Chandigarh, April 7
Panic bells have started to ring in the Industrial Area as the Chandigarh administration has issued more than 200 notices for misuse of godowns and other plots. A majority of offenders are engaged in commercial activity, particularly sale of products not manufactured here. This is not allowed under the allotment policy.

The Estate Office has warned that the lease of the site could be cancelled and 10 per cent of the site premium plus ground rent can be forfeited. In case of an unsatisfactory reply, the matter will be decided ex parte. The administration has fixed sizeable monthly charges in different categories, in case the misuse continues.

These plots were originally allotted for industry purposes. The owners changed the use of property for commercial purposes. The change occurred more than two decades ago in a large number of cases, but notices were never a cause for panic before.

Industrial plot owners see the development as arm-twisting by the administration to force them to opt for conversion.

Official sources maintain that the practice is illegal and lack of punitive action in the past was no reason for allowing the activity to go on. "Look at the demolitions in Delhi to remove illegal constructions. It is a fact that traders carrying out the sale here are affecting business in the city".

An industrialist said: "The average response to the conversion has led to the administration trying a new method to force conversion. A majority of those issued notices shifted business in the past because a number of products they produced had no market now. In a number of cases family circumstances forced the change."

"We are working on opposing the move of the administration. We will move the court." The CITCO Shed Owners Association pointed out that the administration was unnecessarily forcing the industrialists to opt for conversion.

Mr M.P.S.Chawla, president of the Chandigarh Industrial Association, said: "The administration should not issue any circular to industrialists selling produce from their plots.They have the right to make what they sell. We shall oppose any move on this front."

Panchkula, April 7
A 25-year-old widow came to the city in search of a job and ended up with prostitution. She chose to bear the exploitation in exchange for money she needed desperately to send back home for her children aged four and five.

Today, she spilled the beans on those exploiting her, naming one "Pinky aunty" and her friend Amarjit Singh Shinda, after they refused to let her return home, give her money and cut off communication channels with her family.

She managed to call the police to help her get her out of a flat in Sector 20 where she was being held captive. In her statement to the police, the victim said she was brought from Mumbai to Panchkula by a resident of Faridabad. She was handed over to Pinky and her friend Surinder. The duo, along with Shinda, ran a sex racket, networked through mobiles and supplied girls. She was repeatedly molested by Shinda.

She claimed she was sent to Dalhousie, Kasauli and other places in the last four months. "They have four chauffeur-driven cars which would take me to the appointed place and pick me up from there. These drivers with mobiles are constantly in touch with the kingpins."

Sources said things reached a flashpoint between the widow and the pimps when Pinky took away her ornaments and her mobile phone in a bid to snap communication with her family.

“As of now, Pinky and Shinda have absconded and we have sent raiding parties to various locations to nab them," the police said.

The widow reportedly told the police that the pimps had made blue films of her. She disclosed addresses of three houses constructed in and around the city where Pinky, Surinder and Shinda worked in liaison.

The widow also gave addresses in Mohali and Faridabad from where she said flesh trade rackets were being run. The police had also been told that in flats near Zirakpur, five Russian girls were running a similar racket.

Superintendent of Police Balbir Singh said they were looking into the information. "We are on the trail of the main accused. This is a well-networked racket and its roots run deep,” he said.

A case has been registered.

Chandigarh, April 7
After honey bees, it’s now dog menace. And their favourite target seems to be cops. A Punjab Police sub inspector was attacked by a stray dog at the Sukhna Lake. He received serious bite injuries on his foot.

Just a few days ago, another policeman was bitten in the Punjab mini secretariat complex in Sector 9. This happened when he tried to save a woman from a stray canine.

While on his regular morning walk at the lake today, a stray dog pounced upon Sukhdev Singh, apparently without any provocation. He said the dog bit him several times on the foot. He got himself vaccinated at the civil dispensary in Sector 19.

This is the second such instance in a week. According to government officials, bog bite cases crossed the 5,500 mark in 2006.

“It becomes difficult to drive two-wheelers at night on city roads. There are hordes of dogs on just about every road, which chase vehicles furiously and put the life of drivers in danger,” said Karan Sharma, a resident of Sector 45.

The municipal corporation deputed a special squad to curb the menace of honey bees earlier this year. “The authorities should act similarly to save people from stray dogs,” said Arun Lal, a local resident.

In 2002, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had asked pet owners to ensure that their dogs were taken out only on a leash.

Delivering the verdict, the Bench, comprising the then Acting Chief Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice Kiran Anand Lall, had also imposed a ban on residents taking their pets to the lake, parks and public places.

The Bench had directed the municipal corporation of Chandigarh and the Chandigarh administration to ensure compliance of orders.

Chandigarh, April 7
The nine nominated councillors today opposed the move by Congress councillors to bring a no-confidence motion against Mayor Harjinder Kaur, calling it politically motivated. The nominated councillors said they were “completely against it and would oppose it”.

The BJP called for an urgent meeting to discuss the issue. Yash Pal Mahajan, president, called for meeting tomorrow to finalise a strategy.

The Congress councillors meanwhile, maintained that they would approach the Commissioner on Monday. It may be mentioned here that the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee at a meeting yesterday had decided to move a no-confidence motion against the Mayor.

The no-confidence motion, to be moved for the first time in the local corporation, is being done for the Mayor’s statements, supporting the Governor earlier this year that Chandigarh was a part of Punjab.

“Chandigarh is a union territory and we will resist any move for its merger with Punjab. We will also speak against the performance of the corporation”, stated a Congress councilor.

The motion requires a two-third majority in the 36-member house to ouster the Mayor. The Congress has 14 councillors the BJP six, the Chandigarh Vikas Manch four and the Shiromani Akali Dal two. Nine are nominated members.

Sources in the Congress said they wanted the alliance partners to clear their stand. “The stand take by the Mayor is in contradiction of that by her alliance members. Moreover, she has taken the stand as the Mayor of the city and she is answerable for the same”.

Talking to TNS, MPS Chawla, nominated councilor stated: “We will continue to vehemently oppose the no-confidence motion.

Chandigarh, April 7
After framing charges against the 14 accused in the infamous Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal, the examination-in-chief of the main victim was recorded by District and Session Judge B.S. Mehndiratta today.

As the proceedings were held in camera, apart from the nine accused, who have been charged with rape (Section 376 of the Ranbir Penal Code), the court directed the others to leave the courtroom. Mediapersons were also kept out from the proceedings.

The contents of the statement of the main victim could not be known. The court has now fixed April 24 for the defence to cross-examine the victim.

None of the counsel for the defence and the prosecution, who appeared upset by today’s development, chose to speak to the media.

As soon as the day-long proceedings ended, CBI sleuths and Chandigarh police officials whisked away the victim from the second gate of the district courts. Every effort was made to keep her away from media glare.

On March 21, the court had charged the accused under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act and with rape [Section 376 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC)].

The accused include IAS officer Mohammed Iqbal Khandey and two sitting MLAs Raman Mattoo and G.A. Mir.

Chandigarh, April 7
A fresh controversy over alleged tampering of documents was generated in the general court martial (GCM) trying two colonels and a JCO for alleged misappropriation of ammunition today.

The prosecution in the case stated that after the General Officer Commanding, 8 Mountain Division, had signed the court’s convening orders, the first page of the document was thereafter changed by the staff concerned. This prompted the defence to contend that this amounted to tampering of official and judicial documents.

The defence also contended that a copy of the record of “hearing of charge” was not supplied to it despite repeated requests. Further, a panel of defending officers sought by the accused was not made available even though each accused is entitled to a separate defending officer.

After reading out the convening order, the court, presided by Brig V.V. Raghvan, announced that the three accused, Col Vishal Bhargav, Col Hemant Saroch and Sub S. Thapa would be tried individually one after the other. On this the defence contended that such a step would be unfair and prejudicial as the charges against the accused as well as the entire evidence are the same. The defence requested that the accused persons be tried by separate, independent courts.

The court also directed the prosecution to get instructions from the convening authority regarding supply of documents to the defence, availability of defending officers and releasing the accused from close arrest.

The accused had been placed under close arrest on April 1 by the prosecutor, Lt-Col R.S. Mehta, which the defence had termed as illegal detention on the grounds that the officer was not authorised to take such a step.

On orders of the court, the prosecutor also produced the orders, purportedly signed by the convening authority on April 2, that the accused be placed under arrest before the court re-assembled on April 3. The court did not re-assemble on April 3 and the defence stated that it had already sent an application to the convening authority for initiating appropriate action against the prosecutor.

The Army has also replaced the Judge Advocate (JA) in the trial, who is the legal adviser to the court. Lt-Col Virendra Mohan has been removed and Major Maneesh Kumar has been appointed as the JA. Defence counsel Col S.K. Aggarwal (retd) said it was unprecedented to change the JA without the court even being sworn in or the defence raising any objections on his being part of the court.

Mohali, April 7
Former minister Jagmohan Singh Kang today urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to issue a formal notification to delist the 707.70 hectare area of Nada, Karoran, Janta Colony and Kansal villages, falling in SAS Nagar district, from the Punjab Land Preservation Act.

Kang said during the Congress regime the government had got the approval of the Central Government for the exclusion of 266 hectares in Nada and 442 hectares in Karoran villages, the cultivated and habitation areas closed under the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, from the list of forest areas. The Government of India’s order dated August 10 , 2006, stated “after considering the proposal of the state government and compliance of various conditions, the Central Government hereby approves the delisting of 707.70 hectares (265.59 hectares in Nada villages and 442.11 hectares in Karoran villages) of cultivated and habitation area closed under Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, as per the details of khasra numbers/area and other information submitted by the state government, from the list of forest areas in Nada and Karoran villages.”

Kang said the approval by the Central Government was given after seeing the ground realities in the area, where no forest existed.

He further said a formal notification regarding establishment of Nagar Panchayat, Nayagaon, had also been issued by the department of local government on October 18, 2006, under Section 4(1) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 (as amended by the Punjab Municipal (amendment) Act No.11 of 1994) after taking into account all legal aspects. Subsequently, office of newly established Nagar Panchayat, Nayagaon, was inaugurated on December 9, 2006.

The former minister pointed out that in spite of these villages being in the vicinity of Chandigarh, they were deprived of the facilities of sewerage, pucca streets, lighting, potable water supply, regular power supply and roads. After the Nagar Panchayat came into being, all-round development works were initiated on a war footing. He had got approved three main roads in Nayagaon, which were now under construction.

Kang said the ball was now in the court of the SAD-BJP government and now they should take immediate action to exclude 707 hectares of Nada and Karoran villages from the PLPA, so that development could take place. It would provide relief to 40,000 population of the Nagar Panchayat, Nayagaon. He also urged the government to withdraw the demolition notices served on the residents since they had constructed their houses with the hard-earned money. The Congress would be forced to launch an agitation if the notices were not withdrawn.

Chandigarh, April 7
The Army has initiated a mega project to provide free artificial limbs to mine and cluster-bomb victims in Lebanon, where it is deployed on a peacekeeping mission under a United Nations mandate.

Army sources reveal that the project involves identifying the needy persons in collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces affected, prioritising the requirements and getting artificial limbs fitted by doctors. The unique project will be executed by 15 Punjab, deployed in Southern Lebanon, in collaboration with the Jaipur Foot Foundation of India and the Arab Finance House of Lebanon.

The United Nations secretary-general Ban-Ki Moon visited 15 Punjab last week during his diplomatic visit to the Middle East. Over 13,000 troops drawn from 27 countries make up the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and 15 Punjab was the only military unit to be visited by the UN Chief.

Sources claim that as recognition of 15 Punjab’s stellar performance in operational activities and the extensive goodwill generated among the local populace by the battalion, the unit was handpicked by Major-Gen Claudio Graziano, the Italian UNIFIL Commander to be showcased to the secretary general. Commanded by Col Advitya Madan, the 302-year old 15 Punjab is one of the oldest and the highly decorated units of the Army.

Since its induction in the mission area a few months ago, the battalion, besides enforcing peace in the extremely volatile part of Southern Lebanon, has been extremely active on the social front. It has undertaken a series of projects to help the local population and win over their hearts and minds.

A senior officer at Army Headquarters revealed that such was the interaction and rapport that the locals had brought out specific areas where assistance from UNIFIL was required and the battalion had projected these requirements to UNIFIL Headquarters.

These projects have been included in a programme called Quick Impact Projects (QIP), which have specially been initiated by UNIFIL in order to further its humanitarian role in Lebanon. Four of such QIPs worth about $ 50,000 have been sanctioned to the locals through 15 Punjab, the officer said.

Recently, the unit in collaboration with Lebanon NGOs Al-Makassed and Al Khyan conducted two multi-speciality medical camps for the locals. Specialist doctors were especially arranged from Beirut, the capital of Lebanon to render specialist medical advice and treatment.

One of the most visible and popular forms of social interaction has been the yoga classes for primary class school children at Al Fradiss. They have also attracted massive attention of the western media. Computer and English speaking classes for school children, basic automobile engineering classes for the farmers, first-aid cadres and daily medical, dental and veterinary camps are some of the other humanitarian projects which are presently being conducted by 15 Punjab.

A series of Indian--Lebanese cultural exchange programmes have also been initiated in which glimpses of the rich Indian culture have been afforded to the locals. The local population has watched in amazement, as the battle-hardened Punjabis showed their mastery over the Dabki’ the folkdance of Lebanon, during some of the exchange events. The Bhangra has also been a hit with the locals.

Dera Bassi, April 7
The public sector telecom major, the BSNL, continues to live up to its reputation of “disconnecting India”. The competition from the private sector telecom operators have failed to wake up the telecom giant from its deep slumber if scores of “dead” telephones in certain villages of the subdivision are any indication.

While the residents of Daffarpur, Mor Thikri and Kakrali villages remained cut off on the phone lines from the rest of the world, the BSNL authorities seem to be least bothered. Damage to underground telecom wires due to alleged careless digging on the Dera Bassi-Mubarakpur road is reported to be the cause of the telecom mess, alleged Sukhvinder Singh Dhillon, president of the gurdwara parbandhak committee, Daffarpur.

In fact, this is not for the first that the telecom link has gone for a toss. Telephones remain non-functional at regular intervals, inconveniencing the subscribers, Daffarpur Sarpanch Gurmukh Singh lamented.

The BSNL is the only telecom company providing landline connections in the area.

Even subscribers of the WLL connections of the BSNL are not getting good service, Dhillon claimed.

Claiming that the BSNL was resorting to unfair trade practices, the Sarpanch alleged that the subscribers were forced to pay the rent for even that period when the telephone remained non-functional.

Besides, there was also “connecting problems” with the BSNL mobile phones.

Dhillon alleged that repeated representations to the Dera Bassi Telephone Exchange authorities had failed to improve the things.

In fact, the nigam was taking undue advantage of its monopolistic position and taking the general public for a ride, Dhillon alleged.

Hundreds of the BSNL telephones had gone out of order in several areas of the subdivision, including Dera Bassi, Lalru and Zirakpur.

Chandigarh, April 7
Officers of the municipal corporation, Chandigarh, accompanied by supporting staff conducted a surprise inspection of the meat market, Sector 21, here this morning.

According to spokesperson for the corporation, unauthorised and unlicensed persons were found selling poultry birds from the parking area of the market during the inspection.

Six truckloads of live poultry birds were seized and challans were issued. Later, the birds seized were released.

An inspection was conducted by Dr M.S. Kamboj of the 18 licensed meat, fish and poultry bird shops.

He issued challans to 15 offending licensees for various violations of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (Regulation for sale of meat, fish and poultry) bylaws, 2002, for cruelty to live birds, unhygienic conditions in the meat shop and failure of licensees in not obtaining medical fitness certificates from principal medical officer, Chandigarh administration, in respect of workers working in the such shops.

Besides, officials of the ministry of health issued 17 challans to the persons bringing live poultry birds from outside and causing insanitary conditions in the parking area of Sector 21 in general and meat market in particular.

The enforcement wing also conducted a special check in Sector 17 where a truckload of articles were seized from encroachers from the bank square and post office areas.

The special drive was executed by three wings of the corporation - superintendent slaughter house (SSH), hygiene and sanitation department and enforcement wing - under the supervision of H.S. Kandhola, joint commissioner.

Mohali, April 7
Two youths were injured when a youth was attacked by his opponents in Phase IX, industrial area, here today.

According to the information, Vijay Mandal was stopped by certain youths when he moved out of his house on a motor cycle. They allegedly beat him up. Vijay and Raj Kumar, one of the attackers, got injured.

Vijay Mandal went to the civil hospital. The doctor on emergency duty asked him to get an X-ray done. When he was getting his X-ray done, he was allegedly attacked again by members of the same group.

The matter was brought to the notice of the SMO, Dr Jai Singh, who called the police.

By the time the police reached the hospital, the attackers had fled the premises.

It was learnt that Mandal was allegedly attacked because around 10 days ago he had stopped the boys of the opposite group from harassing a girl in the industrial area.

It is reported that no policeman was on duty at the hospital when the incident happened.

Chandigarh, April 7
Pre-paid mobile subscribers facing disconnection following their failure to submit mandatory identity proof can still save their connections by submitting necessary documents.

The connections are being severed by almost all service providers following directions by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

It had made it mandatory for the mobile companies to verify the identity proof and other documents submitted by subscribers at the time of accepting the connections, setting March 31 as the deadline.

In case the documents were found missing, the companies were asked to cut off the connections.

Sources in Airtel and other organisations said subscribers, on the basis of the TRAI directions, were informed through text messages and notices in the electronic and print media.

They were asked to submit pre-paid enrollment forms along with the address and identity proof.

The sources said it was not too late even now. Subscribers could still come forward and submit their identity proof and other documents to prevent disconnection.

Airtel sources said only a negligible number of phones had been disconnected.

Chandigarh, April 7
The captive breeding programme at the Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park at Chhat Bir, about 20 km from here, got a shot in the arm with Shanti, eight-year-old Royal Bengal tigress, delivering a white cub today.

The news came as a pleasant surprise to the zoo authorities, which had been at the receiving end of the media criticism following the death of several animals, including three royal Bengal tigers, last year. And not taking any chances, the authorities were keeping a close watch on Shanti and the "new guest" at the zoo.

An elated zoo field director Dharminder Sharma told The Tribune that the successful delivery would go a long way in boosting the captive breeding programme at the zoo. It was in 2004-05 that the zoo authorities had stopped inbreeding among the tigers on the directions of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to "control" tiger population.

At that time the zoo authorities had gone in for large-scale sterilization so that the animals did not exceed the "holding capacity" of the zoo, sources said. Instead the zoo had maintained a stud in Guddu and Shanti was mated with it in the last week of December, 2006.The gestation period varies from 105 days to 120 days.

However, the fiercely-protective animal and the new-born were not being disturbed for atleast 18 hours as during this time the animal "adopted" the cub, Sharma said. A round-the-clock vigil was being maintained on the mother and cub and the access to even the areas surrounding the animal enclosures had been denied to the general public for fear of the animals developing infection, zoo sources informed.

The new-born will be the additional attraction for the visitors to the zoo besides two white tiger cubs,which the zoo got from the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, the officials added.

I have been a resident of Mohali for many years. Lately, I have observed poor civic conditions in Mohali. I am referring to the pathetic conditions of roads.

The parking site in Phase 5 market is full of potholes. The parking site in Phase 3B-2 market is in similar condition.

It is the same story in Phase VII. The Municipal committee seems to be doing little on the issue. I request you on the behalf of Mohali residents to highlight the problem.

Panchkula, April 7
Arun Kumar, a property dealer from Baltana and resident of Sector 19, was allegedly beaten up by a group of four boys. In his complaint to the police, he said he was forced to stop near the railway track in Sector 19 after somebody parked his car right in front of his vehicle.

As soon as he got out, four boys came in a Scorpio, forced him into their vehicle and sped away. In the one hour that they drove around the city, he was beaten up by the boys. A bleeding Arun was left in industrial area. He contacted his friend Manoj who took him to the hospital.

In another incident, Sector 15 residents Anita and Meenakshi reported a theft of Rs 7,200 and a mobile from their scooter. In their complaint they said they left the purse in their scooter’s glove compartment outside the temple in Sector 9.

On returning, they found that the compartment lock was broken and the cash and mobile had been stolen.

Chandigarh, April 7
Two persons were arrested for stealing computer parts from the shop they were working in Sector 17 yesterday.

Shop owner Pawan Bahl found computer hardware worth Rs 63,000 missing from the shop after his two employees had left for the day.

He complained to the police, which swung into action and arrested the two from the ISBT as they tried to flee the city.

The stolen computer hardware was recovered from the two, claimed the police.

Chandigarh, April 7
Powerful beams from double-barrel clear headlamps that target objects at night, tail-lamps that anyone would love to follow, easy-pull door handles that open into an all-new interior with plus beige upholstery and a classy dual-colour dashboard in warm browns and brushed metal - that's the new Palio Stile for you.

The “B” segment sedan in “1.1” and “1.6” petrol engine categories was launched by Tata-Fiat combo in the city this afternoon. The car promises a combination of power and higher fuel efficiency due to “advanced technology” and style.

Stile “1.1” car comes in three versions and the price ranges between Rs 3.56 lakh and Rs 3.97 lakh. Designed for auto enthusiasts, Palio Stile 1.6, on the other hand, is priced at Rs 4.38 lakh. It is the only sporty “B” segment hatchback available in the country.

The cars will hit the city roads in six colours - furnace red, ozone blue, alpine green, mint white, carbon black and magnesium grey.

Both models feature an electrical multipoint fuel injection system with a 32-bit microprocessor fuel system.

The models are equipped with power steering, central locking, fire prevention system (FPS), engine immobilizer, fog lamps, manual five-plus-rear gear box and all speed synchromesh.

APPOINTED: To strengthen its operation in India, American IT major Outline Systems appointed Pavitr Juneja, a US graduate as Business Development and Sales Head at the company's office here. Juneja has over 10 years of work experience in the US and international exposure. He joined Outline Systems to develop exceptional technical and business relationships with customers that are at par with the US market, Ramanjit Singh Multani, principal and vice-president sales, Outline Systems, said. — TNS