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Computer shop gutted
Chandigarh, July 28
Computer hardware worth lakh of rupees was gutted in a fire that broke out at a computer shop in Sector 41 this morning.

The computer shop up in flames on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

82-yr-old man dies of burns
Chandigarh, July 28
An 82-year-old man was burnt to death when a fire broke out at his residence in Buterla village here in the wee hours today. The victim identified as Sukhdev Singh was living alone in the house and the police has ruled out foul play behind the incident.

Youth Akali Leader’s Murder
Prime accused arrested
Chandigarh, July 28
The police today arrested Balwinder Singh, alias Minkel Bajaj, the prime accused in the murder of youth Akali leader Triptdeep Singh, alias Tippa Sekhon, who was allegedly shot dead in Sector 9 on July 13.

Balwinder Singh

Govt schools fail in SSA report
Skewed teacher-pupil, student-classrooms ratio to blame
Chandigarh, July 28
Even as the UT Education Department is busy planning e- classrooms for city government schools, it is yet to look into the number of teachers and classrooms for the same.

Back where it all began
Already functional, the PGI’s animal house is being spruced up by the CHB before inauguration by the UT Administrator on July 31
Chandigarh, July 28
After functioning for over six months, the animal house, which forms a part of the PGI’s experimental medicine and biotechnology department, is only now being finally readied for its inauguration by UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil on July 31.
Workers engaged in renovating the animal house building. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Probe into newborn’s death suffers setback
OPD attendant denies allegations
Chandigarh, July 28
Investigations by the police into the death of a newborn due to alleged negligence at the Government Multispecialty Hospital, Sector 16, suffered a setback today after Dharma, an OPD attendant who is under suspicion over the missing registration card, denied the allegations against him.

Hooked on Nicotine 
Urban teens puff out rural youths
Chandigarh, July 28
Contrary to the general perception that teenagers living in the city’s slums and rural areas smoke more and are bigger abusers of other tobacco products as compared to their educated and suave urban (read living in sectors) counterparts, it turns out it is the latter who are hooked on nicotine more deeply.

COMMUNITY

Mayor withdraws water tariff agenda
Chandigarh, July 28
Once again the political compulsions have forced the Municipal Corporation Mayor, Anu Chatrath, to withdraw the agenda of increasing water tariff and sewerage in the city, which was to be tabled in the house meeting for approval, scheduled for July 30. This was decided in a pre-house meeting of the Congress councillors chaired by the Mayor and attended by some senior ex-Congress councillors.

Misconception leads to tussle between Mayor and councillor
Chandigarh, July 28
The proverb ‘little knowledge is dangerous’ proved correct as it resulted in a scuffle between BJP councillor Raj Kumari Mishra and Municipal Corporation Mayor Anu Chatrath today.

Smooth Transfer of Departments
Nodal officers appointed
Chandigarh, July 28
To supervise the smooth transfer of departments from the Chandigarh administration to the Municipal Corporation, MC authorities today appointed nodal officers for this purpose. For primary schools transfer, MC Additional Commissioner PK Sharma has been appointed as the nodal officer. Whereas, for transfer of primary health care and civil dispensaries, Medical officer, health, Dr G Diwan and for V3 roads and parks, Chief Engineer, S S Bidda has been appointed as the nodal officers.

P’kula plunges into darkness
Almost 80 per cent of streetlights in town are non-functional
Panchkula, July 28
Plunged in darkness, roads in this satellite town were no less than a black hole. People had to move from light to darkness as streetlights in the city were non-functional.




Damaged streetlight poles at Sector 15

Removal of Boards
High drama witnessed as groups engage in verbal duel
Panchkula, July 28
High drama was witnessed as two groups engaged themselves in verbal duel over the removal of the boards naming roundabout of Sectors 11-14 as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk.

Outsourcing of work to private players
Safai sewaks demand quashing of decision
Mohali, July 28
The Mohali Municipal Employees Union, Balmiki Naujwan Sabha and other bodies of safai sewaks staged a dharna outside the office of the civic body today.





Cleaners protest against privatisation at Mohali on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

CITCO staff condemn recruitment drive
Chandigarh, July 28
CITCO Workers Union employees held a meeting at Hotel Mountview today against the recruitment drive by the CITCO management. Kashmir Chand, president of the union, categorically pointed out that on one hand, the general managers of CITCO-run hotels were repeatedly asking for the retrenchment of staff as they were in excess to curtail the expenses.

CITCO employees protest at Hotel Mountview, Sector 10, Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

‘Metrology vital for hi-tech instruments’
Chandigarh, July 28
Emphasising that metrology aspect has to be taken very seriously while dealing with defence equipment to ensure state-of-the-art performance, General Manager of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) Suresh N said the firm had achieved the capability to calibrate its instruments in-house.

Official to pay interest if payment delayed: AFT
Chandigarh, July 28
While granting reservist pension of an airman over three decades after he retired, the Armed Forces Tribunal has ruled that if the benefits are not released within the stipulated period, the onus of paying interest would fall on the official handling the matter.

No respite from cattle menace in sight
Zirakpur, July 28
It seems that the municipal council has failed to contain the cattle menace in town. With stray cattle posing a threat to a number of lives in the recent past, commuters on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway are a harried lot.



Stray cattle on a road in Zirakpur. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

National Consumer Forum
Soft drinks co told to pay Rs 50,000
Chandigarh, July 28
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Aradhana Soft Drinks Company in Ali Asgarpur village in Haryana to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to a complainant whose bottle contained a half-burnt bidi.

Mysterious death of PU student
Friends launch crusade against ‘honour killing’
Chandigarh, July 28
The unrest in student quarters of Panjab University due to alleged “honour killing” of former research scholar, Shama Shukla, seems to be far from ending. A candle light march was taken out this evening by residents of Sarojini hostel on the PU campus. Marching their way towards the student centre, girls of the hostel today expressed solidarity on the issue and demanded a probe into the untimely death of Shama.
Students of Panjab University light candles at Student Centre in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

Want to meet UT top bosses? wait till next week!
Chandigarh, July 28
Those residents looking forward to an appointment with the top functionaries of UT Administration will have to wait till the next week for the officials are off to New Delhi for a meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

Apni mandi for Sector 49, 51, Dadu Majra
Chandigarh, July 28
Apni Mandi and Day Market Committee of Municipal Corporation unanimously resolved today to hold the mandi in Sector 49, 51 and Dadu Majra. This decision was taken as per the reference received from the DC, UT, to hold the mandi in Sector 49 on Saturday, in Sector 51 on Tuesday and in Dadu Majra on Thursday.

Inquiry reports against Pbi varsity VC ignored
Chandigarh, July 28
Registration of criminal case against Punjabi University vice-chancellor S.S. Boparai was recommended in two successive inquiry reports by different superintendents of police, but government and the Vigilance Bureau disposed what the cops proposed.

Girl, paramour cooked up kidnapping
Mohali, July 28 The local police yesterday claimed to have solved the case of “kidnapping” of a 23-year-old girl, Balpreet, with the arrest of her boyfriend Avinash Garg, alias Rahul. Both wanted to marry against the wishes of their parents.

Vehicles taken at gunpoint reported as ‘simple’ theft
Mohali, July 28
In a bid to ease out crime rate, two vehicles that were taken away at gunpoint by unknown persons here have been shown as cases of ‘simple’ theft by the police.

CBI seizes CTU records
Chandigarh, July 28
A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today seized records of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) depot No. 2.

EDUCATION

Action against protesters
PUSU approaches VC
Chandigarh, July 28
The Panjab University Student’s Union (PUSU) today submitted a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor. The union was protesting against the authorities decision to deal with protesters strictly. Recently, the Dean Student Welfare (DSW) had issued a circular informing the student organisations that blocking vehicular movement on the campus would invite strict action.

Outsider slaps girl student in school
Chandigarh, July 28
In a bizarre incident, an outsider entered the premises of the Sector 32 Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS) and slapped a Class XII girl student during recess hour on Monday.

Second round of counselling at PEC begins
Chandigarh, July 28
The second round of joint admission counselling for engineering and architecture colleges in city commenced today at PEC University of Technology.

Construction of sports hostel at PU
Chandigarh, July 28
The issue of charging Rs 100 from each student to construct a new girls sports hostel on the Panjab University campus has not gone down well with students and their parents.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

1,000 I-T returns filed on Day I
Bassi Pathana, July 28
Considering the demands residents of Bassi Pathana, Khamano, Sanghol, Chunni and other surrounding areas, the Income Tax department organised a camp to collect Income Tax returns at Sirhind here today.

Property Dispute
Woman threatens to commit suicide
Ambala, July 28
Uma Jain (20), a resident of Ambala City, has threatened to commit suicide along with her son if she was not given justice within two days.

Admn to raze illegal houses tomorrow
Kalka, July 28
The local administration is all set to demolish houses near Kali Mata temple here on Friday. Informing this Yogesh Kumar, SDM Kalka, said administration was all prepared regarding the demolition drive. He said occupants of the houses that fall within the limits of the temple had been informed regarding the demolition drive.

Plantation drive for greener Patiala
Patiala, June 28
Big FM, Patiala, launched a plantation drive in the city. The aim was to plant as many as saplings in various parts of the city.

leads to nowhere

The damaged signboard displaying distance of nearby places confuses commuters at Ropar.  Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Identify shelters for runaway couples: HC
Chandigarh, July 28
Even as the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the identification of places in the two states and Chandigarh for providing “temporary shelter” to the runaway couples, Punjab unveiled its security policy suggesting the charging of fee for providing them with protection.

J&K Sex Scandal
Prosecution witnesses fail to depose
Chandigarh, July 28
CBI Special Judge Darshan Singh today adjourned the infamous Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal case as prosecution witnesses didn’t depose before the court as there was a curfew in Kashmir.

Chartered Accountant’s Murder
Case adjourned to August 23
Chandigarh, July 28
District Sessions Judge SK Goel today recorded the statement of two defense witnesses in the Chartered Accountant (CA) murder case, here. The case was adjourned to August 23.

Maya Suicide Case
Accused sent to judicial custody
Chandigarh, July 28
Within hours of arrest, Mercy Sebastian, who was booked for abetting Maya’s suicide, was produced before a local court and sent to judicial custody.

CRIME

Purse snatched
Panchkula, July 28
A boy snatched a purse from a woman near her house in Sector 7 here this evening. Rachna in her complaint to the police said she was returning to her house at about 8 pm after making some purchase from the market located in the same sector.

3 held for dowry death
Chandigarh, July 28
The police has arrested three members of a family on charges of dowry death in connection with the death of Rinku, who died at the PGI yesterday. She had allegedly consumed a poisonous substance.

One held for impersonation
Mohali, July 28
A person posing himself to be the OSD (officer on special duty) to the Punjab education minister was arrested by the police here today.

GMHS-36 emerge victorious
Chandigarh, July 28
Government Model High School, Sector 36 (GMSH-36), won the Pre-Subroto U-14 Championship after trailing St John’s High School by 6-0 in a curtailed final match at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, here today. The final match had to be stopped when St John’s team decided to leave the match midway after conceding six goals after around 30 minutes of the game.

Vineet outclasses Rohit
Panchkula, July 28
Coming from behind, Vineet Chauhan outclassed Rohit Bansal 3-2 in the senior snooker category on the third day of the Haryana State Billiards and Snooker Championship at the Haryana Billiards, Sector 11, here today.

All is not well with Pre-Subroto Cup
Chandigarh, July 28
The Pre-Subroto Cup Football (U-14) Tournament, which culminated today at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, was not more than a formality.

Haryana, Manipur to lock horns in final
Chandigarh, July 28
For the first time in the junior girls’ football national history, Haryana reached the final after trouncing defending champions, Orrisa, in a nail-biting match of the 9th Junior Nationals for Girls being held in the city.



Players in action during a football match in Chandigarh on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

City lad ranks second in IGU merit list
Chandigarh, July 28
Aadil Bedi is barely nine, but he has already carved a niche for himself in the junior golf. The class IV student of Vivek High School is just back after rubbing shoulders with top junior golfers of the world at the Asia Pacific and the Callaway World Cup.

Judo meet from July 31
Chandigarh, July 28
The Amateur Judo Association, Chandigarh, will organise the Sub-Junior State Judo Championship at Ajit Karam Singh Public School, Sector 41, from July 31.