Chandigarh, September 30
A 24-year-old woman died after she was crushed under the rear wheels of a bus of a private university between the Kalagram and the Railway light points this morning.

This is the fourth fatal accident reported on this stretch of road in the last 15 days.

The police said the victim identified as Yamini Lamba, a physiotherapist working with a private hospital, was residing in Sector 7, Panchkula.

The victim and the bus were moving towards Chandigarh when the accident took place. The police said that the bus hit the victim following which she fell on the road. Her head was crushed under rear wheels of the bus. She was wearing helmet at the time of accident.

The victim was rushed to the PGI where doctors declared her brought dead.

ASP Parminder Singh said that the victim hailed from Hisar and her parents were informed about the accident. “Through the victim’s mobile we located her family’s number and informed them”, the ASP added.

The ASP further said that the accused driver, Lakhbir Singh, was arrested and a case against him was registered at the Mani Majra police station.The accused has been booked under Sections 279 (rash driving) and 304 A (causing death by negligence)of the Indian Penal Code.

In the evening, the victim’s family members also reached the city. The victim’s body was shifted to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, where the autopsy would be conducted on Wednesday, before handing over the body to the family.

Chandigarh, September 30
With an extended weekend starting Thursday (October 2), there are apprehensions in the minds of residents that they will not be able to carry out money transactions with banks closed on these days. Banks, however, clarified today that ATMs and netbanking services will not be affected.

Banking transactions, however, will be hit back-to-back as there is not much clarity as to whether October 4 (Saturday) will be observed as a complete working day in all banks. A bank official requesting anonymity said, “Many workers are on leave on Saturday. We don’t know whether Id-Ul-Zuha on Monday (October 6) will be a working day.The ATMs, however, will be loaded frequently to avoid public inconvenience.”

“Though we are closed on October 2 and 3, the services of ATM and net-banking will remain unaffected. The transactions through ATMs are highest in the first few days of the month. Only bank counters will be closed,” said Rajinder Wali, vice-president, All-India Bank Officers’ Confederation.

The extended weekend bringing the festive colour of Dasehra and falling in the first week of the month have brought apprehensions in the minds of the residents that ATMs may not be re-loaded due to holidays falling in between.

Manjit Kaur, an IT professional from the city, who is happy that her holidays will coincincide with those of her school-going children said, “We are planning to go to Shimla and relax. In fact, the children will not be given holiday homework as the holidays are unplanned. We are not too sure whether the banks will remain open on these days or not so we took out cash in advance for travelling.”All public and private institutions will be closed.

Chandigarh, September 30
With the Adviser to the UT Administrator, KK Sharma, on the exit mode after his transfer as the Chief Secretary of Goa, the issue of Haryana and Punjab-cadre officers getting due representation in the distribution of portfolios has surfaced once again.

Not only the issue of maintaining the ratio of 60:40 between the officers from Punjab and Haryana in Chandigarh Administration is being demanded, Punjab is now staking claim to the post of the UT Adviser.

A senior official in the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office said the issue was being taken up with the Centre. “With the BJP government in the saddle, things could be easy for the SAD government compared to the previous UPA government”, said an official.

Haryama Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has already written to the Ministry of Home Affairs, demanding that the post of UT Adviser be rotated between the states of Punjab and Haryana, and no officer from the AGMUT cadre of the IAS should be posted against the post in Chandigarh.

The issue was taken up by Hooda after the UT Home Secretary, Anil Kumar, a 1988-cadre Haryana cadre officer, had written to the former stating that interest of Haryana state were being jeopardised by the decisions being taken up by the Chandigarh Administration. The protest had been lodged after important departments were taken away from the Home Secretary and given to officers from Arunachal Goa Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre officers.

But with the forthcoming change of guard, murmurs of restoring the portfolios of the Home Secretary are being heard in the corridors of power. As the Ministry of Home Affairs has already cleared the name of KK Sharma as the Goa’s Chief Secretary, who is expected to join the new assignment soon, and by the time the new Adviser joins, the UT Home Secretary is expected to be given the charge of the Adviser as he is the senior most official in the Union Territory.

In the past also, the charge of the UT Adviser was held by former Home Secretary, RS Gujral, for over four months when the then Adviser, Varinder Singh was transferred out.

Mohali, September 30
In the DSP Gurbans Singh Bains case, the Mohali court today asked the state to file the Punjab special investigating team’s(SIT) report or reply on the status of the report on the next hearing.

The defence counsels Sumesh Jain and SC Gupta said they had filed an application in this regard on the previous date in which they requested the court to issue directions to the state to file the SIT report, prepared by a four-member team of the Punjab Police.

The trial in the case is being held in the court of Mohali Additional District and Session’s judge Tarsem Mangla.

“Today, the public prosecutor sought the time and assured that either the reply on the status of the SIT report or the report in question would be submitted in the court on the next hearing, set for October 15”, said Sumesh Jain, while talking to Chandigarh Tribune.

The SIT had already submitted its report in the case to the Patiala Zone IG PS Gill, a fortnight ago. In its report, the SIT is said to have given a clean chit to DSP Bains and recommended to absolve him (Bains) of the charges. Today, DSP Bains and five witnesses were present in the court. The cross-examination of three witnesses, Reeta Chopra and Paraas Gupta, both bank officials and Nitin Sharma, who shot video movie of opening of bank lockers of Bains, took place. Jasmeet Singh, the independent witness and Sham Lal, who broke open the lockers of Bains, were given by the public prosecutor today.

Clubs under UT radar All clubs, including the Chandigarh Golf Club, Chandigarh Club and Central Club, are under the radar of the UT Administration. Since there is a huge difference in the lease amount of various clubs as compared to their area, the UT is now trying to frame a uniform policy for all clubs.

Chandigarh, September 30
Tightening its noose around various clubs in the city, the UT Administration has now sought report on building violations by these clubs.

A senior official of the UT Administration said directions had been issued to the UT Engineering Department and the Estate Office to submit report in this regard.

At present, the UT Administration is at loggerheads with prominent clubs such as the Chandigarh Golf Club, the Chandigarh Club and the Central Club over the issue of renewal of lease.

Recently, the UT Administration had also decided to sign short-term lease pacts of three years with the clubs instead of long-term lease agreements.

At present, the matter related to the renewal of the lease of the Chandigarh Golf Club is pending before the court. The UT Administration is also in the process of renewing the lease of the Chandigarh Club.

Since the UT Administration has proposed a huge hike in the lease amount of various clubs, the managements of these clubs have opposed it, maintaining that the clubs are promoting sports. Besides, they are not carrying out any commercial activities.

Chandigarh, September 30
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), today gave clearance to the UT Administration’s application seeking UNESCO heritage status for the City Beautiful.

UT Adviser KK Sharma said, “The MHA has sent a letter to the Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Cultural Affairs stating that clearance has been given to the application of the UT Administration.”

This brings a ray of hope to get the prestigious UNESCO heritage status for certain buildings designed by French architect Le Corbusier.

After a failed attempt in 2006 to get the status for the city, the UT is now vying to get it for architectural masterpieces in the Capitol Complex.

“Only the original parts of the Civil Secretariat and the Punjab and Haryana High Court will be added to the list. The two buildings will be living models unlike other heritage buildings that remain unoccupied,” said officials.

In 2006, the Administration had prepared a dossier but did not succeed as the case had not been routed through the Centre. Once the UT succeeds in getting the heritage status, the UNESCO will provide technical and financial aid in preserving the heritage buildings.

Mohali/Panchkula, September 30
High inflation has cast a shadow on ‘Ravana’. The high cost of material has forced the Dasehra committees at Panchkula and Mohali to reduce the height of Ravana’s effigies this year.

Earlier, the Dasehra committees used to increase the height of structure by one-two feet every year. But this time, the height of Ravana’s statue will be the same like the previous year.

“Due to high cost of material, our budget has already increased. So we’ve decided to go with the same height of Ravana this year”, said Madhu Bhushan, president, Mohali Dasehra Committee (MDC), which organises Dasehra festival at the Dasehra Ground in Phase VIII every year.

A similar view was expressed by Vishnu Goel, chairman, Mansa Devi Charitable and Development Trust, which organises the main Dasehra function at the Parade Ground, Sector 5, every year.

Notably, the committee members claimed that they used to increase Ravana’s height by two-three feet every year.

In Mohali, the height of Ravana will be 80 feet, while in Panchkula, it will be 55 feet (last year, the height was same at both the places).

Meanwhile, the Ravana at Panchkula will be high-tech this time. “The Ravana will be operated by a remote control. We will make his eyes glow in different colours, move his swords in all directions and burst the crackers”, said Goel.

The budget of the Dasehra festival at Mohali is around Rs 8 lakh, around Rs 3 lakh more than that of last year. The committee at Panchkula has stuck to its last year’s budget of Rs 4 lakh.

Chandigarh, September 30
Unlike their counterparts at Mohali and Panchkula, the organisers of the Dasehra festival in Chandigarh are in no mood to compromise on Ravana’s height.

“Our budget has increased manifold but our Ravana would be three feet taller this year than the previous year. In 2013, it was 80 feet high and this year, our Ravana will be 83 feet tall (also the highest in Chandigarh)”, said Jatinder Bhatia, president of the Sanatan Dharam Dasehra Committee, Sector 46.

Rohit Sharma, vice-chairman of the National Ajad Dramatic Club, Mani Majra said, “Till last year, the cost of Ravana’s figure was 38 feet. But this year, we have further raised it to 42 feet. Though we had to spend an extra Rs 50,000, we did not compromise. To make our Ravana look unique, we’ve also put a rotating head on it.”

Rajinder Bagga, assistant director, Sector 17 Parade Ground Ramlila, claimed, “This year, our group had to bear the brunt of high inflation. But we’ve increased the height of Ravana’s effigy from 60 feet to 65 feet by shelling out Rs 25,000 more than last year.”

The city-based organisers claimed that this year instead of the traditional way of lighting the effigy with fire they would use remote controls for the purpose.

Chandigarh, September 30
On the fourth day of the 9th International Youth Peace Fest, a colourful Dandiya Raas was organised at Kalagram. A delegation from Pakistan also visited DAV Senior Secondary School (Lahore), Sector 8.

The American Gandhi, the brand Ambassador of IYPF-2014, Bernie Meyer, joined the international delegates at the valedictory session of the two-day, ‘SAARC Youth Leadership Summit’ at Panjab University where former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and visionary of Uganda Dr HP Dawda shared their ideas with the participants.

Meyer said, “Mahatma Gandhi sacrificed his life for supporting the movement for unity in South Asian countries, his dreams of communal harmony, Satyagraha, Swaraj and Antodaya.”

A colourful Dandiya Raas was organised by the NZCC at Kalagram for the delegates from Pakistan.

DAV Senior Secondary School (Lahore), Sector 8, was initially opened in Lahore but following the partition of India and Pakistan, it was relocated to Chandigarh. However, ‘Lahore’ is still carried in the school’s name.

Chandigarh, September 30
A resident of Agra recently called up the local helpline number of an NGO — HelpAge India — to inquire about a vacancy at the Chandigarh Old Age Home as his 75-year-old mother wanted to make the city her new abode.

However, she was disappointed that there was no such arrangement in Chandigarh. When an NGO official suggested her a similar facility in Punjab, the elderly woman denied shifting there.

The helpline received another call from an 80-year-old resident of Uttarakhand. When the officials denied having any such facility, the elderly man offered to pay rent for the room at the Old Age Home in Chandigarh.

These are not the lone incidents of their kind.

Several instances of senior citizens approaching the local authorities or senior citizen NGOs for old age home facility in Chandigarh have come to the fore.

Records of HelpAge India revealed that in a fortnight, they had received about 10 to 15 calls from the central Indian states regarding old age home facility in Chandigarh. The authorities have received calls from New Delhi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

In fact, the old age homes — being run by the government — have also received similar queries from senior citizens. However, the facilities in Sectors 15 and 43 are already packed to the hilt.

“Recently our NGO proposed to MP Kirron Kher to provide us more land in the city so that we can develop an old age home to accommodate more elderly persons. But we’ve not received any response from the UT Administration till date,” added Sharma.

Mohali, September 30
The Mohali police today recorded the statement of Rashmi Negi, the woman accused, along with the Punjab Police suspended Inspector General, Gautam Cheema, and Ajay Chaudhary in the Krispy Khaira’s molestation case.

Talking to mediapersons after recording her statement in the case at the Mohali police headquarter in Phase I this afternoon, Negi alleged that she was falsely implicated in the case by the Mohali police.

“The so-called victims have not taken my name in their statements. I am shocked on which basis the Mohali police has involved me in the case,” Negi alleged.

She also alleged that the police was favouring Krispy by not registering any case against her while around 40 complaints of cheating and fraud have been lying pending with the police. “I will sit on dharna in front of the office of the Mohali SSP if action in this direction will not be taken against her (Krispy) in two days,” said Negi while adding that she would also meet Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal tomorrow.

Chandigarh, September 30
In perhaps first of its kind in Asia, a Mohali-based hospital today launched a Digital Orthopaedic Suite, having performed over 300 surgeries using the system. The system adds precision to surgeries by allowing to measure size of implants required in knee and hip joint replacement, virtual implanting ahead of actual implantation. It also reflects images of surgery to check correct angles of incision.

Max Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH), Mohali, launched the suite. It works on the revolutionary concept of utilisation of digital patient data to review, plan and execute the entire orthopaedic procedure at the touch of a figure.

Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal launched the suite, in presence of Analjit Singh, chairman-Max India Limited and chairman– Emeritus, along with Rahul Khosla, MD- Max India Limited and Dr Manuj Wadhwa, director and head, Max Elite Institute of Orthopaedics and Joint replacement at MSSH, Mohali.

With this facility, Max Hospital would be at par with international hospitals in terms of technology besides helping in boosting medical tourism to the tricity due to cost and technology advantage, said Dr Wadhwa.

Highlights Tailor-made digital surgical planning for all patients Joint implants are planned pre-operatively for perfect size and positioning as per anatomy of the patient Allows minimally invasive surgeries with least pain, blood loss and flexibility almost like a natural knee

Chandigarh, September 30
Move over vegetables and towels being sold at “per kilogram” rate. In a new low for the book industry, a stall at an exhibition in Sector 34 is selling costly books including classic coffee table books at mere Rs 200 per kg.

Heaps of books by heavyweight writers like Dostoevsky, Gorky, Lawrence and Rudyard Kipling besides those by some modern writers and bulky books on nature, animal life and wars carrying rare pictures are up for grabs at the stall.

The seller, Sanjay Mittal, said he was pained to see the plight of these books, but was helpless.

“A book worth Rs 750 was just sold at Rs 40 as per its weight. The distributor and the publisher were spending a lot to keep these books in stores. Even I was paying rent to keep this stock in a store, but there were no readers,” he said.

Sunil Kumar, who carried two bags of books, said he was delighted to get rare books at throwaway prices.

“These all are collector items,” he said.

Some second-hand books are also being sold at the stall. Another buyer, Harnam Singh, said he wanted books for a library in a village and bought books in bulk.

Mittal said the number of buyers for print editions, both hard cover and paperback, was decreasing in the “Google world”, but book reading was still popular.

“Google provides a peep into books and we get to read free books on internet or e-readers such as Kindle,” he said

Mittal said with several online sites selling books at discounted rates, the off-the-counter sale of books was hit.

“Selling books at per-kilo rate will continue,” he said.

Mohali, September 30
Shri Sanatan Dharm Sabha, Phase IX, Mohali, conducted elections to elect its office-bearers.

The elections were held under the supervision of Roshan Lal Saili.

Hardev Singh Rana has been elected as the president of the Sanatan Dharm Sabha while Rakesh Kumar as general secretary and BC Gupta as the cashier of the sabha. — TNS

Chandigarh, September 30
It seems the UT Police have failed to curb snatching incidents in the city as another woman fell prey to snatchers in Sector 19 here today. Unidentified motorcycle-borne miscreants targeted the woman.

The police said, Anupam, resident of Sector 19, claimed that her gold chain was snatched near the market.

This has exposed the UT police’s claims of setting up nakas at different locations. As many as 16 snatching cases have been reported in the city in the past 15 days.

Over 75 snatchings have been reported this year till now.

AS Cheema, DIG, UT, said, “Though there has been a spurt in snatching incidents in the last few days, we have been able to bring these down.” The DIG said nakas were being set up at strategic locations to nab the accused.

Chandigarh, September 30
Soon, local students of Panjab University may be able to avail themselves of various services provided by the varsity at e-Sampark centres in the city.

The university plans to provide the students with smart cards that can be used at the e-Sampark centres to deposit fee, upload their information, submit forms, scan signatures and make any query related to the university.

The proposal for issuing these smart cards was made at a recent Syndicate meeting. Sources said the UT Director Higher Education, Sandeep Hans, was also in favour of starting this service at e-Sampark centres of the city. PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said in the meeting that the authorities would look into the proposal and draft a plan for it.

It was proposed that a special counter be set up at the centre where students could avail themselves of various varsity-related services. The university has already approved a similar proposal for post offices in Punjab and Chandigarh, but it was held back for the time being after the new proposal made by a Syndicate member.

An official said the varsity would be providing data of all students to the postal department to be uploaded on its network. Records of the postal department revealed that there are around 3,500 post offices in Punjab and around 60,000 students have been enrolled in Punjab under various courses.

PU Controller of Examination Parvinder Singh said the proposal for providing services at e-Sampark centres was mooted last month. The work on it would start after the approval, he said, adding that the university had already signed an MoU with the postal department to facilitate students.

Chandigarh, September 30
The Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, has become the first educational institute in the city to have a day care centre for children of the staff.

Director Higher Education, UT, Sandeep Hans inaugurated the centre that is equipped with all modern facilities. Constructed with safety of children in mind, the centre houses skid-resistant and shock-resistant flooring besides spacious cribs, sofas and other furniture suitable for the needs of children up to the age of six years.

A television and home-theatre system has been installed for the children’s entertainment, while the kitchen is equipped with a microwave oven, refrigerator and water purifier. There is also a play station and sand pit for children to play games.

Principal Achila Dogra said a number of employees will be able to avail themselves of the facility.

Chandigarh, September 30
The marketing brochure of PECFEST’14, the annual cultural and technical fest of the PEC University of Technology, was unveiled today. The fest will champion the cause of women’s safety this year.

The institute’s deputy director, Prof Sanjeev Sofat, released the brochure of the event to be held from October 31 to November 3.

After the unveiling of the cause, a short video was shown to illustrate the plight of women in India.

This year, the fest will also see the coming together of the college’s cultural and technical fests.

Chandigarh, September 30
On the fourth day of World Tourism Week, a painting competition was held at the Garden of Palms, Sector 42. Around 200 students from various government schools drew paintings on the theme “tourist spots in the city”.

While Rohit of GHS-32 bagged the first prize, Hari Om of GMSSS-15 and Anmol Sharma of GMSSS-37 came second and third respectively. The consolation prizes went to Sandeep (GHS-32), Tanya (GMSSS-21), Jagdeep Kumar (GMSSS-15), Sangeeta Patra (GMS-40) and Sabha (GMSSS-37).

As the Sector 17 Plaza, the photography exhibition witnessed a large number of visitors. A street play to make the youth aware of the “Facebook addiction” was also performed there.

A “Hasaya Kavi Sammelan” saw jam-packed audience at Tagore Theatre. Noted “hasya” poets Arun Gemini, Hukka Bijnori, Dr Mohinder Sharma and Jagjit Sufi besides stand-up comedians Shambhu Sikhar and Yusaf Bhardwaj entertained the audience.

CITCO offered special discounts at their units and live singing was also arranged in many hotels to mark the special week.