NEIGHBOURHOOD

DC tells officials to get traffic lights functional
Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, February 15
“Accidents claim a number of lives every year, if immediate measures are not taken, things can turn from bad to worse,” said Yashveer Mahajan, Deputy Commissioner, while presiding over a meeting of the District Road Safety Committee here today.

He directed the officials concerned to fix all non-functional traffic lights in the district. They were also told to put up sign boards mentioning speed limit and construct speed breakers on main roads.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Truck Union, Bus Operators’ Union, NGOs and district officials.

The Deputy Commissioner said if the officials did not follow the orders, cases would be registered against them. He directed the transport and police department to tighten noose around traffic violators by carrying out drives.

He directed the transport department to keep a check on private school buses and other vehicles ferrying schoolchildren.

The official asked the DEO(S) to organise seminars in collaboration with various NGOs and traffic department in schools to educate students about traffic rules.

He directed the excise department to remove wine shops from main roads. He directed the transport and police department to install reflectors on tractor trailers. The officials were told to remove encroachments from roadsides. Mahesh Garg, DTO, Paramjit Kaur, DEO (S) and Bhushan Rana, EO, also addressed the officials.

Banur, February 15
The three-day techno-cultural event Panache-2012 started at Shaheed Udham Singh College here today.

The festival started with the lighting of the lamp, followed by Saraswati ‘vandana’, ‘bhangra’ and Himachali dance by college students.

The participants competed in fun games and on-the-spot stage activities. Food stalls and music stalls were also set up.

About 1,800 students of 25 colleges registered for various competitions.

The evening had a starry touch with the performance of Neeru Bajwa and Gurpreet Ghuggi.

Punjab’s Principal Secretary, Technical Education and Industrial Training, Suresh Kumar, was the chief guest.

Col Karamjeet Singh (retd), director of the SUS group, welcomed the chief guest and highlighted achievements. 

Dera Bassi, February 15
The two-day 14th annual sports meet of Sri Sukhmani Group of Institutes concluded here today. Events, including 400m race, 100m race, javelin throw, long jump, shot put and triple jump were organised during the meet.

Prithvi House bagged the overall winner’s trophy while Sahil Kapoor was declared sportsman of the year. Jagdeep and Monika were named the best athletes.

Arvinder Singh emerged winner in triple jump while in the girls category, Kamalpreet Kaur stood out. In discuss throw (boys), Jagjeet Sing Rana cornered glory while Makirat Deep Kaur emerged winner in the girls category. Gursimran Kaur claimed the top spot in 800m race while in 1,500m, Renu and Brijesh Yadav (CSE) emerged winners.

Monika won the 400m (girls) event while in 400m (boys) event Anmol (CSE) scripted victory. In 200m (girls), Monika won the top honours while in the boys category, Jagdeep Singh registered win.

Nag House Team won the football championship while Prithvi House won the cricket tournament. Badminton players of Agni House bagged the title, while the girls’ title was won by Prithvi House.

Chandigarh, February 15
The Punjab and Haryana High Court will now give its verdict on the rise or fall of the 35-storeyed Tata Cemelot project coming up in the Chandigarh's vicinity.

After the conclusion of arguments, the Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Mahesh Grover today reserved the verdict in the case. During the resumed hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi hinted at selective opposition to the project.

Appearing on behalf of the Tata, Singhvi said the developer was asked to obtain clearance from a coordination committee of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The body was currently non-existent and according to information available its last meeting was held in1997.

Claiming that there was no violation, Singhvi said the project was denied clearance by the UT wildlife warden, even though he was only a recommendatory body.On February 10, the developer moved another application before him seeking review of the earlier decision, he said.

Responding to an argument about aesthetic of the area, Singhvi said the developer’s plans to raise construction on 11 per cent land and remaining 89 per cent was to be used as green belt.

Singhvi added that residential buildings could be raised within 16 km of Chandigarh, according to the periphery policy. Representing the construction company, senior advocate Rajiv Atma Ram referred to the information available on the Chandigarh administration website to say the catchment area of Sukhna lake fell only in Haryana and Chandigarh.

The land falling in Punjab was not the Lake’s catchment area. Rajiv Atma Ram added that Sector 2 of Mansa Devi Complex was coming up just about 100-square yards away from Sukhna Lake, and the area fell in the catchment area. Counsel for petitioner Aalok Jagga, DS Patwalia again targeted the Punjab government. Alleging connivance, Patwalia said the master plan of Nayagaon was tailor-made to suit Tata Housing.

Chandigarh, February 15
Even as the district court today sentenced a man to life imprisonment in a murder case, the person who was killed has remained unidentified.

The Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal today sentenced a Mauli Jagran resident to life imprisonment in a murder case. Convicted Kishan has been imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. He killed a beggar in a fit of rage and the victim’s name or address is still not known.The court convicted Kishan under Sections 302 of the IPC. He had committed the murder in a fit of rage as he was heavily drunk at that time. The incident occurred on the intervening night of December 4 and 5, when the victim was sleeping near house number 2147 and the accused, who drove a vegetable rehri in the Sector 26 vegetable market, tried to sexually assault the beggar. The incident had occurred when a police party patrolling in the area during the late night hours arrested the accused from the spot, besides taking the victim, who was aged around 50, to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, where he was declared brought dead.

The victim was shocked over the behaviour of Patra and had pushed him aside. However, the accused infuriated over this started hitting the victim. The victim picked a brick and started hitting the accused, however, Patra who was heavily drunk got hold of the brick and started hitting the victim on his head, injuring him seriously.

Public prosecutor Manu Kakkar said the statements of two constables who were eyewitnesses, proved to be the clinching evidence for the murder case.

Chandigarh, February 15
The Chandigarh Police has foiled an attempt to rob a jewellery shop by arresting five persons from the green belt area behind Kalagram, Mani Majra last night.

Jitender, Vikram (from Nepal),Kanwarpal, Kalu Bangla and Sonu Bakriwala were caught while making a strategy to rob a jewellery shop. The police has recovered a country made pistol and seven live cartridges from Jitender’s possession while four swords, knifes were recovered from other four accused.

The police after getting a tip-off went and searched the jungles behind Kalagram and arrested these youths. During interrogation all the accused were found to be in the criminal list.

As per the information, the accused were also involved in many other cases of thefts and robbery. All the accused have been sent to judicial custody.

Chandigarh, February 15
A theft was reported in a shop-cum-office in Sector 35 last night.

Ghansham Bansal of SCO number 89, Sector 35, Chandigarh, alleged that his help Viney Kumar, a Panchkula resident, stole away Rs 4 lakh cash from the said SCO yesterday. He used a rope to flee from the window.

A case under Section 381 of the IPC has been registered.

Mohali, February 15
The police has booked five persons, including a woman, on charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery in two separate cases.

In one case, an NRI living in Canada had complained to the police that Jarnail Singh Garewal, Karnail Singh, residents of Sector 71, and Kamaljeet Kaur, wife of Karnail Singh living in Canada, had forcibly taken possession of a plot in Sector 69.

A case under Section 420 and 120 B of the IPC was registered in this regard. In another case, Manjeet Kaur, resident of Phase VII, told the police that a plot was allotted to her husband, Balbir Singh, in 1974.

Her husband died in August, 2010. When she approached GMADA to get the plot transferred in her name she got to know that Yodh Ram, resident of Ludhiana, and Dilbagh Singh had allegedly got the plot transferred in their names after presenting a fake death certificate. A case has been registered.

Panchkula, February 15
Thieves targeted the car of Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge and took away the red beacon from the car.

The incident occurred on the night of February 13, when the Judge had come to Panchkula to attend a wedding in Kisan Bhawan, Sector 14, Panchkula. But after the ceremony, when he was going home, he found the red beacon missing.

Thereafter, a complaint by Judge’s driver Ashok Kumar Yadav, a resident of Mauli Jagran was lodged with the Panchkula Police. On the night of February 14, an FIR was registered under Section 379 (theft) of the IPC.

A senior police official said on the complaint of Judge’s driver, the police had registered an FIR and started the investigation.

In 2011, the Panchkula district had witnessed 380 thefts and the figure in 2010 was 317. On the spurt in thefts in Panchkula district, Kamal Joshi, a resident of Sector 15, said it reflected the deteriorating law and order in the district where there was no fear among the thieves.

A policeman said the department was reeling under staff crunch and which was why the thefts were on the rise. “The way the city is expanding, the Panchkula police really needs more manpower to control the rising crime graph,” he added. 

Chandigarh, February 15
Acting tough on rise in robbery incidents , the Chandigarh police has arrested two robbers Lakhan and Dharamraj for indulging in more than ten robberies in city, here.

During the interrogation both the accused reveled that after committing the crime, they used to keep the theft items in a jhuggi near Baddi. On February 11 after getting information, the police personnel arrested Dharamraj (Dama) and after two days on his tip-off the police set a trap to arrest Lakhan.

According to provided information, the accused were arrested for committing crime in a shop at Mansa Devi road from a theft of Rs 30,000 cash and one mobile was made. The police has recovered the theft items.

Notably, the duo also accepted their involvement in 6 shops theft in Sector 11, 3 shops theft in Sector 15 and a shop theft in Sector 22. 

Mohali, February 15
Harleen Kaur Deol bagged the first prize in javelin throw during the Annual Inter-House Athletics Meet of Yadavindra Public School here today. While Gurmehar Dhindra finished second and Gursaya Grewal bagged the third prize. The 10-day meet commenced with a march past by the five houses. The principal, Janajit Ray, declared the meet open.

Results

Javelin throw (U-17) girls: Harleen Kaur Deol (Patiala House) 1, Gurmehar Dhindra (Aitchison House) 2 and Gursaya Grewal (Ranjit House) 3; broad jump (U-19) boys: Miljot Singh (Patiala House) 1, Subeg Singh (Ranjit House) 2 and Rainer Singh (Nalagarh House) 3; broad jump (U-19) girls: Simardeep Kaur (Tagore House) 1 and Rhythm Singh Randhawa (Ranjit House) 2; high jump

(U-14) boys: Rajanpreet Singh (Ranjit House) 1, Diltaj Singh (Patiala House) 2 and Maheshinder Singh (Patiala House) 3; 400m

(U-19) girls: Huijin Jang (Patiala House) 1, Ravneet Kaur (Aitchison House) 2 and Simardeep Kaur (Tagore House) 3.

Chandigarh, February 15
HS Kang, who scored 32 gross stableford points to win the best gross stableford score emerged the best golfer of the day in the Thomas Cook Indian Golf League played at the Chandigarh Golf Club here today. The winner of the best stableford score on 3/4th of original handicap was Capt JS Sahi with nett 45 points while RS Sandhu was the runner-up with 40 points.

The cold breeze made way for a sunny day and some good scoring was witnessed. In double peoria handicap, SS Dhaliwal emerged winner with 38 points. The winner of the special incentive prize for women was Neelu Chopra with 32 points. She emerged winner on a countback after Dalbir Sahi and Dimple Minocha were tied with her on the same score. These five players have now qualified for the grand finale to be played after two months in Delhi.

As a special incentive for senior golfers, there was a trophy for the best stableford score by a golfer above 75 years of age which was claimed by Harwant Singh with 32 nett points. Ankur Sharma, a caddie from the Chandigarh Golf Club, won Oakley sunglasses when he holed and won the "Monster Putt" contest during the course of play of the tournament.

Chandigarh, February 15
PCA Blue defeated PCA Red by six wickets in a trial match held to select probables for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The trophy matches will be held in Delhi from February 20.

The Punjab probables were divided into two teams for a 50-over game at the LIC ground, Sector 26.

PCA Red led by Karan Goel won the toss and elected to bat. They were soon rocked with the dismissal of opener Manish Bhatia before opening his account. Punjab Red lost Karan Goel (17) and Ishan Malhotra (7) in a quick succession. Then Mandeep Singh and Taruwar Kohli steadied the innings with a 77 runs stand for the fourth wicket before Taruwar Kohli was cleaned up by left arm spinner Vinay Chaudhary for 25 off 54 balls inclusive of one boundary and one sixer. Mandeep Singh was the highest scorer for his team as he scored 88 off 95 balls studded with 11 boundaries before being run out with the team’s total reading 181 for 8 in 41.2 overs. Thereafter, medium pacer Manpreet Gony wielded the long and blasted seven towering sixes in his blistering knock of 55 off 32 balls. PCA Red folded up for 232 in 47.1 over. Harmeet Bansal 3 for 32 and Vinay Chaudhary 2 for 30 were the principal wicket takers for PCA Blue.

In reply, PCA Blue led by Uday Kaul had a disastrous start as their opener Jeevanjot Singh was snapped by Mandeep Singh in the slips of the first ball of the innings bowled by Manpreet Gony.

Skipper Uday Kaul came into fill the breach but was trapped in front by Gony on his individual score of two.

At this stage, Gurkirat Mann joined Ravi Inder Singh and the two put on 39 runs for the third wicket before Ravi Inder was caught by Taruwar Kohli off Manpreet Gony for 20 off 34 balls inclusive of three boundaries. Gurkirat Mann, who was in full cry and stroking the ball through all corners of the field, was joined by Mayank Siddana and the duo raised a partnership off 85 runs for the fourth wicket before Mayank Sidana was caught by Rajwinder off Ankur Jund for 30 off 38 balls. In the meanwhile, Gurkirat Mann who was in an irresistible mood, was plundering the red attack at will by hitting the balls with judicious strokes and finding gaps in the field. He along with Amitoze Singh was involved in an unbeaten fifth wicket stand of 110 runs off 13.4 overs. Gurkirat Mann went on to remain unconquered on 136 off 121 balls.

Brief scores

 Punjab Red: 232 all out in 47.1 overs (Mandeep Singh 88, Manpreet Gony 55 , Taruwar Kohli 25 Harmeet Bansal 3 for 32, Vinay Chaudhary 2 for 30, Bipul Sharma 1 for 52 and Amitoze Singh 1 for 51).

 Punjab Blue: 236 for 4 in 39.1 overs (Gurkirat Mann 136 not out, Mayank Sidana 30, Ravi Inder Singh 20, Amitoze Singh 37 not out Manpreet Gony 3 for 40 and Ankur Jund 1 for 34). 

Chandigarh, February 15
A fine bowling performance by Naresh Dhingra enabled Godrej & Boyce XI to defeat Real Con Panchkula by 71 runs and qualify for the semifinals in a league match of the second Proflex Cup organised by the Chandigarh Sports Club here yesterday.

Batting first, Godrej & Boyce XI batsmen made 180 for 7 in allotted 25 overs. Inderjeet Saini was the top scorer with 52 runs to his credit.

His innings came off 45 deliveries and included five boundaries. Some pinch hitting by Veneet Chawla (49) and Sanjay Ahuja (31) helped Godrej put up a respectable score on the board.

The Real Con bowlers were largely ineffective with only Vivek Sharma picking up three wickets and Harish Garg two wickets.

In reply, Real Con Panchkula batsmen could not measure up to the bowling prowess of the Godrej team and bundled out for 109 in 18.4 overs

Score

Godrej & Boyce XI: 180 for 7 in 25 overs (Inderjeet Saini 52, Vaneet Chawla 49, Sanjay Ahuja 31, Vivek Sharma 3 for 26 and Harish Garg 2 for 27).

Real Con Panchkula : 109 all out in 18.4 overs ( Harish Garg 41, Ritesh Singla 23, Naresh Dhingra 5 for 24, Ajay Bhardwaj 3 for 1 and Vijay Pal 2 for 19).

In the second match of the day, Ireo XI defeated DLF XI by 80 runs.

Score

Ireo XI: 218 for 4 in 25 overs (Anjeev Lohia 92, Suvarto Mukherjee 49, Ravish 23, B.Bisht 2 for 18 and Rohit 2 for 32).

DLF XI : 138 all out in 23.2 overs (Sham Malhotra 34, Gagan 19 and Kuljeet 18, Praveen Kumar 3 for 13, Chandan 2 for 14, Anjeev Lohia 2 for 16 and Aamir Husain 2 for 16.