The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Can’t compensate dog bite victims, Admn tells HC
Chandigarh, May 9
The Chandigarh Administration today made it clear that dog bite victims could not be compensated as it would not be financially viable. The Administration also told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it had implemented the “Comprehensive Scheme for Management of Stray Dogs in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, 2012”.

A man shows dog bite marks on his daughter’s shoulder at the Civil Dispensary in Sector 19 on Friday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

DSP Raka Gira case
Complainant turns hostile
Chandigarh, May 9
In a twist to the corruption case involving Punjab DSP Raka Gira as the accused, the complainant in the case today turned hostile in the court. Mullanpur-based builder KK Malhotra refused to identify the DSP’s voice in the audio recording and expressed ignorance about the voice of the accused. He also failed to identify the accused in the video recording submitted by the prosecution and was thus declared hostile.

Another twist in Morni mishap case
Panchkula, May 9
A youth, whose dialled number was found in the call list of the girl accompanying Saman Dhanak at the time when she claimed to be in Morni, had sent ‘New Year wishes’ to her creating a suspicion of a link between the two. On the intervening night of April 19 and 20, Saman, the grandson of a former Haryana Minister, died when his car fell into a 60-foot-deep gorge in the Morni hills. His female friend suffered serious injuries in the mishap.

Talent unlimited: Students of Vatika Special School stage a play, ‘Stone Soup for the Soul’, at Tagore Theatre in Sector 18, Chandigarh, on Friday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Delay in 108 Ambulance Service
Residents block highway
Mohali, May 9
Residents of Sahoran village, near here, staged a protest last evening against the failure of the 108 Ambulance to reach the spot and take a youth injured in an accident to a hospital. The youth, Narang Singh, who was hit by an unidentified vehicle, later succumbed to his injuries.

Jyoti murder Case
Defence counsel points out loopholes in probe
Panchkula, May 9
Loopholes in the investigations by the Special Investigation Team in the Jyoti murder case were pointed out by the defence counsel in the court here today. "ACP Suresh said no independent witness was produced during the interrogation of the mobile dealer, Pankaj Bhandari. He also said no document was collected which bears the signature of Pankaj," said Amandeep Bindra, a defence counsel.

Gang rape victim slits her vein
Panchkula, May 9
The 17-year-old gang rape victim, whose parents were arrested for forcing her into prostitution, allegedly slit her vein at Bal Sadan, a destitute home in Sector 12-A here, this evening. The victim was rushed to General Hospital, Sector 6. The doctors said from the injuries, it appeared that some sharp edged weapon was used to commit the act.

COMMUNITY

Admn all set to hold demolition drive today
Chandigarh, May 9
In the second biggest demolition drive after Colony No. 5, the UT Administration is all set to raze three colonies - Kuldeep Colony, Mazdoor Colony and Pandit Colony - spread over 36 acres in Sector 52. Around 4,000 illegal tenements in these colonies would be pulled down in an exercise that will start at 7 am tomorrow. To ensure that the operation goes peacefully, around 2, 000 policemen have been deployed at the sites.

Exodus precedes drive in Pandit Colony
Chandigarh, May 9
With just a day to go before the UT Administration holds a demolition drive at Pandit Colony in Sector 52, residents rued that officials were making them nomads as they were being forced out of their homes where they had lived for so many years. “Where will I take my three daughters? In which school will they study? Nobody is offering shelter to my family. Rent of a single-room accommodation in the city is over Rs 4,000.

A resident of Pandit Colony stares at her uncertain future in Sector 52, Chandigarh, on Friday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Dog bite cases: MC claim on free treatment falls flat
Chandigarh, May 9
While the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh (MC) had submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court that free of cost treatment is being provided to stray dog bite victims, the ground reality is completely different. A visit to Civil Dispensary in Sector 19, the only anti-rabies dispensary in the city, revealed that stray dog bite victims were forced to purchase anti-rabies serum from the market as it was out of stock in the dispensary from the last four to five months. A single dose of the serum costs around Rs 430.

Sandeep Mehta, a stray dog bite victim, shows his injury marks at Civil Dispensary in Sector 19, Chandigarh, on Friday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

UT deals a blow to industrialists
Chandigarh, May 9
While a parliamentary panel recommended converting industrial plots from leasehold into freehold, the UT Administration has decided against it. The move will affect owners of 1,540 industrial sites of different sizes in Phases I and II of the Industrial Area. The Administration was not in the favour of converting the leasehold industrial sites into freehold and has decided to stick to its stand.

AAP supporter, kin attacked
Mohali, May 9 An AAP supporter and members of his family were attacked allegedly by armed SAD men in Kumbra village here last night. Balwinder Singh Kumbra, the AAP supporter and president of the Zila Panchayat Union, his two sons, Mandeep Singh and Hardeep Singh, and his nephew, Surinder Singh, were reported to have sustained injuries in the attack.

Sealing of booths: Krishna Market traders block road
Chandigarh, May 9
Shopkeepers of Krishna Market, Sector 41, today blocked the road separating Sectors 41 and 42 in protest against sealing of booths in the market. Raising slogans against the Chandigarh Administration and the Deputy Commissioner (DC), the protesters alleged that the booths were being sealed early morning and without giving any prior notice.

No Power Supply
Lawyers strike work at District Courts
Chandigarh, May 9
Advocates in the district court complex went on a strike today protesting against the lack of basic facilities as there has been no power supply in the Lawyers Chambers Complex at District Courts in Sector 43 for the last four days. As there was no electricity supply in the Lawyers Chambers Complex since morning today, the advocates staged a protest and went on strike demanding immediate action to resolve the issue.

MC’s paid parking plan attracts protest
Mohali, May 9
The plan of the Mohali Municipal Corporation to introduce the paid parking system in the markets of the town again has attracted protests. One such protest was held today by shopkeepers of the Phase IIIB-2 market. The protesters said they would not allow the civic body to introduce the paid parking system at any cost. A shopkeeper of the area, JP Singh, said a Paid Parking Sangharsh Committee, comprising shopkeepers of various markets, had been formed to take up the matter with the authorities concerned. The matter had also been brought to the notice of the DC. He said the paid parking system would not be allowed in the internal markets of the town and if need be protests would be organised on a daily basis. OC

Volvo timings changed
Panchkula, May 9
Not inviting much clientele, the timings of the much talked about Volvo bus service from Panchkula to Delhi have been changed. The new timings of 5.45 am departure will be effective from May 11. The bus service was started a week back and the timing of departure from Panchkula was 5 am. “Commuters were saying that 5 am was too early and the same was affecting the clientele. There weren’t any takers for the Volvo at that time. So we decided to start it at 5.45 am,” said Rohtas Singh, GM, Haryana Roadways. The bus will make its way back journey from the Delhi ISBT at 4 pm. The fare is Rs 520 for each ticket and the passenger will get a complimentary English newspaper and water bottle. TNS

Hooda's effigy burnt
Panchkula, May 9
To lodge their resentment against the state government over the housefly peril, residents and INLD workers, lead by party state president Ashok Arora, burnt the effigy of Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on the busy Panchkula-Yamunanagar highway in Mouli village this afternoon. They are demanding permanent solution for the house fly peril, uninterrupted power and regular water supply in Barwala and Raipur Rani. — TNS

Office-bearers
Chandigarh, May 9
The GITI Employees Union here has elected its office-bearers. CP Yadav has been elected as chairman, Bant Singh president, Varinder Singh vice-president, Inder Preet Lamba general secretary, Jorawar Singh joint secretary, Mukesh Kumar office secretary, and Shiv Kumar and Jagdish Singh finance secretary. — TNS

EDUCATION

PU security proposals gather dust
Chandigarh, May 9
Due to the lackadaisical attitude of the Panjab University authorities, major proposals to tighten security on the campus are gathering dust for a long period. Resultantly, outsiders are fearlessly creating ruckus on the campus and flee from the spot. Records of the university revealed that five major proposals are pending for the past around three years.

From Schools
Prize distribution function
Chandigarh: Delhi Public School organised the annual prize distribution function on its campus on Friday. The ceremony was graced by AK Gupta, Commissioner, Excise and Taxation, and MP Pawan Kumar Bansal. It began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Budding artistes presented a cultural programme on the theme “Kutumb”. They expressed their love, appreciation and gratitude for their parents and grandparents through various songs, dances, skit and poetry.

Panjab University proposes 5% fee hike from next session
Chandigarh, May 9
Panjab University has proposed to hike the fee by five per cent from the next session (2014-15). This was decided at a meeting of the Fee Committee chaired by PU Dean University Instructions AK Bhandari today. It was decided at the meeting that there would be five per cent fee hike in all courses of the university.

SOPU workers hold a protest in front of the Vice-Chancellor's office at Panjab University on Friday. Tribune Photo: S Chandan

Young music maestros regale audience at Strawberry
Chandigarh, May 9
The amphitheatre of Strawberry Fields World School came alive as rhythms and beats of music reached a crescendo on the campus here today. The school’s maiden music concert, “One”, which was organised for students from Grades VIII to XII, strung together a harmonious blend of notes.

Students of Strawberry Fields World School perform during the school’s maiden music concert, "One", in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Microbial diversity
IMTECH, SRISTI ink pact
Chandigarh, May 9
The Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) here has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutes (SRISTI), Ahmedabad, to explore the microbial diversity of the remote areas of the country and develop associated technologies. Microbial Type Culture Collection and Gene Bank (MTCC), a national facility located at IMTECH that is supported jointly by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Department of Bio-Technology, will be the nodal laboratory for this activity.