Chandigarh, March 25
Sounds incredible, but such is the desperation for a ticket that many in the city are willing to pay Rs 1 lakh and even more for any ticket otherwise valued at between Rs 250 to Rs 15,000. What is more shocking is that black marketeering is on in broad daylight right outside the very venue of the match, the PCA stadium, with cops and stadium officials looking the other way notwithstanding the tight security arrangements.

The exorbitant price is being quoted by the cricket buffs who are ready to pay any amount to watch the clash between the traditional rivals - India and Pakistan - at the PCA stadium in Mohali on March 30.

As the D-day approaches, black marketeers are having a field day jacking up prices keeping in mind the desperation of the cricketing buffs who, by hook or crook, want to witness the live action.

Earlier, the student ticket valued at Rs 250 was available for Rs 2,500 before the India-Australia match. But as soon as India made to the semi-final against its arch rival, Pakistan, the cost of the ticket was doubled to Rs 5,000 last evening.

Cricket lovers from not only the city but also from other parts of the country are ready to pay any amount to cheer their national team. Sources said that the price of a ticket for the student stand was going for as high as Rs 75,000.

Sources among black-marketeers say the craze among the city youth has considerably contributed to the sudden spurt in price of tickets.

“The youths are coming for tickets in large numbers and moreover NRIs who came here to spend their holidays are paying “any amount for any ticket” to watch the match here,” said a black marketeer, adding that it would be difficult for them to arrange more tickets which had potential to rise further.

“We have no objection for asking a hefty amount as people are willing to pay. Many are asking not for one or two but for four to five tickets at a time for their family and friends,” said a black marketeer, standing under a shed near the PCA stadium.

On the other hand, despite the awareness among masses of no tickets available at any counters, people in large number gather outside the Gate Number 1 and at both ticket counters in the hope that there the authorities will sell more tickets to the spectators.

Chandigarh, March 25
The UT Police has deployed over 20 per cent of its force (1,000 out of a total strength of 5,000) in three shifts per day to guard the two teams.

About 250 policemen have been deployed in and around Taj Hotel itself where the two cricket teams are staying. While the Pakistani team arrived this evening, the Indian cricket team is scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon.

Each team will be accompanied by four police gypsys - two in front and two in the rear - along with two police motor bikes. A large number of policemen will guard the route of the cricket teams. 

Chandigarh, March 25
In a major faux pas, eight officials of the Income Tax Department who were terminated almost a decade ago are among the 126 candidates shortlisted by the office of the Chief Commissioner Income Tax (North West Region) for departmental promotion to the rank of Office Superintendents.

The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) is slated to meet in the coming week for the final selections.

This may sound strange but the “eligibility” list circulated to all Chief Commissioners of Panchkula, Shimla, Ludhiana, Amritsar and the Director-General of Income Tax (Investigation) has names of eight Senior Tax Assistants who were terminated in 2001 after they were found guilty of having submitted fake documents to secure jobs in the department. The letter CC/DPC/CB-I/868 (a copy of which is available with The Tribune), dated March 22/23 2010, with subject “Holding of DPC for promotion to the cadre of Office Superintendent for recruitment years 2009-10 and 2010-11”, has a four-page list of names attached to it.

The list includes the names of Narinder S John, Ashok Kumar, Gurdeep Singh, Lakhbir Singh, Rajinder Singh, Novinder Singh, Harvinder Singh and Swaroop Chand who were terminated after a departmental inquiry in 2001. Sources said these terminated officials were recruited to the department in 1990-92 against the post of inspectors that were advertised in 1989.

Though the selections were made after written tests, allegations were later made that several of the selected candidates had submitted forged and fake educational certificates and documents. A departmental inquiry, which was subsequently conducted, found the allegations true and services of several personnel, including these eight, were terminated. The CBI had also stepped in and registered cases against these officials under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC.

While it still remains a mystery as to how these terminated and tainted personnel have made it to the eligibility list even after a decade of being sacked, the inclusion of their names has led to a huge hue and cry in the department. Since only 95 from the list of 126 “eligible” candidates are going to be promoted, against as many exiting vacancies, the inclusion of the eight terminated personnel has put a question mark on the process adopted to determine the eligibility of the candidates.

Senior officials of the department, when contacted for comments, refused to come on record. They initially denied any such mistake, but when confronted with documents, they promised to look into the matter and make necessary “amends”.

Chandigarh, March 25
The ongoing delay by the SDM office, UT, in sanctioning income certificates has yet again delayed the admission process to over 450 economic weaker section (EWS) seats in the city schools with the UT postponing the last date of applying for the third time this month.

Having already postponed it to March 26 earlier, the UT has further extended the date to March 31, as a majority of applicants have approached the education department complaining about inconvenience and delay in getting requisite income certificates.

While officials concerned refuse to comment, sources say it’s the involvement of patwaris, which has delayed the entire process.

“As per the ongoing practice, patwaris are being sent to applicant’s home to verify their income claims. Once this verification is done, the certificate is immediately issued. However, the main hurdle is that many of the patwaris are lingering the verification process, which has hauled up the entire process,” said an official at the SDM office.

Meanwhile, education department officials claim that whatever may be the reason, the extension has been given just to give a chance to maximum people to apply and get admissions.

“It’s not their fault, so why should they lose their chance? I cannot comment on the reason of the delay but just want to ensure that maximum people get an access to education this year,” said an education department official.

The UT had initially fixed March 15 as the last date of receipt of application for EWS seats, but it was soon postponed to March 23, as there were no takers. The UT following the court’s directives issued public notice and triggered an awareness campaign, which bore fruit. Unfortunately, the date was again postponed to March 26 and eventually to March 31 now, as the income certificates were not being issued in time.

Chandigarh, March 25
“From 700 cases of polio in 2009 to 41 in 2010 and only one such case reported in India so far in 2011, the massive campaign to eradicate polio, started by Rotarians across the globe, has been quite a success,” said Ray Klinginsmith, president of Rotract Club worldwide, who was in the city today to interact with fellow Rotarians. Answering their queries at the Chandigarh Judicial Academy here, Klinginsmith talked about polio eradication programme globally and its success in countries like Nigeria and India.

“The programme of polio eradication started in Philippines in 1979. The Rotract Club, which was the first organisation that came forward to fight polio, had pledged to pool 120 millions dollars to eradicate polio worldwide. However, we managed to raise a fund of 240 millions dollars. Since then there is no looking back. After India and Nigeria, more focus will be on other countries in Asia and Africa,” he said.

When the global campaign of polio eradication kicked off, the numbers of those suffering from polio were 500,000, which are now below 1,000, he added.

Klinginsmith also laid emphasis on how India was emerging as the front-runner in contributing to Rotract activities worldwide. “In the session 2011-2012, we would have two members from India as board members worldwide.”

When questioned if the local chapter of Rotarians has been contributing to the global problems regularly, he replied quoting certain examples. “There are physicians from this region who have been going to Africa and had performed surgeries there. This process has been going on since five years now. Although local Rotract chapters have region-specific problems and concerns to address, they do not hesitate in rendering their services at a global level,” said Klinginsmith. “During an interactive session with the fellow Rotarians, several questions related to youth were asked and a discussion was also held on them,” said Rotarian YP Das, who has been appointed a Rotract board member worldwide this year.

Chandigarh, March 25
The project to develop a green belt in Sector 8 has turned out to be a source of nuisance for area residents.The municipal corporation had embarked on the project a year ago to enhance the ambience of the area. However, the green belt has failed to come up owing to lack of coordination among different departments of the corporation.

As a result, the lush green lawns and plantation carried out earlier have disappeared, turning the area into a virtual garbage dump.

A major portion of the park has been dug up by the electrical wing of the corporation to lay cables for setting up of lighting in the park.

This has resulted in damage to the path created for walkers. Even the horticulture department has dismantled railings, put up on the boundary of the park a month ago, to re-fix the interlocking blocks.

Area councillor Chander Mukhi Sharma said the work on the green belt would be completed by April 30.

“I had visited the green belt with a team of officials of the corporation to discuss the pending work and asked them to complete it at the earliest,” he added.

Harjeet, a local resident, said the entire green belt had earlier been dug up by the public health department to lay a pipeline. It took them around eight months to complete the work.

He added that benches and lighting in the park suffered a lot of damage in the process.

Astha Kumar, another resident, reasoned the digging up of the green belt yet again to lay cables when the park had already been ravaged by the electrical department to set up lighting earlier.

It reflected poorly on the planning of the municipal corporation in carrying out development works in the city, he said. “These cables could have been laid at that time only.”

The growth of grass is uneven, with some patches bereft of grass altogether.

Uncontrolled growth of shrubs and unpruned trees shave been causing problems for regular walkers visiting the park.

Benches lack canopy, leaving the visitors to the mercy of the elements.

Residents complain that the park has now become a nuisance for them. They claim to have approached the authorities in the public health and horticulture departments of the corporation to complete the work, but to no avail.

Chandigarh, March 25
In a special drive, the enforcement department of the municipal corporation removed two illegal apni mandis being organised near Shivalik Garden, Mani Majra, today.

The drive was conducted under the supervision of Joint Commissioner Kamlesh.

Enforcement officials said complaints had been received from area residents that two groups that had been prevented from holding illegal mandis last month had once again start holding mandis at other places in Mani Majra.

An official said the MC had earmarked land in various sectors for holding apni mandis, on scheduled dates, for which fee was being charged by the authorities from vendors. However, the two mandis had not been allocated land for holding mandis.

The official said some vendors protested against the drive but a police team accompanying the officials kept things under control.

The team also conducted a drive in the motor market and impounded seven cars and a crane from there. 

Chandigarh, March 25
As the Jat agitation continues to wreak havoc on the rail traffic from the city for the fourth day running, the morning Shatabdi Express (12006) from Kalka/Chandigarh to New Delhi and the return service (12005) from Delhi in the evening and the Delhi Sarai Rohilla-chandigarh/Kalka Himalayan Queen have been cancelled till March 27, a Northern Railway spokesperson said here today.

The Chandigarh-Allahabad Unchahar Express has also been cancelled for yet another day, the spokesman added.

Not just the train services, but the supply of coal to several thermal power stations has been hit. Authorities fear a massive power shortage in northern India.

On Tuesday, the Barwala power plant in Haryana stopped operations in the face of the Jat agitation, which further paralysed freight movement and passenger train services to northern states.

According to a railway official, Northern Railway has suffered losses of over Rs 250 crore due to disruption of rail traffic caused by the Jat community’s job quota agitation.

The official said the railways was still assessing the quantum of losses suffered during the agitation.

The overall losses may be in the range of above Rs 250 crore, as the protests are still on in states around the national Capital.

“We are still calculating the losses... if you see, there are many kinds of losses, not just operational. We have to pay penalties on freight delays as well,” the official said.

Commodities that routinely get affected by the train disruptions include vegetables, milk, coal and petroleum products.

Industry experts feel the passenger and freight train disruption in North India will impact local commodity prices with cost of certain perishable products going up. Electricity and fuel shortages may also be faced. More trouble seems to be in store as the Jat agitators have threatened to block all rail links between the city and Delhi and other cities, including Ambala, Agra and Kanpur, from March 28.

Chandigarh, March 25
The Estate Office seems to be shying away from parting with the PS Shergill report into the booth scam even under the Right to Information Act (RTI).

If the experience of advocate Pankaj Chandgothia is any indication, he has been denied information under the RTI Act by the Central Public Information Act (CPIO).

"It is to inform you that the inquiry report in the matter has not been received in the branch till date and without the inquiry report, the undersigned is unable to reply in the matter." CPIO’s letter dated March 17 said.

On March 4, Chandgothia, in an RTI application, had sought a copy of the Shergill inquiry report, terms of reference of inquiry and the list and statements of witnesses summoned by Shergill.

Among the other information sought by the applicant related to on which date and to whom did Shergill submit his report and when the report was made public.

Chandgothia claimed that this reply reinforced his earlier contentions about the report being not a legal or valid document.

It lends credence to allegations of the report being motivated and leaked. He wondered "if the report has not been received in the Estate Office, how are the various officers, including the AEO and DC-cum-Estate Officer, examining the report?"

Panchkula, March 25
The police should disseminate information to the media immediately after the incident, so that one side of the story doesn’t get published, therefore, tarnishing the image of the police.

Addressing a seminar on “Media relations in crisis situations” at the Police Lines here today, Raj Chengappa, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune, said the police had to change and consider the media as a force multiplier. He said the police should brief the media about the latest development, as everyone nowadays wants instant information.

Chengappa said there was a need for reinforcing the existing strength of the police force in order to deal effectively with the changing security scenario and, at the same time, to provide adequate policing to people in the state. He said technology was changing fast and the police should also adapt to new technologies available in the world so that cops could provide information to the media with the click of a button.

Haryana DGP Ranjeev S Dalal said they would try to strengthen relations between the media and police by organising such workshops at the district level to have better understanding.

Chandigarh, March 25
Over 15,000 cases, including a large number of traffic challans, are expected to be disposed of at the quarterly lok adalat to be held at the district courts in Sector 17 tomorrow.

The adalat will also dispose of over 7,000 traffic challans. A large number of cases related to banks will be settled at the pre-litigation stage at the adalat. The lok adalat will be inaugurated by Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Ranjan Gogoi and presided over by Administrative Judge Justice K Kannan.

The category of cases that will be taken up at the lok adalat tomorrow include 138 Negotiable Instruments Act, motor accident claim cases, compoundable criminal offences, matrimonial disputes under the Hindu Marriage Act, petty offences under the Special Enactments, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, cases relating to road accidents except those under Sections 279 and 304A, IPC, petitions under Sections 18 and 19 of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, petitions for custody of children, civil suits of recovery of money as well as possession of immovable property, suits for injunction, rent cases and civil and criminal cases relating to electricity. — TNS

Gidderbaha, March 25
An advocate of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, Dheeraj Bali, was feared drowned in the Rajasthan Feeder Canal, near Gidderbaha, on the Malout-Bathinda road in Muktsar district, this evening.

According to information, two advocates of the high court, Ankit Aggarwal of Chandigarh and Dheeraj Bali of Baltana, were travelling in a black Scorpio (HR 70A-3597), driven by Vikram of Sonepat, from Abohar to Chandigarh.

On reaching the canal, the trio planned to go for a swim and dived into it. Within a few minutes, some passer-by found them shouting for help as they had lost their balance due to swift current in the water.

Meanwhile, the policemen stationed at the hi-tech post located on the bank of the canal received information about the mishap. Launching a joint effort, people as well as the cops jumped into the canal and managed to pull out two of the three drowning persons.

Despite a lot of effort, the rescue team failed to pull out Dheeraj Bali and
he was swept away by the current.

The two persons rescued were rushed to the Civil Hospital, Gidderbaha. Sources in the hospital said they were out of danger. Till the filing of this report late in the evening, the rescue team could not locate advocate Dheeraj Bali.

Mohali, March 25
Former senior vice-president of the Municipal Council (now corporation) has appealed to the Punjab Chief Minister to issue directions for upgrading a government high school in the interest of children belonging to economically weaker sections.

Amrik Singh said the Government High School in Phase XI should be upgraded and made functional from the next academic session. He said the population of the town had increased over the years, but there was only one government senior secondary school in Mohali.

Out of compulsion, students living here had to take admission in government schools in Chandigarh. The Union Territory had several schools in each sector.

Amrik Singh further said that about 650 students were studying in the Phase XI school. There were about 25,000 people living in the area and most of them belonged to the middle class families. Most of the residents in this sector were riot-affected and could not afford to send their children to private schools due to the heavy fee structure.

He said the Phase XI school had 15 rooms and GMADA had reserved a site measuring 2.08 acre for the institution. The district education officer had sent an estimate of Rs 1,64,42,000 to the DPI in 2009 for the construction of a building for a senior secondary school. A recommendation was again made in December, last year and the file was now lying with the secretary (education) for clearance.

Mohali, March 25
Employees of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), who are working on a contract basis over the past many years, observed a pen-down strike here today demanding regularisation of their services.

President of the PHSC Employees Welfare Association Manoj Modi said the Punjab government had regularised the services of some employees who were working on a contract basis and had completed three years of service only.

But the PHSC employees were being ignored even when they had worked for more than 14 years without any break.

Modi said the protesters did not agree with the claim of the Punjab Health Minister that the PHSC was only a temporary organisation. “If the PHSC was not a government organisation then how could it run and maintain 171 hospitals since 1996?” he asked. All funds to run PHSC hospitals were being given by the Punjab government through non-plan budget provision, he added.

He said if the demands were not considered by March 28, the protest would go on indefinitely throughout the state.

Mohali, March 25
Security around the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium promises to be the tightest ever with the possibility that either or both Pakistan’s President and Prime Minister may join Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in viewing what promises to be the mother of all cricket matches.

The Punjab Police has already swung into action by throwing a three-tier security ring around the stadium. Apart from 1,500 policemen drawn from Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib and Ropar districts being deployed on security duty, the state government is expected to seek the deployment of additional companies of central police organisations and para-military forces.

Informed sources said the Union government was expected to dispatch commandos belong to the NSGs (National Security Guards) Special Action Group to augment the security during the high-profile match.

“Since we expect the stadium to be full to capacity (28,000) with more people trying to push their way in, no one without a valid ticket would be allowed to enter even the outer security cordon that begins from a kilometer’s distance,” said Mohali SSP GPS Bhullar.

Following India’s victory over Australia on Thursday, the police have already begun the exercise of verifying antecedents of all residents living around the PCA stadium. Every resident is being documented so that a check on the residents could be kept on the day of the match, said a police official.

Owing to an expected heavy rush of VVIPs and several distinguished dignitaries, the earmarked parking for different gates is also being changed. The total number of parking lots is being increased in the wake of the ongoing construction work in the sports complex in front of the PCA stadium.

At the stadium, CCTVs have been installed at all gates. A zoom camera is also being installed at the main gate for recording minute details. For the convenience of the public, a special shuttle service is being planned in addition to a shuttle service planned between the stadium and the designated parking lots. The police is also preparing a traffic diversion plan. The traffic on the roads leading to the stadium from Chandigarh, Phase X, Phase VIII and Sector 67 will be diverted. 

Chandigarh: Government College, Sector 46, Chandigarh, organised its 26th annual convocation today. Pradip Mehra (IAS), Adviser to the Administrator, was the chief guest on the occasion. Pradip Mehra addressed students and asked them to take care of the infrastructure and keep the city