NEIGHBOURHOOD

Cambridge University selects 2 SGPC-sponsored students
Our Correspondent

Fatehgarh Sahib, May 23
The Cambridge University has selected two students for higher studies from the 12 applicants being sponsored by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC). Both the selected candidates, Rav Partap Singh from Chandigarh and Shinjini Singh from Lucknow, were honoured by Jathedar Avtar Singh, president SGPC, in a simple ceremony at the local MG College today.

Addressing the gathering, SGPC president said that the SGPC was committed to provide the best available facilities for higher studies in world famous educational institutes to the deserving Sikh children.

Gurmohan Singh Walia, director, education, of the SGPC said that both the selected candidates would be provided half of their expenditure for the next three years of their higher studies. Rav Partap Singh has been selected for PhD in law and Shinjni Singh has been selected for PhD in Development Studies in Social Work. He said: "Each student has to spent Rs 25 lakh per year out of which fifty percent would be provided by the SGPC." He also said that after completion of their studies they have to serve in any educational institute for five years and the other condition for the sponsorship included that no sponsored person would leave the true identity of a Sikh and would not change his or her religion.

Director principal of the Mata Gujri College, Jatinder Singh Sidhu, also addressed the gathering.

Patiala, May 23
In what may be termed as a major failure of the Patiala municipal corporation, the civic body has fared bad as far as the developmental projects are concerned. Except for a couple of projects, including setting up a sewerage treatment plant (STP), the SAD-BJP house has failed to deliver on a majority of its promises.

Projects such as setting up of a solid waste management plant and canal-based water treatment plant, shifting of dairies from the city to outskirts have failed to take off.

All these projects have been hanging fire for years.

Despite the fact that the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had written a number of letters to the Patiala civic authorities for setting up the solid waste management plant, the civic body has failed to start the work.

Presently, 240 MT waste is generated everyday in Patiala. For the past four years, the civic functionaries have been claiming that the MSW plant would be set up but till date the corporation has not managed to take the possession of the land at Dhudan Sadan village, where the plant has to be set up.

Another promise made by the SAD-BJP was that the dairies would be shifted from the city to the periphery. Dairies operating from residential areas have become a nuisance. As dung is dumped in drains, sewerage remains choked most of the time.

“The authorities should do something to solve the problem," said Ravinder Singh, a resident of Qila Chowk.

The project pertaining to the setting up of the canal-based water treatment plant has also failed to take off. The project was proposed by the Patiala MC as underground water level in the district was witnessing a decline and the civic body had to spend huge sums on the installation of new tubewells.The project was to be executed by the Water Supply and Sewerage Board, but the corporation had failed to provide land for the purpose.

Patiala Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said MSW treatment plant would be set up in next six months as they had got the land. He added that plans to shift dairies could not materialise as there was a scarcity of funds. “But now, we have the funds and the project will be started soon," he said.

Patiala, May 23
With an eye on the coveted post of Mayor, the kith and kin of six SAD leaders are all set to contest the Patiala municipal corporation elections. With this one question arises — whether the SAD-BJP will be able to repeat its victory in the civic poll. The election results will be out on June 10.

Sensing the tide in the favour of the SAD-BJP, senior Akali leaders want their son to contest the elections and be elevated as the Mayor. The SAD has released the first list of 28 candidates, which includes the names of five candidates for post of Mayor.

As per the list, the candidates include present incumbent Ajit Pal Singh Kohli (son of former Punjab Minister Surjit Singh Kohli) from Ward No. 26, Harinderpal Singh Tohra (son of former Punjab Minister Harmail Tohra) from Ward No. 43, Harpal Juneja (close confidant of Punjab Minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia) from Ward No. 31, Preetinder Singh (son of senior Akali leader Jaspal Pradhan) from Ward No. 39 and Amarinder Bajaj (sitting councillor and son of SAD Patiala (urban) president and Improvement Trust chairman Inder Mohan Singh Bajaj) from Ward No. 45.

Many senior Akali leaders have confirmed that if the SAD-BJP alliance registers victory in the civic poll, the above-mentioned candidates are the front-runners for the post of the Patiala Mayor.

Contrary to the speculations that Sukhi Rakhra, son of Punjab Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, and sitting councillor, and senior Akali leader Jaspal Pradhan may be contesting elections; both of them are not in the poll fray. Instead of Pradhan, his son Preetinder Singh, who is the president of the Youth Akali Dal Patiala (urban) will be contesting the elections.

Fatehgarh Sahib, May 23
In spite of the direction by the Deputy Commissioner to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) officials to improve the LPG supply at the gas agency in Bassi Pathana and the District Food and Civil Supply Controller (DFSC) to streamline the distribution of gas to consumers, nothing has been done. Consumers still have to wait for months to get a gas cylinder. It has affected the common man and women have to make frequent rounds of the gas agency, which is 2 km away from the town, to know the status of the booking.

Residents have been protesting against the poor LPG supply as they get gas cylinders after one month of booking. The consumers and gas agency owners held the area manager and sales manager of the IOC responsible for such a situation as they never responded to the calls made to them on the numbers displayed at the gas agency. The owner of the gas agency expressed her helplessness as the supply was very less compared to the demand. Talking to the media, Parveen Kumar, manager of the gas agency, said there were 16,500 consumers and their monthly quota of cylinders from the company was 11,628. The company was releasing only 8,874 cylinders every month.

He said at present, booking number 6,500 was going on and sometimes a consumer got the cylinder after two months. He said they had to suffer as the company had stopped supplying gas to the rural areas. He said they had written to the DFSC in this regard.

Manoj Banda, secretary of the Hindu Organisation, said poor people had to suffer as they neither got kerosene nor cooking gas. He said the area manager and the sales manager should be shifted. He threatened to organise an indefinite dharna if the administration did not make efforts to improve the supply of gas.aDeputy Commissioner Yashvir Mahajan has directed the DFSC to take up the matter with the IOC as there was only one gas agency to cater to the needs of the people in Bassi Pathana, Khamano and Chuni. He said there should be three gas agencies to meet the demands of the people.

Kharar, May 23
Two leaders of the Youth Akali Dal, Jasinder Singh Lali and Sukhwinder Singh, alias Chindi, were booked on the charge of attempt to murder here today. Lali and Chindi, both leaders of the Youth Akali Dal, are said to be old rivals and today lodged complaints against each other.

Jagtar Singh, alias Billa, a supporter of Shindi, alleged that Lali and his friends opened fire on them last night.

Billa said they were standing outside a friend's house when Lali and his supporters came in a car and launched an attack on them.

On the other hand, Lali's supporter Rustom alleged that a bullet hit him below his toe last night.

"We were sitting in our office near Balongi when Chindi along with his supporters/friends barged in and opened fire on us," alleged Rustom, who along with Harjinder Singh, another supporter of Lali, is undergoing treatment at the PGI. The police registered two different cases of attempt to murder on the complaints of both the parties.

"We are investigating the veracity of facts," said Sukhdev Singh Virk, DSP, Kharar.

Chandigarh, May 23
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today gave the Chandigarh Administration time to inform the Bench about the action taken after an inquiry report was submitted in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case.

The report had indicted the Sacred Heart Convent School for expelling Ruchika, allegedly molested by then Haryana police officer SPS Rathore.

As the case came up for hearing before the Bench, headed by Justice SS Saron, the counsel for the Administration sought additional time to file the status report. Accepting his request, the Bench gave the counsel time till July 18.

The Administration had, at the previous hearing, produced a photocopy of the report, prepared some two years ago, on Ruchika's expulsion from the school. It was returned and the UT was given time to file a status report.

Addressing the court on the issue of Rathore's promotions despite the allegations, CBI counsel Ajay Kaushik told the Bench that the top police officer had been exonerated by the Haryana government and the Centre was not even informed about the developments for three years.

The Bench also took exception to an affidavit filed by Rathore's counsel-cum-wife Abha Rathore. Petitioner Ranjan Lakhanpal objected to the affidavit, saying the issue of maintainability raised in court at a previous hearing had not been addressed.

The court had questioned the Chandigarh-based World Human Rights Council and its chairman Ranjan Lakhanpal on the locus standi to file a petition, seeking an independent probe in the molestation case. The Bench of Justice Saron and Justice M Jeyapaul had asked Lakhanpal to address the court on the issue.

Lakhanpal had earlier sought directions for an independent probe in the Ruchika case, from the day she was molested till the final decision in the case.

The petitioner had also sought appropriate action against all officers siding with Rathore and enabling the trial to continue for 19 years.

Chandigarh, May 23
Patients at crowded OPDs of the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH) at Sector 16 here have reason to be extra-cautious. Pickpockets are active at the hospital. Many a patient and their attendants have already lost their valuables to them. Victims generally avoid lodging police complaints.

On May 16, Surinder Jain, a physically challenged resident of Sector 22, was robbed of his wallet when he was standing in the queue at the department of medicine.

"I was about to enter the room of the physician when I found that my wallet was not in my pocket," he said.

"It contained important documents like my driver's licence and certificate of being physically challenged," he said.

Jain complained to the police and the hospital authorities.

When contacted, medical superintendent Rajiv Vadehra said the matter was brought to his notice by the victim.

Following this, it was decided that close-circuit television cameras were required to be installed at OPDs. He issued instructions in this regard, he added.

Chandigarh, May 23
Raunaq Singh and Sabrang Sandal defeated Mayank Arya and Naman Sehrawat (6-1 and 6-2) in the U-14 doubles category during the ongoing CLTA-AITA Talent Series Tennis Tournament for Boys' and Girls' (U-14 and U-18) being held at the CLTA courts and Lake Sports Complex here.

In another match, Saurabh Prashar and Ramanjot Singh overcame Abir Hiranandani and Asav Kumar 6-3 and 6-2.

In the boys (U-18) category, Fatehdeep Singh overcame Sagar Bains 6-4 and 6-1 while Ranjeet Singh defeated Sultan Atwal in two sets 6-0 and 6-2. In the girls' (U-14) matches, Nimrat Walia beat Seerat Pannu 1-6, 6-0 and 6-2 and Saumya Saxena overcame Gurneek 6-4 and 6-2.

Results: Boys (U-14): Karandeep Singh bt Sabrang Sandal 3-6, 6-2, 6-1; Danish Ahmed bt Aditya Vasisht 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; Sagar Bains bt Digvijay Partap 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Rohit Kumar bt Raunaq Marwaha 6-4, 6-4; boys (U-18): Digvijay Naruka bt Rahul Seth 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; Aditya Deswal bt Sahil Sachdeva 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-2; girls (U-14): Nimrat Walia bt Seerat Pannu 1-6, 6-0, 6-2; Saumya Saxena bt Gurneek 6-4, 6-2; Neeru bt Arzoo Choudhary 6-0, 6-1; Aarushi Kakkar bt Abhirami Prakasan 6-1, 6-3; girls (U-18): Sehnaz Singh bt Charvi Saxena 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3; Gayatri Kumariah bt Sharishty Dhandha 6-2, 6-2; Anupreet Bedi bt Nikita Bishnoi 6-4, 6-4; Aashima Garg bt Harsimran Kaur 6-4, 6-3; doubles quarterfinals boys (U-14): Raunaq Singh and Sabrang Sandal bt Mayank Arya and Naman Sehrawat 6-1, 6-2; Saurabh Prashar and Ramanjot Singh bt Abir Hiranandani and Asav Kumar 6-3, 6-2; Calvin Golmei and Sagar Bains bt Sanjeet Singh and Keshav Sharma 6-0, 6-3; Rohit Kumar and Jagdeep Singh bt Sahishnu Sharma and Savneet Bajwa; boys (U-18): Tarun Mundkur and Sahil Sachdeva bt Jagmeet Singh and 7-5, 3-6, 11-9; Gaurav Seth and Ritvik Mohapatra bt Samrat Rana and Ravneet Singh 6-4, 6-4; Parasdeep Singh Virk and Mayank Sharma bt Lakshey Bharti and Praveer Dogra 7-6(4), 6-4; Ranjeet Singh and Pranav Suri bt Rahul Seth and Barun Gill 6-3, 6-3; girls(U-14): Shrishty Dhanda and Arushi Kakkar bt Abhirami Prakash and Anmol Prashar 6-2, 6-1; Komaljeet Kaur and Harleen Kaur bt Ashpreet Kaur and Jahnvi 6-1, 7-5; Tanya Batra and Sehjnoor Dhillon bt Kavya Gupta and Seerat Pannu 7-6(4), 7-6(4); Aarzoo Chodhary and Taru Ahluwalia bt Sandeep Kaur and Ikshika 6-3, 6-1.

Chandigarh, May 23
An all-round performance by Karan Aggarwal (139) and Ramneet Singh (121) put Fathegarh Sahib in a strong position during the ongoing Punjab Inter-District Plate Division Match Cricket Tournament here today.

The duo stitched a 264-run partnership for the second wicket and helped the team score a total of 428 runs on the first day. The team declared their innings after losing six wickets. After electing to bat first, Karan Aggarwal, opener of the team, scored 139 off 200 studded with 18 boundaries and a six. His counterpart, Ramneet Singh, completed his 121 off 145, including 14 boundaries. Another batsman Devinder Singh contributed 41 runs.

In reply, Nawanshahr scored a total of 24 runs in their innings with Ramanajot scoring unbeaten 11 runs.

Brief scores: Fatehgarh Sahib: 428 for 6 declared in 84 overs (Karan Aggarwal 139, Ramneet Singh 121, Devinder Singh 51, Gaganajit Singh 40 not out ,Mohit Kumar 2 for 118, Virender 2 for 66 and Hardeep Singh 2 for 53).

Nawanshahr: 24 for no loss in 9 overs (Ramanjot 11 not out ).

Chandigarh, May 23
The local cricket team defeated Ambala during the ongoing first Rajinder Singh Cricket Championship for boys (U-16) here today. The local team posted a total of 185 for 7. Abhimanu (41 off 27), Uttkarsh (33), Parvesh

Sharma (23) were the main scorers for the team while bowler Parth claimed 2 for 23 and Asim took 1 for 5.

Chasing the target, Ambala could manage to score only 142 runs in 30 overs. Rishab (39) and Parth (19) topped the score chart while for the local team, Abhimanu was the pick of the bowlers after grabbing 4 for 29. Other bowlers, Parvesh Sharma and Rizul claimed two wickets each.