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TOP STORIES

Truckers’ stir: common man feels the pinch
Ground realities belie UT claims
Chandigarh, August 22
Claims of the Chandigarh Administration regarding normal supplies of essential commodities on the second day of the indefinite strike by truckers notwithstanding, the common man has started feeling the pinch as prices of vegetables showed an upward trend.

Drivers and helpers while away time playing cards as the transporters’ strike entered its second day in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

NGO has a dig at PUDA
Chandigarh, August 22
Samadhaan, an NGO, today criticised PUDA for its “erratic” functioning which was helping colonisers to dupe people to the tune of hundreds of crores through illegal land deals.

PUDA GM’s kin to be quizzed

Warden manhandles student, sent on leave
Chandigarh, August 22
A warden of a boys’ hostel at Panjab University was sent on “forced leave” and his charge as warden was withdrawn after he allegedly manhandled and abused a resident student late last night.

3-year-long lockout of JCT ends on August 27
Mohali, August 22
In what would be a boost to Mohali industries, the three-year-long lockout of JCT Electronics Limited here, will be lifted on August 27. JCT, the flagship company of the Thapar Group, one of India’s largest industrial conglomerates, has decided to revive its sick unit in Mohali.

Commanding Officer faces corruption charges
Chandigarh, August 22
At a time when the Army was deployed along the international border with Pakistan under a war-like situation, the Commanding Officer (CO) of an engineer regiment allegedly used war stores to get his own house constructed in Rajasthan.

Latest techniques make dialysis safer: experts 
Chandigarh, August 22
Newer and better techniques which have emerged during the recent years have made dialysis a safe and acceptable form of treatment in chronic renal failures (CRF) cases in India.

COMMUNITY

CBI quizzes former PGI chief in shop allotment case
Chandigarh, August 22
A large number of official documents have been taken from the PGI by a team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from New Delhi in connection with the controversial shop allotment case at the institute.

Monkeys having a field day in northern Sectors
Chandigarh, august 22
A new ‘gang’ is active in the northern Sectors’ of the city. The members of the gang are not humans but monkeys. Residents of Sectors 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 26 are facing the problem of monkeys for more than a year.

A morning walker makes his way through a brigade of monkeys on a cycle track in Sector 26, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph.

These monkeys are no watchmen but a menace to the inhabitants of Nari Niketan, Sector 26, Chandigarh. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan.

Residents see red as schools eat into green

Chandigarh, August 22 Parks and green belts are going to be a thing of the past in certain Sectors. With the Chandigarh Administration reportedly allotting parks to private schools to shift them from residential areas, residents are up in arms against the move, which, they allege, will play havoc with the green cover of the city. A part of the green belt which has been allotted to a private school by the Administration in Sector 11, Chandigarh. — A Tribune photograph

Onam celebrated at Sector 19 church

Chandigarh, August 22 The Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Justice O.P. Verma (retd), inaugurated Onam celebrations, organised by the Chandigarh Malayalee Association, at Catholic Church, Sector 19, here today. Members of the Chandigarh Malyalee Association perform to mark Onam at the Sector 19 church in Chandigarh on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Patent awareness workshop
Chandigarh, August 22
A one-day patent awareness workshop was organised by the Patent Information Centre (PIC), Punjab State Council for Science and Technology and the Centre for Industry Institute Partnership Programme, Panjab University, at the campus, here today.

Devotees escape with minor injuries
Chandigarh, August 22
Over 35 devotees of Mansa Devi today had a miraculous escape with minor injuries after their tractor-trolley turned turtle this evening near the Sector 49 petrol pump.

Tree plantation drive at Golf Club
Chandigarh, August 22
The tree plantation drive at Chandigarh Golf Club was launched today with the Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator, Justice O.P. Verma, planting the first sapling.

Session on human approach to management
Chandigarh, August 22
The CII will organise a session on “Human approach to management” to be conducted by Swami Ishwarananda of the Chinmaya Mission on August 24 at its headquarters here.

Animal check-up camp held
Chandigarh, August 22
An animal check-up camp was organised today at Khuda Alisher village by The Art of Living Foundation (Chandigarh chapter) under its Divya Samaj Nirman programme.

CRIME

Three held for gambling
Chandigarh, August 22
The city police has arrested three persons on charges of gambling and one for possessing illegal liquor, according to a press note released today. The police yesterday arrested Kamal Dev of Sirvi village, Shimla district, HP, Mohan of Eathargarh village, Fathehgarh Sahib district and Balbir Singh of Sour village, Tehri Garwal district (Uttaranchal), from ISBT, Sector 17, for gambling at a public place and recovered Rs 350 from their possession.

Woman commits suicide
Chandigarh, August 22
A young unmarried woman yesterday committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in her Ram Darbar home. Police sources said, Monika (25) used to supplement the family’s paltry income by stitching clothes at home.

Another shop burgled
Chandigarh, August 22
A day after burglaries in three shops in Sector 22, the burglars struck again today in Sector 8-C, stealing electronics goods estimated to be worth Rs 5 lakh. The burglars entered SCO 147-148 through an opening for the exhaust fan, broke open the inside locks to open a shutter with rods and lifted video cameras and mobiles phones last night.

PO arrested after 3 years
Chandigarh, August 22
The city police has arrested Raju who remained elusive for three years after stealing Rs 90,000 from a shop in the Grain Market, Sector 26. He had been declared a proclaimed offender in 2002.

EDUCATION

Vocational training project for the disabled
Chandigarh, August 22
The disability of physically-challenged persons will no longer be a handicap for them in earning a livelihood. With the Union Government sanctioning a prestigious vocational training project for them at the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology (CCET) in Sector 26 here, at least 40 such persons have been assured of a better future.

Engineering students make automatic wheelchair
Mohali, August 22
Students of the final semester of electrical engineering of the Shaheed Udham Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Tangori, affiliated to Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, have built an automatic wheelchair as their project.

From Colleges Welcome party for freshers Chandigarh, August 22 New entrants to the college got a chance to shake their legs at an energised fresher’ party organised by the Department of Commerce and BCA at Government College, Sector 46 here today. Solo dance, group dance and skits were highlights of the party. Students dance at a freshers’ party organised by senior students of commerce and BCA at Government College, Sector 46, on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Freshers welcomed Chandigarh, August 22 A freshers’ party was organised by senior students of BCA and Department of Commerce, Government College, Sector 46, here today. Solo dance, group dance and skits were presented at a colourful function to welcome new students. From left: Atul Mahajan, Parul, Shiny Yadav and Amardeep Singh.

Coaching centre honours students

Chandigarh, August 22 To encourage the students who were selected in this year’s CBSE PMT and Punjab PMT, the Excellent Coaching Centre today organised a function to honour the meritorious students. Students of Excellent Coaching Centre, who had got top positions in the Punjab PMT -2004, were honoured by the centre at a function in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

PEC student performs at S Korean youth fest
Chandigarh, August 22
It was a memorable experience for Swati Parijat, a student of Punjab Engineering College, who has retuned after attending ‘ Youth Festival for Peace 2004: colour of Asia Programme’ at South Korea.

Pathak invited to meeting on celebration
Chandigarh, August 22
Dr K.N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, has been invited to New Delhi to attend a high powered committee meeting being held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to finalise the programme for the celebration of 400th year of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib.

• Teej celebrated

• Workshop on traffic rules

Lok Adalats to be held on Aug 28
Chandigarh, August 22
Lok Adalats will be held at Fatehabad, Tohana and Gohana on August 28. While stating this here today, the Member-Secretary of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Mr Shekhar Dhawan, said 646 cases were settled at the Lok Adalats which concluded at Sonepat, Kurukshetra, Ganaur and Hansi last evening.

LIFESTYLE

Success is in their blood
This is a story that has its origins in Dingah village of Gujarat district in Pakistan, when 18-year-old Hira Lal Sibal married 14-year-old Kailash Rani of Bhimbar which is now a part of PoK. Mr Sibal went on to practice in the Punjab High Court in Lahore where his five children were born.

Colours of life spill over from poetry
The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi could not have managed a better gathering of poets. Choosing the best from the realm of Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi poetry, the Akademi put together a delightful show made memorable by some extremely delightful recitations of poetry.

Amit on strong beat
In a time when youngsters are abandoning their musical roots in favour of Western instruments, a proved formula to achieve easy money and fame, here is one die-hard musician, aiming to put Indian rhythm at the international arena with his tabla. Amit Sachdeva, already a recognised tabla player in this region, is on his way to make it big in the music world.

Jupiter’s movement to affect zodiac sign
Normally, most of us go by sun signs and judge our planetary position, but it is a western system. According to Indian system, during the birth of a child, 'Janam Patris' horoscope are made, when 'Pandits' guide a parent to name the child according to its moon sign, not as per sun sign, says Kabir Arora, a young astrologer of Sector 18. He said Moon also have affect on the 12 signs of the Zodiac. He says, based on the positioning of Moon in one's birth chart, Jupiter will enter Virgo for another 13 months beginning August 28 onwards affecting all the 12 signs of Zodiac.

Documenting travails of illegal women immigrants
For those who though Iqbal Ramoowalia could at best recite Punjabi verse, here is a piece of information. His first English book, “Death of a Passport” is receiving rave reviews all over for a sensitive documentation of a problem which illegal immigrants to Canada face.

Setting sights on Bollywood
Prompted by her mother, who could not realise her cherished dream of becoming a model, Chirag started modelling about two years ago. She has already done a number of shows, designer shows, and launches for reputable products like VIP Suitcases, Spice Telecom, Schwarzkopf and Della.

HEALTH

Handle snake bites with care
Chandigarh, August 22
Snakes are causing panic among residents in the city and peripheral slum colonies. Though experts say that not all snakes are poisonous, the residents recoil with horror at the very mention of the reptile.

Locating depts a tall order at PGI
Chandigarh, August 22
Finding the correct way is a tall order at the PGI here as the absence of signboards in the hospital are adding to the woes of the patients and their attendants. “It’s a maze. We do not know where most of the departments are located.

SPORTS

Vohra memorial hockey semifinals today

Chandigarh, August 22 Hawks Club, Ropar, CFHA XI, Sukhchain Academy and Gopal Academy entered the semi-finals of the third S.N. Vohra Memorial Sub-Junior (under14) Hockey Tournament at Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here today. A forward of Gopal Academy tries to score a goal against PAP Academy, Jalandhar, in the S.N. Vohra Memorial Hockey Tournament at Sector 42 Hockey Stadium in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Tough training needed, says BAI gen secy

Chandigarh, August 22 The general secretary of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) Mr L.C. Gupta, has expressed his satisfaction at the performance of Indian shuttlers in the Athens Olympics. Mr L.C. Gupta, Secretary of the BAI (third from right), and other badminton officials inspect the lighting arrangements in the Sector 42 badminton hall on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph