Chandigarh, July 11
A day after a message on a WhatsApp group of the UT police by an SHO levelling allegations of corruption against a DSP rocked the Police Department, senior police officials transferred both the SHO and the DSP and initiated an inquiry into the matter.

DSP (East) Anjitha Chepyala and the SHO of the Industrial Area, Inspector Yashpal Vinayak, were transferred from their public-dealing posts and posted to non-sensitive posts today.

Vinayak has been transferred to the Recruit Training Centre (RTC), while DSP Chepyala has been shifted to the IRB.

The WhatsApp message on a group administered by the UT SSP read that SHO Vinayak wished to resign from the “corrupt police” as he was being harassed by DSP Chepyala. He also stated that he paid huge amounts towards installing an AC, booking an air ticket and also towards the renovation of the DSP’s house, but was never paid the amount. He also alleged that he was asked by the DSP not to arrest a rape accused.

ACP (HQ) Urvashi Goel has been appointed the probe officer for investigating the entire matter.

Meanwhile, ASP Parminder Singh has been given the charge of the ASP (East) as he replaces Chepyala, while Inspector Devinder Sharma has been deputed as the new SHO of the Industrial Area police station.

UT SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill said the two were removed from their posts as the matter was sensitive.

Sources said Inspector Vinayak had in his possession all bills, including that of an AC, which was installed in Chepyala’s office, the bill of an air ticket which was purchased for the woman DSP and the bill of tiles, which were installed at the government house of the DSP.

Inspector Vinayak was posted as the SHO of the Industrial Area police station for the past nine months and before that, he was the SHO of the Mani Majra police station.

The SHO also accused the DSP of compelling him to give her another Rs 50,000 and also stopping him from arresting an accused in the rape case of a 15-year-old girl.

WhatsApp only to be used for law and order: SSP

UT SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill on Friday issued strict instructions that the WhatsApp group, comprising officers, DSPs and SHOs, was to be used strictly for law and order purposes and not for airing grievances.

Chandigarh, July 11
In a hit-and-run incident, a woman pedestrian was killed while another one was injured after being hit by a Maruti car last night. The 26-year-old pedestrian, Seema, died while she was going to the Sector 29 Sai temple. The incident occurred when the car driver was trying to flee from a drunk driving naka.

Seema died in the accident, while her sister-in-law, Bindu, sustained serious injuries.

The mishap occurred when both women were crossing the road and a white Maruti hit them and sped away from the spot.

The victims were rushed to the PGI where doctors declared Seema brought dead. The condition of Bindu is stated to be critical.

A drunk driving barrier was set up by the traffic police near the Sai temple, where the Maruti car driver was signalled to stop. However, in a bid to escape, the driver sped up the car and hit both women. No one could note down the number of the vehicle, as the streetlights were not functional on the road.

A case of causing death due to negligence against unidentified persons has been registered at the Industrial Area police station.

The deceased, Seema, was recently engaged and was to get married in November. She used to run a boutique from her house in Sector 29.

Chandigarh, July 11
Despite boasting of an overall high literacy, development and enrolment rate in higher education, Chandigarh has appeared at the bottom slot of the National Achievement Survey (NAS) (cycle 3) for Class III, as students of government schools from the UT scored far below the national average score, both in language and mathematical abilities.

The NAS was carried out by the NCERT under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The survey covered 34 states/UTs, 298 districts, 7,046 schools and 1,04,374 students of Class III in their classrooms in both rural and urban India, and tested them on grade-relevant questions only.

Chandigarh has been ranked 32nd in mathematics performance, just above Bihar and Chhattisgarh, while it has been assessed 25th in language performance.

According to the survey, Class III students’ national average performance in language was 64 per cent, while in case of the city, it was only 59 per cent. In mathematics, against the national average performance of 66 per cent, Chandigarh had 60 per cent.

The national average score on a series of questions for language was 257 out of 500, while for mathematics, it was 252 out of 500, while in case of Chandigarh, it was 243 and 240, respectively.

There was no significant difference in performance between rural and urban students in most states, but in Chandigarh, rural students, with a score of 246, fared better than their urban counterparts, who scored 243 in language. The national average score of rural students was 256, while in case of urban students, it was 260.

In the language part, children were assessed on their ability to listen to and understand a passage, recognise words and read and understand a passage. Nationally, 65 per cent of them were able to understand a passage they had listened to, while in Chandigarh, the percentage was 57.

Nationally, 59 per cent of the students on an average were able to understand a passage they had read, while in case of the city, the average was 54 per cent. Moreover, 86 per cent students nationally were able to recognise words while in Chandigarh, 84 per cent were able to do so.

In mathematics, children were tested on their ability to perform simple calculations, do simple geometry and detect patterns among other concepts. Though city students failed to perform simple calculations, in solving problems related to money, data handling and patterns, their performance was better than the national average.

The shocking revelations of the report have raised many an eyebrow. Educationalists have blamed the no-detention policy for the poor performance of the students.

DPI (S) Kamlesh Kumar said, “We have reviewed the status of the report and are committed to improving the performance level of students.”

Placed at 32nd rank

Chandigarh has been ranked 32nd in mathematics performance, just above Bihar and Chhattisgarh, while it has been assessed 25th in language performance in the National Achievement Survey.

Panchkula, July 11
A realtor was booked for allegedly raping his 16-year-old maid in Sector 7 here today. The accused, Pawan Bansal, has not been arrested yet.

According to the police, the victim, in her complaint, alleged that she was sleeping in the kitchen at night when the accused came and raped her.

When she shouted for help, the other family members

woke up and the accused fled to his room. The family members were sleeping in the house when the accused committed the crime, the police said.

Sector 5 SHO Inspector Munish Kumar, said they had booked Bansal under Section 376 of the IPC and the (POCSO Act. The victim hailed from Uttar Pradesh and her family was staying in Mauli Jagran. The police went to the residence of the accused to arrest him, but the house was found locked. 

Chandigarh, July 11
Directorate of Census Operations (UT), Chandigarh, has initiated a programme to sensitise schoolchildren about the Census data and its importance.

For the purpose, 147 schools, including 101 government schools, 7 aided schools, and 39 private schools, in the city were identified and were provided with the kit.

Officials said the motto of programme was to disseminate the Census data by observing the ‘Census Week’ during July 7 to 12 as part of the observance of World Population Day.

The officials said the kit folder ‘Census & You’ consists of items, including, Letter to the principal, message to be read in the school assembly, literature, data sheets, Census quiz, certificate, Census Infographics India, Census Info India Pamphlet, and Map. Besides a soft copy of the printed literature in PDF, the Census DVD “Census & You” has also been supplied in the kit. A tool for data dissemination developed and named as CensusInfo in DVD for preparation of tables, charts and maps on the basis of area selected by the students has also been provided. 

Chandigarh, July 11
The Government Teachers’ Union (GTU) welcomed the Budget that was presented on Thursday. Members of the union claimed that it was a people-friendly Budget.

President of the union Vinod Sharma said raising of Income Tax exemption limit from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh and the deduction limit from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.50 lakh would certainly give some relief to government employees. Dr Sharma added that the use of latest technology in the field of education and cut in the prices of TV, LCD, laptops and other such items would benefit people. The union hopes more allocation of Budget for education in the city.

Chandigarh, July 11
Since the Union Government has reduced the Chandigarh Administration’s Budget under the Plan head by Rs 63 crore for the financial year 2014-15 as compared to the last fiscal, the projects like upgrading of community centres, housing projects and maintenance of roads which comes under the UT are likely to be affected.

Sources said that Rs 63 crore was not a huge amount and certainly some projects would be affected. The Union Government has reduced Rs 72 crore in the Budget under important head like the urban development. But the Union Government has increased Rs 17 crore under health and Rs 10 crore under education head, an official said.

But UT Advisor KK Sharma said difference in the budget amount would not affect the projects as the UT also get additional funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Similarly, the UT can demand more funds in September when there will be a review meeting regarding the budget allocation with the Union Government, he said. 

Chandigarh, July 11
The allocation of Rs 200 crore under the Plan head in the Union Budget to the PGIMER is set to revive the oldest, yet most important building—the Nehru Hospital, which is crying for maintenance.

The 50-year-old building of Nehru Hospital that houses all major units — operation theatres, patient wards, emergency, ICUs, private rooms and consultant offices— is in a shambles. The building has developed cracks, there is seepage and leaking roofs during monsoons, the 50-year-old power cables report frequent short-circuits due to overloading.

“The Nehru Hospital houses more than 1,000 patients at any given point of time. The modernisation of the building is currently on top priority, said an official from the PGIMER administration.

Sources said that the PGIMER authorities were contemplating a rehabilitation plan for the Nehru Hospital. However, they were not keen on it in view of the possible inconvenience to patients. The buildings have never undergone a major renovation ever since they were constructed in 1963.

Chandigarh, July 11
The Fire and Emergency Services of the Municipal Corporation (MC), which requires immediate attention has been allocated only Rs 50 lakh by the UT as against the Budget of Rs 12.50 crore passed by the MC General House under the Plan head. fire department that lacks modernised fire-fighting equipments.

The recent fire incident at the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) in Sector 17 that claimed lives of two fire-fighters, following a building collapse, had exposed the ill-equipped Fire Department.

In the annual planned Budget, the MC had planned to purchase machinery and equipments for fire- fighting worth Rs 11.30 crore, including a hydraulic platform turn table ladder, which is required to douse fire in multi-storied buildings. Presently, the Fire Department has two hydraulic ladders.

The MC had also plans for making sound proof watch rooms at all fire stations for which they had planned to spend Rs 20 lakh, but it is expected to be constructed at a cost of Rs 2 crore. The UT Administration has earmarked land in Sector 53 for the construction of a new fire station. The MC had also planned Rs 20 lakh for the construction of new residences at the Ram Darbar fire station and water reservoirs at the fire station in Sector 38 and Mani Majra.

SAD councillor Malkiat Singh said that after the NIELIT fiasco, the Administration should re-consider the MC’s demand for fire and emergency services under the planned Budget. 

Chandigarh, July 11
With the Municipal Corporation (MC) getting only Rs 136.60 crore against Rs 345.70 crore under the Plan head, several areas where the MC had planned development will suffer, now. The re-carpting of roads, strengthening of sewerage system and augmentation of water supply system are some of the areas that are going to suffer.

For development of the city roads, the MC had approved a budget of Rs 80 crore, however, the UT has been allocated Rs 50 crore. The MC had planned to re-carpet around 300 kilometers of road and undertake the work of underpasses planned at different locations in the city.

Nominated councillor DS Sandhu said with lesser Budget allocated to the MC, the development works would suffer. “The lesser allocation of the Budget under the Plan head is certainly going to hamper the development in the city”, Sandhu said.

Similarly, for augmentation of the water supply system, the MC had approved a Budget of Rs 26 crore while the UT was allocated only Rs 15 crore.

Official sources stated that various projects that were planned by MC to increase the water supply in the city will be hit due to lesser money allocated in the Budget for the purpose. Deputy Mayor Davesh Moudgil said that the Budget was reviewed in September if there would be a need for more funds under a particular head then we would further ask the UT Administration for the same.

Chandigarh, July 11
After the local Member of Parliament (MP), Kirron Kher, raised her objection on the viability of Metro project, now in a latest development, the ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has sought fresh consent from all three stakeholders—-Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh — on the draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the ambitious Metro project.

In a letter, which was received by the Chandigarh Administration, the Ministry has sought their reply on the points like who should have control over the project like the Union Government or states. What model should be followed? the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) or some other model?

UT Advisor KK Sharma said they had received the letter and would submit their reply accordingly. There were no differences between the shares over equity but there were some other issues for which the ministry had sought a reply, he said.

Last year, all the stakeholders had agreed upon the terms and conditions of the draft MoU and the approval was conveyed to the government of India. But the stakeholders had failed to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU), which ultimately delayed the project.

The UT Administration had done away with the public-private partnership (PPP) mode in the draft MoU and it was decided that all the three stakeholders would have 25 per cent stake in the project while remaining 25 per cent would be financed by the Government of India. The Union Government has not given any fund for the Metro project in the current financial year.

Chandigarh, July 11
The seriousness of the Municipal Corporation (MC) towards the sub-committees formed over various issues can be gauged from the fact that the Water Supply and Sewerage Disposal Committee met nine months after the last meeting was held.The issues that were pending from November 2013 were taken up by the committee in today’s meeting.

The last meeting of the committee was held on November 11 and since then all the issues pertaining to the water supply and sewerage disposal was lying pending.

Nominated councillor DS Sandhu, who is the chairman of the committee, admitted that the meeting was being held after nine-months. He said that the earlier committee’s tenure was till December 31 after which the new Mayor was authorised to constitute a new committee, the process of which was completed in the first week of July. “Not wasting any time I called for a meeting. We have also decided to meet at least once in a month”, Sandhu stated.

BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi, who is also the member of the committee, said that the meetings should be held more often to ensure that the development works were not pending.

Sandhu further stated that apart from the agenda tabled before the committee, discussion on ensuring proper maintenance of road gullies was also held. 

Panchkula, July 11
It was the pair of new Reebok shoes which the son bought for his father that helped the former in identifying the victim.

The local police station got a call that in the belongings of the person they had cremated a Reebok shoe was found.

“We told the son about the colour of his trousers but the son was not able to recollect as he was sleeping when his father left for Patiala. But when he was told about the shoes, he said that he had bought the same for him, recently,” said a police official from the MDC police station.

On their way to identify their from his belongings the children kept praying that it may not be that of their father’s.

After reaching the Adampur police station, when the packet was given and photographs on the spot were shown, disbelief turned into grief when the children identified their father.

Panchkula, July 11
Banker’s family could not even have the last glimpse of Sharma as the Haryana police cremated the body on their own. The family was left with nothing but just his trousers and a shoe.

The children had never expected that they could not even perform the last rites of their father.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Hisar, Vikas Dhankad said, “I will check with the officials whether they alerted all the districts in Haryana before cremating the body.”

When asked Station House officer of the Adampur police station in Hisar, Om Prakash, said all the districts were alerted after the body was found, he said, “We gave an advertisement in a newspaper the day the body was found and also gave it in our CRO branch but when no one turned up, we had to cremate him as the body was lying in the post mortem room.”

The local Mansa Devi Complex police station was keeping a tab on all the bodies that were being recovered from the canal. When an intimation was sent to the MDC police station that a body had been recovered from the Tohana area, the local police got it confirmed that it was of someone else and not the banker’s.

But today, the Hisar police called and said that the body of the person whose news appeared in the columns here was found there and cremated.

Panchkula, July 11
In the Jyoti murder case today, the second main accused, Paramjit and the truck driver Tilak Raj, gave their statements in the court. They said they were not at the spot on the night of murder.

Paramjit said he didn’t even know Tilak Raj and the truck (HP-12-A-7738) does not belong to him.

“I have not used this truck on any day. I have not used mobile number 98821-57080 on any occasion. The investigating agency has failed to scrutinise the evidence properly. There is no evidence on record to prove that I was using this mobile number. The mobile call and tower location evidence is quite shaky and cannot help in reaching the truth. I deserve acquittal as there is no case against me,” stated Paramjit in the court.

Tilak Raj said, “Firstly, neither I am a driver nor I hold a driving licence. One of the investigating officers Virender Sangwan has admitted that it was correct that Tilak Raj did not possess a driving licence. I was not on the spot on the day of crime.”

Panchkula, July 11
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists have demanded shifting of a liquor vend opened adjacent to Government High School in Billa village near here.

AAP spokesperson Rajeev Godara said villagers told them that teenage boys were getting attracted to liquor since the vend came up and apart from eve-teasing, domestic quarrels have become a regular feature in the village.

A delegation of the party activists led by Godara today met Deputy Commissioner Dr SS Phulia and submitted a memorandum regarding opening of the illegal vend. The delegation claimed that the vend was barely 10 metre away from an educational institution and had no signboard, showing the name and the licence number.

The DC has marked the case to the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner for appropriate action.

The front windshield of a school bus broken by unidentified persons at Sector 68 in Mohali on Thursday night.

Balwant Singh shows the broken rear windshield of his Hyundai Verna car.

Kuldeep Kumar Singla points at the smashed windshield of his Maruti Zen car on Friday. Tribune photos: Vicky Gharu

Mohali, July 11
Miscreants broke windowpanes of some vehicles parked in Sector 68 here early this morning.

It is learnt that the windowpanes of cars parked in front of a few houses and also of three schoolbuses were smashed at around 3 am.

The miscreants also allegedly threatened the bus cleaners, who were asleep on the roofs of the buses, and told them not to park the buses in the area.

Kuldeep Kumar Singla said he heard a loud noise around 3 am.

He rushed out and found that windowpanes of his neighbour Ravinder Singh Gill’s car were broken.

He added that in the morning, he found that the windowpanes of his and some other cars had been broken too.

Photos captured by a CCTV camera in a house showed a few persons, who were armed with rods and had their faces covered, damaging the vehicles.

A complaint was made to the Phase VIII police station and to the SSP.

Residents said the streetlights in the area had been non-functional for around a week.

Complaints were made to the officials concerned in this regard but to no avail.

Chandigarh, July 11
A woman delivered a baby in an autorickshaw while she was on her way to government mother and child care centre in sector 22 at around 10 am today.

Shanti, a resident of Faida, was under labour pain and was being taken to the centre. The delivery took place near the Sectors 22/23 light point. She was rushed to the centre from where she was referred to the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16.

District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Soma Rani said, “Both the mother and the baby are currently under care at the GMSH and are safe.”

Mohali, July 11
Residents of Kharar and the surrounding areas are going through a miserable time in the sweltering heat due to unannounced power cuts.

According to reports, residents in parts of Kharar had to spend a sleepless night as there was no power for about 12 hours last night.

The power supply got disrupted in Guru Angad Dev Nagar and some other areas around 8.30 pm yesterday and was restored only at about 8.30 in the morning. Calls made by residents at the electricity complaint centre remained unattended. Some residents even visited the centre to lodge their complaints but to no avail.

Residents of a colony opposite Sunny Enclave also faced a tough time at night as a transformer in the area had got damaged. Smita Seth, a resident of Shivalik City, Sector 127, said residents had faced long power cuts since yesterday. She said inverters were also not proving helpful as these could not be charged properly due to power disruptions.

Chandigarh, July 11
St John’s High School here organised a science exhibition, ‘Sciensation’ on its campus today.

Students made projects on themes pertaining to health, environment, natural resources, energy and agriculture for the exhibition. Their projects and concepts, including designed hovercraft, citrus fruits as good electrical conductors, use of hydraulic pumps in various sectors, methods to conserve mind energy and solar energy and recycling of waste were appreciated by teachers and visitors from other schools.

It was inaugurated by senior brother from the Congregation of Christian Brothers.

Principal Kavita Das expressed her delight on seeing the amount of hard work the children had put into make the exhibition a success.

She said every year a science exhibition was organised with a view to encourage and inculcate a scientific temper among the children and also trigger the curiosity of their unimaginably ‘hungry for knowledge’ brains.

Chandigarh, July 11
The final counselling for a total of 39 BCA seats lying vacant in four government colleges will be held tomorrow. After the second counselling for the BCA, held on July 8, six seats were left vacant in Post Graduate Government College, Sector 46. In Post Graduate Government College for Girls (PGGCG), Sectors 42 and 23 seats are lying vacant. While five seats are lying vacant each in PGGCG, Sector 11, and PGGC, Sector 11.

For BCA I, the cut-off and highest percentage were 78 per cent and 96.2 per cent, respectively.

Chandigarh, July 11
Panjab University (PU) has declared the results of the BA-I examinations.

Out of the 60,227, who appeared for the examination, as many as 27,476 have passed the examinations. This year, 45.62 per cent students passed the BA-I examinations.

PU Controller of Examinations Prof Parvinder Singh said the result had been uploaded on the PU website, http://results.puchd.ac.in/.

Alisha of AS College for Women, Khanna (Ludhiana), has topped the BA-I examinations in the PU. Alisha has scored 690/800 marks.

Chandigarh, July 11
Desh Bhagat Group chairman and Chancellor Desh Bhagat University Zora Singh attended the NAFSA 2014, an annual conference, organised by the NAFSA Association. Over 2,000 delegates from across the world converged on San Diego, California, US, for the NAFSA 2014.

Giving details, Dr Zora Singh said: “The NAFSA 2014 Annual Conference and Expo brings together international education leaders from around the world to exchange views, learn new perspectives, form new alliances, learn the latest proven approaches, regulations, and trends, and ensure that our institutions remain competitive in the global environment of higher education.” — TNS

Mohali, July 11
Pupils from the Classes Pre-Nursery to KG from Gian Jyoti Global School here today spread the message of ‘save trees’ and ‘grow more trees’ in connection with the Vanmahotsava celebrations.

The tiny tots carried placards and raised slogans during a rally. They went to the market in Phase II here and interacted with shopkeepers and passers-by to spread awareness among them.