The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

NEIGHBOURHOOD

They let crackers burn a hole in their pocket
Costliest cracker at Rs 10,000
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

A Kurali-based trader shows a cracker that costs `10,000; and (right) a decked-up market at Sector 19 in Chandigarh. Tribune photos: Vicky Gharu and Pradeep Tewari

Kurali, November 8
A firecracker for anything between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000! Sounds incredible but many connoisseurs’ of crackers don’t mind shelling out this whopping amount that will virtually go up in smoke in a few minutes on Divali night.

The 1000-shot firecracker is the latest craze among the cracker lovers, who have fat pockets that will rock the skies for about half-an-hour.

“Everyday, we are selling three to five crackers (000-shot). Though it is quite expensive, it’s worth for the cracker lovers. A time-setter device is installed inside and there is a gap of about two seconds in each shot, which goes into the air and spreads in fine lighting," said Ashwani Kumar, a wholesaler.

Mostly, these shots are being used during wedding ceremonies, but people are also buying these this Divali, said Ashwani Kumar while adding that equally the 540-shot cracker, cost worth Rs 5,000, is also very popular this season.

Though the sale of expensive crackers is up this season, the businessmen, who are in wholesale business of crackers, are a disappointed lot.

“This season, there is 50 per cent downfall in our clientèle," claimed Rakesh Kumar, another businessman here.

“Slump in the market and inflation are responsible for the downfall," he said.

“Only a few customers are coming to buy the crackers," said Rakesh Kumar while adding that there was about 20 per cent increase in the rates of crackers as compared to last year.

The supply of the crackers from Sivakasi (Tamil Nadu) is also said to be affected drastically this season.

“Due the fire in firecrackers factory at Sivakasi two months ago, 200 factories were closed down," said a businessman.

This time, there is no new item to attract the customers, lamented the businessman.

Cracker wholesalers in Kurali, who are about 15 in number, cater to several towns and villages. “Even many retailers from Chandigarh come to us to buy the product," said Ashwini Kumar.

The businessmen said, "We offer discount up to 60-85 per cent which is why customers from far-flung places come to us."

COURTS

Consumer forum
Warrants against insurance official
Ritika Jha Palial
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 8
A bailable warrant has been issued against the Chandigarh area manager of ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. by the UT Consumer Forum for failing to ensure settlement of an insurance claim for a car owned by a local industry, within the prescribed period.

The car owned by Agro Dutch Industries Limited was damaged in an accident last year. The owner sought a claim of Rs Rs 12, 14, 822 from ICICI Lombard Co. for the repair.

When the latter declined the request, the owner appealed to the Consumer Forum, where ICICI Lombard, in March this year, made a statement that it would settle the claim within a period of 45 days.

However, the insurance company failed to pay the claim and complainant Gurpreet Singh, executive director of Agro Dutch Industries, moved the court again. “The opposite party (The Chandigarh Area Manager of ICICI Lombard, Vishal Bansal,) was ordered to be summoned through bailable warrants for September 13, 2012.

It was reported by the legal manager of the opposite party that the survey amount of Rs 5, 99, 833 has been paid to the insured,” read the copy of the judgment.

The complainant later filed an application in the Forum alleging that it had received a cheque (dated August 23, 2012, on September 13, 2012,) of Rs 5, 99, 833 which was not in the name of the owner of the company nor the amount was calculated as per the estimate.

Last week, the Forum partly allowed the complaint and issued warrants against the area manager. “Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the considered opinion that the opposite party has failed to comply with the order by this Forum and he is liable to be punished under Section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. It is directed that the presence of Vishal Bansal be secured through warrant of arrest for November 23, 1012, for passing an order,” read the order of the UT Consumer Forum.

Initiate steps to update 1952 Act, HC tells UT
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 8
In a significant judgement, the Full Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Union Territory of Chandigarh, through its Administrator, to take necessary steps before March 31, 2013, for updating the Capital of Punjab (Development & Regulation) Act, 1952.

Taking up a bunch of petitions referred to it by a Division Bench, the Full Bench of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Augustine George Masih, and Justice RP Nagrath asserted: "We cannot refrain from observing that the 1952 Act needs to be updated to meet the modern day challenges, some of which are incidental to the steep hike in the value of real estate and an unprecedented pressure of population mounted on Chandigarh.

The Bench also made it clear that the UT Estate Officer before passing a resumption order was required to determine whether the breach of terms and conditions of allotment was deliberate.

The Estate Officer (EO) was directed to follow the directions-cum-observations made by it while initiating proceedings for resumption of a site or building, "the non-compliance whereof shall vitiate the resumption proceedings besides other consequences".

The Bench added that the EO was also required to see whether the "violation of any building bylaw by the allottee" also was willful and "deliberate, or it had occurred for the reasons beyond his control.

In the case of reasons beyond control, it "shall not be possible to invoke the power mechanically and resume the property". The Bench added: "If premises is being misused by the tenant with a tacit understanding or in connivance with the landlord and the so-called eviction proceedings are a ruse to defy and defeat the action under the 1952 Act, the Estate Officer shall be well within his right to return such a finding of fact on appreciation of evidence on record, and hold that the misuse of premises by the tenant shall be deemed to be violation of building bylaws by the allottee-cum-landlord".

CRIME

Rs 40,000 stolen from Panchkula hotel
2 girls involved, gang of juveniles on prowl in city
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, November 8
Five mobile phones and 40,000 cash was stolen from a room of Hotel Sheeraz II, Sector 5, during a ring ceremony here last night. Two girls are said to be behind the incident.

Sources said the incident took place during the ring ceremony of one Rakesh Kumar. The family had booked two rooms at the hotel. “The theft took place in one of the rooms at around 11.30 pm”, said a source adding that the members of the family also chased the girls, who were said to be well dressed and were seen roaming outside the rooms, but in vain.

The police was also informed about the incident. Meanwhile, the CCTV cameras, installed at the hotel, were said to be out of order. The police was yet to register a case in this connection.

SPORTS

TT championship from Nov 15

Chandigarh, November 6
The Chandigarh Table Tennis Association will organise the 25th edition of the State Table Tennis Championship for cadets and sub-juniors from November 15 to 18, at the Table Tennis Hall of Sector 23, here.

Players born on or after January 1, 2003, can participate in the under-10 category whereas boys and girls born on or after January 1, 2001, can participate in the singles (U-12) group.

For the sub-junior (U-15) boys and girls, the players born on or after January 1, 1998, can participate whereas for the sub-junior boys or girls (doubles and mixed doubles), the players born on or after January 1,1998, will be eligible to participate.— TNS