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The forger who is also a girl pusher
Former bank chief, cop arrested in Sector 24 hotel
Chandigarh, March 22
The Chandigarh police claims to have busted a flesh trade racket with the arrest of a former chairman of a co-operative bank, Jalalabad, and a head constable of the Punjab Police along with two girls.

Surinder Kamboj at the Sector 26 police station. — A Tribune photograph

Cops rain lathis on teachers
Get stoned in retaliation
Chandigarh, March 22
A clash between protesting members of the Federation of Unrecognised Schools Welfare Association (Haryana) and the Chandigarh Police left at least 36 protesters and 15 policemen injured at Sector 25 here today.

Policemen use water cannons to disperse protesters in Sector 25 on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

IT Habitat faces another hitch
Land is 1.25 acres less than allotted
Chandigarh, March 22
It seems a rough road for IT Habitat, a residential-cum- commercial area being developed by Parsavnath Developers. The project site is adjacent to Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park.

Memers of All-India Anti-Terrorist front take out a motorcycle rally on the eve of Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewrai

Bill trauma: Patient pays for room he didn’t get
Chandigarh, March 22
The next time you want to avail of a facility at Government Multi Speciality Hospital in Sector 16, think twice. This hospital makes you pay for facilities you did not get.

IT, Excise Depts on massive recruitment campaign
Chandigarh, March 22
The Central Government's rhetoric about downsizing notwithstanding, the Income Tax and the Central Excise and Customs are on a recruitment spree apparently in a bid to widen the tax base.

We always said so: Pandhers
Chandigarh, March 22
With the CBI today giving a clean chit to city-based businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, an accused in the killings of children at Nithari in Noida, his family has heaved a sigh of relief.

COMMUNITY

Office-bearers of the Chandigarh Press Club who were elected unopposed on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

To avert crisis, UT to pay more for power
Chandigarh, March 22
The Chandigarh Administration will pay double the amount for purchasing power from Power Trading Corporation to meet the power shortage expected this summer. But this will have no impact on the power rates paid by consumers.

Paid Parking
We have fulfilled our promise, claims BJP-SAD combine
Chandigarh, March 22
Once the new terms and conditions of paid parking lots, approved by the Municipal Corporation in principal yesterday will be implemented, driving in and out of the parking lot will hopefully become a more pleasant experience.

Oppn stages walkout over development in wards
Mohali, March 22
The Opposition staged a walkout at the meeting of the Municipal Council here today in protest against alleged discrimination by the authorities concerned even as the Kharar MLA said no house tax would be imposed in Mohali.

Panel okays beautification of parks
Chandigarh, March 22
The environment and city beautification committee of Municipal Corporation Chandigarh today accorded approval to various agenda items, including the development of parks in the Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, iron railings in parks and landscaping works in various green belts.

Transport office gets tech savvy
Mohali, March 22
Computerised licences and registration certificates will now be issued by the office of the SAS Nagar district transport office. Dr Karamjit Singh Sra, additional state transport commissioner, Punjab, said here today that the work in the office had been computerised under a pilot project and the trail run in this regard was started yesterday.

Use water judiciously, say experts
Chandigarh, March 22
Addressing a function organised by the Central Ground Water Board on the occasion of World Water Day here today, director of Punjab Water Resources K.S. Takshi today stressed on the judicious use of water for domestic and other purposes.

CRIME

26-yr old hangs himself
Chandigarh, March 22
A father of two hanged himself to death at his residence in Phase II, Ram Darbar. The police said the body of 26-year-old Ramesh Kumar, a painter, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room at 1 pm today.

Teenager rapes minor
Chandigarh, March 22
A 16-year-old boy raped a minor, alluring her with a chocolate bar. He allegedly threatened the girl of dire consequences of she reported the matter to her parents. The accused is said to be at large.

Peon held with fake currency
Chandigarh, March 22
The Chandigarh police yesterday arrested a peon working at the Punjab Civil Secretariat on the allegation of possessing counterfeit currency amounting to Rs 3,500.

BUSINESS

Come summer, Samsung has more on offer
Chandigarh, March 22
Samsung India launched its new range of refrigerators and air conditioners in the city yesterday. The company has come up with nine models of refrigerators and three models of air conditioners.

Ind-Sigma opens facility at IT park
Chandigarh, March 22
Ind-Sigma Infotech, the offshore development centre of Sigma Micro LLC, today opened a shop at the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park. This is the 14th company to set a shop in the technology park.

India Travel Mart begins today
Chandigarh, March 22
The three-day India Travel Mart, seventh in the series, will begin at Hotel Shivalikview from tomorrow. The mart, which will offer a variety of holiday destinations and packages, will have three foreign tourism boards — Dubai Tourism, Singapore Tourism Board and Malaysia Tourism — showcasing their products.

EDUCATION

Exercise self-policing, Bedi urges students

Chandigarh, March 22 It was a red-letter day for students and staff of the Dev Samaj College for Women, here, when Kiran Bedi, director general, bureau of police research and development, ministry of home affairs, presided over its 25th annual prize distribution function held on the college premises today. Kiran Bedi shares a light moment with students of Dev Samaj College for women, Chandigarh, during their annual prize distribution function held on the college premises on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Mohali institute to host world conference
Mohali, March 22
Participants from several countries will be participating at an international conference on management and technology being organised by the Gian Jyoti institute of Management and Technology tomorrow. The conference will be inaugurated by A.J. Philip, senior associate editor, The Tribune, at 10 am.

Teachers’ delegation meets Kanwaljit
Chandigarh, March 22
A delegation of the DAV College Teachers’ Union met Captain Kanwaljit Singh, cooperation minister of Punjab, at DAV College, Sector 10, here, yesterday. The representatives of the union drew the attention of the minister to the long-pending demand with regard to granting pension and gratuity to employees of the non-government aided colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh.

Make students competitive, Kidwai tells teachers
Panchkula, March 22 Degrees were conferred on 451 students and others were honoured for their outstanding performance in curricular activities at the 18th convocation of the Government Postgraduate College here today. Students of Government Postgraduate College, Sector 1, Panchkula, are all smile at the 18th convocation of the college on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Malkiat Singh

Educationist dies at 81 Chandigarh, March 22 A renowned educationist Mohinder Singh Dhillon died here today. He was 81. Dhillon authored 'Titan in Andamans' dedicated to the life of his father Dr Dewan Singh Kalepani, a doctor who dedicated his life for the care of the prisoners at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.                                                                    Mohinder Singh Dhillon

Report gives clean chit to teacher
Chandigarh, March 22
An inquiry conducted following the complaint of a girl student of Government College for Girls, Sector 42, against her teacher has given clean chit to the teacher. The report was submitted by the principal of the college to the director public instructions (Colleges) here this evening.

370 conferred degrees
Chandigarh, March 22
The 22nd annual convocation of Government College, Sector 46, was held today at the college premises. Meenakshi Anand Chaudhary, state information commissioner, government of Haryana, was the chief guest. The programme began with the traditional lighting of the lamp by the chief guest and the reciting of the Saraswati vandana by the students of the college.

PU Notes
‘Literature in times of violence’
Chandigarh, March 22
A three-day international conference on ‘Literature in times of violence’ began at the Department of English here today. Prof Manju Jaidka and Anil Raina, chairperson, were congratulated by Dr R.C. Sobti, vice-chancellor, for their efforts in organising the seminar.

‘Jhankar-2007’ begins
Chandigarh, March 22
The annual cultural festival ‘Jhankar-2007’ organised by the members of the Panjab University Students Union began at the university, here this evening. Capt Kanwaljeet Singh, cooperation minister, was the chief guest. He urged the students to work hard and achieve laurels in the fields of education.

GCG-11 holds alumni meet Chandigarh, March 22 Asha Hooda, wife of Haryana Chief Minister B.S. Hooda, recalled her days at the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, during an annual alumni meet of the college organised here today. Old friends were seen recalling and reliving old memories. Asha Hooda (third from right), wife of Haryana Chief Minister B.S. Hooda, during the annual alumni meet of the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh, on Thursday.

• Best participation award for YPS
• Awareness rally on Water Day
• Office-bearers elected
• PU closed today

CULTURE

Music which perishes with time not classical: Composer Chandigarh, March 22 Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna continues to soothe a restive world with his music. Born a musician, who mastered the vocal and instrumental traditions by the age of eight, Balamuralikrishna regards his six-decade long musical journey as “not yet over”.

Preserving the heritage of Punjab Chandigarh, March 22 The 7th annual meet of the Punjab Heritage and Education Foundation was conducted today at the Press Club, Sector 27, under the guidance of its president, professor G.S. Shergill, former chairman of the Punjab School Education Board. The foundation, comprising of several eminent Punjabi writers and historians specialising in the region, is working towards a common goal: preserving the heritage of Punjab. Professor Gurbax Singh Shergill, president of the Punjab Heritage and Education Foundation, addressing the 7th annual meet of the foundation at the Press Club, Sector 27, in Chandigarh on Thursday.

People will sway to Yana’s tunes now
Chandigarh, March 22
She came to India in search of spirituality, but found solace in Bollywood. Still treading the path of theology, star of the tinsel world Yana Gupta now plans to move a step further by venturing into singing.

HEALTH

Blood donation by farmers — to make a point
Chandigarh, March 22
To highlight their demand for partnership in development projects of the Chandigarh Administration, the Pind Bachao Committee has announced to hold a blood donation camp at Kishangarh near the IT Park tomorrow on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

• Book exhibition at PGI
• 300 examined at eye camp

SPORTS

Easy win for Maruti club Chandigarh, March 22 Riding high on three goals by striker Saurabh Singh, Maruti Football Club thrashed Football Club, Mauli Jagran, 6-0 on the opening day of the Chandigarh Senior Football Championship for Chaudhary Jarnail Singh Memorial Trophy, which started at Football Stadium, Sector 17, here today. A match in progress during the Chandigarh Senior Football Championship in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Sabreena stages comeback to lift title
Chandigarh, March 22
Pankaj Kumar, Raghav Singal and Sabreena Gill emerged champions in their respective categories in the third L.D. Kapoor Memorial YMCA Total Tennis Championship which concluded at YMCA Total Tennis Academy, Sector 11, here today.

City lad brings laurels Chandigarh, March 22 Budding local tennis player Parul Verma brought laurels to the city by finishing runners-up in the ITF Grade IV Doubles Tournament held at Malaysia from March 14 to 18. Parul, who was paired with David Nguyen from USA, moved into the quarterfinals beating Chen (Taioei) and Dell-orto (Hongkong) 7-6 (5), 7-6(5). Parul (centre) with fellow players.

Aman sprints to victory Chandigarh, March 22 Aman Kaur won the first position in 100m race during the 26th annual Sports Day celebrated by the Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36-B, on the college premises, here, today. Students of Dev Samaj College of Education take part in an obstacle race during the annual Sports Day held on the college premises in Chandigarh on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

World Cup downsized

Zirakpur, March 22 With the cricket World Cup at a feverish pitch, a local resident has developed one of the smallest miniature models of the trophy. Created by Upendra Bhatnagar, the model is just 2.5 cm high. Bhatnagar had earlier been experimenting with miniature painting. — TNS

Thapa first Indian Choi Kwang Do master
Panchkula, March 22
Martial art trainer Bikram S. Thapa has become the first master of Choi Kwang Do martial art as he cleared the test for his 5th degree black belt test held at Georgia (Atlanta), USA, recently.

Cricket trials on March 24
Chandigarh, March 22
Trials to select Chandigarh district under-13 and under-15 cricket teams will be held on March 24 at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 19, at 3 pm here.

Veterans’ athletics meet postponed
Mohali, March 22
The 10th veterans’ athletics competition, which is being organised by the Senior Citizens (Pensioners) Council, has been postponed due to inclement weather.

ADMINISTRATION

Team appointed
Chandigarh, March 22
The Chandigarh administration has decided to appoint a team to visit the Industrial Area to look into details of conversion of one and two kanal plots.