Chandigarh, May 12
After resigning from the Union Cabinet, former Union Railway Minister and local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal today set the ball rolling for a show of his strength on his home turf.

With more than 500 Congress leaders and workers gathering at his residence in Sector 28 today, Bansal has given a clear-cut message to his rivals that despite allegations against him, the party workers are still loyal to him. He appealed to the Congress workers for not becoming over aggressive. He told them that let the CBI complete its investigation and after that only they would decide the future course of action. He also said it was a tough time for him and his family.

Bansal also clarified to the Congress leaders about the allegations of the Opposition parties and media reports on this issue. While addressing the Congress leaders, he said people were twisting the facts and presenting a wrong picture of him and the members of his family.

Congress leaders from urban areas, villages and colonies had started coming to Bansal's residence along with their supporters since 8 am. Their number continued to increase despite rain. Though a number of relatives also met Bansal, the members of Vijay Singla's family were nowhere to be seen.

The Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC) president, BB Bahl, while addressing the workers, said the Opposition should not feel happy that the party would change its candidate for the 2014 elections as Bansal would be given a chance again. And this time they would win with a margin of over one lakh voates. The Congress leaders were raising slogans like "Pawan Kumar Bansal zindabad", "Pawan Kumar Bansal aage bado hum tumhare sath hain" and "Jab tak Suraj Chand rahega, Bansal tera naam rahega". Intriguingly, Raja Bala Mailk, a former Mayor of Chandigarh, Sat Parkash Aggarwal, a councillor, were conspicuous by their absence.

After meeting with congress leaders, Bansal, along with the members of his family, left at 11.30 am for the wedding function of on of their relatives at Zirakpur.

Meanwhile, Behl said they had conveyed to UPA President Sonia Gandhi that all the Congress leaders and workers were with Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Panchkula, May 12
The day after a major theft took place at Maya Jewellers in Sector 7, Chandigarh, a similar theft took place at the Silver Mountain jewellery showroom in Sector 20, Panchkula, today. The thieves, who gained entry into the showroom after breaking the roof, decamped with silver jewellery worth lakhs.

The CCTV cameras installed at the showroom got switched off at 8.54 pm due to a technical fault. The police is suspecting that the cameras were intentionally switched off by someone.

In the morning, the owner of the showroom, Om Pal, opened the shop and found the ceiling broken and the jewellery missing.

“The thieve gained entry into the building from the rear side and broke the roof. The iron grills, which were installed to cover the rear side of the building, were also removed by the thieves. It seems that they were aware of the location of various things at the showroom,” said Inspector Surinder Kumar, Station House Officer of the Sector 20 police station.

After finding similarities between both the thefts, the Panchkula police is coordinating with the Chandigarh police. The police is also working on the angle of an insider's hand in the theft.

“Someone was aware that the market shopkeepers have not appointed any guard and it could be an easy strike,” the SHO said.

“We repeatedly told the market association to appoint a guard as there are a couple of jewellery showrooms in that market,” said DCP Ashwin Shenvi.

Thieves had decamped with silver jewellery and watches worth Rs 25 lakh from Maya Jewellers on Friday night. At Maya Jewellers, too, the thieves gained entry into the shop after breaking the roof. Only silver jewellery was targeted in both the showrooms.

Chandigarh, May 12
Even as crime against women has recorded a sharp increase in the city in the last one year, there is no escaping the law for the accused with the courts deciding the cases in fast track trials. The courts are taking cases of rape and kidnapping of women on a priority basis. As many as 15 such cases of crime against women registered in the last six months by the UT police have been decided by different courts, stetting a precedent.

While there is no designated court for cases of crime against women, the courts have taken such cases on priority and decided them in a record time.

In March this year, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge had sentenced Veer Bahadur, alias Ram Bahadur, an accused in an attempt-to-rape case, to rigorous imprisonment of five years and three months within 17 days after the crime was reported. The incident was reported on March 2 and the case reached the court on March 7 with the police filing a chargesheet. The verdict was delivered on March 19 in the fastest trial.

Last month, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal had sentenced a 27-year-old jilted lover to five years' rigorous imprisonment for stabbing a 22-year-old girl. The court had sentenced Sonu Chauhan, alias Rahul, to imprisonment and the case was decided in merely four hearings. The accused had repeatedly stabbed the girl at her house in Baterla village, Sector 41, in June last year.

On March 8, the court had sentenced a man to five years' imprisonment in an attempt-to-rape case and evidence in this case, too, was recorded in an hour. The case was registered in September last year and the charges were framed in the case on December 4. The court had sentenced Gurminder Singh, alias Bindri, to five years' rigorous imprisonment for attempting to rape and kidnapping a girl in Khuda Ali Sher.

In January this year, the court of District and Sessions Judge SK Aggarwal acquitted a 26-year-old man in a case of attempt to rape a minor girl. The trial was completed in just three days as the charges were framed in the case only on January 19.

“We have tried to complete the trials in a single day to give a message to the criminals. With the courts announcing verdicts in a short time, they will be forced to think twice before committing a crime,” said public prosecutor Manu Kakkar. 

Chandigarh/Mohali, May 12
In separate incidents, two seven-year-old girls were raped in the tricity area.

In the first incident, a 50-year-old man was arrested for raping a seven-year-old girl in Makhan Majra today. The accused, Rajnath, is a resident of Colony Number 4 and works with a scrap dealer at Makhan Majra.

The minor girl was playing outside the shop of the accused, when he allegedly took her to a nearby jungle area on the pretext of buying chocolates for her.

The accused, after allegedly raping the child, left her at her home. The girl informed her parents, following which the accused was arrested. The victim's medical report confirmed rape. A case of sexual assault under Sections 8 and 18 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 has been registered in the Industrial Area police station. The accused was produced in the court and sent to a 14-day judicial custody.

In another incident, a seven-year-old girl was raped by a person at the Industrial Area, Phase VII, in Mohali.

The accused, identified as Rajesh Shatri, works as a driver in the factory in which the victim's parents work.

The incident occurred on the premises of the factory, where both the victim and the accused reside. In his complainant to the police, victim's father Rajesh Kumar stated that his daughter was room in the room at yesterday noon, when the accused raped her. Rajesh and his wife were at the factory at that time.

Rajesh Kumar said when he returned to the room, his daughter was crying and told him about the incident. Rajesh Kumar narrated the incident to the owner of the factory, who informed the police.

The police arrested the accused and registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC against him.

Chandigarh, May 12
When the time comes we will give a proper reply to the BJP leaders on the allegations leveled against my father and family members, said Manish Bansal, the younger son of former Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

While talking to the Chandigarh Tribune, Manish, who was meeting Congress leaders along with his father, said the companies and businesses owned by their family members had filed proper income tax returns. “We have given each and every detail about our businesses in the balance sheet. We have nothing to hide,” said Manish.

On the turnover of Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd, owned by Pawan Kumar Bansal’s sons, reaching Rs 152 crore from zero in five years, Manish said that only after putting in hard work, the business grew. “In the case of Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd, we started from zero and worked hard day and night, which resulted in the growth of the company,” he said.

He said in the recent years several companies at the national and international level started from scratch and presently had a turnover 100 times that of Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd. “Does that mean everyone has done something wrong?” asked Manish.

Talking about the media reports of a puja held at Bansal’s Delhi residence in which they fed a goat to ward off Bansal’s ‘misfortune’, Manish said that one of their relatives in Delhi had suggested it. “Media exaggerated the whole issue,” he said.

People have full faith in Bansal: Wife Pawan Kumar Bansal’s wife Madhu Bansal said the city residents had full faith in her husband, due to which they turned up in large numbers to support him. She said her husband would definitely come out clean after the CBI investigation. I was appointed as I was competent: nephew Pawan Kumar Bansal’s nephew Vikram Bansal said he was appointed as an independent director of Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance because he was competent. “On the basis of my qualification and experience the company appointed me,” said Vikram, who is the son of Pawan Kumar Bansal’s brother. Recently, the BJP had raised questions on the appointment of Vikram Bansal in the joint venture of three banks.

Chandigarh, May 12
For patients already reeling under pain, bearing sudden jerks due to the speed humps on the internal roads of the PGI continues to be a cause of worry.

These speed humps, installed at a distance of less than 100 metres on the road leading to the Advanced Cardiac Centre and New OPD Block from the Emergency, are so awkward that a driver cannot avoid jerks even after slowing down the vehicle to 15 kilometres per hour.

The problem was highlighted in these columns last month. Experts said that cardiac patients were the most sensitive to these jerks. A cardiac patient at the PGI, who is to be taken to the Advanced Cardiac Centre, cannot prevent these speed humps while moving from any of the directions.

Sample this: A patient first taken to the Emergency Wing, stabilised, and then shifted to the Advanced Cardiac Centre has to encounter two of these speed humps between the Emergency and cardiac centre. If patients enter from Gate No. 2 in order to directly go to the cardiac centre, they suffer jerks while crossing a speed hump ahead of the centre.

The officials, on the other hand, find these speed humps an effective means to regulate the vehicular traffic on the campus. They said these speed humps, installed around eight months back, helped in avoiding accidents due to speeding vehicles.

“These speed humps were installed keeping in view the safety of patients moving on wheelchairs and trolleys. As the inflow of patients to the PGI has gone up, these speed humps are essential to regulate the flow of fast-moving vehicles,” said officials.

Sources said the main reason behind the haphazard planning was the fact that the hospital was running without a regular officer appointed on the post of Superintending Engineer, who could supervise the activities properly. The charge is currently held by a senior PGI doctor.

Chandigarh, May 12
The Sector 17 Plaza that was once considered as the biggest shopping destination in the city has been wearing a deserted look for the past few weekends. For, shoppers have been rushing to the Elante Mall that houses highly popular international brands, made available to the city residents for the first time.

In addition to many brands that were already available at the Sector 17 market, a number of other single-brand retail outlets have opened at the mall, that are drawing a large number of shoppers.

The average footfall at weekends reaches as high as 50,000. On a weekday it ranges between 10,000 and 12,000, said Elante Mall COO Avadh Vashishta.

The office-bearers of Sector 17 market association admitted the market had lost nearly 40 per cent of its business to the mall. The footfall at the market has dropped by 50 per cent, especially at weekends. “The mall has definitely drawn a huge number of shoppers, but there are a few other factors leading to the drop in the number of visitors to the Sector 17 Plaza. These include the relocation of the bus stand and district courts from Sector 17. Earlier, a large number of people used to visit the market from these two locations,” said JPS Kalra, general secretary of the association.

While some of the shoppers attribute the high footfall at the Elante Mall to the fact that residents no more need to visit bigger cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai to buy goods of international brands, others say indoor shopping is preferred by many during summers.

Aruna Malik, a Sector 51 resident, said, “Chandigarh is a wonderful city, but it has lacked good shopping destinations for quite long now. I used to travel to Gurgaon to shop or asked my brother, who stays there, to purchase apparels for me.”

Panchkula, May 12
The Panchkula MC today conducted a survey of three villages near Barwala following the orders from the National Tribunal, Delhi, that do not dump garbage in Sector 23 dumping ground. Interestingly, even these villages fall in residential areas.

The three villages were Kot, Kaami and Bhanu. The authorities are finding it difficult to find an alternative place as almost every area is being developed as residential area by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA)." The HUDA should keep a few acres with them for such purposes. Every piece of land should not be kept for the residential area," said an official.—TNS

Mohali, May 12
Despite ban on selling various things by vendors along highways, the menace seems to be continuing in Mohali.

During a random survey of the Mohali-Kharar highway, The Tribune team found several roadside vendors selling fruit, toys sellers and decorating goods.

As many people buy things from these sellers by parking their vehicles on the highway, it poses big hindrance as well as risk to the other road users here.

“Accidents occur several times as vehicle owners apply brakes or turn their vehicles to all of sudden to buy things from these vendors,” said Kartar Singh, an owner of a shop along the highway.

He added that despite the government’s rules for the shopkeepers to leave some space for parking purposes from the main road, these vendors use such space and flouting rules with impunity and there was nobody to check them.

“There is a ban on such activities along the highway. But the authorities do not seem to be bothered to implement it properly,” said Ashwini Kumar, a resident of Mohali, who goes to Kharar for his work everyday.

On the issue, Mohali Deputy Commissioner, Tajinder Pal Singh Sidhu, said these vendors have been removed several times by the authorities. But they come again at their place the very next day.

“I am contemplating to check this hazard on regular basis to discourage these offenders. A special team would be constituted, which would be made liable if the hazard continues after that,” said the Deputy Commissioner.

Chandigarh, May 12
A cup of tea can do wonders to health. According experts from the Tea Board, a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that including tea in daily diet could help prevent health problems and help maintaining a healthy heart.

The experts, at a stall put up during a National Health Mela, Arogya, here at the Parade Ground in Sector 17, shared the advantages of tea and right way of preparing it.

The common practice in India is to put milk, water and tea to boil together. The correct way, according to officials, is to boil milk and water separately and put tea in boiled water. The tea is not supposed to be placed on boiler after being added to the water, said an official from the tea board.

Indian tea is considered to be one of the most natural and herbal forms of tea around the world. But many of us have switched over to a wrong of preparing it bringing down its effectiveness, said the experts.

The antioxidant polyphenols in tea have been linked with heart benefits. Some studies have indicated that drinking tea can significantly reduce C-reactive protein levels in moderate and high-risk people.

The CRP is considered a marker for inflammation and cardiovascular disease. The antioxidants found in black and green tea, can decrease inflammation, your heart has a better chance of pumping blood well in old age.

Mohali, May 12
Tension mounted between the panchayats of two villages, Behlolpur and Jujjhar Nagar, over the issue of construction of rooms of Government Elementary School at Jujjhar Nagar on the shamlat (common) land of the villages.

While the panchayat of Behlolpur alleged that the panchayat of Jujjhar Nagar were encroaching the 'shamlat' (common) land of the villages by constructing the rooms there, the residents of Jujjhar Nagar refuting the allegations, claiming that they were constructing rooms and boundary wall of the school by using special grant from the state government.

"They (panchayat of Behlolpur) are trying to blow the issue out of proportion," said Kartar Singh, a panchayat member of Jujjhar Nagar.

"The allegations of encroachment by the residents of our neighbouring village are baseless. By using special grant, we are constructing rooms of a school which has around 300 students," said Kartar Singh, Iqbal Singh, Harjit Singh and Mahesh Kumar, all residents of Jujjhar Nagar.

On the other hand, the panchayat of Behlolpur claimed that there were stay orders on the land in question, issued by the District Development and Panchayat Officer-cum-Collector Gurwinder Singh Sarao under Section 7 of the Punjab Village Common Land (regulation) Act, 1961. "So no construction can take place on it," said Harbhajan Singh, a member of panchayat of Behlolpur village.

The police was also directed by the authorities concerned to take required action to stop the construction on the land.

SHO Kulbir Singh said the police has stopped the construction as per orders of the DDPO. "We have asked both the panchayats to wait for the next orders by the authorities in this connection," said Kulbir Singh.

Chandigarh, May 12
A 30-year-old software engineer has mysteriously gone missing two days prior to his wedding. Family members of Naveen Kumar, a resident of Sector 45, have alleged he has been kidnapped and murdered.

Naveen's uncle, Ashwini Kumar, told the police officials that Naveen's wedding was scheduled for May 12 and he had left home on May 10 evening for distributing wedding cards to his friends on his bike. He also told them he would get a facial done in Sector 44. When he failed to return home till night following which family members launched a hunt for him. He was wearing blue check shirt and grey trouser when he left home and his phone was switched off.

Naveen's motorcycle was then traced near Ropar canal by the Punjab police the next morning, who informed their counterparts in Chandigarh about the motorcycle. The police has also recovered wedding cards from the motorcycle.

Naveen runs his own software business and has an IT company in Sector 47 in which he is a web designer and has 30 employees.

To play and make merry is the right of every child on this earth. In my childhood days there were too many open spaces which could be used by us to play. But today, the scenario is totally changed. Lack of playgrounds has forced our children to play on the roads in front of our houses. This has proved fatal many times. Many parks have been developed in different sectors of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula but our planners and developers have not felt the need to develop playgrounds. So, the playground of the schools can be used in the evening by the children. The green spaces should not be spoiled with sports activities as greenery is also important for our environment. Instead of parks, playgrounds should be developed as there are still many areas lying barren.

Baljinder Kaur,
Teacher, Chandigarh

Children must not be allowed to play in parks at all. These are meant for relaxation by all type of people whether senior citizens, women or small children. Parks are not used only by walkers. So, providing walking tracks will not solve the purpose as then parks will become only playgrounds. Elders cannot even sit there calmly as there is always fear of being hit by balls. Students should go to their respective schools to play in the evenings.

Panchkula, May 12
A two-day camp was organised by the National Skin Hospital, Mansa Devi Complex, Sector 5, Panchkula, on the occasion of “World Lupus Day”, for the patients suffering from lupus.

As many as 100 patients suffering from different types of Lupus that is discoid lupus, systemic lupus and subcutaneous lupus erythematosus from the tricity and various parts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir attended the camp. Dermatologist and dermato-laser surgeon, Dr Vikas Sharma headed the National Skin Hospital team that examined the patients. Dr Vikas Sharma said, “World Lupus Day is organised to increase the awareness of lupus and help the patients to fight the disorder in a better and health way. Awareness and knowledge about lupus is lacking among people around the world.”

“The discoid lupus only affects skin while systemic Lupus is a serious, life-altering autoimmune disease that starts from the skin in most cases and then can affect any organ of the body,” said Sharma. He said, “Lupus is a disease which remains unrecognised and unappreciated. Most patients have discoid skin lesions, photosensitivity red skin rash over central part of the face in a butterfly pattern, mouth ulcers, feel fatigued all the time, have body rashes, arthritis and fever.”

Chandigarh, May 12
The issue of buying school uniforms has become a major bone of contention between schools and the Education Department. As per information, several government schools failed to get any response from suppliers even after placing their tender notice for the fourth time. The schools were recently instructed to issue fourth tender notice to make them eligible for placing their uniform order in case they get a response even from a single supplier. But except a few schools, including GMSSS-10, GMSSS-16, GMSSS-8 and GMHS-28, others got no response.

Vinod Sharma, principal of GMHS-34, said: “The situation has become very tricky, as his school has got no response for the fourth time also. The department needs to give us further guidance on what should be done now.”

As per the information, among 104 government schools, only 20-30 per cent schools are expected to place their supply order. For the rest of the schools, there is no clarity on the status of their tender call. Several school management committees even refused to recall their tenders for the fourth time on the ground that it would be a wastage of money and time.

On the other hand, the department has been acting as a mute spectator. On being asked about the status of the school uniform issue, DEO Ram Kumar Sharma said they didn’t have the status report so far, but in the recent meeting with the school heads, they were given the specific instructions to follow the General Finance Rules as far as buying school uniforms is concerned.

It was in March this year that the Education Department entrusted the responsibilities to government schools to buy their own school uniforms as per their requirement. But, the policy miserable failed mainly due to unfavourable guidelines.

A government school head said the Education Department had literally made them clerks in their schools. Every now and then, they were directed to purse non-academic business due to which they were unable to focus on quality education in schools.

“The procurement of school uniforms will not be smoothened unless the department revises its policy for the schools,” said a member of the School Management Committee.

As per the information, the administration’s failure to ensure benefit of free school uniforms for its students is also violating the RTE Act.

RTE activist Pankaj Chandgothia said under the Act, all children in the age group of 6 years to 14 years were entitled for free textbooks and school uniforms every year. However, the delay of these benefits to children in Chandigarh was defeating the very purpose of the Act.

Panchkula, May 12
“May Dance Festival - 2013” was organised today at SMD Little Champ School, Sector 2, Panchkula, in association with the Saraswati Kala Sangam.

As many as 25 students of various age groups enthralled the audience with their splendid performances.

Chairman RN Bansal and director Naresh Gupta were the chief guests, while Col IJ Ahulwalia (retd) was the guest of honour.

The programme started with Ganesh Vandana. The children participated enthusiastically in various events like solo dance, group dance, duet and vocal singing.

The festival was directed and choreographed by Mukta Nagesh.

Naresh Gupta gave away trophies to the budding artistes and encouraged them to perform well in the future.

Chandigarh, May 12
The Association of Biology Teachers (Colleges) organised its 16th annual conference here today at DAV College, Sector 10.

The association felicitated Prof RK Kohli, Vice-Chancellor, DAV University, Jalandhar, with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his committed services to the cause of biological sciences.

Nearly 100 delegates participated from different parts of the country in the deliberations of the conference. Prof RK Kohli was the chief guest on the occasion.

Dr HR Gandhar, adviser to the president of the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi, in his presidential address, appreciated the activities of the association for maintaining the academic standards of biological sciences.

The Award of Academic Excellence was conferred on Dr Dalip Kumar, Senator and Dean, Faculty of Dairying, Animal Husbandry and Agriculture, Panjab University, for achieving academic excellence in various manifestations.

Dr HR Gandhar announced that the association would provide financial assistance amounting to Rs 21,000 to its members for research-based activities.

Dr SK Gupta, academic adviser, highlighted the aims and objectives of the association. Dr KS Arya, former principal of DAV College, and Prof HR Pajni, entomologist, were also present. Dr Sanjeev Puri, professor from the University Institute of Engineering and Technology, PU, delivered a keynote address on various aspects of stem cell research.

Chandigarh, May 12
Talent demonstrators Unnikrishnan and Sacchi Agarkar from Pune clinched the Masters title in the first National Rock N Roll Championship held at the St Stephen’s School auditorium here today.

While Saurav Kakane and Kalindi Rana finished runners-up, another Mumbai couple Paul Emmanuel and Pooja Parekh occupied the third spot.

In the Rising Stars category, dancers of Chandigarh - Rishi Uppal and Fiza Bedi; Medhar and Tanya; and Deepak Bansal and Neeti Bhatia - claimed the first, second and third spots.

As many as 18 couples from the tricity, Mumbai and Pune participated in the event.

According to organisers, the event was the first Rock N Roll nationals held by any country in Asia. The event was initiated by Gursharan Singh, founder and senior vice-president of the National Rock N Roll Federation of India, which is affiliated to the World Rock N Roll Confederation.

Results:

Rising Stars: Rishi Uppal and Fiza Bedi; Medhar and Tanya; Deepak Bansal and Neeti Bhatia.

Masters: Unnikrishnan and Sacchi Agarkar; Saurav Kakane and Kalindi Rana; and Paul Emmanuel and Pooja Parekh.

Panchkula, May 12
Students of The Gurukul, Sector 20, Panchkula, had a first-hand experience of the existing and evolving telecom technology during a visit to Airtel’s corporate office at IT Park, Chandigarh, on Saturday.

Over 24 students of the school visited the premises on an invitation by Airtel as part of the company’s pursuit of spreading the positive impact of technology on everyday life under the aegis of its initiative “Technology Zone”.

A comprehensive presentation dwelling upon the significance, impact and reach of the newly introduced 4G technology saw students listening in rapt attention. Chandigarh is the fourth city in the country where Airtel has launched it 4G technology for the better, faster and simpler data transmission.

The tech-savvy students of The Gurukul said the exercise was a great learning experience.

A wide range of products from state-of-the-art tablets, handsets and data transmission devices were on display. Students had hands-on experience of the latest technology that has been introduced for an efficient and intelligent communication. An interactive session, which included a volley of queries from the students, impressed the hosts.