Panchkula, July 23
With the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) imposing an enhancement fee for Sectors 25, 26, 27 and 28 in Panchkula extension, thousands of residents of these areas will now have to shell out sums between Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. The fee, ranging between Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,500 per square yard, was imposed following a directive of the local sessions court and HUDA has already begun issuing notices to plot holders.

The authority has imposed the enhancement charges for the fifth time in these sectors on thousands of holders of ten, eight, six, four and three 'marla' plots. The fees were earlier levied in August 2005, September 2003, May 2002 and November 2000.

HUDA had acquired land from villagers to develop these four sectors, for which it had paid compensation. However, many landowners who were not satisfied with compensation amount had approached the Panchkula district court. In the last few months many of them won their cases and the court had directed HUDA to pay larger amounts for the acquired land.

Residents of these four sectors, which were developed in 1994-95, complained that though they had been asked to pay enhancement fees on numerous occasions no civic projects had been undertaken in these areas.

PS Malik, former president of the House Owners Citizens Committee, Sector 25 said residents would oppose the move. “HUDA shouldn’t transfer the entire burden on plot owners. We’ll hold a protest march tomorrow”, he added.

Meanwhile, a senior HUDA official said: “The authority had given plots in these four sectors with a clause in the allotment letters saying enhancement charges awarded in favour of landowners by the courts would be borne by the plot holders”.

Chandigarh, July 23
Almost 10 months after the PGI admission scam rocked the city, the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM’s) court today declared the mastermind, Gaurav Shalin, as a proclaimed offender (PO).

Mahesh Aggarwal, DIG, CBI, Chandigarh Zone, said they had recently initiated the proceedings to declare Gaurav as a PO.

The CBI had informed the court that Gaurav was the main accused in the PGI admission scam and he was running this entire racket for managing admission in the PGI for MD/MS courses in 2009.

On September 28, 2010, the anti-corruption branch of the CBI had arrested two junior resident doctors of the PGI, Dr Amit Musale and Dr Sujay Sonawane, who allegedly secured admission by paying hefty sums to touts and had cleared the entrance exam with the help of impersonators.

According to the CBI, Gaurav had got admitted Dr Amit Musale in MD pharmacology and Dr Sujay Sonawane in MD paediatrics in the PGIMER, Chandigarh, by using unknown persons to impersonate the duo in the entrance examination.

Amit and Sujay used to convince aspiring candidates about the genuineness of the admission process being used by Shalin, the CBI had submitted in court during proceedings.

The CBI had informed the court that attempts had been made to contact Shalin at his address, Kandivali in Mumbai, but he was not there. A notice had also been sent to him through his brother-in-law and wife but to no avail.

The CBI court on Friday had dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by co-accused Dr Sameer Kumar Patel. On November 23, 2010, the court had dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by main accused Gaurav Shalin. Meanwhile, the court had granted bail to Musale and Sonawane on October 31 2010. 

Chandigarh, July 23
The UT administration’s decision to crackdown on illegal paying guests has spread panic among thousands of students residing in the PG accommodations across the city. In the absence of adequate hostel facility, the fear of getting homeless has lead students to look for alternatives and even shift to the neighbouring satellite towns.

With limited hostel facilities in colleges and university, outstation students have to mainly depend on PG accommodations. The private coaching institutes operating in various parts of the city also contribute to a large number of students residing in PG accommodations.

Mansimran Dhanoa, a student of a private institute in Sector 34, who is staying as a paying guest said that the administration should first try to regularise the PG accommodations, as the students would be worst hit with UT’s drive against PGs. “There are no hostels available for the students studying in private institutes then where will we go”, Dhanoa said.

Agitated over the UT’s move to shut the illegal PGs, Ritika Sharma, who stays at a PG accommodation in Sector15, said that before taking any step, the UT administration should first look for an alternative for thousands of youngsters who were living as paying guests. “It is not just the students who stay in PGs will be affected with the decision but there is a working community too (mainly consisting of girls) who will be hit”, Ritika said.

The sectors that have maximum number of PG accommodations include 10, 11, 15, 16, 22, 32, 33, 34 and 36.

Worried over their stay in the city, the students have started planning to take a flat on rent by pooling in money. Sushant Jadaik, a class XII student, hailing from Shimla, became anxious after he came to know about the administration’s plan of action. He said that in case the situation worsened he would shift to his local guardian’s house. “I have planned to shift to my LG’s house if I am asked to vacate the PG accommodation”, he said.

All the youngsters share similar sentiments over the issue. Ishita Sharma, a student of Panjab University, said that she didn’t get admission in PU hostel and she was left with the PG option. She said, “Now I have already taken admission in the university and if I don’t get a PG accommodation then I will have to get my admission cancelled, as staying in a rented house is out of my budget”, she said.

The working class is also planning to shift to the neighbouring cities in case they have to vacate the PG accommodations.

Archna Dogra, a teacher by profession, said that staying in an independent accommodation in Chandigarh was very costly following, which she would now have to look for an accommodation in Panchkula or Mohali. “Though I want to stay in Chandigarh only the move to close down unauthorised PG accommodations will force me to shift to the neighbouring cities”, Archna added.

Mohali, July 23
Owing to few takers for residential plots in the last two auctions, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has not increased the reserved price of residential plots being put under the hammer in the forthcoming two-day auction of residential and commercial property being held at Mohali on August 23 and 24.

According to GMADA officials, the reserve price of a one-kanal plot has been fixed at Rs 2.52 crore in Sector 71, bringing the reserved price to around Rs 50,000 per sq yard. A total of 33 residential plots of different sizes in Sectors 56 (3), 59 (1), 61 (1), 63 (1), 65 (2), 69 (2) and 71 (20) are being put under the hammer.

On the second day of the auction, about 70 sites, including showrooms and booths, would be put under the hammer. An official in the estate office said an initial proposal to auction commercial sites in Sectors 76 to 80 could not find favour as the sectors were still developing.

Chandigarh, July 23
A local court issued notice to the UT Administration, the Municipal Corporation and the Chandigarh Police on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Panchkula-based couple seeking directions to take steps to deal with the stray cattle menace.

The court has issued notice for August 4. Similarly, a Panchkula court has also issued notice to the district administration for August 11 on the same issue.

In the PIL, advocate Pankaj Chandgothia and his wife Sangeeta demanded that a special cell be created with representatives from all departments concerned, including the administration, the MC and the police to look into the problem of stray cattle menace.

They also demanded that a compensation policy should be formulated, wherein the administration should be liable to compensate any person who suffers on account of the stray cattle menace. The police must register an FIR in every such case. 

Chandigarh, July 23
Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Commissioner Prerna Puri accompanied by Additional Commissioner Sunil Bhatia today inspected three city primary schools falling under purview of the Municipal Corporation.

In her observation report, the Commissioner said the schools require an urgent repair and whitewash.

She said the schools should start computer education from class I. 

Panchkula, July 23
Panchkula hotelier Gaurav, who was dumped at Pinjore village after being set on fire by unidentified persons, died at the PGI late last night. With this the difficulties of the district police in identifying the accused seems to have been multiplied as Gaurav died before he could tell anything abut the incident. “In the absence of any clue about the accused it will not be an easy task for the police to crack the case,” said a senior police official.

The body of the deceased was handed over to the family members after the postmortem in the afternoon who later cremated him at Mani Majra cremation ground.

Gaurav, managing a hotel at Morni, was allegedly kidnapped by nearly half a dozen youths from Sector 22 of Chandigarh on Thursday who later poured petrol on him and set him on fire before dumping him at Basaulan village near Pinjore. This was the only information Gaurav could give to the police and his father before he fell unconscious.

While the mother and the grandmother of Gaurav were inconsolable, his father Pradeep Bhardwaj, a realtor, was not able to speak much. The family had been staying at Sector 20 of Panchkula and recently shifted to Sector 26.

Anubhav, the younger brother of Gaurav, said the family had no idea about the perpetrators. Even the scooter and the mobile phone set of Gaurav could not be traced till now, he said.

The incident has put a question mark on the efficiency of the Chandigarh Police as a youth was kidnapped from a busy Sector 22 and taken to Pinjore, escaping the vigil of the UT police.

SHO of Pinjore Pradeep Kumar said it was suspected that the accused adopted the deserted route through Siswan to reach Pinjore so that they could not be spotted by anyone.

Panchkula, July 23
The district consumer disputes redressal forum has slapped a fine of Rs 15,000 upon Syndicate Bank, Sector 11, Panchkula, for harassing a pensioner having his account in the bank. The bank first had deducted Rs 45,448 from his pension account on the direction of the employer without informing him and later refused to return the money.

The complainant, a resident of Sector 15, SL Kukreja, had filed a complaint with the forum alleging that the bank authorities had deducted Rs 45,448 from his pension account without his knowledge.

On inquiry the complainant was told that the amount in question had been deducted on the directions of the principal controller of Defence Account (Pension), Allahabad. The bank authorities in the reply contended that they were bound to comply with such instructions.

The forum compising of president Ashok Kumal and members Sarita Jain and SP Singh, however, observed that it was a case of illegal adjustment made by the bank from the account of the complainant without following the due process of law.

Such an action on the part of the bank was not only arbitrary, but one that shook the very foundation of the relationship of a customer with the bank, which was based on trust and good faith, commented the forum. “It is a well settled law that no person can be condemned unheard,” said the forum adding that, “We hold that the act of the bank in deducting the amount in dispute from the pension account of the complainant without giving him an opportunity of hearing tantamounts to deficiency in service und unfair practice.”

The forum directed the bank to refund the amount of Rs 45,448 to the complaint along with an annual interest of 9 per cent. Besides, it was told to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation to the complainant for damages on account of mental agony, harassment, deficiency in service, unfair trade practice as well as the cost of litigation.

The Sector 31 branch of the State Bank of India, Sector 31, organised a tree-plantation programme at Government Senior Secondary School , Behlana, on Friday.

The bank also donated tree guards for the protection of newly-planted saplings.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony on Saturday, the chief guest, Tikshan Sood, Industries and Commerce Minister, Punjab, said that unemployment and subsequent use of drugs in youth was a major problem in Punjab.

The chairman Rayat-Bahra Group of Institutes, S Gurvinder Singh Bahra, said that as per National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in automotive sector alone, a million skilled workers were needed. When clubbed with pharma, IT and others this figure grew to a larger extent. Appreciating the efforts of the Rayat-Bahra group, chief secretary Punjab SC Aggarwal, said that Punjab government certification would not only help students to gain employment in industries, which were a part of this center of excellence, but also in others out of its ambit. — TNS