities more than the stock holding limit.

Action against the shopkeepers has been initiated under the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar said dealers and shopkeepers were indulging in artificial profit-making through hoarding or by selling products at unreasonable prices.

He said under the Chandigarh Food Articles (Licensing and Control) Amendment Order, 2009, the stock holding limit of essential commodities viz. rice, pulses, edible oil and edible oil seeds had been fixed at four quintals, 10 quintals, five quintals and 30 quintals, respectively.

Shopkeepers storing more than the fixed stock holding limit were required to obtain food articles licence from the department of food and supplies, he added.

He added that the administration was also publishing whole sale rates of essential commodities in newspapers so that general public was kept informed about the prices and could build pressure on any unreasonable demand of rates by any retailer.

Chandigarh, August 21
With the Chandigarh administration exploring the possibility of a tie-up with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the poor in the city are set to get free medicare at private hospitals.

Drafted as part of the public-private partnership in the health sector, the ambitious proposal envisages treatment by the members of the IMA at the rates charged by the government hospitals such as Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, and the PGI.

Under the proposal, the administration would reimburse the amount on the government rates to the members of the IMA. There are about 1,000 members of the IMA in the city with over 100 hospitals also being the members.

Officials said the proposal would serve a double purpose. While it would offload the patient load from the government hospitals, the poor would be able to afford the best treatment in the city.

It was found that the government hospitals, including the GMCH-32, the GMSH-16 and the PGI, were bursting at seams in the backdrop of thousands of the poor patients visiting the hospitals for treatment. A majority of these patients visited government hospitals, including government dispensaries, for routine ailments which could be treated at the neighbourhood doctors, a senior official said.

The implementation of the proposal would go a long in reducing rush at government-run hospitals and dispensaries sparing the doctors for attending to patients with serious ailments, the officials highlighted.

In fact, preliminary discussions between the administration officials and the IMA office-bearers had already been held where the blueprint for the scheme was discussed in detail.

Dr Zora Singh, president of the Chandigarh branch of the IMA, told Chandigarh Tribune that the association was favourably inclined to the proposal to provide medicare to the poor at the subsidised rates.

Chandigarh, August 21
Following a prolonged hunger strike that led to a high drama outside the VC office of Panjab University, the members of PUSU and SOPU, who were agitating against a divider in front of the UIET were physically removed by the police and sent to GMHS, Sector 16, here today.

The boys had been on strike for last few days and those belonging to PUSU even tried to corner VC this morning in front of his office for his alleged indifference towards their “plight” today by the agitating members of PUSU, the UT police has booked many student leaders under Sections 107 and 150 of the CrPC to maintain the law and order in coming days.

The students, who have been on a hunger strike since last few days in protest against the divider in front of the UIET, accused Vice-Chancellor to be indifferent to their “plight” and moved to VC office to protest against this.

The students thronged the gates and also tried to obstruct the way of Vice-Chancellor while he had been leaving in his car. Sensing the rising tension there, the police was immediately called, who dispersed the protesters.

“We had no option, but to do this. We are sitting hungry there and the only thing they have done so far is washing their hands off claiming the matter to be administration’s prerogative. We just want them to take our administration and get divider removed or get provision for the u-turn, which they are not doing. Nothing seems to affect them, so we have to take this way to make them listen to us. When we tried talking to the VC, he started making intolerable comments and that infuriated us.

If we, who serve the students, but they consider us nothing more than troublemakers,” said Simranjit Dhillon, president of PUSU.

“If they can move to administration to get a corolla for the Vice-Chancellor, then they should show the same spirit for students’ demands also,” said another protester.

However, the university claims to be already pursuing the matter with administration.

“Even we are worried about the kids as they have been hungry for last few days and been approaching them with regular requests to end the strike as we have already taken up the matter, but they do not listen. We are in touch with the administration and taking all demands to them. They got very erratic outside VC office today, but still we took no action because we do not want these students to harm themselves for any election campaigns or publicity,” said DSW Naval Kishore.

Meanwhile, SP Madhur Verma said the leaders had been booked under preventive measures by the police itself and there had been no formal complaint from the university.

Chandigarh, August 21
Selected NSS volunteers from all over the country are set to play a crucial role in the Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in Delhi from October 3 to 14 next year.

With a view to bridging the shortfall in trained security personnel, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has sought the services of as many as 8,000 NSS volunteers for the organising committee of Commonwealth Games, 2010. The ministry has shot off a letter to all states and union territories. The NSS Cell, Chandigarh, has already received the letter and plans to begin the process of picking up the volunteers soon.

“While picking up the volunteers, the yardsticks of knowledge of English language, IQ, speaking power, ability to debate and essay writing will be applied so that those selected can deal and interact with foreign dignitaries and players,” Bikram Rana, state liaison officer, NSS Cell, Chandigarh, said here today. As many as 72 countries will be participating in 17 different disciplines in the Commonwealth Games.

According to the letter, the NSS units across the country have been entrusted with the task of selecting 8,000 volunteers whose services will be placed at the disposal of the organising committee.

Chandigarh, August 21
A worm was found in the midday meal at Government Senior Secondary School, Behlana, today.

The school authorities reported the matter to the education department and as a result an inquiry was marked by DPI (s) Samwartak Singh into the matter.

The incident took place at around 11.30 am when class VI students were being catered the midday meal in the school.

It is when a child came up to the teacher with his plate containing a worm, informed a school official.

Thereafter, the teacher brought the matter to the principal’s notice and the school staff then checked the containers.

“The container was thoroughly checked and later discarded. The worm was present in the rice of the midday meal. The students were restricted from consuming the food after that,” said Ramesh Kumar, GSSS, Behlana.

An inspection committee was set up by the DPI (s) consisting the DO and the Deputy DO.

The department has also written a letter to the managing director, CITCO, informing the same.

Mohali, August 21
“I am not a stereotype politician. I am a result oriented person and whatever I do, I do it with dedication,” said NK Sharma, newly appointed chairman of Mohali District Planning Committee, while setting agenda for the planned development of the district.

Wielding “absolute” authority due to his ministerial status, the chairman while interacting with mediapersons said the District Planning Committee would work as a coordinating body between different development agencies in the district.

Every official concerned would be accountable for his work.

With the state funds at his disposal, he said his priority would be infrastructure development and addressing the basic needs of the people.

“I believe in interacting with the people at the grassroots level and I plan to hold the review meeting at regular intervals,” he said adding that every development agency in the district would be accountable to the committee.

He said it had been often seen that the work of the district planning committee headed by the cabinet ministers suffered as they had little time to monitor the district-level development works.

“After my experience at the Zirakpur municipal council, I firmly believe that every work can be done if planned and implemented in a proper way,” he added.

Denying the allegation of Kharar MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu that the funds were not being given to the Mohali MC, he said the fact was that the MC had failed to utilise the funds.

He, however, skirted the issue of his contesting the assembly elections from the district.

Political analyst point out that while Jasjit Singh Bunny has not got any portfolio, by nominating NK Sharma as the chairman, the Badals have shown their preference.

Chandigarh, August 21
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed SDO, electricity, operation division-9 to pay Rs 5,000 to a complainant as compensation for causing him mental and physical harassment for issuing a wrong bill.

The complainant, Gurbaz Singh, IFS, chief conservator of forests, Punjab, a resident of Sector 42, in 2004 got an electricity meter installed at his residence and received a bill of Rs 11,531 in October 2008, and subsequent bill of Rs15, 867, including an old bill arrear. He visited the SDO, division-9, several times for correction of the bill but in vain.

Fearing disconnection, he issued cheque dated February 4 for Rs 11,531 but Sampark persons refused to accept the local cheque. He issued another cheque dated February 16, for Rs 4,336 and thus the amount of both the cheques was Rs 15,867. Again the Sampark persons refused to accept the payment. In reply, the department submitted that the electricity bill for Rs11, 228 included Rs 5,679 as electricity bill from September 10, 2008, to November 10, 2008, and Rs 5,549 as sundry charges being average charged for July 10, 2007, to September 3, 2008.

It was stated that the complainant represented to the department on February 4, for correction of bill which was due to be paid on December 19, 2008, and the payment after the due date was acceptable only through cash or demand draft but he insisted for payment through cheque.

The sundry charges debited to the complainant and the amount of Rs 4,799, including late payment surcharge were adjusted and the complainant was intimated, along with the revised bill vide memo dated March 13. The forum observed that though the rules were clear, the department could charge for six months only.

Mohali, August 21
The health department and family welfare, Punjab, has launched a drive to obtain water samples in view of summer and monsoon, said Dr SPS Sohal, director of the health and family welfare department, Punjab, here recently.

He said instructions were issued to the civil surgeons to take at least 12 samples each from suspected contaminated sources within next two days and send them to public health laboratory, Chandigarh, for testing and analysis.

Instructions had also been issued to lay more stress on areas where cases of water-borne diseases like cholera, pilia, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis, etc. had been reported in the past.

Dr Sohal stated that officials had been told to coordinate with the officials of water supply and sanitation department, local government, for water-borne diseases.

The director further informed that an awareness generation exercise regarding safe drinking, proper hand washing and chlorination of water whenever required, etc. was being stepped up amongst the community to check the spread of water-borne diseases during monsoon.

Panchkula, August 21
The work on the Kaushalya Dam, the mega project that would help in solving the drinking water problems in the town, would be completed within the next eight months.

This was stated by Irrigation Minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav after laying the foundation stone of Irrigation Colony to be constructed at a cost of Rs 29 crore here today.

The state government has earmarked a sum of Rs 180 crore for the construction of Kaushalya Dam and out of this a sum of Rs 128 crore has already been incurred so far since the work on the dam started last year, he said.

The reservoir capacity of the dam would be 40.3 cusecs and it would be sufficient to meet the demands of local population for the next 40 years.

He also released the book of developmental activities of the Irrigation and PWD Department. As many as 208 eight-storeyed houses would be constructed and in the first phase 56 houses would be constructed at a cost of Rs 6.50 crore.

Yadav said this was the first dam of the state which was being constructed at the cost of the state. He said a sports complex would also be constructed on the dam and a four-lane road would be constructed.

In reply to another question for preponing the Vidhan Sabha elections in the state, Yadav said the people of the state were happy as it was evident from the fact that the party had won nine seats out of 10 and he was of the opinion that it was the opportunity to hit when the iron was hot.

On the occasion, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (irrigation) RN Prashar, engineer-in-chief (irrigation) RK Diwan, engineer-in-chief, PWD (B&R), Mahesh Kumar, SDM, Panchkula, Rajpal Singh, general manager (irrigation) Tilak Raj and senior officers of the PWD and the irrigation department were also present.

Zirakpur, August 21
After Mohali, the Punjab State Electricity Board has started on-the-spot power billing for Zirakpur residents.

Around six meter readers will now visit consumers’ houses with portable bill issuing machines and the bill will be given to the consumers immediately after reading the meter installed at their premises.

According to PSEB officials, Zirakpur has been divided into four zones. At present, the system has already started in the Baltana area.

In this process, the personnel working on the behalf of the PSEB will visit door-to-door with a spot power-billing machine.

They would also get about 15 days to pay their bills, he added.

Officials said with this system, the consumers would be tension free to submit their bills and this would also eliminate disputes over meter readings.

Talking to The Tribune, PSEB SDO, Zirakpur, GS Sandhu said, “We have started the spot power billing system in Zirakpur, which will benefit the consumers.”

Though it will take time to work, in future it will help them, he added.

Chandigarh, August 21
The police today gave commendation certificates to five Police Control Room (PCR) personnel for nabbing two persons who tried to flee after committing a crime.

The police said that taking a prompt action on a PCR call, a team of policemen, including inspectors Kewal Krishan and Satpal, sub-inspector Karan Singh, constable Karam Chand and a home guard volunteer Paramjit Singh, nabbed Vicky and Surinder Singh when they tried to run away after snatching articles from one Dinesh Kumar of Colony No. 4 in Phase II, Ram Darbar, last night.

The IGP gave first-class commendation certificates and cash reward to the team. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 21
The UT sports department has decided to give scholarship to the outstanding sportspersons of Chandigarh, who have obtained first position in the mini nationals or state-level tournaments in the recognised games in 2008-2009.

The scholarship will be carrying cash award of Rs 600 to the first position holders in the juniors, sub-juniors categories at the mini nationals, whereas Rs 1,000 to the top position holders in the senior, junior and sub-junior state championship and inter-college/school tournaments.

The application forms should be submitted during the working hours in the Chandigarh sports department office, Sector-42 Sports Complex, before September 30.

Chandigarh, August 21
The initial euphoria of having three girls contesting for the post of council president in the upcoming student elections seems to have fizzled out with uncertainty clouding the candidature of two of them.

While the names of Deepika and Geeta had been doing the rounds for some time as prospective candidates for INSO and NSUI, their names are yet to receive any confirmation by them or the party in charge or president.

While Deepika outright denied contesting for the presidential post, INSO president Sukhdev Kundu said: “Nothing can be said at the moment because if the party goes for an alliance, then we will not contest the post of president, but only general secretary and then it would be Deepika.”

Similarly, while the NSUI had initially declared Geeta to be its candidate according to the union in charge, many things are yet to be ascertained.

“Yes, Geeta is one of the probables, but we are yet to decide on anything, but given the fact that we will contest without any alliance, we will have a girl candidate only who could be Geeta or someone else,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ashwati of the ABVP is firm on contesting for the president’s post and considers the dismal participation of the PU girls in the council affairs as a major challenge for her.

“Girls do form a large chunk of voters here, but are not too active in taking up student demands due to several reasons. However, I shall be contesting this time and will be fighting on the issue of commercialisation of education by the university which has opened several self financing courses without any future prospects here,”she asserted.

The low participation of girls in student politics round the year is being cited as a major reason by many for hindering the chances of girl candidates.

“You will always see that relatively smaller students’ bodies go in for this because these generally have to end up entering into alliances and most of the times, nothing can be said until the nominations are filed because such names float every year. We have to fight and win on our own so somebody who is active in student politics is needed, which unfortunately PU girls are not.” said a student leader.