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Joyous frenzy
Chandigarh, September 24 It was excitement, bhangra, sloganeering and traffic jams as hundreds of cricket buffs spilled onto the city roads in swanky cars, bikes and even tractors to celebrate the India’s victory over archrival Pakistan in World Twenty20. This was India’s first major victory after the 1983 World Cup victory.Youngsters broke into ‘bhangra’ at several places and burst crackers. The most happening places were the Aroma Chowk, the Sector 17 Plaza and the ‘gehri route’. The youngsters here carrying the Tricolour dance on roads resulting in traffic jams. Many enthusiasts were found opening champagne bottles at the traffic point near Hotel Aroma in Sector 22. The police had to resort to a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd. The police had a tough time controlling the frenzied crowds. “None can stop us from celebrating the great win,” said Vishal, Kunal, Abhimanyu and Sangeet, taking a round of the city in their car, shrieking ‘Bole so nihaal’ and ‘Chak de’. All taverns were full to
capacity with spirited fans gathered there.“We will drink through the night,” said Sukhwinder, Naveen, Harshit and Mangal Singh. People gathered outside restaurants, food joints and outside TV shops to see the title clash. Café Coffee Day in Sector 35 was full with cricket buffs. “After 5.30 pm, we had only visitors watching the match and no customer,” said Jaipal, store manger of the bar. A similar situation prevailed in markets. Most shopkeepers were in no mood to attend to customers. “You can see that no customer can enter my shop today as hundreds have gathered inside to see the match”, said Surinder Singh of Surindra Vision in Sector 35. Congratulatory messages by fans choked mobile services. “Chak de India”, “India ne chak ta Pakistan”, “Kalank dhota dhoni ne” were some of the messages doing the rounds.
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‘My son is made of steel’
Chandigarh, September 24 “Today I am the happiest person on earth. The performance of my son at Twenty 20 has taken me to cloud nine, said Yograj, as the ‘dhol’ beats grew louder and lounder at his Sector 12-A residence in Panchkula. Yuvi’s five-year-old sister Amarjot Kaur was the cynosure of all eyes. A large crowed gathered at Yograj’s residence to congratulate the family. “Mere veer ne bade chhake mare,” exclaimed Amarjot. Talking to TNS, the former Test player said: “I got a call from my son immediately after winning the title. He told me that even he could not believe the victory. “I advised him to be humble in success, as he always is. I citied Mahabharata’s Arjun
who, empowered by Lord Krishna and Lord Hanuman, won the battle. I told him that his teammates were his real powers”. Yograj said his son was made of steel. “He is genetically strong like his forefathers and he exploited his strength to the fullest on field”. Before every match, Yuvraj would call his father for tips. “I am happy with his batting, but the bowling is his grey area and he needs to work to overcome his shortcomings. His right leg bends more, which is hindrance in
maintaining perfect line and length”.
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15-yr freeze on sale of allotted sites
Chandigarh, September 24 The rule forms part of the Chandigarh Estate Rules, 2007, which will be notified by the Chandigarh Administration any time now. After seeking legal opinion, the final draft rules have been sent for approval to the UT Administrator, Gen S.F. Rodrigues (Retd) The adviser to the Administrator, Lalit Sharma, said most changes would be on the lines indicated in draft rules earlier. The proposed rules will get tough on those indulging in misuse of premises and violating building bylaws.The adviser said those indulging in misuse of premises, residential and commercial, would have to pay a heavy monthly penalty which have to be shared by the owner as well as the occupant.The penalty is proposed to much more than the existing one. Earlier, the penalty was imposed on the owner alone and the occupant would go scot free. Now, all allotment of commercial and residential properties will be by way of auction. A senior official said the amendments were being done to make the process of transfer of property more transparent and to reduce litigation. At present, 30 per cent of the total cases pending with the estate office pertain to litigation. Another significant amendment is that the lease period for the properties has been reduced from 99 years to 33 years. For the auctioned property, interested bidders will have to deposit an earnest money of Rs 2,00,000 in order to be eligible for participating in the auction. The highest bidder will have to pay an payment of 25 per cent of the total bid at the fall of the hammer. The remaining 75 per cent will have to be paid within a period of 90 days. The letter of allotment will be only issued after the bidder pays full and final consideration to the administration Residents want that before notifying the rules, the administration should make the draft rules public.
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Binging staffers may be sacked
Chandigarh, September 24 Adviser Lalit Sharma said they could be dismissed from service or told to go on forced retirement.
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Zirakpur-Parwanoo stretch to have three more bridges
Chandigarh, September 24 This has been conveyed to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission by NHAI project director K.P. Sharma in connection with an inspection report declaring the Zirakpur-Panchkula bridge unsafe. The commission had earlier ordered an on-the-spot inspection of the bridge following a complaint by advocate Arvind Thakur regarding the condition of the bridge and the resultant traffic chaos. The inspection was carried out by secretary of the commission B. Sarkar, who submitted the report on May 7. Sarkar highlighted the fact that given the narrowness of the bridge and the intensity of the traffic, the movement of vehicles was usually slow. In the event of any accident or breakdown of a vehicle, the bridge got blocked, leading to chaos. Sources said the construction of the bridges was being undertaken as part of the Rs 295-crore four-lane project of Zirakpur-Parwanoo, which also entailed the construction of the Pinjore-Kalka-Parwanoo bypass. Awarded to Jaiprakash and Associates on a built-operate-and-transfer (BOT) basis, it will have a concession period of 20 years, including a construction period of 30 months. The process for the acquisition of land for the project is at an advanced stage. After the acquisition of land, cutting of trees and shifting of water and electricity lines would be accomplished paving the way for execution of the project. The sources said the project involved four-laning of 28 km and six-lane structures, such as bridges, grade separators, flyovers and underpasses. Out of this, 11 km are on a new alignment for a combined bypass for highly congested towns of Pinjore, Kalka and Parwanoo. Meanwhile, the rights commission adjourned the case to October 8 for “awaiting response of the NHAI and the Punjab chief secretary”.
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Dangerous Columns
Chandigarh, September 24 The authorities concerned, however, are sitting pretty over the assurance of conducting a survey in the city to check the structural safety of buildings. Engineers opine that the drilling of columns can weaken the strength of flats. On the other hand, the occupants claim that grills give them protection against thieves and anti-social elements. On the issue of damaging columns, Vijay Bhatia, a resident of ground floor type-II flat, said: “Grills are a must for the safety purposes. Drilling does not cause structural damage to buildings.” A senior official of the CHB said a drive to remove such structures would be started soon after carrying out a survey. He asserted that violation of rules would not be allowed. To add to the list of violations, residents have affixed marble on the outside of the flats to give them a different look. During a survey of the complex, Chandigarh Tribune team also found some residents having encroached upon berms along the main road by raising parapet. As a result, the area has been devoid of the mandatory empty space along the road, thus defeating the very purpose of the layout.
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Hallomajra villagers gherao SHO
Chandigarh, September 24 The gherao ended after the SHO of the Sector 31 police station, Har Sahai Sharma, reached the site along with a police force and assured an inquiry into the allegation. The alleged encroachment is on a piece of panchayat land. Ishwar Singh Mann, on the other hand, said he had demanded demarcation of the panchayat land which had been encroached upon by other villagers. “The problem started when some officials from the office of the SDM (South) camefor demarcation. I was
on leave”. President of the Residence Welfare Association, Bachan Singh, said the SHO was using his official position to threaten the villagers raising their voice against the encroachment. Former president of the Chandigarh Market Committee, Didar Singh, said orders of the court were also not being obeyed by the MC officials. “While encroaching the land, the police officer extended the boundary wall of the plot area so that the number of one-room tenements could be increased. The tenements have been rented out. A drain has been covered by the inspector while extending the
area,” said the welfare association.
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Encroachers win tug-of-war for land
Mohali, September 24 The GMADA authorities had in a tough action on April 25 demolished 209 illegal shanties built along the road leading to the Phase VI Civil Hospital from the octroi barrier and got 4,000 sq yards of prime land vacated. The land had been encroached upon since 1988. However, the authorities have failed to keep unauthorised occupiers at bay during the past five months leading to prime public land once again slipping out of the possession of GMADA. Rajinder Kumar Sharma, municipal councillor of the area, today criticised GMADA authorities for failing to protect the vacated land. He claimed that GMADA had prepared estimates for the construction of a boundary wall but failed to start the work. He said he had met Krishan Kumar, chief administrator of GMADA, many times to get the land vacated once again. Though assurances were given each time, nothing happened on the ground. Sharma alleged that some residents of the illegal Lal Bahadur Shastri colony committed thefts in Phase VI. He said some of them were even caught by residents and handed over to the police adding that residents of the colony were also a traffic hazard as many small children moved about on the road, apart from creating unhygienic conditions. He said the illegal colony had disturbed the peace of the area. The slum-dwellers who have grabbed the land said they had nowhere else to live. Charanjit, who runs a small grocery shop in the colony, said that he was born in this very colony, which had existed for about two decades. His father, Samarjit Chauhan, who is a member of a Congress committee, had been running a government depot from the area and nobody had ever objected. He said the residents of the colony demanded that if GMADA wanted to vacate the land an alternative site should be given to the residents for rehabilitation.
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Administration meets Budget targets
Chandigarh, September 24 The utilisation of Plan allocation up to August is 47 per cent against the utilisation of 30 per cent during the corresponding period of last year. Out of total allocation of Rs 267.63 crore, Rs 125.51 crore has been utilised. Similarly, under the non-Plan, the overall expenditure is Rs 574.35 crore against the allocation of Rs 1,150 crore which comes to 50 per cent against the utilisation of 39 per cent during the corresponding period of last year. After adjusting the recoveries, non-Plan expenditure on net basis is Rs 474.80 crore and it comes to 57 per cent in comparison to 35 per cent during the corresponding period of the last year. The realisation of the revenue receipts is Rs 600.19 crore against the target of Rs 1,278.62 crore which comes to 47 per cent as compared to 41 per cent achieved during the corresponding period of the year. Out of this tax revenue is Rs 353.96 crore (43 per cent) against the target of Rs 820.10 crore. The realisation under sales tax is Rs 270.19 crore against the target of Rs 570 crore. This shows 47 per cent achievement against 44 per cent during the corresponding period of the last year. This increase is attributed to better monitoring and supervision by the sales tax department and increased tax compliance by the tax payers. The realisation of revenue under taxes on vehicles is Rs 10 crore against the target of Rs 22 crore which comes to 46 per cent against 39 per cent realisation during the corresponding period of last year.
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Panchkula agendas on back burner for minister
Panchkula, September 24 While the last meeting of the Municipal Council was held in June this year, the deputy commissioner chaired the District Grievances Committee meeting in July since the minister in charge of the committee, Kiran Chaudhary, could not make it. She chaired her last meeting in April this year after re-allocation of districts by government. Sources in the district administration said the deputy commissioner’s staff was in regular touch with Chaudhary’s staff for a date for the meeting. So far, there has been no intimation about the date of the meeting. When contacted, city magistrate Yogesh Kumar said the agenda items are for the meeting were ready and final. “We will send out a notice for the meeting as soon as we get a date from the minister’s office,” he said. The meeting usually deals with individual and community complaints sent in by the public to the office of the deputy commissioner. Meanwhile, former president of the MC, Manvir Gill, had called the last meeting of the House on June 4 and a number of issues of public interest have piled up in the last couple of months. “We had been repeatedly reminding the president to call a meeting of the House. However, since it was her prerogative, it did not happen,” an officer in the council said. The present incumbent, Seema Chaudhary, reinstated as president by the court, has taken over only a week back. “I am settling down and have planned an informal meeting of the councilors to arrive at a consensus on the date for a meeting of the House. Public matters are my priority and I don’t want work to suffer. Hopefully, we will have the meeting shortly,” she stated.
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J&K Rifles’ expedition flagged off
Chandigarh, September 24 Comprising one officer, one JCO and 10 men, this was the second such expedition undertaken by this battalion. During the expedition, the trekking team braved the rains, snowfall, glaciated terrain and crevasses to cross the challenging Pin Parvati pass at an altitude of about 17,000 feet to cover a distance of 170 km. After having acclimatised itself for 10 days at Palchan near Rohtang Pass, the second phase of the three-phased expedition commenced from Sainj, near Kullu, on September 10, coincided with the sixth Raising Day of the unit. Giving an overview of the expedition, team leader Capt Deepak Katoch brought out the difficulties faced by the team enroute due to inclement weather and dense forests. The toughness of the expedition can be gauged by the fact that on the very second day of the trek, the porters accompanying the expedition refused to continue due to fresh snowfall over Pangchi Galu. The expedition was flagged off by MGGS, Western Command, Major-Gen H P S Kler on August 31 from Chandimandir as part of the ongoing Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Headquarters Western Command.
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IAF team to glean flight safety tips from US
Chandigarh, September 24 A four-member team will be leaving for the USA later this month to attend a flight safety course at a USAF institute. “Four officers of the rank of Wing Commander from the Delhi-based Directorate of Flight Safety have been nominated for the course,” an IAF officer said. This is for the first time that IAF officers would be attending such a course, though officers have been attending international flight safety seminars and conferences in the past, he added. Flight safety is an important focus area for the air force. Though the IAF recorded is lowest ever accident rate this year, flight safety remains a major issue. Interestingly, according to an Air Marshal, the accident rate of the IAF was 0.75 per 10,000 flying hours a compared to 1.25 for the USAF. According to available date, the average rate of category-I accidents involving the loss of aircraft and fatalities from 1994-95 to 2003-04 was 0.88. It amounted to a loss of approximately 23 aircraft and 16 fatalities per annum. In 2004-05 the accident rate was brought down to 0.65, involving the loss of 16 aircraft and nine fatalities. The accident rate further came down during 2005-06 to 0.49, involving a loss of 11 aircraft and eight fatalities. An expert committee was constituted in December 2004 to identify the root cause and to prepare a comprehensive action plan to reduce the losses. The measures recommended by the committee included more participation in international flight safety programmes and seminars resulting in exchange of ideas, information and technological developments. The IAF has also started a vermiculture programme at major airbases to dispose of garbage and waste matter. Garbage lying about attracts birds, which pose a serious threat to aircraft particularly while landing and take-off. The IAF has lost a large number of aircraft due to bird hits.
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Fauji Beat
HAVING been inducted into the administrative wings of the three services in the early 90s, the number of woman officers in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force today is 945, 236 and 739. Their percentage is 2.67, 2.94 and 7 of the total strength of the Army, Navy and the Air Force. The number of woman officers who have left the Army, Navy and Air Force in the last three years is 141,37 and 111.
Till now, the woman officers’ training period at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) was 26 weeks. But from the next course starting in October, their training period will be the same as that of their male counterparts — 49 weeks. Their performance is in no way less than that of the men. This can be gauged from the fact that in the course that passed out from the OTA in March this year, Lady Cadet (now Lieut) Anupreksha Rawat was awarded the silver medal for standing second in the overall performance on the course. And Flying Officer Priyanka R Joshi has represented the IAF in the 50th National Shooting Championship held at Indore early this year. She has also been selected to represent the services in the coming World Military Games. Efforts are under way to attract more women officers to the armed forces. The number of posts to be held by them in each Arm/Service/Branch is also being reviewed.
Education loan, pension revision
Education loan for the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel’s schoolchildren studying in class IX and above can be granted up to a maximum limit of Rs 50,000 per year. Only the wards staying in institutes’ hostels and staying away from their parents are eligible for this loan. A certificate from the schools, giving details of fees and hostel charges, should be attached with the application while applying for this loan. The date for submission of application for the revision of pension/family pension in respect of pre-January 1, 1996, pensioners/family pensioners had expired on December 31, 2005. The Deputy Controller of Defence Accounts (Air Force) had therefore, been refusing to revise the pension of such pensioners. After a lot of effort, the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has extended the date up to December 31, 2007. Pensioners and family pensioners, who have not submitted their applications for the revision of their pensions earlier, should do so now as the government is not likely to extend the date beyond December 31,
2007.
ECHS contribution
As per the Ministry of Defence (MOD) letter No. 17/(10/06/US(WE(/D/Res) of April 13, 2007, all ex-servicemen who are drawing their pension from the Controller of Defence Accounts and who have retired prior to January 1, 1996, are exempted from the payment of contribution for the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). For becoming members of this health scheme, they have to submit all documents with their applications, barring the Military Receivable Order (MRO). The last date for becoming a member of this scheme is March 31, 2008. As for the refund of the contribution in respect of the pensioners who became members of the scheme prior to the issue of the Government of India letter of April, 13, 2007, orders from the MOD are awaited.
— Pritam Bhullar
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Orphan girls get tips on making paper bags
Chandigarh, September 24 At least 47 children participated in the workshop, which was organised by Yes Bank and the Rotaract Club, Chandigarh, to enable children to earn a livelihood and highlight the hazards of plastic bags. The participants were also given tips on basics, importance and benefits of savings. The inmates were were ferried to the office of the bank in Sector 9 from Bal Niketan in a bus. The initiative was taken under the aegis of Responsible Banking that promotes the concern for people and planet. The workshop lasted for two hours.
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Padma Awards
Chandigarh, September 24 UT home secretary Krishna Mohan, finance secretary S.K. Sandhu, deputy commissioner R.K. Rao and joint secretary (home) Bhupinder Singh will be other members. The committee will recommend names for Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of high order and Padma Shri for distinguished services.
— TNS
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‘Restore telephone connection’
Rawel Kaur, widow of freedom fighter Diwan Singh, is a harassed woman. For the past one month, she has been moving from pillar to post in Chandigarh to get the telephone transferred in her name.
Jasdev Singh, a nephew of Rawel Kaur, said the telephone connection was disconnected last month without assigning any reason. He said the connection was not restored despite the fact that all formalities for its transfer had been completed.
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Violations in corner houses
The owners of corner houses in the city think that they are above law. In almost all houses, the owners have violated the building byelaws and have erected tall hedges due to which there are blind corners in each lane. Due to this, the four-wheeler and two-wheeler drivers cannot see the approaching vehicles from the other side, resulting in accidents. Also, these houses owners have erected iron wires in such a way that the government land has been encroached upon. It is high time that the MC rises to the occasion and surveys all the corners houses. The encroachments must be razed and defaulters fined. This would lessen the rate of accidents and the government land will also be free of unauthorised structures. G. K. Chopra
Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at
news@tribuneindia.com or, write in, at: Letters, Chandigarh Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh – 160 030
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Channel’s hunt for space tourist starts
Chandigarh, September 24 The pilot of the spacecraft, John Herrington, who would fly the winner to the space, is in India to talk about the nitty-gritty of space travel. The contest kick-starts today on the channel and the viewers could also log on to the website.
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