While pronouncing the order, the court stated, “Drug use weakens the morale, physique and character of the youth and ultimately the nation. The courts must endeavour for a drug-free society and drug trafficking must be dealt with a heavy hand of course within the parameters laid down under the Act.”

The court of Mohali Additional District and Sessions Judge on Wednesday sentenced a Nigerian to 10-year jail in drug peddling case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3.8 lakh on the accused. Alex and his aide, Money Alexander, were booked under the NDPS Act after 200 grams of cocaine was recovered from the accused four years ago.

Chandigarh, January 22
These days the UT Election Department and political parties are searching for “missing” 10,000 voters of Colony No. 5, which was recently demolished by the Administration.

Officials of UT Election Department are searching for these voters so that they can re-issue voter cards to them, but the political parties are searching for them, as the Colony No. 5 was one of the huge vote banks of the city politicians. The 10,000 voters were crucial to political parties especially when the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner. In November last, the Administration had demolished the entire colony. Eligible slum-dwellers were shifted to the slum rehabilitation colony at Dhanas. Those who were not eligible had shifted to nearby villages and colonies. UT Home Secretary Anil Kumar said out of 17,000 voters of Colony No. 5, around 7,000 persons had made fresh voter cards at the camp in Dhanas. But still 10,000 persons had not made their voter cards. They would now advertise in newspapers so that these people could make fresh voter cards, he said. Requesting anonymity, an UT official said they had no record of these voters and did not not know their whereabouts. The officials also sought help of political parties to trace the “missing” voters. A BJP leader said they had fought for the rights of slum-dwellers and their votes were crucial to them.

On National Voters’ Day on January 25, the Administration will issue new voter cards to residents. The coloured PVC elector photo identity cards will look like smart cards. The UT officials clarified that the process for the registration of fresh voter card was on and anybody could apply for it. During the Republic Day Parade in Sector 17, the Election Department is also displaying tableau with a theme of “Ethical Voting”.

Panchkula, January 22
Panchkula residents had to face inconvenience after power supply was hit in a majority of sectors following the ongoing strike by the Class III and Class IV employees of the Electricity Department today. Officials of the department said that some employees disrupted the power system in the sectors to make their strike successful.

Mohali, January 22
The Kharar police have arrested a 21-year-old youth for allegedly raping a six-year-old girl at Aman City.

The accused, identified as Jatinder Chaudhary, is related to the victim.

The police have booked the accused under Section 376 of the IPC and the Protection of Child Against Sexual Harassment Act, 2012.

The victim’s father is a migrant labourer.

The police said the victim went out after having dinner. The child’s parents started looking for her when she did not return. They caught the accused red-handed, said a police official.

The victim has been admitted to the Civil Hospital where her treatment is being done. Her condition is stated to be critical.

Chandigarh, January 22
As the Municipal Corporation (MC) has miserably failed to implement the revised house tax rates, the UT Administration has sought reply from the former over the issue.

The MC was allegedly sitting over a draft report, prepared by a special committee of its officials, to increase the existing rates of the house tax by 20 times for the next financial year (2014-15). At present, the tax on residential property is Re 1 per sq yard annually.

The Administration in its letter written to the MC in July last year had given three-month time to revise the house tax rates. Nearly seven months have passed, but the civic body has failed to act in this regard.

The letter reads, “The tax is not in conformity with the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 (amended in 1994 and extended to the Union Territory of Chandigarh), and is highly inadequate. The notified tax structure needs to be reconsidered by the MC and requires proper revision by the authority within three months to make it financially reasonable and economically viable.”

UT Home Secretary Anil Kumar said they had now sought MC’s reply on revised house tax rates.

On the other side, MC Commissioner VP Singh said they would seek more time from the Administration.

The MC committee had recently proposed that the house tax rates be hiked by 20 times. The report was also sent to present and former Mayors but they were not in favour of tabling it in the House before the Lok Sabha elections.

Chandigarh, January 22
Delay in the relaying of concrete flooring at Shanti Nagar in Mani Majra has led to waterlogged streets due to heavy rain in the past few days.

Residents of street number 9 at the Shanti Nagar have also approached the Municipal Corporation (MC) regarding the issue. However, nothing has been done so far.

Varinder Kumar, a resident, said the streets were dug in November for relaying of concrete flooring last year, but work was not executed.

The residents of Street Number 9 and 11 then gave a representation to the MC on December 16, but to no avail, he said. “We have again submitted a representation to the MC Commissioner on January 21 in this regard,” Kumar said.

“It gets tough for residents to walk or cross the waterlogged streets,” said another resident.

Gurcharan Dass Kala, MC councillor from Mani Majra, said the delay in release of payments by the MC to the contractor, who has been allotted the work, has led to the situation. “I have taken up the issue with the MC authorities,” the councillor added.

Mohali, January 22
Even as garbage continues to pile-up in the town, representatives of the private safai sewaks today met Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister regarding their demands. The deadlock, however, continued with the protesters insisting on meeting the Chief Minister.

Heaps of garbage could be seen at number of points in the town as residents had been dumping garbage wherever they wish. Private safai sewaks, who collect garbage from door-to door, are still continuing their strike. They had been even obstructing workers of the Municipal Corporation from removing garbage.

Kuljit Singh Bedi, former municipal councilor, said Mohali had become a dumping ground as garbage could be seen lying along at various places. Rain had made matters worse. He threatened to go to court for solution if the matter was not sorted out by Friday.

Commissioner of the corporation Uma Shankar Gupta said a meeting of representatives of the protestors was organised with the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister today but they wanted to meet the Chief Minister. He said protestors were told to give a representation of demands. The demands will be examined by senior officials of the Department of Local Government. If the demands were found to be justified then a meeting with the Chief Minister could be arranged. But the protesters were adamant meet the CM, added Gupta.

He further said efforts would be made to get the garbage cleared from the dumping points if the weather improves tomorrow. No work could be done today because of bad weather.

Chandigarh, January 22
Intermittent rain since the wee hours of the morning and severe cold wave have disrupted the normal life in the city.

Girls brave the winter rain outside the GCG-11 in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

The city witnessed 18.4 mm rain till late evening.

The maximum temperature recorded today was 15.5°C, which was five notches below the normal, and the minimum temperature was 10°C that was four notches below the normal.

The Met Department has predicted that there would be no relief from rain in the next 12 hours in the city.

There has been moderate to heavy rainfall in most parts of the city and parts of Punjab and Haryana due to the western disturbances.

Similar conditions would prevail in the region for the next 24 hours, Met officials said.

Chandigarh, January 22
UT Police Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Vijay Kumar, who was also the Sub Divisional Police Officer (South), died following a heart attack early this morning. He was 56.

The sudden demise of the officer came as a huge shock to the police fraternity, who remembered him as a capable officer of the force.

The DSP was playing golf at the Golf Club this morning when he complained of chest pain and reported the problem to his fellow players.

He said he was feeling uncomfortable and had difficulty in breathing.

He was rushed to a private doctor in Sector 11 here where he was heavily sweating. After his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to the PGI and admitted to the cardiac centre at 8.15am where doctors tried hard to revive him. The doctors declared him dead at 9.30am.

The deceased was a heart patient and had undergone a bypass surgery 10 years ago. He is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.

The last rites will be held at the cremation ground in Sector 25 tomorrow.

Chandigarh, January 22
The city residents have started depositing the property tax with penalty due to the delay by the UT Administration in giving final approval to the Municipal Corporation’s decision over the issue.

Even though the MC during the last house meeting had decided to give a month’s extension to the residents for depositing the property tax without any penalty, over 3,200 residents have deposited the tax with the late charges.

The residents were supposed to deposit the property tax between October 15 and December 15, 2013, at the rate of Re 1 per square yard. However, a majority of them failed to pay the tax before the deadline.

The Municipal Corporation during its house meeting held on December 19 had decided that the residents who failed to deposit the property tax within the stipulated time would be given a month’s extension, the decision was further sent to the Administration for final the approval, which is still awaited.

Only 12,836 residents had paid tax before the stipulated time through which Rs 76 lakh was collected.

Around 3,288 residents have paid the tax after the deadline along with the penalty and Rs 16.50 lakh has been collected from the same.

A senior MC official said the residents were in a fix whether an extension would be granted by the UT or not, following which they were paying the property tax with the late charges. “The date would be extended for a month from the date of notification by the UT,” an official stated.

Chandigarh, January 22
The new city Mayor would chair the first General House Meeting at the Municipal Corporation’s (MC) office tomorrow.

The agendas that would be taken up during HC Kalyan’s first meeting as a Mayor include recarpeting of V3 road from Sector 33 and 44 along with the cycle track. The MC has planned to spend over Rs 66 lakh on the recarpeting.

The MC has planned to spend over Rs 1.40 crore on laying of Semi-Dense Bituminous Concrete (SDBS) on V6 roads in Sector 31, 47 and market parking in Sector 31.

The issue to prepare jogging track on left out portion at the Leisure Valley at a cost of Rs 46 lakh will also be discussed during the meeting.

Chandigarh, January 22
Residents of the city can file their objections to the UT Electricity Department’s petition, seeking 21 per cent power tariff hike, till February 17.

The objections can be filed through post or email to the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). The commission will consider these objections and, thereafter, will take its decision on the power tariff hike proposal.

At present, consumers are charged Rs 2.30 per unit for 0-150 units. In the petition, the Administration proposed charges of Rs 2.78 per unit for this category of consumers. In the 150-400 units category, the Administration proposed charges of Rs 4.60 per unit against the existing Rs 4.20 per unit. For above 400 units, the proposed charges are Rs 4.95 per unit against the existing Rs 4.40 per unit.

In the commercial category, the Administration has proposed Rs 4.70 against the present tariff of Rs 4.30 per unit in the 0-150 unit category, Rs 5.30 against the present rate of Rs 4.50 per unit in the 150-400 unit category and Rs 5.70 against the existing rate of Rs 4.70 for above 400 units. — TNS

Chandigarh, January 22
Sushma Buildtech Limited has been penalised for failing to provide the possession of flat on the promised time. The Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the builder to pay Rs 1 lakh compensation to the complainant.

The commission has also directed the opposite party to refund Rs 39,17,160 to the complainants, along with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum from the respective dates of deposits.

The complainants, Colonel (retd) Jasinder Pal Singh and Lt-Col (retd) Gurpratap Singh Mahal, both residents of Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, booked an apartment in Sushma Urban Views, located at Gazipur, NAC, Zirakpur, and paid Rs 3.52 lakh to the opposite party.

The complainants received letter dated 26.2.2013 from the opposite party whereby they were asked to take the actual possession of the booked apartment within 15 days after clearing all dues.

The complainants paid the last instalment. In the absence of no dues certificate, the staff at the apartment/flat refused to handover the same to the complainants.

The complainants found defects during the inspection of the apartment and requested the opposite party to rectify them.

“By offering the possession of an apartment full of defects/shortcomings and that, too, in the absence of completion and occupation certificates from the competent authorities and, thereafter, by not refunding the amount, the opposite party was deficient in rendering the service,” the commission ruled.

Chandigarh, January 22
MP Pawan Kumar Bansal will flag off the Chandigarh-Yesvantpur Express from the Chandigarh Railway Station tomorrow.

The train will be flagged off at 10:35 am tomorrow and will reach Yesvantpur at 5:30 pm on January 25.

On its outward journey, train number 22686 will depart on every Saturday and Tuesday from Chandigarh at 3:15 am and will reach Yesvantpur on Monday and Thursday at 6:20 am having stoppages at Ambala Cantonment, Panipat, New Delhi, H. Nizamuddin, Jhansi, Bhopal, Pune, Miraj, Belgaum, Dharwar, Hubli, Davanagere and Tumkur stations.

On its return journey, train number 22685 will depart on every Wednesday and Saturday from Yesvantpur at 1:50 pm and will reach Chandigarh on Friday and Monday at 5:20 pm having stoppages at Tumkur, Davanagere, Hubli, Dharwar, Belgaum, Miraj, Pune, Bhopal, Jhansi, H. Nizamuddin, New Delhi, Panipat and Ambala Cantonment stations.

Chandigarh, January 22
“A national policy and action plan for ending gender-based violence is the need of the hour to control violence against women, which amounts to violation of their human rights,” said Prof Pam Rajput, chairperson, High-Level Committee on Status of Women, during a regional seminar on “Women and violence: lessons learnt and future strategies” at Panjab University (PU) today.

The three-day seminar has been organised by the Department-cum-Centre for Women Studies and Development, PU.

During the seminar, papers will be presented by the State Resource Centre for Women, representatives of various NGOs as well as by the faculty of universities and colleges across the region. The themes of the papers will range from mental health to domestic violence and strategies for addressing violence against women.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof Rajput, who is also founder director of the Centre for Women’s Studies, said, “We have become insensitive towards violence, which has become culturally accepted.”

She stressed upon the need to have a sensitised enforcement machinery, fast-track courts as well as to strengthen the national institutional mechanism. “The National Commission for Women can play a critical role in this issue,” said Prof Rajput.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof BS Ghuman, said, “A woman in our socio-cultural system surrenders all her rights while the man considers himself as the master. We need to change their status from a subordinate and give them equal partnership.”

Dean University Instructions (DUI)-cum-Registrar Prof AK Bhandari said one out of three women across the world had suffered physical violence or had been forced into sex.

Panchkula, January 22
The Panchkula police today gave clean chit to the Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI), in-charge of the Morni police post. He was allegedly accused of eve-teasing college girls.

The girls had complained to ACP at Mini-Secretariat alleging that ASI Rajender Singh teases them. However, the investigating officer ACP Vijender Singh refuted the claims of the victims.

He said the department conducted investigations and victims were unable to give any statement during the investigations. — TNS

Chandigarh, January 22
The condition of the 18-month-old child, who was admitted to the GMSH-16 after she fell ill after vaccination against polio, is stable, say doctors.

The probe of UT Health Department, however, continues to rule out any adverse reaction.

Ritika was admitted to the hospital about 6 hours after being administered polio vaccine on Sunday.

While officials in the UT Health Department had ruled out any link between the vaccine and the child’s illness, her parents alleged that she showed extreme weakness and dizziness within 30 minutes after being administered the polio vaccine (at around 10am) on Sunday.

Later, the District and Family Welfare Office marked enquiry to address the concern of the parents. Her father, a resident of Sector 25, Vijay Kumar, who took her for vaccination at the booth in same sector on Sunday, said her chest X-ray report and urine test reports were normal.

As many as 59,000 children were immunised with the polio vaccine across the city. So far, this is the only case in the city showing an alleged adverse reaction of the vaccination. — TNS

Mohali, January 22
Students of the Quest Group of Institutions had developed an electric bicycle which can be charged by pedalling as well as solar energy.

The bicycle, which is cheap and environment friendly, was developed by Naresh Kumar, Kulwinder Singh and Nikhil Thakur.

Naresh Kumar, a student of Mechanical Engineering, said it could be used for exercise as well as a motor bike. He said it could be used as a normal bicycle but while pedalling the dynamometer rotates and charges its battery. If one does not want to pedal then it can be run on the electric motor and turn it into an electric two-wheeler. Besides, it also works on solar energy as a solar panel is also fitted on it. It is also equipped it with a speedometer, headlight, horn, a mobile charger and an FM radio receiver.

Sandeep Sandhu, HOD, Mechnical Engineering, said at present the electric bikes available in the market have several shortcomings. They had to be charged with electricity.

A blood donation camp in progress at Panjab University on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: S. Chandan

To encourage the blood donors, each donor was awarded a certificate. The camp was jointly supported by the State Bank of India, Coca Cola and Manv Kalyan Prisar (Regd.), Chandigarh.

PCCTU to observe 2-hour bandh in colleges

To chalk out an action plan on the issue of Khalsa College, Amritsar, an emergency meeting of the office-bearers of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) was held in Ludhiana. The union has decided to observe a two-hour bandh in all colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh on January 24. To protest the victimisation of teachers, the teachers of affiliated colleges have decided to wear black badges on January 25.

Prof Iqbal Preet Kaur, convener, PCCTU, said, “The agitation is a result of a compromise with the management of Khalsa College, Amritsar. Now, the college principal has refused to honour the agreement and is harassing teachers with a fabricated criminal case.”

Workshop on psychological disorders

A two-day workshop on psychological intervention and therapeutic strategies was conducted by the psychology club ‘Aesthesia’ of GGDSD College, Sector 32. On the first day of the workshop, movies on psychological disorders such as schizophrenia, bi-polar, paranoia and depression were screened. A detailed discussion on these therapies and their results was held after each act. This was followed by a session on therapies used in the treatment of such disorders.

Education seminar on January 23

British Council will organise the Great UK education seminar in the city on January 23. This was stated by David Lelliott, British Deputy High Commissioner, North-west India today.

“A degree from the UK is valued by employers across the globe and is realised as a stepping stone for a successful career. Efforts are being made by the council to attract India’s best students to come and study in the UK,” he said.

For aspiring Indian students, we have organised a seminar in the city to provide information on undergraduate, postgraduate or research degree in the UK. “The seminar will be a one-stop-shop for students who need information on study options in the UK”, said Gill Caldicott, Director Operations, British Council, India. — TNS