Chandigarh, October 18
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II has come to the rescue of unsuccessful applicants of HUDA plots in Sectors 2 and 6 of Mansa Devi Complex who were wrongly charged penal interest by the Union Bank of India.

Terming the charging of penal interest as deficiency in service, the forum directed the bank to pay 5.5 per cent interest on Rs 60,000 each to Raman Sharma and Rajan Kapoor.

In their application, Sharma and Kapoor had said they applied for plots in 2004. While they had taken a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh each from the Sector 40 branch, they had deposited the rest of the amount -- Rs 60,000 -- to pay the earnest money to HUDA.

The loan was reportedly sanctioned at 8.5 per cent. However, even as the draw was held after about 20 months, the bank charged penal interest from them for a period of 14 months. When HUDA refunded the earnest money, the bank deducted Rs 15,599 each. This was despite the fact that the bank was paid an interest of 5.5 per cent by HUDA for 14 months.

The applicants contended that the condition of penal interest was “unjustified” as the delay in the draw was HUDA’s fault. The forum directed the bank to pay 5.5 per cent on Rs 60,000 from May 27, 2005, to January 21, 2006, and also refund the amount of penal interest charged from the complainants.

The order is likely to benefit thousands of unsuccessful applicants who had applied through the bank.

Chandigarh, October 18
Additional and sessions judge Raj Rahul Garg today awarded life imprisonment to Gurdeep Kaur for the murder of her two daughters. She was sentenced to six months’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) for attempt to suicide and fined her Rs 1,000.

Gurdeep is eight months’ pregnant. “I didn’t want the delivery of the child in jail,” said a very dejected Gurdeep. On August 27, 2005, she jumped into the Sukhna Lake in the afternoon with four-year-old Jyoti and two-year-old Manpreet following financial problems and problems with the mother-in-law.

Chandigarh, October 18
With just over one and half months left for the term of UT finance secretary S.K. Sandhu to end, the ministry of home affairs is learned to have cleared the name of 1988-batch Punjab cadre IAS officer Sanjay Kumar for the post.

However, there is no official confirmation on the development.

When contacted, sources in the administration refused comment.

Also in the race for the post was 1986-batch Punjab cadre IAS officer M.P. Singh.

Chandigarh, October 18
After months of delay, the work on widening of incomplete stretches of the highway passing along the Industrial Area, Phase II, will begin soon. For, the UT engineering department finally axed two full-grown trees to pave the way for the work on road widening today. A senior official said it had been an outstanding issue and had now been resolved.

The managements of the Kanthala Sahib Gurdwara, Industrial Area, Phase II, and an adjacent temple have already removed portions of their structures that fell on the highway. In January, the Chandigarh administration had effected a compromise with the management of religious places. The administration had identified at least 20 such religious structures that had been impeding development projects.

Chandigarh, October 18
The local transport authority needs to review the frequency of buses under the grid system, especially during peak hours, feel commuters.

Most of the CTU buses ply full in the morning, afternoon and evening. But seats are largely empty during the rest of the day.

While students account for heavy rush during morning and afternoon hours, in the evening, commuters returning from offices lead to overcrowding in buses.

“We have to face a lot of problem in morning and afternoon hours. As buses come packed to the brim, it gets very difficult, especially for girls, to board them. Many a time, buses do not stop at the earmarked stops”, says Sunita, a student waiting at a Sector 20 bus queue shelter. Sunita goes to school from Mani Majra by bus every day.

“We often get late for school due to no fault of ours,” she added.

Harassment of women commuters in overcrowded buses is common.

Nisha, a college student, laments: “Many unscrupulous elements take advantage of the crowd in buses to tease women passengers. Women often have to encounter unsavoury acts in buses.”

“A solution to the problem is increasing the frequency of buses during rush hour,” feel commuters.

Sandeep, a student of Government College, Sector 46, says: “By increasing the number of buses during peak hours, the local transport can attract more commuters, who otherwise use private transport like auto-rickshaw”, says Sandeep.

Gurbaksh Ray, a resident of Sector 56, feels that the authorities should keep a check on drivers who skip their routes.

“I have been waiting for a bus for over an hour with my daughter but none has come yet. This also leads to crowding in buses. The authorities should keep an eye on such staff,” says Gurbaksh.

Panchkula, October 18
Cattle traps at the entry points of B-roads of all sectors are likely to get the nod of the councillors. It has been proposed to set up cattle traps in all sectors where residents are willing.

This and more is on the agenda of the first meeting to be chaired by reinstated municipal council president Seema Chaudhary, likely to be held next weekend. Markets of the city will get a face-lift and residents can hope for better facilities in markets areas with renovation of toilets on the cards. Tiles will be re-laid on market pavements and floodlights will be installed to light up the market areas.

After a visit to the various wards, Chaudhary had invited a list of all pending development works in the wards. This, too, figures in the agenda prepared for the next meeting. These include installation of benches and flood lights, laying of concrete pavements around the parks and repair of swings.

The council has also suggested that plinths be constructed to place dustbins and construct three feet high walls to ensure these do not become eyesores. In an effort to rectify faulty tubelights, the council will purchase new tubelights sets to replace old faulty ones.

While the estimates have been finalised for laying of drains in all 13 villages, the council is also likely to press for identifying an area for shifting dairies out of the villages to rid the city of the menace of cattle on the roads.

Mohali, October 18
A sum of nearly Rs 4 crore is being spent by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) to beautify and develop about 550 parks in the town. To be build on a BOT basis, tenders of these will be opened on October 30.

The maximum amount of Rs 43.39 lakh is being spent to develop parks in Sector 70 followed by Sector 54 where GMADA has planned to spend Rs 37.90 lakh. Similarly, a sum of Rs 35.10 lakh will be spent on parks in Sector 65 and Rs 34 .86 lakh in Sector 69.

The amount being spent on parks in Sectors 53 and 56 is Rs 10.75 lakh and Rs 11. 95 lakh, respectively.

Four divisional engineers - two from the civil works branch and two from the public health wing of GMADA - have been asked to supervise the work of developing parks in the areas assigned to them.

Chandigarh, October 18
The meeting of the MC this month has been rescheduled following developments with regard to foreign jaunts of councillors. The meeting will be held on October 20, at least 10 days sooner than when it is usually held.

Officials state that the meeting has been advanced to accommodate the mayor’s visit to Korea to attend the World Congress and also the visit of the councillors to Bangkok and Singapore.

Meetings with officials have been fixed for October 23 and 24 in Singapore and October 26 in Bangkok. Official clearance for the trip has, however, yet to arrive, but the councillors are hopeful to leave on October 22. The meeting has, therefore, been advanced.

The Mansa Devi Shrine Board Act came into existence in 1991 and a board was constituted for managing the affairs of temple. Most of the board members were ex-officio members.

A lot of changes have taken place since then but the Mansa Devi Board internet site, established in Oct 2002, has never been updated.

It gives wrong information about the ‘darshan’ timings in the temple. There is no mention of the last shrine board meeting or the Navratras either.

As far I know, no shrine board meeting has taken place in the last few years. The shrine board is just an eye wash. There should be a 24-hour helpline during Navratras and all useful telephone numbers be displayed for convenience of the devotees.

During these Navratras, a large number of VIPs, have visited the temple and as per a statement of DC, Panchkula, a large amount of donations have been received.

Almost two years back, the shrine board had promised to sell gold and silver coins, which has not been fulfilled. The Navratra fair is a regular feature since long, and the shrine board, which is cash rich, should make permanent arrangements for cleanliness and parking etc.