Ropar cops rushed to help nab snatchers
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 2 — Additional police force has been rushed from Ropar to lend a helping hand to the local police in nabbing snatchers, who have been hoodwinking the Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh police for the past several weeks.

Three incidents of snatching of purses from women in different phases in the township in the last two days has made the police sit up and plan a strategy to outsmart the swift snatchers. A strong police bandobast has been made to keep vigil on all entry and exit points to the township, especially from the Chandigarh side.

The Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr G.P.S. Bhullar, who was in the town to convene a meeting of the police officials of the district in this regard, said an additional contingent of 70 policemen, including the SP (Detective), Ropar, and Inspector (CIA), Ropar, would camp in the township till the snatchers are nabbed.

At least 28 vulnerable points adjoining Chandigarh have been identified which would be sealed. All unauthorised escape routes would also be sealed. Citing an incident, the Superintendent of Police, SAS Nagar, Mr B.S.Randhawa, said while chasing two scooter-borne snatchers on September 30 night in his Gypsy, the police party lost track when the suspects escaped to Chandigarh through an unauthorised exit point.

For effective patrolling, the township had been divided into seven zones and a gazetted police officer (for every two phases) would coordinate his subordinates. Mr Bhullar said the snatchers appear to be in the age group of 16 to 30 years and operate in two or three separate groups. To evade the police, they either cover the number plates of their scooters with mud or replace the original number with a fake one. The police believes that the snatchers were hooked to drugs or other addictions.

Special vigil is being kept at places where the drug addicts generally meet. The Chief Medical Officer, Ropar, had been asked by the SSP to depute some senior doctor to identify the shops selling banned drugs.

Mr Randhawa said at least two constables on foot would patrol different phase markets. The checking of vehicles would be intensified from 5.30 p.m. onwards daily — the favourite time of the snatchers to strike.

Mr Bhullar said mobile nakas had been established, which would keep in touch with the control room.

Liquor sold on dry day
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 2 — It was the usual scene at some liquor shops in the township in spite of it being a dry day on account of Gandhi Jayanti. In one shop, bottles were being handed out from behind a half-closed door at the rear.

A round of the township in the evening revealed that tipplers were having a field day. A shop in Phase 3A was selling liquor as usual. Similarly, shops in Phases 7, 8 and 9, adjoining Yadavindra Public School and Nayagaon were operating. In one shop some cops could be seen buying liquor.

Ganesh, a resident of Phase X, Labour Colony, did not know that it was a dry day. He, however, had to shell out extra money to buy a bottle from a shop in Phase 8. He directed The Tribune team to a half-closed door at the side of the shop.

Similarly, some cops, little knowing that it was a dry day, were buying liquor.

An official of the administration said though no order had been passed by the district administration, but it being Gandhi Jayanti, liquor shops should be closed as a mark of respect to the father of the nation. The official said dry days had been declared on October 5 and October 6, on account of counting of votes

The Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Ropar, was not available for comments.

Incognito IGP catches cops drinking
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — It was beyond the wildest dreams of two inebriated cops at the Sector 39 police station that they would be caught with a bottle in their hands in the police station itself by none other than Mr S. K. Singh, the IGP.

The two were placed under suspension and a departmental inquiry ordered into the matter.

According to police sources, the IGP, travelling incognito, visited the Sector 26 and Sector 39 police stations last night to see whether the new directions on discipline and consuming of liquor while on duty were being followed scrupulously. He found that things were right at the former station.

However, when he visited the Sector 39 police station, he was greeted by the spectacle of two constables — Sanjay Kumar and Varinder Singh — shouting at each other at the top of their voice, unmindful of the presence of some civilians at about 10 .30 p.m.

When he asked the cops what they were arguing about, they are reported to have told him to " mind his own business". One of them was even holding a bottle of liquor openly in the police station.

The IGP then went to his car and called the SHO who reached there immediately. All this time, the constables carried on shouting and abusing each other. It was the salute from the SHO, and the realisation that the person with whom they had spoken rudely was the IGP, that brought down their " high spirits".

Such was the shock that the constable carrying the bottle dropped it and the duo managed to run away. However, the SHO revealed the identity of the defaulters and the IGP ordered their suspension.

Meanwhile, a statement of the police department said such surprise checks would be a routine feature and any person found indulging in any misconduct would be severely dealt with.

Door slammed on animal care
From Our Correspondent

KASOLI (Kharar), Oct 2 — Animal care facilities do not exist in Kasoli village, as no veterinary doctor has reportedly visited it for the past two years.

This is just one of the problems of this village, situated 9 km from the PGI. Unmetalled roads and lack of a bus service are other problems, highlighted by residents when this correspondent visited the village.

villagers accuse the authorities of neglecting the development of the area. According to Mr Atma Ram, sarpanch of the village, villagers collected money and purchased a piece of land for a veterinary dispensary in the village. At the instance of the Kandi Area Development department, the residents collected about Rs 40,000 to buy the land.

They had to do so because all land in the area belongs to individuals and there is no shamlat land. But the veterinary hospital has remained locked for the past two years.

The three-kanal area of the veterinary dispensary is covered with wild vegetation, more than 5 feet tall. The Tribune team found the main door of the dispensary locked while a room was open in which chairs and furniture had been dumped. All other rooms were locked.

"In the absence of any doctor at the dispensary, sick cattle are destined to die," said Mr Krishan. Some villagers go to the nearby areas of Khudda Lahora or Mullanpur for the services of veterinary doctors but it is not possible for everybody as the treatment is costly. Besides paying Rs 250 to the vet, they have to buy the medicines.

Villagers also demanded a public water distribution system for irrigation. At present, they depend on rain. pigs are a constant threat to crops.

Another problem highlighted by the villagers was the absence of a good road. Students have to wade through seasonal nullahs, in the absence of any approach road to the village. There are several nullahs in the area which get flooded during the rainy season and make all movement impossible.

The village also lacks a bus service. According to Mr Mahinder, a local resident, CTU bus route no 70 which served the village was withdrawn two years ago. In the absence of a bus connection, villagers have to walk more than 3 km to reach the village from the main road.

The villagers also need a general dispensary."On Monday last, I took five patients to the hospital in a tractor trolley," said the sarpanch.

Jain contests statement of Kapil Sibal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — A former MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, today contested the statement of Mr Kapil Sibal, a Congress spokesman, that the President was bound to invite the leader of the single largest party to form the government at the Centre.

Mr Jain in a statement said there was only one provision in the Constitution — Article 75 — that relates to the appointment of the Prime Minister and other ministers. This Article laid down that the Prime Minister will be appointed by the President and other ministers will be appointed by him on the recommendations of the Prime Minister.

Mr Jain said Article 75(3) says that the President would invite a person who enjoys confidence of the Lok Sabha.

The National Democratic Alliance will get majority in the Lok Sabha, he claimed, and the President would be bound to invite Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee as Leader of the National Democratic Alliance to form the government.

He said: "It will be on absurd Constitutional proposition to suggest that the President should invite a leader of a party having lesser number of seats to form the government."

Mr Jain in support of his contention cited various court rules. He said in 1979 Mr Charan Singh was appointed Prime Minister. His appointment was questioned by Mr Madan Murari Verma in the Calcutta High Court. The high court had ruled: "...in making a choice the President has to act in his own discretion and naturally he must take various factors into consideration and the primary factor is his assessment as to who as Prime Minister and which body of Council of Ministers will enjoy the confidence of Parliament in terms of Article 75(3). But the President is not fettered in his choice except by his own assessment."

Mr Jain said that somewhat similar observations were made by a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court in the D.C. Pandey vs Charan Singh and others case in 1980.

Children walk for rights of elderly
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — The HelpAge India, a voluntary organisation working for the welfare of the aged, today held a 'walkathon'—a one-hour walk of school children — from Leisure Valley, Sector 10, to Sukhna Lake.

The walk was held to mark the International Year of the Older Persons.

About 800 students from 13 schools participated in the walk, which was flagged off by Mr D. S. Saroya, Director, Public Instructions (Schools). It was led by a school band.

The schools which participated in the walk were Shishu Niketan Model School, Sector 22; Sarvhitkari Public School, Sector 40; Dev Samaj Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 21; Shivalik Public School, Sector 41; Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School Public School, Sector 27; SD Public School, Sector 32; Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 32; Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 31; Saint Isher Public School, Phase VII, Mohali; DAV Public School, Sector 8, Panchkula; Moti ram Arya Public School, Sector 7, Panchkula; D C Model School, Sector 7, Panchkula and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19.

According to Mr Ajaib Singh, senior programme adviser, HelpAge India, the purpose of the walk was to create awareness in society about the rights of elderly people and to promote "inter-generational relationship".

Bapu Dham police post to go
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — The police department has reportedly decided to abolish the Bapu Dham police post following a review of functioning of various police posts in the city.

According to police sources, the post was set up in 1990 and was aimed at keeping a tab on labour colonies in the area. officers were of the view that since the Sector 26 police station was at a distance of 1 km, no purpose would be served and the staff, an SI and five other personnel could be used elsewhere.

A senior official confirmed that they were of the view of abolishing the post and a plan had been drawn to use the existing staff for patrolling in the area of the Sector 26 police station.

Court notice to CBI
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.S. Lamba, yesterday issued notice to the CBI for October 6 on a bail application moved by Mr Pritam Singh, General Manager, District Industries Centre, Patiala.

The applicant, along with a large number of other officers is booked by the CBI in connection with the alleged siphoning off of industrial subsidy by industrialists in Punjab. A case under Section 420, 120-B, IPC and Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered.

In his bail application, Mr Pritam Singh stated that he was not connected with the disbursement of the subsidy for the period 1995-96.

He added that the Punjab Government had given sanction for the prosecution of officials whose names figured in the investigation report. This showed that the CBI had already completed investigation.

He claimed that the subsidy was sanctioned by the district-level committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner. The CBI had sought sanction for the prosecution of the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar and other members of the committee.

The applicant claimed that the government had declined to grant sanction in respect of the Deputy Commissioner and some other members of the committee. Therefore, conspiracy had not been found against them. Therefore, there is no reason as to how the same could be attributed to the petitioner.

Discoing with Bhuppi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — Bhupinder 'Bhuppi', the golden voice behind the acclaimed Jogiya khali bali number featured at the anniversary celebrations of a local discotheque last night.

The crowd had its share of catchy tunes, which is the singer's trademark, and even more when the star danced in midst of the audience. Despite a comparatively less share of songs by the singer, the audience had the dance floor full of vibrancy to other numbers .

The performance started nearly one-and-a-half hour behind schedule, with the crowd getting so restless that the floor became alive without the performer. The star, however, was applauded right from his entry with the folk tune of Kala doriya.

The folk tunes set to the western beat in Jugni were received very well by the audience. The response to Jogiya khali bali was naturally spontaneous. After four songs, the artiste took a break which was replaced by the crowd dancing to popular tunes as expected in a disco.

The singer was accompanied by his brother who is the lyricist for his first album. A former Miss Chandigarh in one of the local contests also tapped in union with the singer.

Talking to mediapersons during the performance, Bhuppi said he was involved with performances with that brought about AIDS awareness and on drugs. "I have done two functions to contribute to the cause of Kargil heroes recently."

Bhuppi said that his second cassette was set to be released in November. He also referred to his performance in a Hema Sardesai cassette.

Questioned about his singing form, he said, "Our work is of populist measures. A majority of the people who come for entertainment are largely not bothered about traditions. We copy from other traditions to suit people."

Bhuppi conceded that he borrowed songs of other singers at his performances. This was because he himself had very less original compositions. Moreover, the children at shows demand popular songs.

His favourite singers are Kishore Kumar, Gurdas Mann and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Congress grass removal drive by HUDA
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Oct 2 — A campaign for the removal of congress grass from the city and Mansa Devi Complex has been launched by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

The executive engineers concerned have been directed to continue with the work of removal of congress grass. The Executive Engineer (Horticulture), has been entrusted this responsibility for parks and open spaces.

The Administrator, Ms Sumita Singh, says the Estate Officer, HUDA, is also issuing notices to owners of vacant plots and partially-built houses, asking them to get congress grass removed from their plots and houses within 20 days, failing which the same will be got done by the HUDA by charging Re 1 per square metre. A total of 475 allottees in sectors 4, 6, 7,8, 10, 15 and 17 and phases I and II of Industrial Area have been issued such notices. The remaining notices are likely to be issued within a week.

In addition, the HUDA has appealed to residents to wipe out congress grass from their neighbourhood. They have been asked, in the pamphlets distributed, to uproot and burn it.

She adds that the final notice for removal of fences, hedges, grills and angle irons from the road berms in front of the houses, erected in violation of the HUDA Act of 1977, has been served to residents. They have been given 15 days, failing which the HUDA will get these removed at Rs 800 from 420 square metres and above, Rs 500 for between 300 and 419 square metres, Rs 300 for between 138 and 299 square metres and Rs 200 for below 138 square metres, while institutions, industrial units, group housing and schools will be charged Rs 30 per running metre.

She adds that the material should be lifted by the residents within three days of the dismantling, otherwise the same will be lifted at Rs 1,500, Rs 1,000, Rs 700, Rs 500 and Rs 60 per running metre of the fence or hedge in case of institutions, industries, group housing and schools in the above-mentioned categories, respectively. Such notices have been issued to 742 allottees, while the remaining will be issued in due course of time.

Protest against booking surgeon
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 2 — The Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Panchkula units of the Indian Medical Association have protested against the registration of a case of negligence against a local orthopaedic surgeon, running a private clinic in Phase II here, for allegedly causing death of a patient.

A delegation of members of the IMA today met the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr G.P.S. Bhullar, to protest against the treatment being meted out to the surgeon against whom the case had been registered.

The doctors in a signed representation, said in the case involving medical professionals, the administration and the police should handle the matter with care. The SSP said he had given time to the doctors to present their case with supporting documents.

Shops closed in Sector 7
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Oct 2 — Members of the market association of Sector 7 today downed their shutters in protest against the alleged police inaction in arresting the suspects behind the assault on one of the shopkeepers.

The President of the association, Mr B.B. Kochhar, said a delegation of the shopkeepers had met the Superintendent of Police, Mr Alok Mittal, and they were assured of proper action but, nothing had happened so far.

He said a meeting of shopkeepers of the township would be called tomorrow to intensify their agitation if proper action was not taken.

SNIPPETS

Snag hits 30,000 phones
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — More than 30,000 telephone subscribers connected onto particular exchanges in SAS Nagar, Kharar, and Chandigarh were cut off from the rest of the telecom system due to a technical snag here today.

The snag that affected telephones on level 67, 26 and 69, besides the numbers in Kharar, occurred around noon and was rectified about 3 hours later. Sources said pulse code modulators that connected one telephone exchange with the other, had developed a problem.

Cop finds bag with money, passport
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — Head Constable Kanwar Pal deposited a bag containing Rs 12,000 and a passport with the Sector 19 police station. He had found the bag while he was on duty at the Sector 19-27 traffic lights.

He traced the owner, Sachin Sharma, a resident of Sector 29 B, after reading the address on the passport, only to find the house locked. He was told by the neighbours that the person used to live here but had shifted somewhere else.

Kanwar Pal later deposited the money and the department has appealed that the rightful owner could take the bag after furnishing proof of ownership at the police station.

Meanwhile, the department has decided to reward the Head Constable.

DC's order on premises
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — The District Magistrate, Mr M. Ramshekar, yesterday ordered that all owners or managers of commercial establishments will have to inform the police station concerned before giving the property out on rent. The tenants will also have to furnish their details to the Station House Officer (SHO) concerned in writing.

Similarly, anyone running a commercial establishment will have to inform the police before employing any servants, helpers, maids or part-time helpers.

Free access to Nepli, Kansal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 2 — Students of different schools will have free access to Nepli and Kansal reserved forest areas during Wildlife Week to be celebrated by the UT Administration from October 4 to 8.

According to Mr H.S. Sohal, the UT Chief Wildlife Warden, school children will not need any permit to enter the forest areas during Wildlife Week. In addition to this, the Environment and Forest Department will organise an on-the-spot painting and essay competition on October 5 at the Sector 21 bird sanctuary.