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Confed GM Vinod Kumar’s death Hina Rohtaki Tribune News Service
Panchkula, November 11 In his suicide note, Kumar, who was the main accused in the multi-crore wheat scam, said that three other GMs were involved in the scam, but only he was made the scapegoat. Kumar was also holding the additional charge of the Divisional Manager in Ambala. Though the Panchkula Police has booked eight persons named by Vinod for abetment to suicide, no arrests have been made so far. The police is investigating the role of the high-profile persons in the case. According to the FIR lodged by the police at the Sector 20 police station, the accused have been identified as three GMs - Sher Singh, BS Saini, NR Saini and clerks identified as Mohan Lal, Jaibir, Sudesh, Nirmala Bansal and LC Thoki. “It was a detailed suicide note of two pages. The victim wrote that he was innocent and the scam involved other senior officials. We are investigating the role of each one,” said Inspector Satish Kumar, Station House officer of the the Sector 20 police station. Police officials said, the victim had stated that NR Saini, one of the accused, conducted an inquiry into the scam and held Vinod guilty. The deceased emphasised that all those who had conducted the inquiry and presented evidence against him were actually involved in the scam. The suicide note also mentioned about the victim's concern for his family. He said that he did not want his family to do the rounds of the court and the police station. As many as 16,662 wheat bags were missing from the Ambala godown of Confed in which Vinod was held accused. A case of theft, fraud and conspiracy was registered. This happened when Vinod was the GM at Barara in Ambala. Heaps of wheat worth crores went missing from the office and he was accused of committing the crime with the connivance of some other persons. According to the police team investigating the matter, the victim was in depression and he had written that the said senior officials were roaming free and would even trouble him. It was yesterday when Kumar committed suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan at his residence in Sector 20, Panchkula. A police official said when the incident took place, his son Vinod was away to Chandigarh and wife had gone to her friend’s place.
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Selja snubs Rly police
Ritika Jha Palial Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 11 Kumari Selja was hurt as the stone hit her in the arm near Manakpur village while she was travelling in the train she had inaugurated on October 6. Despite announcing a reward of Rs 10,000, the police has failed to nab the culprits in the case. Today, she came down heavily on the railway police for interrogating the village residents. The police has been pressuring the village residents to name the miscreants. “I called the railway police and told them that what it is doing is totally unacceptable. The innocent village residents did not conspire and why will they do so?” Selja said, while speaking to the Chandigarh Tribune.
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Resolution against high-rise buildings presented in court
Chandigarh, November 11 As the case came up for resumed hearing, the amicus curiae or the friend of the court presented to the Bench a resolution by the Save Sukhna Forum - a body comprising array of former chief engineers and experts from diverse fields. It was initially formed in 2003
following the Tribune reports on saving the Sukhna Lake. The resolution indicated that the high-rise buildings would not only have a shocking visual impact, but create other difficulties as well, including traffic and water problems. It would also affect the wind direction. Moreover, the construction of high-rise buildings in the north of the Capitol Complex was never approved of by Le Corbusier. The Bench, however, was of the opinion that the resolution was based on views; and it would go by the report submitted in the matter by the Roorkee-based National Institute of Hydrology. Bedi also brought to the notice of the Bench the proceedings before the Supreme Court on petitions filed by Justice SS Sodhi and 16 others, against the proposed construction of 1,794 residential flats as a part of the Camelot project. The Bench was of the opinion that it was a separate issue, not connected with the one in hand. The Bench, as such, did not take on record the Apex Court order in the matter. Tata Housing has already agreed in the Supreme Court that it would not go ahead with its high-rise building project near Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake till further orders. The undertaking came as the SC sought its response to the petitions by the former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice SS Sodhi, and others. The petitioners have challenged the High Court’s August 21, 2013 order, giving the green signal for the Tata project subject to the company getting all the necessary clearances from the authorities concerned. During the arguments, the Bench had acknowledged that the matter “is extremely significant” as Chandigarh was one of the few planned cities in the country. Rejecting the plea for dismissing the petitions, the Bench had asserted “these are matters which should not be thrown out on technical grounds. The situation may become irretrievable if the constructions are permitted and ultimately it is found that they suffer from some illegalities.”The Bench had remarked: “Even a brick should not be laid.”
Saving Sukhna:
The resolution indicated that high-rise buildings would not only have a shocking visual impact, but create other difficulties as well, including traffic and water problems. It would also affect the wind direction. Moreover, the construction of high-rise buildings in the north of the Capitol Complex was never approved of by Le Corbusier.
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Chandigarh Book Fair from tomorrow
This time, the administration has put in extra efforts to make it a big literary show. National Book Trust has been roped in for book fair’s technical assistance. The books of all genres of literature will be available at the book fair. More than 100 publishers have already confirmed their participation and will be available with the books of different genres and languages, informed Kashish Mittal, a member of the organising committee of the book fair. While the participation of the authors is limited, but there are many
interesting names to bring enough literary flavour in the festival. The evening session of the inaugural day on November 13
will have legendry Next day on November 14, Keki N Daruwalla, a poet and short story writer in English language
will interact with audience on his novel ‘For Pepper and Christ’. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1984 for his poetic collection ‘The Keeper of
the Dead’. On November 15, former actress and culinary expert Tara Deshpande will be presenting her
latest book titled, ‘A Sense for Spice’ inspired from her grandmother’s kitchen in
their ancestral home in Belgaum, a mid size city on the border of Karnataka and Maharashtra. Another interesting highlight of the day will be the session with famous Punjabi poet Surjit Patter. Next day on November 16, two literary events-an interaction with
author Ravi Subramaniam and kavi Darbar is scheduled. On November 17, two young authors- Nitika Singh and Sachin Garg- will interact with the local audience. Two book releases are planned besides a session with Punjabi writers, including Mohan Bhandari. Besdies the literary flavour, Chandigarh Administration has planned workshops on creative writing and
calligraphy, open to all age groups. The students of Government Arts College have been roped in for ‘Illustrator’s Corner’ that will give them an opportunity to unwind their creativity, he said. Kashish Mittal said the basic idea behind the book fair was to promote the reading culture in the
city especially among the youth. “We will make sure that a lot of school students participate in various workshops planned for them
through out the festival, he said. He informed that the fair will have publishers of English
as well as vernacular languages. The Tribune is the media sponsor for this book fair.
Schedule of the event November 13 Spelling Bee competition: 4 - 5 pm Author Milkha Singh on his autobiography ‘A Race of My Life’: 6.30 pm November 14 Creative writing workshop: 1 - 2 pm Calligraphy workshop by Mumbai-based calligraphy artist Kalpish Goswami: 2- 5 pm Workshop for teachers on skills of storytelling: 2.30-4.30 pm Author Keki N Daruwalla on his novel ‘For Pepper and Christ’: 5 - 6 pm November 15 Author talk with Tara Deshpande on her recent book ‘A Sense for Spice’: 5 - 6 pm Interaction with Punjabi poet Surjit Pattar: 6 - 7 pm November 16 Slogan writing competition: 11 am - 12 pm Workshop on Enactment of Story: 11 am - 1 pm Interaction with Author Ravi Subramaniam: 5 - 6 pm Kavi Darbar: 6 - 8 pm November 17 Book releases: 11 am - 1 pm Workshop on creative writing: 3 - 5 pm Interaction with young author Nitika Singh and Sachin Garg: 6 - 7 pm November 18 Storytelling Marathon: 11 am - 1 pm Make book marks: 12 pm
EDUCATIONAL MOTIVE The basic idea behind the book fair is to promote the reading culture in the city, especially among the youth. We’ll make sure that a lot of school students participate in various workshops planned throughout the
fair. — Kashish mittal, member of the organising committee of the book fair
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Market forces are at play, chaos is rule of the game
Chaos reigns supreme at the Sector 26 vegetable and grain market. Encroachments, inadequate parking space and garbage say it all. In Part II of the series, Tribune reporters Rajmeet Singh, Deepankar Sharda and lensman Parvesh Chauhan present a true picture.
Traffic jams are a routine occurrence on roads leading to the Sector 26 vegetable and grain market that came into existence over five decades ago. Visitors park vehicles at will. Things go from bad to worse when goods are loaded on to trucks. Anti-encroachment drives have failed to keep encroachers off the market. ‘Rehri’ and ‘pheri’ walas can be seen in every nook and cranny. Owners of grocery stores do not pay a penny to the Sector 26 Market Committee as fee. The panel earns Rs 5 crore as fee from vegetable and grain traders. GR Pillai, assistant secretary, Chandigarh Market Committee, claimed the efforts to remove encroachments had proved futile. “We have deployed a security guard to keep ‘pheri’ at bay,” he said. When it comes to putting things in order, nobody comes forward. The market has been a victim of neglect. Space constraints, encroachments, stink, traffic jams and choked sewerage are the major problems plaguing the market. Cleanliness eludes the market. The shopkeepers dump garbage in the middle of roads. Stink emanating from the area worsens things. The market lacks facilities such as drinking water and public toilets. The place is fast turning into a dumping ground. On weekends, as many as 8,000 people flock to the market to buy vegetables and fruits. The traffic scene goes haywire and long queues of vehicles are seen on the roads leading to the market. As the shopkeepers park their vehicles in front of their shops, things go upside down. The parking lot near the market committee office has failed to ease the congestion. The shopkeepers have not spared even the footpaths. Garbage is disposed of in front of shops. Stink welcomes buyers to the market. There is no one to regulate traffic. Trucks and loaded rickshaws add to the chaos.
Musclemen protect vendors Shopkeepers, who have encroached upon land in the market, claimed to have paid a certain amount to the market committee. They said some traders were selling goods in the open. A fruit seller said some musclemen helped daily wagers run their business. They even extorted money, he said.
Security
goes for a toss
At the three entry points to the market, not even a single security personnel is seen. There are no CCTV cameras inside the market. The problems aggravate during rush hours. The market lacks adequate parking space for four-wheelers and two-wheelers. Vendors have set up stalls in the parking lot of the grain market.
Efforts go in vain
The enforcement wing of the UT Estate Office has carried out a number of demolition drives at the Sector 26 fruit and vegetable market, but to date, nothing concrete has been done in this direction. Civic officials’ plans to discourage vendors from occupying the area have failed to materialise.
Making a quick buck
In order to make a quick buck, some shopkeepers have rented out space outside their shops to display goods. There is hardly any check on them.
Pleas go unheard
The pleas of the shopkeepers go unheard. They pay taxes to the civic body, but when it comes to upgrade the infrastructure, the officials choose to remain mum. The Agricultural Marketing Board has been allotted 23 acres in Sector 39 to shift the market.
200 labourers homeless
Around 200 labourers engaged in loading and unloading work are spending nights under a tinned roof. Their sheds were declared unsafe a few years ago. The authorities have not bothered to shelter them.
Less income
The market committee has less income and more infrastructure. Traders and commission agents pay around Rs 5 crore as market fee annually, but the major chunk goes into paying salaries. Recently, the market committee spent Rs 2 crore on constructing roads.
Building bylaws violated
Estate office officials have served a notice on the shopkeepers, who have encroached upon footpaths, but they do not budge.
Market should be spic and span
A cleanliness drive should be carried out in the market. Vendors selling vegetables and fruits should maintain
hygiene. Deepti In the absence of parking lots, traffic jams are witnessed on roads leading to the market. The roads should be made
one-way. Subhash Arora Parking sites should be earmarked. Steps should be taken to ease congestion. The market should be spic and span. Instead of wasting public money, the authorities should put it to
use. Vijay Kumar Heavy vehicles should not be allowed to enter the market. Traffic police personnel should be deployed to regulate the
traffic. SS Sharma
Market will be shifted: DC
UT Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Shayin said, “We will be tightening noose around traders. We may even cancel licences. We keep carrying out anti-encroachment drives. Layout of the Sector 39 fruit and vegetable market is being worked out. The market will be shifted there
soon.
Suggestions
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Market associations air grievances
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 11 Rakesh Rattan, head of the Industrial Area market association highlighted the deteriorating traffic situation at the Hallo Majra, Airport and Tribune roundabouts. He said there was an increased need to patrol the light point near Colony Number 5, where accidents were common. Diwakar Sahuja of the Sector 11 market welfare association said the police was very strict while issuing challans. A number of residents said the attitude of police personnel at the barriers set up to check drunken driving was very impolite, and many a times they had to face embarrassment in front of their families. Sukhdev Singh, president of the Sector 47 market welfare association, said there was an increased menace of cycle rickshaws, and the rickshaw pullers should be directed to use cycle tracks. UT IG RP Upadhyaya said the police was being imparted regular training to be courteous and they made every effort to be polite, yet firm.Around 300 members of different market associations were present at the meeting. Upadhyaya said appropriate action would be taken on the problems pointed out by the gathering. Musical evening
A musical evening, “Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai”, featuring Dolly Narang and Shammi Narang, was also organised on the first day of the Police Week celebrations at Tagore Theater, Sector 18. Families of the police personnel besides senior citizens attended the event. The Adviser to the UT Administrator, KK Sharma was the chief guest.
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UT sends 5 names to Centre
Rajinder Nagarkoti Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 11 The Administration has recommended the name of Rajinder Bagga, who had performed the role of Lord Rama for 26 years in Ramlila. Bagga was also featured in the Limca Book of Records along with his father, Sohan Lal Bagga, and son, Gaurav Bagga, for “three generations of the same family performing in the Ramlilas since 1961”. Besides Rajinder Bagga, the name of Dr Jagdish Jaggi, a homeopathy physician, has been recommended for social service and reformative activities in coordination with the public. Dr Jaggi, president of the Sector 37 Resident Welfare Association, has already received the state awards of Punjab and Chandigarh. The list also includes the name of Harpal Singh, chairman and managing director of Synergy Group, who also owns the JW Marriot Hotel in Chandigarh. Harpal Singh, too, has his name in the Limca Book of Records for constructing a fully-functional 10-floor building, called Instacon, in just 48 hours. From the field of art and culture, the name of Harinder Pal Singh, a differently abled, was recommended for the award. Despite 70 per cent disability in his left leg due to polio, Harinder Pal had the grit to form the first bhangra group of India with differently abled people as members. His group has performed in India and abroad. The name of Prof Harnam Singh Hans, emeritus professor in the department of physics, Panjab University, has been recommended for the awards as well. In 2007, the Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred on the professor by the Chandigarh Academy of Sciences. Every year, the Padma Committee invites recommendations from states and union territories. These are then assessed and the shortlisted names are sent to the Prime Minister’s Office. The awards are given by the President of India on January 26.
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Board to give objecting residents a hearing
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 11 The dates were finalised during the first meeting of the board, held at the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) office today. The Urban Planning Department of the UT Administration has received around 170 objections and suggestions. The draft will be notified only after getting a clearance from the board members. The board, which is headed by the CHB chairman, Satya Gopal, also comprises Chief Architect Sumit Kaur; Secretary, Information Technology, Prerna Puri; Chief Engineer SK Chadha; former Mayor Ravinder Singh Pali; MC Commissioner Vivek Partap Singh and the Chief Planner, Ministry of Urban Development. MC Commissioner Vivek Partap Singh said the sessions would be divided issue-wise: villages, industries, traders, etc. In coming days, the entire schedule would be finalised, he said. Former Mayor Ravinder Singh Pali said the board members decided not to entertain fresh objections. The residents who had already submitted their objections would be given a chance for personal hearing, said Pali. They would be informed through advertisements in newspapers and letters through speed post, he said. The UT Urban Planning Department had uploaded the draft on the official website of the UT Administration. Copies of the Draft Master Plan were also made available at the offices of the UT Deputy Commissioner; MC Commissioner; Central Library, Sector 17; Sector 34 library; Panjab University library; Chandigarh College of Architecture; Le Corbusier Centre, Sector 19; SDM offices, Sector 17, Sector 42 and Industrial Area; and the office of block development and panchayat officer.
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Sitar performance enthrals audience
Chandigarh, November 11 It is an old Sitar tradition, and in earlier days this Jaipur-Senya tradition was highly respected for its
uncompromising loyality to purity. Saptarshi is sincerely trying to revive and carry forward the beacon of this
Senya tradition, which has only a few genuine adherents now. He is now trying to develop and expand himself, combining his rich musical heritage with modern experimentation. After the demise of his guru Pandit Netai Basu, he is getting his
taalim from sarod maestro Pandit Budhdhadeb Dasgupta. Saptarishi began recital with the quiet dignity of the methodical and reposeful alaap in Raga Naike Kanada. This was followed by jod-alaap and jod-jhala which were a variant of the usual Sitar playing. His touch, strokes,
glides and subsequent production of tonal and microtonal effects points to his sound
training. Saptarishi’s sensitive yet controlled handling of the instrument was testimony of
his talent and dedication to music. His beautiful rendition kept the audience
wanting more. Saptarishi concluded his recital with a tan toda and jhala amid thunderous applause.
He was accompanied by Rupak Mitra who played Tabla.
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Don’t give up, that’s the lesson
In a dream come true for
Asha, her 44-year-old son, Nikesh, now works as the welfare officer in the NGO after learning the basic skills from the same institute. “Our goal is to make children acquire skills that would help them earn a living,” said
Asha, while joining other parents during the annual meet of Parivaar, a national association of various organisations of parents of persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities, at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, today. Like
Asha, Diwakar Shah is another proud parent of a 30-year-old man with mild mental retardation. His son not only emerged a champion swimmer but also works as a receptionist at the office of the Indore Society for Mentally Retarded, being run by his father. For
Pune-based LK Malviya, too, the tale is no different. He has seen his son,
Pralesh, a Class XII student, becoming a national Olympian, while being intellectually challenged since childhood. The 125 parents who meet every year in different cities try to learn from each other the skills needed to make their children capable of living on their own.
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MC acts against violations
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 11 The drive, which was started at 11.30 am, continued till 5 pm. The MC staff removed around 400 iron rods and grills used by shopkeepers to display their merchandise. They also removed hooks and nails being used to display shoes, belts and other items on the sidewalls of the shops inside the market. Some shopkeepers had rented out the sidewalls to vendors. Superintendent, MC Enforcement Wing, Kashmira Singh, said that as the market was closed today, they carried out the drive to remove iron rods and hooks without facing any kind of opposition from shopkeepers. Inspector, Enforcement Wing, Sunil Dutt said 25 workers of the enforcement wing carried out the drive. As there was no rush in the market, the drive was carried out peacefully, he said. This newspaper, in the Part I of a special series, had raised the issue of encroachments in corridors of the city markets. Goods and grocery items that are displayed by shopkeepers in front of their shops hardly leave any space for the visitors to walk in the corridors of most of the markets.
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High security plates for Mohali too
The concept of high security plates was indeed an innovative idea and the same is being followed strictly for newly registered vehicles. But in Mohali district, there is no clear cut policy for affixing the same on already registered/old vehicles. If at all it is being done, it is at snail’s pace and there is no information to the general public. In this regard, the authorities must keep the vehicle owners abreast with the latest information. Manjeet Singh Ishar, Mohali Administration itself generates corruption
The Chandigarh administration has auctioned different vehicle registration numbers on November 9 and the highest bid touched as high as Rs 5.3 lakh for a particular number. There is no provision in the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, to auction any particular number which has been a recent practice over and above the violation of the Act. Not only this violates the Motor Vehicle Act, the action of the administration also violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which provides equality before law. By auctioning these fancy numbers, those who are unable to afford such a huge amount for a particular registration number are denied the opportunity to get the same number. As a matter of fact, it should continue to be a computer generated number. It is also not out of place to mention here that this issue is already under the consideration of the Punjab and Haryana High Court where the judgment is reserved for its final orders. Till the decision is taken, the Chandigarh administration should not take any action for the already auctioned numbers as it creates corruption in the corridor of power. Pooja Khosla, Chandigarh
Appreciate the value
of water
The Municipal Corporation (MC) has decided to install more than 10,000 water metres in the colonies which will increase revenue. At least 75 million litres (MLD) of water is being wasted due to leakage. The MC had submitted a report to the administration but they simply preach to ‘save water’. It is on record that 25 per cent of the total precious drinking water is wasted which is literally going down the drain because of various kinds of leakages. It has been brought to the notice of the corporation the tanks installed in the markets leak till the water runs. It is used for bathing, washing and commercial purposes. A bucket is filled for use by wasting nine buckets of water. The City Mayor says the water tanks will be installed with proper metres in the markets but nothing has happened in this regard. It has been brought to the notice of the UT Administration that the water tankers are filled with water almost free of cost and they charge money from the needy. The administration should know the value of water. Sahil Garg, Chandigarh
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I-T Dept conducts survey on 4 business premises
Chandigarh, November 11 The survey was conducted on the directions of the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, North West Region, Promila Bhardwaj. The operation was headed by the Commissioner of Income Tax-II, SD Jha. The official spokesperson said various accounting documents of the firms were being investigated by the team. The survey was on at all the four firms till the filing of this report.
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Chandigarh, November 11
The market has 167 shops and in the absence of a garbage dumping site, shopkeepers dispose of litter in the open. 
Earmark a site for the loading and unloading of goods.
Chandigarh, November 11