Chandigarh, February 23
Utter chaos prevailed on city roads and the bus stands in Sectors 17 and 43 as thousands of candidates thronged the city to appear for an exam of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), held at various centres in the city today.

Inadequate transport services added to the chaos. A large number of candidates were seen boarding overcrowded buses bound for Jind and Hisar.

The candidates, who had come from different parts of the region, were seen virtually hanging out of the buses.

Those who could not catch a bus from Sector 17 were seen walking to nearby bus stops in the hope of catching a bus or an auto-rickshaw to the Chandigarh railway station.

Drivers of several overcrowded buses were challaned by the traffic police near Tribune Chowk.

The rush also led to traffic snarls as large groups of candidates preferred to reach the railway station on foot. Amid this chaos, women candidates were more inconvenienced as they could not find space on buses.

Students said special transport arrangements such as running special buses and trains should have been made for the examination.

Last month, more than 5,000 students could not appear for an exam for posts of Health Inspector as they could not reach the examination centres on time due to traffic jams.

Chandigarh, February 23
A 24-year-old girl staying as a paying guest in Sector 16 allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her accommodation last evening.

The victim, Puneeta Kapoor, was found hanging from the fan with a dupatta by her landlord.

While the police have termed it a case of suicide, shocked family members and friends said it could be a case of murder as "she was not the one who could have committed suicide". They mentioned this while recording their statements at the Sector 17 police station.

By the time the police reached the spot, the landlord had already lowered the body from the fan. No suicide note was found at the spot.

Panchkula, Febraury 23
A day after the death of an 11-year-old girl due to typhoid in the Haryana Employees Welfare Organisation Society, Mansa Devi Complex, Sector 5, residents of the area entered into a scuffle with Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) officials over the alleged supply of contaminated water.

Over 20 persons of the area were reportedly taken ill due to contaminated water. The condition of some of them is stated to be critical.

Acting on a report published in these columns regarding the outbreak of typhoid, the Health Department today swung into action and sent a team to the area. The team collected blood samples of the victims and used chlorine in the water tanks.

The agitated residents forcibly took HUDA officials to the source of contamination where the main storage tank was full of dirt, emanating foul smell. The residents alleged that the water was laced with sewage.

Deputy Commissioner SS Phulia had yesterday asked the department to submit a report.

AAP and Congress workers today reached the spot and had heated arguments with HUDA officials. AAP worker Seema Bhardwaj alleged that even today people of the society got contaminated water. "Somebody has to keep a check. People can't be left to die like this,” she said.

Local MLA DK Bansal, along with president of the Haryana Mahila Pradesh Committee Ranjeeta Mehta and local leader Abhi Mehta, reached the spot to pacify the agitators.

Bansal summoned Executive Engineer Bhupinder Cheema and his team and got the pipeline changed.

Shobhna Sharma, mother of the deceased, told Bansal that she was being threatened by a few members of the society not to take up the issue.

Chandigarh, February 23
The concluding day of the Rose Festival at the Rose Garden witnessed some exciting events like Antakshri and magic show for the visitors. The evening was equally enjoyable with the local singers singing old songs taking back the visitors to the musical era of 70’s and 80’s.

Gatka players perform martial art during the Rose Festival in Chandigarh on Sunday. tribune photos: S Chandan

The day started with on-the-spot painting competition that witnessed huge participation by the children from across the Tricity. The participants painted beautiful paintings adding colours to the Rose Festival.

The dance group performed ‘Tamasha’ the folk dance of Maharashtra on the main stage.

As the day progressed, Antakshri was organised at the Rose garden attracting many visitors. The competition added fun to the concluding day.

Adding attraction to the Rose festival was the magic show, which not only enthralled the children but even the grown-ups.

In the afternoon, a prize distribution ceremony was held and winners of various competitions, participants of cultural events, band parties as well as gardeners, followed by ‘Bihu’ dance a traditional folk dance of Assam.

Later on musical event ‘Old is Gold’ was organised. During the musical evening around a dozen singers sung old songs with orchestra and Vival Sharma, music director, enthralled the public with his solo performance on flute. The singers sung old numbers including songs of Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh, KL Sehgal, Lata Mangeskar, Kishore Kumar.

Results

Antakshri

Pooja Sharma and Noozam (Govt. College for Education-20) 1; Palak Gupta and Aarti (Shri Guru Gobind Singh College-26) 2; Anil and Divyanshu (Govt. College for Boys-11) 3

On-the-spot painting competition

Group ‘A’ (5-8 years): Riya Pasricha 1; Tanushri 2; Akanksha Bishani 3

Group ‘B’ (8-11 years): Anand Vishav Sharma 1; Tanushri 2; Sakshi Kumari 3

Group ‘C’ (11-14 years): Akshay Sharma 1; Rohit 2; Cheshta Ahuja 3

Group ‘D’ (14-17 years): Akshay Sharma 1; Astha Goel 2; Sandeep Kumar 3.

Chandigarh, February 23
The last day of Rose Festival witnessed traffic chaos in Sector 16 and Sector 10 with the traffic police hardly seen regulating the huge rush of vehicles. Chaos also prevailed in the Rose Garden with the visitors damaging the plants and plucking roses.

Vehicles parked on a green belt in Sector 16, Chandigarh, on Sunday. Tribune photos: S Chandan

Huge rush was witnessed on the roads around the Rose garden and Leisure Valley. Haphazard parking was witnessed on the roadsides in Sector 16. The visitors even parked their vehicles on the green area and walking track adjoining the Rose Garden on the road towards Matka Chowk. Vehicles were even parked on the Madhya Marg that led to traffic snarls.

A similar situation was witnessed at Leisure Valley where fun games and food stalls were set-up. With no arrangements for the parking the visitors parked their vehicle on the roads.

The visitors crossing road from Rose garden to Leisure Valley and vice-versa had a tough time crossing the road as cops could be hardly seen managing the traffic to give a safe passage to the pedestrians.

The traffic cops were mute spectators to the chaos on the road. Manisha, a visitor, stated that the local administration and police department should have made special arrangements for Sunday as large number of visitors was expected to visit.

SI slaps constable, suspended

High drama was witnessed during the musical evening at the Chandigarh rose festival when a sub-inspector with the Chandigarh police slapped a constable of Haryana police. The constable was deployed in the security arrangements of Rose Festival. SI Rajdeep Singh has been suspended.

A departmental probe against SI Rajdeep had been marked to DSP Rajesh Kalia.

Chandigarh, February 23
Grover Eye Laser and ENT Hospital, Sector 35, has been penalised for medical negligence. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the hospital and its head consultant Rohit Grover to pay Rs 70,000 as compensation for the mental agony caused to the complainant.

The complainant, Avinash Kaur (76), a resident of Sector 37, said the surgeons implanted cataract lens first before rectifying the problem in her retina, which was “medically incorrect”.

Later, she found that the lens was fitted without removing cataract and resulted in swelling and infection in the eye forcing her to seek treatment in another hospital.

It has also directed the hospital to make payment of Rs 10,000 towards cost of litigation and refund Rs 9,000 charged for surgery.

On September 5, 2012, the opposite party referred the complainant to undergo Phaco, IOL surgery for the left eye.

She alleged that she had defect in her retina and in order to perform surgery for lens implantation/phaco surgery for cataract, there was a need to decide as to whether the retina was to be treated first or phaco surgery was to be performed first.

“On September 10, 2012, the retina test was conducted and the opposite party found the retina to be defective. However, the surgeon performed surgery of cataract by charging an exorbitant amount of Rs 9,000 on the pretext that some superior lens will be inserted. He performed the surgery of phaco, instead going first for the treatment of retina against the principle of medical science. The phaco surgery with IOL for cataract was performed on September 17, 2012,” Avinash said.

There was pain and swelling in the left eye. It was due to the falling and dislocation of lens inserted, she alleged.

“We are of the opinion that the evidence on record is a clear pointer towards the medical negligence on the part of the hospital authorities,” the forum ruled.

Mohali, February 23
On the first day of the national pulse polio drive today, the health authorities administered pulse polio dose to 52,325 children in the entire district.

The drive was inaugurated by Mohali civil surgeon Dr Rajiv Bhalla by administering a dose to a child at Balmiki Basti, Phase VI.

Mohali senior medical officer Dr Andesh Kang said as many as 1,125 teams had been constituted for the purpose.

Chandigarh, February 23
“Chandigarh has set an example in slum rehabilitation. Under the rehab scheme 60,000 families will get houses, of which around 50,000 had already been rehabilitated,” stated by MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, while addressing a massive rally in Sector 25 rehabilitation colony.

While lashing out at the BJP for instigating people. He appealed to the people not to be misled by the BJP and assured them of all amenities in their vicinity. The MP, who was accompanied by former city mayor, Pardeep Chhabra, said soon licenses would be given to the roadside vendors, and elaborated on the new scheme of providing food grains to the poor.

Meanwhile, a rally was organised by BJP where around 300 supporters of Congress led by Ishrat Husaain joined the BJP. Most of these people were related with handicraft business and come from different villages of the city.

These people were welcomed by BJP’s state president, Sanjay Tandon and other leaders. While addressing the gathering Sanjay Tandon said, “It is unfortunate that Chandigarh was on the country’s centre stage recently due to the corruption of Pawan Kumar Bansal. Following the unearthing of the Railgate scam, Bansal had to resign from the Railway Ministry. He had been MP for four terms but he could not develop the city. He had been cheating people with his false assurances. If you check the Congress manifestoes, you will find an endless list of unfulfilled promises, he added.

Chandigarh, February 23
While the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, has failed to successfully run the city’s first automated parking lots in Sector 17; the authorities are planning to have two more automatic parking lots. Both in Sector 22, one at the Shastri Market and other at Kiran Cinema paid parking lot are on the cards. The issue is going to be tabled before the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) in its upcoming meeting to be held on February 25.

The city’s automated paid parking lots Sahib Singh and Empire Store parking lots in Sector 17, which were inaugurated by the former Mayor Subhash Chawla amid much fanfare, had been resorting to manual disbursal of parking slips as the automated barriers are not being put to use.

Tejinder Singh, supervisor, Sahib Singh paid parking lot, stated that the MC should first make more lanes for the entry of the vehicles so that they don’t get queued-up. “The entry of Sahib Singh parking is just opposite to the traffic light and as the automated barrier take more time to operate the vehicles gets lined-up blocking the traffic on road following which the parking slips are to be issued manually,” he stated.

SAD councillor Malkiat Singh who is also a member of F&CC stated that the MC should first successfully run the two automatic parking lots in the city before further building more automatic parking lots. “The public should not be harassed and put to inconvenience,” he said. Saurabh Joshi, BJP councillor and F&CC member, also believe that the MC should first put the system in order by ensuring that the city’s first automated parking are run efficiently. “The MC should hire a consultancy company that should first do a feasibility study before introducing the automatic parking system,” Joshi said.

An illegal eatery operating from Sector 22 in Chandigarh. Tribune Photo: Pradeep Tewari

Ujagar Singh, Chandigarh

Take stern action against defaulters

The authorities should initiate anti-encroachment drives and take the defaulters to task. Encroachments have marred the city's image. This causes inconvenience to shoppers as the corridors are overcrowded. Those encroaching upon government land should be strictly dealt with both by the MC and police.

SC Luthra, Mani Majra

Impose heavy fine on defaulters

It is arduous for people to commute on the roads, pavements and footpaths, particularly in commercial areas, where encroachments are rampant. Heavy fine should be imposed on the defaulters to check the illegal practice. Another alternative is to earmark special places for markets. Vendors, who illegally occupy government land, should be given a registered licence by the UT Administration with the help of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Priya Darsh Growar, Mohali

Frame special policy

There is an urgent need to frame a policy to regulate the use of front verandahs and rear courtyards of SCOs. Separate policy needs to be framed for the traders of booths in furniture market and markets in Sectors 19, 22 and 15, Chandigarh. The authorities concerned should identify vacant spots in different sectors where vendors can sell their goods similar to Apni Mandis. Strict implementation of law and allocation of special zones in different sectors for the day markets will curb the menace of encroachments in the city.

Sukhpal Singh, Chandigarh

Earmark special spots for vendors

The authorities have not earmarked any special zones for vendors. Spots should be earmarked for tea vendors and cobblers so that they don't encroach upon government land. This will discourage the practice of encroachment. The MC officials should also impose fines on the defaulters.

PS Bajwa, Chandigarh

Adopt strict approach

A strict approach needs to be adopted to curb the menace of encroachments in commercial areas. If the authorities concerned and the courts are determined, the nexus between MC officials and encroachers can be ended.

MPS Chadha, Mohali

End the nexus between MC, shopkeepers

To prevent encroachments, necessary measures need to be taken at the earliest. First, identify the merchandise sites and allow vendors to sell their goods. Second, the enforcement wing of the civic body should have adequate police presence to check encroachments. Third, the allotments of repeated offenders should be cancelled to set a precedent. The DC, SDM and the MC need to take a tough stand to stop the illegal practice.

Colonel (retd) RD Singh, Ambala Cantt

Amend MC Act-1976

The corridors in a majority of markets in the city have been encroached upon by shopkeepers to display their goods. There is an urgent need to amend the MC Act 1976 (extended to Chandigarh) regarding enhancement or fine for encroachments. Also, the shopkeepers who rent out their walls to other vendors should be penalised. It is the administration's duty to earmark spots in the city where these vendors can sell their goods on the payment of rent and earn their livelihood.

Anubha Gupta, Panchkula

Deploy civic body staff in markets

Permanent MC anti-encroachment staff should be deployed in all market places and congested areas to keep a tab on encroachers. Imposition of heavy fine is the need of the hour. Those displaying goods in corridors and pathways should be heavily fined.

BM Dhawan, Chandigarh

Administration should act tough

We need good governance and respect for law if we want to curb the menace of encroachments. Almost all markets in the City Beautiful have vendors occupying government land. Shopkeepers also display goods in front of their shops, while vendors occupy the corridors. This causes inconvenience to shoppers. The UT Administration needs to act tough with them. Politicians should not bat for the encroachers. They, too, need to contribute their bit to make the city a better place.

Ajit Singh, Windsor, Canada

Set up corridors for vendors

Encroachments in commercial areas, verandahs, footpaths and walkways cause grave inconvenience to shoppers. Surprisingly, action taken by the high court has not yielded any result. The court should ensure strict enforcement of rules by MC officials. Those not obeying laws should be penalised heavily. The civic body should also set up corridors with semi-permanent shacks for vendors to sell goods on payment of monthly rent.

Amrit Dhingra, Mani Majra

Nexus rules the roost

There is a dire need to break the nexus of anti-encroachment staff, police and the encroachers. This cannot be accomplished merely by penalising the encroachers. The staff deputed to check encroachments also needs to be dealt with sternly. There have been several instances when encroachers got to know about MC raids in advance. This way, the defaulters removed their articles from corridors. However, things are back to square one as soon as the MC staff leaves the market place.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Allot special places to vendors

The municipal corporation should earmark special places and allot these to vendors etc. This way, vendors will not encroach upon government land illegally. If the defaulters refuse to budge, their goods should be confiscated and returned only after payment of 20 per cent fine amount. This will set a precedent for the others and check the practice.

Tarsem Bhardwaj, Chandigarh

Cancel allotment of shops

The anti-encroachment drives should be carried out at regular intervals. The penalties should include cancellation of licences and allotment of shops. Special spots should be earmarked and days should be fixed for vendors to sell their goods. This will go a long way in checking the illegal practice of occupying government land.

Dr Ranju Gulati, Chandigarh

Encroachments are an eyesore

Encroachments in market places and other public areas are an eyesore. As a large number of items are displayed in corridors of markets, it becomes difficult for the shoppers to pass through. The congested corridors pose a danger in case of an emergency such as fire or stampede. The MC should take strict action against the defaulters. Officials should be deployed throughout the day at market places to thwart the efforts of shopkeepers and vendors to occupy government land, corridors, roads and other places.

Dr Shruti K Chawla, Chandigarh

Allot shops to vendors

Encroachments have increased manifold over the past few years. Due to lack of earmarked spots, encroachers have no other option but to operate illegally. If these vendors are allotted spots to carry out their business, the number of encroachments will decrease. The issue is not about penalising them but to provide them a place where they can sell their goods. It is their source of livelihood and cannot be taken away.

Aishwarya, Mohali

City is encroachers’ paradise

The City Beautiful is known for its modern design, well-established markets. But it has become the encroacher's paradise. This is due to the nexus between the squatters and MC officials. The authorities are helpless to check the practice. Despite being challaned, vendors are back to square one within a few days. This is a mockery of the civic body.

JagdishPal Singh Kalra, Chandigarh

 

comment Practical approach needed to curb encroachments Rajmeet Singh Encroachments in commercial pockets are rampant. A large number of shopkeepers have flouted rules with impunity and occupied spaces such as corridors, parking areas and pedestrian walkways. Several drives by the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to remove these illegal structures have proved to be a damp squib. Even as the number of encroachments continues to swell in market places and public areas, the civic body has miserably failed to address the issue. The civic body officials admit that the menace of encroachments had attained such magnitude that it had indeed become ‘unmanageable’. The Municipal Corporation has spent around Rs 2.72 crore on the payment of salaries to the enforcement wing, whereas it earned Rs 1.36 crore through the collection of fines and auction of the confiscated goods in 2013. The anti-encroachment drives have also resulted in skirmishes between the MC’s enforcement staff and encroachers in the past. Recently, Gurgaon Municipal Commissioner Parveen Kumar had an altercation with a vendor in the Sector 17 market after he mistakenly stepped on the latter’s goods displayed on the pavement. This is not the lone incident of its kind. With goods displayed in corridors and pavements, pedestrians face inconvenience traversing through the walkways. Due to the nexus between the encroachers and civic body officials, the anti-encroachment drives are a mere eye-wash. Despite having a workforce comprising 120 workers, including 57 regular staff, inspectors, sub-inspectors, police personnel, labourers and drivers, the officials have not been able to check the illegal practice. The deployment of staff on a rotational basis can make the drives more effective. Acting tough on shopkeepers, who have rented out spaces on walls and walkways, the MC has written to the Estate Office to cancel their allotment of shops. However, it has not yielded results. This indicates lack of coordination between different departments of the Chandigarh Administration. The need of the hour is that the UT Administration along with the MC should earmark spots for flea markets in every sector where vendors can sell their goods. A certain fee amount can be fixed to regulate those setting up their shops in flea markets. The flea market can be located indoors such as in a warehouse or gymnasium; or outdoors, in a field or parking lot or under a tent. Several flea markets operate abroad where vendors sell snacks and drinks. It is time that the UT Administration should frame an effective plan to enable encroachers to set up their shops in earmarked spots. This will act as a deterrent.

Open House Question The civic dispensaries in the city — having been allotted sufficient space to cater to a population of 20,000 each — have virtually failed to meet primary healthcare needs of patients. From inadequate medicines to irregular attendance of doctors, patients have stopped visiting these dispensaries and instead prefer to rush to bigger hospitals. What should be done to improve the healthcare system? Write your suggestions with a passport size photograph to openhouse@tribunemail.com

Panchkula, February 23
Devotees will celebrate this Maha Shivratri without ‘Bhaang’, unlike every year at one of the oldest and biggest Shiv temples in Mahadev village, Panchkula, as the district administration had banned the use of ‘bhaang’ in any form in and around the temple.

Taking a serious note of the issue and apprehending that the bad elements from Punjab and other areas may take undue advantage of the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner SS Phulia issued directions in this regard. The district administration made full arrangements to keep a check on sale of bhaang.

“I have issued directions and also told the DCP to keep a check on all such elements which may indulge in the sale of bhaang,” said Phulia.

The committee members of the temple confirmed the directions.

As many as 200 stalls had been put up near the temple and proper scrutiny is being done by the committee members and the police officials.

Every year, even after the Shivratri, ‘bhaang’ is sold openly around the premises, which was reported by Chandigarh Tribune, last year as well. “With these directions, the movement of the miscreants would be restricted to a considerable extent,” said Davinder, President, RWA, Sector 4, MDC.

A girl presents an item

Chandigarh, February 23
“Goonj-14”, the three-day annual cultural festival of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), Panjab University, concluded here today.

Over 2,000 students from various colleges across Chandigarh took part in more than 80 categories of technical, non-technical, cultural and literary events.

“Dhamak Punjabiyan Di”, an event to showcase the Punjabi virsa through the lok nach bhangra, proved to be a major crowd-puller among all events of "Goonj-14".

Art events, including street painting and t-shirt painting, were also organised, which saw huge participation. A turban-tying competition was organised to boost the rich Indian heritage.

The students also proved their mettle in the technical arena.

Siddharth Ghai, one of the participants of word mole, said: “All events were exotic. I liked this event as unravelling the intricately maddening puzzles of the English language was really fun. It boosted my glossary.”

The fashion show, “Bedazzle Persona”, saw jam-packed crowd. A ramp walk was also organised.

The organiser, Pranav Goyal, said: “The fest was a huge success. There was an overwhelming response to all events from the students. We thank all participants and students for their ebullient response. We have succeeded in encouraging the students to participate in co-curriculum activities”.

The three-day cultural festival concluded with a performance by Punjabi singers Harf Cheema, Mankirat Aulakh and Kulbir Jhinjer.

Chandigarh, February 23
The Department of Gandhian and Peace Studies, Panjab University, organised a two-day national seminar on “Philosophy of Satyagraha and the Present Day of Political” at Gandhi Bhawan. It was sponsored by the ICSSR North-Western Regional Centre, PU.

Dr Manish Sharma, chairperson of the department, explained the theme of the seminar and gave a warm welcome to the delegates and the guests.

Professor N Radhakrishnan, an eminent Gandhian scholar, chairman of the Indian Council of Gandhian Studies and recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Sadhbhawna Award (2008) and the National Communal Harmony Award (2013), delivered the keynote address.

In his keynote address, he explained the meaning of Satyagraha. He pointed out that today, the unique non-violent method known as satyagraha was mispropagated, misused and abused by individuals, politicians and power-greedy people for their personal gains.

The guest of honour, Dr Surinder K Shukla, spoke on Gandhian approach to satyagraha. — TNS

Panchkula, February 23
The Sky World School, Sector 21, held its annual sports day “mini-Olympics” on the school premises here today. The event saw active participation from students. The sporting soiree began with a march past, followed by a mass drill.

The occasion was a combination of races, music, dances and martial arts. The young ones had a field day taking part in well-orchestrated and innovative activities like sports dance and display of tae kwon do skills.

The athlete in the students took centre stage when the young stars right from Playway through Class V displayed a tremendous mix of competitive, sportsman and team spirit. A number of races, including zig zag, hurdle, dribbling, pick & place, fill the basket, and roll the mat, left the audience awestruck.

DR Yadav, former Regional Director, CBSE, was the chief guest on the occasion. Principal Santosh Bhandari, who is also a national award winner as well as the best principal awardee, said: “Students of our school participated with enthusiasm and fervor. The idea behind the mini-Olympics was to give the students an opportunity to show their sporting prowess in an exciting and charged up environment.”

As a gesture towards society, the school also conducted a mini-Olympics for non Sky Worldians. There was a game of tambola and a lucky dip with a free holiday for the winning family sponsored by Magic Holidays.