Chandigarh, November 19
The anti-smoking drive of the Chandigarh Police seems to have gone up in smoke. The drive, which was launched with fanfare on July 15 to make Chandigarh the first smoke-free city in the country, is gradually losing steam.

Figures available from July 15 to October 31 reveal that the police booked 1,175 persons for violating the provisions of the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. But only 15 violators have been prosecuted till date.

The number of persons booked for breaking the law is dismally low in October. A police officer said no serious effort was being made to enforce the law. It was only when senior officials asked to launch a drive, the policemen booked the violators.

In all, the police booked 108 shopkeepers for violating the law. Three out of the four police stations of the South sub-division, including Sectors 31, 36 and 39 police stations, have failed to catch a single shopkeeper violating the Act.

Roadside cigarette and tobacco products’ vendors continue to sell intoxicants to minors and some are running business near educational institutions. Their presence indicates that they are rarely fear policemen on beat duty.

During the first four months of the drive, the East sub-division of the Chandigarh Police booked a maximum number of persons (467) for smoking at public places. As many as 65 shopkeepers not complying with the provisions of the Act were also booked. At the South subdivision, 363 persons were booked.

A resident of Sector 33 rued that the market had become a nuisance for residents as it had become a haven for smokers. The police beat box in the market notwithstanding, the smokers enjoyed their puff, much to the chagrin of the passersby. 

Chandigarh, November 19
In an attempt to maintain the eco balance of Sukhana lake, the Chandigarh Administration has prohibited the performing of religious ceremonies and rituals at the lake here. District magistrate R.K. Rao issued the prohibition orders under Section 144 CrPC here today.

This orders also prohibit floating of lighted earthen lamps using mustard oil and bursting of crackers at the site.

Performing of various rituals cause noise and water pollution, besides disturbing the eco balance in the Silence Zone of the lake.

The order will come into force from zero hours on November 20 and will be effective up to January 18, 2008. 

Despite the committee’s strong recommendations against issuance of roll number to Brinder, it has been learnt that his roll number was despatched from the examination branch after 5pm today, after the department was closed. Since no clerical staff was available at that time, the roll number was not been accepted by the department. Whether he appears in the examination tomorrow or not is to be seen. Joint controller of examinations, V.Kapoor was not available for comment. 

Panchkula, November 19
The office-bearers of the group housing societies today condemned the public notice regarding the registration of their flats with the Haryana Urban Development Authority.

Secretary, Kendriya Vihar Apartments, Sector 20, S. Suri, said the prime issue involved is enforcement of Haryana Apartment Ownership Act, 1983.

Through this public notice, the HUDA has “threatened” the apartment owners of Panchkula to pay registration fee, failing which, the water and electricity supply to their premises would be disconnected.

They could also be imprisoned for a period that could extend upto three years besides imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per day for non-compliance by the office-bearers and apartment owners.

He maintained that even if the law-abiding citizens, against whom this public notice is issued, submit to this unlawful act, they simply cannot submit their deeds and the said amount within the short period of time mentioned in the notice.

“The time frame set out for the society office-bearers is November 25 and December 10 for the apartment owners. Office-bearers present at the meeting held yesterday evening have expressed their helplessness to comply with the orders,” he said. 
The office-bearers of various societies condemned the said notice and it was unanimously decided that a joint approach be taken against the same.

The apartment owners and their society office-bearer lamented that this act was not applicable to them as in the conveyance deed of land.

Even in the allotment letter given to the societies, it was nowhere mentioned that the apartment owners would be liable to pay stamp duty.

The process being followed by the government of Haryana is that the apartment owners register their flats through an L-68 form to the registrar, cooperative societies and once registered with the said regulator, pay Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 or more, as prescribed by the HUDA, after which, their name is registered against the said flat.

The application of this act means duplicity of command or multiplicity of regulators for the registration of the very same apartment which is unlawful.

Panchkula, November 19
The traffic police today challaned 35 students for driving to their schools in their personal vehicles without proper documents and for driving two-wheelers without wearing helmets.

The students were challaned outside Satluj Public School, Sector 4, D.C. Model School, Sector 7, and Bhawan Vidyalaya in Sector 15.

“The challaning drive today was only an attempt to make students realise that they ought to follow traffic rules. However, this would be followed up with a session to educate the students about the need to adhere to traffic rules in view of the rising number of accidents,” said ASP Maneesh Chaudhary.

The police, in a communication to the city schools, will write to the principals and ask them for a suitable time to go over to the school and give presentations.

“We want to visit every school, interact with the students and deliver lectures to tell them to restrain from violating the traffic rules,” Chaudhary said.

The students were primarily challaned for not carrying their driving licences and for driving two-wheelers without helmets. 

Chandigarh, November 19
As part of its the golden jubilee celebrations, the Directorate-General Quality Assurance (DGQA) is undertaking a cycle rally from Chandigarh to Pune.

The rally was flagged off by the additional director-general, quality assurance, V. Uma Maheswara Rao, here today. The DGQA Adventure Sports Cell has also planned a skiing expedition at the Rohtang range this winter.

Passing through seven states, the 25-member team will cover an approximate distance of 1,800 km over 22 days. The cyclists will reach Pune by December 10. On way, the rally will pass through New Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Nasirabad, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Vadodra and Mumbai.

The aim of this expedition is to foster the spirit of adventure and develop comradeship and team building among participants. During the rally, the cyclists will also get an opportunity to experience the pristine beauty of the nation’s rich culture and heritage. The rally also intends to spread the message of reducing vehicular pollution and protecting the environment.

Chandigarh, November 19
Two youths Gaurav Midha and Narinder were arrested yesterday by the Kolkata police for taking the CAT as impersonators. They were arrested from the DAV College, Sector 10, here. They were sent on transit remand for three days by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Y.S. Rathor today.

The accused would be produced before the Alipore Court in Kolkata on November 22.

The two accused were produced before the duty magistrate, who then sent the case to CJM.

The Kolkata police claims to have traced a network of impersonators taking CAT. The accused had been accused of submitting a number of forms by furnishing wrong information.

Defending Gaurav, an engineering student from NSIT, Delhi, on submission of multiple forms his lawyer A.P.S. Shergill said that there was a provision in the CAT prospectus that the appearing candidate can fill more than one forms.

While requesting the court for transit bail, advocate A.S. Sukhija said the accused had no intention of impersonating as they had pasted their own pictures and signatures on all forms submitted. He added that they have been arrested on mere suspicion.

Public prosecutor Manish Dua, however, said , “Both the accused have filled five forms of CAT with different addresses. If their intentions were not malicious then they should have given the same address on all forms.”

Specifying on the provisions mentioned on the CAT prospectus he stated, “It is mentioned on the prospectus that if the applicant had filled the prospectus wrongly then he can deposit another prospectus. But in this case Gaurav had filled six forms while Narinder has submitted five.”

Narinder is an engineer, who had graduated from Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh.

Perveen Kumar Tripathi, ASP, South 24 Pargana, said, “We had information that 10 such impersonators were appearing for the exam here and were a part of a bigger network. Both the culprits had submitted five forms each to get consecutive roll numbers by providing wrong information.”

He said a case had been registered on the complaint of IIM Kolkata officials a few months back, when during scrutiny of forms they found that some applicants had submitted multiple forms.

The two accused have been booked under Sections 419, 465, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC.

Zirakpur, November 19
A 24-year-old married woman allegedly committed suicide here by hanging herself from the hook of a ceiling fan at her residence this morning. The victim, Pinky, was reportedly depressed as she was keeping ill health.

According to the police, the incident took place at Savitry Apartments, Lohgarh, at about 9 am when Pinky’s husband Harbans Singh, a financier, had gone out for a shave.

When he returned at 9.30 am, he found his wife hanging from the ceiling fan hook with a dupatta around her neck.

The police said the girl’s father Teja Singh, a resident of Panchkula, said his daughter was suffering from depression. She had two children, a four-year-old son and one-year-old daughter.