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TOP STORIES

Woman found dead in bathroom
* Murder, say parents
* Husband, in-laws nabbed
Panchkula, December 19
A 29-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her husband and in laws here today. The police has arrested the accused Chandan, along with his parents Inder Mohan and Manorama after registering a case against them under Section 302.
The parents and other relatives of Ritu, who died under mysterious circumstances, in Panchkula on Wednesday. Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

350 trees axed in IT park
Blame-game begins
Chandigarh, December 19
At least 350 fruit bearing and other trees were chopped off in the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park, Manimajra, last night.

Police officials inspect the spot in IT park, Manimajra, where the trees have been axed. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Custodial Death
All CIA staffers sent to police lines
Panchkula, December 19
Taking a strong note of the death of a resident of Shahbad Markanda in the illegal custody of local CIA staff, the authorities have sent all staff members to police lines here today.

PHL Begins Today
New rules to greet players
Chandigarh, December 19
New rules will be enforced for better discipline during the fourth edition of Premier Hockey League, which is all set to roll from tomorrow at Hockey Stadium, Sector 42 here.

IHF president KPS Gill announces the inauguration of fourth edition of PHL in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

COMMUNITY

Parking project, a white elephant
Chandigarh, December 19
Does the city need the much-touted multi-level parking in Sector 17. Will it not be like a proverbial white elephant in view of the high cost, about Rs 250 crore, including cost of land, though the project is coming up on a build, operate and transfer basis in which a private party will invest and recover money from people coming to park cars.

Preserve heritage sites: Experts
Chandigarh, December 19
Focusing on preserving the heritage sites and elaborating on the increasing need to generate ideas to implement the same, Minja Yang, director, New Delhi UNESCO office, said strategies need to be redefined to create emotions insisted by Le Corbusier.

Councillors discuss good governance
Chandigarh, December 19
A two-day orientation programme for mayors and councillors of municipal corporations in Punjab began at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Research (CRRID) here today. About 40 newly elected officials form various municipal corporations are attending the programme.


Delegates at an orientation programme for mayors and councillors of municipal corporations in Punjab, organised at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Research in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

Rehri Market Fire
Rehabilitation issue brought up in Vidhan Sabha
Mohali, December 19
The issue of rehabilitation of shopkeepers who lost their shops in a major fire that gutted the Phase 3B1 rehri market here was brought up in the Vidhan Sabha yesterday.

Financial help under govt plans
Only 36 pc reap benefit
Mohali, December 19
Only 36 per cent beneficiaries have been able to get financial help under various government schemes as the authorities concerned have failed to open bank accounts in the case of others.

Student designers display their colourful creations during a fashion show ‘X-Mas Jingle Rocks’ organised by International Institute of Fashion Technology at Industrial Area, Phase VII, in Mohali on Wednesday. Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

Adolescents get trained in life skills
Chandigarh, December 19
Keeping in view the transitional phase of adolescent’s life, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, under the ministry of youth affairs and sports has implemented a ‘Life Skill Education Training Programme’ in 63 districts of the country, with an objective to meet the urgent need for development and empowerment of adolescents particularly from the economically and socially neglected sections of society to make more focused interventions in the field of adolescent health and development.

MC tightens noose around parking contractors
Chandigarh, December 19
The municipal corporation today tightened its noose around the parking contractors by doubling the penalties imposed on them through challans.

Tributes paid to Bhagat Singh
Chandigarh, December 19
The Chandigarh Centre of the Punjab Languages department, both Hindi and Punjabi cells, organised a joint poetic symposium at the Shivalik Public School-41 auditorium here today. The symposium dedicated to the life and ideology of the great martyr, Bhagat Singh, was largely attended and prominent poets read out their verses eulogising the patriotic zeal and supreme sacrifice made by the legendary personality.

Sec-25 crematorium closed for a week
Chandigarh, December 19
The municipal corporation has decided to close the electric furnace at the crematorium in Sector 25 for a week with immediate effect due to repair work and installation of new control panel.

Children participate in the Carol singing of St. Anne's Church in Sector 31-D ground near Air Force Quarters on Wednesday in Chandigarh. Tribune photo by Vinay Malik

Vendors misuse service lanes
Chandigarh, December 19
Residents of Sector 10-A have complained that the service lanes, particularly the one between H No. 98 and 100, in their area are being used as thoroughfares by two-wheeler riders and vendors . Not only this, the passers-by do not hesitate to defecate here.

Letters
Traffic law enforcement
Law enforcement related to traffic violations need to become mandatory and strict. ‘Pedestrian First’ concept needs to be implemented, wherein the moment a pedestrian steps on a road, the vehicular traffic should pay some attention towards him to avoid accidents and anybody found violating this rule should be dealt with seriously.

CRIME

Jalandhar resident held with 10 kg charas
Chandigarh, December 19
Sleuths of the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) nabbed 49-year-old Navin Kumar Uppal of Jalandhar with 10 kg of charas from near Hotel Sunbeam in Sector 22 here today.

NCB officials take Navin Kumar Uppal (right) to the districts courts in Sector, 17, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

3 more cars, 5 laptops recovered from ‘judge’
Chandigarh, December 19
The police has recovered three cars, five laptops, a mobile phone and other articles following the sustained interrogation of Inderjit Singh of Lalru, who was arrested for posing as a civil judge junior division-cum-judicial magistrate with a stolen car sporting a red beacon on December 15.

Duplicate medicines worth Rs 21 lakh seized
Panchkula, December 19
The Haryana state drug control department seized duplicate medicines worth more than Rs 21 lakh from Kalka near here today. The medicines were recovered during raids on residential premises.

Women hurt in clash
Nayagaon, December 19
At least three persons, including two women, were injured in a clash here today. The clash took place when a girl, standing outside her house, asked farmer Sucha Singh to pick up the fodder that he had dropped in front of her house.

Engineer held for stealing computer parts
Chandigarh, December 19
The police arrested three Khanna residents on the charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy for decamping with computer spare parts from a shop in Sector 22, last night.

16-year old run over by train
Chandigarh, December 19
Ram Nivas, a 16-year-old boy, was crushed to death by a train on an elevated track in Ram Darbar, here, this morning.

10 crates of milk stolen
Chandigarh, December 19
Thieves decamped with 10 crates of milk packets after breaking in a booth in Sector 22. Avinash Kumar of Sector 30 reported to the police that 10 crates of milk packets were stolen form his Verka Booth located in Sector 22-A in between 4 am to 7 am, this morning.

EDUCATION

Lunch scheme for PU teachers soon
Chandigarh, December 19
Panjab University has found a novel way to keep its teaching staff on the campus. In fact, the university seems to be killing two birds with one stone by ensuring that the teachers complied with the guidelines of the UGC and remain in the departments and teaching institutions for at least eight hours. It will also curb absenteeism. For the purpose, a running kitchen for the benefit of teaching community during lunch hours is on the the anvil.

From Schools
Students bring laurels to school
Chandigarh, December 19
Gauri Bansal, Nikita Garg and Alisha Saini, students of class VII, Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, clinched first place in the Inter- School Maths Olympiad Competition for the academic session 2007-2008. The competition was conducted by Shemrock Senior Secondary School, Sector 69, Mohali. The host school bagged the runners-up position.

From Schools
‘Santa Walk’ marks X-mas celebrations
Mohali, December 19
With Christmas just a few days away, city schools celebrated it in a big way today. Students of Ajit Karam Singh International Public School, Sector 65, organised a ‘Santa Walk’ to celebrate Christmas. The British School management, staff and the children celebrated it with Christmas carols. Santas distributed goodies to everyone in the school.

Students of AKSIPS, Sector 65, Mohali, hold a ‘Santa Walk’ on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

COURTS

Shop owner penalised for overcharging
Chandigarh, December 19
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I, headed by Jagroop Singh Mahal, today directed the owner of D.K. Vision Pvt Ltd, an electronics shop in Sector 8, to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation to Sector-19 resident Manmohan Singh Kohli for overcharging.

Consumer Forum
Courier company to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation
Chandigarh, December 19
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed Vee Kay Associates, franchisee of DTDC Couriers and Cargo Limited, and DTDC to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation for deficiency in services provided by them.

Patwari convicted of taking bribe
Chandigarh, December 19
UT additional district and sessions judge Raj Rahul Garg today convicted patwari Narinder Singh for demanding bribe. The quantum of the sentence will be pronounced on December 21. Narinder was posted as patwari in Khuda Lahora village in 2003.

CULTURE

City gets glimpse of Slovakia
Chandigarh, December 19
The Chandigarh chapter of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) presented a bonanza of modern Slovakian dances by the acclaimed Slovak ensemble ‘Studio Tanca’ at the Randhava auditorium of Punjab Kala Bhavan. The presentation titled ‘Night Peace’ comprising contemporary modern dances was reflective of busy life of the people, their inner urges and aspirations pitted against external pressures in daily life.

Artists from Slovakia present modern dance ‘Night Peace’ at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

National award for theatre veterans
Chandigarh, December 19
Acclaimed theatre scenic designer, director Dr Mahendra and veteran city thespian Dr N.C. Thakur will be conferred with the prestigious National Sangeet Natak Akademy Award- 2007. The academy sources from New Delhi revealed that the awards will be given by the President of India in February next at a special function in Delhi.

HEALTH

India lacks labs for testing fungal infections: Expert
Chandigarh, December 19
A large number of patients remain undiagnosed for systemic fungal diseases and succumb to their illness due to lack of timely intervention as there are very few diagnostic centres in India.

PGI goes dark for 9 minutes
Chandigarh, December 19
There was panic for a few minutes at the emergency ward of the PGI following a sudden power failure today at about half past nine this evening. All lights went off for about eight to nine minutes. Due to the sudden power cut, the patients in the emergency ward, including those who needed immediate surgeries, accident victims and even heart patients, had to face lot of harassment.

SPORTS

AITA tennis
Rajasthan duo thrash city lads
Chandigarh, December 19
It was not Chandigarh’s day as the doubles U-16 and U-18 teams, consisting local players, lost in the finals of the AITA Talent Series Tennis Championship at the CLTA courts, Sector 10 here today.


A tennis player readies to return a shot during AITA tourney at CLTA, Sector 10, on Wednesday. Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Raseed Ahmed wins 1500m event
Panchkula, December 19
Raseed Ahmed of Raipur Rani won the 1500m race in the boy’s category while Pradeep Kumar and Vakil got second and third position respectively in the first day of the district games held at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Panchkula, here today.

Athletics meet begins at KV-2
Chandigarh, December 19
The students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2, 3 BRD, put their best foot forward as they took part in the annual sports meet on the school campus at the Chandigarh Air Force Station here today.



Students participate in an event during the Athletics meet in KV-2, 3BRD, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. — A Tribune photograph

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Admn seals convent school
Ambala, December 19
The district administration today took over the possession of Robert’s pavilion in Ambala Sadar and sealed Convent of Sacred Heart school.

Varsity drops charges against teachers, students
Patiala, December 19
The Joint Action Committee of Punjabi University students, non-teaching employees and teachers had a reason to celebrate today as the university authorities accepted their demand of dropping charges against some teachers, non-teaching staff and students.

BDPO held taking bribe
Patiala, December 19
The Patiala Vigilance Bureau today nabbed a block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) after sleuths nabbed him red-handed while accepting bribe.

Duties assigned
Bassi Pathana, December 19
Hundreds of party workers, councillors, BJP leaders and other social leaders will attend the political conference of SAD (B) on the eve of Saheedi Jor Mela to be held on December 25 at Fatehgarh Sahib.