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Slow and steady loses the race
The earmarked sites are Udyog Path and a stretch connecting Sector 25 with Industrial Area. Laid with an aim to facilitate commuters, the strips have rather become a source of inconvenience. The authorities had laid rumble strips on the Sector 27/28 roundabout to separate cycle tracks from the main road. But this did not go down well with residents. Now, the MC and the Administration have decided to lay the strips on Sector 30/27/28/29 roundabout. The area has been earmarked and the work will start soon. “We are getting a good feedback. The roundabouts on Udyog Path will have rumble strips. We have taken suggestions from experts. A speed breaker will be laid on a stretch with heavy flow of traffic to avert mishaps. “Cyclists are a part of traffic and we need to plan for them as well as per the High Court’s directions” said MC Commissioner VP Singh. The authorities had created a passage for cyclists on the Sector 27/28 roundabout. In order to break the speed of vehicles, the authorities had laid rumble strips on the roundabout. The experiment fizzled out on the first day as the rumble strips resulted in long traffic jams on the roundabout. Moreover, the risk of pile-ups, especially at night, remains high. The experiment was criticised by commuters. “The authorities should take commuters into consideration before taking such decisions. The rumble strips have put the lives of cyclists as well as four-wheeler drivers to risk. A number of accidents have taken place due to the strips, but the authorities have, so far, failed to launch any awareness campaign,” said Samarak Puri, a resident of Sector 27. Another resident said: “Despite it being one of the busiest stretches of the city, the authorities have failed to tide over the problem,” said Subhi Mahajan.
Pile-up at Sector 27 roundabout
The rumble strips on the Sector 27 roundabout led to a pile-up on Tuesday. Four vehicles were damaged in the accident. “As I slowed down, the cars coming from behind rammed into my vehicle. Who is to blame for the damage? The authorities should have given a second thought to the project,” Rajpreet Kaur, whose car was damaged in the accident. A police official said a number of accidents take place at the roundabout everyday. MC chief engineer SS Bidda, however, claimed that the project was a success. “Signboards have been put up to make the commuters aware of the rumble strips. We have to give a safe passage to cyclists and rickshaw-pullers too,” he said.
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GMCH fails to pump life into cardiac centre
Chandigarh, March 26 The hospital does not have a cardiology department. The staff from the department of medicine will be deployed at the cardiac centre. Sources say the hospital has seven consultants, but they are not specialised in cardiology. The hospital needs a consultant, two senior residents, a nurse and two technicians round the clock at the cath lab, but the department of medicine has only two senior residents against the sanctioned strength of 12. A total of 168 posts doctors and 61 paramedics and nurses are lying vacant at the hospital. For more than 3,000 patients visiting the OPDs daily, the hospital has 264 doctors and 184 paramedics. The staff also attend more than 200 indoor patients in the emergency. “We got an approval for the Rs 9 crore project from the UT Administration. We are in the process of purchasing equipment for the cath lab,” said Director-Principal, GMCH, Dr Raj Bahadur. Dr S Reddy from department of cardiology, PGIMER, will be the head of the centre. When contacted, Dr Raj Bahadur denied to the staff shortage. “We have adequate staff, including the senior residents and paramedics. We will depute the existing staff at the Advanced Cardiac Centre. There is no need to recruit more doctors and
paramedics.” The cardinal care unit located at the fifth floor of Block C will be converted into Advanced Cardiac
Centre.
Cath lab
A catheterisation laboratory or cath lab is an examination room in a hospital or a clinic with diagnostic imaging equipment used to support the catheterisation procedure. A catheter is inserted into a large artery and various wires and devices can be inserted through the body via the catheter, which is inside the artery.
No specialised staff
The GMCH does not have any specialised staff in cardiology. The staff in the department of medicine will be deputed at the cardiac centre.
High costs
Total cost of the project is ~11.77 crore approximately. The cost of equipment as specified in the tender is ~3.44 crore and the cost of accessories is ~4.67 crore.
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Security stepped up, 2,000 cops deployed
Chandigarh, March 26 The police has deployed over 2,000 personnel to keep a tab on hooligans. Special checkpoints will also be set up check traffic violations across the city. Police officials said eight DSPs and 37 inspectors would lead the police teams on Holi. Heavy police force will be deployed, especially on the geri route and around the Panjab University campus. “The geri route comprising Sectors 8, 9, 10 and 11 and the roads touching Sector 15 will remain under special police vigil,” said a police official. Besides the deployment of PCR vans and mobile police patrolling at sensitive and vulnerable points in the city, area policemen will also be positioned for the day.
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Hooligans have a free run at varsity
Chandigarh, March 26 Hooligans blocked the road between the law department and PU library roundabout and did not spare any girl, including those on two-wheelers. The police, however, claimed that no girl complained of misbehaviour. A student of the law department said when she was about to leave, a group of boys threw colour on her. Another student of the department of public administration the boys were splashing water on girls without taking their consent. Some boys even stopped the girls riding scooters apply colours on their faces. Meanwhile, students celebrated the festival of colours on the campus with enthusiasm.
Student injured
A first-year student of the political science department at the PU, Priyanka, was injured during the Holi celebrations when a jeep hit the motorcycle she was riding pillion. Eyewitnesses said the girl driving the jeep accelerated the vehicle to avoid Holi revellers and in the process hit the motorcycle. The injured was rushed to the GMSH-16.
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It's a matter of seconds between life and death
Panchkula, March 26 Recently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued orders asking buses not to ply on the road beneath the flyover in order to ease congestion. Now, the buses have started making a halt on the flyover, putting the lives of passengers to risk. A number of passengers are seen waiting for the buses on the flyover. This results in chaos on the road. Anil Dahiya, Director, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), said, “The practice has to be stopped. I will look into the matter." “The High Court's orders are being defied. The court can never allow the buses to make a halt on the flyover," said Nandini Arora, a resident of Sector 12-A, Panchkula. The elderly and children are seen crossing the busy highway. As vehicles on the national highway are at a high speed, a fatal mishap can take place. "Those coming to receive someone also park vehicles on the flyover. Violations are going unchecked on the road," said Richa , a resident of Sector 2, Panchkula. The stretch has become accident prone. “Recently, my niece met with an accident when a bus suddenly stopped and a car rammed into it," said Geetika, a resident.
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shifting of impounded cattle Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 26 The meeting was held under the chairpersonship of Mayor Subhash Chawla. Commissioner VP Singh, members Mukesh Bassi, Darshan Garg, Arun Sood and Davesh Moudgil were also present. Recently, the Mayor had written letters to various “gaushalas” of the country regarding shifting of stray cattle to their “gaushalas”. Thereafter, one “gaushala” had agreed to house stray cattle. Besides, many other important decisions were also taken up during the meeting. The committee decided to constitute a committee to amend terms and conditions for allotment of taxi stands. Recently, the MC had cancelled allotment of 24 taxi stands. The committee also decided to provide anti-rabies vaccine to anti-rabies clinic at Sector 19, and it would later provide anti-rabies clinic services to other dispensaries of the city. The committee has accorded approval to increase 25 per cent in existing rates for booking of the Exhibition Ground in front of the Furniture Market, Sector 34, Circus-cum-ExhibitionGround, Sector 17, and Circus-cum-Exhibition Ground, near the Housing Board Chowk, Mani Majra.
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UT cops get shot in the arm
Chandigarh, March 26 These pistols are more accurate, take less time for reloading and are lighter then the 9-mm pistols currently used by the UT police. The pistols have been recently allotted to the staff. The UT police has procured the weapon as a part of a modernisation. Police officials stated that the Glock pistol had the capacity of 17 bullets and was much lighter then the pistols used by the Chandigarh Police. “The magazine capacity of the pistol used by us was 14 bullets, however, this has more capacity”, said an official. The Glock pistol has a fast-target acquisition light to spot the target during night which was not there in the 9-mm pistols used by the UT police. The police officials said that Glock pistols were used by various law enforcement agencies and armies across the globe. These are safer, quick and easy to use. The police officials said these pistols worked best if smoke-free bullets were used, however, the UT police was using ordinary bullets which were cheaper in cost. The police officials added that the proposal to purchase modern weapons was also in process.
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Be cautious while playing Holi
Chandigarh, March 26 “One should always be careful while playing Holi," said Dr Vikas Sharma, chief consultant, National Skin Hospital, Mansa Devi Complex. Last year, 50-60 persons came to the hospital with adverse effects of Holi colours. The patients continued to come even three weeks after the festival. The chemicals used in Holi colours consist of synthetic dyes and in many cases mica dust too that can cause major skin allergies. “Did you know that your favourite green colour contains copper sulphate? Were you aware, that silver colour contains aluminium bromide?” said Dr Vikas. Experts said more than skin, it was the eyes that needed to be protected. Mixing permanent colours like paint in the Holi colours can be dangerous. Common eye problems are allergic conjunctivitis, chemical burn, corneal abrasion and blunt eye injury. Police steps up vigil
Mohali: The Mohali police will deploy around 250 police personnel in the town. Superintendent of Police (city) Swarndeep Singh said nakas would be set up at various points to keep a check on hooligans and traffic rule violators. PCR vehicles will be stationed at different places. The Panchkula police will also set up
nakas. Dos and dont’s
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UT Master Plan 2031 to get statutory status
Chandigarh, March 26 A committee of senior UT officials of the Urban Planning Department, Estate Office and the Architecture Department has been constituted by the administration for drafting the town and country planning act. The Act is mandatory to give a statutory status to the UT Master Plan. UT Finance Secretary VK Singh said that they had formed a committee which would soon compile its report on the town and country planning act of the city. Presently, there is no town and country planning act, which can give statutory support to the UT Master Plan. There is the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952, and the Punjab New Capital (periphery) Control Act, 1952, applicable in Chandigarh, but these mainly cover haphazard development in the periphery around Chandigarh. These acts do not touch the UT Master Plan Committee recommendations. The Master Plan Committee has already submitted the draft master plan to the UT Administration. The senior officials of the UT Administration are studying the draft master plan. Thereafter, these officials will submit their objections and only after clearing the objections, the Administration will seek objections from the general public. The draft plan has put forth recommendations on making Chandigarh a cyclist and pedestrian-friendly city. In the draft plan, special focus is also on to improving areas like transport, parking, education, health services, housing, green cover among others in the city. The master plan consists of over 14 chapters putting forth studies and recommendations on various services. The projections were made by the master plan committee keeping in view the estimated 20 lakh population in the city in the year 2031.
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GMADA’s policy under scanner
Chandigarh, March 26 The Division Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice RP Nagrath today took suo-motu cognisance of the “Paying Guest Accommodation Policy” and issued notices to GMADA and the principal secretary, department of housing and urban development. They have been asked to show cause why the policy framed by GMADA should not be quashed. The notice came after the Bench refused to entertain a petition filed by the “Paying Guest Association” and certain other owners of residential accommodation in Mohali. The Bench observed in its short order that the policy, which aimed at giving a licence for using residential accommodation for commercial activities, had become a source of illegal activities. The case will now come up for hearing on May 8. In their petition, the petitioners had earlier stated that paying guest accommodation did not amount to commercial activity in view of a judgment of the Supreme Court of India in 1987. The counsel for the petitioners stated that they could rent out their residential accommodation under the rules in the allotment letters issued to them and GAMADA had no authority to issue show-cause notices to them for resuming their residential plots on the ground that they were using their residential accommodation for running paying guest accommodations. The Bench was, however, not impressed by the arguments, although the Bench was of the prima facie view that GAMADA did not have the power to frame such a policy.
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HUDA deals a blow to allottees
Panchkula, March 26 The authority allotted the plots (14 marla, one kanal and two kanal) in January 2006. Now, it has sent a letter to the allottees, stating that as these plots are under litigation, the allottees will be given alternative plots in the same sector. But before offering alternative plots, HUDA is not ready to divulge details like what is the litigation, in which court is it pending, present status of such litigation, which plots are exactly involved in the litigation and what is the stand taken by HUDA before the court in such litigation. Without providing these key details, HUDA has sought consent from the allottees for the allotment of alternative plots, which were originally allotted to them in 2006. In the absence of these details, the allottees are in a fix. It was learnt that HUDA had asked them to reply by March 26. HUDA has fixed March 29 as the date for a draw for alternative plots. HUDA Estate Officer Ashwini Sharma said various litigations related to plots in Sector 2 were pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Supreme Court of India. On the court's directions, the state government had constituted a high-power committee to look into the matter. "HUDA is offering alternative plots on the directions of the committee," he said.
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Girl rescued
Chandigarh, March 26 The girl, a resident of Colony No 5, was reportedly kidnapped when she on her way to school. She is a Class X student of Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 45. The police said the girl had left her house in the morning; however, she failed to reach the school. The school authorities informed her parents. On the information provided by her father, the house of one Abdul Rehman was raided in Sector 44. The girl was found there. The police booked Rehman. — TNS
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Exposure to lead can stunt children’s growth
Chandigarh, March 26 "At our centre, we have conducted various studies on children and adults to see the effects of lead exposure on them. Lead, a substance being commonly used in products of daily use, affects the growth and development of human beings. In children aged below 5, lead exposure through either pencils or household batteries, can affect their growth severely," said Dr Thuppil Venkatesh, director, NRCLPI, Principal Adviser, Quality Council of India (QCI). "If a child is not doing well in studies, get his or her blood lead level examined. It is bound to be high. Parents must get the blood lead level of their wards examined once a year in case they find such symptoms. Even during pregnancy, if a woman is exposed to lead, it can affect the child," Dr Venkatesh said. The National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India conducted a study on 100 children in Bangalore. Of them, a total of 18 per cent tested positive for increased blood lead level. "Exposure to lead has become a universal problem and lead is the biggest environmental poison across the world. A worldwide study states that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the costliest of behavioural disorders. It is caused by exposure to environmental lead. In children, it can be caused by elevated blood levels of 10ug/dl, " Dr Venkatesh said. "There are a total of 16 blood lead level testing centres across the country, including Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. The only solution is to avoid use of cosmetics and painted toys. Inverter batteries should be kept away from children. Lead exposure is completely avoidable. All we require is awareness," he said.
Referral centre recommended
Dr Thuppil Venkatesh, Principal Adviser, Quality Council of India, recommended PGI Director to set up referral centre for examining blood lead levels. This region will have a state of the art service for blood lead level screening. The instrument to check the lead level costs
Rs 1.4 lakh and the kit for screening costs Rs 300.
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HC seeks reply from Punjab Police
Chandigarh, March 26 Apprehending threat to his family, Amarjit Singh had alleged that some of the murderers had been seen "loitering" in Mohali. For reasons best known to the police, all the accused had not been arrested, he said. He alleged that the Mohali police was deliberately not arresting the accused. The police was "hand-in-glove" with the youths, who murdered his son on a "petty issue" of parking his vehicle, he said. Taking cognisance of the letter, a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri converted it into a public interest litigation and sought response from the Punjab Police. On February 27, advocate Amarpreet Singh was shot in front of his house in Mohali. After the incident, a murder case was registered against nine persons living as paying guests in the nearby house.
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Now, NOC not mandatory for transfer of freehold property
Chandigarh, March 26 The waiver was being given on the pattern of the UT Estate Office which has already done away with the NOC. The issue was tabled in the board meeting of the CHB. A senior official said the affidavits being sought by the Estate Office were being studied before impleme In January last year, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding quashing the mandatory no objection certificate (NOC) required for selling or getting any property registered in the city. “The board wants to ensure that no discrepancy remains in the transaction," said the official.
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Five thefts reported in city
Chandigarh, March 26 The police said Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of Sector 41, reported that someone had stolen Rs 10,000 in cash, one gold set, three wrist watches and a mobile phone from his residence by breaking the locks of the main door on Monday. In the second incident, Sonal Goel, a resident of Sector-21 C, reported that someone had committed a theft at Kothi No. 2100, Sector 21, by breaking the locks of the main door . In the third incident, Amar Vivek, a resident of Sector-8-B, reported that someone had stolen 11 brass locks from his residence on the intervening night of March 25 and 26. In the fourth theft incident, Arvind Malik, a resident of Plot No. 98, Industrial Area, Phase II, reported that someone had stolen a Lenox notebook, 25 packets of wonder wash car polish, Rs 11,500 in ash from the said plot on the intervening night of March 25 and 26. In the fifth incident, Sukhwant Singh Virk, a resident of Sector-48-A, reported that someone had stolen Rs 3,676 in cash from his residence on Monday.
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Day of jubilation for college students
Chandigarh, March 26 Nearly 800 meritorious students were awarded for excelling in academics, sports and extra-curricular activities during the 39th Annual Prize Distribution Function of the GGDSD College, Sector 32. For their exceptional performance, 29 students received the roll of honour, while 22 got college colours. Six faculty members, too, were awarded for completing their doctorate during the current academic session. Chief guest Dr AS Chawla, registrar, Punjabi University, Patiala, congratulated students and pointed out that majority of the prize winners were girls. SGGSC-26 Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, organised its 40th annual convocation. Around 750 degrees were awarded to graduates and postgraduates. College principal HS Sohi read the annual report. Col Mehboob Singh Trophy for the best all-round performance was awarded to Maninder Pal Singh of MA-II (Economics). Chief guest Dr Naval Kishore, dean, college development council, Panjab University, congratulated all students and motivated them to persist in their future endeavours. PGGC-46 The 28th annual convocation was held at Post Graduate Government College, Sector 46. Justice SD Anand, member, Central Administrative Tribunal, was the chief guest. In his convocation address, he urged the degree holders to become law-abiding citizens, help the needy, and fight against social evils such as dowry system, female foeticide, gender discrimination and corruption. As many as 376 students were awarded degrees. Four students were given the roll of honour for securing top positions in the annual examination. DAV College The convocation function at DAV College, Sector 10, started with lighting of the lamp by the chief guest, TK Pandey, joint secretary, Planning Commission of India. The college distributed 650 degrees to students of various streams. Pandey shared facts and figures related to the state of higher education in India. He said the gross enrolment ratio in higher educational institutions of India was only 17.9 per cent. “In order to increase this ratio to 26 per cent, 10 million additional enrolments are needed. The challenges faced by the higher education include expansion linked to jobs, funding, resources and equity,” he said.
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Education Dept still visionless
Chandigarh, March 26 In February last yeat, the State Institute of Education, Sector 32, was entrusted with the job of drafting the vision document for the UT. The mission aimed at ensuring quality education for all children and to make the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act operational in letter and spirit, besides encouraging innovation and quality-related research among faculty members. After 10 days of workshop, a 12-member committee, comprising of schools heads, non-governmental organisations, educational experts and department officials, came up with a draft, which was submitted to the education department. Even after a year, however, the department is still sitting on this important document. Sources say a meeting in this regard took place in November last year. Officials discussed the document in detail and proposed some changes. It was to be followed by another meeting to finalise the draft. The agenda, however, has yet not come up for discussion since then. Dr Anil Sarwal, associate professor, DAV College, Sector 10, who was one of the members of the committee that prepared the draft, said the document should be finalised as early as possible to realise its purpose of making Chandigarh a model city for rest of the country. Another member, Sangita Vardhan, founder of the NGO Vatsal Chhaya, said she was puzzled by the delay in finalising the vision document, a laudable initiative otherwise. “The education department should get it approved at the earliest since it is an inspirational roadmap for the implementation of the RTE Act in Chandigarh. It will provide a charter for addressing the condition of periphery schools, poor utilisation of government buildings and poor delivery of child entitlements like uniforms,” she said. Other members of the committee were Dr Surender S Dhayia (director, SIE), Saroj Mittal (deputy director-II), Raviraj Kaur (principal, GMSSS-37), Indra Beniwal (principal, GMSSS-10), Vibha Ray (principal, DAV School-8), Dr Anuradha Sharma (founder, Hamari Kakshya), Sarita Tiwari (lecturer, SIE-32) among others. Dr Anuradha Sharma said, “The delay took play because heads of the education department have changed twice since we prepared the draft.” A senior official of the department said they were very serious about the vision document and it would be finalised soon. Mission statement for vision document
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Celebrate Holi at own risk: PU authorities to girl hostellers
Chandigarh, March 26 The PU authorities this year, on the demand raised by some of the student leaders and girl students, decided to allow girls to take part in the Holi celebrations outside hostels. However, the format for an undertaking circulated to all hostel wardens states that girls themselves would be responsible for any unpleasant incident during the celebrations between 8 am and 2 pm. Girls have to sign this undertaking before leaving their hostel. Dean Student Welfare (DSW) AS Ahluwalia said restrictions were meant for only those six hours during which girls are more vulnerable to being harassed by anti-social elements. “After 2 pm they can leave hostels on their will,” DSW said. The DSW said the safety of students was the responsibility of the university authorities, due to which restrictions on the movement of students had been imposed. The university officials said girls would be allowed to move from one girls’ hostel to another hostel linked to it.
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900 qualify UGC-NET from city
Chandigarh, March 26 The total number of candidates who excelled in the examination stood at 39,000. Of these 3,699 got the fellowship. Experts said this year too the result for languages was good. Nearly 2,000 candidates had appeared for the exam from the Chandigarh centre. The NET is the basic qualifying examination conducted by the University Grants Commission to gain eligibility for college lectureship.
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PU prof delivers lecture
Chandigarh: Prof RK Kohli, an experimental ecologist and senior professor at Panjab University, delivered a lecture as a part of a teacher orientation programme at DAV School, Sector 15. He interacted with the staff and told them about affects of daily-use items on our health. He said food-grade colours could be highly intoxicating. A mobile phone carried harmful bacteria that could spread diseases. Vice-chairman of the school HR Gandhar and principal Rakesh Sachdeva also attended the lecture. Awareness rally
The NSS unit, Shatavari Eco-club, and Peace Club of Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 38 (West), Dadu Majra Colony, jointly observed World Water Day and World Forestry Day on the school premises. Students were given valuable information regarding water and forest conservation through an interactive session followed by an Graduation ceremony
Panchkula: A graduation ceremony was organised for students of Kindergarten at Blue Bird High School. A colourful programme marked the occasion. The programme started with the lighting of lamp by chief guest Dr Shobha Koser, a renowned kathak dancer. Children of the Pre-nursery and Nursery classes attired in beautiful costumes recited poems. The main highlight of the function was launching of the school song. An educative message was conveyed to the audience and students on “How to Save Mother Earth” by saving water, electricity, fuel, animals and trees. Orientation programme
Pinjore: An orientation programme was organised for the students of DAV Preparatory Wing. Principal Anuja Sharma while addressing parents and teachers stated when the cognitive skills merged with the social and motor skills of the children, it could bring out stupendous results. — TNS
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Chandigarh, March 26 He was felicitated for his contribution to the development of embedded computer-based systems for advanced warheads and armament systems. The award was presented to him by Dr VK Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Union Defence Minister and Director-General, DRDO, at New Delhi. — TNS
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Chandigarh, March 26
