Vandana with her family at Sector 46 in Chandigarh on Thursday.Tribune Photos: Manoj Mahajan and Parvesh Chauhan

Chandigarh, June 1
Seventyone-year-old Vandana of Sector 46 is already living the nightmare of being bedridden following a recent accident. The Administration is doing nothing to provide her comfort, with unscheduled power cuts, which seem to be increasing by the day as summer proceeds to its peak.

Residents of the area she stays in had to face an almost-six-hour power cut from last evening till midnight.

About an hour later, power supply got snapped again and this time, the power cut lasted more than 12 hours, till this afternoon.

Vandana was not alone as residents of hundreds of houses in the city were facing a similar situation.

A cross-section of residents talked about how the unexpected power cuts affected their lives. Office-goers and housewives had their share of woes.

Gurpreet Rana of Sector 19 was almost in tears. He was trying to console his one-year-old son Aarush following the unscheduled power cut from last evening till midnight. “What irks me the most is that there is no fixed schedule,” he said.

Janki Rawat of Sector 46 was finding it difficult to manage her two-year-old granddaughter Nyasa in the absence of power.

She said they spent the night in the open 'verandah'. Long power cuts had become common in the sector, she rued.

Sahil Chauhan of Sector 15 said he was aware of acute power cuts in Punjab, but the situation was similar in Chandigarh, which was supposed to be a well-planned city.

Schoolchildren Yash, Ankit and Krishna thought that they would enjoy the holidays to the fullest, but power cuts seemed to spoil the summer break.

There was a blast in the transformer at Phase II of the Industrial Area here last night, due to which the supply to around a dozen sectors was affected for hours.

Residents of Sectors 7, 15, 19, 30, 32 and 46, Panjab University at Sector 14 and Khuda Ali Sher faced a power crisis today.

The demand for power touched 320 MW yesterday. It was between 260 MW and 280 MW last week. The authorities claimed that it would go up further.

Residents of Mohali had started facing power cuts as well. There was no power supply to Phases IIIB1 for around eight hours.

Shanta Mullick said there was no power supply from 10 am to 6 pm. It seemed that power cuts were back, she added.

 

Actual load data insufficient Residents are not serious about declaring actual power load. Only 5,000 of the 2,20,000 consumers had approached the electricity department last year to declare actual load. The insufficient data had been resulting in frequent power supply breakdown. Helpline number for residents In case of power cuts, residents can dial the power control department number 0172-463999 to know the reason for the power cut in the area. Scheduled power shutdown Electricity supply to Sector 44 and Phase I of the Industrial Area will remain suspended on Saturday due to urgent maintenance work.

Kavita and Gaurang. file photo

Allegations in complaint

l After committing the murder, Rahul’s brother Kaushal helped him change blood-stained clothes. A shopkeeper at Raipur Rani told the police that he saw Kaushal meet Rahul on December 18 and give him clothes and money before he was arrested.

l Kaushal neither met the victims’ family even once, nor went to the cremation as he was helping the accused.

l The investigating officer, inspector Amanjot Singh, told us that Amar Chand and Kaushal knew about the accused’s whereabouts before he was arrested.

l Rahul took Gaurang with him on November 20. From the next day, Gaurang looked very scared, until he was killed on December 16.

Chandigarh, June 1
A jilted lover repeatedly stabbed a 22-year-old girl at her house in Baterla village, Sector 41, here this afternoon. Sonia was rushed and admitted to the PGI in a critical condition.

The police booked the accused, identified as 27-year-old Sonu Chauhan, alias Rahul, of Maloya under Section 307 of the IPC for attempt-to-murder.

The police said the accused was enraged over the family's refusal to let him wed Sonia. He attacked her following a scuffle with her father, 
it added.

The police claimed that Rahul and Sonia had an affair for the last one year and he had been asking her to wed him, but her parents were against it.

Enraged over their refusal to let their daughter wed him, Rahul came to her residence this afternoon and confronted her father Yashpal.

A heated argument between Yashpal and Rahul ensued and it violent. Rahul attacked Yashpal with a stick and abused him.

Sonia and her sister-in-law heard the noise and came to the room. An agitated Rahul took out a knife and stabbed Sonia repeatedly in the front and back.

He fled, leaving her in a pool of blood. He was later arrested. The family rushed Sonia to the PGI and the police was called.

Chandigarh, June 1
Mechanical problems and severe shortage of spare parts for the fleet of over 100 semi-low-floor buses, has been crippling the local service of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU).

The buses have been with the CTU for the last eight years. It operates around 250 buses, including 100 red or green semi-low-floor buses, and 34 mini-air-conditioned (AC) buses, on local routes.

In the last one month, around 25 semi-low-floor buses a day are being parked at CTU workshops here for want of spare parts like accelerator bush, tie-rod end, insulation tape and bulbs.

As a result, the operational strength of buses, painted in white and blue, is coming down on many of busy routes.

For want of spare parts, buses are left at workshops for between two and 15 days. In some cases, buses are left for two months.

CTU General Manager SP Parmar said there was no shortage of spare parts, but the use was more as the buses were ageing.

Buses with gear and clutch defects were being taken to the workshops, said CTU sources. At present, there were around 100 such buses with the CTU.

Translated into inconvenience to the public, the frequency of buses on between 25 and 30 routes a day was being affected.

The surces revealed that over 119 semi-ow-floor buses were purchased in 2004-2005 though the committee on examining the initial lot of buses had found discrepancies. The Administration went ahead with the purchase of the buses. There were frequent mechanical problems in the buses, which had to be taken to workshops every few days.

CTU Workers Union president Bhupinder Singh said the issue had repeatedly been brought to the notice of the authorities.

Chandigarh, June 1
In the last two days, the municipal corporation has received 83 water complaints at the centre, which is set up by the authorities especially to deal with water-related complaints. The records of the corporation revealed that the complaints received from sectors, including 7, 11, 15, 38, 40, 44 and 46, are about low pressure of water supply due to which overhead tanks in the respective areas are not filled.

The officials of the corporation said 17 complaints of low water pressure at the top floor were registered at the centre. They said teams were sent to the residential areas to check the reason behind the low pressure and fix the problem.

A resident of Sector 44 said even though water committee chairman Mukesh Bassi, along with the area councillors and officials, visited the area last month and assured them that soon the low-pressure problem will be solved. Similarly, a resident of Sector 7 alleged that it had become a usual thing that during peak summer season the public would face water shortage and low pressure problem. 

Chandigarh, June 1
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Pawan Kumar Bansal today took stock of ongoing construction of a shopping centre at Vikas Nagar, the day-market project at Charan Singh Colony, Mauli Jagran, channels on open nullah from Indira Colony to Mauli Jagran and a stainless steel bus shelter at Mani Majra.

At the site of the day market project, the officials concerned informed him that 136 sheds with 6’x6.5’ area would be constructed at a cost of about Rs 74 lakh on 0.5 acre. The officials said the work would be completed by the end of this financial year. The Union Minister directed the officials that the allotment of the sheds should be done in a transparent manner.

The officials said 112 booths would be constructed at the upcoming shopping centre at Vikas Nagar. As much as 50 per cent of the project has already been completed and the rest of the work will be completed before October this year. Besides, the minister also took stock of work on channelisation of an open nullah from Indira Colony to Mauli Jagran.

The officers informed the minister that 40 per cent of the work had been completed and the project would be completed by this financial year. Bansal also instructed the officers to strengthen the bridge connecting Mani Majra and Indira Colony. He also visited the newly built stainless steel bus shelter at Mani Majra.

Panchkula, May 31
Prime Land worth crores of a Shiv temple near Pinjore, which was set up by erstwhile ruler of Patiala, has been sold out for just 7 lakh by the manager, who has been appointed to perform the rituals and ceremonies in the temple.

The matter came to light when advocate Vijay Bansal, an Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader and president of the Shivalik Vikas Manch (SVM) along with former municipal councillors, had filed a public interest litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for canceling the sale deed dated April 20, 2007. The petitioner had alleged that manager in a fraudulent manner and without any authority had sold the property of the temple, which had been further registered on May 9, 2012.

However, as the civil court at Panchkula was competent to cancel the sale deed the Punjab and Haryana High Court recently directed to withdraw the petition and file the same in the Civil Court under Section 92 of the Civil procedure Code.

Bansal, talking to The Tribune claimed that Maharaja of Patiala had set up the temple in 1909 and since then, various persons had held the post of manager as disciple and not by way of natural succession. He said as per the revenue records the total land measuring 4 kanal and 14 marla, was part of the temple and had been sold to Gurgaon based real estate developed for Rs 7 lakh only. He said that the market value of land in the area was about Rs 3 crore per acre.

The SVM president claimed that earlier, this sale deed was refused to be registered, as the manager had no authority to sell the land belonging to the temple. He alleged that not only the temple but the government has also been cheated as against Rs 1.5 core, the consideration shown to be Rs 7 lakh only.

Bansal said that a petition would soon be filed in the Civil Court here for the quashing of the sale deed of the prime land of the temple and the subsequent registration in the name of Alam Yadav, a real estate developer of Gurgaon. He alleged that some bigwigs were also involved in the illegal sale-purchase of the land.

Mohali, June 1
Water and sewer pipelines and telephone cables got damaged in a pocket of Phase VII industrial area here after the work of widening roads was undertaken causing great inconvenience to industrial unit owners.

President of the Mohali Industries Association KS Mahal said roads, water supply system and communication network were in a total mess in the E and F blocks. The work of digging up roads started about three months ago. The excavators used in this regard damaged the underground water and sewer pipelines apart from telephone and internet cables. The sewer lines were choked because of digging and if no action was taken the sewer lines would start overflowing. The BSNL authorities had expressed their helplessness in repairing the telephone cables due to a shortage of manpower, added Mahal.

He said another problem faced by the industrial unit owners of a part of the E block was that the number of electricity poles and transformers was too high. There were 82 electricity poles and 16 transformers apart from streetlight points in the lane 
(E 110 to E 127).

Since the work of digging had already been done in this area, it is requested that the number of transformers be reduced by replacing these with higher capacity ones.

Mohali, June 1
The Mohali Deputy Commissioner, Varun Roojam, has been given additional charge of Commissioner of Municipal Corporation even though former municipal councillors had been demanding a full-time incumbent.

Roojam took charge before the office closed for the day yesterday. Also, JC Sabharwal, who was earlier the Administrator of the civic body when it had the status of a council, has been appointed Joint Commissioner of the corporation. He assumed his new charge today.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on May 8 upheld the notification of the Punjab Government through which the local civic body was given the status of a corporation.

The government had upgraded the Mohali Municipal Council to the level of a corporation in January last year after cutting short the term of the elected representatives by nearly eight months. But, on November 25, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the notification after a petition was filed by some Mohali residents against the order of the government. However, certain former municipal councillors, who had been demanding a full-time commissioner for the civic body, are not happy with the decision of the government.

Rajinder Sharma, former municipal councillor, said development in Mohali was possible only if the upgraded civic body got a full-time commissioner to run the affairs. The council had earlier enjoyed the status of a corporation for about 11 months but the working had almost come to a standstill as additional charge of the civic body was at times given to the Chief Administrator of GMADA and at other times to Deputy Commissioners. Since these officials remained busy in the working of their own departments, they could not give adequate time to the civic body. Only a full-time commissioner would take adequate interest in the work as it would be his responsibility to show results.

It is pertinent to mention that three commissioners were appointed during the first three months when the council was upgraded to the level of a corporation in January last year and each one of them had only been given additional charge of the civic body.

Parveen Kumar, who was the Deputy Commissioner of Mohali in January last year, was the first commissioner of the upgraded civic body. After about a month's time, the additional charge of the corporation was given to Saravjit Singh, Chief Administrator, GMADA. On April 4, 2011, charge of the civic body was given to the newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of Mohali district, Varun Roojam, and later again to Saravjit Singh. 

Mohali, June 1
An employee of the Ropar District Cooperative Milk Producers Union alleged that she was harassed by the chairman of the organisation, as a result of which she was submitting her resignation here today.

Jaswinder Kaur Shahi, who worked as a milk procurement assistant, said she had given her resignation to the general manager of the Mohali milk plant. Copies of the resignation letter have also been sent to, among others, the managing director, milkfed, the registrar, Cooperative Societies, the Chief Minister, the Cooperation Minister, the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP.

In the resignation letter, Jaswinder Kaur alleged that the chairman of the milk producers’ union, Parminder Singh Chalaki, had been harassing her since 2008 after she failed to fulfil certain demands made by him.

She was allegedly transferred from one station to another at short intervals and harassed mentally.

She said she was allegedly charge sheeted by him.

She further stated that as mental pressure on her was increasing, she was not being able to work with the milk union anymore.

She was to retire in about a year’s time.

However, Chairman Parminder Singh Chalaki said all the allegations levelled against him were baseless.

He was not involved in the day-to-day working of the milk plant and as such did not have the authority to transfer employees.

Panchkula, June 1
The Haryana Lokayukta and former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice (retd) Pritam Pal here today urged the government to give more powers to the Lokayukta to deal with the corruption in the state.

Justice Pal while addressing the senior officers of the district administration at the mini-secretariat in Sector 3 here this morning said that any person could get justice after filing the complaint against the corrupt government officials by depositing judicial stamp duties of Rs 1,000 along with an affidavit. He said that they had received 995 complaints in the financial year 2011-12 and about 533 complaints have already been dispatched off. He said action taken report by the State Government was awaited in 31 cases. He informed that the government was bound to take action within three months on the recommendation of the Lokayukta.

He said that he has already written to the State Government for making certain amendments in the Lokayukta bill to make it more effective.

He further informed that Lokayukta was an independent body and the state government has no control over it. He said that this body has been formed to reign in the corrupt public servants. He said that every public servant was not corrupt but if they receive any complaint they would keep the name of the complainant secret. He expressed satisfaction over the action by the state government over the recommendations sent by them and the government has imposed even heavy penalties on the corrupt officials.

Chandigarh, June 1
The race to city colleges has begun for the students with a few colleges already starting the admission process. The sale of prospectus and forms of MCM College, Sector 11, has already begun. Forms for admission to DAV College, Sector 10, are available online and the prospectus would be released soon. The government colleges that have a joint prospectus are yet to release it.

MCM officials said that the period for admission varies according to the choice of courses. The last date to apply in the colleges ends on July 7.

Officials said that the merit list of first year of BCA, BSc microbial and food technology, BA (Functional English), MA (English and sociology) will be displayed on July 8 on the college notice board. The admissions forms for DAV College are already available on the college website.

DAV Principal BC Josan said that the students can fill their forms and submit it with the college although the prospectus is yet to be released. “We would release the prospectus before June 10," Josan said.

The prospectus for admission to SD college, Sector 32, is also expected to be released by June 7.

Although the college is yet to finalise the last date of submission of admission forms, officials said that most probably July 4 would be the last date. Meanwhile, there is no increase in the fee structure in any of the course.

The date for prospectuses in city government colleges is still uncertain. There is joint prospectus for all the colleges. Each prospectus would cost Rs 80 which will have two admission forms. Post Graduate Government College Sector -11 this year will get the prospectus printed which would be then further supplied to other colleges.

Chandigarh, June 1
Following directives of the CBI, the UT education department has started retrieving and submitting the application forms of absentees and non-qualified candidates of 2009 teacher recruitment to the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).

The department has set up a centre at the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, (GMSSS-21) for the verification of papers of all the 536 teachers whose recruitments are under the scanner following the scam.

While the investigating agency has put the education department on retrieving and reviewing the application forms and results of objective and subjective tests, it has not paid attention to the fact that it was the inclusion of non meritorious candidates in the interview and the final selection list which had caused ripples and exposed the rampant favouritism.

The UT had displayed the list of successful candidates online wherein it was found that in many subjects people scoring as low as zero in objective tests had made it to the interview list in final selections and low scorers were chosen for appointments. The department had set up a grievance redressal cell and changed a major chunk of interview results, but still a lot was left o be done.

The then adviser Pradip Mehra had asked the department to initiate a probe against the then DEO Chanchal Singh and other coordinators of the interview committees, but the matter subsided soon after his exit, even as 
the file rested ‘secured’ with one of the superintendents.

“The subjective test was conducted and evaluated by the PU. While the objective test was conducted by the PU, but evaluated by the DOEACC. The education department was entrusted with the interviews. The committees were formed among our officials and we had no independent agency involved. Out of 50 marks, 40 were attributed to various qualifications, while 10 marks rested with the committee and that is what lead to the uproar,” revealed a senior official of the UT education department who was one of the coordinators that time.

Interestingly, while the UT did rectify the obvious mistakes in the score pertaining to qualifications, numerous complaints, like people getting good score all through and being given just 2 or 0 in personal interview, were never attended to.