C H A N D I G A R H

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TOP STORIES

Budget Wishlist
“Curb price rise, give tax sops”
Chandigarh, February 25.
Inflation is high on the minds of city residents as they spell out their wish list to the Finance Minister, Mr P Chidambaram, for the Budget 2007-08. Having created a sharp dent in their family budget, city residents look forward to effective steps being introduced through the Budget to control the rising prices.

Should Chandigarh have an IIC?
Chandigarh, February 25
Should Chandigarh have a centre on the lines of either India International Centre (IIC) or India Habitat Centre (IHC)? “Yes, why not?, argues Amrit Bolaria, a business woman and a nominated councillor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (CMC), saying that “no city is complete without a centre for its elite—academicians, bureaucrats, technocrats, writers, artistes, journalists, businessmen, planners and designers and others—to interact.

Railings between sectors may go
Chandigarh, February 25
After years of mindless erection of steel barricades, the Chandigarh administration is mulling the idea of removing the mild steel railings erected on roads separating sectors in the city.

Nabard to be made regulator for micro-finance institutions
Chandigarh, February 25
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) will soon get the powers to regulate micro-finance institutions. Gobind Ram’s sketch prepared by Ashok Kumar.

Hans has crowd swaying

Chandigarh, February 25 After Kumar Sanu’s performance yesterday, the audience was in high in spirits for a Punjabi- flavoured performance today.
Hans Raj Hans performs at the Leisure Valley in Chandigarh on Sunday. —  Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

COMMUNITY

‘Muskaan’: Being positive with HIV positive
Chandigarh, February 25
Lushin Dubey’s latest play “Muskaan” is inspired by the pain of millions living with HIV. Born out of the artiste’s urge to demystify the epidemic, it makes the desired impact and leaves the audience with a precious message.

Housing Blues
‘Potholed roads a great embarrassment’
Chandigarh, February 25
Zirakpur is emerging as the township of shopping malls and apartments with the entry of the major real estate players. However, the provision of basic amenities, particularly approach roads in various colonies, continue to be its Achilles' heel. In fact, thousands of residents of at least six colonies on the Zirakpur-Kalka road are virtually being denied the approach with potholed roads making people's lives difficult.

The condition of the road in a colony in Zirakpur speaks volumes about its maintenance. — Tribune photo by Malkiat Singh

‘Valuers need to be bold and honest’
Panchkula, February 25
The Chandigarh Branch of the Institution of Valuers organised a workshop on "Valuation of Property", here today. B.S. Rai, regional manager, Vijaya Bank, who was the chief guest, inaugurated the function.

Protect us from our children, plead senior citizens
Mohali, February 25
The Senior Citizens Federation today urged the Central Government to enact a law to protect the elderly from harassment at the hands of their children. Raising this demand at a function organised to mark the 10th anniversary of the federation here, its president S.K. Sharma called for the implementation of the National Policy for Older Persons, 1999, in letter and spirit.

A section of the audience at the 10th anniversary function of the Senior Citizens Federation in Mohali on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Tributes paid to Kalpana Chawla
Chandigarh, February 25
Punjab Engineering College Old Students Association (PECOSA) on the occasion of their annual general meeting held at Punjab Engineering College (PEC) paid rich tributes to their glorious alumni Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian women astronaut, who lost her life on the US Space Mission in 2003.

Kerala Food Festival a big draw
Chandigarh, February 25
The Malayalee Samajam Mohali, a voluntary, socio-cultural organisation, today organised the sixth Kerala Food Festival at the Kerala Bhavan in Mohali. Giving a low-down on the annual event, Benny Thomas, president of the samajam, said, ‘The idea behind organising the food festival is to bring together all Malayalee families on a common platform and the festival provides an insight into the art and culture of Kerala”. Right from the word go, the event saw a huge crowd, including many non-Malayalee families, who turned up to savour the delicacies.

Women prepare dishes during Kerala Food Festival in Mohali on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

Martyr's father seeks flat from UT Admn
Chandigarh, February 25
The father of an Army jawan who was killed while on active service during Operation Parakram is running from pillar to post to get a flat allotted to him from the UT Administration on compassionate grounds. Subhash Chand, a resident of Sector 45 and son of a freedom fighter, has alleged that despite having written to the Governor-cum-UT Administrator and other officials concerned several times, things have not moved.

Rose Fest: Gaiety, traffic chaos at venue
Chandigarh, February 25
The annual Rose Festival concluded today amidst gaiety, revelry, … and traffic chaos. The visitors at the venue had the roads blocked and the traffic police completely at bay as to how to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.


Children enjoy a camel ride on the last day of the Rose Festival in Rose Garden, Sector 16, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Vinay Malik

Sex scandal: Inquiry makes no headway
Chandigarh, February 25
The much-publicised scandal involving allegations levelled by a woman against the director of the Sainik Welfare Board, Punjab, has made no headway. Actually the woman inquiry officer, Tejinder Kaur, a senior IAS officer, has returned the file to chief secretary expressing her inability to do so, said sources.

CRIME

Purse snatched from Sector 32 resident
Chandigarh, February 25
An unidentified person riding a scooter snatched the purse of a woman at the road dividing Sectors 32 and 46 on Saturday.

Body found
Panchkula, February 25
A 35-year-old man was found dead in Abdulpur village of Pinjore block here today. The body with closes removed was found in the river bed near the cremation ground of the village. It was discovered by the sarpanch of Vasudevpura, Jaswant Singh.

EDUCATION

Pre-budget analysis by experts
Chandigarh, February 25
Swami Vivekanand School of Management Banur, held a pre-budget analysis during a one-day seminar -- Aam Aadmi Ka Budget -- for the forthcoming Budget 2007. Eminent resource persons and professional delegates across the tri-city participated in the discussion.

From Colleges
New PG course at GGDSD College
Chandigarh, February 25
University Grants Commission, New Delhi, has granted second innovative programme in Master in Entrepreneurship and Family Business, a PG course, to local GGDSD College for five years. The specific objectives and goal of this programme is to create 'Job Providers' instead of 'Job Seekers'.

Impressive show by tiny tots
Chandigarh, February 25
Harkamal Singh, a six-year-old child, won Kaun Banega Chitkara Champion at the annual day function of Chitkara International School held at 3 BRD, Air Force Station, Sector 31, here, today.



Tiny tots of Chitkara International School perform at the annual function at the 3 BRD in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Students stage Ramayana
Panchkula, February 25
As many as 450 students of the Dikshant International School in the age group of four to 15 years staged the Ramayana in the musical ballet form, at the Yavanika open air theatre here today.

Company secy exam results out
Chandigarh, February 25
The results of Company Secretaries examinations held in December, 2006, were declared in Delhi today. And released to all regional, chapter and satellite chapter offices of the institute. The results are also available on the Internet at the institute’s website — www.icsi.edu. TNS

HEALTH

ESI hospital to be upgraded
Chandigarh, February 25
Taking a view of a rapid increase in the OPD registration and high bed occupancy by patients at the ESI Hospital, Ram Darbar, the ESI Corporation has decided to upgrade the hospital shortly. From the present capacity of 50 beds, the hospital would soon have 100 beds for accommodating more patients.

Knee repair: Mohali hospital uses new technique
Chandigarh, February 25
The Grecian Super-speciality Hospital, Mohali, today conducted knee repair through the navigation system. This is for the first time that total knee replacement was conducted through this system in the tri-city by a team of orthopaedicians. The advancement is also called computer-aided surgery.

Surgeons perform total knee arthoplasty on a patient by using the navigation technique for the first time at the Grecian Super-speciality Hospital in Mohali on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

Medical check-up camp organised
Panchkula, February 25
As many as 250 patients were examined at the second free eye check-up camp organised at the Vishav Manav Ruhani Kendra, in Sector 9, here today. The camp was organised in collaboration with Roshini Charitable Trust and Grewal Eye Institute. Of the total patients examined, 15 of them were advised urgent operations which would be conducted at nominal charges.

Nagi is IAA chief
Chandigarh, February 25
Dr O.N. Nagi, formerly of the PGI, was today elected president of the All-India Orthopaedic Association (IAA) at the 6th Bi-Annual All-India Conference of the IAA held here today. He was earlier secy-general of the association.

SPORTS

Punjab, Kerala enter semis
Chandigarh, February 25
Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal and MTNL (Mumbai) moved into the semifinals of 6th All-India BSNL Football Tournament being played at several venues here today.

Amar Ujala are champions
Chandigarh, February 25
Amar Ujala today clinched the Airtel-Chandigarh Press Club Inter-Media Cricket Tournament for the third time by defeating Indian Express by 31 runs. The final, which was beamed live on Siti Cable, was played at the PCA Stadium, Mohali.


Amar Ujala players celebrate after winning the Airtel-Chandigarh Press Club Inter-Media Cricket Tournament at PCA Stadium in Mohali on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Pankaj excels in APJ Cup final
Mohali, February 25
The Sector 16 Cricket Stadium team lifted the first u-13 APJ Cricket Cup by beating the Mohali Cricket Association (MCA) team by nine runs at the MCA grounds, Phase IX, here today.

Dutch juniors to play 4 matches
Mohali, February 25
A junior team from Holland is in the city for 8 days for coaching and two practice matches each with D.P. Azad’s academy and the Mohali cricket association.

Pak players to skip meet
Chandigarh, February 25
The prize money all-India tennis association senior tennis tournament at the Chandigarh Club grass courts here from February 26 to March 2 will be played without Pakistani players, who have expressed inability to take part in the meet.