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TOP STORIES

Anger explodes against DC
Shopkeepers shut markets, block traffic against paid parking
Panchkula, August 26
The apparent “arbitrary” decision of Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Yadav to introduce paid parking in markets here, without taking requisite approvals either from the Municipal Corporation or HUDA, has come under a scathing criticism from both shopkeepers and residents of the town.

The protesting shopkeepers sit on a dharna, blocking road near roundabout of Sector 7/18 in Panchkula on Wednesday; and  shops closed in protest against the introduction of paid parking system. Tribune photos: Nitin Mittal

New innings: With international matches on the cards, labourers begin clearing out weeds at the PCA Stadium, Mohali. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Recession Heat
Garment brands shut shops in Sec 17
Chandigarh, August 26
Hit badly by the ongoing worldwide recession and dwindling profits, mega brands are turning their back on the major commercial hub of the city, Sector 17, once considered to be the Mecca of the major brands. In a development that bodes ill for the city's economy, at least five garment brands have shut shop in the sector recently giving sleepless nights to the landlords and MNCs. "High rentals, increasing overhead costs and decreasing profits have made business a difficult proposition in the heart of the city," a top official of an MNC told The Tribune.

Security goes off track at rly station
Chandigarh, August 26
It’s a clear-cut case of misplaced priorities. While the railway authorities are pumping in money to give the Chandigarh railway station a facelift, the security arrangements, it seems, have been put on the back burner.






The main entrance gate of the railway station that has no security guard. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Drunken driver rams truck into house
Chandigarh, August 26
A family had a miraculous escape after a truck crashed into their house in Sector 33. The occupant of the house, Balbir Singh, a bartender in Hotel Parkview, told TNS that he heard a loud din around 10.15 pm last night while he was sitting in his house with his family.

The truck, which crashed into a house at Sector 33, in Chandigarh on Tuesday night. A Tribune photograph

Babla gets relief
Chandigarh, August 26
Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla got a relief after a local court today stayed the execution of non-bailable warrants issued against him today.

UT fixes Sept 4 for PU polls
Chandigarh, August 26
While the UT administration has fixed September 4 as the D-day for PU students’ elections, the university plans to declare the same by tomorrow.

COMMUNITY

Conclave to promote region as IT hub from Sept 3
Chandigarh, August 26
The e-Revolution, 2009, a flagship forum of the region hosted by the Governments of Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab and the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) in association with Nasscom, TiE and India Angel Networks, will discuss “Transforming region: Harnessing technology for inclusive growth and entrepreneurship unleashed” on September 3 and 4 at the Taj here.

CWC to survey Himalayan water resources
Chandigarh, August 26
The Central Water Commission (CWC) will be joining hands with the National Remote Sensing Centre to study and monitor glacial lakes and other water bodies in the Himalayas that affect India.

Pvt buses hardly reach city
Mohali, August 26
The local chapter of a human rights group has drawn the attention of the Punjab government and Chandigarh Administration towards illegal operation of the private tourists’ buses playing between Chandigarh and different destinations in Punjab.

To misguide passengers, the route board in front of bus shows the journey between Chandigarh and Fazilka, but the bus operates between Mohali and Fazilka. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Ph-I jhuggi dwellers get 2-day time
Mohali , August 26
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) today called off a demolition drive which was to be launched to remove jhuggis from Phase I and gave two-day time to migrants to vacate the area.

Jhuggi dwellers gather at the encroachment area to stop GMADA from removing their hutments at Phase I in Mohali on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Sentenced for 3 months, in jail for 12 yrs
Pak national languishes in jail since 1997
Chandigarh, August 26
Crime and punishment do not commensurate, when it comes to foreign nationals. Abdul Sharif was sentenced to three months imprisonment for crossing the Indo-Pak border without valid documents and has already spent 12 years in jail.

Traffic to ease up outside rly station
Chandigarh, August 26
Customary mayhem with taxis, autos and cars almost choking the Chandigarh railway station entrance during peak hours is expected to ease up in the coming days. Better-managed traffic is expected with the coming up of a separate lane in front of the station that would help deviate vehicular traffic and limit it almost 10-15 feet away from the station entrance. Space left between the lane and the station’s staircases would now just be a walking space for passengers to facilitate easy movement in and out of the station, devoid of the regular chaos created by vehicles. 

Fake info for passport 
Lengthy process benefits NRI couple
Chandigarh, August 26
Wittingly or unwittingly, the lengthy procedures of the Chandigarh Police of taking “legal pinions” has gone into the benefit of an NRI couple, who had allegedly obtained passports by furnishing wrong information.

MC House meet tomorrow
Chandigarh, August 26
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has decided to convene a special meeting of the General House on August 28 following submission of a report by the Chandigarh Pollution Control Board, blaming it for discrepancies in the garbage processing plant at Dadu Majra.

Stock limit of edibles enhanced
Chandigarh, August 26
The Chandigarh administration today agreed to enhance the stock limit for pulses and edible oil for the traders.

Talwar armed forces’ consultant
Chandigarh, August 26
The PGI Director and head of Cardiology department, Dr KK Talwar, has been appointed as honorary consultant to the Armed Forces Medical Services in cardiology by the Ministry of Defence, for three years.

Workshop for small, medium enterprises
Chandigarh, August 26
As a run-up to the mega IT event, eRevolution, 2009, a workshop for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was held at the PHD House, Sector 31, today to discuss the deployment of information technology (IT) to improve productivity and efficiency of the companies.

EDUCATION

SOPU holds rally, hockey sticks seized
Chandigarh, August 26
When it comes to tackle the students’ elections, frenzy Panjab University is yet to learn its lessons. While the yesterday’s brawl between the two students’ groups left the campus tense and vulnerable, failing to take any substantiate step, the university took to seeking a legal advice on the nature of corrective or deterrent action, which should or could be taken in this regard.

Members of SOPU take part in an election rally; and (right) securityman shows sticks and rods seized during a checking at Panjab University in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photos: Parvesh Chauhan

Students take part in a candlelight march for peace in Panjab University on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Convent school wins city finals
Ambala, August 26
Convent of Jesus and Mary School today won the Ambala City finals of the Limca Book of Records Quiz, 2009, held at Convent of Jesus and Mary School, Ambala Cantonment.

Young scientist award for PGI student
Chandigarh, August 26
Anuj Singla, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Immunopathology, PGI, has been selected for the “Young Scientist Travel Award” by the European Congress of Immunology.

Gambian secy meets VC for MoU
Chandigarh, August 26
A high-powered delegation from Gambia (West Africa), led by Abdoulie M. Sallah, Secretary General and Head of Civil Services, Gambia, met Prof. R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor, Deans and Senators of Panjab University, this morning with a proposal for signing an MoU with the University of Gambia.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Kaplana Chawla Institute declared insolvent
To go under hammer on September 26
Shambhu (Rajpura), August 26
The Kalpana Chawla Institute of Engineering and Technology, established by the Kalpana Chawla Memorial Education Society, will be auctioned on September 26. Punjab National Bank will auction off the institute after it was declared bankrupt.
The Kalpana Chawla Institute of Engineering College on the Tapela-Shambhu Kalan road in Rajpura. A Tribune photograph

Selection camp at Pbi varsity
Patiala, August 26
The department of NSS, Punjabi University, Patiala, organised a Pre Republic Day selection camp on the university campus.

Ex-Colonel gets Godfrey award
Patiala, August 26
Acknowledging the efforts of Col Bhishan Das (retd), who has been working since long to conserve nature and conducting various activities for the plantation and maintenance of trees, the IG of Patiala division G.S. Sahota honoured him with Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award (bronze medal) at his office here today.

Bid to rob petrol pump manager
Zirakpur, August 26
An attempted robbery at the residence of a petrol pump manager in Zirakpur was reported on Tuesday night.

Failure to deposit Rs 2-cr house tax
MC notices to 100 defaulters
Zirakpur, August 26
The Municipal Council has issued notices to 100 defaulters who have failed to deposit house tax amounting around Rs 2 crore. The council has asked them to deposit the total amount of house tax within 15 days or strict action would be taken against them. An MC official said to speed up the development in Zirakpur, the council has intensified its campaign for recovering arrears of house tax totalling Rs 2 crore from various commercial godowns in Pabhat village, Baltana village and nearby areas.

Husband, in-laws booked for dowry 
Kharar, August 26
The police today booked a man and his parents for demanding dowry. In her complaint to the police, Kulwinder Kaur, a resident of Khanpur, said she was married to Harcharan Singh — a resident of Patiala - in 2007.

Wakf Board shops sealed
Ambala, August 26
The Cantonment Board, Ambala, today sealed the property of the Wakf Board, Haryana. The property is two shops and a residential setup on the floor of the shops.

Leopard terrorises Kalka villagers
Kalka, August 26
Fear prevails among the residents of several villages adjacent to the border of Himachal Pradesh, including Dakhrog, Gawahi, Khoi and Baghani villages of the Raitan area here due to a leopard these days.

COURTS

Where are they kept after 18, states asked
Chandigarh, August 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants to know from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh where an accused, who committed an offence when he was a juvenile, is kept after attaining the age of 18.

Police remand for accused
Chandigarh, August 26
A local court today remanded two students, arrested yesterday for violence at Panjab University, to one-day police custody.

Fake Purchase Scam
CBI convicts 6 Army personnel
The CBI special court today convicted six Army personnel, including a Colonel, in a fake purchase scam dating back to 1992.

Accused cop demands dismissal of petition
Chandigarh, August 26
UT Assistant Superintendent of Police Madhur Verma has demanded the petition against him in a trader-bashing case to be dismissed with exemplary costs.

CRIME

Man held for petrol pump robbery
Panchkula, August 26
The police has claimed to have arrested one of the suspects in Rs 3.5 lakh robbery on August 16 at Sector-5 petrol pump here today.

Three arrested for burglary
Chandigarh, August 26
The police arrested three youths for burglary today, who were involved in spate of thefts and recovered stolen articles worth Rs 2.50 lakh from them.Sources in the Operations Cell of the Chandigarh Police said they had information about the activities of the miscreants and acting on a tip off they managed to nab one of the accused, Kamal of Ram Darbar, from a naka on August 24. He named his two other accomplices, Aman and Monu alias Manda, both of Ram Darbar, during interrogation and the police managed to nab them yesterday.
A police official shows the stolen articles recovered from the accused in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

SPORTS

Malwa school beat MRS academy
Chandigarh, August 26
Malwa Khalsa School, Ludhiana, got success against MRS Academy, Amritsar, (3-1) during the SN Vohra Memorial Sub-Junior (Under-14) Hockey Tournament held at Hockey stadium, Sector 42, here today.


A match in progress between Malwa Khalsa School, Ludhiana, and MRS Hockey Academy, Amritsar, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

St Anne's beat Saupin's by 87 runs
Chandigarh, August 26
Good knock by Anshul (34) enabled St Anne's School to beat Saupin's School by huge margin of 87 runs in the St Jospeh's Under-13 Champions Trophy, played on St Joseph's Cricket ground here today.

Powerjit helps Alpine School to win
Chandigarh, August 26
An unbeaten 51-run partnership for the third wicket between Powerjit Singh (40) and Sobir (20) helped hosts Alpine School, Pinjore, to lift the Under-14 Triangular Alpine Cricket Trophy by defeating St Terasa Convent School, Panchkula, by eight wickets in the final on Alpine School ground, Pinjore.

18 teams to participate in Challenge Cup
Chandigarh, August 26
As many as 18 teams have confirmed their participation in the 7th Administrator's Challenge Cup, an All-India Football Tournament for Under-19, which will be organised from September 1 to 9 by the UT Administration at the Sports Complex, Sector 42, and Football Stadium, Sector 17, here.

Shooting meet on Aug 29
Chandigarh, August 26
The 11th Chandigarh State Inter-School Shooting Competition for boys and girls is being organised by the Chandigarh Rifle Association (CRA) on August 29 at the Patiala Rao Shooting Range, Sector 25.

Punjab Blue rule on Day 1
Bhatia, Sohal share double-century partnership
Mohali, August 26
In the inaugural match of the Punjab Cricket Academy (PCA) Emerging Players tournament for Umesh Kumar Trophy, Punjab Blue won the toss and elected to bat first at PCA Stadium here today.
Sunny Sohal, a player of Punjab Blue team, plays a shot during a match at PCA Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Girls’ football meet from Sept 2
Chandigarh, August 26
The Chandigarh Football Association will conduct the Chandigarh Sub-Junior Girls’ Football Championship for KC Bhargava Memorial Trophy on St Stephen's School ground, Sector 45, from September 2 to 5.