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TOP STORIES

Faculty crunch plagues Panjab University
PUTA’s SOS to authorities to fill posts
Chandigarh, December 3
Panjab University (PU), one of the top universities of the country and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's alma mater, is struggling with an acute shortage of faculty, seriously affecting the academic standards.

Nari Niketan Rape Case
Victim gives birth to girl child
Chandigarh, December 3
In an odd coincidence, the 19-year-old mentally challenged woman who had been raped at Nari Niketan here, where she had been staying, gave birth to a girl child at Government Medical College & Hospital, Sector 32 today, being observed as World Disability Day. Though the child was said to be slightly “underweight” her condition as also that of her mother was stated to be “stable”.

2 burnt alive in road mishap
Zirakpur, December 3
A 34-year-old businessman of Baltana, Mohit Khanna, and a contractor, Mumtaz, were burnt alive when the Honda City car in which they were travelling hit the oil tank of a multi-axle trailer near the Zirakpur sales tax barrier near the Chandigarh barrier here late this night.

Girls perform giddha during the State Youth Festival in Chandigarh on Thursday.Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

‘Paa’ generates interest in medical fraternity
Panchkula, December 3
Though cine critics would be able to analyse “Paa”, the Amitabh-Abhishek starrer, when it is released tomorrow, medical fraternity has already evinced interest in the subject of progeria, a disease, which the central character, played by Big B, is suffering from.

COMMUNITY

World Disability Day
Functions held for special kids
Chandigarh, December 3
The Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped Children - PRAYAAS - observed the World Disability Day today in collaboration with the Sai Tara Ummat Foundation.

Special children take part in a fancy-dress competition on the World Disability Day at Sukhna Lake and (right) being treated at a healing camp at SOREM, Sector 36, Chandigarh, on Thursday. Tribune photos: Parvesh Chauhan

Sensory Park inaugurated
Chandigarh, December 3
Home Secretary Ram Niwas inaugurated the Sensory Park in Sector 26 today. The park was developed by the municipal corporation’s horticulture department and is spread over 0.41 acre. It has been constructed at the cost of Rs 10 lakh

Students of the Institute for Blind take a round of the Sensory Park after its inauguration in Sector 26, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Play on terrorism
Chandigarh, December 3
Sandli Pairan Kala Kender staged a Punjabi play “Vaa-Varolle” at the Randhawa Auditorium here today.Whirlwind of terrorism that desolated many young innocent lives and how the authorities handled various situations in the aftermath of an untoward incident were perfectly revealed in the play.

Artistes stage play ‘Vaa Varolle’ at the Randhawa Auditorium in Chandigarh on Thursday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Mangoes in winter!
Mohali, December 3
Mangoes in winter seem unbelievable. But it is true at the house of an agriculturist in Phase X, Mohali.

Another tests positive for swine flu
Mohali, December 3
Another resident has been tested positive for the swine flu here today. With this the toll has risen to 23.

400 people take part in yoga camp
Zirakpur, December 3
Yoga expert Swami Dharamdevji Maharaj conducted a free yoga camp at Sharma Farms here yesterday.

Trains to Amritsar, Dehra Dun, Mumbai soon
Weekly train to Dibrugarh regularised
Chandigarh, December 3
With the announcement of three more new trains from Chandigarh, the city would now be connected, on a regular basis, to major cities like Mumbai, Dehra Dun and Amritsar. This announcement was made at the flag-off ceremony of the newly regularised Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express wherein the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Pawan Bansal congratulated the railway passengers.

Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, and Nek Chand flag off Dibrugarh Express at Chandigarh Railway Station on Thursday. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

Dharam Paul elected president of staff assn
Chandigarh, December 3 Dharam Paul Sharma has been elected president of the Panjab University’s Staff (non-teaching) Association. The association has elected representatives for five key posts.

Man gets Rs 10,000 for delay in vehicle’s registration
Chandigarh, December 3
Pulling up the State Transport Authority and Registering Authority, Chandigarh, for starting an inquiry beyond their powers, which delayed the registration of a vehicle and caused mental and physical harassment, the District Consumer Disputes and Redressal Forum has directed both departments to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to a complainant.

Housing scheme for poor
City bags national award
Chandigarh, December 3
The city has received national award for 2008-2009 under the JNNURM scheme for being the best city in earmarking land for the poor. The award carries a certificate of appreciation, a trophy and Rs 2 lakh in cash.

Delegation of ministerial union meets chief secy
Chandigarh, December 3
A delegation of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union met the Punjab Chief Secretary today.

Notification on mayoral poll
Chandigarh, December 3
The Deputy Commissioner and the competent authority for holding elections to the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation will issue notification for its elections tomorrow.

Garbage processing
MC forms another panel
Chandigarh, December 3
The Municipal Corporation has constituted another committee to sort out issues between the management of the garbage processing plant and conservancy vehicles of the medical office (Health) on day-to-day basis. This five-member committee would look into the matters relating to solid waste intake, rejection and dumping of inert, rejects, semi-processed garbage by the plant at the dumping site.

Bal Bhawan to be beautified
Chandigarh, December 3
The home secretary-cum-secretary (social welfare) and chief engineer Surinder Pal visited Bal Bhawan, Sector 23, today to look into the possibility of upgrading the facilities.

Fire academy plan smacks of political self-interest
Chandigarh, December 3
It appears Chandigarh mayor Kamlesh, in an obvious bid to gain political mileage, does not hesitate to float project proposals that have already been rejected or have were deemed not feasible by the officials on account of their lack of usefulness or their recurring expenditure.

Body removed from rly tracks after protest
Mohali, December 3
The body of Faidan resident Shekhar Pandey kept lying near the Chandigarh-Morinda rail tracks for more than six hours, as the Chandigarh and Mohali divisions of the railway police could not decide in whose jurisdiction it was lying.

Noise pollution: A headache for Zirakpur residents
Zirakpur, December 3
Loud music blaring out of various marriage palaces till late night is troublesome for the residents of Zirakpur. Besides creating noise, the marriage palaces also pose a traffic hazard along the national highway.

Tribune employee dead
Chandigarh, December 3
Brij Mohan Sharma (53), PA to Dainik Tribune’s Editor, died after brief illness here today.He joined the Tribune Group in 1978. He is survived by his wife Indu Bala, daughter and a son. His brother, Mr Naresh Sharma is working in HR section of the Tribune.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Mini secretariat project hangs fire
Kalka, December 3
The proposed project of constructing a mini secretariat here is yet to start due to the apathetic attitude of the district administration. The state government had three years ago decided to construct a mini secretariat on the tehsil premises. The then Panchkula deputy commissioner and other officials concerned had visited the tehsil complex in this regard. But the project has not seen the light of day till date.

PRTC staff lay siege to bus stand 
Patiala, December 3
Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded for almost two hours at the main bus stand here this afternoon as the operational staff of the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) blocked the entry and exit points of the bus stand.

World AIDS Day
Red ribbons distributed among students
Patiala, December 3
Department of social work, Punjabi University, celebrated International World AIDS Day yesterday by distributing red ribbons among students and teachers of the university.

Generic medicines store in each district, says Chawla
Ropar, December 3
Each district would get a Red Cross Society run Jan Aushadhi Generic Medical Stores by the end of the year. Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla said this while inaugurating a generic drug store on the premises of the civil hospital today.

Residents irked over cattle menace 
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 3
A section of residents from Sanghol and adjoining villages met the Deputy Commissioner of Fatehgarh Sahib to complain about the surging cattle menace in their villages.

Experts dwell on ill-effects of air pollution 
Patiala, December 3
Environmental experts, scientists and medical specialists have expressed concern over the ill-effects of environmental degradation resulting from agriculture residue burning.

Generator thieves’ gang busted; 4 held
Kharar, December 3
The CIA staff today busted a gang involved in stealing generators, submersible motor pumps and other machines.

Students awarded degrees
Patiala, December 3
Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jaspal Singh, conferred degrees on the postgraduation and graduation students at the annual convocation function of Government Mohindra College, Patiala, here recently.

Couple steal gold chain; caught on camera
Ambala, December 3
A young couple managed to steal a gold chain without being noticed from a jewellery shop in Ambala city here today.

COURTS

HC notice to CBI on SAI scam
Chandigarh, December 3
Acting on a petition by a “whistleblower” for directions to the Centre and respondents to protect him from “continuous victimisation” for bringing to the fore corruption in the SAI, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the CBI to be served a notice.

Land Acquisition
HC notice to Punjab departments
Chandigarh, December 3
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice of motion for January 8, 2010, to Department of Housing and Urban Development, Punjab, Public Works Department, chief administrator of Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and its land acquisition officer to specify why the notification about land acquisition in three Mohali villages be not stayed till further orders.

CRIME

Two arrested in dacoity case
Chandigarh, December 3
Two youths of Dadumajra colony Bhola alias Ravi and Narinder were arrested today in a case of dacoity. They kidnapped a chemist of Dadumajra, Prince, on a false pretext and demanded Rs 50,000 after threatening him with a knife. Using presence of mind, the victim offered Rs 5,000 and promised to pay Rs 45,000 in the next one week. Instead of going home, Prince called up the police and got the duo arrested. A case under Sections 342, 395, 397 and 506 of the IPC has been registered against them. One of the suspects Bhola has been involved in unlawful activities and had also been arrested for damaging a police assistance booth.

SPORTS

Bodybuilding
Doaba Group of Colleges lift trophy
Chandigarh, December 3
Doaba Group of Colleges have won gold medals and retained the overall trophy in bodybuilding during the recently concluded inter-college competitions organised by Punjab Technical University.

Trials for throw ball on Dec 5
Chandigarh, December 3
Trials for selecting girls team for the 55th National School Games 2009-10 (throw ball) will be conducted at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 40, at 3 pm on December 5.

Punjab Open Ladies Trophy
Gurbani Singh emerges golf champ
Chandigarh, December 3
Fourteen-year-old Gurbani Singh clinched the 17th Punjab Open Ladies Amateur Golf Championship trophy warding off a stiff challenge from Chandigarh's Rabiya Gill and defending champion Gauri Monga from Noida on the par-72 greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club here today.

Athletics Meet
Balvir, Navjoban claim first position
Chandigarh, December 3
Balvir Kumar of SGGS College, Mahilpur, and Navjoban Kaur of GTB Khalsa College, Dasuya, have secured first position on the second day of Inter-College Athletics Meet being held on the Panjab University campus here today.