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ICICI Bank at it again
Chandigarh, December 21
Getting credit cards issued has doubled the worries of Sanjeev Arora, a resident of Sector 38 West. Sanjeev received a call on November 7 from a police inspector in New Delhi to make the payments of purchases he has made on his credit cards though he had cleared all his dues.

Widening of Pinjore road
HC gives nod to clear encroachments
Chandigarh, December 21
Asking Panchkula’s superintendent of police to protect the life and liberty of officials and others involved in the demolition drive in the highway widening and anti-encroachment case, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today made it clear that the drive against encroachment would continue.

Bogus lecturer in soup after 15 years
Chandigarh, December 21
Senior officials in the administration conveniently ignored complaints against this ‘well-connected’ teacher from time to time, who had enjoyed the benefits of a lecturer on the basis of bogus degree from a university in Bihar for the past 15 years.

Investigation reveals

Custodial Death
5 cops held; two flee
Panchkula, December 21
The police has arrested five of the accused cops in the custodial death of Jogi, a resident of Shahbad Markanda here today.

Woman cop to probe HIV+ patients’ exploitation
Chandigarh, December 21
The issue of the alleged exploitation of the HIV+ women undergoing anti-retroviral treatment at the PGI took a new turn today with the Chandigarh Police deciding to entrust the inquiry to a woman police official.

COMMUNITY

Devotees offer prayers on the occasion of Id-ul-Zuha at Jama Masjid, Sector 20, Chandigarh, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

MC wasting public money
Replacing even functional streetlight poles
Chandigarh, December 21
Undertaking an ‘engineering activity’ that is aimed more at spending the allocated budget than to serve any purpose, the Chandigarh municipal corporation is changing all streetlight poles, including the functional ones, on Madhya Marg, Dakshin Marg and Jan Marg.

Panel demands balanced Rent Act
Chandigarh, December 21
The Commercial Tenant Welfare Committee of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal has appealed to the UPA government against the Rent Act notification proposed by the Chandigarh administration.

2-drinks-a-day theory a hoax: PGI chief Chandigarh, December 21 For heart patients and potential heart patients it is time for "no cheers". Contrary to the popular perception that "two small drinks a day" are fine for your heart, eminent cardiologist and PGI director, Prof KK Talwar, today said there was no conclusive evidence of "beneficial" effects of alcohol on the human heart. PGI director K.K. Talwar(right) and UT IGP S.K. Jain during a talk on healthy heart at the Press Club in Chandigarh on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Air Deccan penalised for harassing couple
Chandigarh, December 21
The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Air Deccan to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to an SAS Nagar-based couple for causing harassment by delaying refund of ticket fare.

Bollywood actors Fardeen Khan and Preity Zinta arrive in Chandigarh for promotional work and shooting on Friday. — Tribune photos by Manoj Mahajan

Mohali Club firing incident
SHO suspended
Mohali, December 21
SHO of Phase XI Rajpal Singh has been suspended for dereliction of duty in the investigation of a case. According to SAS NagarSSP R.S. Khatrea, the SHO was asked to report to the police lines.

Bathinda police picks up accused
Mohali, December 21
The Bathinda police today took away Ramandeep Singh Kohli, a resident of Phase X, on production warrants for a cheating case registered against him there.The Mohali police had arrested Kohli two days back for allegedly firing in air outside the Mohali Club in Phase XI some day back.

ISKCON members recite slokas from Srimad Bhagwadgita on the occasion of Gita Jayanti at Hare Krishna Dham in Chandigarh on Thursday.

96 given appointment letters
Mohali, December 21
Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla, health and family welfare minister, Punjab, gave away appointment letters to 96 newly-appointed candidates under the National AIDS Control Programme.

44th course holds get together
Chandigarh, December 21
The 44th Regular Course of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), organised a social get-together at the Chandimandir Golf Club today. It was on this day, in 1969, that members of the course were commissioned as officers into the Indian Army.

Migrants calling the shots on cable TV!
Mohali, December 21
The fast changing demography of the city has made some local cable operators reshuffle their channels to accommodate the demands of the migrant population.

• Letters

CRIME

12 held for axing trees
Chandigarh, December 21
Two days after the incident of axing of at least 350 fruit-bearing and other trees in Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park, Mani Majra, came to light, the police today arrested 12 residents of Rajiv Colony, including six women. Those arrested are Mukesh, Hardawari, Lakhan, Charan Singh, Manohar, Raj Kumar, Sudesh, Sheela, Munni, Saroj Bala, Aruna and Sita.

Seven vehicles stolen
Chandigarh, December 21
Seven vehicles, including two cars and two SUVs, were stolen from the city. Rajesh Kumar of Sector 46-A reported that his Mahindra Bolero (CH-04-A-8963) was stolen from his house on Wednesday night while Satpal Dhawan of Sector 35-C reported that his Tavera (PB-04-L-3507) was stolen from his residence last night.

EDUCATION

Inclusive education a distant dream
Despite admn's approval, special PG diploma at Art College fails to take off
Chandigarh, December 21
Inclusive education for special students still seems a distant dream in Chandigarh. Despite the administration’s approval to postgraduate diploma for special students at Government Art College, the course is nowhere near start even when regular MFA (masters of fine art) classes for the current academic session have commenced.

PU degree mela on Dec 28
Chandigarh, December 21
With an aim to give the degrees of thousands of students lying with Panjab University, the authorities have decided to hold a ‘degree mela’ on December 28.

Teachers to get due salaries soon
Chandigarh, December 21
The vice-chancellor of Panjab University, Prof R.C. Sobti on Thursday made a categorical statement that teachers who were teaching beyond the age of 62 would be paid their due salary shortly.

From Schools & Colleges
Students present colourful extravaganza
Chandigarh, December 21
Students of Sri Guru Harkrishan Model School, Sector 38-D, here, presented a colourful extravaganza, Vibrant India, today on the school premises. Dr Sharda Kaushik, director, Regional Institute of English was the chief guest on the occasion.

Students of INIFD, Sector 8, in a joyous mood during the X-mas celebrations at Jat Bhawan, Sector 27, in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan; and (right) Students of Kids-R-Kids School, Sector 42, Chandigarh, celebrate Christmas. — Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

PEC alumni meet today
Chandigarh, December 21
The two-day alumni meet of Punjab Engineering College Old Students Association (PECOSA) would be inaugurated by A.R. Kidwai, Governor of Haryana, on the college campus here tomorrow. With 400 old students already confirming their participation and many more expected to join in the next two days, this meet is going to be the largest ever PECOSA alumni meet in the history of the college till date.

From Schools & Colleges
Fun unlimited at Christmas Carnival-2007
Panchkula, December 21
Providing fun unlimited to one and all, Christmas Carnival-2007 was organised by Saupin’s School here today. The carnival was inaugurated by Jal Megha Dahiya, municpal councillor. Fun games, joy rides and food stalls made the event a roaring success. Santa Claus distributed gifts among all. Special visitors on this occasion were children from Bal Bhavan.

Students of Shivalik Public School during Christmas celebrations in Mohali on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

COURTS

11-year old chooses father as guardian
Chandigarh, December 21
Eleven-year-old girl Dimple Nandi has chosen her father Rajan Nandi as her guardian instead of her mother Kalpana Singh. On being asked by additional district and sessions judge S.K. Aggarwal as to with whom she wanted to stay, the girl preferred the father to be her custodian.

Patwari gets 5-year RI
Chandigarh, December 21
UT’s additional district and sessions judge Raj Rahul Garg today sentenced Narinder Singh to five-year rigorous imprisonment for demanding bribe under Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. A fine of Rs 5,000 was also imposed on him.

HC issues notice of motion
Chandigarh, December 21
Taking up a petition filed by residents of Sambhaki village of SAS Nagar district seeking the quashing of orders on exchange of about 80 kanal in revenue estate of their village with about 48 bighas in Raipur Khurd village, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion for February 2.

• Juvenile gets 1-yr jail

CULTURE

Artist captures nature
Chandigarh, December 21 Picturesque beauty of nature captured in art form, paintings that bring alive varied hues of environment and preserved well for that evergreen look, get an insight into the works of renowned artist Baldev Raj Rattan. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator S.F. Rodrigues inaugurated Rattan’s ‘Retrospective (1942-2007) of paintings’ today at Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10.
From left: Jean Rodrigues, S.F. Rodrigues and Baldev Raj Rattan at the inauguration of paintings at Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Heritage workshop concludes
Chandigarh, December 21
The four-day workshop on Historic Urban Landscapes of the 20th century organised by the Chandigarh administration in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at CII concluded here today. The fourth technical session, chaired by Minja Yang, director, UNESCO, New Delhi, was guided by the theme ‘The Process of Urban Conservation’.

SPORTS

PHL: A learning platform for youngsters
Chandigarh, December 21
“The starting of European Hockey League on the pattern of Premier Hockey League (PHL) all said about the success of the Indian top league”, said Rehan Butt, one of the best players of Pakistan. Talking to TNS at Hockey Stadium, Sector 42, Rehan said participating in the league was satisfying experience for every player, including foreigners.                                        Rehan Butt

Dhruv Pandove Cricket tourney from Dec 23
Patiala, December 21
As per schedule the 7th Dhruv Pandove Memorial (under-14) Cricket Tournament organised by the Black Elephant (MES) Cricket Club will begin from December 23 to 31 in Military Ground, YPS and DMW ground at Patiala, the organising secretary H.S. Arora, stated here today.

Navneet clinches title
Chandigarh, December 21
Ajay Yadav of Chandigarh had a mixed fortune in the All-India Tennis Association Talent Series Tennis Tournament at the Sector 10 Tennis Stadium here today. He won the boys under-16 singles final. However, he was beaten in the boys’ under-18 singles title.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Patiala choking on traffic
Density of vehicles increasing 6.75 per cent every year
Patiala, December 21
Utter mismanagement of vehicular traffic has not only choked Patiala roads but has also become a cause of inconvenience and concern for residents. As many as 14 out of 17 major traffic lights in the town are out of order and it has made the job of the traffic police even tougher.

Traffic chaos near Fuwara Chowk in Patiala on Friday. — Tribune photo by Rajesh Sachar

Gandhian values even more relevant today: Expert
Patiala, December 21
Punjab Writers and Cultural Forum chairman Ved Parkash Gupta underlined the “Relevance of Gandhian thoughts in present day society”. While addressing a press conference, Gupta said now that a rot had set in, in different spheres of life, Gandhian thought had become even more relevant.