Chandigarh, April 20
Perhaps for the first time, the UT Excise and Taxation Department could not dispose of 37 per cent of the vends during the opening of financial bids for the allotment of liquor vends under the new Excise Policy 2012-2013.

Not a single bid was received for 80 vends out of the total 215 vends, both IMFL and country, that were advertised for allotment.

Following today’s allotment of vends, the liquor prices in Chandigarh are expected to come almost at par with the neighbouring vends in Mohali and Panchkula. The vends under the new policy would start their business from May 1.

A substantial increase in the licence fee and excise duty by the UT was said to be one of the main reasons for the poor response. “The vends mostly located on the border with Mohali (Punjab) and those capable of generating high-volume business have attracted bidders,” said a senior Chandigarh Administration official.

A pre-fabricated vend located in Sector 52 (opposite Sector 43 bus stand) attracted a bid of Rs 4.25 crore against the reserved price of Rs 3.30 crore and another one located at Behlana went for Rs 4.25 crore against a reserved price of Rs 3.01 crore.

Justifying the increase in the licence fee, excise duty and the minimum selling price (MRP) to bring a parity in the liquor rates in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, the UT Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Brajinder Singh, said the UT was able to generate a revenue of Rs 140 crore from the allotment of vends. While Rs 126 crore was earned from the allotment of 110 IMFL vends, Rs 14 crore was earned from the allotment of country liquor vends. Regarding the unlifted liquor quota, the Commissioner said the exact picture would be known on April 30.

Among the key players who have remained in the city’s liquor scene are Malbros International Pvt Ltd and Oasis Distilleries in which an Akali MLA from Muktsar, Deep Malhotra, has stakes. At least two other groups have also managed to pool for vends in the city.

Giving details, excise department officials said among the high bids IMFL vends were in Sector 54 that went for Rs 2.72 crore against a reserved price of Rs 1.45 crore and another one in Sector 22 that went for Rs 1.41 crore against a reserved price of Rs 96.88 lakh. A modern liquor shop in Sector 9 went for Rs 1.30 crore against a reserved price of Rs 76.14 lakh.

The officials said the minimum retail price of the IMFL and country liquor had been increased by 40 to 50 per cent.

Chandigarh, April 20
In a significant development, a co-accused in the corruption case in which Mohali DSP Raka Gira was arrested for taking Rs 1 lakh bribe turned approver today.

Manmohan Singh, who was the reader of the DSP and a co-accused, will now be a prosecution witness of the CBI in the yet-to-be-filed chargesheet.

The CBI court today allowed the application seeking the court’s permission to make the DSP’s reader and accused Manmohan Singh an approver.

Last year, the CBI had arrested Manmohan Singh, reader of DSP Raka Gira, as co-accused in the corruption case against the officer. The CBI said the reader had connived with the DSP while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant.

Sources said Manmohan Singh had expressed his willingness to turn approver in the case and give statements against Raka Gira. The move has strengthened the case of the prosecution. On July 25, 2011, the CBI had arrested Mohali Deputy Superintendent of Police Raka Gira on charges of demanding and accepting bribe worth Rs 1 lakh from a builder for settling his case.

The CBI also carried out search and seizure operations at the Gira’s palatial 2-kanal house in Sector 15 of Chandigarh.

The agency laid a trap after a Mullanpur-based builder KK Malhotra filed a complaint against Gira and arrested her after they found the marked currency at her residence.

The CBI has registered a case against Gira on charges of demanding and accepting illegal gratification and booked her under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The search yielded around Rs 1.2 crore in cash, stashed in various boxes in different parts of the house and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees. Also, the CBI found fixed deposits worth Rs 75 lakh and other expensive artefacts.

Gira was at that time supervising two inquiries registered against Malhotra under the provisions of Land Acquisition Act.

Malhotra, in his complaint to the CBI, alleged that Gira had been harassing him and asked for Rs 2 lakh bribe to free him from the cases. 

Chandigarh, April 20
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has trampled over the idea of metamorphosing Sector 17 into a vehicle-free zone.

The corporation today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court: “It would not be feasible to withdraw the facility of parking from any designated parking lot in Sector 17 at this stage.”

The assertion comes just about a month after the High Court set the April 1 deadline for making Sector 17 a vehicle-free zone.

In an affidavit placed before the Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ajay Tewari, Municipal Corporation’s Additional Commissioner TPS Phoolka asserted: “Parking spaces are designated in the layout plan and the municipal corporation is not competent to make any changes.”

“There is no alternative space available with the municipal corporation, where the vehicles could be accommodated in the event of closure any of the parking.“Once the construction of the multi-level parking will be started at the Gurudev Studio parking lot, the parking will be out of use for approximately two years and that will increase the pressure on the nearby parkings. It is not possible to close/restrict any designated parking.” The corporation also informed the Bench that it had decided to enforce different parking rates in parking lots of Sector 17. The concept of hourly parking rates too would be set in motion. Moreover, in the main parking lot, free parking passes would not be entertained.

The issue of different parking rates and no entry in the main parking lot was agreed upon at a meeting, but would be implemented only after the installation of fully automatic gates at the lots.

Giving details of the existing capacity of the Dr Sahib Singh parking, the affidavit stated that it was the second largest parking after the Bank square lot. The parking has capacity of 870 four-wheelers and 435 two-wheelers. The affidavit added that the shopping plaza already had more than 15-lakh sq m area exclusively for the pedestrians, where no vehicle was allowed. The total area for parking of vehicles was 1.39 lakh sq m. Chandigarh’s Chief Architect Sumit Kaur also appeared before the Bench and briefed it about the initiatives taken to make Sector 17 a pedestrian’s paradise. Sumit Kaur said new multi-storyed parking had been approved near Gurudev Studio and work was likely to begin soon. After its construction, some areas could be made vehicle-free zones. The case will now come up on April 27.

Chandigarh, April 20
Cleaning a manhole proved fatal for a 25-year-old labourer in Vikas Nagar, Mauli Jagran, as he died after inhaling poisonous gases after falling into the 10-foot-deep pit today.

A Fire Brigade tender pulled him out, but the labourer had died by then.

Happy Kumar was a resident of Mauli Jagran. Meanwhile, two other labourers working with him had a miraculous escape.

The labourer was employed with a private contractor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. The contactor’s negligence has come to light, as no safety precautions were being taken while he was cleaning the manhole. The police said the death occurred as he inhaled poisonous gases in the gutter, which he had entered for cleaning. The police is yet to register a case and said it was verifying the facts.

The incident came to light at 4 pm. Happy Kumar, along with Kala and Pradeep, was cleaning the manhole. Pradeep who was standing outside noticed that Happy was not responding when he found that he had fallen deep inside and had consumed toxic gases coming out of the manhole. Pradeep along with Kala tried to help him when they called the police.

The Fire Brigade as well as the UT police rushed to the spot and carried out rescue operations. A Fire Brigade tender pulled him out and he was rushed to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital in Sector 16, where he was declared brought dead.

MC Chief Engineer SS Bidda said prima facie the contractor’s negligence had come to light, as safety precautions were not taken when the labourer was cleaning the manhole. “We will mark an inquiry into the matter to find who all are responsible for the negligence,” he said.

COMMUNITY

Experts discuss air power applications
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20
Issues related to strategic environment and employment of airborne assets were discussed at a seminar on western air command aerospace power held at the Air Force Station, here today.

The event is conducted annually in coordination with the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), New Delhi. Inaugurated by Air Marshal DC Kumaria, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, the seminar was attended by retired air marshals as well as senior officers from the Western Air Command and all IAF airbases located in north India.

The seminar was conducted in three sessions. The first session was devoted to “Military-Strategic Environment” under the chairmanship of Air Marshal SK Malik (Retd), former Vice Chief of Air Staff.

The next session was on “Air Power Application” that was chaired by Air Marshal VK Bhatia (Retd) former AOC-in-C WAC, while the third session was on “Trend Lines in Air Power Application”.

The seminar aimed to provide a platform for the thinkers of this field to hold deliberation on the subject. It covered a broad spectrum of topics such as operations in mountainous areas, disaster relief operations, air maintenance operations. Operational and doctrinal tactics and strategies were also discussed. It also acted as a forum for sharing and passing on the experiences of high ranking retired air force officers to the younger generation serving officers.

Chandigarh, April 20
Satya Pal Jain, former MP and all-India incharge of the Legal and Legislative Wing of the BJP, has urged the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to visit Chandigarh, assess the law and order situation in the city, take corrective measures, and restore the confidence of the common man in the local administration and the law enforcing agencies.

Jain said that the law and order situation has collapsed in the city and corruption is at its peak. There are reports of chain snatching, thefts, kidnapping, drunken and over-speed driving everyday. People, especially women and the elderly, are feeling unsafe. Jain said that the present Home Minister has not visited Chandigarh even once since the formation of the present government and has never bothered to discuss any issue with the people. 

Chandigarh, April 20
The enforcement staff of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) suspended its demolition drive in Sector 29 today following protests by the residents. After demolishing unauthorised structures in two of the houses, the enforcement team suspended its drive till further orders.

Chandigarh, April 20
The municpal corporation has taken a step ahead in the direction of levying house tax in the city. A house tax assessment committee in its meeting today has decided to study the house tax structures in cities of different states where the tax is already imposed. A report in this regard is also supposed to be tabled in the next meeting of committee.

A final reminder to impose house tax and revise commercial property tax by the UT Administration was sent to the MC on April 11. The administration has asked the corporation to impose minimal house tax and revise the property tax to avoid any problem in getting the grant-in-aid through the Jawaharlal National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNRUM) in future.

The committee further suggested that before a decision is taken on the revision of property tax, a fresh survey in the city has to be conducted. Earlier, a survey of commercial properties was conducted in 2004 when the property tax was imposed in the city for the first time on the pattern of Bangalore. Though it was to be revised after three years in 2007 as per the MC Act, the rates were not revised.

The committee members are of the view that a fresh survey will help in generating more funds as a large number of buildings which came into existent after 2004 are presumed to be avoiding the tax. As the city had adopted the model of Bangalore for levying property tax earlier, the present scenario on this front at Bangalore will also be considered before reaching to the conclusion, said a senior officer at the MC.

Mohali, April 20
Two schemes drawn up by the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) in connection with the payment of power bills for the convenience of consumers have failed to take off.

Power consumers were initially happy to know about the two schemes of the PSPCL hoping that they would not have to stand in long queues for paying their bills but were disappointed when the concerned authorities failed to implement the consumer-friendly schemes in a proper manner.

Under the “Easy bill” plan chalked out about six months ago, the consumers could pay their electricity bills at shops authorised by the power corporation in various sectors. The shopkeepers authorised to collect power bills could receive payments only in cash and that up to Rs 5,000. As per plans, 100 shopkeepers were to be authorised to collect power bills and once 25 shopkeepers were given the authority for collecting payments, their addresses were to be displayed at the power corporation office located in the industrial area. The power corporation had hired the Hero Group for the implementation of the plan, which had installed the required software in the computers of the authorised shopkeepers.

The PSPCL had launched the “Easy bill” plan authorising five shopkeepers to collect power bills but, unfortunately, the authorities concerned had failed to attract more shopkeepers in this regard and even after six months of launching the scheme the number of shopkeepers providing the facility to power consumers still stood at five.

Sources said that the scheme failed to take off because shopkeepers, authorised to collect power bills, were being given a commission of only Rs 2 per bill, which they considered was very low. However, the “Easy bill” concept was functioning in Ludhiana and had proved to be a great help to power consumers there. The aim was to avoid rush at counters of the power corporation and also to create a convenience for consumers.

The earlier scheme of the power corporation “Payment on your doorstep”, launched about two years ago, too, proved to be a damp squib. Under this scheme, the consumers were to hand over payments to persons who visited their houses for issuing on the spot power bills. Payments up to Rs 1,000 were to be given in cash and for any amount through cheque. The consumers were to be given receipts for the payments received by these employees.

As per the terms of the contract carried out with KLG Systel, a private company which has been given the work related to on the spot power billing, the contractor was bound to collect at least 15 per cent of the payments on the doorstep failing which he was to be fined.

Sources said that the employees of the contractor had been able to collect less than 2 per cent of the payments, which was a violation of the terms of the agreement. The employees had even refused to collect cheques whenever the consumers wanted to handover the payments to them.

Mohali, April 20
As many as 10 persons sitting in the VIP and two other blocks during an IPL match in the PCA Stadium here have been issued challans by the District Tobacco Control Cell for violating norms.

The challans were issued on the directions of the State Tobacco Control Cell, Punjab, under Section 4 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The offenders were sitting in the Terrace Block, Corporate Block apart from the VIP Block.

The tobacco control officials observed that some brands of tobacco-related products were sponsoring various television awards and were now stooping low to surrogate advertising during the IPL matches. The Tobacco Control Cell was also in the process of issuing a notice to the PCA Stadium/Kings XI Punjab for violating Section 5 of COTPA, 2003. An official of Tobacco Control Cell said that since Mohali was the first smoke free district in Punjab, an advance notice was sent to the authorities concerned.

Mohali, April 20
Parts of a house located in Sector 70 were damaged after an electricity pole, being removed during the widening of a road, fell on it, here today.

Harmesh Singh, an employee of the local Municipal Council, who lives in that house, said that the road leading from Balongi village to Phase VIII was being widened by GMADA. Employees of the contractor were shifting the electricity pole that was falling in the widened area.

He alleged that the contractor’s staff did not have proper machinery and adequate number of employees to shift the heavy pole. They lost control of the pole that fell on his house and damaged the back courtyard area.

The metal railing, tin roof and a newly purchased washing machine had got damaged. He said that minor cracks had also appeared in some parts of the building. 

Zirakpur, April 20
After the fire incident at Pabhat godown area, the Zirakpur Municipal Council has decided to buy two fire tenders that would be handed over to the Dera Bassi fire station. One will be stationed at sewerage and water supply office in Zirakpur for 24 hours said Dera Bassi MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary, NK Sharma, during the monthly council meeting, here today.

The council has also passed the resolution for drawing of amusement park that would be constructed over 100-acre common land situated at Gajipur village along with the Zirakur-Ambala highway.

During the meeting, the councilors had discussed that the fire incident, that occurred in Pabhat godown area two days ago, and demanded to the council officiating president Kulwinder Sohi for setting up of a fire station in Zirakpur. The matter was put up in front of Dera Bassi MLA who had asked the council officials to communicate with Dera Bassi Municipal Council regarding the fire tenders. Sharma said that the issue of setting up of a fire station in Zirakpur has been under process.

An MC official said that a letter would be written to the Dera Bassi Municipal Council official to work together for upgrading of the Dera Bassi fire station. The proposal would be sent to higher authorities for approval, he added.

Sharma asked the council officials to serve notice to those violators, who had encroached the roads and demolished the encroachments, immediately. The council had installed signboards, mentioning the rules of widen of roads at Pabhat, Peermuchalla and Dhakoli. Sharma has also pulled up the sanitary inspector and asked him to take care of cleanliness in the town.

Chandigarh, April 20
For the first time in history, a fully packed Tagore Theatre was witness to a full length Hindi play-reading session by young Bollywood lyricist, playwright and script writer Dr Irshad Kamil. Initially, it looked to be the pull of poet Kamil’s celebrity status, but as the script reading progressed, his literary prominence, humanistic vision and adroit writing skills eclipsed the contention. The Hindi play by Irshad Kamil is a beautiful amalgamation of poetry and prose.

Keeping with the present times, it’s an honest and brutal search for the essence of life and love in all its realism. It’s the labour of love that breathes life into any union. Love, in its pure and profound nature has been a timeless subject for mankind with continuous evolution through the ages.

Bolti Deewarein can hear the cries of love, also talk at length about love, but forget to derive their own meaning of love. Bolti Deewarein is a new dawn in the life of love, and also an eternal quest of many more dawns to rise. The play is a relentless search for the inherent character of love and the real mettle of human relationships, says Kamil. Modulating his voice, expressions and body gestures, Kamil narrated the roles of Wasim, Pooja, Pujari and others while embellishing these with elements of theatre.

Introducing Irshad Kamil, whose literary elegance and theatrical expertise blossomed in Chandigarh, CSNA chairman Kamal

Tewari disclosed that his play “Bolti Deewarein” will be staged shortly here. JK Singh of AIR conducted the programme.

Chandigarh, April 20
Putting the future of thousands of students studying in the PU affiliated colleges at stake, the university is getting their answer sheets evaluated by research scholars. History, Hindi and sociology are a few of the subjects whose answer sheets are being evaluated by research scholars.

The evaluation process of the ongoing undergraduate exams has already started and it has come to light that research scholars are evaluating the answer sheets.

The matter has been taken up with the university authorities by Dr Dinesh Talwar, a fellow who has demanded that only teachers should be roped-in for evaluating the answer sheets.

“It is unfair to undergraduate students. Research scholars are not experts in evaluating the answer sheets. PhD students have not taught the subjects for a single day; how can the university expect them to evaluate answer sheets,” he said.

Sources said that the university enrols research scholars for the evaluation process to meet the evaluator crunch and to ensure that the results are declared on time.

When contacted, AK Bhandari, controller examination, said that the names of the research scholars are recommended by the Board of Studies and are approved by the Vice-Chancellor. Only then these research scholars are asked to evaluate answer sheets.

Official sources stated that on the demand raised by Talwar, the university has decided to phase-out research scholars from the evaluation process. “Research scholars would not be asked to evaluate answer sheets.However, as sociology has a large number of students, a few scholars would be enrolled for evaluation,” an official sources said.

Chandigarh, April 20
Showcasing their strength, the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), in presence of their supporters, announced its new body for the next academic session at the student centre today. The leaders will be heading the party in the student elections to be held in September.

SOPU chief Brinder Singh Dhillon, in the presence of party’s founder president DP Randhawa, announced Manoj Lubana as the president and Bikram Jatana as the party president.

Manoj who has remained SOPU president in Khalsa College has been associated with the party for last five-years. Outgoing presidents, Vicky Middukhera and Robin Brar, were declared as state president and chairman. Students from various departments of the university as well as college students attended the general council meeting.

The party also announced college panels during the meeting.

Soon after the announcement, the party leaders submitted a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor demanding that vacant teaching posts should be filled at the earliest.

SOPU members claimed that they would stage a massive protest if the university fails to fill the vacant posts before the next academic session. 

Chandigarh, April 20
The diamond jubilee convocation of Government College of Art, Sector 10, Chandigarh, was held today.

Students were awarded degrees and rolls of honour during the function. Chief guest Prof Pradyumna Vyas, director, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, delivered the convocation address. Vyas, while addressing the gathering, said that artists and designers, by virtue of their creative urge, enrich the society with the power of words, thoughts and action. “These people can bring all the reformation required in society which is facing the adverse effects of modern technology,” he said.

On this occasion prof Raj Jain, former teacher, Government College of Arts, was honoured for his lifetime contributions. Former principals and teachers of the institute also graced convocation with their presence. 

Chandigarh, April 20
After a prolonged delay, the UT’s first ever government smart school will open its gates for students on April 23. Advisor to the UT Administraor KK Sharma will inaugurate the Sector 53 school whose inauguration has been postponed four times since last November.

The school is first department is government school to be built to accommodate integrated communication technology (ICT) - equipped classrooms with four more in the pipeline. The school aims at providing private sector-like education but at affordable prices and is expected to change lives of over 2000 students.

In addition to revamping the current education system, the school is also aims to improve the skewed teacher-student ratio ailing schools in the southern Sectors, like Government Model School in Sector 45.

“The project has been delayed for numerous reasons, but finally the D-day has arrived. The school is equipped with latest ICT technologies and is a major step towards providing tech-savvy education, which will bring our students at par with their counterparts in private schools. Initially we will be shifting the students of nearby schools here. The staff will undergo a special training to make the best use of available technology,” revealed an official of the education department.

The department will reveal the details of admission procedure on April 23.