Chandigarh, November 12
Swine flu continues to spread at an alarming rate in the city with nine more people including six students of Punjab Engineering College testing positive for the H1N1 virus today, the highest number of such cases being reported in a single day.

A day after a PEC student tested positive for H1N1, six more students from the same college and another student from DAV College, who had participated in the recently concluded PEC fest, developed flu symptoms and tested positive for the disease, said HC Gera, UT Nodal Officer for swine flu. However, he added all of them are stable and responding to treatment.

With the infection now spreading to other classes, the PEC authorities have decided to close the college for a week following instructions issued by UT health department officials.

Other positive cases were reported from St Anne's Convent School, Sector 32 and GMSSS, Sector 21. “A Class IV student of St Anne's School and a class XI student of GMSSS, Sector 21 reported positive today. The authorities of both schools have been officially directed to suspend classes for a week”, said Gera.

The disease has so far affected children the most with 24 kids from six schools including Bhavan Vidyalaya, DAV Public School, DPS and Model School-33 having been hit by swine flu.

The victims along with their family members have been “quarantined at home” by the UT health authorities. Tamiflu had been administered to all members of the family. A team of doctors and paramedics will conduct a daily home check on them and observe their condition.

Health officials expect the figure to rise further as screening increases. “As we are now able to detect more patients at an early stage, it has helped us to initiate early treatment and isolate them,” said Gera.

Of the total of 435 suspected swine flu cases that have been detected so far, 57 positive cases are from the UT and 16 each are from Punjab and Haryana. “All positive cases have been treated. They have been cured and are stable”, added Gera.

Chandigarh,November 12
Yet another ‘people friendly’ proposal floated by the UT cooperative department to make the transfer of cooperative group housing society flats to general power of attorney (GPA) holders hassle-free has run into rough weather, courtesy the finance department. With the latter putting its foot down on certain amendments to the March 2, 2009 notification, transparent and speedy transfer of flats to hundreds of GPA holders has been further delayed.

It was in September this year that home-cum-cooperation secretary Ram Niwas had suggested that “all transfer of shares/membership in favour of a GPA holder or any other person by the original allottee member will be allowed without the precondition of clearing his dues with the society or getting a ‘no dues certificate’ (NDC) from the society, and without the society taking the NDC from the Chandigarh Housing Board”.

The GPA holders were to submit an affidavit to the society they would clear their dues on time, the cooperative department had proposed.

It was proposed that in the case of the GPA, will and sub-power of attorney (SPA) executed in the name of more than one person, they shall be considered for transfer in their name, subject to the condition that the share certificate shall be issued in their joint names, but the person whose name stands first in the share certificate shall alone will have the right to vote.

After the March 2 transfer policy, a large number of GPA holders had complained that the managements were circumventing the policy by demanding an “illegal fee” apart from the charges imposed by the UT administration. The latter had fixed Rs 50,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 15,000 as transfer charges for category A, category B and category C flats.

However, the proposal did not find favour with the finance department on "technical grounds". Earlier, the finance department had rejected the proposal for the transfer fee for the transfer of flats to the GPA holders at least twice.

After meeting representatives of cooperative group housing societies here today, Ram Niwas asked the deputy commissioner to schedule a meeting at the level of the adviser to the UT administrator with a view to find an "amicable solution" to the grievances of the GPA holders.

Chandigarh, November 12
The report sent by the Chandigarh police that ultimately provided the basis for granting parole to Manu Sharma, convicted in the murder of model Jessica Lal, has come under the scanner. The police had apparently relied on information provided by the Manu’s family members and had forwarded the same to the home department in New Delhi without verifying the facts at length at its end.

Now, with the controversy over granting the parole despite the fact that the Delhi police had earlier raised objections to it on similar grounds, the local police may find themselves in a tight spot.

The incident has stirred a debate in the corridors of the police headquarters that the cops “succumbed” to the pressure of the “high and mighty” involved in the matter and did not “dare” to crosscheck the facts provided by Manu’s relatives. “Going by the convict’s past, his short temper and erratic behaviour, which led to the killing of Jessica Lal, the police should think twice before sending the report”, said a police officer.

Legal luminaries are of the opinion that though there are no provisions in the law for the police to doubt the report given by a government doctor, the police should go in for a second opinion going by the seriousness of the case.

Talking to TNS, UT SSP S.S. Srivastva said the home department in New Delhi had asked them specific queries into the matter, including performing of rituals of Manu’s grandmother, his mother’s health and his neglected business interests.

The SSP stated the family members informed the police about the schedule of rituals to be performed at Haridwar and in Chandigarh, submitted a report about the ailments of Manu’s mother, which was signed by government doctors, and furnished documents showing Manu’s involvement in their business. The same were verified and forwarded to the authorities concerned in New Delhi.

The family in the plea for parole had mentioned the business losses in their plea for parole and the police sent the report after examining his involvement in the business.

The SSP said it was a precondition in the parole that Manu would produce himself once a week at the Sector 3 police station and added he had been doing so. He last visited the police station on November 4 and the next due date was November 11.

The SSP maintained Manu had followed the conditions. He further made it clear the Chandigarh police had not recommended the parole but sent a fact-of-the-matter report. He added the police had no capacity to recommend the parole.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Chandigarh police had said in report that the presence of Manu Sharma in the city was no cause of concern for maintaining peace in the city. 

Panchkula, November 12
Setting an example of nobility, a Panchkula family, reeling under a tragedy, ensured that three visually-impaired kids get a gift which would be cherished by them for a lifetime.

On November 1, Ashwani Aggarwal (45), his wife Puja (40) and son Dhruv (13), residents of Sector 17 here, were returning after attending a jagran when their car collided with a truck. Ashwani’s nephew Archit (15) was also accompanying the family. The occupants of the car along with the driver, Pawan of Mani Majra, were killed on the spot.

Despite the tragedy striking the family, its members decided to donate the eyes of both the children. “We decided to donate the eyes of both the boys. With the help of Balachaur police, we contacted a social organisation of Nawanshahr. They further helped us,” said Harish, elder brother of Ashwani Aggarwal.

While one of the eyes of Archit got damaged in the accident, the other one was transplanted into Raju who had lost vision due to some illness. Preeti, who lost one of her eyes in childhood from chickenpox, and Puja, who lost vision due to wrong medication, were the other two beneficiaries. “Now, my girl would be able to see the world better,” said Puja’s father Ranjit, a labourer in Machchiwara, who was present here to pay tributes to their benefactors. Raju and Preeti, both Ludhiana residents, and their family, also attended the kriya ceremony of the accident victims.

In India, there are 25 lakh cases of corneal blindness s and 25,000 new cases are added every year. But there is a huge shortage of donors and only 15,000 corneas are collected every year.

After quality assessment, 40 to 50 per cent of the donated eyes are used for transplantation. However, one lakh transplantation operations are required every year, for which around 2.7 lakh eyes are needed.

Chandigarh, November 12
A city scientist, Dr SK Vasudeva, settled in Delhi, has been appointed Additional Chief Controller (Research and Development) in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Earlier working as Director of the DRDO at Delhi, Dr Vasudeva spent 30 years at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) here. He shot to fame for many innovative contributions in design and development of indigenous, state-of-the-art armament systems.

A Rs 10-lakh award for “performance excellence” was conferred on Dr S K Vasudeva and his team. He received the honour, along with the award money, from the Prime Minister on the occasion of Technology Day.

In 2006, he was chosen to lead “programmes of national importance for defence preparedness”. In recognition of his achievements, he has already received several DRDO awards, including ones for his contribution to “Pokharan-I” experiments; “Path-breaking Research Awards” from the Union Ministry of Defence for contribution to “Pokharan-II” and “Shakti” experiments, along with “Scientist of the Year” award for 2002. Dr Vasudeva and his team of scientists from different DRDO laboratories developed special armament, leading the nation to achieve self-reliance in the field of special armament systems.

Dr Vasudeva and his team played a significant role in the operationalisation of these systems for the services.

Born at Garhshankar, Dr Vasudeva did his Masters in organic chemistry before obtaining doctorate from Punjabi University, Patiala. He took up a one-year course at the IAT, Pune, and joined the TBRL at Chandigarh in 1971 as Armament Scientist. In 1976, he was selected by the Union Ministry of Education for a national scholarship to study abroad and did his post-doctoral research in the area of explosive compounds at a technical university in Warsaw. In 1980, he was deputed to attend Warhead Technology Training Course in West Germany. He has also worked at Swedish Detonics Research Laboratory, Stockholm.

Chandigarh, November 12
Residents of the housing board society flats in Sector 51 say they have been "forced" to consume contaminated water these days thanks to the callous attitude of the municipal corporation, which they allege has failed to supply clean drinking water in the area.

Despite repeated requests by the residents, MC officials have not been able to find the cause or the source of the contaminated water till date.

The residents asserted nobody appeared to be bothered about their plight.

“There are a lot of senior citizens as well as small children in the locality, who have to consume the same water”, said one of them.

Another complained the residents were left with no other option but to boil the water.

However, this option is not viable for all as some residents cannot boil water every time for drinking purposes.

Though it is the government’s responsibility to provide clean water to all citizens, this appears to be on the bottom of the priorities as far as the residents of this area are concerned. 

Chandigarh, November 12
Life is not a riddle to be solved but a miracle to be celebrated and sung about with its elemental experiences, its recurrent joys and woes, bounties and mysterious denials.

This remained the crux of the Hindi play with an English title “Thought” which was designed to recover the truth of life.

Written, directed and designed by young actor Chakresh for Alankar, the play was staged on the second day of the ongoing theatre fest organised annually by the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademy.

Protagonist Sanjay portrayed by Niresh Kumar initially hesitant but later on develops a passion for the column “Thought for today” in newspapers.

His belief gets stronger on noticing a few events coming true in his life landing him in a chakravyuh of orthodox world of false notions. After a series of sequences and encounters with reality, as he comes across common characters, the protagonist Sanjay feels that practically his personal experience in daily life is otherwise and he finally evolves his own thoughts and lifestyle to be more content in life.

The situational comedy arising out an altogether differently themed play keeps the audience in rapt attention.

While Baby Bandna excelled Niresh Kumar, Lalit Chandra, Vivek Sharma, Mohneesh Kalyan, Madhumita, Ashish, Rahul and Ishwar justified their roles.

Punjabi play “Rawaitan tonh paar” written and directed by Dr Sahib Singh will be staged tomorrow.

Chandigarh, November 12
The Punjab Governor and administrator, UT, General (retd) Dr SF Rodrigues has asked the Social Welfare department to launch a mobile service van, equipped with staff and necessary documents, to take various social schemes to colony residents at their doorstep.

Administrator was at Government High School, Sector 25, today as part of the ongoing awareness camps programme, wherein he urged the department to go to colonies for filling up forms and completing other formalities for extending the benefit of various welfare schemes to the residents.

A month wise schedule of the visit of the team should be finalised and the residents be informed well in advance so that needy persons could get assistance at their doorsteps, he added.

Chandigarh, November 12
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation today repatriated Superintending Engineer (B&R) Yogesh Gupta to his parent state, Punjab, with immediate effect. Gupta had joined the Chandigarh administration as an SDO, 18 years ago and during his stay here he had risen to the post of the superintending engineer.

Sources in the corporation revealed that as per a clause in the service rules, those officials who are promoted on deputation have to return to their parent states. But, Gupta since his tenure here had been promoted to the XEN and now he was handling the current duty charge of the SE (B&R).

The department had flouted the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) rules in the Gupta’s case, according to which no official who have been on deputation from other state could be on the post of the same rank for more than three years. Earlier, he was in the administration’s engineering wing and for the past three years he was handling the electrical, horticulture and B&R departments of the corporation.

When the CBI had inquired into the case of the installation of streetlight at Madhya Marg, it was found that the corporation had already given payment to the contractor concerned even before even the streetlights were installed at site.

Last year, the CBI had issued a warning to Gupta in this case and had cautioned him not to repeat it again. The CBI had also asked the authorities in the corporation to initiate a departmental inquiry in this case.

The sources in the administration stated that as the tenure of Gupta was over so he was retuning to his parent state.

When contacted the MC, Chief Engineer, SK Bansal said the corporation had not given the charge of the SE (B&R) to anyone so far. 

Chandigarh, November 12
High drama prevailed at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, here this evening, after Class IV employees broke the windowpanes of the emergency gate in protest against the alleged thrashing of one of their colleagues by doctors.

The attendants of the patients, who were seating near the entrance gate, ran for shelter after at least 40 to 45 supporters of the Class IV employees arrived and started breaking the windowpanes of the main entrance.

A heavy posse of police personnel were deputed at the site to prevent any further clash between the two groups or damage to the hospital property. Negotiations were on to resolve the matter amicably between the agitating Class IV employees and doctors.

The SHO of the Sector 34 police station, Udaypal Singh, said statements of both groups were being recorded. However, no case has been registered against anyone till the filing of the report. Meer Chand (42), an employee of the hospital, said the trouble started when one of the Class IV employees Sonu, who had been admitted to the emergency ward, was allegedly pushed and abused by two doctors, one of whom had been identified as Jai Singh Cheema. This incident took place while he was trying to enter the lift.

And when one of his colleagues asked the doctors why the patient was being harassed and abused, he, too, was allegedly thrashed by them, he added

Chand said after this they went to the police post to lodge a complaint. There they saw seven to eight men in cars, one of them with beacon light. They, too, started hitting him and two of his colleagues with rods. Meanwhile, Dr Raj Bahadur, Director-Principal, GMCH 32, said they had lodged the complaint and necessary action would be taken against the guilty. 

Chandigarh, November 12
UT Administrator Gen SF Rodrigues (retd) added another milestone in the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park with the inauguration of an ambitious project of the entrepreneur development centre here today.

The main of this project is to provide a strong support system for the modernisation and for nurturing the brilliant ideas of our talented youths.

Addressing the function attended by eminent IT giants, professionals and technocrats, General Rodrigues said this project jointly funded by the Centre, ministry of commerce and the Chandigarh Administration with an aim to enhance the export of software from Chandigarh and to assist young professionals in setting up entrepreneurships and to develop their potential and capabilities in a state-of-the-art environment.

Emphasizing on the need for integrating the professional network and skilled development programmes with the upcoming education city, General Rodrigues said this would help in enhancing the knowledge and human experience.

The administrator honoured distinguished professionals and technocrats who had contributed in the speedy completion of the project. He also gave away awards to winners of the Business Plan Competition.

Manjit Brar, IT director, said the centre would be located in the state-of-the-art building where small and medium sized IT companies would occupy built-up space for software development, research and development and other high value services for the export purpose.

Chandigarh, November 12
The Chandigarh police started promotional courses for assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) and sub-inspectors (SI) at its Recruitment Training Centre in Police Lines, Sector 26, here today.

RS Ghumman, UT SP (Operations and Training), said as a part of upgradation of the center the first batch of the promotional courses (Upper School Course) for the ASIs to be promoted as SI and the Intermediate School Course for the head constables to be promoted as ASI had started. At least 50 ASIs and 43 head constables attended the 60-day course on the pattern of the Delhi Police.

Ghumman said the city police had been spending Rs 30,000 per trainee for the six month course conducted by the other states police training centres and academies like Phillaur, Delhi and Madhuban (Haryana). With the initiative the police would save around Rs 30 lakh.

Chandigarh, November 12
A local court today remanded the owner of Jindal Associates, Sector 24, in two days police custody. Navdeep was remanded in police custody for a day yesterday also but given to the police’s demand for further interrogation it was extended for two more days today. 

Chandigarh, November 12
Come winters and fitness freaks and walk-lovers on Panjab University campus have all reasons to cheer.

A proposal to construct a special “walking trail” on PU sports ground especially for the campus inhabitants and students is in the pipeline.

The executive committee of the sports department has passed the proposal and estimates of the expenses of the track are being worked out. The committee consisted of principals of the affiliated colleges, lecturers of physical education department, PU and deputy directors and assistant directors of the sports department.

The trail, which will circumference a distance of about 2 kms, will be constructed of interlocked tiles of double colour and will have border tiles.

There would be lights at every alternate corner, at a distance of 15metres of the trail to enable the walkers to use the track during early morning and late evening hours. Though the exact expense is yet to be worked out, initial speculations reveal that the track would cost around Rs 10 lakh.

“The work on the track will start just as the estimation is ready. There was a huge demand of this trail and not just the students, even faculty and staff members, residing on the campus are often spotted walking in the ground,” said CS Grewal, director, sports department.

Besides, the ground would also be fenced soon along the boundary wall to counter the challenge of multiple entries, thereby weakening the security, he added.

“There are multiple entries to the ground and even our own students face the problem when students from other colleges occupy the courts. When we try to send them out, they enter from some other point, hence causing a disturbance,” Grewal said.

Panchkula, November 12
National Education Day was celebrated at Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, Chandimandir Cantt, to commemorate the birth anniversary of educationist Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

Principal Bhupinder Kaur garlanded the portrait of the first Education Minister of Independent India and emphasised upon his contribution to primary education. He was the first one to raise the issue of national system of education, which is today the bedrock of national policy of education 1986, subsequently updated from time to time. He believed that the wealth of the nation was not in the banks of the country but in the classrooms of primary schools, she added.

She highlighted that Maulana Azad was a great patriot, who struggled for undivided India, possessed multilingual proficiency and upheld righteousness, social justice and inclusive education granting right to education to all citizens without any disparity.

The students also spoke on the occasion.

Neeti of Class XI stressed on the role of education in the holistic development of a child. Aarti of Class IX and Jyoti of Class XI enlightened the students about the life and achievements of the scholar who had a modern outlook.