Chandigarh, September 1
The famous Urdu couplet, “Kitna hai badnaseeb zafar dafn ke liye, do gaz zameen bhi na mili koo-e-yaar main” (how unlucky is Zafar! For burial, he could not even get two yards of land in the land of his beloved), is a reality at the Sector 25 Christian cemetery which has not seen a burial for the past six months for want of space.

Nothing better can highlight the insensitivity of the MC which has failed to finish the basic civil work for the extension of the cemetery despite a lapse of three years. As a result, bodies are being sent to Kharar for cremation as even empty spaces between graves have been used. It’s in fact houseful.

A member of the pastorate committee, Samuel Hardy, said in the past six months, not even a single body had been buried as no space was left. A month ago, a body had to be sent to the Kharar burial ground.

He revealed that for the past two years, they had been accommodating bodies by burying them in empty spaces between existing graves. “Now even that’s full,” he said, adding that the MC had yet not handed over the land that had been sanctioned by the administration for the expansion of the cemetery in 2006.

Repeated inquires from the MC had always elicited the response that the “work is on”. Hardy said the machinery deployed by the MC for the purpose of levelling and cleaning the ground was non-functional and requests for its replacement had yielded no result.

As per records, the administration had handed over 1.67 acres of adjoining land to the cemetery in 2006 to the MC, but the work on it had not been completed.

MC chief engineer SK Bansal said the work would be completed soon. A visit to the proposed extended cemetery revealed that the construction of the boundary wall, which commenced in 2007, was far from completion and the area had dense growth of congress grass. The access to the area was difficult.

Even the existing burial ground was in a bad shape, with no facilities for proper lighting, water supply and parking. It is hard to even see the graves due to the wild growth.

Security personnel at the cemetery said since the authorities had demolished the boundary wall two years ago for constructing a new one, several thefts of marble and the “cross” from the graves had occurred. Little has been done by the MC to improve the situation despite the fact that the issue had been raised at the “darbar” of administrator SF Rodrigues.

Ambala, September 1
Two residents of Ambala Cantonment were shot by motorcycle-borne youths late this evening. The two have been identified as 32-year-old Ritu and 31-year-old Ramesh.

Ritu was the sister of Rakesh, alias Bobby, an alleged gangster lodged at the Ambala Central Jail. He is said to be involved in several heinous cases, including murder, and gang wars.

The murder took place at the house of Ritu in Subhash Nagar at about 9.30 pm. She was planning to contest the upcoming assembly elections as an Independent.

According to her supporters and mother, Ritu was discussing campaign strategy at her place when they heard someone call out for her from outside. She, along with one of her supporters, Ramesh, went out to see who it was when her mother and others present there heard gunshots and ran outside.

Her mother Prakash said she saw six men take off on motorcycles and her daughter and Ramesh were bleeding profusely. Both of them died on the spot.

The police has seized a weapon and empty cartridges from the spot. Security has been tightened in the district following the incident.

Her mother alleged that the youths were members of a gang that her son had a rivalry with. Her supporters said earlier also around three years ago, she had been shot at in Ambala.

Zirakpur, September 1
Can illegal construction and rampant building violations dictate a master plan? Perhaps, yes. This is what is happening in case of the draft master plan for the Zirakpur local planning area. Unveiled recently by the Punjab’s town and country planning department, the master plan has thrown up several questions on the accountability of MC officials for “ignoring” illegal constructions and building violations over the years.

Scores of residential and commercial projects were raised either by residents or promoters in contradiction to the actual construction plans approved by the civic body, bringing the builder-MC staff nexus to the fore.

At Lohgarh, Bhabbat, Baltana and Dhakauli, residents have constructed houses without leaving much space for berms in internal roads in colonies.

Nk Sharma, Zirakpur MC president, said unplanned development had taken place in the past. “For the past two years, we have been strict in following building bylaws, but we have opposed the master plan as it is not possible to implement its provisions. We have passed a resolution in the MC house in this regard and have sent our objections to the government,” he said.

Executive officer Sukhjinder Singh Sidhu said the master plan should be followed for the remaining uninhabited area. The MC has opposed GMADA’s proposed widening of various roads like the VIP road, Lohgarh road, High Grounds road, Dhakoli grid road, Ambala-Gazipur road and Baltana roads as construction on both sides of the roads cannot allow for any expansion.

Officials in the town and country planning claimed that the width of the roads and other building norms had been made as per the planning norms. The MC had demanded that building norms of the local government should be followed.

At Bhabbat, several godowns and residential structures have come up in violation of rules. In GMADA’s master plan, the area around the airport has been shown as reserved zone. Similarly, the area on both sides of the railway line has been earmarked as a green belt but constructions have been allowed near the track. Last year, a building adjoining the track had collapsed following digging.

Chandigarh, September 1
Two Class IX boys of a Kendriya Vidyalaya went missing for five days after one of them was allegedly caught with a girl classmate in a toilet of the school. Their parents found them at the Sector 29 market here today.

The incident has brought forth the shoddy probe of the police as a police beat box is only about 50 metres away from the spot where the boys were found. Their parents had received information about the boys on the phone. The police has recorded the statements of the boys.

One of the boys said they got scared after the incident at the school and decided to run away. They alleged that the security guard locked them from outside and called their teacher.

Jaiprakash, father of one the boys, said his son’s eye was sore and he suspected that he might have been beaten up. The boys said they didn’t see the girl going to the washroom. Soonafter, the safai karamcharis spotted them and locked them. The SHO, however, said the boys were not revealing everything. Meanwhile, the boys initially ate at temples, but for the past two days they had not eaten anything and they slept at the railway station.

Chandigarh, September 1
Perhaps off-spinner Harbhajan Singh doesn’t realise that “Two wrongs don’t make a right”. He first violated the law by driving his Hummer on the city’s roads without a valid registration number and then tried to cover up the folly by sticking a “paper plate” on the front bumper last night, but this didn’t prevent the police from fining him Rs 3,000 today.

However, the police, which had returned satisfied from the hotel last night, after seeing the “paper” plate with a temporary number, on the Hummer, moved into action today after newspapers splashed photographs of the off-spinner’s vehicle. The cops were bending to accommodate Bhajji, who, rather than admitting his mistakes, posed defiantly with his ‘‘paper’’ number plate Hummer and claimed that he had not violated any law.

What is shocking is the police accepted his version last night and also ignored the fact that ‘‘paper’’ plates could not be used for carrying registration number. The police’s initial dealing with the cricketer brought to fore its double standards as it doesn’t spare the aam aadmi, who commits such a lapse.

The incident has also showed the poor security arrangements of the police, which failed to spot a vehicle without a number plate, moving along with other vehicles, carrying the players.

Reacting to the incident, city-based road safety activist Harman Sidhu remarked that special “above law card”, on the lines of BPL issued to poor people, should be issued to cricketers and films stars, who hate to be treated as equal to other citizens.

SP (Traffic) H.S. Doon confirmed that a challan had been issued to Harbhajan Singh. When confronted why the policemen did not take action last night, Doon maintained that they wanted to verify the information and also the person to whom the challan was to be issued was not available.

City residents feel that the traffic police has different sets of rule for initiating action against a commoner and a VIP.

The police has turned a blind eye to the violations committed by the high and mighty, who travel in the government vehicles fitted with curtains.

On the other hand motorists having black films are not only booked for the offences, but the cops also remove the films from the vehicles on the spot.

Similar is the case with the illegal parking of cars on lane in front of Hotel Mehfil in Sector 17, resulting in traffic jams, but the police fail to clear the road.

Chandigarh, September 1
In what could spell bad news for the Punjab Cricket Association, a local court has attached its account for non-payment of dues.

The court of Civil Judge Amit Sharma, junior division, has directed the attachment of the bank account of the Punjab Cricket Association with the State Bank of Patiala, Phase X, Mohali.

In its orders, the court stated that the PCA had failed to satisfy the decree passed against it on April 5, 2006, in a suit filed against it dated October 21, 1997.

The matter pertains to 1996 when Electro Mechanical Equipment Company through its proprietor Naresh Arora had supplied two generator sets to the PCA in 1996 amounting to nearly Rs 15 lakh.

The association had at that time only cleared a payment of about Rs 5-6 lakh whereas the rest was to be cleared.

After the association failed to clear the due payment, the proprietor moved to the court. The court had then ordered in favour of Naresh and directed the PCA to clear the dues amounting to Rs 9, 24, 571.75 along with the interest of 9 per cent per annum from the date of the filing of the petition till the date of the realisation of the amount, which comes to be Rs 18,75,000.

Panchkula, September 1
Following the news item “BPL cards for well off, too” published in The Tribune, the district administration has ordered an inquiry into the matter. While Panchkula Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Yadav refused to comment on the issue due to implementation of model code of conduct, sources in the administration said the probe has been ordered to find out the loopholes through which such families managed to get cards meant for poor.

Earlier, there were complaints from the Kalka area also and on inquiry the allegations were found to be true following which the names of at least 12 people were struck off from the list of BPL families, said sources.

This was, however, the first time when such a complaint was received from the urban area of Panchkula, sources added.

It was today when The Tribune published the names of few people from well off families who own properties worth crores and yet have BPL cards in the name of their family members.

The card entitles them to get 33 kg of wheat or wheat flour at a price of Rs 2.10 per kg. While every card holder gets 2 kg of sugar at a price of Rs 13.50 per kg, 9 litres of kerosene oil is distributed to them every month only for Rs 9.25 per litre. Most of rich card holders allow their servants to use these cards to get the grocery.

Besides, the BPL family members are entitled to free medical facilities, including costly surgeries in the state. Such patients, when required to go to a super speciality hospital like the PGI, are entitled to receive monetary help from the government as well as a waiver of hospital charges.

Officials at the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner confirmed that there were a large number of persons in the district and out of 13,000 BPL cards issued in the district thousands of them holding these cards did not fulfil the criteria of the scheme.

One had to give an undertaking about his or her living condition as well as educational and employment status while applying for such a card and required to gain 77 per cent marks. Living under the roof of asbestos sheet gets the applicant 60 marks and a house with raw floor entitles him to get 80 marks.

Similarly, a family having no water supply at its house is entitled to 100 marks. Finding a family living under such circumstances was very difficult if not impossible in Panchkula and still there was no dearth of number of such families in the record of the administration, said sources at ADC office.

Chandigarh, September 1
The UT Health Department is gearing up its activities to tackle H1N1 cases in Chandigarh. A preparedness review meeting on swine flu was held here today under the chairmanship of Health Secretary Ram Niwas.

He directed the hospital authorities to get ready keeping in view the winter months where there could be a possibility of more flu-like cases. He desired to constitute an advisory group to find out the gravity of the situation, especially during the winter months for which an advance preparation was required to be made.

He also advised all medical superintendents to be well-equipped with all facilities, including ventilators in each hospital, so that patients were treated well in isolation wards as per guidelines of the government.

Besides, the department of Ayush has set up a group of experts which are considered useful in prevention and treatment of such cases. It was emphasised that mild flu-like cases could be easily cured by the use of Ayurvedic interventions by having different combinations. These combinations include use of tulsi, ginger, black pepper, long pepper, gudchi in morning.

The emphasis was also laid by on taking decoction of Tulsi and long pepper. The Ayurveda also suggested avoiding the diet like curd, cold food, cold drinks, fruit juices, especially citrus fruits, fermented food and ice cream.

It was also informed the members that a meeting of ayurvedic/ homeopathic doctors was convened under the chairmanship of the Director Health and Family Welfare, Chandigarh, where the simple ayurvedic remedies, as recommended under the Ayush, could be easily used for treating the mild flu-like cases in the city.

During the meeting, the Secretary, Health, the UT, reviewed the situation of H1N1 cases in different hospitals. He said the data showed a considerable decline of positive cases during last weak. No death due to H1N1 infection has so far been reported in Chandigarh.

Dr RK Ratho, head of virology department, PGI, emphasised that all samples, which were collected from Punjab, Haryana and J&K, were examined on the same day and result communicated the next day.

The nodal officer for swine flu said the additional requirement of PPE/ N-95 masks and triple-layered masks had already been sent to the Central Nodal Officer, Swine Flu, attached with Chandigarh.

The Director, Health & Family Welfare, Chandigarh, Medical Superintendent, PGI, Medical Superintendent, GMCH-32, Medical Superintendent, GMSH-16, representative of the School of Public Health, head, Department of Virology (PGI), President, IMA, President, Nursing Homes Association, Chandigarh, and officer in charge and nodal officer swine flu attended this meeting.

Chandigarh, September 1
The National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) has awarded the prestigious Shri Ram Travel Fellowship Award for the year 2009 to Dr Gurjit Kaur, associate professor of physiology department and consultant in charge of Genetic Centre, GMCH-32.

Dr Gurjit Kuar has been instrumental in setting up of Genetic Centre at Government Medical College and Hospital, which is a first of its kind in the northern region of India and has initiated modern health care services like prenatal and neonatal screening.

The Genetic Centre was inaugurated and made functional on World Disabled Day, 2006. Since its inception, Genetic Centre has endeavoured to deliver the basic health care services at the most economical prices so that they are affordable by all sections of the society. These facilities help in identifying disorders during asymptomatic phase, thereby preventing them from deteriorating into a physical or mental handicap.

Apart from these, this centre also provides other services viz cytogenetic analysis by karyotyping and fluorescence in-situ hybridisation, pre-test and post-test genetic counselling, DNA-based diagnosis for Fragile X syndrome and is also playing an part in the filed of academic research. The Genetic Centre has been able to provide these essential facilities to the people of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, September 1
The Department Promotion Committee (DPC) of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO) today deferred the promotion of a "less-qualified" union leader, a senior assistant, to the managerial cadre.

The committee apparently acted after Chandigarh Tribune highlighted how questions were being raised at the meeting of the DPC to finalise the “select list” for grade I posts. The management had allegedly not even waited for the 30-day period for raising objections against this promotional procedure.

A section of the employees alleged that the union leader was merely a matriculate and had already been in the grade of senior assistant. However, efforts are now being made to further promote him to executive cadre as manager whereas a whole lot of assistant managers, who were qualified, had been ignored.

Meanwhile, the DPC cleared certain promotions. These included Nasteet Khanna from manager to senior manager, Rajnish Diwan, from manager in the acccounts department to senior manager, and Shiv Kumar from the officiating Xen to the post of the Xen.

Chandigarh, September 1
Such is the election fever at the Panjab University that has now gripped conversations over lunch, coffee and even the good old cup of “chai”. So don’t be surprised if for the next few days, all your ears gather election centric conversations at the Student Centre.

Ask what’s selling most with these discussions on the menu and pat comes the reply from stall walas at the Student Centre that “chai” remains a favourite this election season.

“Business is always brisk here, but with election around the corner, we see a lot of student groups chatting about the ongoing politics,” says one of the stall walas.

Students are busy discussing “what’s cooking new” in the upcoming student council elections at the Panjab University and nothing like it if the discussion is over food.

Be it the INSO-SPOU alliance or the much-expected ABVP-PUSU alliance, students are updated the elections.

Today’s much-talked about potpourri was SOPU candidate Aulakh’s disqualification, INSO’s Deepika Thakur’s double nomination and speculations if PUSU will set an alliance with any party now.

“The election topic is unavoidable and over food, it’s all the more interesting. With friends, its fun speculating the next move any party might be planning,” says Prerna, a pharmacy student at the university.

“One of the most common scenes is one person in every other group lecturing about the elections and the rest patiently listening,” added an employee at Mona refreshments.

Agreeing that the Student Centre has become the hub for election talk, Meenakshi from UIET said: “Even general conversations are not devoid of words like alliances, elections and candidates, so anyone passing by can’t help, but overhear them.”

Not just students, even volunteers can be easily spotted at the university, mapping strategies, planning rallies and demonstrations. From their election camps, they keep walking in and out for a glass of “nimboo pani” and maybe a cup of tea.

Even teachers post their lectures can be spotted pondering over various aspects of politics in the university.

“The faculty can’t be untouched by the student politics? But the scenario has changed over the years. Student council means different to candidates and parties now,” added a zoology teacher.

Chandigarh, September 1
The issues of provision of multi-lingual question papers and online fee submission for students were highlighted in the election manifesto of Panjab University Student’s Union (PUSU) today.

Besides, the party also declared its panel, which included Arshbir Johal for the post of president, Roohi Goyal (vice-president), Tenzin Negi (general secretary) and Rajdeep Dhillon (joint secretary).

Among the core issues raised by the party in its manifesto include grant of central status to Panjab University, discontinuance of annual fee hike which is increased by ten per cent every year, proper accommodation facility for students in hostels and proper facilities for girls in library at night.

The party also touched upon the issue of making the new edition of the books in the central library. The concept of smart card was also talked about. Smart cards will be issued to all the students so that books can be issued to the students throughout the year.

The manifesto also promised to introduce the dual degree concept in the university, under which the validation of two parallel degrees for regular as well as correspondence degrees will be provided.

Despite the fact that placements of students in PU have taken a back seat in the university, as the data indicates, the PUSU today went out to promise that even the summer internship programme would be made the responsibility of the university authorities so as to reduce the burden on students.

Additionally, provision of study room in the hostels was also promised.

Chandigarh, September 1
In league with their university counterparts, students of various colleges filed their nominations today for their respective students councils.

While In SD College, Sector 32, Student Organisation of Panjab University has aligned with Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad with Abhishek Sharma contesting for the post of president and Saloni Sardana for general secretary.

Aman Preet Singh will be representing Panjab University Student Union for the post of president while the indigenous groups of the college, including SD College Union and SD Hostel Union have collaborated and chosen Himanshu Chauhan to contest for the post of president and Vikas Bansal for general secretary.

The main issues taken up by several parties relate to renovation of canteen and toilets, proper parking facilities and drinking water.

In DAV College, Sector 10, Vikas Rathee will be fighting for the post of president representing the alliance between the newly launched Student Association of Punjab and Indian National Student organisation.

The other contestants are Karam Veer Singh of SOPU and Harpreet Singh Grewal for the alliance of ABVP and Hindustan Student Association.

The MCM College, Sector 36, that hit the news last year with the principal being accused of favouring a particular contestant seems to be heading towards unanimous elections this year with Anupreet Kaur being the sole candidate for the post of president and Simran for that of vice-president.

In case of Postgraduate Government College, Sector 11, the allied groups SOI, GCSU, HCA and NSUI have chosen Surjeet Singh to contest for the post of president and Neha Thakur for vice-president.

Mandeep Singh will be representing the alliance of HPSU, PUSU and INSO.

Chandigarh, September 1
A sarcastic smile coupled with the famous Bollywood one-liner “Ganda hai par dhanda hai yeh” is the way a Panjab University hostler described the drinking scenario in hostels during student council elections.

He further added: “Who doesn’t drink, madam? Even with all the security and policemen all around, rounds of liquor go on inside the closed doors late at night, which cannot be helped beyond a point, is a fact known both to the police and the management.”

There have been complaints against PU hostels for smuggling liquor inside. With student elections around the corner, security arrangements to avoid any upheavals have been tightened. But even then, students manage to secure liquor inside hostels for their small group parties late at night.

“What security are you talking about? They hardly check girls’ cars. When evening falls, it’s more difficult. But during day, even if I am carry 20 bottles in a bag back, they won’t bother to check. What are elections without “sutta” and “daaru”? Those who drink know how to get it inside and hide it from the warden as well,” added Vishal (name changed), from Hostel No. 1.

Several students from Hostel No. 4, 6 and 7, claim that the drinking scene is “hushed” right now, but mostly one day before the elections and two days after the elections, parties are in full swing with liquor consumption.

The winning, booze parties, returning favours to those who voted for them is quite normal. How many whiskies and beers will it take to return favours this time, is a wait and watch game.

Mridul (name changed) from Hostel No. 4 said: “Its mostly party members offering liquor in the hostels to secure vote banks. There is no hooliganism as they are scared, in case they get disqualified from contesting elections following any complaint. Now that nominations have been filed, most part members are relived. For tonight, I have already received the invites for “get together” from two different parties.”

On anonymity, warden of one of the hostels at the university said: “Till the time students don’t create a ruckus with drinks, we let them be. But if things go out of control, we have to take action.”

Chandigarh, September 1
The police today held a meeting with the leaders of students’ organisation at police headquarters in Sector 9 here.

The UT SSP SS Srivastva advised and issued election guidelines to student leaders.

Around 100 students from all colleges and the university attended the meeting in which they were asked to follow the guidelines laid down in the Lingdoh Commission.

Among others, Dean, student welfare Prof Naval Kishore and chief security officer Prof Dutta, head of the department of defence studies, Panjab University, SP (city) Madur Verma, all sub-division police officials and the station house officers were present.

Besides, the police conducted a special checking drive in Hostel No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the campus.

Around 70 policemen were deployed in the checking drive supervised by the DSP operation, SHO Sector 11 police station.

Chandigarh, September 1
A huge drama prevailed outside SD College, Sector 32, today where students blocked the entire road for about an hour following a heated argument with police officials when they challaned the students for faulty parking outside the college.

The drama started today afternoon when a team of traffic police officials reached the college and started handing out challans to the students, who had parked their cars outside the college premises on the road.

Initially, the students argued with the officials but when a crane was called to tow away the cars, they blocked the entire road.

“What is our fault in all this? There is no parking space inside the college so where do we park our vehicles?” asked one of the students.

“We have been demanding parking space since a long time but of no use. The college authorities should provide us parking inside the college,” added another.

Interestingly, the cops who had reached the spot said it was on the principal’s complaint that they had come to the college but principal AC Vaid could not be contacted for the confirmation.