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JERC pulls up Electricity Dept
Chandigarh, April 23
The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has raised questions over the functioning of the enforcement cell of the UT Electricity Department. The commission has pulled up the Electricity Department as it has not quantified the enforcement cell’s performance in the petition submitted to the JERC. The commission has now directed the Electricity Department to submit the status of the functioning of the enforcement cell and the quarterly progress report giving details of the number of cases, amount involved, sub-judice cases and reduction in losses as a consequence.

Liquor vends sold for a song
Chandigarh, April 23
In the first phase of allotment of liquor vends through the tendering process held today, the UT Excise and Taxation Department could sell only 47 per cent of the vends, an apparent outcome of the UT’s move to bring the excise duty and assessment fee in its new Excise Policy (2013-2014) on a par with Punjab.

Successful bidders sign papers in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Kundi connections in colonies belies dept’s claims
Chandigarh, April 23
A visit to colonies, villages and houses outside lal dora belies the claims of the UT Administration in checking kundi connections. A visit to Colony Number 4 and 5, Burail, Hallo Majra, and Mani Majra revealed that the UT Administration has turned a blind eye to the kundi connections. Every year, the UT Administration is facing a loss of more than Rs 7 crore from nearly 20,000 unauthorised connections.

Power thefts rampant at Colony Number 4 in Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Tribune impact: Police personnel deployed outside schools in Sector 26
Chandigarh, April 23
Swinging into action after The Tribune highlighted the traffic problem outside educational institutions in Sector 26, the Chandigarh Police today deployed police personnel outside schools to regulate traffic. The commuters driving in the wrong direction during the schools hours were also challaned by the police.

Policemen regulate traffic in front of schools at Sector 26 in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Unhygienic toilets annoy passengers
Chandigarh, April 23
Passengers on board the Chandigarh-Amritsar Superfast Express rue lack of basic amenities in the coaches. A majority of the passengers complain of unhygienic conditions in the coaches. The air-conditioners are also non-functional.

COMMUNITY

In Tangle Part-II
They play the waiting game every day after school
Dropping their children and picking them up from schools is an ordeal for parents in Sector 32. In the second of the six-part series, The Tribune reporter Ritika Jha Palial and chief photographer Manoj Mahajan report the chaos that prevails.
Problem area: It is virtually a scramble for space outside St Anne’s Convent School and GGDSD School as more than 10 school buses owned by both these schools remain lined up on the road.

Risking lives: An auto-rickshaw sandwiched between two buses outside a school in Chandigarh. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Why the situation is chaotic in the sector
Alongside the main road connecting the three institutions, the MC has built nearly 11-feet wide pavement, which is of no use as it is not smooth enough to park vehicles. Another six-feet wide pavement has been constructed along the other side of the road touching the gate of St Anne’s School. The pavement is being used by students. However, the one on the other side is of no use as it could have been utilised for widening of the main road.

In Tangle Part-III TOMORROW: CHAOS OUTSIDE SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IN SECTOR 44 and 45

UP in Arms: Students of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research continue their strike on the college campus in Mohali on Tuesday. A Tribune Photograph

Assault on security guards: Police remains clueless
Chandigarh, April 23
A day after two security guards were assaulted at the petrol station in Sector 56, the police today interrogated five suspects in the case. The police is still clueless abut the case. The five suspects who were rounded up were involved in a prior clash at the petrol station. They reportedly denied any involvement in yesterday's violence and were let off.

PGI research to get fillip
Chandigarh, April 23
Handing over the charge of Director Principal, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Dr Raj Bahadur, the longest-serving head of the institution, rejoined the PGIMER.
He plans to promote research: In the next three years of his service at the PGIMER's department of orthopaedics, he plans to promote research and also enhance the output of the department.

Dr Raj Bahadur (right) hands over charge to new Director Principal of GMCH-32 Dr Atul Sachdev on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Fire at record room of RLA office
Chandigarh, April 23
A fire broke out at the record room of the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) today. The flames engulfed the basement of the RLA building. Papers lying in the basement caught fire following sparks from a welding set being used in the adjoining MC building. The Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA), Mahavir Kaushik, said records were not destroyed in the fire.

Civil Hospital to get more facilities
Mohali, April 23
The Civil Hospital in Phase VI is set to be equipped with more testing facilities, including MRI, mammography and CT scan. Dr Rajiv Bhalla, Senior Medical Officer, said the project was given a green signal under public private partnership (PPP). "The construction of rooms near emergency ward has been started," said Dr Bhalla. On being asked about the cost of the tests, Dr Bhalla said the patients would be charged as per the rates fixed by the Central government for its medical establishments.

Nonsense Club makes sense
Chandigarh, April 23
The brutal rape of a five-year-old girl in Delhi has shocked the city. Expressing solidarity with the victim, Jaspal Bhatti's Nonsense Club today demanded that the government should declare women a commodity. The city missed its ace comedian, Bhatti, as his club held its first satirical protest after his death today.

Savita Bhatti stages a satirical protest at Sector 17 in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

60 head of cattle shifted
Chandigarh, April 23
The Municipal Corporation shifted 60 head of cattle to Dabur Hare Krishna Gaushala, Najafgarh, Delhi, today. Ten trucks were hired for the transportation. Fodder and first-aid facilities were arranged for the cattle. Recently, the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) had sanctioned Rs 20 lakh for shifting unclaimed stray cattle from the city. — TNS

EDUCATION

PU gears up to declare results on time
Chandigarh, April 23
The examination branch of Panjab University, which is reportedly famous for not declaring results on time, has marked June 23 as the deadline to declare all results of its affiliated colleges. Last year, the declaration of results was delayed up to July 6. The examination branch in a bid to meet the deadline has already begun the process of evaluation.

From Schools and Colleges
Awareness on RTE Act
Chandigarh: The National Student's Union of India (NSUI) organised a camp near Vivek High School, Sector 38, to make people aware about seats reserved for children from economically weaker section (EWS) under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act. NSUI National Delegate Sunny Mehta headed the camp. His team collected approximately 50 applications for vacant EWS seats. Later, DPI schools Upkar Singh asked to forward his proposals of the NUSI workers. Further, the NSUI delegate proposed a strict implementation of 15 per cent reservation for the EWS students at all levels in lieu of the land allotment scheme.

Halli’s Urdu poetry speaks about women’s issues
Chandigarh, April 23
A national seminar on ‘Aurat ki duniya aur Halli ki nazme’ was organised by the Department-cum-Centre for Women’s Studies and Development, Panjab University, in collaboration with the Urdu Academy, Haryana, and Shuruat Samiti, Karnal.

Reckless driving
Students told to file undertaking for not driving vehicles on PU campus
Chandigarh, April 23
Students of University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), who were suspended for reckless driving on the Panjab University (PU) campus, have been asked to give an undertaking on an affidavit that they will not drive any vehicle on the university campus till they are enrolled with the university.

Investiture ceremony held at St Xavier’s
Mohali: The investiture ceremony for the cabinet was organised at St. Xavier’s School, Mohali, on Tuesday. School principal Georgina Roy gave encouraged the members of the cabinet to perform their duties sincerely through out the academic year. — TNS

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Four drug peddlers arrested
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 23
The police has arrested four drug peddlers and recovered 2,7000 tablets, 13 gm of smack and 13 injections from their possession. SSP HS Mann said they recovered 8 gm of smack from the possession of Gagandeep Singh, alias Ladi, a resident of Morinda.

Non-lifting of wheat annoys farmers
Ambala, April 23
INLD workers staged a protest against the state government at the Ambala City grain market. The demanded that wheat should be lifted from the market and farmers be paid money within 24 hours of the procurement.

Nine challaned under tobacco Act@@Patiala, April 23@@A team of the district health and family welfare department today conducted a raid on shops situated outside Government Rajindra Hospital and on Sangrur roads. Challans were issued to nine shopkeepers under the Tobacco Control Act, 2003. — TNS

COURTS

BKI terrorists
Present accused through video-conf: Court
Chandigarh, April 23
A day after litigants faced inconvenience at the district courts complex as BKI terrorist Paramjit Singh Bheora was brought from Tihar Jail for hearing in the Burail jailbreak case amid tight security, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate today ordered that the accused should be presented through video-conferencing from Tihar Jail on the next date of hearing so as to save manpower and cost.

CRIME

Two snatchers arrested
Panchkula, April 23
With the arrest of two persons, the police today claimed to have busted a five-member gang of chain snatchers from the Sector 12 market. A Mani Majra-based jeweller, Ashish Kumar, who allegedly used to purchase stolen items from the accused, has also been rounded up. The accused have been identified as Deepak Kumar, alias Deepu, and Daljit Singh, alias Banka, both residents of Railly village, Sector 12A. A motorcycle bearing registration number PB65S-8273 was recovered from them. Panchkula Police Commissioner Rajbir Deswal said with they cracked eight snatching cases that took place in February, March and this month.

The accused in police custody. A Tribune photograph

Kidnapped boy traced
Chandigarh, April 23
A 14-year-old boy was reportedly kidnapped from Colony No. 5 last night. The police said the accused, Surjit, who is a Dadu Majra resident, was childless. On Monday night, Surjit noticed a 14-year-old boy standing near a road. Surjit offered the child a chocolate and kidnapped him.

Constable booked for losing weapon
Panchkula, April 23
The Panchkula police today booked a constable whose carbine had gone missing from a bus in Ambala in February. In the departmental inquiry, the accused, Baljit Singh, was found guilty of negligence. A case of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the IPC has been registered against constable Baljit Singh at the Chandimandir police station here.

SPORTS

SAI struggles to maintain old records
Chandigarh, April 23
The Regional North-Centre of Sports Authority of India (SAI), Chandigarh, is struggling hard to keep the old records of the department, due to inadequate space in the office, here. In order to keep the records safe, the authorities have tied all the files, registers, handbooks and collected then sacks. As a result of it, a pile up of sacks containing these records has been kept under the aisle of the SAI department.

Sacks containing files lie in the corridors at the SAI office in Sector 42, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: Parvesh Chauhan

IPL season six
Mohali stadium eagerly awaits Gaylestorm
Chandigarh, April 23
When he bats, fielders turn spectators and spectators becomes fielders. What is believed to be the most disastrous innings of the T20 cricket format belongs to none other than the game changer himself, Chris Gayle. The 40,000 capacity bearer, M Chinnaswamy stadium of Banglore was hit by the Gaylestorm, as the spectators witnessed the most amazing innings of the century by this former West-Indian opener against Pune Warriors, today.

Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Chris Gayle in action during an IPL T20 match. Tribune Photos

Aiming big: City’s Goyal sisters budding queens of chess
Chandigarh, April 23
Coming events cast their shadow before and 15-year-old Anurima Goyal and 12-year-year-old Tarini Goyal, both sisters, are enough to prove this saying. These local chess-prodigies are achieving everything, coming in their way, to attain the best in the game of chess

Golf Club office-bearers elected
Chandigarh, April 23
A day after the election result was announced, the new managing committee of the Golf club elected the office-bearers and the chairman of the sub-committees, here today. Shivendra Sharma has been given the charge of vice-president, chairman discipline sub-committee and chairman procedures, systems and audits sub-committee. Sandeep Singh Sandhu has been appointed as captain, chairman greens sub-committee, chairman tournament and handicapping sub-committee. Manpreet Singh Waraich has been appointed as the honorary secretary, chairman- HRD sub-committee, chairman entertainment, club events, media and publicity cub-committee.

Police water sports meet from today at Sukhna Lake
Chandigarh, April 23
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will host the 12th All India Police Water Sports Championship from April 25 to 30, at Sukhna Lake, here. The Championship was allotted by the All India Police Sports Control Board, New Delhi, and it will witness various police organisations from all over the nation participating.

Rowers practise at Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. A Tribune Photograph

City lads win abacus championship
Chandigarh, April 23
Tushaar Batheja and Jiya Batheja, students of St Kabir Public school, Sector 26, won the national championship trophy at the 22nd National Abacus Brainobrain Competition held at New Delhi.