NEIGHBOURHOOD

A letter that cost municipal council over Rs 2.7 crore!
University exempted of building plan approval charges
Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, December 22
A letter written by the Chief Town Planner without mentioning rules and regulations has cost the municipal council (MC) over Rs 2.7 crore.

After the letter, the council has been forced to exempt Shri Guru Granth Sahib World University of building plan approval charges.

Various notices issued to the university to deposit Rs 2,76,63,418 for approval of building plans have gone unheeded.

As per information received under the RTI Act by NK Sayal, the project engineer had submitted building plans for the construction of an emerging technologies complex at the university.

On March 8, 2010, the council wrote to the engineer to deposit the charges so that the building plans could be approved.

On March 15, it stated that the charges, as per the building plans submitted, were Rs 2,76,63,418, excluding the boundary wall. It added that the charges would be around Rs 4 crore if a boundary wall was included.

On March 22, the council mentioned the rates for approval. On March 29, it issued a show-cause notice.

On July 7, the Vice-Chancellor of the university wrote a letter to the Principal Secretary. On July 28, the Chief Town Planner wrote to the council, seeking an explanation.

On August 2, the then executive officer of the council wrote back, mentioning that construction was going on though the requisite fee had not been deposited.

On May 12, 2011, the Chief Town Planner directed the council to exempt the university. On July 20, the council passed a resolution, seeking a special government grant.

The resolution was neither passed, nor rejected. When Sayal sought information on guidelines for the waiver, the council gave him a copy of the letter on the exemption.

Chandigarh, December 22
In a major blow to the Central Bureau of Investigation in the infamous J&K sex scandal case, one of the victims turned hostile during cross-examination in the special CBI court here today.

The victim was recording her statement into the fifth FIR in the case. On Wednesday, she had turned hostile in connection with four FIRs of the case.

The proceedings were held in camera and media was not allowed inside the courtroom.

The 28-year-old victim had earlier accused six persons, including a former Jammu and Kashmir minister and senior police officials, of their involvement in the case. Five witnesses have so far turned hostile in the case.

The J&K sex scandal hit the headlines in March, 2006 after a pornographic MMS was traced doing rounds in Jammu and Kashmir.

In all, 14 persons were accused of their involvement in the sex scam.

Chandigarh, December 22
A school student was killed after a speeding school bus hit his motorcycle in Sector 38 this afternoon. Twenty-year-old Harpreet, a student of Sant Ishwar School in Mohali, died while another cyclist Pradeep sustained grievous injuries after they were hit by the school bus.

The police has arrested the driver of the bus of Guru Harkishan Public School, identified as Sukhwinder, in a case of causing death due to negligence under Section 304 A of the IPC.

The accident occurred outside Government School, Sector 38.

Harpreet Singh was returning home after attending tuitions when the accident occurred at 2 pm. The cyclist, Pardeep Kumar, who sustained serious injuries is struggling for life in the PGI. Harpreet is survived by his sister and parents.

Eyewitnesses said the rear wheels of the bus ran over the head of the boy killing him on the spot. The police said the injured cyclist was working as a carpenter in Sector 38 and was putting up in Mohali.

Chandigarh, December 22
Punjab bowlers dominated the proceedings as they tamed Baroda batmen by wrapping up their innings on 208 on the opening of a league match of Cooch Behar Trophy at PCA Stadium, Mohali, today.

Baroda opener DM Mistry and Prabhav Thaker opened the team’s innings with a 94-run partnership for the first wicket in 21.3 overs.

Prabhav Thaker was caught by Maninder off Siddharth Sharma on 46 off 70.

The hosts found another success after Parth Kolhi was run out by Navneet Singh with the team’s total reading 97.

Post lunch, Baroda were comfortably poised at 123 for 2 before break but lost eight wickets in quick succession.

DM Mistry (58 off 102) was the first one to go after Sandeep Sharma caught him off Kamal Passi.

At tea, Baroda slumped to 168 for 6.

VP Solanki (53 off164) was the last man to go when he was snapped by Sachin Sohal off Kamal Passi.

For Punjab, Sandeep Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with his 3 for 74. Kamal Passi and Siddharth Sharma took two wickets each.

In reply, Manan Vohra (19) and Ankit Purharthy (2) remained unbeaten at the draw of the stumps.

Brief scores: Baroda (Ist inning): 208 all out in 81.4 overs (DM Mistry 58, Prabhav Thaker 46, VP Solanki 53; Sandeep Sharma 3 for 74, Kamal Passi 2 for 65).

Punjab (Ist innings): 23 in 6 overs (Manan Vohra 19, Ankit Purharthy 2).

Players in action during the Seven-a-Side Football Tournament in Chandigarh on Thursday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Back-to-back wins for St John’s
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 22
At least 41 participants won top honours in the Bocce State-Level Special Olympics for the intellectually and orthopaedically disabled children at Sadhna Vocational Centre, Mani Majra, here today.

Results: Boys (8 to 11 yrs): 1 Ishaan and Anam of GMSSS-37, 2 Manish and Sahil of Sadhna Vocational Centre, Mani Majra, 3 Prabhdeep and Amaritpreet.

Girls (8 to 11 yrs): 1 Nikita and Mohini of Asha School Chandi Mandir, 2 Yati and Anchal of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, 3 Janvi and Ravneet of Sorem-36.

Boys (12 to 15 yrs): 1 Hariom and Ajit of Asha School Chandi Mandir, 2 Rajat and Gurpreet of Sorem, Sector 36, 3 Kartik and Aakash of Sadhna Vocational Centre, Mani Majra.

Girls (12 to 15 yrs): 1 Tanveen and Sanchi of Sorem, Sector 36, 2 Amina and Dikdha of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, 3 Sonali and Harpreet of Asha School Chandi Mandir.

Co-ed (16 to 21 yrs): 1 Narinder and Ashit Hans, 2 Devinder and Ishu.

Boys (U-22 yrs): 1 Ashish and Amarjot of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, 2 Virender and Madhur of Sadhna Vocational Institute, Mani Majra.

Girls (22 and above): 1 Jassi and Mamta Rani of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, 2 Mrinali and Tanya of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, 3 Anshu and Nikita of Sadhna Vocational Institute, Mani Majra.

Intellectually disabled: boys (22 and above): 1 Anuj of Sadhna Vocational Institute, Mani Majra, 2 Anmol of GMSSS-37, 3 Dinker of GMSSS-37.

Chandigarh, December 22
Saryu of DAV Public School displayed her artistic skills to win the girls’ u-12 floor event during the ongoing 38th Chandigarh State Gymnastics Championship at the gymnasium hall, Sector 7, here today. Aditi of St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, secured second place, while Komal Preet finished third in the event. In the uneven bars event, Aditi of St Stephen’s School finished first, while Aashi of DAV School, Sector 8, and Harmanpreet finished second and third, respectively.

Results: Girls u-12: beam: 1 Kritika, 2 Aditi Pandey, 3 Aditi; vaulting table: 1 Aditi, 2 Ritu Mishra, 3 Shivangi; best gymnast: 1 Aditi Pandey (24.10 points).

Girls under-12: vaulting table: 1 Dibeyanshu, 2 Gurchandan, 3 Lavin; floor: 1 Saryu, 2 Aditi, 3 Komal Preet.

Girls u-10: vaulting table: 1 Manvi, 2 Bharti; floor: 1 Bharti, 2 Bhavya, 3 Kaveri and Tamanna.

Girls u-15: 1 Reetika, 2 Avneet Kaur, 3 Divyanshi and Neel Kamal; beam: 1 Neel Kamal, 2 Reetika, 3 Avneet Kaur; vaulting table: 1 Ritika, 2 Neel Kamal, 3 Joyti; uneven bars: 1 Reetika, 2 Neel Kamal, 3 Avneet Kaur; best gymnast: 1 Reetika (31.70 points), Neel Kamal (29.90 points), Avneet Kaur (24.00 points).

Chandigarh, December 22
Scorpions Cricket Academy, Parwanoo, outplayed DC Montessori, Mani Majra, by four wickets in the league match of first Satluj Sub-junior Cricket (U-13) Tournament held at Satluj Public School, Sector-4, Panchkula.

DC Montessori, after electing to bat first, posted a total of 93 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Chirag remained unbeaten on 40 runs, Sudhanshu and Piyush took three wickets each after giving 8 and 19 runs, respectively.

In reply, the wining team achieved the target with one over in hand. For Scorpions Cricket Academy, Abhirag scored the highest 23 runs, while Harsh remained unbeaten on 16 runs. For DC Montessori, Abhijeet and Kashish took two wickets each.

Chandigarh, December 22
The All-India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Surinder Singh as assistant coach with Pailan Arrows, a team of AIFF stationed at Kolkata.

Surinder, who is a former player and is currently coaching at the St Stephen’s Football Academy, will join the team from December 23 to January 31.

He has been part of several national and international events backed by the AIFF.