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MC gets tough on violators
Mohali, December 12 The civic body will levy a fine of Rs 500 per day on a person for encroaching upon the government land. Offenders belonging to well-off families will have to pay Rs 10,000 per week as penalty. The MC will treat encroachers living in marla houses and those having booths as minor offenders, while those owning showrooms and kanal or bigger houses will have to pay hefty amounts as fines for encroaching upon the government land. Complying with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the MC has formed five committees to remove temporary encroachments. Former MC councillors, representatives of NGOs, station house officers and MC officials have been appointed members of the committees. MC Commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta today directed the members of the committees to become proactive in removing temporary encroachments. Gupta said following a new concept of public participation, as suggested by the High Court, NGOs had been roped in to achieve better results. Temporary encroachments would be removed by the civic body while GMADA would act against persons indulging in permanent encroachments. The committee members have been asked to persuade the violators to remove encroachments. In case the offender fails to respond to the appeals, the matter could be brought to the notice of the higher authorities of the civic body or the SHOs concerned, who would then help remove encroachments within 24 hours.
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justice
for pinki Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 12 The section has been added after a report submitted by a panel of doctors confirmed that the victim was raped before being strangled to death. Pinki, a Class VI student and a resident of Palsora, had gone missing on November 27. Her body was found in a jute sack in the forest area in Sector 52. The post-mortem report revealed that she was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. However, the police had sought a clarification on the post-mortem report. A team of doctors prepared a detailed report which confirmed that the victim was raped. The team of doctors said the victim’s hymen was ruptured and semen was found in her body. Earlier, the police had registered a case under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC. The newly appointed SSP, Sukchain Singh Gill, today asked the officials concerned to solve the Pinki murder case at the earliest.
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Night shuttle bus service for girls at PU
Chandigarh, December 12 As per the schedule, the buses will commute on an hourly basis beginning from 10 pm till 2 am. There are eight girls’ hostels on the campus which will be covered under this shuttle service. Dean, Student Welfare, Navdeep Goyal said recently a demand for the night-shuttle service was raised by the girls as there was no reading room in the hostels. He said conceding to their request, the university was starting the shuttle service initially with one bus. The authorities are working out the modalities to keep a tab on the service so the students do not misuse the facility, he said. He confirmed that the girls were demanding permission from the authorities to study at the library late at the night. President of the INSO Somvir Singh also submitted a memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover demanding that the girls should be issued a slip from their wardens to study at the library at night. Besides, the university is also planning to start the day-shuttle bus service between the campus and the medical science departments, which have been shifted to Sector 25. The departments of bio-chemistry, bio-physics, micro-biology, bio-technology and centre for emerging science have been shifted to Sector 25 and the authorities are planning to start the shuttle service for students and the staff between both campuses at regular intervals.
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Tableau of Rock Garden on Rajpath
This was confirmed by the Ministry of Defence today. It would be for the first time that the tableau of Rock Garden will be displayed during the Republic Day parade. The UT has got the opportunity to be a part of the Republic Day Parade after a gap of 13 years. A team of UT officials led by the Director, Public Relations, MM Sabharwal, was today handed over the letter by the ministry officials. The old part of the Rock Garden has been selected for the tableau. “The tableau will be prepared with recycled waste, including sanitary wares, bangles and fused bulbs.
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Residents to have their say
Chandigarh, December 12 During a public hearing session organised by the JERC on the MYT and the DSM, the residents stated that they were not given sufficient time to submit their objections. SK Chaturvedi, member of the JERC, stated that under the system, the UT electricity department would file a business plan for a control period from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2017. "The department will have to file the plan by August 30, 2014. On the business plan, the commission will pronounce its verdict within 30 days of the submission of the plan. After the commission approves the business plan, the electricity department will have to file the annual revenue requirement (ARR) for three years based on which the tariff will be decided by the commission," he added. Another official of the commission said the electricity department would submit a three-year trajectory of the expected revenue, expenditure and losses on the basis of which the JERC would determine the power tariff tentatively for the next three years at one go. How will the model work? The multi-year tariff framework will divide all costs into two broad categories, controllable and non-controllable. Controllable is the cost which is endogenous to discoms whereas non-controllable is external to the utilities over which they have no control.
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Chandigarh, December 12 Political parties have started campaigning in villages. Shakti Prakash Devshali, district president, BJP, said they were telling the villagers that the candidates fielded by the Congress were misleading the villagers by saying that they would extend the lal dora of villages. Ram Singh, a resident of Kishangarh village, said this time they would vote for those candidates who would work the development of the villages and the city. — TNS
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Politics at its best, or worst
Chandigarh, December 12 Before May 2013 railgate, the old warhorse of the Congress Pawan Kumar Bansal was a trusted bet of the party for the Chandigarh seat. Much to the advantage of the local unit of the BJP, the railgate gave the opposition a gateway to the general elections. As expected, the Congress high command is likely to adopt strict criteria for distributing tickets. Many Congress leaders are now trying to get the ticket from the city, levelling railgate allegations against Bansal. When Bansal was the railway minister and his political image was clean, the leaders supported him, but after his name cropped up in the scam, things changed. Though officially the party leaders maintained that there was no other contender, the outcome of the Delhi elections could see Kapil Sibal (who represents the Chandni Chowk Parliamentary seat) coming to the city to try his luck. Manish Tewari is a sitting MP from Ludhiana, but will prefer to contest from Chandigarh as he has a long association with the city, having studied in the university and it is here that he learnt the basics as a student leader. Manish Tewari's mother, Dr Amrit Tewari, is a nominated councillor in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Ambika Soni, a member of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, can also be asked to contest from Chandigarh to defend the seat in case Bansal is not given the ticket. A former Union minister, Venod Sharma, who has been active in the city politics before shifting base to Haryana, is also eyeing the Chandigarh seat. He was a strong contender for the seat before his son, Manu Sharma, was involved in Jessica murder case. A senior Congress leader said Bansal was the only Congress candidate from Chandigarh, but after the railgate, not only Bansal, the other senior Congress leaders Punjab, Haryana and Delhi were also eyeing ticket. "The local Congress leaders are also vying for the ticket from Chandigarh," he added. BJP: 3 contenders
for one seat
The internal dissensions and bickering in the local unit of BJP continued throughout the year. The outcome of the Delhi elections has only fuelled aspirations of the main contenders for the Chandigarh seat. The party chief, Rajnath Singh, during a visit to the city, had warned that dissidence would not be tolerated in the party. Vying for party’s ticket from the Chandigarh Parliamentary seat, the three big-shots of city BJP, including city BJP president Sanjay Tandon, former union minister Harmohan Dhawan and former city MP and chairman of the BJP National Legal Working Group Satya Pal Jain are working 'separately. Even when these three leaders targeted former Pawan Kumar Bansal, they were holding separate press conferences and protests. The leaders have gone to the extent of setting up media cells. While functions, meetings and the other events attended by party chief Tandon are looked after by the media cell of Chandigarh BJP, Jain and Dhawan have different media cells. Even during PM Dr Manmohan Singh's visit, Harmohan Dhawan had protested against the PM, but the other leaders and their supporters kept off. Similarly, during the demolition of Colony No. 5 drive, it was only Harmohan Dhawan who had protested.
BSP Trying to cash in on
dissidence
Aam Aadmi Party
Scam
scar
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24-hr water supply for 3 colonies
Chandigarh, December 12 The water tank will also prevent contamination and wastage of water. The water to the colonies is supplied through tube-wells. Mayor Subhash Chawla stated the project would be inaugurated on December 16. The Mayor stated that Mauli Jagran, Janta and Kumhar Colony in Sector 25 and Indira Colony in Mani Majra would get the water. —TNS
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Illegal structures stand tall
Mohali, December 12 During a random survey of the area, certain commercial activities, including running of poultry farms, were also seen going on with impunity. A resident of the village, on the condition of anonymity, claimed that the construction was being carried out on the agriculture land, outside the lal dora of the village. “I have apprised the authorities concerned of the illegal activities going on, but to no avail,” said a resident of the area. An individual is supposed to get permission from Greater Mohali Area Development Area (GMADA)to use the land in question, for any purpose other than agriculture, and has to pay a hefty fee for change of land use (CLU) to the Greater Mohali Area Development Area. “No permission has been granted to any individual for carrying out any kind of construction in the area,” said a senior official of Greater Mohali Area Development Area.
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property tax
Mohali, December 12 “About 14,000 persons have so far deposited the tax,” said Gupta. Gupta said an approximate of Rs 20 crore would be collected as the property tax from Mohali, out of which Rs 3.50 crore is expected to be collected from the residential sectors. — OC
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repair work
Chandigarh, December 12 The issue pertaining to the poor quality material was highlighted in these columns. Repair work is under way at Sector 19 and Khuda Lahora village. UT Adviser-cum-Chief Vigilance Officer KK Sharma said he said he would get the matter probed. The letter submitted by Bassi reads: "I have received complaints from area residents that substandard material is being used in the recarpeting of roads. Earlier also, residents of Sectors 18, 19 and 21 have complained about the use of poor-quality material." SAD councillor Malkiat Singh said the condition of roads in his ward was also pitiable. — TNS
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Rahul holds Congress meet, asks Shinde to address city's concerns
New Delhi, December 12 The instruction was issued at the end of a quarterly review meeting of the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC) which Rahul chaired. Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee was represented at the meeting by UT Congress president BB Behl who flagged the following major concerns to Rahul – the long pending issue of relaxation in building byelaws given the increasing population pressure on the planned urban centre; the demand to convert lease hold plots in the city to free hold to benefit the owners, the problems of infrastructure in the recently allotted dwellings to the slum population of the city. Considering Chandigarh is a UT governed directly through the Union Ministry of Home, Rahul told Shinde to meet the city Congress delegation to address their concerns at the earliest. Behl when contacted said the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee delegation would seek an appointment with the Home Minister and come back with a proper representation. The meeting was attended by top Congress leaders – Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, Congress general secretary in charge of organization Janardan Dwivedi, and general secretary in charge of Chandigarh Shakeel Ahmed.
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THEATRE FESTIVAL Tribune News Service
Panchkula, December 12 The play has been written by Swadesh Deepak and directed by Sudesh Sharma. One of the most popular plays in the Indian theatre, the play has been staged for more than 5,000 times by acclaimed Indian theatre directors such as Usha Ganguly (Kolkata) and Sharad Sharma (Madhya Pradesh), to name a few, after Mohan Rakesh’s acclaimed play, Aadhe Adhure. The play focused on the fact that even after 5,000 years, caste system still prevails in India. The religion of humanity has been completely wiped out as a result of so many religions coming up in the recent past. This has led to the exploitation of ‘low caste’ people, just like Sawar Ram Chandra, the protagonist of the play, faced. The play depicted the trial of Ram Chandra, who after being insulted by an upper caste officer, murdered him and go on a spree of injuring others. Everyone, however, starts sympathising with the accused after his trial begins. The war veteran Col Surat Singh, who presides over the proceedings, also realises that the issue at stake is much larger than what meets the eye. The play presented a combination of both legal and poetic justice. A play titled ‘Baldey Tibbey’, set in rustic Punjab, will be staged at 6 pm tomorrow.
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Tractor-trailer falls into drain at Jagatpura
Mohali, December 12 Apart from the driver, three more labourers were seated in the vehicle at the time of the incident. The four jumped off the vehicle, before it fell down into the water. No injuries were reported in the incident. Notably, due to dilapidated condition, the main bridge over the nullah was closed for public use about two months back. But vehicle owners continue to make use of the bridge. — TNS
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Chandigarh, December 12 It is learnt that he has been offered the post of Director, Health Services, Malaria unit. While an official confirmation on his date of relieving from UT is yet to be announced, sources said he would not be relieved till a new MS joins the GMSH-16. Dr Vadehra, who was on deputation from Haryana, discharged the duties of the UT DHS for about a year after Dr Chander Mohan retired from on August 31, 2012. The post was recently assigned to Dr SK Bhalla. Sources said Dr Vadehra could have been promoted as the UT DHS on regular basis. However, about seven months ago, the Punjab Chief Minister wrote to the UT Administration stating that a doctor from Punjab should fill the post of UT DHS. Following this, the post was allotted to Dr Bhalla, who assumed the charge in the first week of October this year. Dr Vadehra has completed over 20 years in UT and served as the MS, GMSH-16, for three years. — TNS
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A day after the Supreme Court restored the Constitutional validity of Section 377 of the IPC, under which homosexual act is a criminal offence punishable with life term, Chandigarh Tribune spoke to a cross-section of people on the issue. Respondents gave a mixed response when asked whether the Parliament should push for an amendment in Section 377 of the IPC and legitimise gay sex or gay marriages. However, there were many youths who refrained from talking about the issue.
Anupam gupta, advocate
ajay jagga, advocate I believe it is rather criminal to subdue the rights of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. They are being not allowed to even express their love freely. The laws must be amended to safeguard the rightful existence of the LGBT community Bikram Kohli, social activist
I feel that the Parliament should take an initiative and make necessary amendments in Section 377 to legalise gay sex. The government needs to understand that it is the right, which they should be entitled to Dikshit Singh chauhan, tour planner If two individuals are not indulging in any obscene act in public, why should people bother about their relationship? We have equal rights to live comfortably in the society. The Supreme Court's ruling will bring down the confidence of the LGBTs Dhananjay chauhan, representative of LGBT community
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Parking blues at Mini-Secretariat Administrative, judicial and tehsil offices are located in the Mini-Secretariat Complex, Panchkula. These offices are visited by a large number of people. However, there is no proper parking space. The paid parking is located in a bowl-like deep and undulating depression, which is neither proper nor adequate. During the rainy season it gets flooded.The residents have at times no choice but to park their vehicles on the road. The administration should look into this problem and arrange a well-designed, planned and spacious parking. Er DP Piplani, Panchkula Transparent excise policy needed in UT Chandigarh needs a comprehensive revenue-oriented policy based on a competitive excise system to compete with Punjab and Haryana as the excise policy of these states impacts liquor trade in Chandigarh. The UT’s current excise policy misses all that to the detriment of liquor business and excise revenue. There are no buyers for a large number of liquor vends in the city despite the efforts of the Excise and Taxation Department. Notably, this has happened for the first time in the history of Chandigarh. Why? Probably because there has been no debate on how to sell liquor and to compete with the neighbouring states before finalising the excise policy. We expect the Chandigarh Administration to consider all this and dove-tail an excise policy for the next year to attract customers and investors. Ajit Singh, Windsor, Canada Readers can send their feedback at letters.ct@gmail.com
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Teachers, data-entry
operators protest
Chandigarh, December 12 The delay in disbursal of salary was their main issue besides increase in salaries and better job security. A computer teacher said none of the computer teachers received their monthly salary since October this year. "Since our contracts are renewed every month, there is no job security either," she said. Another teacher lamented that even a peon at a government school was earning more than them. "We have asked the education department authorities many a times to sort out our issues but there is no headway," the teacher added. Computer teachers said it was unfortunate that even after introducing computer education in government schools, the department had not recruited permanent computer teachers so far. "Ideally, we should have been recruited by the education department, but we are working under the Society for Promotion of IT in Chandigarh (SPIC), which is a gross injustice to us," said a computer teacher. Meanwhile, the DEO, Ram Kumar Sharma, gave them a patient hearing and assured all possible help to sort out their issues. However, teachers were not satisfied with the assurance and have decided to gather in front of the office of the SPIC inside the PEC University of Technology, Sector 12, tomorrow morning. AAP lends support After holding a demonstration outside the office of the DEO, computers teachers protested against the department at Masjid Ground, Sector 20. In the meantime, members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Chandigarh, also reached there and lent support to the teachers' cause. An executive member of the party, Gurjusjit, said in 2010, all the government school teachers of the cadre other than computer teachers got a 100-per cent rise in their salary while computer teacher received just 60 per cent. The percentage increase should have been similar for all the cadres of teachers, he added. He said, "It is ironic that the SPIC has not paid salaries of computer teachers since October." As a mark of protest, teachers put up a stall for selling eatables in the Masjid ground.
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Chandigarh, December 12 The committee, which was headed by Satpal Jain, reported that as there was no court order which directed the university to hold the results of the students, the authorities should declare it. During a meeting, members of the panel did not approve that declaring the result was against the judgment of the court. There is no confusion with regard to the declaration of the results of the present students of the college. Even as Satpal Jain assured the students that their results would be declared, none of them left the administrative block till the authorities concerned declared their result. Meanwhile, a representative of the Student Federation of India said they were planning to move court as neither the college not the university authorities were taking up the issue of justice for students. The representative said the declaration of the provisional result would not serve the purpose as the students' career was at stake due to the issue of disaffiliation of the college. — TNS
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Chrysanthemum exhibition at PU
Chandigarh, December 12 Vice-Chancellor Prof AK Grover inaugurated the chrysanthemum exhibition being organised in Prof RC Paul Rose Garden on the university campus. The VC appreciated the efforts of the horticulture division, PU, by saying that such initiatives on the part of the university not only help people get closer to the nature but also create awareness about environment. Twenty new varieties of chrysanthemum were added this year, which are not available locally and have been brought from Pune. Nineteen different flower arrangements are also on display. Divisional Engineer, Horticulture, Anil Thakur said chrysanthemum had medicinal properties also. — TNS
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From
schools Chandigarh: The annual sports fest of Manav Mangal High School, Sector 21, was organised with full verve and enthusiasm. The racing events for pre-primary classes was the highlight of the event as tiny tots of nursery to Class II performed with full energy. Students of Classes III to VI were in their best of sporting spirits, be it lemon and spoon race for Class III, hurdle race for Class V and basket ball dribble race for Class VI. Volleyball tournament It was fun time at the BTS, Chandigarh, as students from Classes VII to XII enthusiastically participated in the inter-house volleyball tournament held on the school grounds. Team spirit, sportsmanship and zeal to win made the matches entertaining. Students cheered for their respective houses. Abhilasha House and Prerna House won the first and second position, respectively. Tiny tots welcome winter Tiny tots of Sri Aurobindo School, Sector 27, Chandigarh, ushered in the winter season with aplomb by organising a presentation titled ‘Welcome Winter’. They showcased information about winter fruits, vegetables, clothes and festivals and also recited poems and songs about the season. Annual functions Mohali: New Angel Public School, Zirakpur, celebrated its annual function with great zeal and enthusiasm. The event began with ‘Saraswati Vandana’ and ‘Mool Mantra’. Almost all the students took part in different forms of dances, skits and other music-related activities. Tiny tots of the school also presented an item on saving animals. The ‘bhangra’ performance enthralled the audience. School director Jaswant Singh Saini delivered a speech on the occasion. School principal Sharanjit Kaur honoured all the participants as well as teachers for their efforts in making the function a success. The function concluded with recitation of the National Anthem. Meanwhile, Doon International School, Sector 69, Mohali, also celebrated its annual function. On the first day, tiny tots of the kindergarten wing stole the show while the second day saw performances by students of the primary wing. Headmistress Goldie Kapany addressed the audience with a welcome speech. Parents of students also graced the occasion. Mock election To teach and make students learn the electoral process, Golden Bells Public School, Sector 77, organised a mock election on the school premises. The aim was to make the students understand the process of voting, supporting and electing the best leader. Students were also apprised of the new notification that allowed electorate to register NOTA (none of the above) as their choice of candidate. Heritage show Students of St Soldier School, Dhakoli, participated in the two-day 8th heritage show organised by the Haryana Government at Pinjore garden. The students played their part with great pomp and zeal. They manifested many hues of Indian culture and national integrity. On the occasion, the children performed 'gidda' and other dance forms. — TNS
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Chandigarh, December 12
I strongly endorse the SC judgment and completely disagree with the chorus of liberal protests being raised against it. Only heterosexual sex or relationships can be considered natural and not homosexual or gay sex. The Delhi High court went too far in importing the right of sexual orientation in Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution. Foreign experience is relevant but ultimately, it was the national legal system that has to decide on such sensitive socio-cultural issues. The Parliament can, of course, repeal Section 377 but it would be appalling if it allows same-sex marriages as
well
I strongly support the judgment of the apex court as it is absolutely in tune with the Constitution of India. Further, the issue has rightly been sent to the lawmakers' court to take a call whether or not to amend Section 377. But the parliamentarians, who are the representatives of people, must debate the issue and come out with a decision acceptable to the majority whether in favour of or against
LGBTs
In my opinion, Section 377 should not be amended since it will give undue importance to the community and have an impact on our cultural values. Already, programmes on HIV-AIDS awareness have given a pedestal to the LGBTs. If we talk of their rights then the rights of many other communities would have to be protected too, including those of
criminals
Dr Amarjeet Singh, PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, PGIMER