The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Old-age home inmates get rent shocker
Chandigarh, February 1
The inmates of the old-age home at Sector 43 and the working women’s hostel of Sector 24 were in for a shock today with the UT Administration doubling their monthly rental charges from this month.

The old-age home in Sector 43, Chandigarh. Photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Lalru murder cracked; car, Rs 18 lakh recovered
Dera Bassi, February 1
The police have cracked the murder of an employee of a meat plant at Lalru and recovered the car and Rs 18 lakh stolen from his house. The victim, Mohammad Nafish, was found dead at his residence on Thursday morning. The accused, Rashpal Singh, alias Bholu, a resident of Dyalpura village, Taranpur, is at large.

Spat at school costs student her right eye
Panchkula, February 1
A spat between two students cost an 11-year-old girl of Government School (Haripur), Sector 4, sight in the right eye. She was allegedly hit by another student with a sharp weapon. As a result of the injury, the girl has lost sight in the right eye, said doctors attending to her at the PGI, Chandigarh. The victim is a student of Class V.

COMMUNITY

Jyoti murder case
No perjury case against Buti Ram
Panchkula, February 1
Rejecting Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary’s demand for initiating perjury proceedings against Jyoti’s father Buti Ram for turning hostile, the court today allowed the latter to give evidence in the case again.

Cops face the heat at police-residents meeting
Chandigarh, February 1
The Chandigarh Police was in the line of fire during an interaction between the residents' welfare associations and senior police officials held at the Traffic Lines in Sector 29. In his address, Federation of Sector Welfare Associations, Chandigarh, (FOSWAC) chairman PC Sanghi said despite being well-equipped, the city police failed to curb petty crime incidents.

Police officials and residents during a meeting organised at the Traffic Lines in Sector 29, Chandigarh, on Saturday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

SSP marks inquiry into robbery cases
Chandigarh, February 1
The UT SSP has marked an inquiry into the incident wherein a gang of four auto-rickshaw thieves targeted four city residents and robbed them of cash after beating them up on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

Dead rat found in ‘pickle jar’
Mohali, February 1
The Mohali Police is contemplating to initiate action against the management of Phase V-based Haveli restaurant after the laboratory reports confirmed that the foreign object, found in a pickle jar of the restaurant, was indeed a dead rat. The Mohali Superintendent of Police (City), Swarndeep Singh, said the police were taking a legal opinion in the case.

Moot court competition held in Mohali
Mohali, February 1
The Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation, Chandigarh, and the Leiden University, the Netherlands, organised the Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court Competition at the Army Institute of Law here today.

Feedback
Training programmes for policemen a must
It was shocking to know that a UT traffic cop thrashed a senior citizen at Mani Majra on Friday. The elderly man fell unconscious and had to be rushed to the hospital. If the elderly had violated the rules and did not stop his vehicle, the traffic constable should have chased and challaned him. It is not in the law to argue with a violator or hit them whatsoever. After this incident, it seems that the Chandigarh traffic cops, who have been recruited recently, are yet to understand the meaning of the Chandigarh police slogan, "We care for you". In the recent past, many cases were reported in which traffic cops were involved in the crime. It's high time now, that the higher authorities organised some training programmes for policemen to help them become good samaritans.

Delhi heist: City police intel helps in robbers’ arrest
Chandigarh, February 1
The Chandigarh Police played an instrumental rold in the arrest of three accused involved in the Rs 8-crore heist that was reported in New Delhi on January 28. The trio was arrested from Phase VIII, Mohali, while returning from Dharamsala on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. The three accused have been identified as Tinku, Praveen and Guljar Ali alias Bhola.

Lecturer died of head injury
Chandigarh, February 1
The autopsy report of the 26-year-old college lecturer, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances near her residence in Sector 49 on Friday, revealed that she died of injuries due to falling on a hard surface. Ruchika, a guest faculty at SD College, Sector 32, was found dead on the ground floor of the building where she was residing along with her parents. The autopsy was conducted at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, on Saturday.

Fake IPS officer held
Chandigarh, February 1
The Chandigarh Police today arrested a resident of New Delhi who posed as an IPS officer. The accused, identified as Ravi Kant, was apprehended from near the Police Lines in Sector 26.

BJP secy calls office-bearers’ meet
Chandigarh, February 1
Taking a cue from the altercation among BJP workers during the last meeting, the party’s national secretary and in charge of the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, Aarti Mehra, has decided to hold a meeting with the party office-bearers, but in smaller groups, this time. The agenda of the meeting is to seek the office-bearer’s opinion on the Lok Sabha candidate from the Chandigarh seat.

Assault case
Assn alleges police inaction
Chandigarh, February 1
Members of the Industrial Area Tenants Association today held a protest outside the Sector 31 police station alleging police inaction in a assault case. Anil Kumar Garg, a businessman at the Industrial Area, Phase II, Ram Darbar, said he, along with his two friends, was standing on the premises of plot number 28/1 Industrial Area on January 31 when two cars appeared.

Vagaries of weather
Flights cancelled for 2nd day in a row
Chandigarh, February 1
Poor weather conditions for the second consecutive day led to cancellation of flights at the Chandigarh Airport. According to the airport manager, there will be no flights on Sunday as well if weather did not improve. "The operations at the Chandigarh airport were stalled due to foggy and cloudy conditions today. No flight took off or arrived at the airport," said the airport manager.

BJP launches poll campaign in Mohali
Mohali, February 1
As many as 20 members of the local BJP unit including district president Sukhwinder Goldy, Ramesh Verma and Devinder Sharma, media in charge, gathered at a tea vendor stall in front of the District Court Complex at Phase III-B1, here, and distributed free-of-cost tea to the passersby.

AAP takes out motor rally in Mohali
Mohali, February 1
The local unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised a Chetna motor rally here today. The rally was held with a motive to initiate campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. On the occasion, more than 300 four-wheelers and two-wheelers covered over 10 km of distance in the town.

Duo pledges bodies for medical research
Chandigarh, FEBRUARY 1 Setting a precedent for others and honouring their 59-year-old friendship, two men — Ripudaman Singh Roop, an advocate, and Nagar Singh Toor, a retired teacher — have pledged to donate their bodies to PGIMER, Chandigarh, for medical research.

Reduction in VAT on timber sought
Chandigarh, February 1
The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) has demanded an immediate reduction in the VAT (value added tax) on timber. In its executive body meeting held today, the CBM discussed the issue and urged the UT Administration to reduce the VAT on timber trade from12.5 per cent to 5 per cent as the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana have already reduced the tax. Besides, traders also demanded that 5 per cent VAT on blankets should be done away with on the pattern of Punjab and Haryana. In the meeting, it was decided that if the Administration did not consider their demands, the traders would stage a dharna. The date and venue of the protest will be decided by the Timber Market Association, Sector 26, soon. — TNS

Power tariff: Traders oppose proposed hike
Chandigarh, February 1
Traders have opposed the UT Electricity Department’s proposal to raise tariff by 21 per cent. The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM), in its objection submitted before the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), demanded that instead of power tariff hike, the department should initiate steps to reduce transmission and distribution losses. CBM president Charanjiv Singh said at present, transmission and distribution losses were around 15 per cent and it should be reduced to five per cent. The traders' body also demanded an energy audit in the Electricity Department. Besides, the department should recover pending dues, Charanjiv said. The CBM urged political parties to take up this issue as it affects every resident of the city. — TNS

Panjab University to felicitate Khushwant Singh on Feb 5
Chandigarh, February 1
Panjab University will organise a seminar titled “Khushwant Singh: The writer, historian and journalist” on February 5 to felicitate eminent writer Khushwant Singh on his centenary birth year. The seminar will be organised by the Department of English and Cultural Studies, PU. Rahul Singh, writer, journalist and Khushwant Singh’s son, will represent his father at the seminar. The university had conferred the Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) to Khushwant Singh in 2011 for his outstanding contribution to literature and journalism. The seminar is in continuation of the spirit in which the Honoris Causa was bestowed upon Khushwant. — TNS

R-Day team at Rock Garden
Chandigarh, February 1

A 300-member contingent from 13 different states —who performed a cultural programme during the Republic Day celebrations at Rajpath, New Delhi, on January 26 — arrived here today. The guest of honour arrived as part of their post-Republic Day visit to the two cities approved by the President. The contingent comprising artistes from different states arrived at the Rock Garden. From here, they will return to their respective states.
Fun and frolic: Participants of the Delhi Republic Day parade enjoy themselves at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh on Saturday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Earlier, the contingent visited Agra. During the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, Rock Garden was showcased as Chandigarh's tableau. The visit has been organised to promote tourism of the City Beautiful. “Rock Garden was showcased as Chandigarh's tableau,” said Pramode Kukrani, a folk dancer from Chattisgarh. — TNS

Woman on a mission visits PGI
Chandigarh, February 1
Sukhveer Brar, who is on a mission of walking on foot to spread awareness about thalassaemia, visited the Advance Pediatric Centre, PGI, today. She was received and welcomed by faculty members of the PGI Administration, Department of Blood Transfusion, Blood Bank and Pediatrics Department, along with members of the Thalassaemic Children Welfare Association. The association is looking after the medical treatment of 415 thalassaemics belonging to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh. Sukhveer was also welcomed by the thalassaemics who came to the daycare centre for blood transfusion. She also distributed sweets among the children. — TNS

Sukhveer Brar (in pink sweatshirt) along with thalassaemic children at the PGI, Chandigarh, on Saturday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

Cooperative societies form apex body
Chandigarh, February 1
A meeting of office-bearers of all cooperative house building societies situated in Sectors 48, 49, 50 and 51, Chandigarh, was held at Trishakti Mandir, Sector 49, here today. An apex body named “Federation of Housing Society Residents, Chandigarh” was formed on the occasion. The body will take care of the common issues pertaining to all housing societies situated in Chandigarh. Kamal Gupta was unanimously elected as the chairman of the federation. He was authorised by the members present in the meeting to choose his team. While speaking on the occasion, Gupta declared his team to be non-political. He suggested the members present at the meeting to get united and work together in the interest of the residents of the societies. Gupta requested the residents of the societies to cast their votes in favour of the candidate who would support their cause.

Army Dental Corps observes Raising Day
Chandigarh, February 1
To commemorate the 73rd Raising Day of the Army Dental Corps, an oral health campaign was launched wherein events such as dental camps, lectures and demonstrations were organised at different places, including the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre, Mohali, and schools in Chandimandir. The Commandant, Command Military Dental Centre (CMDC), Chandimandir, Major General GK Thapliyal said dental health was vital for overall well-being of an individual but it was often neglected due to limited awareness. To fortify the government’s initiative against tobacco usage, an oral cancer awareness and screening programme has also been undertaken by the CMDC and other dental establishments in the Western Command zone. — TNS

EDUCATION

from schools
World Wetland Day
CHANDIGARH: On the eve of World Wetland Day, the students of St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School visited Sukhna Lake on Saturday. The students studied the flora of the area and the migratory birds. They were sensitised on the conservation of wetlands.

Students take part at the social science exhibition at Saupin’s School on Saturday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

PU notes
Seminar on nanotechnology
CHANDIGARH: A one-day seminar on recent advances in material science and nanotechnology was organised by the Department of Physics, GGDSD College, Sector 32, on the premises today. Experts from various premier institutes such as Panjab University, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and Punjab Engineering College delivered lectures on nano-composite devices and nano-drug delivery.

COURTS

Refund amount to members, Lok Adalat tells housing society
Mohali, February 1
The Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services), Mohali, headed by Jagroop Singh Mahal, directed the chairman of the National Consumer Awareness Group Society and its governing body to sell the land of the society and distribute the sale proceeds among its members proportionately.