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City LS SEAT
Savita Bhatti opts out, deals blow to AAP
Sends email to party high command, cites ego problems, differences among workers as reasons
Chandigarh, March 9
In a major setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat Savita Bhatti has opted out of the elections. Savita Bhatti, who was fielded to take on the Congress’ likely candidate, former Union Railway Minister and sitting MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, shot off an email to the AAP office in Delhi and its Chandigarh unit, stating that she was not interested in contesting the elections.

Reality Show effect
Panchkula hospital sets up special room for rape victims
Panchkula, March 9
Taking a cue from a popular reality show in which a rape victim narrates the trauma she had to undergo in a hospital after being physically abused, the General Hospital authorities in Sector 6 here have decided to set up a special room for rape victims.

Water supply to be hit
Chandigarh, March 9
There will be low-pressure water supply in the city tomorrow evening and Tuesday morning due to the replacement of a sluice valve on the 1,200 mm PSC pipeline of the Kajauli Waterworks, Phase III, near Gharuan village.

Couple held with 147 kg of poppy husk
Chandigarh, March 9
The operations cell of the UT police today arrested a couple and recovered a huge consignment of poppy husk from their possession. The accused, Sakir Sheikh and his wife Noor Jahan, residents of Baltana in Mohali, were arrested with 147 kg of poppy husk. DSP Satbir Singh said the accused were a notorious couple involved in drug smuggling in northern India.

Sakir Sheikh, one of the accused, in police custody. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

COMMUNITY

Sector welfare assns to meet on April 20
Chandigarh, March 9
The elections of the executive committee of the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations (FOSWAC) will be held on April 20. The term of the present committee will end in the month of April.

Artistes enact a scene from a play, “Letter to God”, in Chandigarh on Sunday. tribune photo: vicky gharu

Chemist shop offering 57.2% discount opens at PGI
Chandigarh, March 9
Patients were a relieved lot as a chemist shop providing 57.2 per cent discount on all medicines opened at the PGIMER today. The shop is located in the old shopping complex (rear side of the Oral Health Sciences Centre). The contract for running the store has been allotted to a Sector 45-based chemist.

Light rain, hailstorm likely in city today
Chandigarh, March 9 There is likely to be light rain along with hailstorm in the city tomorrow, the forecast of the Met Department said. This will bring down the maximum temperature.

Residents in a fix as Cong, BJP delay naming candidates
Chandigarh, March 9
The delay in announcing candidates contesting from the Chandigarh seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections has left city residents wondering as to whom they should elect as their representative. The Congress and BJP are yet to name their candidates and the decision of the Aam Adami Party (AAP) candidate, Savita Bhatti, to withdraw her name has further left the residents confused. Only the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Janata Dal United (JDU) have announced the name of the candidates for the Chandigarh seat.

CLASSIC BEAUTIES: A vintage car rally that was flagged off from a hotel in Sector 17 as part of the International Women's Day celebrations on Sunday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

10,000 residents submit Form-6
Chandigarh, March 9
During two-day special drive conducted by the UT Election Department to encourage enrollment of new voters in the city, over 10,000 residents submitted their Form-6 at various centers in Chandigarh.

Venod Sharma a fair-weather friend: Haryana BJP chief
Panchkula, March 9
BJP state president Ram Bilas Sharma today criticised former Congress leader Venod Sharma for taking such moves in politics. Ram Bilas Sharma who was here to visit a relative here said that Venod was a fair-weather friend.

Transactions above Rs 25 lakh to come under EC’s scanner
Chandigarh, March 9
To check the flow of black money in the run up to the parliamentary elections, all the financial transactions above Rs 25 lakh will come under the scanner of the UT Election Department.

REPORTERS' DIARY
Cong media cell providing wrong info 
The Congress is a divided house in the city and many senior Congress leaders are not participating in the party’s “padayatra” programme. But to make the programme a successful one in the eyes of the media, the media cell and official spokespersons of the Congress are issuing wrong statements. 

Selfie moment: Students in a jubilant mood after receiving their degrees at the annual convocation of the GCG, Sector42, Chandigarh. Tribune photo: S Chandan

CT scan centre becomes operational at GMCH-32
Chandigarh, March 9
Two decades after bearing with the exorbitant costs of CT scan services, patients at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, will now find some relief.

Girls’ gatka prowess on display
Panchkula, March 9
Gatka (a martial art) by girls of class 4 and a BA first year student were the centre of attraction on the concluding day of Spring Fest organised by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) at Yavnika, Sector 5, Panchkula.

Tiny tots participate in a baby show during the Spring Festival at HUDA Park, Sector 5, Panchkula, on Sunday. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

Ration depot owners to educate voters
Panchkula, March 9
Panchkula Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer SS Phulia, today presided over a meeting of the Ration Depot owners of the district to help the local administration educate voters about their voting rights during the Lok Sabha General Elections, 2014.

Woman constable injured
Chandigarh, March 9 A 26-year-old lady constable of the UT police, Poonam, was injured when her motorcycle was hit by a speeding Swift near the roundabout of Sector 3. The incident occurred when the constable was going towards Sector 3 and Swift was going to Sukhna Lake around 12.30 pm. The Injured Poonam was rushed to GMSH-16 in a police vehicle and accused driver Harinder was also taken to the hospital. However, the accused fled from the hospital.

anandpur sahib lok sabha seat
Locals see red as parties field outsiders
Mohali, March 9
The main political parties, Congress and SAD-BJP combine have more trust on outsiders, when it comes to fielding the candidate from the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency.

INDIA VOTES 2014
11,024 new voters in Mohali
Mohali, March 9
A special drive to register new voters witnessed tremendous response in Mohali district as a total of 11,024 new voters got themselves registered at the booths, especially set up at various points for the purpose. The Mohali Deputy Commissioner, Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu, said that 685 special booths were set up in the district for the purpose. “New voters began coming to the booths since morning.

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Tejinder Pal Sidhu at a polling booth in Sohana village on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

OPEN HOUSE RESPONSE
HSRPs: Tall claims must have a strong foundation
The enforcement of the rule on affixing the high security registration plates (HSRPs) on to vehicles without making proper arrangements is like putting the horse before the cart. The challan drive must stop. The Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) must pull up vendors and increase their strength by at least 50 per cent.

Vehicle owners wait for their turn to submit forms at the RLA office in the Industrial Area, Phase I, in Chandigarh. A tribune photograph

Affixing new registration plates a Herculean task for residents
Getting high security registration plates (HSRP) for vehicles has become a Herculean task for the city residents. Thanks to the vision of the policy-makers in the Chandigarh Administration, which has made the entire exercise a classic case of putting the cart before the horse, it has made residents face a lot of harassment.

HEALTH NOTES
Computer navigation in knee replacement surgery
Soft tissue balancing through computer navigation in total knee replacement surgery (TKR) has revolutionised lives of patients undergoing knee replacement. It helps restoring the normal biomechanics of the knee. This was stated by Dr Harsimran Singh, director, joint replacement, Fortis Hospital, Mohali, after receiving appreciation award from managing director B Braun, Medical India Pvt. Ltd. Dr Harsimran said the benefits of modern implants are supplemented by the accuracy in surgical techniques provided by computer navigation.

• A clarification

EDUCATION

63rd Annual Convocation of Panjab University
682 students receive degrees, medals
Chandigarh, March 9
As many as 682 students received degrees, medals and prizes at the 63rd annual convocation of Panjab University (PU) today. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil presided over the function.

UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil (extreme right) awards the Degree of Doctor of Science to Prof RP Bambah (centre) as PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover looks on during the 63rd annual convocation of Panjab University in Chandigarh on Sunday. Tribune Photo: Parvesh Chauhan

BCS alumni go down memory lane
Chandigarh, March 9
As many as 115 alumni of Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, relived memories during a reunion function at the Chandigarh Golf Range here today. The annual reunion was initiated by the Old Cottonians’ Association (OCA) and alumni residing in India and abroad.

Seminar on Ghadar Movement at PU
Chandigarh, March 9
Twenty-one presentations were given by various Indian and foreign scholars at the International Seminar on the Ghadar Movement, which concluded at Panjab University (PU), yesterday.

pu & college notes
Farewell function
The students of Commerce Department, Post-Graduate Govt College for Girls, Sector-11, bid farewell to the outgoing students of BCom-III. College principal Achila Dogra was the chief guest on the occasion. The function included an array of activities, including songs, dances, medleys, choreography, modelling and mimicry.

FROM SCHOOLS
Baking activity
Chandigarh: The students of senior baking club, Saupin’s School, Sector 32, participated in a baking activity on the school premises. The students along with their teachers Reema Sharma, Gursimran Anand and Kanika baked cakes, muffins and cookies. The students proved their worth as they baked and served fresh cakes and biscuits to their parents.

SPORTS

Shivam, Mehak adjudged best athletes
Chandigarh, March 9
The 67th Annual Athletics meet of PEC University of Technology, concluded at the college grounds’, here today. Events included high jump 5,000mts, long jump, 200m, 50m, high jump, 400m hurdle, discus throw, slow cycling, three legs race were organsed during the two-day competitions.

A player participates in a hammer throw event during the 67th annual athletics meet of the PEC University of Technology in Chandigarh on Sunday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

Young golfer looks forward to a great season
Chandigarh, March 9
After completing his last year's golf season, on high note, 13-year old local golfer Aadil Bedi is looking forward to explore more in the upcoming season starting from April. The Indian Golf Union (IGU) will start the domestic golf circuit from April.

CCA honours boys’ U-19 cricket team
Chandigarh, March 9
Chandigarh Cricket Association (CCA) affiliated with Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has honoured the local cricket boys’ (U-19) team, which won the first place in the recently concluded 59th National School games, at Indore. The local team won the championship, held from January 27 to February 1.

FCI, UT Police to lock horns in final
Chandigarh, March 9
The Cricket team of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will face the Chandigarh Police in the final of Sai Navigator's Corporate Cricket Cup here tomorrow.