|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Brace for more power cuts
Two years ago, the Chandigarh Administration had signed an agreement with the Jammu and Kashmir government to share requirements of power during the peaks hours (10 am to 6 pm and 11 pm to 5 am). As per the agreement, the Jammu and Kashmir government was to provide 30-MW power to Chandigarh every day during summers and the same would be provided to it by Chandigarh during winters. But this year, the Administration will not receive 30 MW power from the Jammu and Kashmir Government. Confirming the development, MP Singh, Superintending Engineer (Electricity), UT Administration, said that since the Jammu and Kashmir government had not cleared its dues with the Ministry of Power, therefore, the Power Ministry would not allow any power exchange programme between the two. Now, the UT Administration would try to purchase the required power from other sources, he added. Besides, the Chandigarh Administration has not yet got the nod from the Union Power Ministry to purchase additional 60-MW power from other sources to minimise the demand and supply gap during summers. Since the power purchase cost is Rs 50 crore, therefore, UT requires permission from the Union Ministry of Power. Last year too, the UT Administration had a tough time seeking permission from the Union Ministry of Power. They had sought permission to purchase power worth Rs 50 crore. UT officials had to make several trips to New Delhi to convince the Union Ministry officials. An official of the UT Electricity Department said that since the UT did not have its own power generation plants, the Electricity Department had to purchase electricity from various power plants and sign agreements with them. He further said that if there was any shortage this time, the department would be left with no option, but to enforce power cuts. The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission in its recent communication to the UT Electricity Department had allowed the department to enforce power cuts in the city if the department found it difficult to provide the required power supply to its consumers. The communication reads, “Power cuts could be undertaken by the department, keeping equity among all consumers of the Electricity Department irrespective of their status.”
|
|
Candidates face the heat as PGI tightens security
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 19
While the institution had introduced a foolproof three-tier security system during the rescheduled exam last year disallowing candidates to carry ornaments, bags and pens, this time, it did not even allow carrying of cash or belts inside the centres. Candidates had to face a lot of inconvenience at the exam centres as they were forced to leave their valuable items like ornaments, wallets and ATM cards outside the exam centres. More than 9,000 candidates appeared for the exam across 12 different centres in the city. The security checks led to a panic among candidates, as they had to wait in long queues despite reaching the exam centres well in advance. Many candidates had to return from the entry point to hand over their belongings, including nosepins, gold bangles, wallets and baggage to their guardians, waiting outside the centre. A similar situation was reported during the rescheduled exam in December last year, but chaos and confusion continued this time as well. At GGDSD College in Sector 32, male students were not allowed to enter the examination hall with belts on. Meanwhile, female candidates were forced to remove nosepins and even hair “clutchers” before entering the premises. The situation was similar at DAV School, Sector 15, where a majority of outstation students who reached the centre directly from the railway station and airport, kept looking for a safe place to keep their baggage.“Clear instructions were issued to the candidates. But they seem to have taken it casually and now they are feeling troubled. This is what happened the last time as well,” said a security official deputed at the DAV School, Sector 15. Multi-layer checking system Students had to go through three-tier security check. First, they were frisked, then scanned by hand-held metal detectors, followed by door-frame metal detectors and bug detectors. Central announcement system A central announcement system was introduced to keep vigil even on the invigilators. Biometric attendance system was put in place and videography was also done inside the exam halls. Fingerprints taken Fingerprint samples of candidates were also taken to later verify their records during conuselling. A control room was set up at each of the centres to monitor the footage of CCTV cameras. Flying squad A flying squad headed by the PGI Registrar and comprising senior PGI faculty members visited all the examination centres. Besides, the PGI’s Chief Security Officer made rounds of all the centres during the examination. 72 homeguards deployed A total of 72 homeguards were hired by the PGIMER for security checks. As many as six homeguards, including three women and three men, were deployed at each of the centres. A PCR van was stationed outside each centre. As many as 30 PGI security personnel also assisted the police. Jewellery removed A number of female candidates were seen removing their earrings at the last moment. What happened last year? The CBI had unearthed a cheating racket during MD/MS entrance exam held on November 10 last year by cracking down on 15 candidates during the exam. Later, Gurivi Reddy, the main accused in the case, was arrested by the CBI and was found to have planted decoy candidates to benefit 10 other candidates. The case is pending in the District Courts.
|
|
Sector 32 residents wake up to a shocker
Chandigarh, May 19 The miscreants targeted the vehicles parked outside the houses from House Number 3,701 to 3,730 and from House Number 3,600 onwards in the area. JC Bhatia, one of the residents, whose cars were spray painted with lewd remarks, stated that he got a rude shock after seeing the lewd words written on the windscreens of his cars. “Earlier, I thought that only my cars have been soiled. However, I soon realised the miscreants had targeted almost all the cars parked in the locality,” Bhatia said. As the residents came to know about the lewd
language painted on the cars, everyone started cleaning the spray paint from their vehicles. The miscreants even managed to enter the premises
“It is shocking that anti-social elements managed to deface the cars without any fear of getting caught. The police should identify them and take action against them”, said Dr Ashwani Shandil, another resident of the sector. The residents called the police and have filed a complaint. Lewd graffiti on roads are not new to the city, the anti-social elements had earlier spray painted city guide maps installed in various parts of the city.
Not the first incident
A similar incident was reported in May 2011at Sector 11, Chandigarh, when the miscreants had spray painted the walls of houses.
The miscreants targeted name plates and cars, smearing them with offensive texts.
|
|
Girl hit by speeding car, dies
Chandigarh, May 19 The girl, reportedly, was trying to cross the road. The police is investigating the case. — TNS
|
|
Burning midnight oil to pursue law at 59
Chandigarh, May 19 Not many would have thought of a post-retirement plan the way Khanna, a banker, does. He now plans to start his practice after his superannuation. Khanna, who is a banker working in Ludhiana, said that he pursued his law from PU’s Regional Centre, Ludhiana. “I was to retire soon. So, I thought of doing something new that would keep me busy and joined law in the evening shift.” Khanna further said that after his retirement, he would start practicing law. “I may be old but I am young at heart,” said the elated new law graduate posing with his degree. Govind was the oldest but not the only one to set an example that age was no bar for learning. Vibha Ray, principal of DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, was another learning enthusiast who was conferred a degree. Ray, who is an alumnus of PU, pursued her BSc in Medical, then did BEd, MEd, MPhil and PhD in education. “It was my love for learning that motivated me to study further after around two-decades,” Vibha said. Vibha is presently pursuing her LLM from Kurukshetra University. Another candidate to be conferred a degree was Inspector Kuldeep Singh, posted at the CBI Office in Chandigarh. Singh said the curiosity to have a deep knowledge of law made him pursue the subject. Rajesh Sharma, another local businessman, who had also contested the Municipal Corporation Elections in 2011, was also among those who got a law degree.
|
zila parishad polls Akash Ghai Tribune News Service
Mohali, May 19
Several women came to the polling booths carrying their small children, and waited for their turn patiently. At Sohana, a group of alert women voters raised objections when a local person belonging to a certain political outfit accompanied the women of his locality inside the polling booth. Talking to the Chandigarh Tribune, senior woman leader of Shiromani Akali Dal Amanjot Kaur Ramoowalia said she was encouraged to see such enthusiasm among women voters for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections. “Generally, such enthusiasm is reserved for the parliamentary elections. Today, I am very happy to see such a large turnout of women voters at several villages,” said Ramoowalia. Ramoowalia said whenever she visited any village, women used to come to her to discuss their problems. “The rural women feel shy to talk about their problems with male leaders. During my campaigning I used to encourage them to cast their vote,” she said. Another woman leader, Paramjit Kaur Gill, popularly known as Bibi Landran, said she was surprised to see such an enthusiasm among women voters. “I saw several women coming in to cast their vote since morning. With the rural girls going to schools and colleges, women are becoming aware of their right to vote in rural areas too,” said Bibi Landran, who is also the chairperson of Punjab State Women Commission. Sohana resident Rajwinder Kaur, who came to cast her vote with her father-in-law and mother-in-law, said most of the women in her village were participating in today’s polls. “When women leaders are emerging in the political arena, we should too come forward to use our right to vote,” said Rajwinder Kaur.
|
|
Oppn to confront Cong on Railgate
Panchkula, May 19
Senior BJP leader Gian Chand Gupta said Pawan Kumar Bansal was like a ‘Hero’ for the Congress leaders in the tricity but the Railgate had exposed him. “As the BJP has already decided to highlight corruption issues involving Congress leaders, we will also highlight the ‘Mama-Bhanja’ episode in the Panchkula MC elections,” he said. Other opposition party, INLD, has already initiated a social media campaign against Bansal and other Congress leaders in connection with the recent corruption cases involving them. INLD city president Manoj Aggarwal said through e-mails and social media, the party had started targeting the Congress leaders, including Pawan Kumar Bansal. He said, “Congress leaders will have to give answers to public about the corruption cases involving them.” The Congress party, meanwhile, has decided against contesting the Panchkula MC Elections on the party symbol. In the last Assembly elections in 2009, Pawan Kumar Bansal had campaigned for the Congress candidate from Panchkula, DK Bansal, who is now a sitting MLA. Like Chandigarh, Pawan Kumar Bansal also has a good voter base in Panchkula. Many of his relatives and friends reside in Panchkula and are associated with a number of NGOs and charitable institutions. Before the Railgate came to light, Bansal had also started taking part in functions here. Recently, he was the chief guest at a mass marriage programme organised by an NGO here. In the beginning of the year, there were rumours that Pawan Kumar Bansal was planning to field his son Manish Bansal from Panchkula in the next Assembly elections in Haryana. With the Railways scam unfurling, however, sources close to Bansal’s family said he might not take part in the campaigning for the Panchkula MC elections.
panchkula MC Elections
bansal unlikely to campaign
Like Chandigarh, Pawan Kumar Bansal also has a good voter base in Panchkula. Before the Railgate came to light, Bansal had started taking part in functions in the town. In the last Assembly elections in 2009, Bansal had campaigned for the Congress candidate from Panchkula. Now, with the opposition parties, including the BJP and INLD, deciding to highlight the Railways scam in which Bansal’s nephew Vijay Singla has been sent to judicial custody, sources close to Bansal’s family said he might not take part in the campaigning for the Panchkula MC elections.
|
|
15 years on, community centre still hangs fire
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 19 Taps inside the community centre are broken, light bulbs are non-functional and the windowpanes are damaged too. The courtyard has turned into a dumping ground for garbage and has wild growth. Walls of the main hall, too, have developed seepage and have been crying for repair. The engineering wing, however, has been moving at a snail’s pace in repairing the already existing infrastructure, and completing the remaining work. Initially, Satya Pal Jain had allocated money to the PGI for initiating the construction work. Four years ago, former Union Minister for Railways and local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal had allocated Rs 28 lakh from his MPLAD Fund for the completion of the centre. The engineering wing, however, failed to complete the pending work and costs escalated. Over 2,500 people reside at the PGI complex. “We have written to the authorities several times to speed up the process as the residents face problems in organising cultural functions,” said general secretary, PGI Residential Complex Welfare Society, Balkrishan. On the other hand, when contacted, PGI’s official spokesperson Manju Wadwalkar said the renovation and construction work was in progress.
|
|
Need to make roads pedestrian-friendly
Safety of pedestrians and two-wheeler riders has become a concern with fast-moving vehicular traffic ruling the roads. Chandigarh Tribune readers write on what should be done to ensure their safety: Helmets must for women Everyday, a number of people are killed or injured in road accidents. A safe road system does not just require road users who obey traffic rules. It is equally necessary to have authorities who provide roads designed for safety. The authorities should reinstate the programme of constructing new and safer roads, which will not have dangerous junctions, along with constructing pedestrian crossings and wider sidewalks. The elements of aesthetics or comfort such as shades, benches, etc, must be integrated in the design of pedestrian facilities. In the wake of recent accidents involving women, helmets must be made compulsory for them. Dr Shruti K. Chawla, Chandigarh Holistic approach required
Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, was built after than Chandigarh. But, there are reportedly no accidents in that city because the entire master plan, as envisioned, was implemented to the minutest detail without political or bureaucratic meddling. As a mother city of the modern capitals of the world, Chandigarh deserves such a treatment sooner rather than later to turn it into a pedestrian paradise and children-friendly city. Dr SS Bhatti,
Chandigarh
Roads lack safe crossings
Most of the city roads don't have a safe crossing. I feel that we should have crossings that allow enough time to pedestrians. At present, vehicles jumping traffic lights eat up a lot of time of pedestrians at crossings. Walking facilities along roads are also needed and different modes of public transport should be properly linked. Transport buses in the city need proper attention. Member of Parliament Pawan Kumar Bansal sanctioned funds for pedestrian paths from his MPLAD fund to make the city people-friendly, but the files are gathering dust in UT offices. Sachin Sharma,
Chandigarh
Foot overbridges need of the hour
Pedestrian safety has always been a frequently talked-about issue in the city. A lot needs to be done to make the city pedestrian-friendly. Needs of women, children and senior citizens should be dealt with separately. Curbs and ramps must be constructed on sidewalks to make walking convenient. Short pedestrian crossings and wider sidewalks will also prove beneficial. Most of the two-way main roads with houses facing each other do not even have footpaths. Instead, house owners have extended their lawns to a larger area. This immediately needs to be considered and proper footpaths with cemented tiles must be constructed for pedestrians. Construction of foot over-bridges will prove boon for commuters. It will definitely reduce the number of pedestrian deaths that take place due to walking on the congested roads. Vineet Kapoor.
Panchkula
Public transport safest
Though every effort is being made in Chandigarh to check traffic congestion by piecemeal measures such as considering an increase in vehicle registration fee, increasing pedestrian subways and footpaths, declaring Sector 17 a vehicle-free zone, etc, 8 lakh vehicles are running on the roads of the City Beautiful. Besides, a large number of vehicles also come daily from the neighbouring states. The flood of vehicles has left the traffic policemen unable to do their job with even a modicum of efficiency. The local administration is engaged in a futile race to create more and more road space like slip roads and V-7 tracks meant for rickshaws and cycles. We should follow the examples of countries like Singapore where around 65 per cent commuters now use public transport. Public transportation is the only solution to the traffic congestion. SK Khosla,
Chandigarh
Footpaths a must
There should be footpaths on the either side of the roads in the city for pedestrians like in foreign countries. The Chandigarh Administration must take suitable steps and create special lanes for two-wheeler riders and make sidewalks on the either side of the roads for pedestrians. Cycle tracks constructed a few years ago lie unattended. Cyclists and rickshaw-pullers continue to use the main roads in the city, thereby posing a risk to commuters. Where the administration itself is careless and doesn't bother about the precious lives being lost in road accidents, there is no remedy to this problem and people will continue to die. RK Kapoor,
Chandigarh
Safety of pedestrians must
Safety of pedestrians is of utmost importance. Many accidents are occurring almost everyday in which innocent pedestrians lose their lives. Congestion on roads is the main culprit. For this, a separate lane should be constructed for pedestrians. Commuters should be instructed to stop their vehicles before the zebra crossing in order to facilitate the safe passage of pedestrians across the roads. Deputing the traffic police at all junctures on national highways is a must to avoid accidents involving pedestrians. Shekhar Juneja,
Chandigarh
Reflective strips on helmets needed
To ensure the safety on roads, two-wheeler riders should be strictly instructed to wear helmets. They should be asked to paste reflective strips on all sides of helmets and at the front, back and sides of their vehicles. They should keep their headlights on and make their presence felt. Zebra crossings, sidewalks and footpaths should be properly marked so that pedestrians can walk on them comfortably. In fact, they should follow the six-step crossing code to cross the roads. Priya Darsh Growar,
Mohali
Obey traffic rules
Four-wheeler drivers should stick to the right lane to ensure the safety of two-wheelers. It has been seen that some car drivers overtake from the left side. Though traffic policemen are there to check violations, they cannot be present everywhere. Pedestrians should cross the road from the place marked for the purpose. Sometimes, pedestrians are at fault and cross the road without seeing whether the road is clear or not. Also, some of them use cellphones while crossing the roads. They assume that it is only the duty of car drivers to take care of pedestrians while driving. In case of an accident, car drivers are only blamed. All citizens should obey traffic rules sincerely. IPS Anand,
Mani Majra
Educate migrant labourers
Reasons for rising casualties of pedestrians and two-wheeler riders on the city roads are not far to seek. Migrant labourers, who ride bicycles, are unaware of traffic rules. These cyclists, who are in a hurry to reach their destination and not knowing that the extreme left lane is meant only or fast traffic, force their way at zebra crossings when the red light is on. Come green light, these cyclists also pedal ahead, but often get knocked down by one of the speeding cars rushing from the other sides. Agreed that traffic constables at signal crossings are overworked, overstressed and do their job under the most compelling circumstances, but does enforcing traffic rules rather sternly on these cyclists is not their prime duty? On the contrary, this violation is given a go-by as these cyclists are neither challaned nor even rebuked. SC Luthra,
Mani Majra
Open House Question
|
|
Public parks kept locked in Sector 10, Panchkula
Panchkula, May 19 The Park Development Committee said they won’t let anyone to spoil the parks maintained by them. However, some residents said these parks were meant for public use, but they had been kept locked. The Park Development Committee was formed in the sector comprising around 8 to 10 members. There are about eight parks in this sector. “The park in front of House Number 90 has a narrow entry. As I am differently abled, I could not enter. When I asked the woman, who has the keys, to open the gate, she said it cannot be opened,” said a resident. “The committee has not prohibited anyone from entering the parks. The gates can be opened in genuine cases. They are not anyone’s personal parks and their gates should be opened for public use,” said Sanjay Ahuja, a resident of Sector 10, Panchkula. Ahuja is active in the local development body of the sector. In fact, the committee had maintained the parks and kept two gardeners in every park. People should also try to maintain these parks and keep them clean, said Ahuja. The reason behind locking the gates has been justified saying that stray cattle and dogs enter the parks. Also, sometimes residents park their cars inside the parks. It was told that pedestrians were always allowed inside the parks, but not opening the gates in genuine issues lead to tussle. “Pedestrians are always allowed inside the parks. Only children are not allowed to play sports like cricket and football because it can damage windowpanes of cars parked around these parks,” said BB Singhal, former vice-president of the Municipal Council, Panchkula. OP Sihag, executive officer of the Municipal Corporation, said: “If this has happened there , I will definitely look into the matter.”
|
|
Space society joins hand with US body
Chandigarh, May 19 “Under this collaboration, both organisations will work together to promote an international consensus on space-based solar power,” said Mitul Dikshit, president, ISS, while sharing the details of the collaboration. He said: “As part of the collaboration, Suresh Naik, chairman of the ISS, also a former group director of ISRO, will be attending the international space development conference in San Diego, California, from May 23 to May 24 and will talk about India’s lunar and interplanetary missions.” “Former President Dr APJ Kalam will be the keynote speaker in the conference. He will also be presented with the NSS Space Pioneer Award for 2013 on the occasion,” said Mitul. “The ISS will also organise an international conference on space, “an emerging consensus on the SSP collaboration”, in coordination with the NSS on October 24, 2013, in Chandigarh. It will include a round-table conference in which six major space-faring space agencies are being invited to reach an emerging consensus on space-based solar power,” he said while sharing that global electricity demand was expected to increase by 87 per cent around 2035.
|
|
Sekhri group emerges winner
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 19 There were a total of five candidates in the fray for four posts, out of which four contenders were from the Sekhri group who emerged winners after defeating Dr SK Punia, an independent candidate who bagged 109 votes. The winners are Jaspal Singh (162 votes), GS Kalsi (156 votes), AS Mehndiratta (154 votes) and I Moudgill (117 votes). Anju Menon, a candidate of the Sekhri group, bagged the fifth executive seat, which was reserved for a woman candidate after her opponent, Manjit Bhalla, decided to step down. The official announcement of Major JS Sekhri (retd) being elected as the president of the club, RL Arora as the vice-president, Vinod Khanna as the secretary, Ashok Malhotra as the joint secretary and RK Bansal as the treasurer was also made after the elections. All office-bearers were elected unopposed.
|
Degrees conferred on law students at PU
Chandigarh, May 19 The students who graduated in LLB and LLM in 2011 and 2012 were awarded degrees during the function. Justice GS Singhvi, Judge, Supreme Court of India, was the chief guest on the occasion. The guests of honour were Justice MM Kumar, Chief Justice, Jammu and Kashmir High Court; and Justice SS Saron, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court. Justice Singhvi while addressing the students quoted Dr Rajendra Prasad, “Whatever the Constitution may or may not provide, the welfare of the country will depend upon the way in which the country is administered. That will depend upon the men who administer it. It is trite saying that a country can have only the government it deserves” Justice Singhvi also quoted Alexander Flexner: “Without ideals, without effort, without scholarship, without philosophical continuity, there is no such thing as education”. Juhi Goel, one of the students who bagged two gold medals for topping in
LLM, said that she was feeling on top of the world after receiving the medals at the
|
|||||
|
Law dept head skips convocation
Chandigarh, May 19 The chairperson on May 16 had gone to the Vice-Chancellor’s residence to seek financial support from the university. However, failing to get any response from him, the chairperson, on May 17, held a meeting in the department with the faculty members and decided that she will not take part in the convocation. Three out of the six dignitaries, who were to be felicitated during the convocation, also missed the function. Those who did not attend the function included Prof Paramjit S Jaswal, Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala; Prof DN Jauhar, Vice-Chancellor, Dr BR Ambedkar University, Agra; and Prof Veer Singh, ex-Dean, University Instructions (DUI) and Director of the Chandigarh Judicial Academy. Although the dignitaries maintained that they had their personal reasons for missing the function, sources claimed that the mismanagement and refusal of the PU law chairperson to attend the convocation kept the dignitaries away from the function. The function also witnessed a very thin attendance from the senate members and the university teachers. The area designated for the seating of the senate members, university teachers and various other guests wore a deserted look with seats lying empty throughout the function. Prof Bhajan Kaur of the law department officiated as the chairperson during the convocation. This was the first independent convocation of the Faculty of Laws.
|
|||||
|
St Stephen’s-45 students excel in Class X exam
Chandigarh, May 19 Among the other ICSE affiliated schools in tricity, St Stephen’s has the maximum students securing above 90 per cent marks. According to school authorities, the school has secured 100 per cent result as all its 215 students have cleared the exam.—TNS
|
|||||
|
Mohali, May 19 "We are going to start courses like BA, BCom, BCom (Professional), BSc (Agriculture), BSc (Non-Med) in our new degree college", said Dr Anshu Kataria, chairman of the group. He added that required infrastructure to start above courses was ready and Punjabi University, Patiala had already issued Letter of Intent for the same. — TNS
|
|||||
|
|||||
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Chandigarh, May 19
The opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), will be highlighting the Railways scam in which Bansal’s nephew (sister’s son), Vijay Singla, has been sent to judicial custody. 
