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TOP STORIES

Countrymade weapons much in use
82 pc firearms used by criminals in city since 2000 illegal
Chandigarh, April 11
The long wait for procuring a valid arms licence has not helped in lowering the crime rate. Firearms used by criminals in various incidents reported in the city show that their supply is much greater than the licensed ones. Over four-fifth, 82 per cent, of the firearms used in different crimes in the city during the last nine years were illegal.

Monkey menace spreads, no solution in sight
Chandigarh, April 11
Shashi Jhingan, a resident of Sector 7, always takes a good look outside through the heavily grilled front window of her house, stepping out only if she does not see any rhesus monkey. Like her, those living in many other city areas have begun to hesitate before venturing out.

‘Langur’ owners pedal to work. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

32 fresh cases of gastroenteritis reported
Chandigarh, April 11
The tricity continues to be in the grip of gastroenteritis and diarrhoea, with 32 fresh cases being reported at various government hospitals. The total number of cases reported in the city’s government hospitals in the past three days crossed the 130 mark. This number could be much higher as several patients were seeking treatment from private hospitals and clinics, said a UT health official.

PSPB Hockey
Match-fixing comes to city
Chandigarh, April 11
The match between ONGC-B and ONGC-A was a mockery of the game as the juniors left the goal gates open for their counterparts to score at will during the ongoing 28th PSPB Hockey Tournament at Hockey Stadium in Sector 42 today. The reason was to allow them a sizeable margin (more than 15-0) to enter the final. Team B eventually lost 21-2.

Citizens’ Voice- N-Choe
It is time for government to act
The government has been talking a lot about pollution by vehicles and strict laws are being enacted. But the state is not bothered about the air and water pollution caused by discharging untreated sewage into the rain-fed choe. Even in Ludhiana, Patiala and Moga, we have sewage flowing and the government doing nothing.

COMMUNITY

Open House Response
Environment in periphery under threat
Le Corbusier's Chandigarh is fast assuming an unmanageable proportion, particularly in absence of an integrated map for its future growth. Thanks to the on-going development in the suburbs and the government favoring the builders, it will soon to difficult to distinguish between the city and its periphery.

Managing dry leaves a hassle for MC
Plans to take tips from farm varsity in Haryana instead of PU
Chandigarh, April 11
Heaps of dry leaves can be seen lying unattended all over the city as the municipal corporation lacks an effective mechanism for its disposal. In March, a car had caught fire from the burning leaves at a parking lot in Sector 17.

A resident shows dry leaves lying in front of her house at Sector 35, Chandigarh, which have not been removed for the past one month. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

37-acre wheat reduced to ashes
Mohali, April 11
Standing wheat crop worth lakhs of rupees was reduced to ashes in a fire that broke out due to sparking in the overhead power distribution cables in Lakhnour and Baronpur villages near here this evening.

REPORTERS' DIARY
Yet another goof-up by Panjab University
Could there have been an excuse for the outdated information and erroneous messages in Panjab University’s information diary released this year? A look at the amusing message “for” the Vice-President and PU Chancellor M Hamid Ansari on the third page of the diary shows that the error was an interesting reading. In what appears to be a classic case of a comical goof-up by an institution of highest academic standards, under the headline “Message for the Chancellor”, the body text actually contains the particulars and academic profile of the chancellor, rather than a message for him.

44th green belt inaugurated
Chandigarh, April 11
Adviser to the UT Administrator, Pradip Mehra, today inaugurated the 44th green belt in the city at Sector 48. The 3.5 acre green belt, developed by the Municipal Corporation, has 3,500-feet long walking track, several flowerbeds and children playing equipment along with benches and dustbins.

‘Appoint nodal authority accessible to RTI activists’
Chandigarh, April 11
The RTI Activists’ Federation (Punjab) today held its foundation conference at Law Bhawan, Sector 37, here, today. Magsaysay award winner Arvind Kejriwal presided over the conference, which comprised 150 activists from all places of the state. The conference was inaugurated by RI Singh, state Chief Information Commissioner (CIC).

RI Singh, state Chief Information Commissioner, addresses a gathering at Law Bhawan in Chandigarh on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Tension grips burial of body in Mohali
Mohali, April 11
Tension prevailed at Phase IX today when residents of the area opposed the burial of a Kumbhra resident at a burial ground here this morning. When the members of the Muslim community insisted on the burial at the site, the residents raised heckles, forcing the district administration to rush the police force to the spot.

Snatching cases in UT go on unabated
Chandigarh, April 11
Two incidents of snatchings were reported from different parts of the city today. Shhanti Devi of Kaimbwala village reported to the police and alleged that she was going on her bicycle when two unidentified motorcyclists waylaid her and snatched her earrings this afternoon near a liquor vend in Kaimbwala.

Residents’ plea to Patil on renovation
Chandigarh, April 11
Members of the Government Employees Residents’ Welfare Association (type-13 JE), Sector 22, has accused Chandigarh administration officers of not taking interest in carrying out renovation of their houses.

Water supply to be affected today
Chandigarh, April 11
City residents, already reeling under water shortage, will have another tough time this Monday. The day’s water supply will be affected due to the replacement of 18 dia water supply pipeline at Sector 33-34 roundabout near Gulati Bhawan.

Play with socio-cultural relevance
Chandigarh, April 11
Students of National School of Drama, New Delhi, lighted up the second day of TFT- Punj Pani Rangmanch Baisakhi Theatre Festival with their performance in a play “9 Idiots Journey for Freedom” at the Randhawa Auditorium.

Artistes stage the play “9 Idiots Journey for Freedom” at Panjab Kala Bhawan on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Jassi’s magic floors audience
Chandigarh, April 11
The acclaimed Punjabi pop singer Jasbair Jassi weaved magic with his voice and brought alive the grandeur of Punjabi folk music in the first ever two-day Baisakhi festival organised by the Department of Tourism, Chandigarh Administration, in association with Cinevalley Entertainment and PANACHE genesis at Plaza toady.

50 examined at camp
Chandigarh, April 11
On the occasion of Dr Samuel Hahnemann’s birth anniversary (founder of homoeopathy), a homoeopathic camp was organised by Dr Harsh Sharma at his clinic in Mohali.

New Income Tax Commissioner
Chandigarh, April 11
BS Dhillon has taken charge as the new Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (North West Region). He is an officer from the 1975 batch of Indian Revenue Services (IRS).

EDUCATION

Speaking Out
7,000 take IIT entrance exam
Chandigarh, April 11
With the introduction of partial marking system for the first time this year, in which marks will be awarded even if a student answers one of the partially correct options, the entrance exam of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) was conducted across 35 centres in the city. Nearly 7,000 students took the exam here today.

City lads design educational networking portal
Chandigarh, April 11
Connecting to your alma mater can now be simpler and easier. Simplifying the ‘web reunion’ of students, alumni and teachers of universities and colleges, two young city based engineering graduates in their 30s, Manish Mittal and Vishal Kekre, have come up with a unique networking software.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

40 booked in fraud case
Ambala, April 11
Two key functionaries of the Haryana revenue department have been booked along with 38 others in a case of fraud. The Mullana police has booked 40 people, including a former sub-registrar and a patwari on a complaint filed by Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Sardheri village.

One killed, 1 injured in accident
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 11
A truck driver and a cleaner met with an accident in the wee hours today near Madhopur chowk in Sirhind. While the cleaner died on the spot, the driver is undergoing treatment at the local Civil Hospital.

Stove burst claims woman’s life
Dera Bassi, April 11
A woman died after a kitchen stove burst while she was making dinner at her home in Prem Nagar Mohalla, Lalru, yesterday. According to information, Ruchi, wife of Chotan, a resident of Behirian (Bihar), was seriously injured in incident. She was admitted to the PGI, Chandigarh, where she succumbed to her injuries yesterday. Chotan also received injuries while trying to save his wife. He was also admitted to the PGI in a critical condition. The couple was living at Lalru for the past some time as Chotan had been employed in a spring factory at Gholumajra.

COURTS

Firm told to pay insurance claim
Chandigarh, April 11
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed New India Assurance Company Limited to pay Rs 4,58,159 to KC Tailors and Drapers as insurance claim. KC Tailors and Drapers, a firm formed in partnership, had been running its business of tailoring and draping, and was insured under a standard fire and special perils policy.

Hair treatment centre ordered to pay relief
Chandigarh, April 11
Wrong hair treatment has landed Cleopatra Day Spa Beauty and Slimming in trouble. Finding it guilty of deficiency in service, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed it to pay Rs 10,950 to Rameshwari Saini, who had to face humiliation, tension and harassment at her wedding.

Babla’s bail plea rejected
Chandigarh, April 11
Additional District and Sessions Judge Gian Chand Garg yesterday rejected the bail application of Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla, stating that his offence is serious in nature. “The petitioner does not deserve the concession of bail. So this bail application being without any merit is here by dismissed,” he said.

SHO gets bail
Chandigarh, April 11
The local court yesterday released Janak Rana, SHO of Sector 39 police station, after furnishing a bail bond of Rs 10,000. The court has summoned him for yesterday on the complaint filed by Darshan Singh and Bhag Singh, residents of Mohali.

• Doctor acquitted

CRIME

Snatching cases at Zirakpur on the rise
Zirakpur, April 11
In the wake of sudden surge observed in the snatching cases, especially amongst the women, residents of Zirakpur are perturbed over the issue from the past few weeks. More than five snatching incidents have been reported in the past two days. However, no case has been registered by the local police. The proximity of Zirakpur town with Chandigarh and Haryana makes it convenient for the snatchers to run away in the neighbouring places in no time.

SPORTS

Corps of Signals
Martial arts, skydiving mark centenary celebrations
Chandigarh, April 11
As part of the ongoing celebrations to mark 100 years of the Corps of Signals, a thrilling display by skydivers, martial arts experts and motorcycle riders was organised at Chandi Mandir near here today.

City lad tops PGTI rankings
Chandigarh, April 11
Twentynine-year-old Chandigarh golfer, Sujjan Singh, showed tremendous resilience, as he held his nerves to bounce back with his first triumph on the PGTI Tour to occupy the top slot in the Rolex rankings (Professional Golf Tour of India Order of Merit).

Sujjan Singh in action on the greens of the Chandigarh Golf Club on Sunday. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

Parvesh scripts BTS academy win
Chandigarh, April 11
Fine all-round performance by Parvesh Sharma (25 runs and four for 24) helped the BTS Cricket Academy won the match by seven runs in the T-20 CCA Cup Under-14 Cricket Tournament held at BTS Academy ground, Sector 48, here today.

Hockey Meet
IOC to lock horns with ONGC-A in final
Chandigarh, April 11
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC)- A will clash in the final of the 28th PSPB Inter-Hockey Tournament to be held at the Hockey Stadium, Sector 42, here tomorrow.