Chandigarh, October 8
The UT Administration’s tall claims of facilitating residents by providing them advance appointments with doctors at GMSH-16 and GMCH-32 have fallen flat, going by the investigations carried out by the Chandigarh Tribune.

In a classic example of putting the cart before the horse, the UT Administration launched the module at its 12 e-Sampark Centres and 13 Gram Sampark centres without paying much heed to the fact whether the hospitals had deviced any mechanism to give approval for appointments or atleast receive intimation on appointments issued at the e-Sampark Centres.

While the service was launched with much fanfare a few years ago, not only to bring down abrupt patient load in OPDs at the two hospitals but also save patients from the tedious process of standing in long queues at registration counters and then outside the OPDs.

This correspondent posed as a patient’s attendant and sought appointment at two different e-Sampark centres on different occasions in the past two weeks. The investigations revealed that the system of communication between the e-Sampark Centres and hospitals was just one-sided.

Investigations

While an appointment with a specific doctor on a suitable date and day was provided, there was no mechanism to check the availability of doctors. On September 24, this reporter visited the e-Sampark Centre at Sector 18 and posed as a patient’s attendant showing the registration card. On request, the officials issued an appointment for September 30 for a desired department (name withheld) at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, from10am to 11am. When asked about the availability of the doctor, the official said, “To enquire ring up at the hospital.”

Upon visiting the department, it was found that the doctor available in the department was surprised to know that an appointment was sought with him. Though, the doctor (name withheld) agreed to see the elderly patient considering the ordeal, the reporter later revealed her identity.

On Tuesday (October 7), the Chandigarh Tribune team visited the e-Sampark Centre in Sector 10 and asked for an appointment again. When asked how the availability of doctor could be confirmed before taking the patient to the hospital, the official said, “Our reach is limited to issuing appointments. Whoever will be available will see your patient.”

Chandigarh, October 8
After sudden high-velocity winds swept the tricity followed by rain this evening, residents could feel the chill in the air. Met forecast predicts a clear sky over the next three days followed by rain on October 13, dipping the temperature further next week. Light shower is expected at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours. The storm in the evening brought down the temperature by three degree in the city.

Children run for cover after a dust storm hit Mohali on Wednesday. Tribune photo Vicky Gharu

The maximum temperature was recorded at 35 degree Celsius, which is three degrees below the normal, whereas the minimum was 22.5 degrees Celsius, which is five notches below the normal temperature. The maximum speed of the storm was recorded to be 65 km per hour early this morning, said an official of the Meteorological Department.

As per the forecast of the Met Department, the maximum temperature tomorrow will be 33 degree Celsius which is five notches below the normal and minimum temperature 22 degree Celsius which is five notches below the normal.

Met department director Surinder Pal Singh said that due to western disturbance and snow fall in the upper parts of Himachal Pardesh there was rain in the periphery areas of the city. He said tomorrow the weather would be clear but there would be dip in the normal day and night temperature.

Though the storm also brought some respite from the afternoon humidity, it uprooted several trees in the city.

The storm resulted in power cuts in several parts of the tricity. 

Earlier, parents had sold her for Rs 20,000

Earlier, the victim with the help of her friend had approached the Panchkula police to complain that she was sold for Rs 20,000 for a week to a person in Zirakpur. Bal Sadan officials said the victim went about her routine normally and had no altercation with any inmate. 

Chandigarh, October 8
The Urban Planning Department of the UT Administration has proposed a new concept for neighbourhood shopping centres in the city.

Dispensing away with the concept of shop-cum-offices (SCO) and shop-cum-flats (SCF), the UT has proposed larger floor plates offering flexibility of interior design against the block design of commercial sites.

In the final master plan 2031, the UT has proposed that in the yet to be developed commercial areas, there would be a provision for underground parking integrated with the state-of-the-art facilities.

It has been advocated that the planning and execution of the entire shopping centre and thereafter space rented or leased out on the pattern of the shopping malls.

In case of the already developed markets such as Sectors 8 and 11, it has been suggested that the area occupied by the road and parking can be integrated with shopping and provided with street furniture and open-air outdoor seating arrangement.

Redevelopment of Sec 17 city centre

* Two iconic buildings proposed on the two reserve pockets along the Madhya Marg will make for a better entry to the city centre. These buildings should be sensitively designed in consonance with the special architectural expression of Sector 17 as conceived by Le Corbusier.

* Developing the northern end of the city centre and the plaza in front of the State Library Building as the main centre of attraction. At present, the entire focus of the city centre is towards Neelam Plaza.

* The city centre shall thus be seamlessly connected with Sector 9 and 22 on the north and south of the sector. The city centre shall also form part of the Chandigarh Heritage Circuit.

* Construction of an 11-storeyed building will act as a trigger to reactivate the state library piazza with commercial activities.

Provision of parking areas

Multi-storeyed or underground parking shall be constructed in the existing markets wherever feasible and use of existing underground parking shall be mandated for long-term parking. All new shopping centres shall be planned with a provision for basement and underground parking spaces to be achieved by undertaking holistic planning and implementation of the centres.

Redesigning the sub city centre, Sector 34

The sub city centre needs to be redesigned to provide larger sites to attract reputed investors in the area of commerce, entertainment, leisure, shopping, etc. A cluster of high-rise blocks with large-floor plates will be desirable from the urban design point of view. There is a need to review not only the part that has not been built but also the already constructed portion.

Chandigarh, October 8
Festivity is in the air. Even as city markets have launched special offers and discounts on selective items, the mega sale by e-commerce websites has left the retailers high and dry.

The buyers, meanwhile, are attracted to buy cheaper online deals. Ahead of Diwali, Karva Chauth and related pre-events, city markets, including those in Sectors 22, 19, 17 and other smaller markets have come up with discounts, purchase packages and lucky draw schemes. 

In the Sector 22 jewellers’ market, for instance, retailers including those selling crockery, cosmetics and apparels in addition to jewellers, have jointly launched a lucky draw scheme in collaboration with automobile and electronic companies. On purchase of Rs 1,000 and above, each of the buyers is issued a lucky draw coupon.

“The most common and popular offer this time are the free gifts on purchase of different amounts of above Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000,” said JPS Kalra, General Secretary, Traders Association, Sector 17.

Meanwhile, the mega sale offered by two popular e-commerce websites two days ago, offering all categories of items — apparels, electronic items, gadgets and accessories— at unusually low prices has resulted in resentment among retailers in the city.

The retailers stated that these heavy discounts would not bring profit for the sellers either in the retail or online markets.

“The buyers will also be at the receiving end due to the limited availability of stocks,” they said.

Panchkula, October 8
As the Vidhan Sabha elections are drawing closer, a close fight is expected between Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) candidate Kulbhushan Goyal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Gian Chand Gupta.

The INLD, which usually gets votes from villages and colonies, would be giving a tough fight in the Panchkula urban area as Kulbhushan Goyal, a businessman and a builder, has a good rapport in the city, which can get him several urban votes.

“For Gian Chand Gupta, strong political background in the city and a political back will fetch him urban votes. He has been into the politics since long and knows the nook and corner of the city,” said a political analyst.

“For both, not only votes of the Baniya community but also urban votes will be divided. Goyal has the advantage of being a known personality in the business fraternity in Panchkula,” the political analyst said.

The Modi wave would be working for Gupta, while Chautala’s wave would work for Goyal.

“Had the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) fielded former Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan, the party could have given a tough fight,” said another analyst.

The HJC has now fielded Ravinder Rawal, who lost the Municipal Corporation elections.

Congress campaigning is going too slow. Certain colony inmates are angry with the Congress for not keeping its promises, the advantage of which can go to other parties. Many of them joined the INLD today.

Till now, only Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had once rallied for Congress candidate DK Bansal, that too at the time of releasing the manifesto. No other such rally has been organised by the Congress in Panchkula. 

Panchkula, October 8
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal would be star campaigner for INLD candidate Kulbhushan Goyal tomorrow. Badal would be coming to Sector 21 here at 10 am to seek votes for Goyal.

Angered over the Congress government for not getting their work done, a large number of residents and shopkeepers of the Old Panchkula extended their support to Goyal.

They accused the Congress government of not keeping its promise of rehabilitating them after their shops and houses were demolished for constructing a national highway.

Goyal had reached Old Panchkula to address a public meeting for his ongoing poll campaign.

OP Katyal, leader of the Shopkeepers Association of Old Panchkula, said it was ironical that the shopkeepers, running their shops for the past several decades, were left in the lurch as their shops had been demolished. Even the residents of Khadak Mangoli were facing a similar threat. They were also living there for past many years.

Speaking on the occasion, Karam Singh said the truck union had been removed. The shopkeepers were still waiting for small booths. The decade-old motor market also was not functional.

Narinder Bhalla, son of former Panchkula MLA Kanti Prakash Bhalla, referred to the judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that had ordered to not to displace the residents till they were allotted place within 8 km.

Kulbhushan Goyal promised to ensure better health, sanitation and education facilities in Panchkula and recounted his priorities for development in the constituency.

Chandigarh, October 8
Following the demise of SAD councillor Malkiat Singh, Mayor Harphool Kalyan has called a special MC House meeting on Thursday. At the meeting, a ‘Shradhanjali samaroh’ will be held. Meanwhile, the MC councillors have sought compensation for the family of Malkiat Singh.

BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi said, “This unfortunate incident has happened for the first time ever when a councillor, who had gone for an official visit, did not return home.”

“As per Section 417 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act (extended to UT, Chandigarh), every councillor shall be deemed to be a ‘public servant’. When a councillor becomes a public servant under the Act, then he and his family are to be given medical and other benefits,” added Joshi.

Echoing a similar view, Congress councillor Mukesh Bassi said, “Malkiat was a noble soul and had good relations with all councillors — be it of his own party or of the opposition. The MC should provide compensation to his family as he was on an official study tour.” — TNS

Mohali, October 8
The Mohali Police were in for a surprise when a 12-year-old boy of Phase IV approached them after being stopped from playing at a public park by a member of the area’s Residents Welfare Association, here today.

The complainant, Varinderpal Singh, a student of Class VI, is a budding discus thrower and has won third position in the recently held District-Level Sports Meet at Shahid Udham Singh College, Tangori. In his complaint at the Phase I Police Station against Harcharan Singh Saini, who is also a local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Varinderpal alleged that he (Saini) used to stop him and other children from playing at the public park.

“Due to this, my practice is being affected and other children also suffer,” said Varinderpal.

Demanding action against Saini, the child asked the police to let him and other children play at the park.

“Playing sports in the park is our right. Where should we go if we are not allowed to play in our own park,” said Varinderpal.

As the child reached the police station alone, the policemen contacted his parents and asked them to take him along. The boy’s father along with some other residents of the locality reached the police station and also gave another representation against Saini.

While Saini termed all such allegations baseless, inspector Pawan Kumar, SHO of the Phase 1 Police Station, said he had summoned both parties to sort out the issue.

However, no case had been registered against anybody in this connection.

Chandigarh, October 8
A seminar on “Know Your Armed Forces” was conducted at the Maharaja Ranjit Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) in Mohali today. In addition to the cadets of the AFPI, students from Sainik School, Kunjpura, Sainik School, Kapurthala, and Yadavindra Public School, Mohali, attended the event. The chief guest, Brig MG Sekaran, Group Commander NCC, Chandigarh, highlighted the ethos of armed forces and life in the services, while Wg Cdr JS Jeji spoke about the career in the Air Force and spoke about the types of aircrafts and various branches of the IAF.

Thereafter, Lt Commander Mannu Virk from the Indian Navy highlighted the career prospects in the Navy.

Maj Gen BS Grewal (retd), Director, AFPI, highlighted the combat arms, combat support arms and the role of services available in the Indian Army. He elaborated on various wars fought by the Indian Army and how it stood the test of time.

Mohali, October 8
The Mohali Police put its two officials, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sartaj Singh and head constable Shyam Sunder, under suspension here today.

Confirming the development, Mohali SSP Inder Mohan Singh Bhatti said a departmental inquiry had also been initiated against the duo.

“There are several other complaints against them. So, an inquiry has also been ordered in this connection,” said SSP Bhatti.

Notably, both policemen were arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau yesterday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000.

ASI Sartaj Singh was in charge of the Majat Police Chowki and head constable Shyam Sunder was also posted there. Both were arrested on the complaint of Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Zirakpur.

The complainant alleged that he was in a car with a woman when both policemen took them to the chowki and later demanded Rs 1 lakh to settle the issue.

Cleanliness drive

Chandigarh: Frameboxx Animation and Visual Effects has started a cleanliness drive by engaging its students in cleaning the immediate surroundings in the parking lot facing the office blocks. “We will create a beautiful place in this area for others to emulate,” said the firm’s founder, Naveen Gupta.

Awareness initiative

Ambuja Cement flagged off an initiative across five states in North India to create awareness among masons on increasing productivity by focusing on the “Best Practices and Future Trends in Construction”. A fleet of 25 vans will traverse 1,500 towns, conducting workshops in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&. In all 36,000 masons, dealers and contractors will benefit from the campaign. — TNS

Chandigarh, October 8
Panjab University has demanded a special grant of Rs 20 crore for upgrading its basic infrastructure. The demand was made to the Central government through the Chandigarh Administration.

Sources said the university had made this request as for the past many years no funds had been allocated in the Union Budget for construction or upgrading of buildings. Most projects, resultantly, are hanging fire for a long time, due to scarcity of funds.

A highly placed official of the university said the authorities were demanding this fund especially for setting up a power station and replacing the existing wiring, as the electricity load was increasing with the expansion of the campus.

Recently, the varsity allocated Rs 82 lakh for rewiring in the UICET, following a minor fire incident that took place in the NSS office located in the same building. A special committee formed to look into the matter had recommended that the old wires should be replaced immediately to avoid such incidents in future. Sources said after the incident faculty members were asked not to use air-conditioners installed in their rooms.

Reportedly, another proposal pertaining to rewiring at the political science department in the Arts Block III at an expenditure of Rs 5.56 lakh will be tabled in the Senate.

PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover confirmed that the special grant had been asked for from the Centre. He said it had become necessary to upgrade power infrastructure on the campus, especially in old Arts Blocks that are facing problems in their day-to-day activities.

“Besides this, round-the-clock power supply is required in science labs, where a lot of sensitive equipment and chemicals are stored,” he said. 

Chandigarh, October 8
Students are taking part in the National Service Scheme (NSS) camps across various city colleges.

On the third day of the camp at the Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45-B, volunteers participated in various activities. The day started with a yoga instructor teaching various asanas and deep-breathing exercises to the volunteers. It was followed by an aerobics session, during which the students learnt flexibility and strength-boosting exercises.

A seven day-and-night camp was also organised at DAV College, Sector 10. During the camp that concluded today, principal Dr BC Josan told the students importance of such camps and the role of each volunteer. Around 150 volunteers took the “Swachhta Shapath” to keep themselves and their surroundings clean. The volunteers took out a rally at Dhanas village to create awareness on health, sanitation and hygiene.

NSS volunteers of the Postgraduate Government College for Boys, Sector 11, organised a sanitation drive on the campus and at Khuda Lahora village. They also planted 400 tree saplings on the campus.

Chandigarh, October 8
Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, is hosting the 29th annual convention and symposium of the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) from October 10 to 12.

The event will be inaugurated by IISER director Professor N Satyamurthy. More than 300 delegates from all over the country are expected to participate in the event.

The IAPT regional council president, Dr Manjeet Kaur, said eminent physicists would take part in a panel discussion on how to attract talented students to physics as part of the academic programme of the convention. Paper presentation and poster display would also be organised, she said.

“The three-day event is being structured in such a manner that innovative ideas are encouraged and interest in learning and practising physics is aroused among the youth,” said Dr Manjeet Kaur.

College principal MS Marwaha said a science fair to be organised during the convention would witness the demonstration of more than 100 innovative experiments.

“Students from various schools and colleges have been invited to learn the science behind these experiments,” said the principal. 

Chandigarh, October 8
Ashmah International School organised a cleanliness drive on its campus and adjoining parks. The drive aimed at inculcating the habit of maintaining hygiene and cleanliness in students.

The students also visited houses in Sector 70 to motivate residents to keep their surrounding clean. Essay writing and painting activities were organised on the issue.

Mountview Public School, Baltana, launched the “Clean Your Surroundings” campaign at the school and Kalgidhar Enclave. Municipal committee president Kulwinder Singh Sohi and executive officer Parminder Singh participated in the campaign.