Panchkula, August 27
In the face of strong opposition from various quarters, the Panchkula Deputy Commissioner today postponed the decision on implementing the paid parking system and formed a committee to look into the objections of local residents and the Vyapar Mandal.

The committee will be headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner and secretary, Red Cross. The executive officers of HUDA and MC, along with representatives of the Vyapar Mandal, will be its members.

The committee will interact with all parties involved, including the general public, before submitting its report within a month.

Yesterday shopkeepers had observed a strike and staged a protest march against the proposed paid parking system in the town. They raised objections over the scheme, stating that it would affect their business, as a majority of markets were situated inside the sectors, where only local people go for shopping. Moreover, there was a need to improve the parking lots, which fell short of space due to the increase in the number of cars in the town in recent years.

The sequence of events is enough to substantiate that the district administration had to eat humble pie due to its haste in introducing the paid parking system in the town, and that also with the help of the Red Cross Society, which has no business in such issues.

While the DC claimed to have emulated the pattern of Chandigarh to streamline parking in markets, he perhaps forgot to follow the procedure adopted by Chandigarh for such auctions.

In Chandigarh, at least a period of four days is given to the interested parties to prepare for participating in the auctions. In Panchkula, an unusual haste was made in auctioning the parking lots within 24 days of advertising it in the newspapers.

Secondly, no groundwork was carried out to fix a floor price for the auction, leaving the scope of exploitation of situation by the bidders by forming the cartel. That was perhaps the reason behind the price of final auction of Sector 11, which fetch only a little over Rs 18 lakh, while the last auction for a similar market of Sector 35-C in Chandigarh got a whopping sum of Rs 41 lakh in the kitty of the Chandigarh administration.

Lastly, no parking fee is levied in the internal markets of Sectors in Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, sources in the municipal council said while the civic body was asked by the Deputy Commissioner in the monthly meetings to take the responsibility of parking in markets of the town, the land was never transferred to it. HUDA was owning the land and its authorities never got ready to transfer the parking space to the MC despite the fact they verbally agreed to raise no objection over the management of parking by the MC, said the sources.

Chandigarh, August 27
Claiming that the Centre was doing its best to tackle swine flu, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad today sought people's cooperation to check the spread of the disease.

“We are doing our best, but at the same time we need people's cooperation. This is not such a dangerous disease, but it is highly communicable and infectious,” the Union minister said after inaugurating Gamma Knife and PET Scan Centres at the PGI.

“What is commonly referred to as swine flu in India is actually a mixture of various influenzas - swine flu, bird flu and human flu,” he added.

Earlier, the minister was informed on the infrastructure and functioning of the Institute by PGI director Prof KK Talwar and heads of departments.

The PET centre, a part of the department of nuclear medicine, is equipped with the state-of-the-art PET/CT scanner and a medium energy medical cyclotron for the production of positron-emitting radioisotopes used in the imaging process. A radioiodine therapy ward has also been integrated in the centre that will be used for treatment of thyroid cancer patients with radioactive iodine. Currently, these patients need to be referred to AIIMS, New Delhi.

Prof BR Mittal, head of the nuclear medicine department, said the PET centre at the PGI was being used for investigations of cancer patients from the region. Dr Anish Bhattacharya from the nuclear medicine department informed that over 450 PET scans have been performed successfully on this machine during this time.

On the other hand, gamma knife, a facility of the department of neurosurgery, is used for treatment of intracranial tumours both malignant and benign, as well as vascular lesions in any locations. The Gamma Knife treatment can be performed even in areas which are extremely difficult to access by open brain surgery.This facility was not available in North West India before January 2009.

Under special sanction from the Prime Minister, the Rs 21-crore gamma knife was sanctioned to the PGI 2006-07. The model at the PGI is the latest and named as perfexion. This model is the fourth in Asia and the first in SAARC countries. The cost of procedure at PGI is Rs 75,000 as compared with Rs 1.5 lakh in the private sector. Out of the 65 patients treated by now 18 were given free therapy.

Chandigarh, August 27
With claims and counter-claims by the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh officials and councillors flying thick, the Dadu Majra garbage processing plant has been overshadowed by petty politics.

The plant seems to be jinxed since its conception stage. The promoter had been given five extensions besides the usual time frame for the completion of the project.

The MoU for the ‘pallets-to-power’ technology plant, considered as the first of its kind in the region, was signed between the Jai Parkash Associates and the civic body on July 8, 2005. Slated to be functional in a year, it was only after the third extension that UT Administrator SF Rodrigues inaugurated it in May last year.

The inauguration sparked off a controversy with the then Mayor, Pardeep Chhabra, and Congress councillors boycotting the function. Chhabra wanted either the Union Home Minister or the Union Minister for Urban Development to inaugurate the project, but MC officials finalised Rodrigues’ name.

It was during the previous tenure of the current Mayor Kamlesh that expression of interest (EoI) was invited for setting up of the solid waste treatment plant. Out of the participating firms, two, including Djai Powers, were shortlisted. Though efforts were made to push the case of Djai, the MC House did not approve the agenda for the setting up of the plant by Djai, which had tied up with a Hyderabad-based plant. The then Mayor, Kamlesh, and Chander Mukhi Sharma had also visited Hyderabad to see the functioning of the plant.

It was then that the Jaypee Group's presentation for setting up of the plant was accepted by the MC even after strong opposition from the current chairman of the sub-committee looking into the functioning of the plant and Congress councillor Chander Mukhi Sharma.

After the commissioning of the plant, the elected representatives had been after MC officials’ blood, charging them with favouring the Jaypee Group. In the backdrop of the allegations of non-functioning of the plant, the Home Secretary-cum-Secretary, local government, had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the DC to inquire into the matter in February this year. However, in its report, the DC gave a clean chit to the Jaypee Group, advising the MC to cooperate with the promoter to make the plant functional.

Sources said the non-tabling of the Chander Mukhi Sharma report on the plant in the MC House was yet another result of the internal politics in the civic body. Sources, however, said the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee might revive the tug-of-war between the officials and the councillors.

Chandigarh, August 27
The police has arrested four members of a robbers’ gang last night from near Sukhna choe on Madhya Marg.

One of the accused, identified as 19-year-old Parmatma, alias Batistha, a resident of Mauli Jagran, is also involved in the murder of a Bapu Dham resident, who was done to death on August 12, said the police.

The police said that Parmatma along with his other accomplice stabbed to death one Deepak of Bapu Dham Colony on August 12.

According to the in charge of the Bapu Dham police post the accused were arrested following a tip-off. Armed with weapons, they were planning to commit a decoity when they were arrested, he said.

The other accused have been identified as Devi Lal, alias Dev, Sat Pal, alias Satta, and Sanjay, alias Tinku, all residents of Mani Majra. The police also recovered a sword, knife, other sharp-edged weapons and iron rods from the accused. A case under Section 399 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered.

The police said that apart from the murder of Deepak, Parmatma was involved in a murderous attack on Shambhu Banerjee, the president of the local unit of the Trinamool Congress. He is involved in several incidents of assaults and was the “hit-man” of his gang, the police said.

The gang has over 10 youths engaged in criminal activities in the tricity, the police added.

Chandigarh, August 27
A high drama was witnessed at GMSSS, Sector 35, today when following an alleged argument with principal Indu Bala, the canteen contractor of the school, Jasbir Kaur, landed in a hospital.

Accusing the principal of harassment, Jasbir’s daughter alleged that she had hired another contractor without inviting tenders and was even pressuring teachers not to purchase anything from the canteen.

“We have been running the canteen for many years now, but when principal Indu Bala came, she got a new canteen contractor and that too without following norms, so we moved court against her. Following this, she started harassing us and even threatened my mother. Today, she entered into an argument with my mother and threatened her again, following which my mother fainted,” said Jasbir’s daughter.

“She did not let anybody help us and I was forced to call up the police to take my mother to GMSH, Sector 16,” she added.

When contacted, the principal denied even seeing Jasbir today. “I didn’t even meet her today. I don’t go to the canteen and don’t even speak to them, thus there is no question of an argument. The contract is over and she has been served a notice, following which she moved court,” the principal said.

DPI (S) Samwartak Singh was not available for comments.

Chandigarh, August 27
The local unit of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) celebrated Radhastami with religious fervour at nicely bedecked hall of Hare Krishna Dham, Sector 36, today.

A large number of devotees thronged the temple on the occasion, according to Nand Maharaj Dasa Prabhu, president, local unit.

The Radhastami celebrations began with Mangala Aarti of Sri-Sri Radha Madhava, the most attractive couple at 4.30 am followed by Tulsi aarti, prabhat pheri, Guru-puja of his divine grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

The main attraction of the festival was Charan Darshan of Srimati Radharani.

Chandigarh, August 27
Family of Sanichar Mandal, who was killed in a road accident on August 1, has alleged that the Chandigarh police was shielding the accused, who was arrested by the Police Control Room (PCR) cops on the spot.

Rajesh, the victim’s son, told TNS that he was riding pillion on the motorcycle driven by his father on the fateful morning when this accident had taken place. The PCR reached the spot and nabbed the tractor driver who had rammed the tractor into their motorcycle.

The driver, who later turned out to be the owner of the vehicle, reached the hospital and offered to pay for the treatment. Investigating officer of the Sector 39 police station reached the spot, but did not initiate any action against the accused, who later fled away from the hospital, alleged 22-year-old Rajesh, a call center employee.

“The PCR officials were kind enough to inform us about the goof up. Even an eyewitness told us that the tractor driver was nabbed on the spot, but the area police is keeping us in dark on the pretext that the tractor bore fake number plate. The case has almost reached a dead end, as the number belonged to a truck. The investigating official told me”, lamented Rajesh.

Recalling the fatal day, he said as soon as they reached a small rotary on the road dividing Sectors 39 and 40 the tractor, which was coming from Mohali, took a shape turn before the rotary and rammed into their motorcycle.

He fell unconscious and his father’s limbs were broken. The PCR rushed them to the Sector 16 Government Multi Specialist Hospital (GMSH), where a lot of precious time was wasted in conducting the CT Scan and MRI tests. Ultimately his father breathed his last at around 2.30 pm.

Sanichar, who was in his early forties, is survived by his wife and three sons. He used to supply medicines to the chemists shop at GMSH.

The SHO of the Sector 39 police station maintained that they were trying to trace the vehicle and its driver.

Chandigarh, August 27
The sudden move by the social welfare department, hiking the lodging charges at the Sector 43 Senior Citizens’ Home by a steep 30 to 40 per cent in single go, has been resented by many.

A section of the inmates at this “self-paid” old age home agitated with the sudden hike of Rs 1,500 in the monthly rent they pay. They feel that this move by the administration is nothing but plain lack of concern for the senior citizens in the city as it will only add to the financial burden on them.

“From Rs 3,500 per month, they have increased the rent to Rs 5,000. On the top of these charges, we have to pay extra electricity charges and food charges. I am a widow and survive on a pension. Now with this hike, it is impossible for me to survive in the home,” said a female inmate at the home, who has been staying here for the past six years.

Another fellow inmate staying at the home for more than four years, adds, “I and my wife stay here together. For me, it is a hike of Rs 3,000 on monthly expenses. You only suggest, how will we possibly manage? We do not earn anymore, we stay away from family and our children, and now, the management has come down with this. Last month also, they charged us Rs 5,000 per head. We protested, but it did not yield any results. And now again, within a few days, we have to pay the rent. I have no clue what will we do.”

Currently, the social welfare department manages old age homes in Sector 15 and Sector 43. While the Sector-15 old age home runs on charitable funds, the one in Sector 43 is self-paid. Most inmates voice that such hikes will cripple them and ill hamper their independent functioning.

Refusing to speak about the issue, the managing staff at the home denied The Tribune reporter any conversation with the inmates. It was only after repeated attempts that The Tribune team could speak to some of the inmates.

A staff official at the home commented, “It is no big deal. A coupe of hundreds of rupees increase will hardly affect anyone. These people are treated royally here; I do not see any problem. Most of them would have enough bank balance and property with them. It is just pointless gimmick and nothing else.”

Amandeep Kaur of social welfare department was unavailable for any further comments on the issue.

Chandigarh, August 27
A large part of Sector 50 remains engulfed in darkness due to non-functioning of streetlights for the last eight months. According to the residents, the matter has been brought to the notice of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, a number of times, but no step has been taken to redress the grievance.

Residents said some months ago, employees of the electricity department had come to carry out the repairs, but many streetlights went off the next day. Drivers and pedestrians virtually grope in the dark, as most of the streetlights were remaining out of order most of the time.

Residents said after the shifting of slum dwellers of Sector 38 (West) to the colony no 5, the number of accidents have increased. After sunset, most of the streetlights on the main roads of the sector are non-functional, thanks to the apathy of the corporation.

Moreover, it seems that there is no system of checking the civic body staff whether they maintain the streetlights properly or were in working order. Though the MC pays substantial amount of money to the electricity department of the administration towards billing and service line charges, but their work is far from satisfaction.

Sources in the corporation said there had been deterioration in the maintenance of the streetlights since the formation of the civic body in 1996 due to shortage of staff of the electricity wing.

"The streetlights in our sector remained non-functional for most of time during last year," complained one of the residents of Sector 50. He said due to the absence of streetlights in a major portion of the sector, driving has become very dangerous during night hours as a number of vehicles drive on high beam.”

Mohali, August 27
The Citizens’ Welfare and Development Forum has demanded shifting of the colonies inhabited by migrants from the Mohali-Chandigarh boundary as it alleged that these were creating law and order problems.

Albel Singh Shyan and Jarnail Singh Kranti, president and general secretary, respectively, of the forum, said the Chandigarh administration had constructed houses for migrants along the boundary of Mohali and a large number of them had been even living in colonies near the boundary, creating problems for residents here.

They urged the Punjab government to take up the matter with the administration for getting these colonies removed.

They said residents had been facing problems because of a nullah passing through a part of the town.

The adversely affected residents had been approaching the government over the years to mitigate the problem and had also gone to a court, but the problem had not been solved so far. Sewage from Phases III-A, VIII, IX and X fell into this nullah.

They urged Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) authorities to stop the falling of sewage in this nullah and a plan be chalked out to keep it clean.

They alleged that the municipal council had failed to remove encroachments from verandahs in the markets despite repeated requests.

Whenever a drive was carried out, it allegedly targeted only poor, they said.

The office-bearers demanded that the town should be provided adequate supply of water and power as these were part of essential services and residents had been facing tough times during the past many months as inadequate water was being provided and long power cuts were being imposed.

Chandigarh, August 27
Frustrated over being issueless even after five years of his marriage, a resident of Vikas Nagar in Mauli Jagran committed suicide at his residence last night.

The SHO of the Mani Majra police station said Rajiv Kumar (27), the deceased, was an alcoholic and jobless. The incident came to light when his wife went to his room after finishing her work and found him hanging. He was shifted to Government Hospital, Sector-6, Panchkula, where he was declared brought dead.

The police today handed over the body to the family without post-mortem examination following their request.

In another incident, Jit Singh (27) of Sector 52 died after falling from the third floor of his rented accommodation this morning. According to his wife, Jit Singh was walking after taking breakfast and fell accidentally from the balcony, which has no parapet.

He was rushed to the Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector-16, where he was declared brought dead.

Panchkula, August 27
Eyewitnesses today identified the two accused, Amit Yadav and Sameer Nain, who had committed the robbery in the State Bank of Patiala, Sector 15, in a court here today. The court had already framed charges against them.

Public Prosecutor NK Goyal said the two bank employees, including a cashier, identified these accused in the court of Additional District and Session Judge Sanjeev Jindal.

Amit Yadav and Sameer Nain had allegedly looted Rs 9.70 lakh from the State Bank of Patiala branch on February 12 at gunpoint. While one of them stood guard, his accomplice pointed pistol towards the cashier before fleeing with the booty.

Chandigarh, August 27
The District Consumer Disputes and Redressal Forum has directed Dr Batra’s Positive Health Care Clinic, Sector 8, to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to a complainant.

The forum has also told the clinic to refund Rs 14,900 for deficiency in service.

Holding the clinic guilty of unfair trade practices, the forum in its order, observed that the clinic was guilty of unfair trade practices, thereby duping the gullible clients and extracting money from them under the garb of providing best treatment, which ultimately comes out to be a hoax.

The complainant, Lipika Vashisht, a resident of Sector 2, Panchkula, was suffering from hair loss problem since 2004. After reading the advertisement of the clinic assuring stopping of hair loss, she approached them. After examining her, they suggested a continuous treatment for 156 weeks and assured her a relief from hair loss. They also guaranteed her re-growth of hair. On June 22, 2005, she again visited the clinic, filled the registration form and deposited Rs 13,200 for the said treatment. The clinic also gave a schedule of appointments for three years i.e. 34 sittings. She was also charged for X-ray and ultrasound.

During the said treatment, she told the clinic many times that she was not getting any relief from the treatment and her falling hair had rather increased, but the doctors gave the surety that it was a slow process and would definitely give positive results after the completion of the whole treatment.

In spite of completing the whole treatment and attending 34 sittings, the problem of hair loss was not solved. Rather it aggravated. When the matter was taken up with the clinic, they said nothing more could be done.

In their reply, the clinic informed that Lipika was not suffering from hair loss since 2004. In fact, she had been suffering from this problem since 2000 and had approached them in the year 2005 when her problem had become acute. At the same time, she was also suffering from irregular menses for which she had taken allopathic medicines which also contributed to her hair fall.

The forum also observed that in spite of the tall claims made by the clinic in their advertisements giving sure and stunning results, they had not been able to cure or even reduce the baldness. They had now tried to take refuge under the excuse that in case of homoeopathic treatment, especially in certain chronic diseases, medicines have to be continued for longer duration so as to indicate any sign of improvement in the condition of the patient.

Chandigarh, August 27
The four day Haryanvi folk theatre bonanza brought to the city by the Department of Information and Public Relations concluded with the staging of a folktale legend of “Roop Basant” at the Tagore Theatre today. The play enacted by all male actors under the direction of Mahabir Singh has close thematic affinity with the epic “Loona” written by qissa poet Qadar Yaar and later immortalised by Shiv Batalvi. The story planned in the royal palace as well as in thick jungles is effective with the elements of suspense, curiosity and is refreshingly romantic and pathetic.

The project director Bhal Singh Balhara, an accomplished Haryanvi film actor and playback singer disclosed that the ballads and songs in Haryana are preserved and passed on to the next generation through oral tradition by frequent singing and memorising and there is no script. However, each folklore lover feels himself as a participant in the propagation of our saang and its cultural heritage.

The chief guest P.K. Sharma, Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, honoured the artistes.

Chandigarh, August 27
Panjab University formally declared its student council elections’ date to be held on September 4 today.

Listing out the schedule, dean student welfare (DSW) Naval Kishore said the nominations would be filed on September 1 from 10 am to 11 am and scrutiny of the same would be done from 11 am to12 noon.

The list of the candidates would be put around 1.30 pm on the same day and objections on the names could be filed from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

The next day, on September 2, the list of the approved candidates would be put by 11.30 am and the names could be withdrawn by 1 pm, and the final list would be put at 3 pm.

The voting would be held on September 4 and the open house is expected to be held on September 3.

Urging all parties to abide by Lyngdoh committee’ s recommendations, the DSW also informed that three parties had been fined for defacement of campus by using paints and posters.

Mohali, August 27
Goal Setting, an interactive workshop was held at Manav Mangal Smart School here today. The workshop aimed at training students of classes VIII and IX to set realistic goals by self-analysing.

Dr Manisha Sahani, director, Simply Health Plus, conducted the workshop. She said the goals should be written in black and white in front of the child and the child should be honest and work progressively towards it. They should have a positive attitude and concentrate in attaining their desired goals.

Chandigarh, August 27
High drama prevailed at Panjab University Gate No. 1 today when the security staff seized a bottle of liquor from the car of a girl student.

While the security authorities let her off, several student groups demanded a checking of the vehicles of girl students as well, claiming that they were smuggling liquor on campus for some parties.

“Security checks are must for everyone but they don’t check the cars of girl students. Taking benefit of this various parties are using their girl candidates to get cartons of liquor. Even weapons can also be brought inside,” said Varun Malik of Haryana Students Association.

While there point was valid but the protest created a havoc when one of the senior professors tried intervening in the matter, the boys started raising slogans and demanded her I card.