Panchkula, February 23
The market of Sector 7 here turned into a fortress this evening when the shopkeepers, irked over an anti-encroachment drive, smashed an official vehicle. Fearing public fury, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) Administrator Rajender Kataria allegedly fled from the spot. The shopkeepers stoned a canter of HUDA, loaded with goods seized by the enforcement wing, and tried to set it on fire.

The situation was brought under control after a few market committee members intervened. HUDA later lodged a complaint with the police against the shopkeepers.

The shopkeepers alleged that HUDA officials were taking away the goods seized without issuing receipts. The officials also took away the cash box of one of the shopkeepers, they alleged.

Interestingly, the police lodged a DDR against Kataria for causing damage to the property of Jaspal Singh Jassi, a shopkeeper, and attacking and threatening him.

A complaint was lodged at the Sector-5 police station in this regard by the shopkeeper. Jassi’s medical examination confirmed a fracture on one of his fingers.

Kataria, however, refuted the allegations, saying he was not even a part of the enforcement team involved in the anti-encroachment drive.

“I went there to see the property of HUDA lying vacant. There is no question of coming into contact with the shopkeepers in this regard,” he said.

It was only a coincidence that the enforcement wing was involved in the anti-encroachment drive the same evening, added Kataria.

Jassi alleged that employees of the enforcement wing were busy in loading refrigerators on the HUDA vehicle after lifting those from his shop when they asked him to help them, but he refused.

He added that this annoyed them and one of the officials accompanying Kataria twisted his fingers with an iron tool. He requested Kataria to save him, who, instead, moved away along with his subordinate, alleged Jassi.

HUDA employees tried to leave the spot without issuing receipts against the articles seized, which agitated the shopkeepers, who shut their shops and started throwing stones on them, he said.

Immediately after this, a heavy police posse reached the spot. Local MLA DK Bansal and BJP leader Sanjay Ahuja also condemned HUDA for not complying with rules during the drive.

Such a drive was necessary to maintain the beauty of the town, but this did not allow bureaucrats to work in a dictatorial manner, they said.

Panchkula’s Superintendent of Police Manish Chaudhary also reached the spot and listened to the grievances of the shopkeepers.

Chandigarh, February 23
The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), the monopolistic construction arm of the Chandigarh administration, seems to have fallen on bad days with the development work coming to a standstill in the past over three years.

Mandated to provide reasonably-priced, good-quality housing for the homeless persons residing in Chandigarh, the board seems to be the victim of official apathy. That is perhaps the reason that not a brick had been laid in the last two housing schemes floated by the board.

While the people seeking a dream house in Chandigarh is at the receiving end of the administration-controlled department, there is perpetual resentment in its workforce, who recently went on strike on the issue of the pension scheme.

The allottees of the general housing scheme in Sector 63, launched in 2007-08, have paid lakhs of rupees to the CHB, but the work is yet to commence. Similar is the fate of the special UT employees housing scheme in Sectors 52, 53 and 54, whose draw of lot was held last year after over two years’ legal battle.

Not to talk of the housing schemes, the much-touted slum rehabilitation project of the UT administration, as part its social commitment, is facing derailment owing to shortage of funds.

Last year, the CHB and the Finance Department locked horns over the poor financial health of the once cash-rich organisation, which is virtually in the red now. Chairman of the CHB Mohanjeet Singh, who is on his way out, went on record to blame the UT Finance Department for the fragile financial condition of the CHB. He had accused the Finance Department of retaining funds amounting to Rs 621 crore generated through a tie-up between the CHB and Parsvnath Developers Limited for the high-end residential Prideasia project in the IT Park here in the joint escrow account. The Prideasia project, touted to be a milestone in the public-private sector partnership, is currently under arbitration. And recently, the board invited the ire of Union Minister Pawsan Bansal for pricing of two-bed room apartment for its housing scheme in Sector 50 at Rs 50 lakh and scheme’s brochure at Rs 1,000 each.

Chandigarh, February 23
A 12-year-old boy was crushed under a tractor-trailer near the Colony No. 4 here today. The victim, Rakesh Kumar, alias Munna, who came under the front wheel of the vehicle, died on the spot.

The mishap took place around 12:30 pm when the child, a student of Class IV of a government school in the colony, was on his way to give lunch to his father at Hallomajra.

His father, Maan Singh, is a rag-picker. The child was the only son of his parents. They have three daughters. The boy was hit by the rashly driven tractor-trailer while crossing the road.

Rakesh was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, where he was declared brought dead. The driver, Jasbir Singh, a resident of SAS Nagar, absconded from the spot with the vehicle, but was later arrested.

Residents of the area staged a protest at the accident site, alleging that the police control room vehicle reached the spot over 30 minutes after the call.

The commotion was controlled after the police intervened and the driver was arrested. The police registered a case of causing death due to negligence under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code.

Chandigarh, February 23
Panjab University’s board of finance today decided to set aside a fund with Rs 25 lakh corpus for spurring innovative ideas, projects and research by varsity students. This fulfils the long standing demand of the students, particularly those in departments offering professional courses like the University Institute of Engineering and Technology, who have developed new gadgets but have had to bear the cost themselves.

Despite having won prestigious national awards for their innovative gadgets, these PU wizards were compelled to pay the project costs in the absence of such a fund. Some students enrolled in professional courses and science departments said procuring funds from PU for such projects was so cumbersome that they preferred to seek sponsors from outside the varsity.

“We’ve won awards at technology festivals held at most of the premier engineering colleges in the county. But we were too hesitant to seek sponsorship for our projects and didn’t want to go through the tedious process involved,” said a UIET student on condition of anonymity.

Members of PU’s board of finance also approved the institution of the Young Scientist Award with a cash prize of Rs 20,000 or more, which would be given to students doing “exceptional” research work on the campus. Additionally, no increase in tuition fees was proposed in the varsity’s annual budget for fiscal 2011-12.

The budget has also allocated Rs 3 to Rs 5 crore for a “hi-tech” student centre on the varsity’s Sector 25 campus. “The centre will be fully air-conditioned. A similar amount has also been sanctioned for an Astroturf hockey ground. The Young Scientist Award has been instituted and there won’t be any hike in tuition fees,” said PU vice chancellor RC Sobti.

Chandigarh, February 23
With a collection of Rs 981 crore in the form of commercial taxes till January, 2011 already, the cash-rich UT has hit an all-time high in tax revenue generation. Sources say so far there has been a 30 per cent increase in the net collection as compared to the corresponding month of the last fiscal.

The statistics records of the UT Excise and Taxation Department revealed that while in 2009-10 fiscal, the net collection of taxes was Rs 787.78 crore, this year the figure has already reached Rs 981 crore by the end of the third quarter (up to January 31, 2011).

The trend is likely to continue and the figure is expected to cross the magical figure of Rs 1,000 crore this financial year, says the sources.

Simplified and computerised procedure for applying for registration certificate and their tracking, commodity-wise statistical analysis practice and special campaigns for checking of issuance of bills in markets are some of the main factors responsible for the increase in tax generation, add the sources.

Besides, huge growth in the automobile sector and an increase in inflation have pushed the tax revenue to new heights.

The passenger tax head witnessed a mammoth increase of 74 per cent in comparison to the corresponding period of last fiscal, while the net collection in sales tax (value added tax central sales tax, up to January 31, 2011) alone was over Rs 846 crore, around 30 per cent more than that of the last year.

In other taxes like state excise tax, entertainment tax, an increase of 25.42 per cent and 33.23 per cent, respectively, has been witnessed this year.

Chandigarh, February 23
After a day-long protest by BJP leaders, along with 11 booth owners at the Sadar Bazaar, Sector 19, against the demolition drive of the enforcement department of the municipal corporation (MC), the authorities today gave them relaxation to vacate shops voluntarily by March 1.

As the enforcement team went to conduct a demolition drive in the market, the shopkeepers staged an angry protest against them, alleging that the authorities were indulging in an unlawful act.

BJP leaders also joined the protest and complained that the MC was ignoring the stay order for these booths secured from court.

The enforcement inspector produced a court order which stated that all the 11 shops were illegal and should be demolished by the authorities concerned.

When the shopkeepers were asked to show the stay order, they failed to do so, but continued their protest in the market.

BJP’s Chandigarh unit president Sanjay Tandon approached MC Commissioner Roshan Sunkaria, asking him to intervene and put the enforcement drive on hold.

Sources said the Commissioner refused to intervene, but after a two-hour discussion with the shopkeepers, MC Additional Commissioner Lalit Siwach asked the shopkeepers to submit an affidavit that they would vacate the booths by March 1.

According to the affidavit, the shopkeepers would vacate the booths themselves if the order in the case pending in court went against them on March 1, the next date of hearing.

On January 31, the enforcement department sealed all 11 booths on the plea that it would cross-check the documents about the stay order. After checking it, officials found that the period of the stay order had ended, due to which action was being taken.

Chandigarh, February 23
As the Union Railway Minister, Mamta Bannerjee, presents the Railway Budget in Parliament tomorrow, people of City Beautiful hope for announcement of direct trains to Amritsar, Mumbai and Patna. City residents have raised the demand seeking direct trains to long destinations like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. But it is yet to become a reality. People of the city have to take trains from Ambala for different destinations like Mumbai and Patna.

Given the fact that there is a large migrant population in the city, a direct train for Patna has been their long-pending demand. Besides, there is huge rush of pilgrims to Patna Sahib, the birthplace of the Tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh.

There is no direct train link between Amritsar and Chandigarh. Earlier, there was a proposal for running a Duronto train from Chandigarh to Amritsar via Ludhiana and Jalandhar. In fact, it was announced during the last Railway Budget. But the decision is yet to be implemented.

The doubling of the Chandigarh-Ambala rail track has been hanging fire for the last three years. This could help improving the speed of the trains, besides safe journey.

City residents also demand the extension of the Chandigarh-Jaipur train up to Ahmedabad. Modernisation of the Chandigarh railway station has also been a long-pending demand of residents.

While the industry hopes that there is no increase in the freight, there is a strong demand for sanctioning new railway track to the industrial town of Baddi in Himachal Pradesh.

Although people do not expect the Railway Minister to do wonders in this budget, they still hope she can do better this time. “Let us hope that she does not make bogus claims,” they remarked, hoping that the budget will ensure that the Railways chugs according to modern times and needs.

Mohali, February 23
A 10-year-old child artiste, who had acted in a Bollywood film, had staged a kidnapping drama here yesterday forcing the police to remain on its toes for sometime. Sahibjot Singh (10), who had acted in “Yamla, Pagla, Deewana”, is a student of Shivalik Public School, Phase VI.

He had claimed that he was allegedly kidnapped by seven persons from the Phase I market. He had said that he was able to escape from their clutches after jumping from their van when the vehicle stopped in the market.

DSP Raka Ghira, who had investigated the case, said the child had apologised for his mistake. She said Sahibjot had told his teacher in charge about the “lie”. When she (DSP) went to the school today to meet his teacher, she was told that the child had admitted his mistake.

The DSP said a relative of Sahibjot had approached the police yesterday complaining that seven persons had tried to kidnap the child. He was pulled into a van by them but the child managed to rescue.

She said the police was suspicious from the beginning. She had taken the child along with her to various areas to know about the entire story, but the information provided by him was not convincing.

The child, however, could not tell why he had concocted such a story. According to his parents, Sahibjot was crying when he had reached home, added the DSP.

Chandigarh, February 23
Adding a fresh row to the dress code issue on Panjab University campus, students of the University Institute of Hotel Management and Tourism (UIHMT) today staged a protest outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office expressing their resentment on five different sets of uniform worn by them.

Backed by Sukhjit Singh Brar’s lobby of Panjab University Student Union (PUSU), UIHMT students also lodged a protest against the ailing condition of the department. Alleging to go on a hunger strike on Monday, these students said their primary demand was to reducing the pass percentage for promotion in UIHMT.

“Currently 36 per cent is required in individual subjects and 50 per cent in aggregate for a student to pass the examinations in UIHMT. This aggregate must be 45 per cent instead of 50 per cent,” said Brar.

He added that the students were required to wear different uniforms for food production (chef costume), house keeping (white uniform), front office (black uniform), theory classes (black uniform) and separate dress for food and beverage practical classes.

Responding to the plea of the students, dean student welfare Naval Kishore said, “We cannot lower the academic standards of the university. The decision of lowering the percentage has to be taken at the Senate level and cannot be resolved through dharnas.”

He added that the students did not have anything concrete to say or protest. Amarpal Kang, a UIHMT student, said, “We are paying Rs 30,000 as a fee to the university for providing us best facilities. But the facilities being provided are nothing compared to the fee charged.”

Chandigarh, February 23
Terming the sealing of 12 sheds by the municipal corporation in Sadar Bazar market of Sector 19 on January 31 unlawful, a delegation of shopkeepers and BJP members met with MC Commissioner Roshan Sunkaria here on Monday.

The delegation complained that the MC enforcement department issued notices to the shed owners to vacate the sheds and later sealed their shops by ignoring the stay orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Sunkaria assured the delegation of taking appropriate action in case of anomaly.

Demanding the withdrawal of the sealing orders, the shopkeepers requested the MC Commissioner to take action against the officers who had not verified the court orders before taking action against the shed owners.

The delegation also submitted a memorandum to the UT Home Secretary.

Chandigarh, February 23
With a new funding pattern now, Panjab University (PU) today sanctioned a budget deficit (sic) of Rs 222 crore for the academic session 2011-2012, of which Rs 202 crore is likely to be met by the Union government and Rs 20 crore by the Punjab government.

In a crucial decision, the university’s board of finance also sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore each for four new rural colleges to be established as constituent institutes of PU.

The university’s total budget estimate for 2011-2012 is Rs 347 crore, of which Rs 145 crore has been its income from different sources.

Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned for providing common facilities with modern infrastructure, along with a cafeteria and other facilities for students of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), University Institute of Applied Management Sciences (UIAMS) and Dr HS Judge Institute of Dental Sciences at the university’s south campus in Sector 25.

Rs 6.85 lakh has also been provided for programme production of the community radio station of PU in the School of Communication Studies, inaugurated recently by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.

Rs 2 crore has been set apart for the construction of the alumni house and an equal amount earmarked for the construction of the community centre. Rs 1 crore have been set apart for setting and developing of laboratories for the usage for practical by UIET students.

In the sanctioned budget, a provision of Rs 2 crore is also there for the construction of old age home, as a part of the university’s community development programme.

As another measure for the development of sports infrastructure for the students, a provision of Rs 5 crore have been made for the astro turf of the hockey ground.

While Rs 5 crore have been provided for the establishment of technology incubator, wherein world-class testing facility shall be made available for the university as well as industries, said university sources.

Rs 9.71 crore have been provided for the construction of hostels at the PU’s south campus in Sector 25.

Chandigarh, February 23
With Classes X and XII board examinations commencing next month, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has started its question paper feedback mechanism called “observation scheme”. The board has put forth this scheme as a solution to complaints being received over the last few years alleging that the CBSE question papers have questions which are “out of syllabus” or “incomprehensible”.

Under this scheme, the board will be keenly following the feedback on the question papers set for Classes X and XII. The feedback will be provided by schoolteachers, principals, those in charge of examination centres and superintendents within 24 hours of the examination. Their observations will be made available to subject experts, who are preparing the marking scheme.

“Every year we have complaints about the question papers being set from topics out of the specified syllabus. There are also several questions, which turn out to be incomprehensible. While in a subject like science it’s diagrams, which are claimed to be misleading, in mathematics, it’s figures and accusations. Though the board does review all these complaints and take care of them in the marking scheme, this system will help us to improve the quality of papers year after year. The observation scheme has been developed to give importance to the feedback on the question papers and redress students’ grievances,” said a CBSE official from Panchkula.

“There are times when examinees put forth doubts or claims regarding the question papers, which cannot be sought by invigilators or even centre superintendents. While these children demand immediate redressal and at times assurance of compensation in marking scheme, the centre heads are in for a lot of trouble. This system will not only help in improving the quality of question papers but will also ensure that every single doubt raised by students reaches the board and is attended to,” said Madhu Bahal, principal, KBDAV, Sector 7.

CHANDIGARH: A refresher course under the aegis of Academic Staff College, Panjab University, conducted by the department of physical education on the theme “Challenges of social exclusion and inclusive policy of physical education in India”. It was inaugurated by Prof Bhupinder Singh Brar, dean university instruction, PU, yesterday. Dr Jayenti Dutta, deputy director, Academic Staff College, PU, appraised the participants about the refresher course.