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Relief recedes even before rainwater

People grapple with hunger, stench Chandigarh, August 5 Except for cursory surveys by a few officials to assess damage to UT’s capital assets like road and culverts, the Administration spent the entire day holding meetings to prepare perspective plans to deal with contingencies like flash floods on August 3. According to reports, several ‘ambitious’ plans were drawn up to channelise the natural flow of water in and around the city.

From relief camps, onto the road Panchkula, August 5 Two days after the flash floods in the region, residents of Rajiv Colony and Indra Colony have been left to their fate. Even as they are trying to gather themselves after their colonies were devastated by the floodwater, the administration seems to have washed its hands off them. Free langars organised by Sri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board have been called off.

Encroachments to blame for flooding in Panchkula SHELTERLESS: These children in Kishangarh hope against hope for help. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Stormwater drainage to be upgraded Houses still submerged in Mastgarh Colonisers blamed for flooding Bodies of six migrant labourers recovered A doctor examines a child during a medical camp organised by Apollo Hospital at Kishangarh in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

J.J.Singh inspects flood relief operations
Chandigarh, August 5
The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lieut-Gen J.J. Singh today reviewed the flood relief situation in areas where the Army has been deployed for relief operations in flood-hit areas of Punjab and Haryana. He visited areas in Patiala, Panchkula and Ambala and met the troops carrying out relief work.

Rules still being ignored by Army in foreign firms’ case
Chandigarh, August 5
The Army, it appears, has failed to learn any lesson from a sting operation conducted by news portal tehelka.com to expose corruption in defence deals, which had rocked the nation three years ago. If evidence produced before a military court trying an officer accused of corruption is to be believed, not only are some procedures being ignored, but instructions regarding meetings with representatives of foreign firms are not available in certain branches at Army Headquarters.

Colonel Chawla asked to conduct probe into records
Chandigarh, August 5
The General Court Martial trying Col Anil Sahgal on charges of professional impropriety in the tehelka case today directed Col Harish Chawla from Army Headquarters to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the existence of records and instructions pertaining to meetings of officers with representatives of foreign firms at his branch. The court has fixed August 14 as the next date of hearing.

COMMUNITY

Bansal loyalists’ wings clipped by Bahl
Chandigarh, August 5
The tug-of-war between local MP Mr Pawan Bansal, and the CTCC chief, B.B. Bahl is set to intensify again. With Mr Bahl clipping the wings of the Bansal loyalists in the allocation of party work to the office-bearers, a fresh round of confrontation in the faction-ridden CTCC is in the offing.

SSP asked to probe charges against councillor
Chandigarh, August 5
Former Deputy Mayor and Congress Councillor, Kuldeep Singh Kajheri is facing a criminal case for allegedly charging rent from jhuggis built on a land at Kajheri village.

Army objection stalls HUDA repair work
Panchkula, August 5
Repair work on the culvert over the nullah passing near Sector 2 here was stopped after the Army authorities from Chandi Mandir forbade the HUDA officials from digging land for channelising the nullah.

Protest by Anganwadi workers
Kharar, August 5
Anganwadi workers staged a protest in front of the office of the SDM here today against the decision of the government by which their work is to be monitored by the panchayat of the village.

CRIME

Two thefts reported
Chandigarh, August 5
Two separate incidents of vehicle theft have been reported in the city. Mr S.K. Chowdhary of Mani Majra reported that his Maruti car (DL-2CG-6068) was stolen from his residence on August 4. The police has registered a case under Section 379 of the IPC.

Driver beaten up
Panchkula, August 5
A driver with Haryana Roadways, Rampal was allegedly assaulted by four persons on the Panchkula- Zirakpur highway today. He alleges that while driving towards Panchkula, the bus barely missed a car. The occupants of the car came out and abused him. An altercation followed but was soon sorted out.

BUSINESS

Postal Department woos corporate sector
Chandigarh, August 5
With dependence on traditional mail dwindling over the past few years, the Postal Department is now wooing the corporate sector.

EDUCATION

GCG students’ seminar on soft skills
Chandigarh, August 5
A large number of students and teachers of Government College for Girls, Sector-11, Chandigarh, attended a seminar on C-TOSS (Chandigarh Training on Soft Skills) organised today by the Society for Promotion of IT in Chandigarh under the aegis of Department of the IT, UT.

6 new elementary schools for Mohali
Mohali, August 5
Mohali would have six new elementary schools and the local Municipal Council would upgrade the Phase 11 high school to a senior secondary school before the next session.

St. John’s plans computer connectivity Chandigarh, August 5 It was a proud moment for the students, teachers and management of St John’s High School, Sector 26, when the Principal of the school received the 2nd Computer Literacy Excellence Award-2003, from the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, at a glittering ceremony held in New Delhi yesterday. The school is the only institution among the private schools in Chandigarh to have received the coveted award.

Ms Pushpinder Cheema

PU journal in new format
Chandigarh, August 5
The Panjab University Research Journal (Science), a new publication of Panjab University in lieu of former Research Bulletin (Science), was released today. The journal has come a long way since its birth in 1953 when its first volume containing three years of research papers and articles was published under the editorship of Prof Vishwa Nath Tewari of Department of Zoology, East Panjab University, Hoshiarpur.

COURTS

High Court
Forest Hill case: all parties asked to file replies
Chandigarh, August 5
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today gave some time to all parties to file replies or replications in the ongoing case regarding alleged violations in the construction of Forest Hill Country Club and Resort, Karoran.

Special Lok Adalat on Aug 7
Chandigarh, August 5
A special Lok Adalat to deal with petty criminal cases will be held at district courts, Panchkula, on August 7. It would be inaugurated by executive chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Mr Justice V.K. Bali, of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

CULTURE

New Releases
Film in which a car is the hero
MECHANICAL genius, a beautiful girl and a killing machine. These comprise the feature film ‘Taarzan — The Wonder Car. The film has a unusual title and the real hero of this film is not a man, but a futuristic Toyota MR2 car specially designed by Dilip Chhabaria for the script of this film.

LIFESTYLE

Members of Adakar Manch rehearse a play “Oh Kahani Nahi Si” directed by Dr Sahib Singh at Punjab Kala Bhavan. The play will be staged at Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Style i
Humble salwar goes stylish
A mention of salwar suit immediately conjures up the image of Punjab and its culture. But it is no longer a plaid and unglamorous attire. With amazing variety and artistic touch, this staple dress of Punjabi women has not only become popular all over the country but has also come a long way from being a traditional garment.

Kila Raipur sports fest on Discovery Channel
THE famous Kila Raipur Rural Sports festival, popularly called Rural Olympics will be telecast on Discovery Channel on Monday, August 9. Disclosing this, Mr Rajiv Bakshi, Manager Corporate Communication, Discovery Communications, India, said they would organise Athens Games Special Week from August 9 to 14. The above event would be featured on August 9 at 8 pm and then a repeat telecast on August 13 again at 8 pm.

Showcasing yards of flowing grace 

VARIOUS ways of draping saris were demonstrated at Cleopatra Day Spa, Sector 8, in Chandigarh yesterday. And there are so many options for tying a sari: Bengali, Burmese, Maharani, Parsi, Mumtaz, Marwari, Maharashtrian, Tamil, to name a few. Moreover, people in the fashion industry are forever thinking of new ways of reviving old styles of sari draping. Models in different sari styles at a show held at Chandigarh on Wednesday

HEALTH

OTs remain closed for third consecutive day
Chandigarh, August 5
Operating theatres on the fifth floor of the PGI remained closed for the third consecutive day today after the heavy rains led to the leakage on Tuesday. Hospital officials, through a press statement, claimed that the repair work started today.

SPORTS

Bharti leads in air rifle category
Chandigarh, August 5
The Chandigarh State Shooting championship began here today at Sector 25 Patiali ki Rao shooting range. The four-day tournament was inaugurated by Mr B.C. Gupta, President Chandigarh Rifle Shooting Association.

Milkha sees no medal in athletics
Chandigarh, August 5
Flying Sikh Milkha Singh has ruled out the possibility of winning any medal in athletics in Athens Olympics-2004. He was talking to newspersons on the occasion of the preview of a documentary film — ‘The Rural Olympics’ — to be telecast by the Discovery channel.

Last date for excellence award extended
Chandigarh, August 5
The last date for applying for the Tara Chand Saboo Excellence Awards for School Teachers-2004, has been extended till August 31. Mr R.K. Saboo, Trustee-cum-Chairman of the Jan Seva Trust, said today that the date had been extended on the request of the principals and teachers.

• Hockey tourney from August 16

• Mehak wins tennis title

ADMINISTRATION

SDM, MLA catch cops forcing drivers to buy first-aid kits
Mohali, August 5
Two policemen were caught red-handed helping employees of a private company sell reflectors and first-aid kits to vehicle owners on the Landran-Banur road here today. Interestingly, the two were caught by the MLA, Kharar, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, and the SDM, Mohali, Mr M.L. Sharma, while they were going to Raipur village this 
afternoon.

Plot allotment in green belt cancelled
Mohali, August 5
A few plots allotted some years ago in the Phase IX Industrial Area here have been cancelled by the Punjab Small Industry and Export Corporation (PSIEC) as these had been carved out in the green belt. Fresh allotments now have been made in this regard.

SSP discharged
Mohali, August 5
The SSP, Ropar, Mr Surinder Pal Singh was discharged from Fortis Hospital last night. According to Dr G.S. Kalra, Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Mr S.P. Singh had come to the hospital with chest pain. He seemed be suffering from exertion.