Chandigarh, August 27
The traffic police’s slogan “Speed thrills, but kills” seems to have no meaning for today’s youngsters.

The second day of the special drive against underage driving by the Chandigarh Police witnessed zero effect on the youngsters, who were found zooming their motorbikes on the city roads without any fear of law and order.

During its visit to several schools in the morning hours and afternoon today, a Tribune team found that the menace was continuing unabated. Many school-going children were found using motorbikes, scooters and four-wheelers to reach their respective schools.

It’s not just overspeeding but various other offences like driving without helmet or seat belt, using wrong lanes for shortcuts, having three to four pillion riders which seem to be the indispensable part of minor driving.

On being asked why they (the youngsters) do not use helmet while driving two-wheelers, Rachit, a student of a local college, immediately answered: “Sir, it (helmet) destroys our hairstyle.” While another student, Sanam said, “If we wear helmet, how can others recognise us? Riding motorbikes wearing helmet is just considered ‘down market’ among the girls.”

When asked whether they have no fear of challans, Sanam added that his father was an influential officer. “We always manage whenever cops catch us,” he said.

On their part, the Chandigarh Police did not lay special nakas in front of any of the local schools. “Actually, we have started several drives simultaneously against the various offences, including overspeeding, drunken driving, underage driving and vehicle checking of a particular area after its isolation. Underage driving is also our prime concern, we will discourage it while laying nakas in front of the schools every now and then,” said HS Doon, SP (Traffic).

The police officer reiterated that by laying nakas in front of the schools, the police just aimed at discouraging underage driving. “For the purpose, we are also contacting the school authorities for holding time-to-time awareness campaigns among the students and their parents as well. Now we also invite the parents of the students during such an event,” said Doon.

Chandigarh, August 27
Swine flu has taken its first toll in the tricity this year, with the death of a Sector 36 resident at Fortis Hospital in Mohali late last night. Gurmeet Singh (43) was admitted to the hospital under critical condition last week.

Nodal officer of the Chandigarh Administration Abha Rana said the family was advised to take the body with proper wrapping to the cremation ground directly for the last rituals. All people involved in the cremation were provided personal protection equipment, she said.

Neighbours of Gurmeet, who did not know that Gurmeet had died of swine flu, reached the cremation ground. Later, many of them started complaining of symptoms of swine flu and were administered Tamiflu, added Rana.

Gurmeet had no history of foreign travel and the source of infection to him could not be identified, said the nodal officer.

A press release from Fortis said the patient was brought to the hospital on August 20 in a very critical condition. He was admitted with high blood pressure, pneumonitis and plural effusion. He was diagnosed as HINI positive. He was put on ventilator from the first day. He died of cardiac arrest last night, said the release.

At Chandigarh hospitals where 59 deaths were reported due to swine flu last year, a total of three confirmed cases of H1N1 have reached till now. The other two patients have been discharged after they recovered from the flu.

The family members had been quarantined since Gurmeet was diagnosed as suffering from the flu.

Last year on September 28, Harshita, a 12-year-old student of Chaman Vatika Public School from Ambala was the first victim of swine flu in the region. She died at Chaitanya Hospital.

More than 800 samples of suspected patients of swine flu were taken at tricity hospitals last year. Out of this, 350 cases were confirmed and 59 of them had died. Only eight of the deceased belonged to Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, August 27
The Bulbul case is set to take a toll on medical fraternity in the city. With the UT Legal Remembrancer (LR) preparing a strong case against the medical fraternity, including four doctors, for their alleged role in the death of a newborn at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, on July 21, many heads will roll when the report of the two-member committee is submitted to Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator Shivraj Patil for action.

The LR is preparing a foolproof case against those indicted by the committee, comprising ADC PS Shergill and GMCH director-principal Raj Bahadur. The committee had reportedly pinpointed “criminal negligence” on the part of the medical staff.

Presently, evidence is being examined against the indicted medical staff. “This was being done to make a foolproof case so that there were no legal complications at the later stage. As criminal negligence had been pointed out in the report, justice demanded that the indicted official were given a fair chance to defend themselves,” a senior official said.

Since doctors were gazetted officers, any action against them could only be initiated at the level of the UT Administrator, the official said, adding the administration wanted to sent a clear signal that the guilty would be punished.

On July 21, Bulbul was forced to shift from one room to another at the GMSH following which she delivered at the OPD counter and the head of the baby reportedly hit the floor, causing instant death.

An inquiry conducted by GMSH officials termed the incident as an outcome of a “technical and system failure”. However, Ram Niwas, Home-cum-Health Secretary, ordered another inquiry on the plea that the report was “sketchy with gaping holes”. The preliminary post-mortem report had mentioned a blood clot in the head while the report of the histopathology test confirmed the baby was born alive.

Panchkula, August 27
Former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, who reportedly has 6 acres of agricultural land in Raipur Rani and had applied for parole, had allegedly never visited the site for cultivating the land during his service tenure.

Villagers said they had never seen the supercop cultivating the land during the past four decades. A few of them said they had seen the former DGP only on TV but never seen him in the village.

According to sources in the district administration, the naib tehsildar, after inspecting the land in Raipur Rani, has submitted his report to the SDM. The naib tehsildar, in his report, has reportedly said that out of the 6 acres of land, 3 acres were lying idle, while barley and paddy were being grown in 2 and 1 acre, respectively. He further mentioned that transplantation had already been done about two months ago and harvesting of the crop was likely to be done in November.

The SDM is likely to submit his report to the Deputy Commissioner Ashima Garg on Monday.

It is pertinent to mention here that former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, who is serving a two-year term in Burail jail of Chandigarh in the Ruchika Gilhotra molestation case, has applied for parole, citing cultivation of agriculture land as the main reason.

The DC said even though she had received the report from the SP, she was yet to receive the report from the SDM. She said she was yet to go through the SP’s report, as she was busy with the work during the past two days. She said reports of the SP and SDM would be compiled and forwarded to the Inspector-General of Jails.

Anand Parkash who had been in the forefront fighting the Ruchika molestation case against Rathore alleged that there was pressure on the district administration to give its approval for parole to former DGP. He said they would be forced to move court if the district administration gave its approval for releasing the former supercop on parole. He also claimed that Rathore had never taken a single leave during his service tenure for cultivating the land, as he used to send his men for the job.

Chandigarh, August 27
Veggies may still be acting pricy, but city residents can savour some fruit. With the prices of apples hitting a low of Rs 25-40 per kg (less than most vegetables), it is time to have as much of the fruit as possible. With incessant rains and floods hitting transportation and supply of vegetables to the city, price of potatoes and onion have shot up by Rs 2 per kg in the past two days. The price of lady finger, too, has shot up by Rs 5 a kg, with the vegetable now retailing at Rs 35 a kg.

In case of vegetables like peas, cauliflower and tomatoes, there has been no change in their price. While peas are retailing at Rs 65-70 a kg, tomatoes at Rs 40 a kg, and cauliflower is available at Rs 60-70 a kg.On the other hand, fruit prices have dropped significantly compared to last year. The kinnaur apple is retailing at Rs 30 a kg in apni mandis compared to Rs 60 a kg last year. Though priced higher compared to last year, bananas (at Rs 35- 40 a dozen) are still cheaper than most vegetables.

Chandigarh, August 27
The state unit of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha today protested against the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation for increasing water tariff at a recent house meeting.

Yuva Morcha activists gathered outside the corporation building in Sector 17 and raised slogans against the MP and Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, Mayor and Congress councillors of Chandigarh for increasing the water tariff.

The protest was held under the leadership of Maheshinder Singh Sidhu, president of Yuva Morcha.

Maheshinder Singh Sidhu said the hike, in the name of raising resources, was unjustified and would burden the common man.

Residents would not tolerate this sudden increase and would give a befitting reply. The youths then proceeded towards the Mayor’s office and were stopped at the gate by the police, after which they sat in front of the gate, where they were addressed by Desraj Gupta, acting state president of BJP and BJP leaders Satya Pal Jain, Satinder Singh, Arun Sood and Ramvir Bhatti, along with other leaders.

Chandigarh, August 27
Asking the ICICI Home Finance Company to overhaul the loan account, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed manager of the company to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 for causing harassment to a complainant.

Pronouncing the orders, the forum said, “We are of the considered opinion that the present complaint succeeds. The company is directed to overhaul the loan account of complainant Muni Lal Sharma and to issue a simpler statement of the account, which could be understood by a common man and they should desist from imposing any illegal and unnecessary charges on the complainants.”

Muni Lal, a resident of Panchkula, stated in the complaint that he had got a loan sanctioned by the company on July 19, 2001, for which EMI of Rs 2,513 was fixed to be paid. The loan was enhanced by Rs 60,000 with a sanction letter dated February 25, 2002 and an EMI of Rs 3,018 was fixed, but “accrued interest certificate” was issued for a number of years for loan amount of Rs 2 lakh only.

Despite several telephonic reminders and e-mails, the signed copy of the agreement in both cases was not given to them. After the submission of new cheque for EMI of Rs 3,018, the earlier cheques of EMI of Rs 2,513 were not returned to him. On September 20, 2008, he deposited Rs 90,000 with the company, as a part payment of loan but the same was not adjusted against the said loan.

The complainant stopped the payment of EMI in the month of May 2009 and informed the company to resolve the issue. Muni Lal then received three “loan recall notice” on September 15, 2009 wherein the outstanding amount of loan had been shown as Rs 1,30,880.

In its reply, the company stated that there was a system error and unfortunately the fresh loan account was not generated immediately.

Mohali, August 27
While the Punjab transport department claims to have computerised the process of issuing driving licence and registration at the Mohali office of the district transport office (DTO), the registration certificates (RC) required to resell vehicles are not available at the office.

As a result, officials in the Mohali DTO office are issuing the RC on a paper that has no details about the engine and chassis number, period for which the road tax has been paid and other necessary details. Most of the times, the provisional card sold by vendors outside the DTO office is out of stock.

Shanta Kumari, a resident of Phase III, who bought a second hand scooter from a Phase IX resident, was issued RC on a paper and was told to get it laminated.

“The document has no details to prove the authenticity of the document,” she added.

It is important to mention that the official website of the transport department points out that the district transport office in Mohali was fully computerised, as Sarathi (software for the computerisation of learner’s licences, driving licences, conductor licences) has been installed. VAHAN software has also been installed for the computerisation of registration of vehicles.

All the jobs related to vehicle registration are computerised, but still the DTO office is unable to provide registration certificate for vehicles previously registered with transport authorities of other states.

Chandigarh, August 27
Less than a month after an NGO sought directions to the Union Ministry of External Affairs for arranging its visit to the UAE for pleading the case of Indians lodged in prisons there, the ministry has made it clear that the Indian consulate was providing them complete legal aid.

The MEA added there was no need for sending a local lawyer. Moreover, only lawyers with Emirate nationality could argue cases in the local court and foreigners were not permitted to represent clients. In an affidavit, regional passport officer Vitul Kumar said there were 1,361 Indian prisoners confined in jails abroad. Dubai has 766 Indian prisoners, Sharjah 359, Ajman 109, Umm Alwain 18, Al Khawa 63 and Furjairah 46.

The MEA claimed consulate officials periodically visited the jails to ascertain the welfare of Indian prisoners. In the petition, the Lawyers for Human Rights International through advocate Navkiran Singh had asserted 17 Indians, facing the gallows for killing a Pakistani in Dubai, were tortured in police custody. To make the matter worse, nobody from the Indian Consulate visited them.

The petition said: “These youths disclosed horrendous tales of torture by the CID branch of the Sharjah police for nine days”.

It further stated that they were subjected to “electric shocks and beatings with golf sticks and plastic pipes”, while being forced to make “confession of the crime”.

The petition added: “They also reported that their religious symbols of Sikhism were degraded. Throughout the time they were in police custody almost till they were convicted, no body from the Indian Consulate ever visited them.”

Mohali, August 27
Heaps of debris left over from construction work lying at unauthorised spots are making the town ugly, even as the Municipal Council has failed to persuade GMADA to transfer “malba fee” to it for the work.

A municipal councillor at a meeting of councillors and others with Chief Minister Parkash Singh raised the issue at GMADA office here yesterday. Councillor Sukhminder Singh Barnala said at the meeting that the town should not be turned into a “malba house” and timely action should be taken to develop various neglected areas so that the people were not tempted to use these spots for dumping debris.

Heaps of debris from construction and renovation activity can often be seen lying outside homes or other premises here marring the look of the area and turning it into a source of inconvenience and nuisance for residents.

The “malba” usually lies for long periods after the construction work is over obstructing footpaths, roads or even defacing parts of parks. The situation is worsening with GMADA yet to earmark specific sites for the purpose and fixing heavy fines for the violation of the rules. Heaps of debris can be seen lying near Phase XI, on the dividing road of Phase III B 2 and Sector 71, in the vacant area separating Phase V and industrial area, along the main road in Phase IV and unkept vacant spaces in the residential area.

Barnala said that as no site was earmarked by GMADA for dumping malba, the same was thrown according to the convenience of “rehriwallas” who were asked to lift it. Residents were not bothered to check whether the malba generated by them was being dumped at the right spot.

The civic body officials said that lifting malba from various parts of the town had become a headache for the council. The Municipal Council had asked GMADA to transfer the collection of “malba fee” to the civic body as the authority had failed to get the debris removed despite collecting the fee from residents.

The council had also demanded through a letter written more than a year ago that the completion certificates of buildings should not be issued by GMADA till the “malba” was removed by those who carried out construction activity and these certificates should be given only after the civic body issued a no-objection certificates in this regard. But the council had failed to receive any response from 
GMADA so far.

Chandigarh, August 27
The serenity and splendour of the Hindustani classical music genre and the aesthetic brilliance of young maestro Shafqat Amanat Ali were at their zenith as the acclaimed pop Ustad illuminated the horizons of melody in an absorbing concert at the Tagore Theatre here today.

The rare musical spectacle brought to city by Routes 2 Routes, an NGO, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), featured Shafqat whose repertoire of songs was meticulously designed to mesmerise music lovers from all walks of life.

The magical power of his musical notes pulsating with the dynamism and luxuries of “sur, lya, tal” delicacy of lyrics, supportive musical accompaniment and above his spontaneous rapport with the audience made him a darling of the intrusive audience.

Be it the opening invocatory or “Ankhon ke saagar, Mora piya moh se bole na”, Shafqat created a spell with his potent and melodic renditions. He embellished his hit numbers with sprouts of electrifying “sargams” traversing in all octaves with adroit perfection. In fact he was more comfortable and melodious in upper octave, a rare trait.

His felicity and grounding in deep classical and Punjabi folk music was discernible as he sang a “ Mein nahin jaana khediyan de naal” as also “Yeh hausla kaise rukke..”. With a ghazal “Aaj jaane ki zid na karo..” immortalised by Freeda Khanam, the maestro joined the audience to share their musical potential in the ghazal rendition and also in “Tere bina..” and more numbers.

Contrary to his image of a pop Ustad, he was at his best in “Ajab khel kartar ke” and “Ya ali..” which he rendered in calm contemplation before the requests poured in for his hit numbers.

Earlier, Gyan Chand, regional director, ICCR, welcomed the chief guest Shivraj Patil, Governor Punjab, who inaugurated the programme and released Ustad Shafqat Amanat Ali’s new album “Kyon dooriyan” by Music Today. Raj Chengappa, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune group of newspapers, Ram Niwas, Rakesh Gupta of Routes 2 Routes and COO of Music Today Mala Sikkari and others graced the function.

Chandigarh, August 27
Even as the election to the post of Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC) president is slated for September 17, the
Congress high command has infused young blood in the reconstituted local body, including the Territorial Congress Committee (TCC).

All the three posts of the district presidents have gone to comparatively younger leaders. While former president of the Chandigarh Territorial Youth Congress (CTYC) HS Lucky has been made the president of District I, Poonam Sharma will be the president of District-II. MC councillor Jagjit Singh Kang will be the president of District (Rural).

The announcement was officially made by Oscar Fernandes, chairman, central election authority, at New Delhi today. The 23 delegates were also named for the TCC.

The stamp of local MP and Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Pawan Bansal is clearly visible in the nomination of the district presidents and the TCC members.

Sources said the high command wanted an activated local unit ahead of the 2011 MC elections. In the recent years, various posts of district presidents and TCC members had been held by the leaders who hardly had any presence at the grassroots level.

Though the reconstituted TCC and districts are flooded with Pawan Bansal loyalists, yet it needs to be seen whether they will be able to take the electorate with them in the forthcoming civic body elections.

With anti-incumbency staring the Congress in the face both at the Central and the local level, the new leaders would face an uphill task in the run-up to elections.

Chandigarh, August 27
Apni mandi of Sector 33 will be shifted to some other place in order to the vacant the space in front of petrol pump in Sector 34. This was decided at a meeting of apni mandi and day market committee held under the chairmanship of councillor Jagjit Singh Kang.

Members of the committee decided this with the consent of the area councillor. The area councillor requested to the committee that land, where existing mandi was located, residents complained about the parking problem, so it should be shifted to some other place.

Members also instructed the officials that there would be no mandi in Sector 51. It was further decided to start the mandi and day market in Sector 52 on every Tuesday and in Dadu Majra on every Thursday.

It has also been proposed that the area councillor will provide any of the two members of the ward committee of respective areas to inspect the apni mandi and day market site regarding cleanliness, rates and weight.

Chandigarh, August 27
A meeting of principals of the local colleges affiliated to Panjab University (in which election to the students bodies are to be held on the same date) with university officials and UT police officers was convened today at 3 pm.

This was followed by a meeting of chairpersons of all teaching departments of the university at 4 pm.

They were apprised in detail of the guidelines of the Lyngdoh Committee eligibility criteria for the candidates contesting election, election related expenditure, code of conduct, etc., and initiation of action against the students’ organisations in case of violation by the DSW.

The department chairpersons were told to ensure that no election related printed material should appear anywhere on the premises of the colleges and teaching departments of the university.

The authorities stated in an election summary, which was released today, that election to the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) was announced on September 26 in the presence of representatives of all students’ associations.

Functionaries of the DSW office stated that it was made clear to all student leaders that election will be held strictly in accordance with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.

With the announcement of the election, the code of conduct has come into force, said officials.

The PU authorities stated that the students and employees have been instructed to carry their identity cards along for verification on the campus to avoid any inconvenience and hardships to them.

The rallies on the campus by the students’ organisations with the imposition of the code of conduct stand banned.

However, the candidates as per Lyngdoh guidelines may with the permission of the university hold processions or public meetings, provided that such processions and public meetings do not disturb classes and other academic and co-curricular activities of the university.

Chandigarh, August 27
In a curious turn of events, DAV College, Sector 10, has requested the UT Administration to allow it to cancel election and go in for unanimous selection of campus president.

Irate over the pre-election “nuisance”, which has become a characteristic of the college in the past few years, college principal BC Josan has once again revived his demand, which was stalled a few days back.

“I received a letter from DAV College today wherein the principal has informed me that the college will be going in for unanimous election of president. This is being done to deal with the campus nuisance and violence. The letter claims that the student leaders are being consulted for the same option,” revealed director higher education Ajoy Sharma.

The provocation for this letter came following a minor verbal spat between two parties at the college campus. Sensing the speculated trouble, principal BC Josan summoned all party representatives.

“I met party presidents of all student parties today. I have asked them to consider selecting a deserving candidate unanimously. The boys have been given a day’s time to decide. I had raised demand for cancellation of election but stalled the decision after being assured of discipline. I have written to DHE because as a principal, I consider cancellation of election as best in students’ interest,” said Josan.

Earlier this month, the principal had sought cancellation of election after a bloody clash between supporters of the Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) and Panjab University Student Union (PUSU) on the college campus.

Chandigarh, August 27
Ahead of the student elections on Panjab University campus, there is a sudden increase in the number of swanky cars and SUVs parked in the hostel parking lots.

Despite election code of conduct, cars of party supporters, parked outside each department, shows the craze among students for SUVs in particular, during the election.

Due to their spacious nature, Scorpio and Bolero are the two most widely spotted cars on the campus, adorned with stickers of various parties.

Following the formal announcement of the student elections on August 26, the student organisations are now holding rallies on foot due to the election code of conduct and rallying around cars with stickers of different parties is now prohibited.

“Most student leaders urge their friends, classmates and acquaintances to bring their cars on the campus during election time. It’s right time to show power and strength of the party and the best way is to do it with rallying around cars,” said a final-year student of UILS.

“We generally ask our hostel friends, who have their own cars to get them along during election time to show strength. It’s a great way to impress the voters and now that the student organisations have put up their desks on campus, parking cars next to them is an annual ritual and most convenient way of showing strength,” said a supporter of PUSU party.

Chandigarh, August 27
Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) leader Udey Wirring today levelled eve-teasing charges against members of the rival student party, Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), for teasing girls at an election rally.

Wirring, in a written complaint to the Sector 24 police post, said that the stickers were torn off from the clothes of girls outside the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) on the PU south campus, Sector 25. Alleging that their rivals eve-teased certain girls during their rally, the PUSU leader also asked the police officials to lodge an FIR in the case and take action in the matter.

Police sources, however, dismissed the accusations and said that a student had torn off a shirt of another student. They did not confirm any incident of eve-teasing.

With the complaint made today, the mud slinging has begun just when the elections for the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) are round the corner.

“SOPU leaders have crossed all limits of decency today. Misbehaving with girls in particular, is not acceptable in the name of elections. We demand an action against them by the PU authorities and the police,” said PUSU leader Simrandeep Dhillon.

Responding to the allegations levelled by PUSU, SOPU leader Harsh Vardhan Singh said, “It is just petty politics by PUSU as they have no real election issue. Our election rally was a huge hit today among students and was appreciated by all. The allegations are baseless and the police has just registered a daily diary report (DDR) and even the police did not find it worth to lodge an FIR,” SOPU leader Harsh Vardhan said.

Mount Carmel School organised a three-day conference “Carmel MUN’10”, which began on Friday. More than 15 schools of the city participated in the event. School’s principal Swati said, “MUN discusses the issues and problems faced by the world today. Children are the most valuable resources and it is good to see that they all over the world are doing marvellous jobs to protect the world.”