Mohali, August 12
Lawlessness prevailed at the Mohali District Administrative Complex, which houses the offices of the Deputy Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police and the Subdivisional Magistrate, when a bloody clash took place between two groups at around 11 am here today.

Shockingly, several policemen, attached with top officers of the police and administration, were present in the complex at the time of clash, which lasted around 10 minutes.

The attackers, which were from the Gurtej Singh group, thrashed an elderly man, Sukhminder Singh, and his two relatives Jatinder and Satinder, all residents of Kumbhra village, in the presence of several onlookers for at least 10 minutes in the complex and fled away in a Scorpio. No policeman tried to stop the fight or nab the culprits.

Sukhminder Singh, Jatinder and Satinder, belonging to the same group, and Gurtej Singh, Sunny, Harpreet, Binda, Pappa, Harveer, Manpreet, Gurwinder and some other unidentified persons of the other group, all residents of Kumbhra village, had come to attend a hearing in Mohali SDM Lakhmir Singh’s court in connection with an earlier clash.

Sukhminder Singh sustained serious injuries on his left eye, head and other parts of the body in the attack. He said he was attacked by Gurtej Singh and his accomplices without any provocation.

A profusely bleeding Sukhminder Singh alleged that he, along with Jatinder and Satinder, had come downstairs after marking his attendance for the court hearing with the naib court on the first floor of the building when they were attacked. “Gurtej and his accomplices, who went to the naib court after us, all of a a sudden attacked us. Nobody came to rescue us,” said Sukhminder Singh, who was later admitted to the Civil Hospital at Phase VI.

The earlier clash between the two groups had taken place on June 6 over a trivial issue in the village.

Mohali Superintendent of Police (City) Swarndeep Singh said they had registered a "cross-case" under Sections 160, 323, 324, 325 and 341 of the IPC against members of both groups.

“We are recording their statements. The accused will be nabbed soon,” said the SP.

Lawlessness had prevailed in front of the Mohali District Courts last week also when around 15 youngsters belonging to various student bodies of the PU created a ruckus in the presence of policemen. That time too, the police allegedly remained a mute spectator.

Chandigarh, August 12
After asking the Chandigarh Golf Club to deposit its outstanding lease rent, the UT Estate Office has taken up the issue of recovery of pending lease money from the Chandigarh Club.

The UT Finance Department has also taken up the matter of finalising the revised lease deed of the club.

UT Estate Officer Mohammed Shayin said the issue of outstanding dues was being taken up with the department concerned. The pending dues of other clubs in the city were also being calculated.

Yesterday, the Golf Club was asked to deposit 50 per cent (Rs 4.30 crore) of the outstanding lease rent, failing which, the UT said, it could seal the club.

Sandeep Sahni, president of the Chandigarh Club, said they had already written to the UT regarding the renewal of the lease deed. In the audit report for 2012-2013, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had held the UT Finance Department and the UT Estate Office responsible for the delay in renewing the lease deeds of the Chandigarh Club, resulting in short recovery of the lease money.

According to a pact signed on August 8, 2005, between the Chandigarh Club and the Estate Office, the Sector 1 Community Centre was given on lease to the club for five years at a monthly rent of Rs 1,08,208 with a hike of 5 per cent per annum.

Though the monthly rent for 2010-11 was assessed at Rs 12.91 lakh with a 7 per cent increase per annum, it could not be implemented as the Finance Department had proposed it for three years, whereas the lease was for five years.

Chandigarh, August 12
The Chandigarh Administration has turned down local MP Kirron Kher’s request for a red beacon and a hooter.

Last month, Kirron had written to the UT Deputy Commissioner, seeking a red beacon and a hooter for her vehicle. The office of the Deputy Commissioner had forwarded the case to the UT traffic police for permission.

A senior official said they had received the request from the MP, but according to a Supreme Court order, an MP was not entitled to a red beacon and a hooter. On the basis of the Supreme Court ruling, Kirron's demand had been rejected.

On December 10, the Supreme Court had banned the use of red beacon with flashers on all vehicles, except for those used by high dignitaries holding constitutional posts.

In March this year, the UT Administration had issued a notification, according to which, the UT Adviser, the Home Secretary, the Finance Secretary, the Mayor and the IGP were authorised to use a red beacon. The MP’s name was not mentioned in the list.

According to the notification, “Officials who are responsible for the maintenance of law and order and require unhindered access to the road for performing their duties -- the DC, the ADC and SDMs -- are to be allowed the use of a blue beacon on their official vehicles.”

Chandigarh, August 12
Nearly three months have passed since the Lok Sabha election results were declared on May 16, but newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) Kirron Kher has spent only 15 days in Chandigarh, the constituency, which she represents in Parliament.

Bollywood celebrity Kirron Kher made a spectacular debut in Parliament after defeating a former Union Railways Minister and Congress candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal and Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate actor Gul Panag, another Bollywood celebrity, from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. Kher had defeated Bansal with a record margin of 69,642 votes.

After the Lok Sabha election results, Kirron Kher had mostly spent time in Delhi and Mumbai. In Mumbai, she was busy with her film shooting.

Now, Kher is coming to city on August 14 and she will also attend the Independence Day function on August 15 at the Parade Ground, Sector 17. Thereafter, she will also attend ‘At Home’ function at Punjab Raj Bhawan on August 15.

In Chandigarh, Kher spent six days in May, one day in June and eight days in July. She also attended various functions and held ‘public darbar’ at the BJP office in Sector 33.

Though BJP leaders and Kirron Kher’s staff is there in city to deal with the problems of residents, still the residents who want to be directly keep in touch with Kirron Kher have to wait for her to come to the city.

More importantly, on June 8, when a fire broke out at the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) building in Sector 17 in which two firefighters had died, Kirron Kher was not there in the city.

A controversy had also arisen when officials of the UT Administration and Kirron Kher came at loggerheads over finalising dates for the Administrator’s Advisory Council (AAC) meeting.

Chandigarh, August 12
The Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, constituted the new governing body of the PGIMER and selected MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra, Vinod Khanna and Kirron Kher as its members.

Chandumajra is SAD MP from Anandpur Sahib while Vinod Khanna and Kirron Kher are BJP MPs from Gurdaspur and Chandigarh, respectively. They will now be a part of the highest decision making body of the PGI.

The committee is headed by Dr Harsh Vardhan with PGI’s senior functionaries being its default members.

Earlier, Vijay Inder Singla, a former Congress MP from Sangrur in Punjab, and Anurag Thakur, the MP from Hamirpur constituency in Himachal Pradesh, were members of the governing body.

The committee meets once a year. This year, the meeting was expected to be held within a month, said sources.

“It is another opportunity for me to serve people by contributing to the decisions for patients’ welfare,” said Chandumajra.

Chandigarh, August 12
The International Left Handers’ Day will be celebrated at the PGIMER tomorrow.

The event, being organised by the Department of Paediatrics and the Division of School Health, UT Administration, has received support of the Nanhi Jaan, an NGO, and State Bank of India (Medical Institute Chandigarh).

Students and teachers from various schools of Chandigarh will participate in a workshop and a seminar to be organised on the occasion. Dr Bhavneet Bharti, associate professor, Department of Paediatrics, will dispel myths associated with left-handedness in Indian society.

Panchkula, August 12
Several parts of Panchkula, got submerged in a downpour lasting just one-and-a-half hour, here today. Not just houses and vehicles of the residents in various sectors but even the ‘planned’ basement of General Hospital building in Sector 6 were found inundated. Stocks of medicines, general store manned by a pharmacist and the medical records department all in the basement were found inundated this morning.

Doctors said, some of the records also got spoilt in the rain.The building has been constructed recently which raises question about its planning.

The same has exposed the tall claims of monsoon preparations by the Haryana Urban Devlopment Authority and Municipal Corporation (MC).

The worst affected were residents of Sectors 10, 11 and 19 who were shocked to see their cars parked outside in ankle-deep water.

Dr Neeru, a resident of Sector 10, had to get her new car towed by the company people. “In the morning when I went out, I was shocked to see muddy water in my new Hyundai Accent car. I immediately called up the company people who alerted me saying that I should not start the ignition as the water in the engine may lead to an untoward incident. They came and towed away my vehicle.”

The resident had also met the Chief Minister last year in this regard after she failed to get any response by the local administration. But to no avail.

Two more cars of residents in her neighbourhood met with the same fate. However, the victims managed to take water out of their vehicles.

“The problem is an yearly feature. Why is the administration not listening to us? We are always at the receiving end. Our household goods and vehicles have been spoilt many times,” said VK Sharma, a resident of Sector 10.

A similar situation prevailed in the houses in Sector 19. Meanwhile, MC authorities said the sweepers dumped garbage in gullies causing obstruction, but they were looking into the matter.

JS Beniwal, Subdivisional Officer, HUDA, claimed that to restrict rain water from entering sectors, they had constructed bulges at three entry points and the fourth one was under construction. 

Chandigarh, August 12
While Chandigarh and Mohali are facing weak monsoon due to which the humidity level has increased to 75 per cent which is maximum in the last 10 days, Panchkula residents are lucky to have received 30 mm of rain last night.

As per the Met record, it drizzled in Chandigarh today but the chances of rain in the next 48 hours are bleak. So there will be no relief for residents from humid weather. Met department director Surinder Pal Singh said that there were chances of isolated rain on Thursday but not much was expected as the city is experiencing weak monsoon this year. There is about 56 per cent less rainfall this monsoon in the city. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 12
A month after he joined as the UT Director Health Services (DHS), Dr VK Gagneja, said his prime goal in the tenure would be to bring referral system among dispensaries, two multi-specialty hospitals- GMSH-16 and GMCH-32 and a tertiary care hospital – PGIMER.

Gagneja said his priority was de-congest Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, and improve the response time of ambulances in the city. Taking cues from the 108- ambulance system in Punjab and having served as the Director Health Mission, Punjab, before joining the UT as the DHS, he said that he would seek the help of Punjab Government for expediting the system here.

Implementation of referral system

“We have started the referral system in maternal care. Of all cases that come to our primary health centres and in the Sector 22 Civil Block, we segregate the complicated ones and directly refer them to PGIMER or GMSH-16 depending upon the complications assessed. Our doctors directly get in touch with experts in both hospitals. There is also a system of back referral after the patient is stabilised and requires nursing. We are soon going to start the referral system in neo-natal care (newborn babies) and add GMCH-32 also in the loop. Gradually we aim to expand the practice in all specialties.”

Improve ambulance services

“We are already in the process of procuring 10 -upport ambulances, including advanced life support ambulances, as well. We will take the help from the Punjab Health Departmen in implementing the 108 ambulance model. Also, for all kind of ambulance services in the city, we will eventually launch one common phone-line. Though our ambulances have a GPS system, we need to set up a control room for tracking the location of the ambulance nearest to the caller’s location. This system is currently in practice in Haryana.”

Will check shortage of medicines

“The best solution for ensuring stocks of medicines is an online inventory system. Though Chandigarh is a small city and quantity of medicines purchased is relatively smaller, we will evolve some system that instantly tells us whenever the stocks of medicines are about to finish.”

Strengthening of periphery health centres

“We have high hopes of bringing down the patient load from southern sectors at GMCH-32 and GMSH-16. Within three months we will be able to appoint three doctors at our 50-bed hospital in Sector 45. We have got the approval so we will be soon appointing a gynecologist, pediatrician and physician. Our Mani Majra hospital has already taken away a significant amount of load from the city hospitals.”

Strengthening food safety cell

We have strengthened our food safety cell by adding designated officers and an independent vehicle is being procured so that raid can be carried out at an outlet immediately after a complaint is given.

Mohali, August 12
The ‘insensitivity’ or callous attitude of government doctors came to the fore when they were about send an unidentified 45-year-old paralysed man to a privately run home for the destitute without providing him proper treatment at Civil Hospital at Phase VI, here today.

The man was brought at the hospital by 108 Ambulance officials on July 23. The ailing person was lifted from a roadside, said the authorities at the hospital.

Apparently, by admitting the destitute in the hospital, the authorities completed just a formality, as he was not given proper treatment.

“In such a case, we first conduct a CT scan or an MRI of the patient. Even after 20 days, the doctors here are yet to conduct tests”, admitted a doctor at the hospital on the condition of anonymity.

Doctors, who were attending the man at the hospital, admitted that a CT scan had not yet been conducted in the case. “Here, we have no facility of CT scan or MRI. We have no funds so we could not get his CT scan done from outside”, said the doctors.

When asked as to why he (the man) was being sent to Prabh Asra, a doctor said that at Prabh Asra better care would be taken.

When asked if ‘Prabh Asra’ had better medical facilities than the Civil Hospital, the doctor did not say any thing.

The man was being treated in the Medicine Department, which is being headed by a Senior Medical Officer.

Zirakpur, August 12
An unidentified youth lost his life in an accident on the ‘killer’ Kalka-Ambala road here this morning. This is the third fatal mishap on the highway in the last four days.

The youth was riding a bicycle and was crossing the National Highway at Singhpura crossing when a Tata Qualis (HR-56-7166) heading towards Dera Bassi reportedly knocked him down.

Eyewitnesses said the driver of the Tata Qualis lost control over the wheel after the accident, following which the vehicle overturned into a trench on the roadside. The driver, reportedly a manager with a private company, sustained minor injuries.

The critically injured cyclist was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi, where doctors declared him dead.

Investigating officer (IO) ASI Anoop Singh said the victim was wearing a black trouser and a white shirt with purple strips. He appeared to be about 35 years of age and was well built. He could be an employee of a private security agency in the area, as he was wearing a belt of the agency, the IO revealed.

Meanwhile, the body has been preserved at the Civil Hospital for next 72 hours for the purpose of identification. Though the police have impounded the Tata Qualis, no case was registered in this regard so far.

The IO claimed that a case would be registered only after the deceased’s family member records statement.

Earlier, on Friday night, a girl, who was riding pillion on a scooter being driven by her father, died as an unidentified vehicle rammed into the scooter on the railway overbridge (ROB) here.

On Monday, a septuagenarian woman of Magran village was crushed under an unidentified truck on the highway in Dappar village. Lajwanti (70) was crossing the highway along with her son when the accident took place.

The police have failed to trace the vehicles involved in these two hit-and-run cases.

Mohali, August 12
The Municipal Corporation (MC) has banned pitching tents at parking lots here. From now on, prior permission from the civic body will be required for the purpose.

MC Commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta said visitors faced problems in parking their vehicles in markets due to pitching of tents. He said the decision to ban putting up of tents was taken after a meeting with representatives of the market associations.

Action would be taken against violators. If any person puts up a tent without MC’s permission, the tent would be removed by the corporation and the expenses incurred on it would have to be borne by the offender, added the Commissioner.

Chandigarh, August 12
In a step that will boost the efficiency and increase police presence in the city, 59 motorcycles were inducted into the UT police today. The motorcycles were launched amidst a colourful event inaugurated by UT Adviser KK Sharma.

Besides, 50 motorcycles of TVS Apache brand, two recovery vans and nine bullet motorcycles were flagged off today. These motorcycles have been added against condemnation of 92 vehicles. Efforts are being made to procure the remaining vehicles as and when more funds are released by the Centre. These vehicles have been purchased due to better mileage and high pick-up as compared to greater fuel consumption of Royal Enfield bullet motorcycles.

Most of these vehicles will be made available to the police stations, police posts, PCR, the Chandigarh Traffic Police and the security wing to augment their efficiency. These will enable the PCR to respond better to distress calls by reducing the time taken to reach the spot in congested streets of various colonies and villages. Besides, two new recovery vans have also been inducted into the UT Traffic Police, said IGP RP Upadhyaya.

Sharma said the bikes would go a long way in boosting infrastructure of the UT police. While addressing to some issues within the police, the Adviser said that he along with IGP was trying their level best to settle the issue of promotion of some inspectors to the DSP level.

Chandigarh, August 12
The Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) today announced its panel for the campus.

Amninder Mann, president of SOPU, announced Amrit Kaleka as the campus president and Tarun Pilot of the Department of Ancient History as the vice-president (North Campus).

Giving representation to girl students, SOPU announced Rimpi Soni of the Department of UIAMS as the vice-president (South Campus). Vishwas Girdhar of the UIET has been appointed as the vice-president (South Campus).

Amninder said Students Organisation of Panjab University would contest the elections independently and it was not associated or under the control of any other student organisation on the university campus.

Amninder said his party had worked a lot for the welfare of students and they would continue to do so in future also.

He alleged that the university authorities were not working fairly and seemed to be acting as per the instructions of political leaders.

Chandigarh, August 12
The Panjab University authorities today issued notices to two student parties for violating the pre-election code of conduct.

The university authorities served a notice to the National Student Organisation (NSO) for pasting posters on sites not allotted to them on the campus.

After the report about a car rally organised by the NSUI from the North to South Campus in the university, the authorities served them a notice.

Navdeep Goyal, Dean Students Welfare, PU, said both parties had been served notices for violating the pre-election code of conduct.

He said action would also be taken against SOPU for inviting outsiders to hold the car rally without taking prior permission from the PU authorities.

Chandigarh, August 12
Just four hours after an official announcement was made by the NSUI that Sukhjot Singh, sitting president of the ABVP, Panjab University, had joined their party, the latter refuted the claims.

Sukhjot said he was still with the ABVP and alleged that NSUI leaders were pressing him to join their party.

This evening, a formal announcement was made by NSUI national president Rozy M John that the sitting president of the ABVP had joined their party.

Later in the evening, Sukhjot called mediapersons and alleged that NSUI leaders blackmailed him when he was in Kurukshetra to attend a rally for the Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections.

Sukhjot alleged that he was being forced by NSUI leaders to join their party.

During an interaction with the media, Rozy M John claimed that the NSUI would win with a big margin in the upcoming elections.

Chandigarh, August 12
Panjab University is adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards the involvement of outsiders on the campus during student council elections.

This was stated by Prabhpreet Singh, campus president, Student Federation of India (SFI), today.

Prabhpreet Singh said the authorities had not taken any stringent action against the violators due to which students parties were involving them in such activities.

He questioned why the SOI, which claims to have started student elections in Punjab, had failed to fulfil the promises when the SAD, which supports it, was in power.

He also questioned why NSUI, which had promised to start student elections in Haryana, had failed to take any decision in this regard so far.

He said the SOI should clear whether they support Youth Akali Dal president and Punjab Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia whose name is involved in the drug trafficking case.

Chandigarh, August 12
The UT Education Department is all set to conduct a recruitment drive for 1,130 posts of educationists.

Officials from the Education Department said: “The department has cleared all formalities and has sent the proposal to the Governor for final approval. Within a week’s time, the proposal is expected to get cleared”.

The authorities said the department had proposed a simpler process for recruitment, besides having basic qualification. Qualifying for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET), the candidate would now only have to appear for two written papers - general awareness and subject.

The authorities also said the process was simplified in order to bring in more transparency.

According to information, the department would conduct the recruitment drive for 1,108 posts of teacher, which include 683 posts for master, 342 posts for Junior Basic Training (JBT) (primary teacher) and 83 posts of nursery teacher training.

Also the department would recruit 22 administrative posts, including one post for director (school education), deputy director (school education), deputy director (administration), deputy controller (F&A), section officer each, along with eight posts for senior assistant and clerks.

“Earlier when there was weightage for experience, qualification and other parameters candidates use to get forged certificates, but with the elimination of these parameters there will be more transparency and the candidates will be purely selected on a merit basis,” said one of the officials.

As per sources, now only two papers, general awareness and subject, of 100 marks each would be held in two phases - morning and evening - on a single day.

Chandigarh, August 12
Students from Vivek High School, Sector 38, here would attend the Global Social Leaders Programme in Berkshire, UK, the school authorities said today.

The authorities said the 10-day programme would conclude on August 22. Nine students from the school, accompanied by Vice-Principal Renu Puri, would be a part of the leadership programme at Wellington College, Berkshire.

The theme of the programme is “Think Globally, Act Socially, Start Here”.

The students will have to create a social action project to address the local cause that they are passionate about.

The schedule will include leadership awareness, discussion on global issues, guest speakers on a variety of issues and topics, visits to community project sites, micro loan project work and workshops on project management.

Students from Jordan, Australia, Canada, UK, Thailand and South Africa would also attend the leadership programme.