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Thefts leave UT forest belt thinner
Peacocks disappear from area
Chandigarh, December 24
Wood is being stolen on a large scale either by felling trees or chopping off branches from the UT forest belt starting from Dadumajra to PGI Campus along the Patiala ki Rao choe during the past several years and the process is still going on unchecked. The Forest Department allegedly could not even maintain any check on the theft of trees as these are unmarked.

Sector 18 Church decorated on the eve of Christmas in Chandigarh on Monday. — Tribune Photo Karam Singh

Santa is just a call away! Chandigarh, December 24 Watch out, folks! Santa Claus just might drop in at your house with a bundle of gifts on the special occasion of Christmas. If you do not believe it, ask scores of city residents whose houses Santa, clad in his traditional red attire, has visited till date for giving away beautifully wrapped gifts to the children. A city damsel makes her pick at a Sector 9 departmental store on Christmas eve. — Photo Parvesh Chauhan

It’s gifts and candies all the way
Chandigarh, December 24
The Kapsons Group has come up with a sparkling idea to spread the message of love, unity and peace this Christmas. It was a dream come true for children when Santa Claus, along with his team, rang their doorbells, greeted them and gave gifts. As children danced to the music. Christmas carols could be heard all around.

• Governor sends greetings

Xmas father on mobike with gifts
Chandigarh, December 24
Santa, wrapped up in a cozy leather jacket, instead of his time-honoured red cloak, has just arrived in a Sector 9 departmental store. Not on his sleigh, but a macho 350 cc bike. And is looking for presents. Not small insignificant gifts of love for slipping into stockings after sliding down the chimney. But nice expensive ones for filling his college-going baby’s flippant heart with ecstasy.

Festivities, glitter say it all
Chandigarh, December 24
If the glittering of red and gold stars dazzling under high wattage bulbs in showroom windows on Christmas eve mesmerise you, but you do not know whom to ask about the relevance and background of the occasion, here is everything you wanted to understand.

YEAR-END REVIEW

ADMINISTRATION
Laudable changes, but miles to go...
Chandigarh, December 24
Though it has been a year of laudable changes which have brought about a fresh look to the lives of residents of the city yet several issues still need to be addressed. It is the need of the hour and demand of the members of the public, the sooner the Chandigarh Administration acts the better. Undoubtedly the tasks carried out in the past 12 months had been pending for the past decade.

• What the residents want

• The year 2001

CRIME
Sharp increase in road accidents, thefts
Chandigarh, December 24
First the good news. Heinous crimes in the city, including murder, rape and abduction, have registered a decline over the last year. The bad news, on the other hand, is that there has been a sharp increase in the cases of road accidents, vehicle thefts, burglary, dacoity, robbery, snatching and assault on public servants.

COMMUNITY

Self-help scheme for the aged
Chandigarh, December 24
HelpAge India, a national level organisation working for the cause and care of the elderly, plans to launch a new scheme aimed at promoting the concept of home care for the aged.

BEATS OF LIFE

Pankaj, a 10-year-old mentally challenged student, freaks out with a tabla at the concluding function of NSS at Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 32, Chandigarh, on Monday. — Tribune photo Pradeep Tewari

Xmas celebrations
Chandigarh, December 24
The Governor of Punjab, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), joined in the Christmas celebrations and dedicated the Sai Darshan Hall to mankind at the Sri Sathya Sai Old Age Home-cum-Seva Centre in Sector 30-B here today.

Johnians have ball of time
Chandigarh, December 24
St John’s wore a festive look. It was the winter ball for old boys of the school. The school ground was turned into a dance floor and the boys jived though the night as the music played on.

Help of BJP not needed: Shiv Sena
SAS Nagar, December 24
Mr Pawan Kumar Gupta, president of the Punjab unit of the Shiv Sena, today said the party had an independent entity and did not require the help of the BJP to contest elections. Mr Gupta, who was addressing a press conference, said the party would field its candidates on 30 seats in the coming Vidhan Sabha elections in Punjab.

BJP sees politics in demolition drive
Chandigarh, December 24
The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has deplored the demolition of jhuggies in Kaimbwala village near Guru Sagarsar Colony have been demolished by the UT Administration.

Consumers warned against misleading ads
Panchkula, December 24
National Consumer Day was observed at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, by the Food and Supply Department in collaboration with the District Consumer Forum here today.

• Family planning camp

• Helping others is her mission

• Residents seek police post

• Boy untraced

• Fresh taxes no solution: MP

CRIME

Held for carrying revolver
Chandigarh, December 24
A resident of Mani Majra, Rajinder Singh, has been arrested by the police for allegedly carrying his licenced revolver without permission in violation of prohibitory orders.

Barber shop burgled

Guidance cell for investors at tourism exhibition
Chandigarh, December 24
The Tamil Nadu Tourism inaugurated a three-day exhibition at Junction 22 in Sector 22 here today. Tourism destinations of the state have been showcased at the exhibition.

Jewellery, modern yet ethnic
Chandigarh, December 24
Famous jewellery designer Asha Komal Modi has come out with a spectacular range in floral patterns, a slice of which has been brought to the city by Nirmal Mahesh Chandra in collaboration with Art Karat at Kider’s Gallery in Sector 7 here today.

• BIZ CLIPS

EDUCATION

Total quality management stressed
Chandigarh, December 24
“In any institution, total quality management can be one of the ways of meeting the challenges posed by mushrooming growth in higher education and drastic fall in standards,” emphasised Prof K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University. He said this while delivering the convocation address at the Dayanand College of Communication and Management, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Sector 27, here today.

College teachers’ fast enters fifth day
Chandigarh, December 24
The relay fast by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, and the president of the Federation of Principals, outside the office of the DPI (Punjab), entered the fifth day here today.

Scintillating project display by St Kabir kids

Chandigarh, December 24 An important message of how man himself is responsible for destroying nature was amply demonstrated by students of St Kabir School, Sector 26, through a project display of different classes by models of high perfection and with live commentaries. Students of Class III, St Kabir School, enact a jungle scene during their project display at the school. — A Tribune photograph

Show results within days, varsity tells XEN
Chandigarh, December 24
Taking a serious view of the existing lacunae, a special committee of Panjab University has recommended various steps to improve the affairs of the construction wing as regards university campus.

A pat on the back for NSS volunteers
Chandigarh, December 24
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, NSS Regional Centre, Chandigarh, Government of India, organised a national integration camp for women today at MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, to mark the International Year of Women Empowerment.

10-day NSS camp comes to end
Chandigarh, December 24
The valedictory function to mark the conclusion of the 10-day NSS camp of Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, was held at the college premises here today.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Doctor permitted to carry on private practice
Chandigarh, December 24
Allowing two petitions filed by Reader in the Department of Surgery with Dayanand Medical College and Hospital at Ludhiana, Dr Kuldip Singh, along with Dr Ajit Singh Khurana, Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ordered that the doctor shall be permitted to carry on with private practice in accordance with the prescribed terms and conditions.

Court orders refund for defective watch
Chandigarh, December 24
Finding deficiency in the services of the Bhatia Watch and Electronics, the UT Consumer Court directed it to refund a sum of Rs 900 (as price of the watch) to a Gurdaspur resident. It also ordered Rs 250 as compensation for harassment caused to him.

Bail denied in cheating case
Chandigarh, December 24
A local court today dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Amardeep Singh in a case of cheating. The case against the accused, a Sector 21 resident, had been registered on the charge of defrauding a Hoshiarpur resident to the tune of Rs 4.15 lakh.

CULTURE

Club opens with Hans songs
SAS Nagar, December 24
Famous Punjabi pop singer Hans Raj Hans regaled audience at the inaugural function of the Mohali Club in Phase XI here this evening. The club, a dream project of a group of non-resident Indians (NRIs), was opened to its members today.

25 city dancers awarded