Chandigarh, March 8
When it comes to residential property prices, Chandigarh, Le Corbusier’s architectural wonder, is in the Metro league. With property prices being quoted at almost a whopping Rs 9,000 per square foot in Sector 51-A, owing a house seems to have become out of the reach of even the middle class.

In fact, in the backdrop of yesterday’s bid money of Rs 89.5 lakh for the ground floor and Rs 87.5 lakh for the first floor under the assured allotment scheme in the Sector 51-A of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), the prices are set to soar further.

While the cash-starved CHB laughs its way to the bank, the unexpected prices, observers feel were much higher than the peripheral areas of the major metropolitan cities — New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. “The prices are certainly higher than those quoted by builders in the vicinity of the metropolitan cities. Besides, the prices are also much higher than those quoted by developers constructing apartments in Panchkula and Mohali,” property observer Harish Gupta stated.

This is in sharp contrast to Zirakpur, Chandigarh’s nearby suburb, where the going rate is in the range of Rs 2,000 to 3,000 per square foot depending upon the quality of construction and location.

The reason for the highly inflated price is not far to seek. “Chandigarh offers world-class standard of living at Indian prices, making it the most-sought-after destination of the people from neighbouring states and NRIs,” claimed BK Sanghi, president of the Haryana Group Housing Federation. The CHB had come out with a housing scheme comprising 160 flats in Sector 51 late last year. In fact, the sale prices announced by the Board at Rs 50 lakh for the two bedroom flats having an area of around 1,075 square feet had come in for severe criticism from various quarters, who termed it as “highly-priced”.

Chandigarh, March 8
With the hearing of the PIL filed in the Khushpreet case scheduled for tomorrow in the Punjab and Haryana Court, the UT police is set to file a detailed reply in court.

The reply has been prepared by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the case.

Sources said the reply revolves around 18 crucial points that have come up during investigations including the number of suspects, those were interrogated and quizzed by SIT, behavior of Sukhwinder Singh, uncle of victim Khushi, who handed over the ransom amount to kidnappers.

The reply also focuses on the mystery over the white school uniform and the blue patka, which was worn by Khushpreet on the day his body was found on January 5 this year. Khushi was not wearing the same uniform found with his body on the day he was kidnapped on December 22, 2010, and this revelation has baffled the investigators. The patka has been sent to the CFSL and the report is currently awaited.

The World Human Rights Protection Forum had filed an application in the Punjab and Haryana high court on February 1 and high court had issued a notice to Chandigarh for filing of reply on March 9.

Around 200 persons were interrogated during the investigation and SIT investigation also pointed towards the attitude of Sukhwinder Singh, the child’s uncle. Several contradictions have been found in the statements of Sukhwinder Singh and the police has added this in its reply to be filed tomorrow.

Chandigarh, March 8
Passing the third order ever since its inception, the Police Complaint Authority (PCA) has recommended the suspension of a Police Sub Inspector posted with the Women Cell for adopting delaying tactics in handling a case and failing to act against the accused, enabling him to abscond. Earlier, the PCA had also recommended suspension of a constable and head constable while disposing off two separate cases last month.

The PCA recommended the suspension of Sub Inspector Kuldeep Singh. In its order, chairman PCA (retd) Justice NK Aggarwal stated, “It is clear that Sub Inspector Kuldip Singh has distorted and spoiled the case. His dubious motive is evident beyond doubt. He registered the FIR on the complaint, which had been filed more than five months earlier. He sent false notices knowing fully well that the accused persons were not staying there. He failed to pursue the case with the help of the clearest clues, which were available from time to time. He, by deliberate inaction allowed the accused to run away from law. It is an instance of gross misconduct.”

Divya Yadav, a resident of Sector 46 had filed a complaint with the Police Complaint Authority alleging negligence by Kuldeep Singh. Divya had a grievance against her husband Hemant and in-laws, residents of Noida and filed a complaint with the police on June 10, 2009. She got married in 2008.

In her complaint to the police, Divya alleged her husband and in-laws subjected her to physical and emotional harassment and cruelty. Sub Inspector Kuldeep Singh was the investigating officer in the case, but he ignored her plea to apprehend the accused even after the FIR was registered six months later. She claimed that the Sub Inspector connived with the accused Hemant and kept him informed of the developments of the case on his mobile phone. The officer deliberately ignored the case.

“Documents prove that accused Hemant was actively pursuing a civil case at Noida and had filed a criminal complaint with Noida police. The investigating officer was well aware of the presence of the accused in Noida, it was a gross negligence on his part that he failed to arrest the accused and let them abscond,” said the order of the PCA.

Chandigarh, March 8
The allegations of relatives of Anil Kumar, who died in the PGI due to “wrong” medication, have proved true, as the comments of a cardiologist have confirmed that the patient had reacted to a medicine.

The cardiologist mentioned on the emergency card of Anil Kumar that he had shown reaction to ‘Azithromycin’, a medicine given to him, and it caused anaphylaxis. According to Wikepedia, anaphylaxis is an acute multi-system severe type-I hypersensitivity reaction. Anaphylaxis can occur in response to any allergen. Common triggers include insect bites or stings, foods, medication, and latex rubber.

Yesterday, Gulshan Bala, wife of the deceased, alleged that wrong medication was given to the patient and when his condition started deteriorating, nurses and doctors did not pay attention to him, as they were involved in a spat with attendants of another patient. This ultimately proved fatal for Anil, said Gulshan Bala, in a complaint submitted to PGI authorities and the Chandigarh Police.

Anil was brought to the emergency ward of the PGI at 9.30 am on Thursday after he complained of uneasiness at home. He was suffering from a heart ailment. “Till 11.30 am, no one attended him and after repeated requests, he was put on a drip,” said Gulshan Bala.

Mohali, March 8
Speedsters are having a free run in Mohali if statistics of traffic challans issued for over-speeding by the Mohali traffic police are any indication.

Irrespective of the fact that in the past 10 days three lives have been lost in three separate fatal accidents, there has not been a single challan for over-speeding in the district during the past two months.

Reason: The two devices to check over-speeding with the district police have been lying non-functional for the past few months. Last year, 37 persons were challaned in the district for over-speeding.

Admitting shortage of manpower, police officials admit that at times, it becomes difficult to chase the brats who can be seen racing around in their high-end cars and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). To show their “muscle power” on streets, youngsters resort to reckless driving and car races during busy traffic hours. “We get complaints of youngsters racing their cars on specific stretches of roads, but before we try to intercept them, they accelerate away,” said an official with the police control room.

Officials in the traffic police said in the absence of non-functional speed-detecting guns, the violators are being challaned for dangerous driving. During the past two months, 41 challans have been issued for dangerous driving.

Chandigarh, March 8
Following the death of a 40-year-old woman, her relatives created ruckus in front of a nursing home, alleging that she died due to doctor’s negligence. Relatives of the deceased, identified as Amarjeet Kaur, a resident of Sector 56, gathered outside the nursing home alleging that she died due to negligence of the owner of the nursing home, Dr PN Gupta.

However, when protesters tried to block the road, the cops intervened and took away Gupta and husband of the deceased Jaspal to the Sector 39 police station.

Jaspal said his wife had operated upon at the nursing home of Dr Gupta on January 20. Since then, her condition had been deteriorating. When she was taken to Dr Gupta on February 26, he referred her to the PGI, where she died this morning.

When contacted, Dr Gupta said Amarjeet Kaur was brought to his nursing home on January 11. One of her kidneys was completely damaged while the other was also affected due to stone problem. Amarjeet was operated upon at his nursing home on January 20 successfully and was discharged on January 22 with an advice to follow a proper diet chart. She was again brought to the nursing home on February 20 with infection in her kidney, said Dr Gupta.

Finding her condition critical, Dr Gupta referred her to the PGI where she died today, he said.

The family members of Amarjeet, however, did not lodge any complaint with the police.

Chandigarh, March 8
At the receiving end of the magisterial probe conducted by former ADC PS Shergill for allegedly shielding the booth mafia in the city, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Science and Technology and Earth, has officially sought report and other information regarding the booth allotment.

In a letter to the UT Home Secretary, additional private secretary to the minister sought information about letters written by him and other MPs to the UT Administrator and officials regarding the allotment of booths.

The letter also sought the names of the members of the committee that finalised the list of licensees for allotment of booths in 1991. The role of an MP or a councillor in the allotment of booths under the rules and the relevant scheme has also been sought.

Seeking the copy of the complaint on the basis of which the inquiry was ordered/instituted into the allotment of booths in the city, the letter also demanded the date of order of inquiry and its nature, scope and terms of reference.

Chandigarh, March 8
A sum of more than Rs 2 crore will be spent by Municipal Corporation (MC) for laying of paver blocks in the various sectors of the city.

Nineteen agendas to this effect were approved by the road committee at a meeting held today in the chair of Bhupinder Singh. MC records reveal that last month also, the committee approved Rs 3 crore for laying of paver blocks in the city.

Interestingly, in the previous General House meeting, a report was tabled that laying of paver blocks on all open spaces in the city has major ill-effects on the surface area.

The MC report stated that the UT administration was promoting rainwater harvesting to increase the water table, but the laying paver blocks would further result in the lowering of water table in the city. This will also result in reduction in green cover in the city.

The report also pointed out that due to laying of paver blocks, there is additional burden on the storm water drainage system. The House did not even discuss this report stating that as it was an election year so no policy could be framed on the laying of paver blocks.

Meanwhile, the committee also approved Rs 19.49 lakh for the repair and renovation of the community centre of Sector 46 and Rs 4.85 lakh for the repair of subway between Sector 17 and 22.

Chandigarh, March 8
In a major reshuffle, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Commissioner Roshan Sunkaria has reshuffled the departments of MC officials.

Additional Commissioner-I, Sunil Bhatia, who recently joined the MC, got the charge of medical officer of health, accounts, legal cell, assistant public relation officer, parking lots, UPA cell, mechanical branch of head office and projects under the Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana.

Additional Commissioner-II Lalit Siwach got the charge of all four establishment branch wings, engineering wing, tax branch, enforcement department (except Mani Majra), apni mandi and day market, colonies and licensing branch, house allotment and booking of community centres and open spaces in the city.

Joint Commissioner Kamlesh will now look after the departments of fire and emergency service, estate branch, information and technology, food kiosk, planning cell, sub-office and enforcement wing of Mani Majra.

Chandigarh, March 8
Travellers have been unable to book e-tickets or i-tickets for trains to and from the city through the Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corp (IRCTC) website for the past five days. The site posted a message saying bookings could not be made due to upgrade of the website in New Delhi and apologized to visitors for the inconvenience. However, the snag was rectified around 10 pm on Monday night.

“On Thursday evening our website, which is currently being upgraded, encountered a technical problem that disrupted services. The problem was rectified by Monday evening and the site is now functioning smoothly,” said an IRCTC official.

The official said the reason for upgrading the website was “mismanagement” of e-ticketing. “We received several complaints of touts siphoning off tickets in fictitious names, leading to unavailability of seats to legitimate customers”, he added.

Speaking on the site's makeover, the IRCTC official said a new online technology would be employed to increase the number of visitors booking train tickets using the site. “We observed that of the total number of visitors to the IRCTC site only 45 per cent booked tickets. Our aim is to increase this number by making the process more interactive and easy,” he added.

"I wasn’t able to book any train tickets on the site on Monday afternoon. Then I went to a shop where tickets can be booked in Sector 32, but that also didn’t work out," said Abhishek, a Sector 33 resident who was trying to reserve a return train ticket to Delhi for his mother who was visiting him.

Rued Raj Kumar, who lives in Sector 30: "I logged into the website to book a ticket to Jaipur. But the site didn’t even display the choice of trains”.

Chandigarh, March 8
Putting an end to the apprehensions of Youth Fest being cancelled in DAV College, Sector 10, the college administration today agreed to release funds for a star night to be organised on March 13.

Though the hunger strike by students was able to clear the way for the fest, still students and faculty members continue to be a harried lot under the existing two principal systems.

Be it academic decisions, organisation of lectures, release of funds or sanctions for various financial matters, the entire campus infrastructure has allegedly started to crumble under the “whims and fancies” of Josan and Shashi K Gupta.

According to students and members of teaching and non-teaching staff, for the past six months getting simple permissions or sanctions have become a tedious task as they have to run from one principal to the other. What has made matters worse for all faculty members is the ongoing “cold war” between management and Josan, as they are now expected to affiliate their loyalties to either of the parties.

“DAV management’s involvement in college affairs is not new, but it never affected the lives of students and faculty members. The two principal-system has actually torn college into two halves where war of egos rules the roost and college welfare is going down the drain,” said a former principal of the college, on condition of anonymity.

Chandigarh, March 8
Ace Caribbean batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan along with young leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo interacted with students of St. Kabir School, Sector 26, here today.

The members of the West Indies World Cup squad are staying in the city for their next match against Ireland on March 11 at PCA stadium. The players were with the students of the school for an interaction session.

But the much-hyped interaction session organised by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) with students proved to be a yet another damp squib, as the people were least interested in cricketers present there.

There session was mismanaged and during the function noise was heard in the background and during the informal chat between the players and the children not much queries were made.

On the other hand, the event which was aimed at educating and creating an environment enabling, dynamic solutions to global problems in the fields of energy, environment and current patterns of development, had nothing to do with the session. Earlier, the students had their handprints on a banner, which was to be presented to the West Indies team as a token of appreciation.

Chandigarh, March 8
A special lecture on “The Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010” was organised by the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) at the ICSSR Complex, Panjab University, yesterday.

Joginder Singh Toor, senior advocate, Punjab and Haryana High Court, began his lecture with quotations from the Manusmriti in order to trace the roots of gender discrimination from the socio-cultural history. “Such traces of discrimination could also be found in the Hindu Code Bill,” said Toor.

He pointed out lacunae in the bill, whereby the findings of the committee as proposed in the draft could be of no use as the employer can change the findings.

Chandigarh, March 8
Panjab University’s School of Social Sciences will conduct combined classes on research methodology paper from the academic session 2012-2013. This decision was taken at a meeting of department chairpersons with the Dean, faculty of Arts GS Ghuman on the campus.

The pre-PhD subject “research methodology” will be taught collectively to all students from next year. The onus of conducting classes for this subject will fall on teachers of various departments on rotation-basis each year.

At present, departments will individually conduct classes for the subject. “Classes will be conducted individually by respective departments for their research scholars and this will be done in collaboration with other departments.

Chairperson of one of the departments will co-ordinate with other chairpersons, if they wish to conduct combined classes for research methodology this year as well. From next year onwards, combined classes will be held for this subject,” said Ghuman.

Also, a decision was taken to modify the syllabus of this pre-PhD subject and include certain topics.

“We have modified the syllabus for research methodology in social science departments and have included certain interesting topics. Philosophy of social sciences and inter-disciplinary research in social sciences are relevant topics that have been included in the syllabus,” said Ghuman.

Despite a stiff opposition by in-service teachers pursuing research study, PU had adopted new PhD guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) last year. This included a six-month research methodology course mandatory for pursuing research on the campus.

Authorities later announced that separate classes would be held for the in-service teachers at the centre for IAS study and other competitive examinations on the PU campus during the evening hours. University officials claimed that this would be done in the vacations so that the teachers in PU affiliated colleges could study the subject.

Chandigarh, March 8
An agenda item pertaining to granting permanent affiliation to Panjab University’s Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences was passed unanimously by a general body meeting of the Dental Council of India (DCI) held in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The ball is now in the court of health & family welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who will sign the file on the college’s affiliation. Following this a gazette notification will be issued in a month’s time, according to university sources. “There’s no hitch in the affiliation issue and an official letter would be sent soon,” said PU vice chancellor RC Sobti.

Sources close to DCI said more than 65 of the 70 council members were present at the meeting and questions were raised about the status of the dental college’s director-principal, Dr Krishan Gauba. To this the latter, who is also PU’s representative at DCI, responded by stating he would continue to be director of the college till April 4 although he was on leave. He also told the council members the process of shortlisting the next director by PU officials was under way.

When contacted Gauba said: “I’ve done my job and briefed the varsity authorities on the highlights of the DCI general body meeting. However I’m not in a position to give any more details on the matter.”

PU dental students had earlier demanded Gauba’s ouster and had staged a protest to press their demand. Some members of the Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) as well as several dental college students affiliated to the Students Organization of Panjab University (SOPU) had also gone on a hunger strike.