Wednesday, November 17, 1999
|
N E W S Wednesday, November 17, 1999 |
|
weather spotlighttoday's calendar |
Encroachments
removed CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — The enforcement staff of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) removed encroachments from public land in Sectors 39-A and 47-D here today. According to sources, angle irons, temporary and pucca structures, barbed wires and hedges, which had virtually come to the road berms, were removed by the staff. Over 144 encroachments were removed from in front of the Chandigarh Housing Board flats in Sector 39 and over 150 from Sector 47. The operation, which
began around 10 a.m., continued till 3.30 p.m. in Sector
39. In Sector 47, the operation was from 10 a.m. to 4.30
p.m. and would continue tomorrow.
|
Hike in
local bus fare CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Travelling in the local buses became costly from today following a hike in the bus fares by Transport Department of the Chandigarh Administration. The hike, which is seen as an offshoot of the recent hike in diesel prices and salary payable to the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) staff, came into force with immediate effect following a notification by the department today. Almost all categories of commuters will have to shell out more for travelling in the city. According to sources, while the minimum fare has been kept at Re 1, the maximum fare will be Rs 7 as against Rs 5 now. Similarly, the rates of the monthly passes have also been revised. Apart from the revision of the fares, Rs 20 will be charged per bus for night parking at the Inter-Sate Bus Terminus, Sector 17, as against Rs 10 now. And for the day parking of bus, the charges have been doubled to Rs 40. However, the transport authorities have decided to charge only half of the fare from the senior citizens above the age of 65 years, physical handicapped persons and children up to the age of 12. Blind persons will continue to travel free in the CTU buses. The rates of holiday passes on Sunday and Saturday have been revised and will now cost Rs 15, according to the notification. Officials highlighted that the increase in fare prices was inevitable as the last increase was effected on November 6,1997, and since then prices of diesel had been revised several times and bill on the salaries of the staff had shot up substantially. Officials hope that the hike will help reduce the deficit of the CTU, which stood at Rs 4.2 crore during 1998-99 with receipts and expenditure being Rs 44.67 crore and Rs 48.69 crore, respectively. And taking 1996-97 as the base year, the salary bill had gone up by about 48 per cent. While expenditure on salaries alone was Rs 1695.10 lakh in 1997-98, it shot up to Rs 1899.28 lakh in 1998-99. During the first sixth months of the current financial year, it was Rs 1130.12 lakh. Similarly, the diesel bill had gone up by over 70 per cent since 1996-97.The average price of diesel, which was Rs 7.58 per litre in 1996-97 ,went up to Rs 8.94 per litre in 1997-98. It increased to Rs 9.40
in 1998-99 to ultimately jump up to Rs 12.86 from October
6, thus necessitating the fare revision, it is learnt.
|
80
transferred in Engg Department CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — In a first major administrative reshuffle, more than 80 transfers have been ordered in the Engineering Department of the Chandigarh Administration. The reshuffle, according to sources in the Administration, has been necessitated following guidelines from the Central Vigilance Commission that all those holding “sensitive” positions for three or more years should be shifted to non-sensitive positions. Though directions have been issued to all administrative secretaries and heads of departments, the Engineering Department has taken the lead by coming out with a list of 82 officials, including 67 Junior Engineers. Since a large number of positions at the level of Executive Engineer are lying vacant, no transfers of any Executive Engineer have been ordered on administrative grounds. The maximum number of transfers have been ordered in the electricity operations circle where eight Assistant Engineers or Assistant Executive Engineers have been transferred. Besides, 25 Junior Engineers of Electricity Operations - I and II, have also been shifted to new positions. In the Buildings and Roads division, five Sub Divisional Engineers have been shifted. In addition, 26 Junior Engineers have also shifted in this reshuffle. In the electrical circle, two Subdivisional Engineers — Mr Paramjit Karwal and Mr M.L. Bhardwaj — have been shifted. Rather, they have been ordered to swap positions while 16 Junior Engineers of the electrical circle have also been shifted. Never before such a large number of transfers were ordered in the Engineering Department. The following are the new posting orders of Subdivisional Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers and Assistant Engineers : Buildings and Roads : Mr Yogesh Gupta goes to Maintenance Sub Division 1 under CP Division No 3 to relieve Mr S.C. Soni of his SDE charge; Mr N.N. Sharma goes to Maintenance Sub Division II under CP Division No 3 to relieve Mr V.K. Chopra of dual charge of Maintenance Sub Division II; Mr S.K. Chopra will look after Sub Division Maintenance III of CP Division No 3 to relieve Mr KJ Ohri of the dual charge; Mr R.K. Puri goes to C-4 Subdivision under CP Division No 5 in place of Mr A.K. Kakkar who becomes Assistant Engineer (Design) under Superintending Engineer (Planning Circle). Electricity Operations Circle: Mr Rajnish Kumar Sharma becomes Assistant Executive Engineer, Sub Div No 2 under Operations Div No 2 on promotion; Mr Ashok Kumar has been posted Assistant Executive Engineer Construction Sub Division No 1 under Construction Division to relieve Mr Rajnish Garg of additional charge; Mr Rajnish Garg is new Assistant engineer Operations Sub Division No 10. Mr Deepak Bansal goes to
Sub Station 66 KV SSE; Mr Rakesh Kumar becomes Assistant
Engineer Operations Sub Division No 3 and will hold dual
charge of Construction Sub Division No 3; Mr Karanjit
Chandi takes over as Assistant Engineer Operations Sub
Division No 6; Mr C.S. Gujral becomes Assistant Engineer
Operations Sub Division No 9 and Mr G.S. Mast will be the
new Assistant Engineer Operations Sub Division No 7. |
Verification
drive of auto mechanics launched CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — To check the growing incidence of vehicle thefts, the police has launched a verification drive of auto mechanics. During investigations into such cases, it was found that while there were reportedly no major gangs operating here, certain mechanics had supplied information and the means to steal the vehicles. The police had recently busted a gang which used to steal autorickshaws and ply these from the railway station after displaying fake registration numbers. The owner of a garage in Zirakpur was involved in the racket. Commenting on the drive, Mr S. K. Singh, IGP, said the department had been viewing the growing number of thefts with concern and had stepped up vigil in the most theft-prone areas of the city. A special watch was kept on parking lots in the city. He said it had come to their notice that certain mechanics were actively involved in such thefts. The modus operandi was that whenever a customer left his vehicle with them and went away, they would take an imprint of the keys and give it to their accomplices or doctor the locks in such a way that stealing the car was easy. He said during the drive the antecedents of all mechanics would be verified and those who had set up temporary shops along roads berms in the city would be asked to furnish their particulars. Special attention would be paid to migrants and those who had set up shop in recent months. He claimed that the incidence of such thefts had come down after the drive was initiated. Meanwhile, sources said
the department was in the process of sanctioning an STD
line that would enable the personnel in the computer
section to access the data of the National Crime Records
Bureau, Delhi. The premier institution has all the
relevant data on crime, patterns, modus operandi of
various inter-state gangs involved in car thefts and
registration numbers of vehicles stolen in the country
over a period of time. This would help in bringing the
auto theft ratio down, sources added. |
UGC seeks
list of 'good colleges' CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Panjab University has been asked by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to forward names of 'good colleges' which should be delinked from the university and helped to develop independent curricula for 'improvement of higher education'. The issue came up for discussion recently where the UGC and the Ministry of Human Resource Development officials underlined required changes in the existing system. The recommendations have been forwarded to Panjab University and the list of 'good colleges' has been sought. A senior lecturer at the university said there was little chance of regional colleges to come forward for autonomy as majority of these were run by religious or social organisations. These would not give absolute powers to the UGC or the college, he added. The UGC has underlined a review of the autonomous colleges to see benefits secured by these. The list of autonomous colleges which have redesigned their course will also be published and courses implemented in other colleges. The meeting decided that the number of autonomous colleges should be increased and these should be given the power to confer degrees. The UGC has been asked to play a pro-active role in this regard and inform the state governments. The meeting decided that the UGC should have a role in opening new universities and no university shall be established without prior approval of the UGC. It was largely felt that the education system had become unwieldy and it had become difficult for the universities to attend to the needs of individual colleges. The colleges did not have the freedom to modernise syllabi and make it locally relevant. College autonomy was the essence and the potential for promoting academic excellence and advancement. The autonomous college would have to devise its curriculum, evolve more effective methods of teaching and learning, revise rules of admission to suit its aims and conduct its own programme of assessment, it was felt. The UGC perceived that autonomous colleges were free to make use of the expertise of university departments and other institutions to frame curricula and examination. It is expected that the parent university will award degrees to students evaluated and recommended by autonomous colleges. The UGC has underlined certain criteria for the recommendation for autonomy. These include academic reputation and previous performance in the university examination, academic attainments of its faculty, infrastructure, financial resources, responsiveness of administrative structure and motivation and involvement of faculty. An autonomous college
will be free to start diploma (under-graduate and
post-graduate) or certificate course without prior
approval of the university. The colleges will be free to
start new degree courses and can restructure and redesign
existing courses. |
Health
services to be strengthened CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — The Chandigarh Administration has decided to strengthen the primary and secondary health care services in the city and also reduce the load on tertiary care facilities at the PGI and GMCH-32. According to UT, Secretary, Health Rakesh Singh, in the first phase, emphasis is being laid on the expansion of General Hospital, Sector 16, so as to take away the load of patients who come to PGI for normal treatment. He pointed out that the PGI serves as nodal centre for health care facilities for the people of Punjab, Haryana Himachal Pradesh, though of late even GMCH is gaining the reputation of being a specialised centre. With a view to reduce congestion in Sector 16 General Hospital, the 20-bedded independent emergency in the ground floor of the old unit will be made functional later this month. Subsequently, in order to have better co-ordinated emergency facilities such as a portable X-ray unit, intensive cardiac care unit will also be shifted to the renovated part of the old emergency. With the shifting of the ICU from the basement of the new building, the place will be used for storage and other non-clinical purposes. Even the sterilisation unit will be shifted. Figures also reveal that 15-20 per cent cases in any medical institution are due to trauma, mostly due to motor vehicle accidents and accidents from agricultural implements. Hence, there is a need to strengthen the intensive care unit by providing it with the latest equipment to handle all emergencies. The Director Health Services, Dr Joginder Singh, said that even though the 100-bedded hospital has been upgraded to 500 beds, the space has remained the same. He also attributed the congestion in the hospital to the increase in population, rise in the number of accident cases, addition of few more units and low cost of treatment. For instance, the rate of getting a “parchi” made in GH-16 is Re 1, against Rs 10 for a card in the PGI. The office of DHS, who is also the Principal Medical Officer will be shortly shifted to Sector 22 and the place vacated will be gainfully utilised for either shifting some of the OPDs which are presently overcrowded on the ground floor or put some emergency beds for accommodating indoor patients who require immediate surgery. Furthermore, with the shifting of the MS and the DMS office to the nearby serai building, the OPDs will be better organised on both floors. In terms of equipment, CT Scan with the financial implications of Rs 1.5-2 crore is likely to be installed in the hospital by next year. Mr Rakesh Singh said largest number of deliveries take place in General Hospital, compared to any other hospital in north India. Hence, the gynae section of the OPD will also be expanded to create more space so as to ensure that patients and their attendants do not suffer. The rush will also get divided when a post partum section, which will provide gynae and paediatric indoor facilities, besides other family planning techniques will become functional by the end of next year in the Sector 22 Polyclinic. With the sanctioned amount of Rs 92 lakh coming in, the construction of the same will start shortly. The proposal for a chest and AIDS clinic is also in the pipeline, besides the expansion of the AIDS cell. Dr Joginder Singh said the Sector 45 health dispensary is also being upgraded to a polyclinic like Sector 22 to cater to the requirements of the people in the southern sectors. The 50-bedded community health centre in Mani Majra is also likely to be upgraded to 100 beds by 2000. The Sector 35 dispensary, which is functioning from the government flats, will shortly shift to the newly constructed building near the Congress Bhavan, which also has the residence of a junior doctor and pharmacist on the first floor. The authorities have also decided to strengthen some of the dispensaries both in terms of physical infrastructure and equipment. This will also help de-congest the General Hospital. For instance, dispensaries located in Sectors 8, 20 will be provided with ECG facilities. In fact, most of these dispensaries will be converted into health centres in a phased manner and would also provide day care hospital services. They are also thinking about providing dental health services in some of these centres in addition to the medical services to help achieve the WHO goal of oral health for healthy life for all by 2000. In case of the dental centre in GH-16, more advanced equipment is to be added and the old one will be replaced or repaired and additional allocation of Rs 50 lakh has been sought for this. Meanwhile, three of the
public toilets in GH-16 which are being used by patients
of OPDs and rickshawallahs have now been handed over to
Sulabh Shauchalya for better maintenance. |
Chakki
owners allege harassment CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — No check on unauthorised flour mills and cotton-carding machines, harassment by Electricity Department officials and unauthorised mobile chakkis were among the major issues highlighted by a delegation of the Chandigarh Chakki Owners Association when it called on the Adviser to the Administrator, Mrs Vineeta Rai, here yesterday. Led by its President, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, the delegation held that officials of the Electricity Department, in their endeavour to improve their revenue collections, were unnecessarily harassing chakki owners by sending them huge bills on the pretext of slow running of the electricity meters installed on their premises. In some cases, “arrears” for three years were being sent to chakki owners without giving any opportunity to them. The delegation maintained that instead of regular checking of meters and their maintenance, the department was out to harass chakki owners on one pretext or the other, while at the same time no action was initiated against unauthorised chakki owners and cotton-carding machines in the union territory. The delegation brought to the notice of the Adviser the unauthorised mobile chakkis operating in the union territory which were working without any valid licence. The delegation demanded
appointment of a regular auctioneer at the Sector 26
Grain Market as required under the Market Produce Act. It
demanded standard weighing machines in the market,
facilities for cleaning up agricultural produce by giving
power connections for cleaning machines and permission to
chakkis operating in villages.
|
Insurance
body flays government PANCHKULA, Nov 16 — The North Zone Insurance Employees Association (NZIEA), at its general body meeting held today at Kalka and Panchkula, criticised the decision of the central government to open up the insurance sector to foreign and private insurance companies. Addressing the meeting, Mr Z S Dhankar, Secretary of NZIEA , said that the bill should be referred to a new select committee for a further detailed assessment on the matter to safeguard the interests of the employees. He said that with a limited government equity in both Life Insurance Corporation(LIC) and General Insurance Corporation(GIC), the companies have managed to provide its customers with enormous dividends and massive corporate taxes to the government. The growth of the LIC and the GIC has been between 18-20 per cent annually, he added. The association said it was futile to open up the insurance sector as the LIC’s claim settlement ratio was as high as 97 per cent, against the international average of 40 per cent. Opening up of the insurance sector to private and foreign companies would lead to unethical practices like undercutting of premiums and transfer of funds which would damage the interests of the customers, he said. The release said that in the USA, the insurance companies enjoy special protection against foreign insurance companies. The Secretary of the
Kalka branch, Mr Prem Chand, announced a big rally of
bank and insurance employees on the first day of the
winter session of Parliament to protest against the
decision.
|
Decision
on octroi hailed SAS NAGAR, Nov 16 — A decision of the Punjab Government to do away with the system of contractual octroi collection has come as a relief to local business community, which had earlier threatened to bring the commercial activity in the town to a halt. The government has directed the Local Government to ensure the present level of revenue generation from the civic bodies concerned. A large scale incidents of harassment to general public at the hands of the octroi contractors has been cited as the reason. As per the earlier schedule the collection of octroi was to be passed over to private hands from November 19 and Rs 21 crore had been fixed as the reserved price. The councillors of the local Municipal Council had also unanimously opposed the move of privatisation by the Local Government Department. Earlier the octroi collection was in private hands from June, 1998, to March 1999. Mr H.S. Billa, President of the council, said the decision would save the residents from the undue harassment. He said the octroi collection by the staff of the council over the years had shown a regular increase in the revenue. Mr Sham Bansal, President of the local Beopar Mandal, said the business community and the residents of the town would be saved from undue harassment. There were complaints of overcharging by the musclemen of the private contractor, he said. A meeting of the private contractor and the councillors was called Mr Billa to discuss the issue of harassment to people but of little use. Mr Bansal alleged that men of the contractor interfered with the movement of goods from one point to another within the town. Hailing the decision, Mr N.K. Marwaha, a municipal councillor, said the profit shown during the collection of octroi by a private contractor was not much. FOC adds: The Mohali
Industries Association opposed the insertion of Section
24 in the Punjab General Sales Tax Act, 1948. Mr S.S.
Sandhu, President of the association, said it violated
the fundamental right of industrialists and dealers to
engage in free trade. This “black law” would
give vast powers to the Sales Tax Department and lead to
exploitation. |
Strategy
to check cattle menace SAS NAGAR, Nov 16 — The administration has chalked out a two-point strategy to deal with the cattle menace in the town. The issue came up for discussion at a meeting attended by the Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM), Mr O.P. Popli, the Additional Chief Administrator (ACA) of PUDA, Mr Dipinder Singh, and the Executive Officer of the local Municipal Council, Mr K.S. Brar, here yesterday. According to information available, the council has been given a week’s time to catch stray cattle. Two proposals to let off the stray cattle after catching them were discussed. Such cattle would either be let off in a nearby jungle or sent to the Nabha gaushala. The enforcement staff of PUDA would assist the council in catching the cattle. A meeting of the heads
of different departments engaged in providing basic
amenities in the township was held yesterday to discuss
the cattle menace. The Superintendent of Police, SAS
Nagar, Mr B.S. Randhawa, has written to the local
municipal and PUDA authorities and the Subdivisional
Magistrate (SDM) to control the menace of stray cattle.
An increase in the number of road accidents due to the
stray cattle was cited as the reason |
Strategy
to implement health campaign CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — A strategy to implement family health awareness campaign (FHAC) in 10 district of Haryana has been finalised at the conference of civil surgeons at Panchkula. According to a press note, the districts where the FHAC would be implemented are Panchkula, Rewari, Yamunanagar, Kaithal, Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind, Sonepat, Sirsa and Karnal. Earlier, the Health Department had implemented an awareness campaign in five districts. The week-long FHAC will begin on December 2. As many as 19 civil
surgeon attended the conference, which was chaired by Mr
G. Madhavan, Financial Commissioner and Secretary to the
Haryana Government. The meeting was convened by Dr P.L.
Jindal, Director-General of Health Services and Project
Director, Haryana AIDS Control Society. |
Relief
material for cyclone-hit CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Ten trucks carrying the first instalment of relief material for cyclone victims in Orissa was flagged off by the Adviser to the Administrator of Chandigarh, Mrs Vineeta Rai, here today. The relief material in kind and cash has been collected in a short span of time in response to an appeal by the Chandigarh Administration. The trucks carried rice, utensils, clothes, biscuits, medicines, flour, salt, gur, perched gram, match boxes, mineral water and candles. Those who have contributed in the first instalment included associations of grain merchants, fruit and vegetable merchants and roller flour mills.Shivalik Public School contributed truckloads of rice; residents welfare associations of sectors 23 and 36 have contributed an assortment of daily-use items. Chemists and pharmaceutical manufacturers have donated a truckload of medicines. Utensil manufacturers and industries association have contributed a truckload of utensils. Helping Hand, an NGO, took active part in collecting relief material from general public. Liquor contractors have contributed Rs 2.25 lakh. The inmates of Bal Niketan,an orphanage, were the first to send a contribution of Rs 1500 for the victims of the cyclone. The relief material can be deposited with the UT Red Cross Society, Karuna Sadan, Sector 11, for onward transmission to Orissa. Meanwhile, the Sector 23 Residents Welfare Association contributed a truckload of biscuits, match boxes, mineral water, candles, utensils and 275 kg of perched gram. Collected material was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh, Mr M. Ramsekhar. Dera Bassi: Workers of the Youth Congress on Tuesday sent a truckload of garments, blankets, soap, candles, rice, shoes and other articles for the Orissa cyclone victims. Mr Deepinder Dhillon, treasurer of the Punjab Congress Committee (legal cell), flagged off the vehicle which left for the Punjab Congress Bhavan, Chandigarh. The relief items were
collected by the youth of the subdivision under the
leadership of Mr Rakesh Sharma. Various local Congress
leaders, including Mr Ramesh Gupta, Amrit Pal Singh, Prem
Singh were present on the occasion. |
Science
exhibition from tomorrow CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8-C, will be organising the first inter-state (north India) science exhibition from November 18 to 20 on the theme “Science for better life”. It will be inaugurated by Dr R.S. Rao, Dean, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi. The exhibition will be organised in five different categories to ensure that students of professional colleges and the students of the lowest grade get equal opportunity to compete. The students will display both working and non-working models accompanied by project reports. As many as 150 institutions are likely to participate in this exhibition. The prize distribution function will be held on November 20. Annual function: Tiny tots of Petals, the primary wing of SD Public School, Sector 32, put up an impressive show at their annual function yesterday. The programme commenced with a group song by students of class I followed by key board tune. The other highlights were songs presented by nursery students, a play and ‘gidda’. Youth festival: UTSAV ‘99, a youth festival for school and college girls, is being organised at Lions Bhavan, Sector 18-D, on November 18 to 20. This will be the 27th youth festival being organised by the Students Welfare Association (SWA), a registered body of the Tagore Niketan College for Girls, Sector 27-D. According to a release,
25 schools and colleges are likely to participate in the
youth festival from Chandigarh, Mohali, Chandi Mandir and
Panchkula. A declamation contest, poem recitation, mono
acting, mime and solo singing will mark the festival.
There are 12 running trophies and about 150 individual
prizes for different events. The students of the host
college will not compete but will participate in all the
events.
|
Martyrdom
fortnight from today CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — The Servants of the People Society will celebrate the Lala Lajpat Rai martyrdom fortnight from tomorrow. A number of events, including a book exhibition, an arts and crafts mela, a youth conference and singing and declamation contests will be the highlights of the fortnight, which will begin with a seminar on rule of law and democracy at Lajpat Rai Bhavan tomorrow. Meanwhile, as part of
the celebrations, a 10-day “Yuva
Srijan—99” will begin at Lajpat Rai Bhavan on
November 21. Crash courses in 12 crafts would be held for
over 500 participants in this crafts mela |
Bail
granted CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr G.S. Sandhu, has granted bail to Balwan Singh, earlier working with the Chandigarh Transport Corporation as a driver, in an assault case. Balwan Singh, declared a proclaimed offender by the court earlier, was directed to be released after furnishing a personal bond for Rs 20,000 along with two sureties of the like amount. He was booked by the
Chandigarh police for “voluntary causing hurt”
under Section 325 of the Indian Penal Code in July, 1995,
on his landlord’s complaint. |
Police
remand for Haryana employee CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Assistant in charge in the Haryana Printing and Stationary Department Hari Om was today remanded in police custody till November 18 by the UT Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr H.S. Madan, in a cheating and forgery case. He was earlier arrested by the Chandigarh police in a first information report, under Sections 420, 467, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, registered on a written complaint by the Assistant Controller of Printing and Stationery Department. According to the prosecution, the accused, along with certain other employees, had conspired with the Bharti Sarv Kalyan Society, “to get a payment of Rs 7,54,350 in excess compared to the rates fixed by the Government Press”. Today, pronouncing the
directions in the open court, the ACJM observed:
“The allegations are well founded. There are
sufficient grounds to give police remand as such the
accused is remanded to police custody till November
18”. |
Fined for
creating nuisance CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — For creating nuisance under the influence of liquor, the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr A.K. Bishnoi, today imposed a fine of Rs 50 each on four persons after holding them guilty in separate cases. The four Davinder Singh of Burail village, Hukam Singh of Sector 46, Bharat Singh of Garhwal in Uttar Pradesh and a Delhi resident, Vikas Chadha, were further directed to undergo simple imprisonment for two days in default of payment. While Davinder Singh, Hukam Singh and Bharat Singh were booked by the Chandigarh police under Sections 34/5/61 of the Police Act on October 28, Vikas Chadha of Shastri Nagar, Delhi, was booked on November 14. According to the prosecution, Davinder Singh and others were medically examined after a wireless message regarding creation of nuisance at the turn of Sector 33 and 45 here was received by a police party. Chadha, the prosecution had stated, was creating nuisance near Sector 34 Piccadilly cinema. Today, pronouncing the orders in the case against the three accused, Mr Bishnoi observed: “The prosecution has been successful in bringing home the guilt against the accused beyond the shadow of reasonable doubt under Sections 34/5/61 of the Police Act. Accordingly I hold the accused guilty under the said offence”. Taking up Chadha’s
case, the Magistrate observed: “I am of the
considered view that the interest of justice would be
served in case the accused is directed to pay a fine of
Rs 50”. |
Restrained
from chopping trees CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Restraining a timber merchant from chopping trees as alleged by the plaintiffs, UT Sub Judge (Junior Division), Mr Naval Kumar, today fixed November 22 as the next date for hearing the civil suit seeking directions to declare a contract for cutting 50 mango, neem and pipal trees as “illegal, void and against public interest”. Claiming the contract to have been awarded by the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh for “a meagre sum of Rs 1.5 lakh”, the plaintiffs — social organisation Yuvsatta and advocate Kamaljit Lamba — had earlier alleged that the trees, to avoid a breach of the contract, had to be cut within a specified time. An irreparable loss, the plaintiffs had added, would be caused to the general public, having “sentimental attachment” with the trees if the defendants were not restrained from carrying out the alleged activity. Giving details, the plaintiffs had stated that an attempt to chop the trees by digging the earth around them by “mischievous persons” along with the contractor in the Sector 25 Janata Colony was foiled due to active resistance and initiative by students under the guidance of Yuvsatta volunteers. A contract, dated October 10, between the MCC, and the Executive Engineer of the corporation’s Horticulture Department with the contractor had earlier been shown to Yuvsatta members, the plaintiffs had claimed. They had added that a police party, reaching the spot after the Senior Superintendent of Police was approached by the advocate, had “left the place expressing inability to do anything” as contract documents were shown to them also. Describing the alleged action as “a heinous crime”, the plaintiffs had also stated that a written representation was handed over to the UT Municipal Commissioner. The Assistant Commissioner was also requested to stop indiscriminate tree felling, the plaintiffs had added. Merciless chopping of
trees, planted decades ago, could not be permitted, the
two stated, as they not only provided green cover, but
also relief “in the otherwise lives of the slum
dwellers”. Their cutting had also resulted in the
change in the city weather, they had added.
|
PUSU
threatens stir on fee hike issue CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — The Panjab University Students Union today announced that an indefinite strike would be launched in case the university did not reduce the enhanced fee structure from the current session. A delegation of the PUSU led by its President, Paramjit Singh Shahi, Bhupinder Singh and Mohan Singh met the Dean Student Welfare and demanded withdrawal of fee hike. The issue could not be resolved as the Vice-Chancellor was not available at the meeting. Nitin Verma, spokesperson of the PUSU, said in case there was no fee hike withdrawal after the meeting with the VC, there would be an indefinite strike. The PUSU is resenting
the student development fund charges, house examination
fee and the breakage fee. The total fee structure needed
re-examination, it was pointed out.
CTCC’s Disciplinary Committee CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Mr Kulbhushan Gupta, officiating President, Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee, has constituted the Disciplinary Committee and Human Rights Committee of the CTCC.According to Mr Sunil Parti, official spokesman of the CTCC, the Human Rights Committee would be headed by local MP, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal. The other members are Mr Subash Chawla, Mr Sher Singh, Mr Sunil Parti, Mrs Shrestha Mehta, Mrs Kamlesh, Dr Mohd Khalid, Mr Pawan Sharma, Mr H.S. Lucky, Dr O.P. Verma and Mr Vishav Vir Sharma. Mr Surjit Chaudhary and Mr Parminder Thukral will be the Presidents of the district and block unit, respectively. The Disciplinary
Committee will be headed by Mr B.B. Behl and the other
members will be Mr Subash Chawla, Mr Sunil Parti, Mr
Surinder Bhatia and Mr J.N. Shastri. Mr Surinder Bhatia
has been appointed Chairman of the State Election
Authority while Mr Balkrishan Bansal will head the
Traders Cell of the CTCC, the press note said. |
SNIPPETS Dharna by Military Farm workers CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Civilian employees from Military Farm, Ambala cantonment, today staged a dharna near the main entrance to Western Command Headquarters, Chandimandir, today. A statement issued here said that about 75 civilian workers took part in the dharna. They are demanding restoration of services of about 150 retrenched workers and the cancellation of transfers of office-bearers of their union. They are also protesting against the adoption of the contract and privatisation system in the farm. Rooftop restaurant CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Hotel Mountview will have a rooftop restaurant on the terrace of the new block by next month. According to the Managing Director of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation Limited (CITCO), Mr Satish Chandra, the restaurant will have the capacity to accommodate 120 persons and is likely to be opened in the first week of December. Built at a cost of over Rs 95 lakh, it will have a small bath attached to it. Book hunting contest winners CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Sumit and Vipin, students of BA I, won the book hunting contest at Government College, Sector 46, as part of the ‘National Book Week’ here today. The team of Amarjit and Gurminder Singh of BA III stood second, while the third position was bagged by Mrigank and Amit of BA III. Kalpana Kumari won the extempore speech contest. Jaswinder Kaur and Sarabjit Singh (all students of BA I) were adjudged, second and third, respectively. The ceremony was addressed by Mr K.A.P.Sinha, DPI (C), Major D.P.Singh, Principal, Mr Chopra, a former chairperson of the department of Library Science in Panjab University, and Mr I.B.Verma, librarian. “Initiation programme in books” , figured on top among the events of the weekly celebrations at Government College for Girls, Sector 11, which commenced today. Varsha Joshi CHANDIGARH, Nov 16 — Ms Varsha Joshi, an IAS officer of the 1995 batch of the AGMU (UT) cadre, has taken charge of the Chief Executive Officer of the Chandigarh Housing Board. She replaces Dr Mahavir
Singh, who was repatriated to his parent state of Haryana
recently.
|
 |
 |
| Nation
| Punjab | Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | | Editorial | Business | Sport | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | E-mail | |
