NEIGHBOURHOOD

Agriculture department gears up to tackle leaf blight
Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 31
State Bank of Patiala has revised interest rates on domestic term deposits starting from September 1.

The interest rate for 15 day to 45 days have been fixed at three per cent per annum, 46 to 90 days at four per cent, 91 to 180 days at 5.25 per cent, 181 days to less than one year at 6.25 per cent, one year to two years at 7.25 per cent, more than two years to less than 1,000 days at 7.50 per cent, for 1,000 days deposit at 7.75 per cent and 1,001 days to less than eight years at 7 .50 per cent and eight years to ten years at 7.75 per cent.

Senior citizens will be given an additional rate of interest at the rate of 0.50 per cent for one year and above.

Interest on Tax Saving Scheme has been fixed at 7.50 per cent per annum, the sources added.

Bassi Pathana, August 31
Parents of the students studying in privately managed public schools are allegedly being fleeced by managements of these schools, as they are forced to pay heavy fee on the pretext of various types of funds.

In a letter to education department, Kirpal Singh Sethi, member of the District Education Advisory Committee, said the department should take immediate steps to curb the menace in wake of a recent Supreme Court judgement.

Releasing copies of the judgement to the mediapersons here today, he said the managing committees of these schools had commercialised the education and had been charging heavy fees.

He said these schools had set up “so-called” educational trusts on the pretext of charity, but befooling government and public. The teachers teaching in these schools are being given minimum salary, but their signatures are sought on full salary slip. He said most of these schools charged computer fee, magazine fee, building fee, generator fee every month, but most of the facilities are not available.

He said now they could not charge and increase the fee at their own without the prior permission of the government as the recent judgement of the apex court had given a great relief to the parents and would curb the high handedness of these private schools.

Ropar, August 31
Introducing extra classes at Government High School in Railmajra village has improved results of Class X. With the initiative of the Max India Foundation (MIF), students were provided with additional coaching after the study hours. While pass percentage was mere 22 per cent in 2007.

“Our Max Speciality Products, situated close to Railmajra in Bhai Mohan Singh Nagar, Nawanshahr, has been one of the oldest units. After the foundation of the MIF in November, 2007, it was decided to start introducing change at the point nearest to our oldest unit,” said Mohini Daljeet Singh, head of the MIF.

The foundation identified that the school had not had regular teachers for mathematics, Punjabi and Hindi. It took over school and got teachers roped in from Ropar paying them on their own. Also, extra classes were given to students after school hours. The results improved by 58 per cent.

“It was then we thought to continue with project and now results have improved to 100 per cent,” said Mohini, who was here to honour the toppers.

Beside appointing teachers and giving extra classes, the foundation also actively contributed to make government’s mid-day meal a success. Children were distributed utensils for mid-day meal scheme.

Computer furniture was provided to the school and building was white-washed on Diwali.

Some of the pass-out Class X students have been able to go ahead and get admission at Government Polytechnic College in Ropar. Mohini said the parents had been encouraged to let their children go for higher studies, especially the girl students.

“Our motive is not to sponsor another NGO and leave the project in hands of someone else. We want to give back the society what we take,” she added.

Patiala, August 31
Senior doctors in the Government Rajindra Hospital served a two-day ultimatum to the hospital authorities here today. They demanded that in case the demands of junior doctors, who are on strike were not met, they would be forced to join their agitation.

Senior resident doctors submitted a memorandum to the principal of the Government Medical College and medical superintendent of the Government Rajindra Hospital stating that they would be forced to join the strike of the junior doctors in case the demands of the latter were not accepted.

Members of the Junior Doctors Association of Government Rajindra Hospital and Dental College blocked traffic on the Patiala-Sangrur road. The protesters raised slogans against the Punjab government and condemned the lathi charge on the junior doctors in Amritsar earlier this month.

The members of the Junior Doctors Association strongly condemned the lathi charge on the resident doctors of Medical College, Amritsar, who were demanding the implementation of the Punjab Pay Commission report which had accepted the demand of the Junior Doctors Association for emoluments on par with the entry pay scale of the general duty medical officers. The association demanded action against the police officers responsible for this atrocity on the doctors.

They criticised the role of principal of Medical College, Amritsar, and the medical superintendent of hospital for inviting the police to the hospital campus.

Patiala, August 31
Surjit Singh Rakhra, chairman of the District Planning Board and president of the NRI wing today released a logo of local Municipal Corporation at its office here today. Rakhra said Rs 45 crore would be spent to beautify the city.

He said development works announced by the chief minister in various Sangat Darshan programmes held in the city on earlier occasions were on the right track.

He said as far as the rural works development were concerned there would be no lagging behind in such works.

Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli, Municipal Corporation, Patiala, said 50 new tube-wells 
had been established in the city to cater to the drinking water needs of the residents.

Chandigarh, August 31
The court has summoned Dr SK Jain, additional director, CFSL, on September 5 as defence witness pertaining to the case of Israel national Lior Avi Ben Moyal, who was allegedly found in possession of 154.5 kg contraband along with two others.

The special NDPS court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Gurmit R Baniyal issued the summons today.

Dr Jain had examined the voice test sample of the prosecution witness, Ravi Kant Pawar, who was the investigating officer in the case. Pawar was recently convicted by the CBI special court and sent to one-and-half year jail for corruption.

The testimony of Dr Jain can turn the course of the case, as he had stated in his report that the voice sample he had taken in the court on the orders of the High Court matched with the sample taken from the audio CD that was produced in the court by the defence.

The report of Dr Jain had played an instrumental role in the conviction of judicial officer SS Bharadwaj who was convicted by the CBI special court earlier this year.

Lior was arrested on February 9, 2005, for alleged drug peddling and is being tried by a local court.

He had earlier moved an application to summon Dr Jain as court witness under Section 311, CrPC, and the court had rejected the same.

In the voice sample test report, Jain had opined that the sample of Pawar taken in the court matched with the voice in the audio CDs during a sting operation.

The sting operation was conducted by Ajay Malik. Malik was then lodged in jail serving his sentence of 10 years (now recently acquitted by the High Court).

He had met Pawar in the jail while Pawar was in judicial custody in a corruption case.

The sting operation showed Pawar confessing on videotape as well as audio CD that Lior was abducted from Panipat and not caught red-handed from Chandigarh as was claimed by the NCB.

In the video footage, Pawar was seen and heard claiming that he could give all necessary details of phone records that would clearly establish that he was in Panipat at the time of Lior’s arrest.

Pawar had given his voice sample after the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed him to give his voice sample for matching with his purported recording during a sting operation.

Chandigarh, August 31
A local court today sentenced two persons to five-year imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder that took place in 2000. The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Raj Rahul Garg held the two — Charanjeet Singh and Lakhbir Singh, both brothers-in-law of the victim — guilty and pronounced the orders.

The accused were booked under Section 304 of the IPC.

However, Sukhbir Kaur, wife of victim Amrik Singh, who was booked under Section 323 (causing hurt), was awarded three years of probation.

Initially, a case of murder under Section 302 of the IPC was registered.

Amrik Singh, a resident of Dhanas, Sector 38, used to visit the house of Kamaljit Kaur in the same sector.

She was working as a music and dance teacher, while Amrik Singh was a bhangra artiste and an acquaintance.

His frequenting her house was objected to by his family, leading to frequent quarrels.

On September 13, 2000, when Amrik was visiting her house, Lakhbir Singh, a resident of SCF 2, Panjab University, Charanjit Singh, a resident of Barwala, Bassi Pathana, reached her house and started thrashing Amrik.

As Kamaljit tried to save him, Amrik’s wife Sukhbir Kaur, too, reached the scene and started beating her up.

Amrik Singh (32) was taken to the PGI where he succumbed to his injuries.

Kharar/ Ropar, August 31
The Panasonic Corporation India, an electronics company, selected 64 students of Rayat-Bahra Group of Institutions during a placement drive held at Rayat-Bahra Bio-Technology Centre of Excellence.

Vice-chairman of Rayat-Bahra group Gurvinder Singh said for the first time, a core company has visited any campus in this part of the country.

More than 400 students from all five engineering colleges belonging to Rayat-Bahra group participated in the campus placement drive.

Also, the students of Rayat Institute of Management (RIM), Railmajra, have got cent percent results of MBA fourth semester. Out of 111 students appeared in final year, there are 24 distinctions and 86 first divisions.

Kriti Avasthi secured first place with 84 per cent marks and Shivpreet Kaur bagged second place with 81.10 percent in the college.

The college spokesperson claimed that 16 students have got placed in a joint campus recruitment held at Rayat-Bahra Group, Mohali campus, by HDFC Bank, Mumbai. A team from the bank comprising HDFC officials conducted three-stage selection process.

As many as 150 selective students from universities and institutes of region participated in the joint campus drive. Those with 60 percent marks throughout the career could only appear.

Selected students would joining the bank as personal banking officer trainee. After successful completion of one-year probation in the bank, they will be confirmed as assistant managers.

Panchkula, August 31
The District and Sessions Judge, SP Singh, today acquitted Naik Hottam Singh, ward in charge, and Naik Iftikhar Khan, a nursing attendant, who were facing charges in a rape case at the Command Hospital here. The order of the acquittal came after the prosecution failed to provide any evidence. The court had framed charges in April against the duo who had been accused of raping a patient at the hospital on November 22, 2008.

The victim was the wife of an Air Force officer. According to the complaint, the 39-year-old victim had alleged that she had gone to the hospital for physiotherapy when Hottam Singh raped her. She also alleged that Iftikhar Khan molested her.

Later, Hottam Singh told her that another person, Raj, had filmed the entire episode. While Hottam and Iftikhar were arrested, the police found that no person named Raj was involved in the crime.

Chandigarh, August 31
Thieves decamped with household articles after breaking into three houses in various parts of the city. Durgesh Tuknayat of Sector 28-A reported that some articles (estimate not known) were stolen from his residence between August 27 and 30.

In another incident, Joginder Singh of Sector 38-A filed a complaint with the police alleging that 28 water taps and other articles were stolen from his residence yesterday.

Chandigarh, August 31
Two conmen in their mid 20s duped a family in Sector 32 here of four gold bangles after claiming to restore their glitter. Sham Lal, a retired employee of Haryana electricity department, told the TNS that two youngsters came to his residence around 10.30 am.

The two, who were carrying small bags, offered to clean metal utensils with a powder. They said they were giving a free demonstration of their product.

His daughter-in-law Sarita Rani gave brass utensils to them for cleaning.

After winning over her trust, they offered to clean silver ornaments and ultimately convinced her to hand them over her four gold bangles that she was wearing.

They put the bangles in a utensil and asked her to bring some turmeric. Before going, they asked for water to drink. After they left, Sarita checked the utensil and was shocked to find it empty.

The matter was reported to the police. The SHO police station-34 said he was not aware of the matter.

Chandigarh, August 31
MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, RP Singh and Mohd Kaif, along with other players arrived in the city today to play the BCCI Sahara Corporate Cup at the PCA Stadium in Mohali to be held from September 1 to 6.

The players arrived in the city at 12.30 pm at Chandigarh Airport. All the players are staying at Hotel Taj, Sector 17.

Unlike previous visits, there were no security arrangements for the players. Only hotel staff was there to provide security to the players.

Media’s entry was not permitted inside the hotel and the cricket aficionados had to do away with only waving hands from outside the hotel.

Indian team captain MS Dhoni was the first one to come at the hotel followed by RP Singh and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

While Reetinder Sodhi, who was already staying in the hotel said: “This tournament is the best moment to prove the performance and young players can prove their efficiency by participating in the matches.”

The downpour played a spoilsport in the practice session. The first match of the Corporate Cup will be held at 2.30 pm at the PCA Stadium, Mohali, tomorrow.

Chandigarh, August 31
The 55th School National Netball Championship- 2009 will be held at Chhattisgarh from October 7 to 11. The Chandigarh Education Department today conducted trials to select the Chandigarh teams on St Soldier International School ground in Sector 28.

A 16-member boys’ team and a 15-member girls’ team have been selected.

Teams

Boys: Ajay Sharma, Anmol Gupta (DAV Model School-15), Sidharth Sharma, Yudhvir (St Soldier International School-28), Shubam Verma, Sukhwinder Singh (Government Model High School-28), Piyush Garg, Akash, Gaurav Dhiman, Paramvir Singh (St Merry School-46), Gursimran Singh, Ishan, Anmol Bhullar, Umang Arora, Bhagat Sharma and Anmol Sharma (Ryan International School- 49).

Girls: Mehar Oberai, Manish Oswal, Malvika, Aaina Garg (Sacred Heart School-26), Deeksha, Sapna, Monika (Government Model Senior Secondary School-19), Nidhi (DAV Model School-15), Khusveer, Tavleen, Santsew Johar, Manveer, Tehmina (Ryan International School-49), Palak, Navneet and Sridevi (St Merry School-46).

Chandigarh, August 31
The Chandigarh Golf Club will host the PGTI Players Championship on its refurbished greens from September 9 to 12. The Professional Golf Tour of India will shift to the par-72 Chandigarh greens after the Bangalore Open.

According to a source in the PGTI, originally scheduled to be played in Pune, the PGTI Players' Championship tournament has been shifted to Chandigarh. A decision on the event is yet to be taken.

It will be after a gap that the city will be hosting a major prize money tournament.

The Panchkula Golf Club will also play host to the Haryana Open PGTI prize money tournament from September 24 to 27.

Meanwhile, Harendra P. Gupta, ranked fifth in the PGTI order of merit will lead a strong Chandigarh contingent of eight golfers in the Rs 30 lakh prize money Global Greens Bangalore Open which gets under way in Bangalore on September 2.

Big-hitter Gurbaaz PS Mann of the city, fresh from his tied fifth finish in the Tamil Nadu Open, is eager to get into action on the Bangalore greens.

Gurbaaz showed his capabilities when he tied with a five under 65 card on the opening day in Chennai. He played a two-over 72 on the second day, but came back with one-under 69 and two-under 68 cards on the subsequent two rounds to finish tied fifth and climbed up the PGTI order of merit ladder occupying the 26th slot.

Seasoned Harmeet Kahlon is also capable of upsetting the applecart of the favourites. Harmeet, who remained the country's amateur king for several years is ranked 10th on the PGTI order of merit.

The other city golfers who will be seen in action at Bangalore will be Ranjit Singh, Ajeetesh Sandhu, AS Lehal, Roop Singh and KPS Sekhon.

Chandigarh, August 31
Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, will defend their title while runners-up St Stephen's School, Sector 45, are expected to go all out to take revenge for their defeat in the last edition of the Chandigarh Sub-Junior Girls’ State Football Championship for KC Bhargava Trophy being conducted by the Chandigarh Football Association on St Stephen's ground from September 2 to 5.

CFA secretary Rakesh Bakshi said Carmel Convent and St Stephen's School had been given straight bye into the four-team league. Carmel Convent, Sacred Heart, Sector 26, and Mount Carmel, Sector 47, have been clubbed in pool A.

St Stephen's School, Saupin's School, Sector 32, and Vivek High School, Sector 38, are in pool B.

On the opening day, Sacred Heart has been drawn to meet Mount Carmel at 11 am while, Saupin's will face Vivek High School at 2.10 pm. The winners will advance into the league phase.