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TOP STORIES

Squall hits Naggal, Alipur villages
Trees, electricity poles uprooted

Naggal (Panchkula), August 12 High velocity winds accompanied by thundershowers lashed Naggal and Alipur villages, near here, in the wee hours today.

A tree at Naggal village on the Ramgarh-Barwala road which was uprooted in a squall on Tuesday morning. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

PEC admissions
Faulty merit list lands sportspersons in soup
Chandigarh, August 12
Sportspersons seeking admission to Punjab Engineering College (PEC) were in for a shock when they found that the merit list prepared by the officials of the screening committee placed them much below the rank they deserved as per their achievement. By getting lower ranking, the students almost lost their chance of getting admission in a better stream had the irregularity not been noticed by the affected students.

Rs 500 cr project to make Met forecasting hi-tech
Chandigarh, August 12
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is working on what can be called its first “major overhauling” in the past many years. Ill equipped for long, the IMD has finally made it clear that most of its apparatus is obsolete, making accurate forecasting rather difficult.

COMMUNITY

Zirakpur urban estate: villagers threaten protest

Zirakpur, August 12 Residents of Singhpura, Ramgarh Bhudda and Nagla villages, proposed to be acquired to form an urban estate, today held a meeting and threatened to stage a dharna outside the residence of the Punjab Chief Minister at Patiala if the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) refused to withdraw its decision. Residents of Singhpura, Ramgarh Bhudda and Nagla villages, proposed to be acquired by PUDA to form an urban estate near Zirakpur township, hold a meeting at a gurdwara in Singhpura village on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

More silt likely in lake  this year
Chandigarh, August 12
Engineers associated with the lake estimate that the amount of silt this year will be more than previous years. The lake got filled within between eight and 10 hours while normally it took a month and half.

Acquitted youth missing for four years
Chandigarh, August 12
A youth accused of rape, abduction, criminal conspiracy and wrongful confinement got a clean chit from the court but has not come back home for nearly four years. His parents and siblings also suffered three-month-long imprisonment for the crime, neither of them had committed. After the acquittal of the youth, they have been running from pillar to post to know the whereabouts of the ‘missing’ young man.

Child ‘swapping’: blood samples of mother, child taken
for DNA test
Chandigarh, August 12
Blood samples of the mother and the baby girl in the alleged child swapping case at General Hospital, Sector 16, were collected today for DNA testing to find out whether the baby girl was actually born to her.

Panel okays move on garbage collection
Chandigarh, August 12
The proposal to involve a non-government organisation to maintain cleanliness and carry out door-to-door collection of garbage in Sector 11 here as a pilot project got approval of the sanitation committee of the municipal corporation at its meeting here today.

In search of a good Samaritan
Chandigarh, August 12
As if the spinal injury and the tuberculosis were not enough for Shiv Dayal, now the dreaded skin cancer has come to stay with him. For this 38-year-old patient, who is getting treatment at the PGI’s Department of Internal Medicine, the last six years have been of despair and drudgery.

Water-proof tent for I-Day
Chandigarh, August 12
Keeping in mind the rainy season, the Chandigarh Administration has decided to put up a water-proof tent for the seating arrangements for the Independence Day function. There will be a separate block for freedom fighters, war widows and prominent citizens.

Joint celebrations of I-Day
Panchkula, August 12
A meeting of residents welfare associations of the city was convened by the Citizens’ Welfare Association to finalise joint celebrations of Independence Day in the city.

17 animals die after consuming pharmaceutical waste
Zirakpur, August 12
Eleven animals, including seven milch cattle, died in the past two days after consuming some poisonous substances dumped by some pharmaceutical companies on the banks of the Sukhna choe in Bhabhat village, near here.

A young man with a noble mission
Chandigarh, August 12
From his appearance Daljit Ami looks like an ordinary youth moving about without any purpose. But that impression is false. Ami is a young man with a mission. He is engaged in a visual documentation of important men, current events and issues.

Stress laid on ethical practices
Chandigarh, August 12
Management meets and a knowledge series of lectures planned during the year, would be aimed at stimulating innovative ideas and using their collective knowledge and expertise to develop ethical management practices that promote excellence in work environment.

CRIME

Two booked in dowry cases
Chandigarh, August 12
The Chandigarh police registered two dowry-related cases today. Mrs Shabnam of Sector 15 filed a complaint at Sector 31 police station that her husband, Salim of Behlana village, Chandigarh, was harassing her for not bringing more dowry. She was married to him in April 21, 1996.

Chain snatched; car stolen
Chandigarh, August 12
A case of theft and one of chain-snatching were registered by the city police today. Mr Ashok Kumar of Sector 7 filed a complaint at the Sector 26 police station that someone stole his Maruti car (CH-03-B-5334) from his house on the night of August 7. The police registered a case under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code.

Watchman found dead
Mohali, August 12
A 60-year-old watchman was found dead in the industrial area here this morning. The watchman, Atra Ram, who was serving as the day watchman in Industrial Area, Phase VIII, was found dead by his colleague, Mr Kharak Singh.

• Woman found dead

• Man found dead

BUSINESS

PSIEC plan to sell industrial plots
Mohali, August 12
Even as 280 allottees of Punjab State Industrial Exports Corporation, residential plots in Mohali are all set to approach the courts against cancellation of their allotment, the PSIEC has decided to sell the area freed as industrial plots.

EDUCATION

Advisory panels for govt schools 
Mohali, August 12
Advisory committees for all government schools in the town are being made and municipal councillors of the area in which the schools fall will be made its members so that they look into the problems being faced by the institutions.

Dr Raunki Ram is PUTA president

Chandigarh, August 12 Dr Raunki Ram of the Department of Political Science was elected president of the Panjab University Teachers’ Association on the university campus, here today. Barring the post of president and treasurer, Dr Raunki Ram’s panel lost all other seats. He polled 238 votes, defeating Dr Pawan Kamra by 10 votes. From left Mr Charanjeev Singy, secretary, Ms Promila Pathak, joint secretary, Mr Ronki Ram, president, Mr Shankarji Jha, vice-president, and Mr Rajat Sandhir, treasurer, who won the PUTA election, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Students intensify stir against PU

Chandigarh, August 12 Activists of the Students Organisation of Panjab University began an indefinite fast outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor, to press the authorities to fulfil their demands here today. On a chain fast since August 9, SOPU activists intensified their agitation after the authorities had failed to consider their demands favourably.  Activists of SOPU protest against Panjab University authorities outside the VC’s office in Chandigarh on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Students stage dharna
Chandigarh, August 12
Hundreds of students, seeking admission to the diploma in pharmacy course in colleges of Punjab, today staged a dharna at Government Polytechnic for Women, Sector 10 here.

Face-painting competition
Mohali, August 12
An inter-house face-painting competition was organised at DAV Public School, Phase X, here today as part of Independence week celebrations. The school Principal, Ms Jaya Bhardwaj, highlighted the importance of organising such competitions.

PEC Principal made Director
Chandigarh, August 12
The Principal of Punjab Engineering College, Dr Baljeet Kapoor, has been appointed Director ad-interim of Punjab Engineering College Deemed University. Dr Kapoor will exercise the powers of the Director of PEC as per bylaw 9 of the PEC Society, till further orders.

Patriotic song contest
Chandigarh, August 12
To commemorate the 132nd birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, an inter-school patriotic song competition was held by the Sri Aurobindo School of Integral Education, Sector 27, here today. Twenty schools from the city and surrounding areas participated.

COURTS

High Court
Notice issued
Chandigarh, August 12
Mr Justice Amar Dutt of the High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a petition filed by suspended Judicial Officer S.S. Bhardwaj. In his petition, Bhardwaj has sought quashing of the FIR registered by the CBI on May 8, against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

CULTURE

New Releases
A romantic situational comedy
BONEY Kapoor has given land-mark films like ‘Mr India’ and ‘Company’ (screened at Berlin Film Festival). This week he is ready to take centre stage with ‘Kyun — Ho Gaya Na’, a Rs 15-crore romantic situational comedy where a boy shares house with a girl. The off-screen romantic pair of Vivek Oberoi and Aishwarya Rai will be seen in this director Samir Karnik’s debut film co-starring Amitabh Bachchan.

LIFESTYLE

Young ‘idols’ chant rock music mantra for success
Chandigarh, August 12
There is something very infectious about good music, irrespective of the tradition it signifies. Why else would heedless passers by heading towards their respective destinations along the Madhya Marg detour towards the Leisure Valley today?

Members of a college band, The Innovatives from Chandigarh perform during Rock Idols Contest regional event at Leisure Valley, Sector 10, Chandigarh, on Thursday.

The glamorous five-some of Shelz, the music band of Auckland House, Shimla, caught everyone’s attention for being the only all-girls band at the contest.

Style i Fashion statement through frames Love may be blind, but women with glasses were never considered attractive and loveable. Glasses were, for long, considered a ticket to ignominy and many hid their weak eyesight as if it was a dreaded disease, even getting surgical assistance to get rid of glasses. But not any longer as now, fabulous frames are in fashion and are available in the city. Filmstars from Nicole Kidman, Elton John and Liv Tyler to Priety Zinta, Karisma Kapoor and Kajol can be seen sporting smart lenses with elan. They have played a major role in making these a hot fashion accessories among the young brigade. Trendy frames are the latest fad with Chandigarh girls. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Sisters weave classical magic at Malhar festival

Chandigarh, August 12 The structure of raag Malhar remained in focus on the second day of the ongoing Malhar festival at Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35. Sulochana Brahaspati (left) and Sharayu Kaleker give a recital at the Malhar Utsav at Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

From modelling to training aspirants
Modelling is a highly alluring, but short-lived profession. A large number of boys and girls enter this glamorous world, but leave it after a couple of assignments either due to lack of opportunities or to join some other profession. A few of them enter into some modelling related profession like choreography, model coordination or model grooming.

HEALTH

IAF personnel donate blood
Chandigarh, August 12
A blood donation camp, tree plantation function and a painting competition were organised at the Air Force Station here to mark the Subroto Mukherjee Week in the memory of the first IAF air chief.

SPORTS

Karan, Pankaj win gold in swimming
Chandigarh, August 12
Karan and Pankaj Chauhan cornered glory by winning two gold medals each in their respective events on the second day of the subjunior, junior and senior swimming tournament held today at swimming pool, Sector 23. Karan won first place in group III in 100 metres breast stroke and 100 metres butterfly while Pankaj displayed his prowess in group II in 100 metres free style and 100 metres breast stroke.

UT girls subjunior soccer from today
Chandigarh, August 12
Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, will play host to the Chandigarh Subjunior Girls Football Championship beginning tomorrow with the first tie to be played between Saupin’s School, Sector 32, and St Stephen’s School, Sector 45 at 10 am. This four-day championship is being organised by the Chandigarh Football Association.

Hockey trials

ADMINISTRATION

ETOs’ wings clipped
Chandigarh, August 12
Realising that its excise and taxation officers were acting on their own while detaining goods of traders and imposing penalties, the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner has issued orders asking ETOs to refer the matter to their seniors for enquiry and imposition of penalty.