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Faulty soil testing machine hits agri dept working
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 10 Due to the faulty machine, the department has failed to meet its target of collecting 10,000 soil samples a year. The machine has been lying out of order for the past couple of years. “The machine collects samples of minor nutrients of soil. With the machine out of order, no samples have been collected or tested for a long time,” said an official pleading anonymity. He added that in spite of the machine being out of order, the department has, in its records, collected and examined around 7,000 samples from another machine. Under the rules, the department needs to collect all 16 essential nutrients of the soil for proper testing. However, due to the non-functional micronutrient testing machine, the testing has not been carried out for many years. The department collects Rs 2 for testing each sample from farmers. Agriculture experts from the department collect soil samples from four corners of a farm and one from the
centre, and mix the samples for testing. Though major nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorous and potash
(NPK), are collected, department officials fail to take the rest of the samples due to the broken soil testing machine meant for micronutrients. “Since the machine is quite expensive and needs a lot of money for repairs, the government is dilly-dallying over the issue,” claimed officials. They added that severe staff shortage and lack of basic facilities were major factors behind the failure of employees to collect proper soil samples. A target of 10,000 samples was set before October 31, 2010 and so far only 7,000 samples had been, that too incomplete. Chief agriculture officer Sarabjit Kandhari said efforts were on to restore the machine. He said senior officials of the department had been informed about the problem umpteen times in the past few years. |
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Five cops among 11 booked
Rajpura, December 10 Five of the persons booked were police officials while three were Class IV employees of the Excise Department and three were tea vendors. Officials at the Rajpura police station and the commandant of 6th IRB excise battalion, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, confirmed the development. The case was registered after a raid was conducted by battalion DSP
Gurchain Dhanoa in the wee hours today. During investigation, it was found that the accused had been involved in allowing tax evasion for the past around four years. “The tea vendors were told to collect money from truckers and the entire money was distributed among the 11 persons equally,” said the police officials. The officials revealed that Rs 14,700 had been recovered from the possession of the main accused, who admitted that it was to be distributed equally among others. The accused cops were identified as head constable Hawa Singh and constables Dimpal Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Nishan Singh and Rulda Ram. The tea vendors were Surinder Singh Kala of Shambhu Khurd village, Nemi Ram of Muradpur village and Kashi Ram of Rajpura while the Class IV employees were Gurpreet, Jaswant Singh and Sudarshan Singh. The officials said the accused were found red-handed collecting money and 26 packets containing notes of Rs 500 denomination were confiscated. Truckers had been evading taxes worth lakhs in connivance with the accused. A case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B of the IPC. Surinder was arrested and efforts were on to nab the other accused. |
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Panchayat secy killed in mishap
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 10 He was on his way towards Morinda on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana road on a motorcycle when an unidentified vehicle hit him. He was declared dead on arrival at a hospital nearby. The police registered a case in this connection and efforts were on to trace the vehicle. In another accident, Karnail Singh, the driver of a mini-truck, who was on his way towards Ludhiana, was seriously injured when his vehicle collided head on with a truck. The occupants of both vehicles, including Dev Kumar, the truck cleaner, received injuries and were admitted to a hospital at Khamano. |
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Two held for firing at cop
Ambala, December 10 The assailants, Rakesh Kumar and Deepak Kumar, fired at ASI Mahal Singh on November 29 near the bridge on Tangri river here. The police recovered three countrymade pistols from their possession. They belonged to Saharanpur, but had been residing at Ambala Cantonment for the past few years. Several criminal cases had earlier been registered against them. The police was interrogating them and their involvement in other cases could not be ruled out. |
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Four injured in accident
Rajpura, December 10 The three residents of Devi
Nagar, identified as Rinku, Mukesh and Soni, a child, were coming towards Rajpura on a mobike when it was hit by an unidentified vehicle. Their mobike then hit a Rajpura resident, Amarjeet Singh, who was walking towards the Rajpura side in front of the
mobike. All the four were rushed to the civil hospital. The three occupants of the mobike were later referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandigarh. |
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Advance info about power cuts sought
Bassi Pathana, December 10 “Small-scale industry is passing through a great crisis and undeclared power cuts have aggravated the situation. The small-scale industrialists are under extreme pressure to save their industry as well as to meet their ends. If the government wanted to save the small-scale industry, it must take some concrete steps,” Kamal Gupta, president of the association, said. Gurdeep Sohal, general secretary of the association, said PSEB had been imposing weekly cut on the industry. Gupta and Sohal demanded to set up Focal Point having all facilities for industry as well as to set up a big industrial unit in the town to boost the economy of the residents and to generate employment. They urged the PSEB to upgrade the local 66KV grid to the capacity of 132 KV and to provide alternative temporary service line during maintenance of lines. Ashok Dhiman, patron, was also present. |
Consumer Court
Chandigarh, December 10 The forum has also directed them to rectify the defect in the fuel gauge of the car to the entire satisfaction of the complainant within 15 days, failing which they would be liable to replace the car with a brand new vehicle without charging extra from the complainant or to refund the total amount received from him. The complainant, Tarsem Lal, a resident of Panchkula, purchased an Indica Vista TDI Aqua car from Hind Motors on January 19, 2009, for Rs 4, 10,158. However, from day one, its fuel gauge was not working properly as when actual quantity of diesel in the car was approximately 1-2 litres, the meter showed the tank to be either more than half or sometimes near about full due to which he had to face lot of mental trauma and agony as the car stopped in the middle a number of times. He approached the dealer on January 29, 2009, for rectification of the defect and made numerous visits,
but the problem was not rectified. He also wrote letters to Tata Motors from where he received a call to bring the vehicle to Hind Motors on August 19, 2009. They replaced the fuel tank and fuel gauge, but the defect persisted. In a reply, the dealer stated that no defect was traced in the car and rather the complainant visited them on August 20, 2009, signed the satisfaction note and thereafter the job card dated August 19, 2009, was closed. The forum in its orders stated that the fuel gauge was an important instrument in a car that shows the quantity of fuel in the fuel tank. If it does not give correct reading, the owner is bound to face harassment. The taking of vehicle time and again to the workshop itself causes harassment to the owner, who instead of enjoying the luxury of the car, realises that he had purchased headache and annoyance for him to take the vehicle to the workshop for repairs. Therefore, the dealer and the company have been negligent in selling a vehicle to the complainant, which does not give proper reading of the fuel in the fuel tank. They have not been able to identify the problem, which may be much more than the fuel tank or fuel gauge itself.
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Sub-inspector gets 2-yr RI for graft
Chandigarh, December 10 The bother of the convict, a traffic police constable, Surinder Singh, was, however, acquitted earlier by the court. The case dates back to June 1, 2007, when the CBI had nabbed sub-inspector Ashok Kumar and his brother Surinder Singh, while accepting Rs 5,000 from Pravesh Kumar, a private typist, operating outside the DC office. The SI, who was posted at the Industrial Area police station, had threatened Parvesh that since he had signed as a witness on a fake power of attorney that was prepared by Khariati Lal in favour of Parveen Narang for a plot in Industrial Area, he would be implicated in the case if he did not give the money. The accused had demanded Rs 20,000 to let him go scot-free. However, Pravesh decided to report the matter to the CBI. The sub-inspector told him to meet him at the Sector 42 market where the CBI had laid a trap. When the accused reached the spot along with his brother on a motorbike and was pocketing the money, the duo was caught red-handed.
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Rape victim wants no action against accused
Chandigarh, December 10 In the court of Additional Sessions Judge RK
Sondhi, the victim said she did not want to give any statement against the accused. The case was registered in April this year when a resident of Kishangarh had alleged that she was gangraped by three persons who kidnapped her in a car and later dropped her outside Leisure Valley. The woman had accused Jagtar Kaka, his brother Gurnam and a friend Vinod of raping her in April this year. The accused, presently in jail, have now filed a bail plea in the High Court on the grounds that a compromise had been reached between the two parties. Therefore, the case be quashed. The High Court had then directed the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge RK Sondhi to get the statements of the victim recorded and prepare a report to authenticate it with the plea made by the accused. The 30-year-old woman had in her complaint to the police stated that she was on her way to attend a family function in the locality when the accused reportedly abducted her and took her to an undisclosed location.
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Gang selling fake degrees busted, 3 held
Chandigarh, December 10 Sources close to the police’s operations cell said on December 5 Dilkesh of Manimajra reported to the cops that an unidentified man who had met him a few days ago promised him a job as well as 10 plus two and BA degrees for Rs 25,000. Dilkesh said he gave Rs 5,000 to the man, who met him on December 4 saying his plus-two certificate issued by the Madmik Siksha Parishad, UP, was ready and promised to hand it over to him the same next day. Acting on the information the police apprehended the man, later identified as Parmod Partap, a resident of Uttar Pradesh. During interrogation he revealed he had bought the certificates from one Digesh of UP. The police then arrested Digesh, who in turn named Rashid Hasmi of Bijnour as the person who provided the forged degrees. The police searched Hasmi’s premises and arrested him along with fake certificates, a personal computer, a printer and a scanner. A local court remanded Hashmi to two days of remand while Digesh was sent to judicial custody. Parmod is already in jail.
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Three held for abetting suicide
Chandigarh, December 10 The police said Harminnder Singh of Mohali lodged a complaint alleging that Inderpreet Singh, his sister and mother, all residents of Sector 45, Chandigarh, forced his daughter, Balpreet Kaur, to commit suicide. Balpreet was admitted to the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition, following consumption of some poisonous substance, where she later died. Harminder said the police that his daughter was married to Inderpreet Singh. The police has arrested the accused after registering a case of attempt to suicide and common intension against them.
Fraud
JS Bhatia, branch manager, Bank of Baroda, Raipur Khurd, lodged a complaint against Rajiv Thapar and Sanjay Sahni of Mohali, who had taken loans of Rs 25 lakh from bank. They did not return the money to the bank. The police has arrested the accused after registering a case against them.
Theft
Pritpal Singh Gill of Sector 33 filed a complaint alleging that Amandeep Singh and Dalnit Kaur Bains had stolen his Skoda car (CH-04-H-0432) from his residence on July 30, 2009, by cheating him. A case has been registered.
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Lovelorn youth hangs himself
Mohali, December 10 The victim hailed from Kurukshetra. Sources in the police revealed that the victim wanted to marry a woman staying in Phase X in a PG accommodation. But her family was opposed to the marriage. The victim kept persuading her family to allow him to marry her. Last night, he went to her in an inebriated state, but she did not open the door after repeated knocks. The landlord and his son also arrived and told him to leave. All the while, Parvesh kept claiming that she was going to be his wife. Moments before the police was called, he fled the spot and started SMSing her that he needed to
talk to her. When she switched off her mobile, he started sending SMSes on her neighbour’s phone. He threatened that he would end his life and blame them for it. In a suicide note left behind, the victim named the landlord, his son and daughter for forcing him to commit suicide. They had misled the woman and they should be punished for it, the suicide note stated. The autopsy of the victim would be conducted at the Civil Hospital tomorrow.
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Teenager held for raping minor
Chandigarh, December 10 She alleged that she was coming on Tuesday night after attending a birthday party of her friend when a boy gagged her and forcibly took her to a park, where he raped her.
— TNS
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11-yr-old held for sodomy
Mohali, December 10 The victim was returning home from school when the suspect lured him on the pretext of giving him money. The victim was taken to a room, where he was sodomised. Parents of the victim came to know of the incident after they noticed him crying. Following a medical examination, a case was registered under section 377 of the IPC. The mother of the suspect works as a domestic help and his father died a few months back.
— TNS
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Sharmila clinches golf title
The play-off was enforced after Sharmila and Saaniya tied at a 54-hole score of 235. In fact the game was so well contested that opening round leader Nalini Singh Siwach and the leading duo were tied in the lead till the pen-ultimate hole. And had it not been Nalini's approach shot finding the waterbody, the play-off would have been among the three. Sharmila got the better of Saaniya in the third play-off after the two had tied with par scores in the first two play-offs on the par-4 18th hole. The win got Sharmila the winner's cheque of Rs 50,468. Saaniya took home Rs 30,468, while Nalini Singh Siwach earned Rs 20,470 for finishing third. In the play-off, Saaniya began with a massive 260-yard drive. The Bangalore rookie matched her rival's feat. Then Saaniya fired an approach shot to just 2.5 ft beyond the pin. But just when everybody thought that the local girl had virtually won it, she missed a close putt. With the two playing par, they went in for a second play-off. Again the two played even par rounds on the 18th. As the duo headed back to the tee-box for the third play-off hole, the golfers headed back to the tee-box for the third-play-off hole. While Sharmila managed a par even after she hit her approach shot to 18 ft beyond the pin. As luck would have it, Saaniya's approach shot found the waterbody. While Sharmila two-putted for par, Saaniya paid the price with a one-stroke penalty to settle for second place. Sharmila’s round began with a sea of pars before the part French National dropped shots on the sixth and ninth. Two over at the turn, the Rookie golfer dropped another shot on the tenth but made up with a birdie on the very next hole. Two more bogeys on the 15th and 16th contributed to her finishing the day at four-over 76. Saaniya’s outward journey began with a bogey and two more followed on the third and fifth.The big built Chandigarh golfer finally played her front nine to tree-over. On the way back, she however played aggressive golf which culminated in her dropping shots on the 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th, but also carding three birdies on the 13th, 16th and 17th. The prizes were given away by Chandigarh Golf Club president BS Gill and secretary Nippy Ghai. The Women's Professional Golf Tour fourth leg has now shifted to the Panchkula Golf Club starting on December 12. Final scores: 235 Sharmila Nicollet (80-79-76) and Saaniya Sharma (81-78-76), Sharmila won in play-off; 236 Nalini Singh Siwach (79-81-76); 248 Preetinder Kaur (85-85-78); 249 Nikki Ponappa (81-83-85); 252 Pallavi Jain (86-87-79) and 262 Nalini Singh (89-85-88). |
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Bhavan Blaster Trophy
Chandigarh, December 10 Electing to bat first, Bhavan players started on a positive note, as Kshitij Sharma started his innings with two consecutive boundaries. He was well supported by Sidharth Dhanda (25). Kshitij did not give a chance to Holy Child bowlers and punished even good length balls while playing on the rise drives and back foot punches through off-side. His knock comprised nine fours and four towering sixes. Rohan Salhotra (10) gave him support and took Bhavan’s score to 143 for 5 in 16 overs. Chasing the target, Holy Child team started with disastrous mood, as their openers Deepanshu (25) and Bharat (15) maintained the average of nine in first three overs. Bhavan’s Vishesh Malhotra broke the partnership and took couple of wickets in a quick succession. It seemed to be an easy victory for the hosts. Vishesh Malhotra came to deliver his second spell and he bowled at economical length. Holy Child team was all out at 129 runs. Brief scores: Bhavan Vidyalaya (Panchkula): 143 for 5 in 16 overs (Kshitij Sharma 70 not out, Sidharth Dhanda 25, Rohan Salhotra 10, Alankrit Kamboj 2 for 23 and Bharat 2 for 30); Holy Child School: 129 all out in 15.5 overs (Guran 35, Ranjit 28, Deepanshu 25, Vishesh Malhotra 5 for 8, Himansh 3 for 25 and Saksham Sharma 2 for 19). Vishesh Malhotra was adjudged man of the match. |
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CRPF team bag four golds
Chandigarh, December 10 The team won medals in the kayaking and canoeing events. In 1,000m (kayaking-4), Rmendra Singh, Rajender Verma, Manoj Kumar and O Jayanta Singh of CRPF team bagged the first position, Rohit Beniwal, Vinod Singh, Kuldeep Rawal and Surender Beniwal of BSF team secured the second position, while Dinesh Rawat, Javed Mohammad, Mukesh Sharma and Narendra of Uttarakhand stood third. In 1,000m (canoeing-2), Manoj Rawal and Karan Singh of CRPF stood first, Arun Kumar and Satish Kumar of BSF bagged the second position, Suresh and A Arif Khan of Andhra Pradesh stood third. Similarly, in the 1,000m (kayaking-1), Ashok Malik of CRPF, Rattan Singh, Zahoor Ahmad of J&K, secured the first, second and third positions, respectively. In 1,000m (canoeing-1), Ankit Pachori of BSF, Manoj Rawal of CRPF and Adil Mohi-Ud-Din of J&K stood first, second and third, respectively.
— TNS |
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Kabaddi trials tomorrow
Chandigarh, December 10 The championship will be held at the Football Stadium, Sector 17, from December 18 to 20. The tournament for junior boys will be held in Bhopal from December 24 to 27. |
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Chandigarh, December 10