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Cold wave intensifies
Maximum temperature dips to 9.4° Celsius,
1 degree lower than yesterday’s
Chandigarh, January 10
The maximum temperature plummeted to 9.4 degrees Celsius, 1 degree lesser than the yesterday’s temperature, which was 9.5 degrees Celsius, the lowest in seven years. In 2003, the maximum temperature had dipped to 8 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was marginally higher at 6.6 degrees Celsius as against yesterday’s temperature, which was 6.2 degrees Celsius.

A view of dense fog on a road in Chandigarh on Sunday night. Tribune photo: S Chandan

Primary classes suspended till January 13
Chandigarh, January 10
All government and private schools in Chandigarh will remain closed till January 13 for classes up to fifth. The UT Education Secretary issued the statement today following cold wave conditions. Some private schools had already announced holidays up to January 13. Classes up to third in St Xavier’s schools in the tricity will start at 10 am and the school will start at 9 am for classes IV to XII.

Cold wave hits crops too
Chandigarh, January 10
Cold wave conditions and fog for the last over a week not only made city residents and people of Punjab and Haryana shiver and duck for cover, but it also started affecting field crops and plants, particularly vegetables, which are likely to affect agricultural productivity.

Rathore tried to negotiate with Girhotra, says temple priest
Panchkula, January 10
In a fresh disclosure in the Girhotra-Rathore controversy, a priest of Surajpur temple near Pinjore has claimed that Rathore had tried to persuade Subhash Girhotra to negotiate on the issue and settle it amicably.

Forest guard on duty assaulted
Mohali, January 10
The failure of the Mohali Police in taking timely action against an organised sand-mining mafia resulted in a bloody assault on a forest guard, Devinder Singh, late last night. Recuperating at the Civil Hospital in Phase VI here, the guard had been left with several stitches all over his head.

COMMUNITY

Misuse of residential premises
GMADA to issue notices to violators
Mohali, January 10
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) is planning to issue notices to residents who are misusing their residential premises for commercial purposes, thereby creating problems for others in the area.

MC a happy hunting ground for deputationists
Own officials ignored for promotion to key posts
Chandigarh, January 10
Denting the promotion opportunities of Chandigarh municipal corporation cadre officials, authorities have been giving charge of prime posts of most of the wings of the corporation to deputationists.

Factionalism to fore in BJP again
Three MC councillors offer to quit party
Chandigarh, January 10
Factionalism in the local unit of the BJP reared its head again today with three councillors of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh offering to resign from the party in protest against the “high-handedness” of the party leadership during the organisational elections.

Solid waste management facility
Land acquisition rate recommended in three villages
Mohali, January 10
With a compensation of over Rs 1.5 crore an acre for the acquisition of their land for international airport, landowners of Jheorheri are having the laugh. But a few kilometres away, landowners in Rasenheri, Swara and Jhanjheri may not hit the jackpot.

One block of plaza to be painted, other scrubbed
Chandigarh, January 10
In order to beautify Sector 17 and systemise irregular signages, boards, hoardings and advertisements, Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar convened a meeting with representatives of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal and the Sector 17 Market Association.

Case against Jitti motivated, says Congress MLA
Mohali, January 10
The dispute between Amandeep, a supporter of the Congress Kharar MLA, Balbir Singh Sidhu, and Shinder Singh, over the ownership of a section of a house in Phase III-B2 here is getting murkier with each passing day.

Reporters' Diary Road safety banners save from biting cold It cannot be said for sure whether the banners carrying the road safety messages, which the Chandigarh Traffic Police had displayed across the city during the “Road Safety Week” recently, served the purpose or not, but they definitely gave instant relief to the poor to fight the bone-chilling cold wave.
Various birds flock to Rose Garden, Sector 16, for a feast on a cold Sunday afternoon. Tribune photograph: Pradeep Tewari

Installation ceremony held
Chandigarh, January 10
It was an occasion of celebrating past achievements and looking ahead into the future for more as the Toastmasters Clubs of Chandigarh and Panchkula jointly held their installation ceremony in Chandigarh on Saturday evening.

Lohri celebrated at Snehalya Chandigarh, January 10 Sankalp, a social organisation formed by students of DAV College, Sector 10, to help critically ill children, visited Snehalya in Maloya today to celebrate Lohri with its inmates. Sankalp has been a helping hand to those children who do not have sufficient money to survive. Sankalp members celebrate Lohri with Snehalya inmates in Maloya on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Cultural programme marks celebrations
Chandigarh, January 10
The Citizens’ Association, Sector 21, today celebrated Lohri at the Community Centre, Sector 21. Ram Niwas, UT Home Secretary, and Dr Roshan Sunkaria, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, graced the occasion as chief guest and guest of honour.

Desi ghee seized
Chandigarh, January 10
The Excise and Taxation Department has seized certain documents and stocks of desi ghee brands for allegedly not reducing VAT as ordered by the Chandigarh administration.

Pensioners’ assn for payment of arrears
Chandigarh, January 10
The Punjab Government Pensioners Association resented the indifferent attitude of the government towards their pending demands. Their demands include payment of arrears and enhancement of medical allowance from Rs 500 to 1,000.

Office-bearers elected
Chandigarh, January 10
Dr Labh Singh Kheeva has been elected president of the Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, Chandigarh, during a bi-annual general house of the sabha held at Punjab Kala Bhawan, Sector 16, here today.

Elected
Chandigarh, January 10
The following have been unanimously elected as members of the steering committee of the Vishwakarma Sabha, Chandigarh- principal Mata Ram Dhiman, convener-cum-coordinator Tajinder Pal Singh.

Awarded
Chandigarh, January 10
Desh Bhagat College of Education has been awarded Grade ‘B’ by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council of India (NAAC).

EDUCATION

Open House Response
Colleges should conduct supplementary examinations
Panjab University’s examination and evaluation systems appear to be faulty, outdated, redundant, unrealistic and irrelevant. The present system fails to asses the efforts put in by students.

Ex-don to donate rare books to library
Chandigarh, January 10
In a unique gesture, Prof Pramod Sangar, a former teacher at Panjab University, has decided to donate rare books to the university library.

Lecture on positive thinking
Chandigarh, January 10
Prajapati Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya today organised a lecture on “Power of positive thinking” at Rojyoga Bhawan, Sector 34, here today.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

2,300 take mock AIEEE Kharar, January 10 Around 2,300 students took mock AIEEE, which was organised at Rayat Bahra Bio Technology Centre of Excellence, Kharar, today. Students from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and surrounding areas took the test. Students take the mock AIEEE at Rayat Bahra in Kharar on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

1.3 lakh children given polio drops Patiala, January 10 A total number of 1.06 lakh children between the age group of zero to five years were administered polio drops in Patiala district today under the guidance of civil surgeon, Dr Sham Lal Mahajan, Patiala. A child being administered pulse polio drops at AP Jain Hospital in Rajpura on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Canada MLA honoured
Patiala, January 10
Canada MLA Jagroop Singh Brar was honoured by Kala Kriti, an NGO, at Rajindra Gymkhana Club, here last night. Manjit Singh Narang, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Patiala, was the chief guest.

300 awarded degrees Rajpura, January 10 As many as 300 students were awarded degrees on the annual convocation function of Chitkara Institute of Engineering and Technology today. Punjab Technical University Vice-Chancellor at the convocation function of Chitkara Institute of Engineering and Technology on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

Awareness week ends, traffic violations continue
Zirakpur, January 10
Even after three days of conclusion of the road safety week celebrated by the Mohali Police, not much difference has been observed as traffic violations continue in Zirakpur.

8 shortlisted in placement drive
Kharar, January 10
Ambuja Cements shortlisted eight students during the joint campus recruitment drive held at Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Gharuan. The drive was open for BTech civil engineering students. The shortlisted students would appear before a panel of experts for final interview.

Kidnappers booked for rape
Kalka, January 10
On the complaint of the mother of a girl who was allegedly kidnapped and gang raped yesterday, the police had registered a case against the four accused identified as Madan of Saharanpur (UP), Vikrant of Muzzaffar Nagar, Sumit of Jalandhar and Sushil after conducting the medical of the victim in the Civil Hospital, Solan.

Participants take part in the Mr Punjab Bodybuilding Championship being organised by the Mohali Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association at Dera Bassi on Sunday. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

Gang of thieves busted, 3 held
Kharar, January 10
The police today busted a gang of three members, who are involved in cases of lifting vehicles, stealing mobile phones and cylinders.

Nine sub-inspectors promoted
Ropar, January 10
Recently promoted nine sub-inspectors of Ropar district were honoured with their new designations at a specially convened cultural function here yesterday.

For them, honesty the best policy
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 10
Manpreet Singh, owner of local Jugnu marriage palace and general secretary of Sirhind Press Club, returned Rs 60,000 found lying in a bag outside his marriage palace.

PEFA to act against polluting HP factories
Ropar, January 10
Punjab Eco Friendly Association (PEFA) today decided to raise its voice against the industrial units of Himachal Pradesh polluting waters of the Sutlej here.

Lights to come up on highway
Dera Bassi, January 10
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started the work to install traffic lights on the Chandigarh-Ambala national highway. The lights would start functioning in coming days, an official said.

CRIME

Octogenarian killed, 4 hurt in mishaps
Chandigarh, January 10
An elderly man was killed while four others were injured in four separate road accidents in the city. The police said the deceased had been identified as 80-year-old Tirath Dass of Bapu Dham Colony.

Body found
Chandigarh, January 10
A highly decomposed body of an unidentified man was recovered from near a seasonal rivulet in Sector 36 here this evening. The police has shifted the body to the Sector 16 Government Multi-Specialty Hospital for post-mortem.

SPORTS

Tricity Premier League
78 selected to play for six teams
Chandigarh, January 10
About 78 players have been selected to play for six teams in the first Tricity Premier League Under-13 Cricket Tournament to be held at BTS Grounds, Sector 48, here from January 15.

Rajeshwar Club emerge football champs
Chandigarh, January 10
Rajeshwar Club won the Seven-A-Side Football Tournament by defeating St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, 2-0 in the final held at Guru Dronacharya Sports Stadium at Dadu Majra, here today.

National-level players of Kings XI (Punjab) shiver in cold in the absence of windowpanes (right) at the cricket pavilion of the stadium at DAV School, Chandigarh, on Sunday. Tribune photos: Vinay Malik

Korfball Meet
PU record victory
Chandigarh, January 10
Panjab University (PU) Campus won the PU Korfball Championship for the session 2009-10, while SGGS College, Chandigarh, DAV College, Hoshiarpur, and Maharaja Ranjit Singh College, Malout, claimed the second, third and fourth positions, respectively, here today.

World School Gymnasia
Avinash ranks 10th
Chandigarh, January 10
Avinash Mishra, a student of Class XI, DAV Model School, Sector 15, got the 10th overall position in standings in the World School Gymnasia, which concluded at Doha, Qatar, recently.