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No takers for octroi-collection contract for Mohali
Mohali, December 19 According to the President of the council, two parties interested in taking up the annual contract were present at the office, but they did not deposit the
earnest money of Rs 5 lakh. He said the reason behind such a low response was the 15 per cent hike in reserve rate of the contract. “Since the last contract was given at Rs 16.59 crore per annum, the government had increased the amount by 15 per cent and the minimum reserved rate was thus fixed at Rs 19.9 crore. This was probably too high for the bidders,” he said. However, he was not sure if the reserved rate would be reduced. The contract of the company presently doing the job ends on December 31, following which the council will take up octroi collection on itself as long as the work is given to a private contractor. “We are short of staff, but we will have to manage till someone is found,” said Mr Kulwant Singh. |
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Punjab Rent Act applies to CHB units, rules HC Chandigarh, December 19 In a significant ruling, a three-Judge Bench of the High Court has also ruled that the provisions of the Rent Act shall "govern the inter-se relationship between the allottees and the tenants". The judgement is significant as it had been earlier held that a landlord, being housing board allottee, was not entitled to evict the tenant under the provisions of the Rent Act. It will affect not only CHB dwellers, but also people residing in Haryana Housing Board appartments all over the state. The orders were pronounced on Thursday by the Bench, comprising Chief Justice Mr Justice B.K. Roy, Mr Justice N.K. Sud and Mr Justice Viney Mittal, on a bunch of petitions. In one such petition, Sector 41 resident Dharminder Kumar Vashisht had claimed that the house was allotted to him by the CHB. The Rent Controller had ordered ejectment of tenant Avnish Sharma on his petition seeking the same on the ground of “own use and occupation”. Challenging the orders, the tenant had claimed that the provisions of the Rent Act were not applicable to the "premises in question in view of Section 4 of the Haryana Housing Board Act". Taking up his plea, the appellate authority had ruled that the landlord, being a housing board allottee, was not entitled to evict the tenant. It was further held that the Rent Control Authority had no jurisdiction to pass ejectment order against the tenant. The order was, subsequently, challenged by Mr Vashisht before the High Court. Pronouncing the orders on his petition, the Bench ruled: "From the perusal of regulations, it is
apparent that an allottee of a dwelling unit allotted by the CHB shall have right to sublet the premises. Even such an allottee — who has not paid the full price — can execute the lease for a period not exceeding five years at a time". Speaking for the Bench, Mr Justice Mittal added that from the definition of the terms "landlord" and "tenant" mentioned in the Rent Act "it was apparent that a landlord is not required to be the owner of the premises let out by him to a tenant. A landlord can be a person who is entitled to receive rent in respect of any building or rented land whether on his own account or on behalf of any other person. It would include a tenant who sublets any building or rented land and also any other person from time to time deriving title under a landlord". The Judges further ruled: "Similarly, a tenant means a person by whom or on whose account rent is payable for a building or rented land. It includes a tenant continuing in possession after the termination of tenancy". |
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Duped girls narrate tales of woes
Chandigarh, December 19 Majority of these girls had married non-resident Indians. The husbands spent some time with their ‘holiday wives’ and went back. None of them cared to get back to hear the plight of these girls, some of whom have children to fend for without any decent source of income. A common grievance voiced by the victims was the apathy on the part of the police in registering cases against the accused. Even where cases had been registered, there was little action against the accused, it was pointed out. The occasion was a workshop organised by the PU Centre for Women Studies and Development on ‘NRI marriages: problems and concerns’. Ms Palwinder Kaur from Ropar said she was coming to the workshop from a court hearing in a case filed by her in-laws. She is mother of a five-year-old girl. Her husband took possession of her passports and left her back to take care of her in-laws. She said she did not even know in which country he was at the moment. She decried police and politicians’ apathy. Ms Alka Sharma’s husband, a US citizen, stayed with her for 45 days after their marriage. After he went back, her brother-in-law took her to Kalka and asked her to stay with him. “I ran away. I came to know that my husband was already married. I have filed a case. I have been offered a chance to patch up, but I will not compromise,” she said. Ms Gursharan Kaur’s tale represented girls who were left back at the place of their in-laws for 10 to 15 years and then sent back to their parents. Ms Satwinder Kaur, like certain others, could not speak her part, although she was goaded several times to come on to the stage and narrate her tale of woes. She broke down halfway and could not complete. Ms Manju, a teacher at DAV College, Kangra, was married to a man in Australia, who claimed to be a computer engineer. She had to bear the brunt of male-dominated society after her marriage. The police non-cooperation was alarming, she said. The keynote address was delivered by Mr B.S. Ramoowalia, a former Union Minister. Mr Ramoowalia, president of
the Lok Bhalai Party, said, “NRI marriages in Punjab are proving to be a curse for many unsuspecting girls. I feel sad to say that majority of political parties are not showing any concern for the cause.” He suggested that it should be made mandatory to register an FIR within 15 days following a complaint by a girl; no names should be deleted from the FIR; speed challans should be filed; annulment of NRI marriages, solemnised in India, by foreign courts should be held invalid; and registration of marriages with NRI grooms should be made mandatory. Mr H.G.S. Dhaliwal, SP (Operations) and in charge of the Woman and Child Care Unit, said the city had witnessed a 40 per cent increase in the number of cases involving NRI marriage frauds in the past three years. At least 2,000 cases had been registered in the past three years. He said often there was ‘heavy pressure’ from influential parties. He quoted a case where he had been approached by two Chief Ministers and three Director Generals of Police. “We had the case settled to girl’s favour,” he added. Dr Pam Rajput, director of the centre, introduced the theme. Prof Aruna Goel, a UGC member, made the presidential remarks. Ms Lakshmikanta Chawla, a former MLA, made the inaugural address. Ms Sudha Malaya, a member of the National Commission for Women, was also present. |
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Campaigning for gram panchayat elections ends Chandigarh, December 19 A total of 47 candidates will be contesting 15 seats of sarpanches. Two sarpanches, Mr Anand Singh of Kajheri village and Ms Jai Kaur of Raipur Kalan village, have already been elected unopposed. A total of 287 candidates are in the fray for the 147 seats of panches. The State Election Commissioner, UT Chandigarh, Mr M.P. Tyagi, today said that all electors, who have been issued the elector’s photo identity card, have to produce their cards to cast their vote for general election to the Gram Panchayat of Chandigarh on December 21. He further added that the electors who do not have voter’s identity cards will have to produce one of the alternative documents such as passport, driving licence, income tax identity (PAN) card, service identity cards issued to its employees by the state/central govt/PSUs/local bodies and other private industrial houses, bank/kisan vikas patra/post office passbook (account opened on or before September 30, 2003), student identity card, property documents such as pattas, registers deeds, ration card issued on or before March 31, 2003. SC/ST/OBC certificates issued by the competent authority, pension documents such as ex-servicemen pension book/pension payment order and servicemen’s widow/dependent certificates, railway identification cards and freedom fighter identity card or any other document proving his/her identity, for establishing their identity at the polling stations. The alternative documents for identification will also apply in respect of such old voters who have been supplied with the electoral identity cards, but are not able to produce them for reasons beyond their control, Mr Tyagi said. |
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Hijacker should have got death, say Neerja’s parents Chandigarh, December 19 A US court had sentenced Zayd Hassan Abd al-Latif Masud al Safrani, leader of the group of five hijackers, to 160 years in prison. The five had entered a Pan Am airways flight number 73 at Karachi with firearms on September 5, 1986. Neerja had alerted the crew who had sounded the hijack code. Several hours later the hijackers had opened fire. In all, 22 persons died and more than 100 were wounded before the nightmare had ended for the remaining passengers and crew. Minutes before passengers could escape, Neerja, who had been hit by a bullet, managed to open an escape chute and let several passengers escape. In the cross-fire Neerja was killed. Neerja was a very determined girl, recollects her mother Mrs Rama Bhanot. “ One days Neerja was told me about training for hijacking given by Pan Am. As a mother I had advised her to run away or hide whenever a hijacking took place and look she did just the opposite.” At 84 years of age Mr Harish Bhanot, father of Neerja, nurtures the memories of his famous daughter. “We are actually proud to be called as Neerja’s parents, ” says Mr Bhanot, sadly admitting that the wounds had not healed. Inside his house, huge portraits of Neerja adorn the walls along with photos of various gods. ‘‘It was on September 7, 1962, Neerja was born in Chandigarh following our prayers after having been blessed with two sons, Akil and Anish,’’ says Mr Bhanot. After having studied in Sacred Heart school till class V she was schooled in Mumbai where Mr Harish Bhanot was then posted. In January 1987 she became the youngest Ashok Chakra awardee, although posthumously. So strong are memories of Neerja that outside the gate of Mr Bhanot’s house, stands a 1974 model grey coloured Fiat which used to be driven by Neerja. Even as the Bhanots have an Opel and an Esteem, the Fiat is the prized possession because of Neerja and is kept in sparkling condition. Rohini Bhanot, 19, a granddaughter of Mr Harish Bhanot, was just two years old when her famous bua (aunt) died. “ Today she is my role model and I wish I can do something like her,” says Rohini while pointing to one of the dozen odd portraits of Neerja in the house. Mr Bhanot has broken another typical Punjabi stereotype of being fixated with the male child. He has named his house ‘‘ Neerja niwas’’. Talking about the judgement of the US court, Mr Bhanot said, ‘‘We had received a letter from the US department of Justice which said that on September 28,2001, a man ( Al-Safrani) arrested overseas by US special agents and he is pleading guilty for the act.’’ International media reports on the event in the past two days said Al-Safrani had led a small group of terrorists to first hijack the plane and then seek the release of political prisoners. The five were sentenced to death, but their sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. Al-Safrani was released a mere fortnight after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York. US agents caught Safrani as he was trying to sneak into Jordan. Several Indian victims of the hijacking and their relatives, and also one Indian member of the plane’s crew were present in the US court, media reports had said. |
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High Court gives ‘gift of life’ to kidney patient Sparks of life shine in his deep grey eyes as he says, ‘‘I am breathing again’’. Inhaling a whiff of fresh air he asserts, ‘‘It seems I have been saved from repaying the debt of nature because of humanitarian approach adopted by the High Court’’. Patting his curly black beard with frail hands, he asserts, ‘‘Till now, I was feeling suffocated. My position was like a man who could not swallow medicines to bring down high fever because his hands and feet were tied’’. For Baldev Singh, life — till the pronouncement of the High Court orders — was a ‘story full of sufferings’. Even after finding a donor, he was struggling for a transplant. No, not because of financial reasons, but because his application was pending before the Authorisation Committee. Alleging inaction, Mr Baldev Singh had claimed in a petition filed before the High Court that a joint application was submitted by him, along with donor, but the committee simply failed to ‘perform its functions’. In the absence of ‘‘due approval by the committee, the surgeons were unwilling to perform the transplant’’. The committee, on the other hand, had formed an opinion that the kidney was not being donated to Mr Baldev Singh out of love and affection before refusing to grant an approval. Appearing before the court, the donor had, subsequently asserted that he was offering the organ voluntarily for saving the patient’s life. Mr Baldev Singh had added that he simply failed to understand ‘‘what steps the donor must take to convince and prove to the committee that he was offering his kidney out of free will’’. After hearing the arguments, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar and Mr Justice S.S. Grewal of the High Court had ruled yesterday that it was necessary to issue interim directions for saving Mr Baldev Singh’s life as he had already undergone a bypass surgery and was ‘‘going through painful process of dialysis’’. The Judges added that the surgeon concerned was ‘‘at liberty to perform the operation either at Jalandhar or at Silver Oak hospital in Mohali according to his own discretion and in the interest of the patient.’’ Commenting on the functioning of the Authorisation Committee, the Judges asserted that the members had ‘‘not even cared to examine the merits of the case put forward by the donor. The committee seems to have been overwhelmingly influenced by the suspicious atmosphere created on account of the proceedings styled by the press as kidney scam". Today, reposing on a comfortable chair in his Sector 16 residence, Mr Baldev Singh says, ‘‘It is difficult when death is the only other option. I had been clearly told by the doctors that transplant was essential, but then life was so near, yet so far away from me.’’ Controlling his expressions, he smiles, ‘‘I would not have been restless had I known that the final summons of death were to be served on me. All along, I was feeling uneasy because there was a possibility of keeping soul and life together, but I was being deprived of the opportunity to live on this side of the grave. That also because I was doing everything the legal way.’’ Full of appreciation for the Judiciary, he says in a voice chocked with emotion that the ‘‘Judges are next to God for me. The Judiciary was my last hope. And the Judges have rescued me.’’ As he pushes back the chair to bid you goodbye for the time being, Mr Baldev Singh says, ‘‘Next year in September we will celebrate my birthday together, hopefully". |
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Fog plays havoc with life, 4 killed
Chandigarh, December 19 A report from Hisar quoting police sources said four persons were killed in separate road mishaps due to dense fog. In a collision between a car and a mini-truck on the Hisar-Delhi national highway, two persons were killed and two others were injured, the report said adding that in another road mishap on the Hisar-Sirsa road, two persons were killed when their scooter was allegedly hit by a vehicle due to poor visibility. Meanwhile, the MeT office here said the mercury dipped in the region as the temperature hovered between 4 to minus 2 degrees below normal in most parts. Srinagar in the hills with a low of minus 3.6 degree celsius and Amritsar in plains with a low of 4 degree celsius continued to remain coldest. Several places in the region, including Pathankot, Bathinda, Sirsa, Ambala, Chandigarh, Adampur and Amritsar remained engulfed in dense fog till noon, the MeT office said. While Jammu shivered at 7.5 degree celsius, which was 2 degrees below normal, the mercury was recorded at 3.5 degree celsius, one degree below normal at Shimla. Chandigarh had a minimum of 10.8 degree celsius. In the plains, Ludhiana had a low of 9.4 degree celsius, Patiala 10.1, Rohtak 8.7, Hisar 8.6 and Ambala 10.2 degree celsius. As the people shivered in the north-west region under dense dripping fog and icy winds from across the snow-clad mountains in J and K and HP, the death toll touched 20 since the onset of winter last month. Nine students, including girls of Maharaja Aggarsein School, were injured when their vehicle was involved in an accident with a truck during poor visibility. They were admitted to the Civil Hospital there.
— PTI |
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School Board divided over
re-employment of clerks Mohali, December 19 This objection was raised by the Chairman Dr Kehar Singh at the emergent meeting of the Board members held here today. However, despite his objection, the final decision was taken by a majority of the board members in favour of giving the clerks a fair chance to be re- employed on an ad-hoc basis as part of the stop-gap arrangement being done to fill the vacant posts in the Board. Other than the 107 of the agitating clerks who are likely to be placed in the list, the list will also include about 57 of the 134 clerks who had been thrown out by the Board. These clerks had been removed from their regular service following the recommendations of the report constituted to ascertain the validity of the process of their regular employment in the Board. Fiftyseven clerks had been serving in the Board prior to the controversial conduct of the written test. “I objected to this as these clerks have been removed from the Board. I left the meeting on this issue and the following proceedings were chaired by the Vice-Chairman, Ms Hardayal Kaur. However, it was observed by these members that they cannot discriminate against anyone who had been serving in the Board and so their claim to these ad hoc posts was to be considered,” said Dr Kehar Singh. The meeting held today ratified the decision taken on December 9, and decided to fill the 145 vacant posts of clerks from out of the contractual clerks serving in the Board before being relieved of their duties last month following the end of their contract. Dr Kehar Singh stated that the Board will be drawing up a seniority list of these clerks on the basis of the number of years served in the Board. The posts will be filled from among the seniormost in that list. Sources stated that the decision to re-employ these clerks was taken despite the House being divided on the matter. However, it was decided that these posts be filled only on an ad hoc basis as a stop-gap arrangement before the normal process of filling vacancies is undertaken. However, the Board members decided to postpone the decision regarding the implementation of the 2001 Punjab Government notification, which states that employees serving on contract in a government organisation should be regularised after three years of service as contractual employees. |
Police downplaying investigations? Panchkula, December 19 Though senior officials deny that they have been fumbling with investigations, they say that inquest proceedings have been initiated while they are waiting for the reports of chemical examination from the chemical analyzer at Karnal, or the reports of post-mortem examination from the PGI, Rohtak. A senior police official said inquest proceedings are initiated in any case of unnatural death and this is only a temporary action till the post-mortem report or the chemical examination of viscera prove otherwise. He further added that since chemical examination of viscera could be done only by the chemical analyser at Karnal, and post-mortem on decomposed bodies is done at the PGI, Rohtak, the authorities there were under tremendous work pressure. Thus the reports get delayed by several months and the police investigations into all such cases are delayed. Yesterday, a 32-year-old youth, Hari Ram, was found dead in mysterious circumstances under a tree in Industrial Area Phase I here. A muffler was tied around his neck, with another end of the muffler tied around a tree stem, giving an impression that the victim had committed suicide by hanging himself. However, inspite of the relatives crying foul and alleging that it was a case of murder, the police “played cautious” and merely proceeded under Section 174 of Cr.P.C. Other than this, in case of decomposed body being found in the district, in spite of circumstances pointing to the contrary, the police initiates inquest proceedings. Last month, a decomposed body of a woman was found buried in a mound along the Nadda- Morni road. It was only after stray dogs dug out the feet of the woman, that a resident noticed the body and informed the police. In another case, a decomposed body of a woman was also found in the wilderness near Ramgarh village in October. Last week, a man’s body was found under mysterious circumstances in the Air Force forest near Khatauli village. In both cases, the police again proceeded under Section 174 of the Cr.P.C. In all these cases, the victims had not been identified nor was the police aware of any missing persons report lodged either with them, or with the police of nearby areas. As the police waits for reports from chemical analyzer, Karnal, or from the PGI, Rohtak, the investigations into the cases have come to a naught. |
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Need to protect rights of disabled, says social activist Chandigarh, December 19 Talking about the need to set up the sub-office in the city, Ms Veena Kumari, said there was an urgent need to integrate persons with disabilities and provide them with opportunities for full participation in society, besides creating a society in which disabled persons would enjoy equal status. “The organisation working not only for the uplift of the disabled but for also the welfare of poor persons who cannot afford litigations charges to fight for their rights. Our organisation provides free legal aid to the sufferers and helps them in preparing complaints,” Ms Veena Kumari added. Giving details of the organisation, she said there were many voluntary advocates who would be present in the office to help the persons through counselling. There would also be a helpline to provide information about any legal problem from Monday to Thursday. Providing information about the Act Disability Act, Ms Veena said the general benefits of the Act were meant for disabled persons. However, the rights are specially for persons with disability to the extent of 40 per cent or more including blindness, low vision, leprosy-cured, hearing impairment, locomotive disability, mental retardation, mental illness. “ The Act provides for preferential allotment of land to the disabled persons by the government at concessional rates for building their own houses, setting up business or factories and establishing special school, research or recreational centres,” she informed. Taking about the rights of disabled persons from discrimination at work place, Ms Veena Kumari said a disabled person working in any government establishment could not be denied promotion merely on the grounds of disability. If after acquiring the disability an employee clues not suitable to continue on the post, then he should be shifted to a suitable post with the same pay-scale and service benefit. Taking about the ways of preventing disability in the first place, she said the authorities concerned must undertake surveys, investigations and research on the cause of disabilities, promote various methods of preventing
disabilities, and screen all children for at least once a year to identify at risk case. “The authorities create awareness among the masses through television, radio and other mass media on the causes of disability and preventive measures,” she added. |
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Rs 1-lakh grant for Punjabi Sahitya Akademi Panchkula, December 19 He said that the state government was making all efforts to promote Punjabi in Haryana. Major
A.S. Shergill (retd) Director of the Akademi, while welcoming the litterateurs, said that the two-day seminar would be conducted in February next year. He said the subject will be based on topics pertaining to the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib as this was the 400th year of the institution of Guru Granth Sahib. He further said that litterateurs from Pakistan will be invited and an exhibition would be organised. |
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Assault charge by safai
karamcharis Panchkula, December 19 The karamcharis — Inder, Savitri and her husband Ramesh, Satyavan, Mohan Lal and Jagwanti — alleged that while they were on the job, in Industrial Area Phase II, the contractor’s men came and assaulted them. “They even abused us for going on strike last week, and threatened to throw us out of job,” alleged Inder. It may be noted that the safai karamcharis had observed strike for four days last week in protest against the non-payment of their salaries, and the contractors not paying them the notified minimum wages. The karamcharis then marched to the police headquarters and gave a written representation to DSP, Headquarters, asking him to take action against the contractor. The contractor and the karamcharis later reached a compromise and no case was registered. |
12-year-old boy
crushed to death Chandigarh, December 19 Krishna, a son of a peon in the Housing Board, Teka Ram, residing in Indira Colony, was going to his home from school on a bicycle when the accident took place at the Kishangarh crossing. Krishna was the lone son of Teka Ram. Krishna had two younger sisters. The driver of the vehicle, bearing registration number CH 03A 9691, Hardev Singh, has been arrested by the police. Villagers said the family of Teka Ram, a Nepali, had shifted from the village four months ago to house number 2519/2 in Indira Colony. The boy used to come to the village on a bicycle to attend his school. |
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‘Mentally
challenged’ woman
commits
suicide Chandigarh, December 19 The police was informed that Ms Kalawati had hanged herself when her son and daughter-in-law left home for their duties. The woman had bolted her room and allegedly committed suicide. The woman did not leave behind any suicide note. The police has started inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC and handed over the body to the family members as, according to the police, there was no foul play. The husband of the woman Kalu Ram had died earlier. |
TV Today launches public issue Chandigarh, December 19 A press conference in this regard was addressed in a Sector 17 hotel by General Manager Finance and Accounts TV Today Network Sanjay Jain, besides Group Editorial Director of India Today Group Prabhu Chawla. The issue will be open for bidding from December 18 to December 27. The shares will be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India. A total of 14,500,00 equity shares are being offered which includes fresh issue of 10,000,000 equity shares by TV Today, and another 4,500,000 equity shares for sale by existing stakeholders. Upto 50 per cent of the issue shall be allocated to qualified international buyers on a discretionary basis and 25 per cent each to non-institutional investors and retail investors on a proportionate basis, in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of Exchange Board of India guidelines. The issue is being managed by JM Morgan Stanley Private Limited as the book running lead manager, while Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited and ICICI Securities Limited are the Co-Book Running Lead Managers. The equity shares offered through this red herring prospectus are proposed to be listed on the stock exchange, Mumbai, and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited and in principal approvals for listing TV Today equity shares have been obtained from the stock exchanges through their letters dated November 18 and November 21. Quoting the Chairman and Managing Director of TV Today Network, Aroon Purie, a press release stated, ‘’In a short span of less than three years, TV Today Network through Aaj Tak has emerged as a leader and a trendsetter. Our aim is to tap the boom in the media sector, and we plan to use the proceeds from the IPO to capitalise on the growth opportunities in the broadcasting industry. |
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Chandigarh, December 19
