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A day of embarrassment for the UT
Chandigarh, October 10
Dog menace case Acting on a petition for initiating contempt of court proceedings against Gupta on the issue of compensating dog-bite victims, Justice Rajan Gupta today minced no words in saying that the move by an authority to take a decision on an issue pending adjudication before the court may amount to interference in the administration of justice. Justice Gupta, on a previous date of hearing, was told that the Joint Commissioner was present on August 28, when the court directed the parties to assist the Bench on the corporation’s liability to compensate dog-bite victims. However, the issue was decided by the House. Counsel Kunal Mulwani added that the Joint Commissioner was in “conscious knowledge” that the matter was sub judice and was to be decided before the HC. However, he misled councillors to pass a resolution. The act amounted to interference in the administration of justice. Taking up the matter, Justice Gupta asserted: “There can be no doubt that an authority would normally refrain from taking any decision on an issue which is the subject matter of adjudication before a court. Such an act may amount to undue interference in the administration of justice. “However, the present application is not accompanied by the necessary documents such as proceedings of house and orders, if any. The application is, thus, disposed of with liberty to the applicant-petitioner to file it afresh with the necessary documents”. The matter was brought to the notice of the HC by Gurmukh Singh. In his petition against the Union Territory of Chandigarh through counsel Kunal Mulwani, he had underscored the menace of street dogs in the city, particularly at the Rose Garden. The petitioner had alleged that he was chased by street dogs while on a morning walk in February this year. He had alleged that several cases of dog bite had been reported from the area. In his petition, he had raised the question “whether there is a need for separate ponds/shelters for dogs so that they do not prove a menace to the general public, and whether in the eventuality of dog-bite incidents in public places, the corporation is liable to pay compensation to the victims”. Building demolition case A day after the Centre alleged the destruction of record due to demolition carried out by Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Shayin on a Sector 18 plot despite refrain orders from the Adviser, the DC appeared before the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Mohunta and Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal. Shayin assured the court that office space would be provided to the Union of India today itself and “whatever records/assets of the petitioner were found at the site would be handed over to the petitioner by this evening”. Acting on a petition filed by the Union of India against the Chandigarh Administration and other respondents, the HC had on Thursday directed him to be present in the court in person this morning.The directions came after senior advocate Chetan Mittal and Puneet Gupta told the Bench that plot number 3 in Sector 18, Chandigarh, was allocated by the Chandigarh Administration to the Union of India, Ministry of Communication and IT, in 1973. The Union of India had set up the office of the Ministry of Communication and IT on the premises after it was leased out by the UT Administration. It approached the Adviser for the allotment of an alternative space or to re-allot them the same space after reconstruction as the governments of Punjab and Haryana, and the UT Administration had agreed to demolish the existing structure. The Adviser wrote a letter saying that action in the matter should not be taken unless satisfactory arrangements approved by him were made. However, the Deputy Commissioner demolished the entire building. Shayin told the Bench this morning that the possession of the office premises was taken over by the Estate Office before being handed over to HUDA, which demolished the building. The statement was, however, disputed by the counsel for the petitioner. They stated that the Tehsildar was present at the time of the demolition. Shayin said the records and assets of the petitioner had not been destroyed. “If any record is lying under the debris of the demolished premises, it would be retrieved and handed over to the petitioner”. Fixing October 14 as the next date of hearing, the Bench asserted: “The statement made by the Deputy Commissioner satisfies the petitioner for the time being. Nevertheless, we direct Shayin to file an affidavit with regard to the statements he made in the court today, besides filing a comprehensive reply to the averments made in the writ petition”.
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Four get 10 years in jail for robbery
Chandigarh, October 10 The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal today awarded 10-year imprisonment to Sonu (25), Arjun, alias Muliya (20), both residents of Mauli Jagran, Rajan, alias Dabbu (20), of Vikasnagar, and Dharampal (24) of Indira Colony for looting four friends after brandishing knives in November last year. The court has also imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 each on the convicts. They have been convicted under Sections 392 and 397 of the IPC. The police had arrested the accused on a complaint of Paramjeet Singh, who runs a confectionery shop in Mani Majra, on November 25, 2013. According to the prosecution case, Paramjeet was standing outside his shop along with his friends — Sawan Verma, Pankaj and UT Home Guards volunteer Rajinder, alias Raju — when the accused robbed Paramjeet and his friends of bracelets, chains, gold and silver earrings and Rs 4,000. The robbers, armed with sharp weapons, held the four, including the home guard volunteer, hostage for nearly 45 minutes inside a juice shop while they looted Rs 4,000 and gold jewellery in Mani Majra after midnight. The accused attacked the Home Guards volunteer whose intestines were damaged and he spent two days in a critical state at the PGI. History-sheeter lands in police net after 4 acquittals The prime accused in the case, Sonu, alias Bakriwala, has been acquitted in four other cases registered against him this year as the witnesses turned hostile. In this case too, UT Home Guards volunteer Rajinder, who was critically injured, had moved an application in the court seeking protection from the accused. In May this year, Sonu was acquitted in an attempt-to-murder case in which he launched an attack during a birthday party in Mani Majra last year. There were at least 12 witnesses in the case, all of whom turned hostile. He was acquitted in three similar cases wherein he was accused of trespassing and robbery as the witnesses turned hostile.
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UT shows the way
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 10 More than 5.52 crore accounts have been opened under the scheme and Rs 4,268 crore mobilised under it. According to the Finance Ministry, the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Puducherry and the three districts of Gujarat – Porbandar, Mehsana and Gandhi Nagar -- have reported that at least one bank account of all households has been opened, thereby making these areas fully saturated under the yojana. A review meeting emphasised the early issue of RuPay debit cards, e-KYC-based account opening, Aadhaar seeding and the progress in the survey made in rural as well as urban areas. During the review, setting up of banking facilities through Bank Mitrs as envisaged under the yojana was emphasised. Senior officers were asked to visit the field locations and carry out physical verification of Bank Mitras. Banks have also been asked to ensure that Banks Mitrs have proper visibility, uniforms, Aadhaar-enabled machines and proper signage board indicating the availability of banking facilities under the yojana.
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Two inmates flee from Snehalaya Chandigarh, October 10 The girls were later found at a relative’s place in Sector 52. Sources said around 2.30 am, the security guard spotted three inmates, aged around 16 years, scaling the boundary wall of the premises. He raised the alarm and managed to catch one of them. Tilak Raj, Director, UT Social Welfare Department, said the inmates climbed onto the poles of the lights installed near the boundary wall and then jumped on the wall. “The light poles are around eight-foot high, enough to scale the boundary wall,” he said. Sources said the Sector 39 police station was also informed about the incident that launched a hunt. Tilak Raj said the inmates went to a relative’s house at Kajehri village in Sector 52, who informed them. The Social Welfare Department has formed a three-member committee and marked an inquiry into the incident. Officials said the number of security guards on duty during night hours has been increased from four to six at the shelter home. “The department has decided to install night-vision dome cameras on the campus. A control room to monitor all the cameras will also be set, said the Director. Station House Officer, Sector 39, Gurmukh Singh said: “We will record the girls’ statements and get their medical examination done. Not the first time Ten inmates of Snehalaya had gone missing in 2011. They had reportedly scaled the boundary walls of the institute and fled. The management was unaware about their absence for long. Later, nine inmates were traced.
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Congress councillor to join BJP
Chandigarh, October 10 Sources said Aggarwal today hosted a tea party for BJP candidate Gian Chand Gupta in Panchkula, who is the first MC Mayor of Chandigarh, where the decision was taken. Highly-placed sources said the meeting decided that Aggarwal would join the BJP in Panchkula on Saturday where Union Home minister Rajnath Singh would also be present.
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P’kula Sector 9 going to the dogs
Panchkula, October 10 More than 50 cases of dog bites have been reported in Sector 9 over the past four months. There have been instances where members of the same family have been bitten by stray dogs. Residents said with stray dogs on the prowl, they have been forced to stay indoors. Two weeks ago, a 10-year-old boy was bitten. “My father-in-law (73), was having a stroll in the park when a stray dog bit him. After a week, my 13-year-old son was attacked. But he saved himself,” said Vinita, a resident of Sector 9. The dog sterilisation process was stopped long ago after the residents of Devinagar complained that the stray dogs — which were kept at the Government Pet Clinic in Sector 3 — created ruckus due to constant barking. Following a protest by the villagers, the sterilisation process was stopped and a sound-proof dog pond was suggested. Dr MR Singla, in charge, Government Pet Clinic, Sector 3, said, “I don’t know why the Municipal Corporation has turned a deaf ear to our requests. I have called them up five times to hire people to catch dogs and get a dog pond finalised so that sterilisation can be carried out.” He claimed that following no response from the MC authorities, they had started the sterilisation process of five-six dogs on their own.” Meanwhile, Panchkula Mayor Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia said, “I agree that many cases of dog bites have been reported from Sector 9. The problem is that there is no contractor to catch the dogs.” The stray dog population in Panchkula is about 5,000. In 2012-13, 1,400 stray dogs were sterilised.
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City Beautiful lags behind in egg consumption
Ritika Jha Palial Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 10 Also, city residents lag behind the northern states of Punjab, J&K, HP, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh that have a per capita consumption of 145, 70, 20, 65 and 23 per year, respectively. During celebrations of World Egg Day here today, department’s joint director Dr Lovelesh Kant Gupta, said: “It is a matter of concern that a city with high awareness levels has such low consumption of one of the most nutritious food items.” As per the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, in proportion to their calorie count eggs provide 12 per cent of the daily value for protein and nutrients like Vitamin A, B6, B12, folate, iron, phosphorous and zinc. The calorific value per egg is only 75 per egg. “One of the prime causes for the low consumption of eggs in India (63 per capita per year) is the fact that vegetarians consider an egg a non-vegetarian food item,” said Sandeep Mehta, vice-chairman, National Egg Coordination Committee.
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326 police personnel
transferred
Chandigarh, October 10 The transfers, approved by the PEB, have been ordered with immediate effect. The transferred police personnel include six
sub-inspectors, one assistant sub-inspectors, 95 head constables and 224 constables.
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Three children sustain burns
Mohali, October 10 The SMO, Dr Andesh Kang, said Bipin (12) sustained 20 per cent burns, Himanshu (9) 18 per cent burns and Nitin (10) had sustained 4.5 per cent burns. Bipin’s brother Deepu said Bipin and their two cousins were flying a kite in the fields near their shanties. “Bipin’s kite touched a high-tension wire, and when the cousins tried to save him, they, too, sustained burn injuries,” said Deepu. Neither the police nor officials of the Punjab State Power Corporation (PSPCL) were aware of the incident. The latter came into action after being informed by mediapersons. Harbhajan Kang, SDO of the PSPCL, said 220-kV cables between Ganguwal and Mohali passed through the area where the accident took place. “A tripping on the power grid took place at 3.38 pm, following a blast,” he said, attributing the blast to the kite coming into contact with the wires.
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vendors running stalls in parking lots during festive season Action comes after traffic police fail to get a response Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 10 The communication was sent in the wake of festive season when there is a huge rush of vehicles in the markets and the vehicles are parked haphazardly which further leads to traffic snarls.
Earlier this month, the traffic wing had shot a letter to the authorities asking them not to allow commercial activities in parking lots during the festive season. However, the authorities ignored the communication and allowed street vendors to run their stalls from the pedestrian paths and parking areas during Dasehra. SSP (Traffic) Maneesh Chaudhary said that they had again requested the authorities to ensure parking lots were left vacant for the vehicles during Diwali. “With the parking lots of the main city markets full of stalls, the visitors will have to park their cars on the roads which will lead to acute traffic jams”, the SSP (Traffic) added. Sources in the MC said that the permission to street vendors for selling products in the parking lots had already been given for October 10 and 11 (Karwa Chauth). The permission for Diwali has to be given for October 21, 22 and 23. The SSP (Traffic) further said that the UT Education Department had also failed to respond to the request for allowing parking of vehicles on school premises during the festive days. "This will reduce traffic congestion from the roads,” he added. Education Dept, too, fails to respond The SSP (Traffic) said that the UT Education Department had also failed to respond to the request for allowing parking of vehicles on school premises during the festive days. “This will reduce traffic congestion on the city roads,” he added.
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Panel to install equipment at 3 locations
Chandigarh, October 10 The locations where the department will install its equipment include residential, commercial and the silence zone. The CPCC is collecting data on three locations because of the directions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Till 2011, the data from as many as seven different locations was gathered. But since 2012, the UT Administration is collecting data from three locations: residential, commercial and the silence zone. A senior UT official said earlier they used to gather data from seven locations and they continued the same practice till 2011, but in other cities of the country, the data was being gathered from only three locations. Due to the difference in the number of locations, they were finding it difficult to compare the noise and air pollution with other cities, so they decided to follow the national pattern. The CPCC began the new practice so that it could have similar samples and the figures could be compared with those at the national level, he added. The department will install its own equipment on the three days - November 22, November 23 and November 24. They will collect data between 8pm to10pm. According to a recent survey conducted by the CPCC, the air quality in the city has deteriorated in the past few years. The survey was conducted at five locations - Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Sector 39; Industrial Area, Phase 1; Kaimbwala; Punjab Engineering College (PEC); and Sector 17 - in the city and the level of respiratory suspended particulate matter (RSPM)and suspended particulate matter (SPM), both pollutants, was more than permissible limits of 60 microgram per cubic metre (mcg/cu m). The noise pollution is measured by the sound level meter while the
SPM and the RSPM level meter are used for gauging air pollution.
Last year, Diwali was noisy The noise and air pollution in Chandigarh had witnessed an upward trend during Diwali last year, as compared to previous years. The respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) levels at all the locations exceeded the permissible limits, that is, 100 micrograms per cubic metre.
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City first to get web tool
Will help estimate rooftop potential Rajinder Nagarkoti Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 10 Chandigarh has become the first city to offer rooftop mapping facility through web-GIS (geographic information system), a tool launched by CREST through The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) this year. Representatives of TERI said Chandigarh has a total of 1.10 lakh rooftops, where 400 megawatt capacity solar plants could be installed. "Chandigarh is the first city to have this facility," said Santosh Kumar, director, Science and Technology Department. He said the every household could invest in solar products through subsidies. "The UT is already setting up SPV projects on government buildings to become a model solar city," he said. The tool developed by TERI with support of SSEF aims at giving impetus to rooftop solar PV systems uptake in the country, said a UT official. It can be accessed at http://regisindia.teriin.org/solar/Solar-WebGIS.php.
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Solar power lights up city, but hurdles remain
Chandigarh, October 10 Till August 31, the UT Administration had commissioned 2216 KWp solar photovoltaic (SPV) plant and plants with the capacity of 3065 KWp were under process.
Under its solar city programme, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, has selected Chandigarh to be developed as the model solar city. According to guidelines, one of the pre-requisites for this was preparation of a master plan for the solar city, which was prepared by the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). On January 4, 2012, the high-power technical committee of MNRE approved the master plan for Chandigarh. The project was sponsored by the Chandigarh Renewal Energy Science and Technology Promotional Society (CREST), which is the nodal agency for executing the solar and other renewable energy projects.
At the moment, the UT Administration is generating 2.86 million units which will touch 6.76 million units by the end of March 2015, an official of CREST says. Give more subsidies to residents for installing solar plants While the UT Administration is installing the solar photovoltaic (SPV) plant at the rooftop of various government buildings, but to achieve tag of the model solar city in real terms, the Administration requires involving more residents. At present, the response from the residents to install SPV atop their houses has not been very encouraging. Though 457 persons have installed the solar water heating system in the City Beautiful, but when it comes to installing SPV for solar energy, the response is not very good.
The MNRE of the Central Government has already given approval to the UT Administration to equip solar energy plants atop 430 private houses. Solar plants of three categories, 1 kilowatt, 2 kilowatt and 3 kilowatt, will be provided to residents as per space in their houses. One kilowatt plant requires 100 square feet area and will be able to generate 1,300 to 1,400 units of electricity in a year. The 1KW plant will roughly cost around Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.40 lakh with a battery. A resident will get 30 per cent subsidy," said a UT official. Excess solar power generated will be adjusted in electricity bills A solar generation unit installed atop your rooftop could soon not only light up your home, but will also reduce your electricity bill. The Joint Electricity Regularity Commission (JERC) has proposed to allow city residents, who will install solar rooftops, to provide excess power to UT electricity department, which will be adjusted in their electricity bills. The proposal has been made in the draft solar power tariff - grid connected ground mounted rooftop mounted SPV and rooftop solar with net metering regulations - 2014 prepared by the commission.
As per the guidelines on net metering, any consumer installing solar rooftop power plant, can consume solar power generated on this rooftop and in turn, will be able to export the excess power generated which can be banked with electricity department, and therefore, be adjusted in the future bill. A UT official said power generated from solar panels during daytime could be utilized fully by lighting up the house and feeding excess power to the grid. North India's first solar cycle stand in city Chandigarh has the rare distinction of having North India's first solar cycle stand. This solar cycle stand of 15 KWp (kilo watt peak) was inaugurated in February this year at Government High School, Sector 46. The project was executed by the Chandigarh Renewal Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) - a society under the Department of Science and Technology, Union Territory, Chandigarh. The capacity of the SPV power plant is 15KWp, while covered area of this cycle stand is 1,050 square feet where more than 100 cycles can be accommodated. With an annual consumption of around 14,000 units per annum, the school will give away the rest of the power generated by the plant to the UT Electricity Department, an official said.
Convert normal inverter into solar inverter Santosh Kumar, Director, Science and Technology, Union Territory of Chandigarh, and also the Director of CREST, said in a city like Chandigarh, a majority of residents have inverters to deal with power cuts. Under this project, these existing inverters can be used as solar inverters. During the daytime, battery will be charged with solar energy. At night, residents can put off the main switch, and the solar power that is stored in batteries can be used to run appliances, he said. Residents will only need solar panels, a charge controller (to be provided by the UT Administration), batteries and an inverter. The batteries will be charged using solar panels, inverter and controller (which will convert DC power into AC). With this power, residents can run their appliances. Chandigarh Tribune spoke to Santosh Kumar, Director, Science and Technology Department and CEO, CREST. What are future plans of the UT Administration in the solar sector? The UT has installed and commissioned overall capacity of 2.2 MW rooftop SPV plants as on date over 50 government buildings. Another 3 MW SPV plants are under installation. We plan to install another 10 MW SPV plant over the next seven years. This year, rooftop SPV plants over 35 government schools are being installed. Is there any plan to promote solar energy in private/domestic sectors? Yes, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has come up with the Draft Net Metering Policy and Solar Tariff recently and the final notification is likely to be issued within one month. As per the draft tariff, any person producing and exporting solar power shall be able to sell it @ Rs 7.74 per unit which is highly attractive. This will definitely encourage residents and industrialists of Chandigarh to take to solar power. Response of city residents towards solar power is not so encouraging. What is the UT Administration doing to encourage them? We have got sanctions from MNRE for 430 SPV plants of varying capacity like 1 kWp, 2kWp,5kWp etc and is going to launch this new scheme soon. It will be done on a first-come-first-served basis. CREST shall empanel few authorised agencies from whom any residents can get SPV plant installed on their rooftop and subsidy will be released @ 30 per cent of the capital cost on a rate determined through competitive bidding by CREST. The UT will also hold awareness camps, seminars so that more people will install SPV plants at their residences and office. What is the cost of SPV plant and how much area is required to install it? Roughly, 1 kWp SPV plant will require 100 sq ft shade free rooftop area and the cost is around Rs 1.0 lakh ( grid tied) and Rs 1.3 lakh (off grid with battery). The higher the size of the plant, the proportionate cost will come down. As much as 30 per cent subsidy on the capital cost is available for the rooftop SPV plant. Installation of solar panels is still expensive To run two ACs, two LED televisions, one refrigerator and other electrical appliances like CFL, and fans of a house, one needs a minimum of 10 KW solar photovoltaic (SPV) at one's rooftop. To install 10 KW SPV plant, it requires 1,000 square feet shade free area at one's rooftop. In an eight marla house, there will be 65 per cent open space on the rooftop, which means, 1,170 square feet rooftop area. So in an eight marla house, one can install 10 KW SPV plant along with a water tank. The cost of installation of 1 KW plant along with a battery is Rs 1.40 lakh, which means to install 10 KW plants one has to spend Rs 14 lakh along with repair cost (which is one per cent of the capital cost per annum). Along with the solar energy, one still needs normal power connection.
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Visitors' entry not regulated in wards
Ritika Jha Palial Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 10 The hospital has failed to gauge the magnitude of hospital acquired infections (HAI) among patients as environmental pollutants travel inside wards through a variety of attendants all through the day.Doctors have to jostle for space for examining the patients.
Going by observations of a number of consultants in the hospital, who wished not to be named, at any given point of time, each patient remains surrounded with atleast four attendants or visitors inside all wards. "We have not conducted any specific survey on this, but have seen a number of patients remaining on prolonged dosage of antibiotics. Even several days after the surgery, the admission of these patients gets extended due to hospital acquired infections. we need to be careful," said a senior consultant from the hospital. Visitors keep frequenting patients Unlike other city hospitals like the PGIMER, where entry points of patient wards are guarded round the clock and entry to new visitors is allowed only in the evening, at the GMCH-32, in addition to those issued entry pass for assisting patients, unlimited number of visitors keep frequenting patients. Over 380 security guards are employed with the hospital but none is instructed to allow entry for a fixed period of the day. "The city's private hospitals follow all guidelines with half the strength of security guards. Why don't we take lessons from them?" said a faculty. ‘Lately, we have begun regulating entries’ "This is certainly an issue, but we have lately started regulating entries. There are several factors that lead to overcrowding in wards. There are multiple entries to the hospital. We need to allow at least two attendants of patients to run around for completing formalities at the hospital. Certainly, the doctors face difficulty in examining patients and also there is a risk of contracting infections and the attendants also need to be educated on this."— — Dr Atul Sachdev, Director-Principal, gmch-32
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Bar assn members extend support to INLD candidate
Move comes day after HC lawyers backed BJP candidate Hina Rohtaki Tribune News Service
Panchkula, October 10 Goyal addressed the members of the Bar at a meeting organised jointly by the District Bar Association (DBA) and Legal Cell of the INLD. Several advocates also joined the INLD on the occasion. Advocate Taranpreet Kaur said manifestos of the candidates had mentioned about housing and other requirements of poor people, but no one had talked about the middle class, who were the highest tax payers. She referred to the poll agenda of Kulbhushan Goyal who had talked about the middle class also. INLD legal wing leader Parveen Naidu said Bhupinder Singh Hooda had completely ignored the Panchkula Constituency and no new development had taken place here. Advocate Jatinder Malik said even demand for lawyers’ chambers had gone unheard. The lawyers were facing problems due to the shortage of chambers. DBA president Amit Singla assured the support of advocates to Kulbhushan and recalled that how, even during the earlier times, Goyal had responded to their requirements in the judicial complex. Kulbhushan Goyal assured the advocates that after being elected to power, it would be his endeavour to fulfil their demands. Rajnath Singh in city today Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh will address a rally in favour of BJP candidate Gian Chand Gupta in Panchkula on Saturday. HJC candidate holds roadshow HJC candidate Ravinder Rawal held a roadshow with Bhavya Bishnoi, son of HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi, on Friday. Bhavya said he was from the third generation of the Bishnoi family which believed in working for the welfare of society. Bansal, Preneet to campaign today Pawan Kumar Bansal and Preneet Kaur will be campaigning for Congress candidate DK Bansal in Panchkula on Saturday
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Rs 88 lakh to be spent on toilet blocks: DC
Mohali, October 10 He said the toilet blocks had been constructed by GMADA and the operation and maintenance of these was being done by the Municipal Corporation. He said in the case of 28 blocks, renovation work on which had been completed by the corporation, maintenance would be done by Deva Swimming Institute. — OC
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bidding for Navy blue jerseys and woollen socks Mehakdeep Grewal Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 10 Adding to the woes of officials, the sources said only five suppliers had turned up at the common venue — Girls Government Model Senior Secondary School (GGMSSS), Sector 18 — to submit the bids, which were open from October 7-9. The department had issued the centralised advertisement for the schools to invite tenders. However, out of the 23 schools that managed to attract the suppliers, only 13 got tenders for jerseys and woollen socks. While only Government High School, Sector 25, managed to get four tenders, Government High School in Mauli Colony got three, five schools managed to get two tenders and the other schools got one tender each. Sanjay Gupta, owner of Shakmudri Products, who had applied for five schools, said, “Stringent rules deter the bidders from applying.” While other suppliers said since their payment of the winter uniform was still pending, they did not apply for tenders of the woollen jerseys and socks. An official not wishing to be named said, “As per the department’s policy, it is mandatory that schools must receive at least three responses to evaluate the bids and award the contract. However, many schools received only one bid and so the department will have to re-advertise again.” As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, more than 1 lakh students are eligible to get the uniform.
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EFFI-cycle 2014 begins at UIET
Chandigarh, October 10 Vehicles of all teams were evaluated on the basis of their design philosophy and costs. The teams also presented their innovative ideas before the judges. The events, apart from accessing the technical capabilities of the participating teams, also checked their entrepreneurial skills by their marketing presentations. The day concluded with a performance by a rock band, The Local Train.
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At present, there is an average consumption of 1,400 million units of electricity annually in the city. As per the guidelines issued by the MNRE for the model solar city, which says 0.60 per cent of the total consumption should be obtained from the solar energy. This means, UT should generate 8.40 million units from solar energy.
Shiv Kumar, a bank manager, said the UT Administration should hold awareness camps so that residents are encouraged to take to solar energy. Besides, the Administration should increase subsidy of 30 per cent on solar plants to 50 per cent, he suggested.
