Chandigarh, August 22
The Kangra-based family of a Punjab Police constable, who has been missing since July 28 from the city, has been running from pillar to post to know about his whereabouts.

Constable Ramesh Singh, posted at Punjab Armed Police at Bhadurgarh, Patiala, had reportedly came to the city to look after his ailing father at the PGI. He left PGI on July 28 and went to Sector 17, ISBT to take a bus for Patiala. Later, he was reportedly found in an unconscious state at the bus stand and the police shifted him to the GMSH-16.

The constable’s wife, Swarna Devi, said she came to the city on August 1 and learnt from relatives that Ramesh had left for Patiala, however, Ramesh’s colleagues told them that he never reached there. They checked at the Sector 17 ISBT police post and learnt that the police had admitted a man to GMSH. The hospital authorities, however, said the patient had left without informing anyone.

In-charge of the Sector 17, ISBT police post, sub-inspector Pargat Singh said inquiries revealed that Ramesh had gone on his own without informing anyone.

Mohali, August 22
Health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla said here yesterday that some improvement was being noticed in the sex ratio in the state which showed that people were now becoming more aware and did not want to indulge in female foeticide.

Chawla, who was here to inaugurate the fifth 10-week professional development course in management, public health and health sector reforms for district-level senior medical officers, said the consumption of drugs by the youth in the state was also on the decline showing a positive trend.

Earlier, while speaking to the participants of the course, Chawla said the training course would enable the senior doctors to face new emerging challenges in the health sector.

She said there was need for ensuring that the poor and underprivileged were provided with primary health services.

Vijay Kain, principal secretary, Health and Family Welfare, while addressing the delegates, said the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare was a prestigious institute of northern region and catered to the training needs of not just only Punjab, but also other states like Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh as well as UTs. 

Mohali, August 22
Municipal councillors belonging to the opposition group have demanded that president of the civic body Rajinder Singh Rana should resign as he had failed to carry out adequate development in the town.

In a press note issued here yesterday, which was signed by 11 councillors, it was alleged that the development graph of the town had come down ever since Rana had taken over as MC chief even when developments works worth crores were cleared by the MC House.

They alleged that the roads of the town had pot holes and congress grass was growing in abundance along the roads, which resulted in health problems for residents. The town also faced the menace of stray animals. Shopkeepers had encroached upon verandas in markets in the absence of strict action by the civic body. Sanitation was also in a state of neglect.

Chandigarh, August 22
The Chandigarh Education Department has issued another show cause notice to Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27, Chandigarh. Besides education department, two notices by the Estate Office too, have been issued to the school regarding building violations and misuse of building by subletting it to palmistry classes by the school.

According to the fresh notice served, the department has objected to their marking procedure like there is no practice of marking presence by pencil which indicates the malpractise going on in the school.

The concerned officials pointed out that the students mark ‘all present’ with the pencil at the end of the day only to be marked by pen later the next day.

The notice further said as many as 21 students out of total of 36 students could not be considered as incidental or confined to that particular day.

A few months back a team of officials - Kamla Bains, DEO, Prem Puri, assistant sports officer and Pyare Lal, assistant, PEC - made a surprise visit to the school. Out of 39 students of Class XII (commerce), not a single student was ‘present’ in the class but only seven were marked ‘absent’ with pencil discovered the inspection committee.

Similarly, 21 students were found absent out of a total of 36 students in class XII medical and non-medical sections. However, on enquiry it was found that the ‘present’ students had verbally informed to be attending private coaching.

The Estate Office has served notice to the school for various discrepancies in terms of building use. The notice said the school has constructed an auditorium and offices in the basement which are not only against the local building bylaws and national building code but the habitable use of the basement in the school is a major fire and stampede hazard for the children.

The school has been directed to submit the copy of the sanctioned building plan of the auditorium along with permission for habitable use within a week. The DPI, (S) said, "We have asked them to stop the habitable use of the basement instantly, if they have not obtained sanctioned plan in advance or not approved so far. If they wont follow these conditions they may loose their recognition without any further notice."

The school has not indicated whether Dayanand College of Communication is a separate entity or working under the school management. 

Mohali, August 22
A workshop on adolescent education with special reference to parenting was held at BSH Arya Senior Secondary School, today. More than 70 representatives of NGOs and members of parent teachers association participated in the workshop organised by the Family Planning Association of India here.

Maya Gaitonde, secretary Chennai based NGO - Balamandir and research foundation was invited to conduct two workshops organised by the Family Planning Association of India, Punjab state council for child welfare and the India alliance for child rights.

Gaitonde highlighted the concept of parenting the miracle of brain and impact of positive and negative behaviour. Gaitonde in her address emphasised on the need of such a workshop.

Presentations on understanding holistic child development sense of self, physical relationship, understanding and communication for primary school level students and adolescents were the main features of the workshop.

The principal of the school Pawan Kumar Sharma welcomed the guests and other participants.

Dr Manmohan Kaur president of FPAI, Mohali branch said, “Print and electronic media influence the lifestyle, attitude and thinking process of people.” 

Chandigarh, August 22
At the inaugural function of the ‘peace-club’ of Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, organised in collaboration with NGO, Yuvsatta, an innovative ‘children bank’ was launched by the principal Dr Satinder Dhillon.

Dr Dhillon who is also the convenor of the peace campaign said this bank would seek donations of used toys, comics, storybooks and clothes from the residents of the city for children living in slum settlements in the city. She also said there is a need for equitable distribution of resources and social justice.

Sharing his concern, Parmod Sharma, coordinator, Yuvsatta, said it is heart-rending to see one-third of the city's population living in slums. Referring to studies made by him, he said almost two-third of people living in slums do not eat anything in mornings due to poverty and lack of resources.

The chief guest Hushang Garmroud, an International Peace Educator stressed on education as the base for building a better future. A child has to be educated with love and kindness to become a responsible adult in future, he said.

Mohali, August 22
A team of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority today demolished unauthorised structures in Sohana village.

The team, led by SDO Tara Singh and including four junior engineers, pulled down 45 jhuggis from the outer limits of the village red line.

Besides, a temporary shed constructed to house buffaloes was also demolished by the team.

Mohali, August 22
Municipal councillors belonging to the opposition group have demanded that president of the civic body Rajinder Singh Rana should resign as he had failed to carry out adequate development in the town.

In a press note issued here yesterday, which was signed by 11 councillors, it was alleged that the development graph of the town had come down ever since Rana had taken over as MC chief even when developments works worth crores were cleared by the MC House.

They alleged that the roads of the town had pot holes and congress grass was growing in abundance along the roads, which resulted in health problems for residents. The town also faced the menace of stray animals. Shopkeepers had encroached upon verandas in markets in the absence of strict action by the civic body. Sanitation was also in a state of neglect.

Mohali, August 22
A general security alert has been issued by the Mohali police to telecom companies which have their offices here following an intelligence report that ultras operating in Jammu and Kashmir intend to target offices of leading telecom companies in India.

According to Mohali SSP R.S. Khatra, the communication was received from the Punjab police intelligence wing last evening following which security was beefed up at various telecom company offices across the township.

“We took a round of the township last night and increased patrolling. A meeting was held with heads of these companies today and they were directed to increase security,” said the SSP. He added that the police cover to these companies had been beefed up.

Mohali, August 22
Prof Avtar Singh, chairman of the Sri Sukhmani Institute of Engineering and Technology (SSIET), Dera Bassi, on Monday released a book on “Machine Design” written by Prof Sukhwinder Singh Jolly, HoD (ME), SSIET, Dera Bassi

Prof Avtar Singh applauded the efforts made by Professor Jolly and hoped that the book would prove helpful for BTech. mechanical engineering students.

Chandigarh, August 22
The Punjab National Bank today extended support to 15 students of the Muslim minority community by approving educational loans worth Rs 50,000 to each of the students. This loan will help the students to enhance their knowledge in a variety of fields ranging from retail marketing and sales to computer programming on Internet applications to training in the BPO and proficiency in English and improving employability skills.

The GM of Punjab National Bank B.P Chopra presented consolidated cheques to various institutions, that will cater to the educational needs of these 15 students, at a function held at the zonal office of the bank here today. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 22
Setting a deadline of one month for improving basic amenities in Bapu Dham Colony, UT Administrator Gen S.F Rodrigues (retd) yesterday asked senior officers of the administration to ensure tap-water supply, removal of encroachments, repair of pavements, streets and internal roads and regulation of power supply.

He directed the officers to make this a model for urban transformation, to be replicated in other resettlement colonies. Accompanied by Jean Rodrigues, the Administrator went round Bapu Dham Colony and expressed anguish over the poor living conditions.

He told home secretary Krishna Mohan, MC commissioner P.S. Aujla and Deputy Commissioner R.K. Rao to study the problems and find appropriate solutions within the parameters of the law without further delay.

He said he would visit the colony after a month to see for himself the changes brought about.

Interacting with the area councilor and other colony leaders, the General asked them to participate in remodeling the colony and take a leadership role in checking unauthorised structures and encroachments. 

Chandigarh, August 22
Hundreds of fully-grown trees in Industrial Area, Phase-I, are being “sacrificed” in the name of upgradation of infrastructure for the successful implementation of conversion policy, introduced by the Chandigarh Administration in 2005.

The horticulture department of the municipal corporation has been given the green signal by the Chandigarh Administration to axe 230 tress of different species.

Among the trees being felled are alastonia, Ashoka, jamun, mulberry, peepal, mango, silver oak, pilkhan, ber, sabu babool, amaltas, arjan, inter-lobum, alstonia and 'pahari keekar'. According to sources the trees don’t have a high commercial value and are likely to fetch around Rs 2,50,000.

Confirming the official orders, sources said the trees were being cut after formal approval was granted by the Adviser to the UT Administrator.

Standing tall for many years, the trees were coming in way of widening of two major roads passing through Industrial Area.

The renovation work of two roads --- one from Bhushan factory to Purv Marg, passing through Ordnance Factory and other from Hind Motors to PASCO road -- is going to start in September. A sum of Rs 17.14 crore is being spent on widening and strengthening of various roads in the Industrial Area. Incidentally, both the roads being widened touch two major malls coming up in the area.

A senior official in the corporation said proper orders had been taken to cut the trees. The trees are being cut only where required. “We have made every effort to save the trees which don’t come in way of the road-widening project. The width of road along the mango grove has been reduced to save the tress”, said the official.

Deputy conservator, Ishwar Singh, said: "There has been no reduction in the city’s green cover. In fact, the overall data shows improvement. For each single tree that is axed because of different reasons, we plant at least 10 new ones."

Apart from several other unique features, our city is famous for its fine roads that are wide, clean, well maintained and free of pits. Small wonder, the city denizens feel proud of it. The UT administration, on its part, spares no effort in keeping the roads in good shape.

However, the roads for entry to and exit from Chandigarh railway station are lying in a state of neglect and calls for immediate attention. For past couple of years, the number of people using trains as a mode of transport has increased, but the administration has failed in providing the rail authorities a helping hand so far as good roads are concerned.

The road that welcomes and leads the tourists to the city beautiful offers them a bumpy ride, thus makes a bad impression. The road needs to be repaired on priority. The repair and upkeep of the short stretch will not cost much to the exchequer but would cost dear to the city’s image. The well-kept roads at the entry and exit points would go a long way in keeping up the beautiful city’s image.

Harbinder Singh, Chandigarh

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Panchkula, August 22
Two motorcycle-borne youths snatched a gold chain from the wife of Haryana police head constable Tarsem near the Police Lines at Sector 25 here on Monday.

The police swung into action immediately and set up nakas to nab the culprits. The offenders abandoned their vehicle and took shelter in the nearby forest area. — TNS

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 22
Even the fear of Central Bureau of Investigation failed to prove any deterrent to the corruption prevailing in the UT Police. For, less than a day after the CBI arrested three UT policemen, including a sub-inspector under the Prevention of Corruption Act, another assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of UT police, Surinder Pal, landed in CBI net for allegedly accepting a bribe.

ASI Surinder Pal was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting Rs 2,500 in his room in the Sector 39 Police Station, this evening. He was promoted as ASI about two years ago.

Sources in the CBI said Rajesh Kumar of Ambala lodged a complaint alleging that ASI Pal had demanded Rs 2,500 from his relative Rajinder Kumar of Dadu Majra Colony, threatening that if they failed to meet his demand, he would implicate Rajinder in a case.

Taking serious note of this, officiating UT SSP Dinesh Bhatt placed his supervising authority SHO Gulshan Kumar at the Sector 39 police station under suspension. This follows a declaration that Bhatt made while joining that not only those caught indulging in corruption would be dealt with, even their superiors would be held responsible. 

Chandigarh, August 22
The police today registered a case under narcotics act against the in charge of the Mauli Jagran Police Post, SI Baljit Singh, along with constable Ballu Singh following the seizure of 34 kg poppy husk from them on Tuesday night.

Sources in the police said a case had been registered against the two on information provided by the CBI that the contraband was recovered from them. Both the cops, along with Vijander Kumar, another constable, were arrested by the CBI for taking Rs 20,000 bribe from a Behlana resident for not implicating his relative in a narcotics case. The accused had allegedly threatened the complainant to plant the contraband on his relative.

Meanwhile, taking serious note of the incident, the senior officials placed the trio under suspension with immediate effect. A regular departmental inquiry has also been initiated against them. A senior police official said strict action would be taken against them.