Chandigarh, August 14
As many as 110 quarters of Class IV employees in Sector 10 here will be demolished to make way for 24 bungalows of senior officers.

An amount of Rs 10 crore has been set aside for the construction of 24 big houses at the site of the residential quarters of more than 100 junior staff.

Senior officers say that the living quarters of the Class IV employees were unsafe and needed to be demolished. At one point of time, the administration had thought of constructing multi-storeyed housing structures at the current single-storeyed building sites.

Confirming the development, chief engineer V.K.Bhardwaj said the office of the housing wing of the administration had the exact details of the new buldings and the design of buildings.

The residents of the houses in this particular category have been issued notices to vacate their residential quarters within 21 days. Besides Sector 10, the Type 13 quarters are located in Sectors 11, 15, 16, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28 and 29, besides others.

It was also pointed out that a number of senior officers who got accommodation in the city's periphery (Sector 39) were not keen to move there. Sector 10 lies in the heart of the city and is a preferred area for accommodation by all. Reliable sources in the administration said the issue had the potential to gain political colours.

Ashwani Kumar, secretary housing, said, “I am not aware about the proposal for future development at the site where the quarters will be demolished. The families have been asked to move out and a majority of them have already been given alternative places to stay.”

Chandigarh, August 14
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), infamous for giving raw deal to subscribers, is at it again. Close on the heels of remaining disconnected for several days in the wake of the devastating June 30 fire at the Sector 17 telephone exchange, hundreds of subscribers have been left high and dry again, with the telecom giant failing to provide any exemption in their monthly rentals.

In fact, it was another rude shock for the subscribers today as the bills started arriving since exemptions in the monthly rentals for the telephones non-functional for more than seven days, which was announced by the BSNL authorities, failed to materialise.

TRAI guidelines stipulate that the subscribers are entitled to get relief if any telecom service remains disrupted for three days or more.

The promised denial of relief has left customers fuming. "It is yet another unfair means practice by the PSU. Under the TRAI guidelines, the BSNL would automatically have to waive off the rentals," Randhir Verma, president of the Chandigarh Telephone Subscribers Association(CTSA), said, adding that the association would take up the matter with the TRAI and the Department of Telecommunications. A telephone subscriber, who had a disconnected phone connection for about 18 days, alleged that by not waiving off a part of the monthly rental he was being asked to pay for a service he never availed. "The least the nigam should have done was to compensate the subscribers like me, but the BSNL fails to learn from its mistakes," the aggrieved customer complained.

Meanwhile, chief general manager telecom Punjab circle S.R. Aggarwal claimed that those subscribers, who did not get the rebate this time, would get it in the next billing cycle. Officials clarified that the subscribers whose connections remained out of order for over seven days were entitled to get rebate from the BSNL in their monthly rent.

Chandigarh, August 14
Mystery shrouds the death of Poonam who died during the medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) here yesterday.

A panel of doctors of Government Multi-speciality Hospital, Sector 16, which conducted the post-mortem examination of the deceased “reserved” its opinion today. Meanwhile, the police has seized the medical record of the nursing home where the woman died, yesterday allegedly due to medical negligence, SHO of Sector 17 police station Kulwant Singh Pannu said here today.

It may be recalled that in the complaint filed by Babloo Yadav of Sector 35-B, husband of the deceased, it was alleged that he brought his wife to a nursing home at Sector 23 for the MTP, as the couple did not desire the child. He further alleged that his wife died due to the negligence of doctor.

The couple has two kids already and the younger child is just nine-month-old, said the police.

It was alleged that the condition of Poonam started deteriorating during the abortion and she was sent to Government Multispeciality Hospital, Sector 16, where she was declared brought dead.

According to police sources, the pregnancy was three months old and the abortion was advised by the doctors at a dispensary run by the Indian Medical Association at Sector 35.

The police had registered a case under Section 304-A, IPC, against the doctor.

Chandigarh, August 14
“On August 15, we got freedom from the British. On this day, we salute our national flag”.This is about all Sachit, who studies at St. Anne’s Convent School, Sector 32, knows about Independence Day.

All that eight-year-old Muskaan of S. D. Public School, Sector 32, knows about August 15 is that India attained freedom on this day “years ago.”

Nine-year-old Naveen of Government Model School, Sector 32, says: “Our country became independent on August 15.” She knows nothing more than that.

Eight-year-old Balbir and Class IV Roshni of Sikhiya School are not much different.

Says eight-year-old Suman of Ankur School, Panjab University: “ Our country got independence but the day is important for me on account of my brother’s birthday.”

Chandigarh, August 14
Children from prestigious schools in the city believe that the national anthem is not different from the national song. And India has never had a woman President.

Class X students of a renowned convent school in Sector 9 say no woman has ever been President. Most had heard of only Indira Gandhi’s as a top women leader. Most were not aware as to who the UT Administrator was. Some of them will be saluting him during the Independence Day parade tomorrow.

A large number of students were unable to recite the national anthem beyond the first few lines.

Two students of Class IX of had no idea about the first Prime Minister of independent India, but had ” heard about Pandit Nehru.”

Most students were up to date with the latest models of mobile phones and hits of reigning Bollywood stars, but their knowledge of the nation’s history was deplorable.

Chandigarh, August 14
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Pracheen Kala Kendra organised a programme of folk songs and dances at the Kosers' auditorium in Sector 71 at Mohali.

The cultural evening kicked off with folk orchestra. After that, young female artistes of the Punjab Cultural Society Group of Ravinder Singh Ranguwal, Ludhiana, performed a folk dance called "kikli kaleer di"."Jhummar", "jindua", "Mirza Sahiban" and "paranda" were the other highlights of the programme.

Punjab's pulsating folk dance marked the grand finale of the programme. The programme was organised as part of the "Horizons" series of the ICCR to promote the rich cultural heritage of the state, M.M. Sharma, ICCR regional director, said the council was in the process of selecting new groups and singers.

Chandigarh, August 14
UT education department’s I-Day celebrations never lack spirit; they lack novelty. It, therefore, came as no surprise when the gathering at Tagore Theatre was treated to yet another routine cultural show, in which the sequence of events remained unchanged. The sequence has remained constant for the past many years.

In today’s show, though, there was one exception - the speech of UT adviser, the chief guest, did not happen. Always placed at number 8 in the list of events, the speech is normally the most awaited part of the evening because it’s during the speech that the adviser announces his grant for the department. Adviser Lalit Sharma may not have obliged with a speech today, but he ensured that the grant was offered, it was Rs 51,000.

Not that the students were concerned with the money part. They were busy putting their best foot forward, no matter how routine the presentations were. While one section of the students regaled the audience, comprising mainly of school teachers, principals and parents, another was on hospitality duty. Here, students made at least 20 rounds of the hall to serve refreshments to people - a practice the education department can do without in this 60th year of India’s independence. They can take the lead from the fact that adviser returned the refreshments every time they were served. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 14
In the wake of the Independence Day function tomorrow, the traffic wing of the Chandigarh Police has imposed restrictions on traffic flow and planned diversions from certain roads near the Parade Ground, Sector 17, and near Punjab Raj Bhavan.

The road from the roundabout of Sectors 16, 17, 22 and 23 to the rotary near Gurdial Singh Petrol Station in Sector 22-A, and from the crossing of Sectors 16, 17 up to the roundabout of Sectors 16, 17, 22 and 23 on Jan Marg, besides from the light point near Lyon’s Restaurant, Sector 17, up to Parade Ground, will remain closed from 7 a.m. until the function at Parade Ground gets over.

Parking for the public in the area in front of shops in the Sector 22-A market will not be allowed from 7 a.m. Senior officers and those with authorised car parking stickers on their vehicles will be allowed to enter from the roundabout of Sectors 16, 17, 22 and 23 on Udyog Path and will be allowed to park the vehicles in the Sector 22 market.

The public will be allowed to park vehicles in Sector 22-B, near the Blood Disease Hospital, Sector 23-B, and the parking of the football stadium and the Circus Ground in Sector 17. Long-route buses from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other places would be diverted towards the ISBT Chowk from Bajwara Chowk and Piccadilly Chowk via Himalya Marg and allowed to enter Sector 17, ISBT through Gurdial Singh Petrol Station rotary.

The road from the roundabout of Sectors 5, 6, 7 and 8 up to the T-point near the Golf Club and from the T-point near Punjab Raj Bhavan will remain closed to the public from 2 p.m. until the function is over. Vehicles with pink parking labels will be parked behind the Adviser’s residence. Self-driven cars of senior citizens with pink labels can be parked near the mini zoo.

Those with green parking labels can use the Sectors 7 and 8 road and can park vehicles in the area adjacent to the Adviser’s residence in Sector 7.

Chandigarh, August 14
A day before the Independence Day celebrations in the city, the Chandigarh Police launched a massive operation to verify the antecedents of visitors, recent settlers and new comers in slums of the city.

Leaving nothing to chance on the eve of the Independence Day, the police carried out a flag march in the south sub-division, which started from Sector 39 at 5 pm and made a round to all the slums, market places and other important installations, including railway station and at inter-state bus terminuses at Sector 43 and Sector 17, said a senior police officer.

The police carried out a verification and surveillance drive in all hotels and guest houses, including restaurants in the city, to keep an eye on suspicious people. A special drive to seal all borders roads of the city connecting Punjab and Haryana would be initiated from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. The police also checked incoming buses to the city.

Sources in the police said high alert was sounded in the city, following which it has been converted into a police cantonment with deployment of local police and additional forces.

Stepping up the late night vigil, the police also installed special nakas and intensified patrolling throughout the length and breadth of the city. 

Chandigarh, August 14
As part of its awareness campaign, the members of Chandigarh Sanjha Morcha today observed an Independence Day eve fast to highlight the arbitrary policies of the UT Administration.

They were joined by members of various political parties and concerned citizens from various walks of life including former BJP MP Satya Pal Jain, Col A.S. Bhinder and Brig Harwant Singh of the All India Defence Brotherhood and Col Didar Singh of the Ex-servicemen’s League Chandigarh.

It needs to be mentioned that many land owners being displaced at the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park (Phase III) belonged to the defence services. The morcha is currently agitating against the acquisition of land for the Phase III of the technology park.

Morcha’s president Brig K.S. Kahlon said, “It is a shame that on the eve of the 60th Independence Day, farmers all over the country are agitating against an Act (Land Acquisition Act 1894) that was implemented by a foreign government on the local people with the sole motive of subjugation.”

Meanwhile, the Welfare Society of Authorised Originals of All 50 UT Villages of the Punjab Capital Project Chandigarh would protest in Sector 63 tomorrow against the anti-original inhabitant policies of the Administration.

Chandigarh, August 14
The local police today rounded up and questioned 20 persons in connection with the murder of Nenke, whose body was found near the Tribune Chowk yesterday morning. However, no breakthrough has been possible in the case so far.

Meanwhile, Sector 31 police station SHO Har Sahai Sharma said the post mortem report confirmed that the cause of death was asphyxia due to strangulation. However, a chemical examination of the viscera has been recommended to pinpoint the exact cause of death.

Thirty-five-year-old Nenke’s body was found lying under a tree near a rickshaw stand at Tribune Chowk. His brother, who reached the spot, did not suspect anyone for his brother’s murder.

However, other rickshaw-pullers pointed the needle of suspicion towards Jagdambe, a petty thief, who was seen drinking with the victim on Sunday. Jagdambe and the victim’s rickshaw are missing since the murder came to light. The police have so far failed to trace Jagdambe. 

Chandigarh, August 14
The Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) of the Municipal Corporation yesterday accorded approval to holding a shopping festival to celebrate 55 years of the City Beautiful Festival Season and Sector 22-D Heritage Market.

It was also decided that the area allowed to the market associations be used for display of prizes and holding cultural functions only.

Other agenda items approved during the F&CC meeting include providing mobiles to drivers attached with senior officers; allotment of District Courts Complex parking area to District Bar Association Chandigarh for Rs 1.25 lakh; allotment of paid parking areas adjoining Kiran Cinema, Sector 22 and Batra Cinema, Sector 37.

Chandigarh, August 14
Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gen S.F. Rodrigues (retd) inaugurated a community centre in Sector 42, here today. Stating that law is supreme, he impressed upon the Chandigarh Mayor and municipal councillors to rise above vested interests and personal priorities in order to work towards bridging the gap between ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

General Rodrigues suggested that the existing 30 community centers and the five that were scheduled to come up soon be utilised as forums for people to sit together and interact. He said a policy had been evolved for broadening the scope of these centers under which they would be managed by registered members themselves after the formation of a governing body. The area councillor would be the president. The Administration has earmarked five new sites for community centres in Sectors 48, 49, 50, 52 and Dhanas, the Governor said.

Municipal commissioner P.S. Aujla said the community centre had been constructed on an area of one acre and was equipped with all modern facilities. He said as per the new policy, any resident of the area could become a member of the centre by paying a nominal membership fee and that the senior citizens would be given a 50 pc concession. He added that this centre had been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 33.74 lakh.

Chandigarh, August 14
The Independence Day eve brought in really good news for the second seniormost judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice P. Sathasivam.

Talking to The Tribune today, he said: “I have sent my medical report to the Law Ministry. If the warrant is ready, swearing in will be on Friday but in any case not beyond Monday.”

The judge informed that he would also get a chance to serve the country as the Chief Justice of India for at least nine months.

Known for his down-to-earth approach and soft demeanour, Mr Justice Sathasivam said he was also pleasantly surprised to know that there was only one Bar association here, symbolising the unity of the lawyers. Many high courts were having more than one Bar associations.

When asked about his four-month stint in the high court, the judge remarked that the judges were really overburdened with work. “The Constitutional authorities should have to take effective steps. Otherwise, it will be really difficult to clear the astonishing backlog of cases,” Mr Justice Sathasivam asserted.

Reflecting on the need for judges to be more aware of problems faced by the common man and shun elitist attitude, the judge emphasised that “knowing the Halsbury Law is not so important as knowing our own people”. He also suggested that the judiciary should refrain from interfering in the matters of policy.

He was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 20 and was also appointed as the chairman of the Punjab Legal Services Authority. He had also asked the Punjab chief secretary to ensure a new building for the authority currently working from makeshift premises.

Meanwhile, sources said the elevation of three lower court judges to the high court had too been cleared, while one of the names had been dropped as the judge in question had crossed the age limit.

Chandigarh, August 14
As a welfare measure, defence minister A.K. Antony has sought waiver of domicile requirements for wards of military personnel while seeking admission in professional colleges in various states.

In a letter written to the chief ministers of all states and lieutenant governors of union territories, the defence minister has pointed out that in many states, admission into colleges and institutions are restricted to those students only who are either domiciled in that state for a minimum specific period and/or to those who have passed both, class-X as well as class-XII examination from an institution located in that state.

The defence minister has said that wards of armed forces personnel are unable to fulfil these requirements for admission by the very nature of the jobs of their parents, who are involved in frequent postings and transfers. Thus these wards are deprived of the chance to be considered for admission to institutions in states where these restrictions exist.

The letter has also drawn attention to the meetings of the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) and rajya saink boards of different states, where the issue was considered. The states and UTs concerned had been requested to consider doing away with these restrictions and the matter was raised again in the KSB meeting held about two months ago.

The letter has urged the chief ministers to re-consider the matter so that the domicile restrictions are waived-off or removed in the case of wards of defence personnel seeking admission to professional institutions in their respective states.

A few months earlier, the defence minister had also written to all chief ministers, urging them to give priority to addressing the problems of the service personnel deployed in far-flung places or involved in counter-insurgency operations.

He had requested them to instruct the collectors, superintendents of police and other officials to give prompt response to the problems of the defence personnel and their families.

Most of the soldiers come from rural areas and get limited opportunity to visiting their hometown or village. During this short leave period they have to attend to a number of domestic problems, which include issues relating to property or deal with unsocial and inimical elements.

Most of the time they are not able to sort out the problems because of the limited time available and lack of adequate response from the authorities. This, at times, leads to frustration in the minds of the soldiers, which gets accentuated with the hard service conditions, and difficult environment in which they are working, the defence minister had written.

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Chandigarh, August 14
The police arrested a resident of Uttrakhand with 1.25 kg charas from the Inter-State Bus Terminus, Sector 17, today afternoon.

The police said Dalip Kumar was held from the bus stand around 3.25 pm. A case under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered in this regard.