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TOP STORIES

Power-less in Tricity
Rail passengers stranded
Production deadlines hit
Chaos at traffic signals
Chandigarh, October 12
Life virtually came to a halt in the city and its neighbouring towns of Mohali and Panchkula after the northern grid collapsed this afternoon. Power supply to the city was restored at 3 pm with help from the BBMB.

Exam Fee Hike
Why now, ask principals
Chandigarh, October 12
The recent hike in the examination fee of students of colleges affiliated to Panjab University has invited criticism, both from students and the teaching fraternity. Not only is the hike ill-timed, but it is also unjustified. The hike, which was approved by the syndicate, has come at a time when returns of colleges and departments have been filed.

CSIO student alleges ragging by seniors
Chandigarh, October 12
Close on the heels of the death of GMCH student Manjot from Amritsar after alleged ragging by seniors, another case of ragging has been reported from the CSIO, Sector 30, here today.


                                 Nishchay Kapoor

Justice Sarkaria dead
Chandigarh, October 12
Justice Ranjit Singh Sarkaria (91), a former judge of the Supreme Court and chairman of the Centre-State Relations Committee, died here late tonight after a protracted illness.

Custodial Death
Court turns down SI’s bail plea
Chandigarh, October 12
The bail plea of SI Narinder Singh, accused in the custodial death of Anil Kumar, was dismissed by District Additional and Sessions Judge Raj Rahul Garg here today.

Indian Army bags top positions
Battle Physical Efficiency, Firing competitions in Lebanon

Chandigarh, October 12 The Indian Army contingent deployed in Lebanon under a United Nations (UN) mandate has added another feather to its cap by bagging top positions in Battle Physical Efficiency and Firing competitions held this week. Troops of 15 Punjab during a Battle Physical Efficiency Competition organise by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

COMMUNITY

Rs 2.82 lakh missing from RBI
Labourers questioned
Chandigarh, October 12
An amount of Rs 2.82 lakh was found missing from the Reserve Bank Of India regional office, Sector 17, here today. According to bank sources, the matter has been reported to the police.

Standards must for safety: BIS
Chandigarh, October 12
As part of the world standards day, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will organise a seminar on the topic "Standards and the citizens: contributing to society" on October 16.

Thrust on tourism key point at CII
Chandigarh, October 12
The upcoming trends of tourism are actually the sequential progression of the new growth trajectory in India; there is nothing that can stop this. Therefore, there has never been such a compulsion, such a crying need to come together and churn out a common and comprehensive strategy for sustainable growth of the tourism sector in the region.

Devotees throng Mansa Devi temple
Panchkula, October 12
On the first Navratra today, hundreds of devotees thronged the Mansa Devi temple. Devotees queued up to pay obeisance since early morning. The district administration had made elaborate arrangements to ensure that the devotees faced no inconvenience.


A long line of devotees, who queued up at the Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula at the onset of the Navratras on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Members of Rajasthan Parishad take part in Dandiya & Garba Festival at Rajasthan Bhawan, Chandigarh, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Fake travel agents get marketing savvy
Chandigarh, October 12
He wished to go to the UK in the hope of making a fortune. After paying Rs 6 lakh to a travel agent in Chandigarh, Ramesh Sharma (name changed) realised he had been duped.The travel agent kept delaying his ‘trip’ on one pretext or the other.

40 supervisors get training
Chandigarh, October 12
The fourth portage training camp on “Enhancement of Development of Children” was held at Karuna Sadan, Sector 11, here today.

Tributes paid to film-maker Prabhakar
Panchkula, October 12
Rich tributes were paid to legendary poet, author of over 40 books and pioneering Haryanvi filmmaker Devi Shanker Parbhakar at a function organised by the Devi Shanker Memorial Trust at the Yavanika Open-Air Theatre yesterday.

Dengue patients forced to leave hospital
Chandigarh, October 12
The PGI is discharging the dengue patients even before the report of diagnosis test reaches to the doctors concerned.

Models at the inauguration of a hair saloon in Phase 3B-2, Mohali, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

CPUJ team goes for trekking
Chandigarh, October 12
A seven-member team of the Chandigarh-Punjab Union of Journalists (CPUJ) today left for a three-day Solang Nullah-Beas Kund trekking expedition. The exhibition was flagged off by A.J. Philip, Senior Associate Editor, The Tribune.

Advisory to Ramlila committees
Chandigarh, October 12
The police issued advisory to Ramlila committees of the city for the smooth celebrations of Ramlilas.

Polythene Bags
UT to study HP model
Chandigarh, October 12
The Chandigarh administration will study the Himachal Pradesh model to implement the ban on the use of polythene.

Garcha opposes decision to shift site
Dist Administrative Complex
Mohali , October 12
Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha, a member of the All-India Congress Committee, has condemned the decision of the Punjab government to shift the site of the district administrative complex from the town to a nearby village.

• Letters

CRIME

Esteem stolen from Sec-22 market
Chandigarh, October 12
Gulshan Kumar of Sector 47 reported to the police that his Esteem car bearing number CH-03-E-3857 was stolen on October 10 from the parking of Shastri Market, Sector 22.

BUSINESS

Punjab postal circle gets Rs 1.43 cr business
Chandigarh, October 12
The Punjab postal circle has attained the fourth position in the country in the procurement of proportionate targets in business development activities, said Manjula Prasher, chief post master-general, Punjab and UT Chandigarh, at the beginning of national postal week here yesterday.

EDUCATION

Govt college girls top debate contest
Chandigarh, October 12
DAV College, Sector 10, organised an inter-college debate competition on the topic, “The increasing population of senior citizens is not a threat to social stability” here, yesterday.

Quality of research deteriorating, says professor
Chandigarh, October 12
Five-day training programme on “Research Methodology and Methods of Research in Social Science” concluded at ICSSR Complex, PU campus, here, today with a valedictory address by Prof Yoginder Verma, director, Academic Staff College, Himachal Pradesh University.

Young talent at its best
Chandigarh, October 12
Young talented artists were at their creative best during the open talent hunt competitions held at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19-C, here, yesterday.


Students take part in face-painting competition during open talent hunt competitions at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19-C in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

From Schools
Cultural extravaganza marks annual functions
Panchkula, October 12
The annual function “Satluj Pride 2007” of the senior wing of Satluj Public School, Sector 4, was held, here yesterday.

COURTS

Prosecution must establish drug posession: HC
Chandigarh, October 12
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, it is for the prosecution to establish that the accused was found in conscious and intelligent possession of the contraband.

High Court
PIL against movie withdrawn
Chandigarh, October 12
A public interest litigation objecting to the screening of Hindi movie Bhoolbhulaiya on the ground that it hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus was today dismissed as withdrawn.

Defamation: BJP leaders appear in court
Chandigarh, October 12
Yash Pal Mahajan and Kehar Singh Koundel, president and spokesman of the local unit of the BJP, today appeared before a local court in connection with the defamation suit filed by union minister for finance Pawan Bansal.


Yashpal Mahajan, BJP president (third for left), Chandigarh, comes out of the district court after appearing in a defamation case on Friday. Other BJP leader is also seen in the photo. — A Tribune photograph

CULTURE

Santoor maestro mesmerises
Chandigarh, October 12
A scintillating santoor recital by Ujjain-based santoorist Dr Varsha Agrawal, held at Pracheen Kala Kendra here, yesterday, was indeed a listeners’ delight as they watched the only woman santoorist of north India and foremost disciple of legendary Pandit Bhajan Sopori, lost in her creative musical trance. The programme commenced with recitation of two shalokas by Guru Lalit Mahant and Varsha Agrawal, followed by an invocatory composition.


                                                           Dr Varsha Agrawal

Meher Mittal in new avatar
Chandigarh, October 12
A huge surprise was in store for the afternoon visitors to Sector 17 Plaza today. Right next to the fountain stood the celebrated Punjabi actor Meher Mittal, decked up in fineries, armed with a trident and draped in “godly” attire. It didn’t take people long to realise that the quintessential comedian was actually playing a serious role.
Comedian Meher Mittal plays Lord Shiva at the Ramlila in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

‘Each performance is a test for any artist’
Chandigarh, October 12
Music for the Ujjain-based Sufina Gharana santoor maestro Dr Varsha Agrawal is an unending quest. Three long decades of systematic riyaz and learning from her Gurus Padmashri Pandit Bhajan Sopori and Pandit Lalit Mahant, though, has established her as a leading woman santoor maestro of international standing, it has not ended her quest to learn.

SPORTS

GNPS paddlers shine Chandigarh, October 12 Paddlers of Guru Nanak Public School-36 outclassed players of Doon International School, Mohali, 2-0 on the opening day of the CBSE North Zone I Tennis Tournament 2007 held at Mount Carmel School, Sector 47-B. Devbir Singh and Maninder Singh of Guru Nanak Public School-36 thrashed their respecitive counterparts in a straight game (6-0) apiece. Michael I. Kalinski, professor, Kent State University, OH, USA, was the chief guest. Divya of Delhi in action during the CBSE North Zone I Tennis Tournament at Mount Carmel School, Sector 47, in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

PU Campus shuttlers lift trophy
Chandigarh, October 12
PU Campus won the final match of the Panjab University Inter-college Badminton (men) Tournament played at the PU gymnasium hall, here, today. DAV College, Chandigarh, GGDSD College, Chandigarh, and SGGS College, Chandigarh, secured the second, third and fourth positions, respectively.

Twenty20 win buoys up Punjab lads
Mohali, October 12
Victory of the young Indian team in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup has proved to be a driving force for the Punjab Ranji team, which lost its six players to the ICL. The team is gearing up for the Ranji season, which is starting in the first week of November.

Mother Veronica Cup
St Stephen’s to face Carmel Convent in final
Chandigarh, October 12
St Stephen's School, Sector 45, defeated Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, by 2-0 today in the Chandigarh sub-junior girls’ u-17 football championship for the Mother Veronica Cup at the Sector 17 football stadium, here.

St Anne’s win by 7 wkts
Chandigarh, October 12
St Anne’s School-32 registered a convincing victory over Ajit Karam Singh International Public School-40 (AKSIPS) during the second match of the PCA-Boost Cup Tournament. The tournament is being organised by the Chandigarh Cricket Association (Punjab) at Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, Chandigarh.

Sacred Heart eves corner glory
Chandigarh, October 12
Sacred Heart-26 beat GMSSS-35 by 2-0 in the girls’ category on the opening day of the first junior Chandigarh State Dodgeball Championship held at Shishu Niketan Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, here, today.

CHANDIGARH TRIBUNE PART-II

Overcharged Foreign tourists in India
Foreign tourists in India often find themselves paying higher entry fees than local people at historical monuments and shelling out exorbitant amounts for curios and food.

Roohafza, the Ramzan favourite
A hundred years after Sherbet-e- Roohafza, the syrup of the East, was launched in India, a glass of refreshing red drink is still the first choice for millions in Pakistan at Iftar spreads during the holy month of Ramzan.

Hogwarts casts spell on puja pandal
Last year, they made a replica of Swami Vivekananda's residence, before that it was the Titanic. But a puja committee in Kolkata seems to have hit a bad spell this year with their Hogwarts Castle pandal attracting a Rs 2 million fine for copyright violations.

50 pc Indian women lack care during pregnancy
At least 51 per cent of Indian women lack proper care during pregnancy and delivery, according to a National Family Health Survey.

Sportscape
Shouldering more responsibility
The absence of Anil Kumble from India's one-day team has put more responsibility on the shoulders of Harbhajan Singh, now the country's leading spinner and a man who feels Twenty20 cricket will kill the art of spin. "I know I have more responsibilities in the team as a senior bowler and I have to take care of it. I have to be like a guiding force for the young spinners in the team," Harbhajan said in an interview.

The funny side of cricket
Verbal duels, or sledging, have dominated this whistle-stop India tour by the Baggy Greens, but Australian actor-writer-producer Brendan Cowell is heading for India to make a feature film about the funny side of cricket.

Role Reversal
Cop turns robber
Under fire from civil society for its alleged role in the death of Rizwanur Rahman, the image of Kolkata police took a further beating when two police officials were accused of snatching Rs 20,000 from a man who had come to the city for his father's medical treatment.

And now, a pest-resistant eggplant
Teaming up with an Indian consulting firm, American researchers are hoping to develop, by about 2009, a pest-resistant eggplant that may be the first genetically engineered food crop in South Asia.

Survival Instinct
Mao's publisher sells office space
In China's market economy, the once venerable Mao Zedong's publisher has to rent out office space to keep his firm in the black. The gleaming office towers in downtown Beijing or the avant-garde Birds' Nest Olympic stadium are touted as the emblems of an unstoppable economic juggernaut. But, perhaps, more than them, the fate of the 56-year-old Beijing Foreign Languages Printing House, once the sole publisher of Chinese Communist Party propaganda, rather aptly reflects the shifting values of the world's largest communist state.