Chandigarh, September 21
With the administration and the Central government dithering over the allocation of funds for the state-of-the-art New District Court Complex in Sector 43 here, the work at the ambitious project has virtually come to a standstill.

In fact, the Rs 23.41-crore project, intended to shift the District Court from its present location, Sector 17, to the spacious complex, is unlikely to meet its completion deadline on January 8, 2010. "We have been forced to stall our work for the past over four months as our payments had been held up," alleged Gautam of Gautam Builders, which is executing the project for the UT engineering department.

Sanctioned under the Centrally-sponsored scheme, "Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary - Judicial Housings/Court Buildings", the project seems to be marred in the administrative rigmarole about the sharing of cost between the administration and the Central government.

While the Central government had made it clear that its contribution would be to the tune of the estimated cost of Rs 18.60 crore, the administration wants that the entire amount of the enhanced cost of Rs 23.41 crore should come from the Central government.

Earlier, while sanctioning the project, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had pegged the project cost at Rs 18.60 crore, adding that "the UT administration will bear the additional expenditure on this project beyond the estimated cost of Rs 18.60 crore from the Budget provisions of the UT."

A letter by UT Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar to Ramesh Abhishek, joint secretary (justice-I), Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Justice, said, "There will be an urgent requirement of additional funding to the tune of Rs 13.75 crore for the court complex". The Centre had already sanctioned Rs 9.66 crore for the project.

Started on July 9 last year, the project will have 30 court rooms, besides having advocates' chambers and spacious parking for advocates and litigants. Already running behind schedule, the earlier deadline for the completion was October 7, 2009.

Administrator pitches in

Concerned at the virtual stalling of the work, UT Administrator SF Rodrigues had recently shot off a representation to the Central government. In the representation, he had reportedly reiterated the earlier UT stand that the Centre should fund the entire project cost of Rs 23.41 crore since it was a Centrally-sponsored scheme.

Mohali, September 21
There is a buzz in the town regarding a controversial move of the Municipal Council to impose house tax here which is being strongly denied by the council authorities.

Reports doing the round among residents indicate that the council plans to impose house tax on premises given on rent as its finances have been badly hit after the abolition of octroi, which ran into crores of rupees and was the main source of income of the civic body.

According to the buzz, a draft regarding the imposition of such tax has been prepared for discussion and sent to the Deputy Director, Local Government, Patiala.

Council president Rajinder Singh Rana said no such proposal had been prepared by the council. The Principal Secretary, Local Government, D.S.Bains, would be meeting councillors here on September 24 but Rana was unaware of the agenda of the meeting.

Bains could not be contacted for comments on the house tax reports.

Amna Kumar Goyal, Executive Officer of the civic body, said if, at all, there was any such proposal, it would come from the government and be placed before the general house for consideration. The imposition of house tax, he said, was a decision which rested with the government.

In 2007, then Executive Officer of the council JS Thind had requested the Principal Secretary of the department through a letter dated March 12 to impose house tax in Mohali as the local body was facing financial crunch.

According to that proposal which was not cleared by the authorities concerned that time, residents, who had given their premises on rent, would have been asked to pay 10 per cent of the rent as house tax while in the case of commercial establishments 15 per cent of the rent amount was to be given as tax. Councillors had opposed such a move.

P.S.Virdi, president of the Consumer Protection Forum, opposed any imposition of house tax in the town as it would put an additional financial burden on the residents. He said in order to increase the revenue of the civic body, octroi should be imposed as its abolition had benefited only traders and industrial unit owners and not the common man.

Chandigarh, September 21
Ramesh Dogra, a student from Shimla, has been asked to find an alternative abode in lieu of his current boarding in a Sector 21 paying guest accommodation following police raids in collaboration with the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations in Sector 21 yesterday.

His landlord, a resident of Gurdaspur, called him this morning. The reason was that the house was sub-let to 20 residents at a price higher than the prescribed one.

Under the rules, the owner is required to stay with his guests.

Greed in owners and the failure of the Chandigarh Administration in regulating the facility holds the key to the fate of hundreds of hapless paying guests, as a sizeable number of accommodation lenders do not conform to the regulations.

Students and young professionals are a peeved lot, as rents in the city are not easily affordable. Even while sharing small corners in a PG, an occupant has to pay between Rs 2,500 and Rs 4,000 at different places. Professionals, particularly in the IT sector, are paying higher rents for fully furnished accommodation, near the IT park

The floating population of students and young IT professionals has underlined the need for special hostel facilities in the city. P.C. Sanghi, chairman of the FOSWAC, said: “We will take up the issue with the administrator, as the PG system has also led to an unregulated lifestyle among many youths.”

Besides the bloating figure of residents in hostels of colleges and Panjab University, the city is also house to many coaching institutes. Hundreds of students from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh camp here each year. Their stay corresponds with the paying guest business.

Under this concept, the paying guests are supposed to be staying with the landlords. However, turning the exercise into a pure business venture, entrepreneurs from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have hired residential complexes and rent them out to outsiders, largely students, in different parts of the city. Unregistered PGs mean saving lakhs in taxes.

Only five sectors have come under the UT scanner. Sanghi said: “We are not against PGs. We only want them to ensure proper facilities for limited residents. The extra should be shifted.”

Under the rules, the PG owners need to ensure that one PG should get at least 50 sq ft of space and there should be at least one bathroom for five occupants. At the moment, a large number of owners do not care about providing them parking facility and not do maintain any formal register.

The administration will also have to wake up to ensure proper registration of the PG accommodation. Official records, a little earlier this year showed that antecedents of less than 5 per cent paying guests had been actually verified by the police, out of approximately 12000 forms submitted to the police.

As per official records, the city has less than 250 PG accommodation that is far less than the actual numbers, police sources confirmed.

Home Secretary Ram Niwas said: “It is very disturbing to see humans packed like sardines in PGs. The Estate Office will look into the matter.”

Chandigarh, September 21
After evading the issue for almost a year, Panjab University is once again mulling the implementation of the long-promised evaluation of its teachers’ performance by students.

The idea that created a huge controversy last year and even faced resentment from some sections of the teaching staff might be heading for revival as, according to sources, the Dean University Instructions is ready to submit a detailed proposal regarding its implementation.

The proposal reportedly comes in the wake of two factors. First the latest UGC guidelines, which make this evaluation an essential part of the new scales being given to teachers. The second is the fresh demand submitted by the Student Council in this regard.

“As per the UGC, there are guidelines regarding the regular evaluation of the teaching faculty’s work and student feedback. Though we are yet to be clear on these guidelines and have demanded details, we have made a proposal about the pros and cons of the project and also how to implement it. If approved, it shall be a landmark decision, as the teaching standards would attain new heights,” said an official.

It may be noted that the student groups, who claimed it to be indispensable in empowering the PU students, were constantly demanding the implementation of this evaluation system. Some sections of teachers had, however, opposed it, foreseeing its misuse by students.

“Everybody knows how the internal assessment and practical evaluation is used as a tool to upset students. Why not stop these also? This is a long-pending demand of the students that has been ignored for a long time now. We want transparency in everything.

If students can be evaluated, why not teachers who are given so much facilities by the varsity? These systems will initiate a healthy feedback system on the campus,” said Amit Bhatia, president, Panjab University Student Council.

Vice-Chancellor RC Sobti said, “I am yet to get the proposal. Yes there is something of this sort in the UGC guidelines, details of which will be provided by the Punjab Government by the end of this week.

It’s only after this that I will be able to clarify anything regarding its implementation.”

Mohali, September 21
Members of the Plot Allotment Sangarh Committee, Sectors 76-80, held a protest here yesterday outside the office of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) after it had failed to hold a draw of lots for the remaining plots.

The protesters raised slogans against GMADA and appealed to the Punjab Chief Minister to order the suspension of officials who were allegedly responsible for delaying the holding of the draw of lots. They urged the authorities concerned to fix a date for holding the draw of lots failing which they would be compelled to intensify their agitation and hold protests outside the houses of GMADA officials.

President of the committee Sucha Singh Kalour said GMADA officials had held the third draw of lots in March but the draw of lots for plots measuring 200 sq yard and 500 sq yard was kept pending on the pretext of a court case. It was unfortunate that GMADA was not holding the draw despite orders by the Chief Minister. Whenever the affected members met GMADA officials, they were assured that the draw would be held within 15 days but no date had so far been fixed for holding the same. A high-level inquiry was needed to probe the reasons for delaying the holding of the draw of lots.

This is with reference to the write up “The winds of change” by Raveen Thukral in Chandigarh Tribune on September 14.

The writer has poured his heart out with concern for the people of Chandigarh who are always at the mercy of bureaucratic bosses.

The city was supposed to be a prized possession for both states of Punjab and Haryana, which have their stakes on it.

I agree that various mega projects initiated without consultation with the well wishers of the city got screwed up as a result of the non-coordinated planning.

Lastly, a word about the Punjab government’s concern over the decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs to revert back to the old pattern of having a Chief Commissioner to administer the UT instead the Governor of Punjab. For a person like me who was born, educated and lived in Punjab, it is hard to digest that Punjab’s claim on Chandigarh is so fragile that it blows away with every alteration.

However, a caution is also required in putting too much of expectation and hope in “The winds of change”, as anticipated with the change in the system of governance.

Chandigarh, September 21
Sparkling with visual brilliance, all 22 photographic marvels by photojournalist S.Chandan made an aesthetic statement at the Alliance Art Gallery here today.

The exhibition by Chandan reflected his imaginative intensity and visual imagery. The artist has not only controlled the tones of black colour, but also skillfully utilised it for creating dynamic contrasting visual impressions. The exhibits captured the entire spectrum of life’s elemental experiences, emotions, nature’s bonds with humanity in his creations like “Untroubled Snow”, “Giant Mural” and many more.

Besides, “Witching Hour”, “Wedded to Protest”, “Bill Board” and others vied for attention of the art lovers.

The exhibition, supported by Vodaphone and Alliance Francaise, was inaugurated by Adity Dua, former executive vice-president of the ITC.

She complimented the artist for his spectacular rich play of light and shade in the photographs. Adity Dua suggested that Alliance Francaise or other art promoting organisations should buy such works, especially those with “seasons” as the relative themes for printing these on calendars for art promotion.

Noted artistes Amit Soni from Mumbai, Deependra and Sanjay Sharma from Delhi, besides, International artistes Shiv Singh, Diwan Manna, CLKA chairperson, Akhilesh, Viren Tanver, Madan Lal and others were present.

The exhibition is open till September 24 from 9 am to 7 pm with a one-hour lunch break from 2-3 pm.

UT Administrator SF Rodrigues, along with ADGP SK Jain and others, during the inauguration of the modern Police Control Room at police headquarters in Chandigarh on Monday. A Tribune photograph

ADGP or DGP?
The UT administration and the police are confused over the rank of the UT police head SK Jain. While the police the invitation card as well as police officials addressed Jain as DGP, the administration along with the administrator SF Rodrigues mentioned his rank as ADGP. Recently, the MHA had upgraded the post of the UT IGP to the rank of ADGP. 

Chandigarh, September 21
Claiming enhanced salary in view of the UT administration’s policies and salary for maternity leave, a UT contractual science mistress (non-medical) Rupinderjit Kaur of Government Model High School, Sector 31, has approached the Central Administration Tribunal (CAT), after the preliminary hearing of which, a Division Bench of CAT issued notice to secretary education, DPI (S) and DEO, Chandigarh administration, for October 6, 2009.

The applicant said she was being paid Rs 8,000 per month as a consolidated salary since her contractual appointment in November 2002, despite Chandigarh administration had revised the salary to Rs 9,900 to Rs10, 500 to Rs11, 200 and latest to Rs17, 800 per month since March 2007, by way of four policy circulars issued on March 13, 2007, January 10, 2008, March 5, 2009, and July 30, 2009, respectively, for the post against which the petitioner is working.

Petitioner also claimed full salary for maternity leave form August 25, 2006, to February 20, 2007, for which she was being deprived despite various judicial pronouncements of the Punjab and Haryana High Court as well by the Supreme Court holding the contractual female employee entitled for the grant of maternity leave with pay.

Chandigarh, September 21
Though doctors have reserved their opinion on the cause of death of Ashok Kumar, who had reportedly fallen to death at the residence of his former employer Naresh Batra on Friday, the police has said that no injury marks were found on the body during the post-mortem examination.

The SHO of the Sector 19 police station said a board of doctors at the Sector 16 Government Multi-Specialty Hospital conducted the post-mortem. The board reserved its opinion regarding the cause of death and took viscera samples for chemical examination. He, however, confirmed that no injury marks were found on the body, ruling out the possibility of the victim being beaten up before death.

When asked about the victim’s family accusing the police of acting in a biased manner, the SHO said they would record their statements and would clear whatsoever doubts they had about the incident.

The victim Ashok Kumar (23) had died after reportedly falling from the first floor of the servant quarters at the Sector 18 residence of Naresh Batra on Friday night. While Batra claimed that Ashok had trespassed into his residence with the intention to commit a theft, Ashok’s wife Geeta alleged that her husband was beaten up by Batra and his family resulting in his death.

Mohali, September 21
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has decided to allow golf courses, sports and recreational activities in green strips along the seasonal rivulets passing through the city.

In a zonal development plan of the Mohali master plan, recently approved by the Punjab government, it has been decided to develop the green strips of 30 metre each on both sides of the rivulets.

For the small or minor choes passing through Sectors 90, 94, 111, 92-Aipja and 114, a 10 metre wide green strip has been allowed on each side. A senior official in GMADA said it would be mandatory to maintain the minimum prescribed width on both sides of the choes.

As part of greening Mohali, the authority has also decided to allow low density residential Sectors (120 to 125) in an area of about 5,072 acres located between the Mullanpur local planning area and the Chandigarh-Kharar National Highway.

In the area, a sub-city centre has been allowed to cater to major infrastructure and cultural activity of the region.

Panchkula, September 21
While the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) declared the names of Vijay Bansal, a Congress defector, and Sanjeev Bhardwaj, a former state general secretary of the BSP, as its candidate from Kalka and Panchkula, respectively, tonight, Congress leaders, in a last-ditch effort, were camping at New Delhi, leaving no chance to get the party ticket.

Vijay Bansal, an advocate at a Panchkula court, who was with the Congress for more than 27 years, joined the BSP on Friday only when the party leaders reportedly did not consider his name as a Congress candidate from Kalka.

Bhardwaj who would contest from Kalka is a businessman.

Meanwhile, on the Congress front Haryana Youth Congress vice-president Amitabh Singh Chandel, belonging to a royal family of Ramgarh, former MC president Ravinder Rawal and another Congress leader Shashi Sharma have been camping at New Delhi for the last one week with their supporters to seek the claim on the Panchkula ticket. Bahgat Singh, son of former MP Lachhman Singh, Om Parkash Devinagar, district Congress candidate, and another party leader Ajaib Singh, vying for the Kalka ticket, were toning up their contacts in the national capital.

On the other hand, their supporters were busy here to garner the support from panchayats and social organisations.

While several panches and sarpanches of gram panchayats of Barwala Block have reportedly pleaded with the high command to field Chandel from Panchkula, Bhagat Singh is dependent on the shopkeepers of Kalka and rural voters thriving upon the legacy of his father.

Meanwhile, members of the Punjabi Welfare Sabha have passed a resolution to request the Congress to consider the residents of Panchkula, especially from the Punjabi community claiming that with more than 36,000 votes the community had first right on the ticket for MLA here.