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Phone ‘tapping’ letter forged, says police
Registers case of criminal conspiracy
Chandigarh, January 10
The phone tapping controversy in which telephones of six persons, including two judicial officers, were allegedly tapped by the Chandigarh Police, took a new turn today with the police terming the letter as “forged”.

Punjabpolice.com up for sale!
Chandigarh, January 10
Is the Punjab Police out of the control of the Amarinder government in Punjab? It seems so from the official government website, www.punjabgovt.nic.in, that lists all departments other than the Punjab Police. Even more interesting is that what could presumably be the official Punjab Police web site — www.punjabpolice.com — is on sale for $ 400. Anyone can make a bid by logging onto the website itself.

Reliance schemes for fixed wireless phones
Chandigarh, January 10
Looking to expand the trend of falling mobile tariffs to fixed wireless phones, Reliance Infocomm today announced two pathbreaking schemes for its fixed phone service.

PILs seek CBI probe into land grabbing by the rich
Chandigarh, January 10
Two separate petitions, both claiming to be public interest litigations, seeking investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into alleged nexus between top police officers and bureaucrats with the land mafia operating in the villages in the periphery of Chandigarh, came up for hearing today.

Rural women age faster than the urban, says PU study
Chandigarh, January 10
A Panjab University study has found that rural women in Punjab are ageing sooner than urban women. The study conducted by a former PhD student of the Department of Anthropology is based on various anthropometric measurements and physiological parameters of about 900 women in urban and rural Ropar.

Reforms mandatory to get grants under urban project

Chandigarh, January 10 Cities selected for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission would be required to introduce mandatory reforms to get grants under the project, explained Mr Anirudh Kumar, Director, Urban Development, Ministry of Urban Development. Participants at a seminar on the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission in Chandigarh on Tuesday. A Tribune photo

Power cuts likely
Chandigarh, January 10
The Chandigarh Administration has appealed to the public to make judicious use of power to help overcome the serious power crisis in the city. This would ensure that no power cuts were imposed.

Cold wave claims one life in Karnal
Chandigarh, January 10
One person died due to cold in the plains while higher reaches in Himachal Pradesh had another spell of moderate snowfall during the past 24 hours. A 70-year-old unidentified woman died of severe cold near the public health office at Nelokheri in Karnal district.

Passing Thru

COMMUNITY

Workers of the Chandigarh Housing Board demolish an illegal structure in Sector-41, Chandigarh, during a special anti-encroachment drive on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Tension over illegal occupation of dharamshala
Panchkula, January 10
Tension is brewing up among a section of residents of Majri village, adjoining Sector 2, over the illegal occupancy of the Harijan dharamshala, built in the old Panchkula village by the state government way back in 80s.

Kashipur pain finds echo in city
Chandigarh, January 10
Residents of the city, hailing from areas in Uttaranchal where ‘sarkari’ bulldozers have reduced decades-old houses to rubble, are a shocked lot.

Air Defence Artillery Day celebrated
Chandigarh, January 10
The Air Defence Artillery (ADA) Day was celebrated at the Chandimandir Military Station, near here, today. Wreaths were laid at the Western Command War Memorial, Veer Smriti, to pay homage to the soldiers of the Air Defence Artillery who made the supreme sacrifice.

Schemes for SC welfare reviewed Chandigarh, January 10 Ms Santosh Chowdhary, Chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, today reiterated the commitment of Central Government to the socio-economic uplift of sweepers and their dependents. Reviewing various welfare schemes for Scheduled Castes here, Ms Chowdhary said the Prime Minister had formed monitoring committees to look into utilisation of various funds meant for the welfare of safai karamcharis. Ms Santosh Chaudhary, Chairperson, National Commission for Sweepers, at a meeting in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph

Workshop on gender equity
Chandigarh, January 10
The centre for Women’s Studies and Development, Panjab University, is organising a four-days workshop on “Gender equity through entrepreneurship development” beginning tomorrow

Governor greets Muslims on Id-ul-Zuha

Chandigarh, January 10 Gen (retd) S.F. Rodrigues, Governor of Punjab and UT Administrator, today greeted Muslims on Id-ul-Zuha, a festival observed in commemoration of Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim for his unflinching devotion to God. In a message on the eve of the auspicious occasion, the Governor said Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) symbolises the spirit of sacrifice, unshakable faith in the benevolence and mercy of the Almighty and the need to work for the larger interest of mankind.

Livestock to be sacrificed on the eve of Id-ul-Zuha at a Chandigarh market on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

253 parking passes issued in 10 days
Chandigarh, January 10
Municipal corporation officials have said that 214 passes for four-wheelers and 39 passes for two-wheelers have been issued in the past 10 days since the scheme was launched.

SP Dinesh Bhatt

CRIME

Mohali resident held for duplicating artefacts
Chandigarh, January 10
The Crime Branch of the UT Police today recovered three duplicate pieces of artefacts each from two leading stores in Sector 9 and Sector 26 and arrested a Mohali resident on allegations of manufacturing duplicate artefacts under the Copy Rights Act in this connection.

2 foreigners held for credit card fraud
Chandigarh, January 10
The cheating spree of two foreign nationals including a South African, ended today in Chandigarh when alert officials of ICICI Bank caught them while using a forged credit card. The accused had reportedly defrauded a Delhi-based branch of the bank to the tune of Rs 14 lakh by using the card. The police said the fraud could be manifolds as it was yet to interrogate them.

2 held for cheating, impersonation
Chandigarh, January 10
The local police today arrested a Hisar resident and his brother-in-law on the allegations of cheating, impersonation and criminal conspiracy. Sudhir Kumar, the accused, was caught red-handed while allegedly appearing in a physical test in place of his brother-in-law.

EDUCATION

Board reverses decision on shifting of students
Mohali, January 10
The Punjab School Education Board today reversed the decision to shift students to other schools for appearing in examinations and decided to continue with the old system.

Students spread AIDS awareness

Chandigarh, January 10 The social science club of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 46-D, organised an AIDS awareness rally in collaboration with the State AIDS Control Society of UT. Dr Sonia Trikha, Project Director, who was the chief guest on this occasion, flagged of the rally. Students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 46, Chandigarh, take part in an AIDS awareness rally on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph

Essay contest on AIDS awareness 
Chandigarh, January 10
A poster-making and essay writing competition on AIDS awareness was held at Government College of Education, Sector 20, here today. Dr M.S. Bains, programme coordinator, NSS, Panjab University, gave away prizes to the winners.

Computer programme for denizens
Chandigarh, January 10
The DAV College, Sector 10, started its fifth free computer literacy course here today. As many as 55 senior citizens will attend the 45-day course, following which they would be given certificates.

Music band enthrals students
Chandigarh, January 10
A music band, Gospel Music Band, comprising 28 university students from Seoul, South Korea, and three media members from the South Korean press put up a scintillating performance at Carmel Convent school, Sector 47, today. The programme was co-coordinated by team leader Jin and arranged by Mrs Anmol Oh from South Korea.

Performance by “Gospel Music Band” comprising students from Seoul, South Korea, perform at Mount Carmel in Sector 47, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph.

COURTS

Supreme Court directs CAT not to take final decision on filling post 
Chandigarh, January 10
The Supreme Court has restrained the Chandigarh bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal from taking any final decision in the case of a Chief Commissioner and Customs and Central Excise, Chandigarh Zone, being superseded by filling the posts of member in the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

Forum asks Rly Ministry to file reply
Chandigarh, January 10
Taking up a complaint of supply of contaminated hot water on board the Shatabdi Express and wrongful charging of fare for the train, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II, Chandigarh, today directed the Ministry of Railways to file its reply before February 28.

Consumer Court
Company told to pay Rs 75,000 to lawyer
Chandigarh, January 10
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, UT, Chandigarh, while reversing the decision of the District Forum-II, has held M/s Spectrum Business Support Limited, New Delhi, guilty of adopting unfair trade practices in marketing a CD-based law library “Grand Jurix”.

HEALTH

Nurses on probation take pledge
Chandigarh, January 10
The nine probationer nurses of the Nursing Command Hospital, Western Command, took the ‘Nightingale pledge’ at Sushruta Auditorium, today. The Principal Matron of the school, Col H.J. Bhullar, administered the pledge at a grand but simple ceremony.

SPORTS

Physical fitness camp for hockey players

Chandigarh, January 10 A physical conditioning camp for hockey players started today at the Hockey Stadium, Sector 42, here today. The camp is being organised by the Indian Hockey Federation on rest days i.e. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, of the ongoing Premier League. Players come out after attending a physical fitness camp at the hockey stadium, Sector 42,Chandigarh, on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph

St John’s emerge winners in quiz
Chandigarh, January 10
St John’s High School emerged winners at the city-level finals of the All-India Inter-School Euro-Enviro Quiz 2006. Nine schools participated in the quiz. Teams from St Kabir, St Xavier’s and St John’s made it to the city finals.

Inter-school games from Jan 22
Chandigarh, January 10
The Sports Department, Chandigarh, is organising the Inter-School Tournament for Boys and Girls (under-19 years) in 13 disciplines — athletics, badminton, basketball, football, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, kabbaddi, kho-kho, tennis, volleyball and wrestling (Boys only) at various department coaching centres from January 22 to 24.

Mixed day for Bhavan Vidyalaya
Panchkula, January 10
Bhavan Vidyalaya A, Panchkula, thrashed Doon Public School, Panchkula, by 10 wickets during the Satluj Annual Founder’s Day under-12 Cricket Meet held at the school in Sector 4, here, today.

• City lad bags silver at tennis meet
• Netball selection trials 

ADMINISTRATION

Tourism Dept launches website
Chandigarh, January 10
The Chandigarh Administration today launched the official website of the Tourism Department which can be visited at http://Chandigarh.gov.in/ tourism.

Hoardings removed
Chandigarh, January 10
The municipal corporation today launched a drive to remove the illegal advertisement hoardings in Sector 34. Glow signs and hoardings of showrooms on the first floor were removed.