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TOP STORIES

Bar boycotts judge’s court
Calls for strike on Feb 24
Chandigarh, February 19
The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association seems to be heading for a confrontation as it is “upset” with the way Justice Uma Nath Singh functions.

City entry points to have cameras

Chandigarh, February 19 The city is set to have CCTV cameras at border nakas on 11 entry points to keep a surveillance on incoming vehicles. The project would cost about Rs 25 lakh and is at an advanced stage.
CCTV cameras being installed as part of a demonstration at the Chandigarh-Zirakpur entry point on Thursday. Tribune photo:  Manoj Mahajan

Rose Festival
Exams near, but teachers, students put on duty
Chandigarh, February 19
The dual charge of DPI Samwartak Singh is affecting the functioning of the education department and schools. The education department has often collaborated “generously” with the tourism department to ensure the grand success of its endeavours and events. This time, Rose Festival has halted work at schools.

Students busy with arrangements for Rose Festival in Chandigarh on Thursday. Tribune photo:  Pradeep Tiwari

City-Kalka Track
Withdrawal of banking locos may cause derailment
Kalka, February 19
Resentment prevails among drivers and assistant drivers of the diesel shed here over the proposed withdrawal of banking locomotives from trains running on the Chandigarh-Kalka broad gauge section which has a steep gradient.

‘Opportunities in Illinois despite meltdown’
Chandigarh, February 19
New opportunities and a huge potential for growth exists in the state of Illinois, even in these critical times, said Rajinder Bedi, managing director, State of Illinois (USA), while addressing an interactive session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Chandigarh Council here today.

COMMUNITY

A forest department worker tries to catch a sambar that strayed in Sector 19 in Chandigarh on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Human rights panel summons Chand, Fiza
Mohali, February 19
In the Fiza-Chand standoff, the Global Human Rights Council, supporting Fiza, has moved a petition before the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) stating that the Mohali SSP had failed to act on a criminal complaint filed by her.

Home Secy orders removal of encroachment
Chandigarh, February 19
A meeting regarding removal of encroachments was held under the chairmanship of home secretary Ram Niwas here yesterday. All encroachments reported during the past one week were reviewed and it was decided that all these encroachments should be removed within one week.

Sector 20 temple razed
Chandigarh, February 19
The enforcement wing of the municipal corporation along with respective area supervisors carried out a demolition drive here today. The drive was carried out under the supervision of Surinder Kumar, tehsildar, enforcement.

Security beefed up for Rose Festival

Chandigarh, February 19 CCTV cameras, machans (view towers), and anti-sabotage squad may not be anyone’s idea of the popular Rose Festival, but that is what the visitors to this year’s edition of the festival of flowers will witness. WHERE ARE THE ROSES? A rose bed with only two roses, a day before Rose Festival is due to begin in Chandigarh on Thursday. Tribune photo:  Pradeep Tewari

CAT holds appointment of three lecturers illegal
Chandigarh, February 19
Terming the appointment of three dance lecturers “illegal and unsustainable”, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed director, public relations, DPI, to consider the case of an applicant for relaxation in age and give appointment to her on contractual basis.

Plea for job on compassionate grounds quashed
Chandigarh, February 19
Quashing the application of Surinder Kumar, who had sought for appointment on compassionate grounds after lapse of over 21 years, the Central Administrative Tribunal has specified that applicant is not entitled to it.

Stop acquisition, say farmers
Chandigarh, February 19
The Mani Majra Farmers Welfare and Environment Protection Society has demanded an immediate suspension of land acquisition in Chandigarh, pending formulation of a master plan for the city and its periphery

Industrial Area
Work on drainage system begins
Chandigarh, February 19
Waking up to the need of having basic amenities in place in Industrial Area, the Chandigarh municipal corporation has started various development works in Phase-II.

Water supply panel meeting
Chandigarh, February 19
The first meeting of the water supply and sewerage disposal committee of the municipal corporation was held under the chairmanship of Ravinder Pal Singh here today.

Admn mulls development panel
Chandigarh, February 19
The Chandigarh administration is exploring the possibility of setting up of an 11-member Standing City Development and Reforms Committee (SCDRC) for the integrated development of the city.

New building inaugurated at GMCH
Chandigarh, February 19
Constructed at a cost of Rs 21 crore, the building of block D at Government Medical College and Hospital was inaugurated here yesterday. Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT, Gen SF Rodrigues, after inaugurating the building discussed the other functional requirements with the faculty to make the system more efficient and service oriented.

Pension for disabled doubled
Chandigarh, February 19
The Chandigarh administration has revised old-age pension, widow pension and pension to the disabled from Rs 250 per month to Rs 500.

Property Dispute
Probe into sisters’ allegations begins
Panchkula, February 19
The district administration has started investigating into the allegations of two sisters against their maternal uncle.

MES employee killed in accident Panchkula, February 19 A 59-year-old man was found dead in his car near Nadha Sahib Gurdwara here today. The deceased, who was identified as Jaspal Singh, was an employee of Military Engineering Services (MES) at Chandi Mandir. The mangled remains of a car in which a man was found dead near Nadha Sahib Gurdwara in Panchkula on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Seminar on agriculture challenges ends
Chandigarh, February 19
A national seminar organised by the department of geography, Panjab University, on ‘emerging challenges for agriculture’ concluded today.

Travel exhibition from Feb 21
Chandigarh, February 19
India Travel Mart will organise a three-day travel exhibition at Hotel Shivalik View from February 21-23. The exhibition will focus on outbound, inbound and domestic tourism.

Consumer Courts
Insurance co told to pay Rs 25,000
Chandigarh, February 19
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked the ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation to a resident of Sector 44 for wrongly repudiating claim.

Sufi soiree enthrals audience
Chandigarh, February 19
Mystical fervour pervaded the otherwise calmly Kalagram complex as the Paasle Waale qawalli group comprising 10 artistes led by BS Pali presented soulful Sufiana kalaams of Sufi saint poets here today.

EDUCATION

Placement cell at PU only on paper
Chandigarh, February 19
The central placement cell of Panjab University is merely an eyewash for the students of the campus. While there are 60 departments in the university, the authorities have appointed only two professors for the cell.

From Schools & Colleges
Desh Bhagat College celebrates founder's day
Chandigarh, February 19
Desh Bhagat Group of Institutes celebrated its founder's day with fervour and fanfare on the campus.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Rs 200-cr aid for proposed varsity
Patiala, February 19
Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Minister for Higher Education, stated here today that the Punjab government was making full use of technology to make education compatible with modern science.

179 scholars to attend engg conference
Banur, February 19
Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering and Technology (SVIET) is organising a national conference on emerging trends in communications.

2 head of cattle killed, 24 suffer burns

Banur, February 19 As many as 26 head of cattle were burnt and two of them died at Durali village near here in the wee hours today after fire erupted in a dairy farm. The remaining buffaloes sustained serious burns and were being treated by a team of doctors since 4 am. Though the cause of fire could not be ascertained, the owner of the dairy farm, Amrik Singh, said a short circuit could be the reason. Charred buffaloes being attended to by a worker at Durali village near Banur on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Emphasis on principles of Sikhism
Patiala, February 19
Dr Jaspal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, during a lecture on Guru Tegh Bahadur, delivered by Dr Jaswinder Kaur Dhillon, a former Prof of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies at GNDU, Amritsar, here today, said, “Sikh religion constitutes the foundation of true democracy, the tenets and principles of which form the corner stone that were being followed by other contemporary democratic systems of the world.”

Power cuts to continue, says board chief
Kharar, February 19
The scenario of power cuts will continue in the state till all four proposed thermal plants get commissioned. Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) chairperson HS Brar said this while talking to media at sidelines of a college function today.

Gold worth Rs 1 lakh stolen
Ambala, February 19
Thieves decamped with gold worth Rs 1 lakh and more than Rs 40,000 cash from the Sadbhavana Express late last night. Dr Ruchi Srivastav, a resident of Rail Vihar, was travelling in the train from Lucknow to Ambala Cantonment. The theft was detected at the Saharanpur railway station.

6 killed in separate incidents
Ropar, February 19
Six persons were killed in separate incidents here today. Four persons were killed in two accidents, one was found dead at Nangal Chowk and the other body was found in the Sutlej.

Action against illegal school buses
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 19
Action would soon be initiated against all the school buses that are flouting the rules of Motor Vehicle Act in Fatehgarh Sahib. This was stated here today by the district transport officer, Amarjeet Singh Shahi, during a meeting of various school principals and owners of the schools.

Ex-service league seeks pension hike
Patiala, February 19
The Indian Ex-Services’ League (Punjab and Chandigarh) in its crucial meeting decided not to support any political party or group in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and presently sitting on ruling or opposition benches in Parliament.

Abandoned voter cards
Two election duty officials guilty
Dera Bassi, February 19
Two officials on election duty have been held responsible in the case of 619 voters ID card found abandoned here on February 5 last year. The findings are part of the report submitted by the SDM, Dera Bassi, to the Deputy Commissioner, Mohali.

COURTS

Man acquitted of rape
Chandigarh, February 19
District Additional and Sessions Judge SK Aggarwal today acquitted Raju of kidnap and rape charges after the victim supporting the defence stated before the court that she had eloped with the defendant to marry him.

CRIME

Eighth time, not so lucky! Ajmer man’s ‘marriage spree’ ends Chandigarh, February 19 Barely a couple of days after her marriage, a Sector 20-based woman today lodged a complaint with the police alleging that her husband had concealed the fact that he was already married seven times. Om Prakash at the police station in Sector 19, Chandigarh, on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Gurdwara Row
Bus driver, cleaner held
Chandigarh, February 19
The Chandigarh police today arrested a driver and a cleaner of the school bus of Gurdwara Santsar Sahib, Sector 38-West, in the stone pelting and assault incident.

2 held with stolen goods
Chandigarh, February 19
The Chandigarh police claims to have arrested two youths and recovered two stolen motor cycles, some scrap and electronic appliances from them.

SPORTS

Ruchi, Harpreet excel in athletics meet
Chandigarh, February 19
Government College for Girls, Sector 11, celebrated its 53rd Annual Athletics Meet here today on the college campus.

Golf Championship
Manav, Ashbeer in pre-quarter finals
Chandigarh, February 19
Manav Das from Ambala and Kapurthala's 15-year-old Ashbeer Singh Saini kept the region's flag flying after Chandigarh's seasoned Harjinder Singh Kang bowed out of the LG All-India Amateur Golf Championship on the par 72 greens of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkata today.

Junior Badminton Camp Prakash rides high on past exploits Chandigarh, February 19 Being one of the few India’s junior shuttlers to have a brilliant experience at an international level, Prakash Jolly, is a force to reckon for the forthcoming German and Holland Junior Open Badminton Championships to be held from February 25 to March 8. Prakash’s terrific performance last year got him a berth in the junior national squad.                                                                          Prakash Jolly