Chandigarh, January 17
It was a distress call made to his father last week that did in 26-year-old Rahul, accused in the double murder of teenaged siblings Kavita and Gaurang Sahu. The father, Amar Chand, who had received the call informed the police about his son’s call and the tower location was traced to Mumbai.

The police got information that the SIM card had been recently purchased. A police team was dispatched by air to arrest the accused on Sunday.

Highly placed sources confirmed that the UT police arrested Rahul, a maternal uncle of the murdered siblings, who is a drug addict. He was hiding in Mumbai.

Chandigarh, January 17
It was neither the VVIP number 0001 nor the lucky one, 0007, but 4444, which fetched the highest amount of Rs 7.75 lakh in an auction of the new series (CH01-AL) of registration numbers at the Registration and Licensing Authority here today.

The department today made a whopping Rs 60 lakh, the highest-ever through the auction of 121 numbers and reserve price of booked numbers.

Till 7 pm, the most sought after number “CH01-0001” was on the top of the chart with its final bidding price of Rs 5.80 lakh, but everyone was left surprised when the double pair number “CH01-44” unexpectedly fetched the highest amount.

Among the three bidders, the proprietor of Soma Enterprise at Manimajra emerged triumphant to get his favourite number. On being contacted, the winner refused to divulge any details about his obsession with the number or the make of his new vehicle.

However, Bharat Bhushan, a local industrialist and the winner of “CH01-AL-0001”, said the number would increase the charm of his new Jaguar. Vanity numbers “CH01-AL-0007” and “CH01-AL-0009” brought in Rs 3.25 lakh and Rs 3.20 lakh, respectively.

In the last auction of AK series, 0007 had fetched the highest amount of Rs 4.21 lakh while 0001 had remained at the second spot with Rs 3.25 lakh.

Chandigarh, January 17
Notwithstanding his brief ailment that had him off the field, cash registers continue ringing for cricketing icon Yuvraj Singh as he once again tops the December 2011 list of the highest advance taxpayers (non-corporate) in the city with Rs 1.47 crore.

Yuvraj has so far paid an advance tax of Rs 3.21 crore for the current fiscal (2012-13), which is almost triple the amount of Rs 1.30 crore that he paid as advance tax till December 2010.

Chandigarh, January 17
Be it convocation or gold medal conferment, it has turned into a purely VIP affair at Panjab University. Even after a month of not receiving their gold medals at the convocation, courtesy hard-pressed schedule of “prized guests”, over 200 toppers are still waiting for them.

While Vice-Chancellor RC Sobti blames the ongoing chilly weather for the delay in organising the conferment ceremony, insiders cite Punjab elections as the prime reason since all local and state VIPs are busy.

“There were objections from several quarters that while honorary doctorates were given by VIP guests, students had got their gold medals from the Vice-Chancellor in a hasty ceremony last year. This year also, a lot of hue and cry was made that the grand convocation was aimed at pleasing VIPs and the Chancellor and that students were not given medals there. We have to have a good function for it, but unfortunately all prominent people are busy with the Assembly elections,” revealed a university official.

Sobti, however, rubbished the claim saying: “The only reason the function has not been held so far is because of the weather. Students will have to come from far-flung areas. Students’ convenience is my priority and there is no other reason.”

The university had come under the scanner this December when it virtually had taken the shine off students’ success by not awarding them medals on the convocation held on December 16 as visiting dignitaries did not have enough time.

The students were promised another ceremony for medals within a month, but nothing has been decided so far. Ironically, the situation was the same in 2010 when toppers did not get their medals at the convocation, but had to wait for months.

Chandigarh, January 17
The states of Punjab and Haryana and the UT Administration have failed to reach any consensus on the Kajauli water dispute at a meeting held today.

At the meeting, the Punjab Government officials did not give any positive response on the issue raised by the UT officials for the widening of the diameter of the pipeline to be laid so that instead of 40 million gallons daily (MGD), 80 MGD of water can be carried through the pipeline.

A senior official of the UT Administration said to solve the dispute representatives of both the states and the UT Administration would again hold a meeting the next month.

Official added that the Municipal Corporation had earlier prepared a proposal for enhancing the water supply to the city through Phases V and VI of Kajauli. The Punjab Government refused to release water stating that water from these phases would be required in Mohali. Thereafter a proposal for Phase VII and VIII was prepared, he added.

On this issue the UT Administration, Municipal Corporation and the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had held a meeting last year. At the meeting it was discussed to allow Chandigarh to lay pipelines on the same stretch where Punjab was to lay pipelines but the matter is yet to be solved.

The matter had reached the High Court through a writ petition filed by Mohali councillor Kuljeet Singh Bedi seeking directions to expedite the construction of phases V and VI of the Kajauli waterworks, which would bring an additional 40 million gallons of water every day to the tricity.

Chandigarh, January 17
Foggy conditions will prevail during the morning and evening hours over the next couple of days.

This may affect train and air services in the region. The Met office has predicted a clear sky with fog or mist. There will be a significant fall in the night temperature in coming days. The maximum temperature will be around 17 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature on Wednesday will dip by four notches to 7 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature on Tuesday was recorded at 17.1 degrees Celsius four degrees below the normal while the minimum temperature increased to 11.7 degrees six degrees above normal. The maximum relative humidity was recorded at 93 per cent while the minimum was recorded at 70 per cent.

In view of the dry weather in the region, the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana will also witness fog during the next couple of days. However, the days will be sunny, the Met office added.

Meanwhile, rainfall had no effect on the night temperature as little change was noticed. The city received 1.3 mm rain while 1.9 mm rain was recorded in Amritsar. Patiala received 2.2 mm rain in the past 24 hours.

Even though trains are running on schedule, the 12311 Howrah-Kalka Mail and the 12231 Lucknow-Chandigarh Express were late by two hours and 15 minutes.

The 12011 New Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi was also delayed by 40 minutes against its scheduled arrival of 10.50am, said station superintendent Parveen Kumar. 

Chandigarh, January 17
After getting it cleared from the in-house Legal Cell, the UT Estate Office would start serving show-cause notices tomorrow on as many as 88 beneficiaries, who are under the scanner for different reasons in the booth scam.

“The process commences tomorrow. However, as of now not even a single notice has been served on any beneficiary,” said Ravinder Sharma, Chief Inspector (Misuse and Enforcement Wing) of the UT Estate Office.

Four notices will be served on shopkeepers who will be given 15 days from the issuance of the notice to come along with their documents for verification of their claims.

The scam had unfolded following the allegations of several booths having been sold out by their owners. Certain booths had been sublet. The allotment had been challenged primarily on the allegation that the allotment had been managed by the undeserving and by submitting false affidavits.

Rahul Gupta, the UT Assistant Estate Officer, said: “We are looking into the details of all the cases. Even certain officials of the Estate office are under scanner. Those officials, whose names would figure during questioning of these beneficiaries would also be served notices,” said Gupta, adding that all the beneficiaries have been allotted booths in the Bajwara market.

Chandigarh, January 17
Not even a single councillor filed papers for the elections to the Finance and Contract Committee of the Municipal Corporation on the first day of the filing of nominations here today. The committee has five members from among the elected councillors.

Reliable sources in the two major power groups, including the Congress and the SAD-BJP combine, said they would open their cards on the last date of the filing of nominations which was January 19. At the same time the BSP has decided to field Jannat Jahan Ul-Haq.

Sources in the Congress said party meetings were under way “at the top level” for the finalisation of names to be sent as candidates for the F and CC. “The committee is a very important body as it has a role in managing the finances of the MC,” the sources added. Congress councillors in the fray for the committee membership include two former Mayors, Pardeep Chhabra and Sat Parkash Aggarwal.

A senior functionary of the BJP said even after the notification of the elections, the Mayor had not given any message on the possible share of different groups in the committee which had been a past practice. The BJP is planning to field two candidates. The sources said the BJP-SAD councillors who are in the fray are Arun Sood, Harjinder Kaur and Rajesh Kumar Gupta.

Chandigarh, January 17
The UT Administration, which is already facing the shortage of officers, is all set to lose one more officer as the repatriation of Joint Secretary, Finance, SS Khara, a PCS officer, to his parent state of Punjab has been okayed.

Sources revealed that Khara’s request for repatriation, which was forwarded to UT Administrator Shivraj Patil, was approved by the Administrator’s office. After the approval the file has been sent back to the Home Department for further correspondence with the Punjab Government.

The UT Administration has also forwarded a communication to the Punjab Government to send a panel of PCS officers for Khara’s replacement.

The sources added that Khara had requested for repatriation as he was to retire this year-end and he wanted to retire from his parent state.

There were a number of other officers who were on the verge of transfer or repatriation to their parent cadres. These officers include Deputy Commissioner Brijendra Singh, Director, Higher Education, (DHE) Ajoy Sharma, CITCO Managing Director DK Tiwari and MC Commissioner Prerna Puri.

Overburdened with departments, Finance Secretary VK Singh was holding the charge of 15 departments whereas the Home Secretary was heading 17 departments, the sources added.

Panchkula, January 17
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has set aside the fine imposed by Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (UHBVN) on a Sector-20 resident after the nigam found the electric meter installed in his house running slow.

The complainant, Ajay Gautam, alleged that the department checked his electric meter which was slow by 79.87 per cent and a penalty of Rs 60,276 was imposed on him. He said the department told him that electricity supply would be disconnected if he failed to deposit the amount within seven days otherwise. He averred that on July 2, 2011, the department removed the electricity meter from the premises and installed another one in its place. The officials told him to get the meter tested from the M&T Lab, Dhulkot. Accordingly, he visited the lab and the seals were found intact and no tampering was found.

The counsel for the department said the official team had inspected the meter in the presence of the complainant and it was found that the meter was running slow. The meter, after its removal, was packed in a box and the same was sealed and sent to the M&T Lab for testing the accuracy of the meter, genuineness of seals and internal inspection. Consequently, a notice dated August 13, 2011, was issued to the complainant for recovery of Rs 60,276 within seven days.

The forum said, “The order of imposing the penalty of Rs 60,276 has been set aside”.

Mohali, January 17
Former deputy speaker of Punjab Assembly and PPP candidate Bir Devinder Singh today met industrialists and workers in Mohali. While addressing a gathering, he said the Akalis and BJP had neglected the industry.

He added that the Congress had also turned a blind eye towards the plight of traders. Instead of uplifting the industry, the Akalis imposed taxes on industrialists forcing them to shift their industries to other states. He said to make Mohali an IT hub, international companies were coming here, but due to fake polices of Akalis and BJP, these were not established here. While commenting on Balbir Singh Sidhu, he said residents of the town had already given him a chance, but in the past five years only drug-addiction and consumption of liquor had increased in the region’s periphery. “SAD-BJP candidate Ramoowalia is here only for the votes and after the elections he will not even visit the area,” he said.

Meanwhile, the election campaign of Balbir Singh Sidhu, Congress candidate from Mohali, received further impetus when people from opposing parties extended support to him. First candidate of the Sahijdari Sikh Party Joginder Singh withdrew his nomination in favour of Sidhu. He said only the Congress could protect the interest of Sehajdari Sikhs. Inderjeet Singh Waraich, district president of the Akali Dal (1920) embraced the Congress with all his followers during the inauguration of Phase I office of the Congress candidate.

Meanwhile, Jasvir Kaur, mother of Ravneet Bittu, Member Parliament from the area, today went door to door seeking votes for Sidhu. She was accompanied by Daljit Kaur, wife of Balbir Singh Sidhu. She reminded the voters of the sacrifice of Sardar Beant Singh.

On the other hand, BSP candidate Manav Mehra from the Mohali constituency campaigned extensively. He campaigned in Saneta, Gobindgarh, Shampur, Theilpur, Kurali and Dairi villages and told the voters that the Bahujan Samaj Party was the only party which was concerned about the welfare of poor, downtrodden and other sections of society. He promised to work for the development of the constituency. Harbans Singh, Gurdev Singh, Satpal Mahi Sohan Lal Banga and others accompanied Manav.

Ambala, January 17
The police has initiated a special drive to check traffic rule violations here. A number of school buses were challaned during the drive. Most of the buses lacked a first-aid box while in a few speed governors and horizontal grills were missing.

President of PKR Jain Vatika Public School Bharat Bhushan Jain said it was not possible for them to arrange new buses. He said the administration should grant them some relaxation at least for the present session.

Chairman of Chaman Vatika Rajender Nath said the Supreme Court guidelines should be implemented, but the administration should not create a panic.

Chandigarh, January 17
Setting aside the decision of the district forum-I, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) for its failure to maintain the record resulting in accrual of interest on the due amount for the shop allotted to a Sector-46 resident.

State Commission president Justice Sham Sunder and members Neena Sandhu and Jagroop Singh Mahal while setting aside the impugned order observed, “We are, however, of the opinion that instead of directing the opposite party to refund the whole amount of Rs 2,06,109 to the complainants, interest of justice would be met if we direct that a sum of Rs 50,000 be paid by the opposite party as compensation to the complainants. The opposite parties shall 
also pay Rs 5,000 as costs of litigation.”

The complainant, Saroj Dogra, submitted that she along with her late husband purchased a booth in Sector 49-A, in the name of their son Nipun Dogra from the CHB for Rs 15.70 lakh in an auction held on October 30, 2002. They deposited 25 per cent of the bid money along with Rs 71,667 towards ground rent for first nine years within time and took the possession on December 18, 2002. They were required to pay 75 per cent of the bid price which was Rs 11,77,500 either within 30 days (without interest) or with 18 per cent interest per annum in three instalments payable up to December 1, 2005. After paying 75 per cent, they approached the CHB to issue a ‘No Due Certificate’. The CHB asked them to deposit another sum of Rs 2,62,000 towards interest which was deposited by them on September 18, 2004. However, to their utter surprise, the CHB instead of issuing the ‘No Due Certificate’ informed on June 28, 2010, that it had not deposited the balance 75 per cent payment of bid money. After they gave all details of the amounts deposited, the CHB on August 9, 2010, asked them to deposit Rs 3,83,789 (Rs 1,77,680 as principal and Rs 2,06,109 as interest) which was deposited by them in protest on September 15, 2010.

The counsel for the CHB pleaded that the complainants deposited the instalments in piecemeal manner at their own sweet will and evidently in contravention of the payment schedule. Thus, they were rightly burdened with the interest and they could not escape its payment being a contractual obligation. It was further pleaded that ‘No Dues Certificate’ could not be granted to the allottee after reconciliation of the accounts an amount of 3,83,789 was found due against them.

The commission further ordered, “CHB would be free to recover the amount of compensation, interest and costs from its officials who were required to maintain the record but did not send any reply and rather misplaced the application, of course after following proper procedure as required under the Service Rules.”

Chandigarh, January 17
Irked over being allegedly ‘bullied’ by the UT education department in the name of implementing Right Of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, over 60 private schools have decided to move to Ministry For Human Resource and Development against department.

While Independent School Association President HS Mamik refused to comment, an office-bearer of the Independent School Association accused the education department of befooling them.

“We made repeated requests to arrange for a meeting to finalise all issues specially reimbursement but they evaded it on the pretext of being busy and then all of a sudden we get fresh instructions. How can they decide to do away with the neighbourhood criteria? They failed to fulfil all duties assigned to them by the Act and they are now bullying us. We will go to the ministry highlighting the muddled affairs and the UT’s act of becoming the RTE policeman,” He said

With Chandigarh figuring in the ministry’s records enlisting four states, which have failed to conduct child-mapping school plan to highlight department’s botched up result.

“They made a mockery of the Act by not doing this survey properly, which is the key basis of identifying eligible candidates. They say, admit students from the entire city but they have not identified any child in their survey. We will get the ministry to set things right here,” said the principal of a local private school.

The decision comes in wake of the yesterday’s instructions issued by the department asking the schools to accept applications for seats reserved under the Act till January 31. The schools have also been barred from filling empty RTE seats till further order.

Repeated attempts to contact DPI (S) Sandeep Hans proved futile. The other department officials are meanwhile unperturbed by the ‘threats’ as a senior official said that schools could go anywhere but could not evade implementation of the Act.

“They have to admit EWS students on 25 per cent seats reserved for the purpose and that’s about it. If they have any problems they should contact us rather than the media,” said the official.