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Fewer voters this time
4.84 lakh registered till date as against 5.27 lakh in 2004
Chandigarh, March 10
A sharp decline of about 44,000 votes in the Chandigarh parliamentary constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections could have a fallout on the outcome of the poll, making it a keenly-contested affair.

Gallery of martyrs’ portraits gathering dust
Chandigarh, March 10
“Dedicated to the sacred memory of freedom fighters: Known and unknown”, so says the front panel inside the National Gallery of Portraits, Sector 17. But even as the martyrdom day of legendary freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru approaches (March 23), the gallery, which can be a source of inspiration for all, is awaiting visitors.

The empty National Gallery of Portraits at Sector 17, Chandigarh, awaits visitors. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Holi loses colour for Central staff
Offices to remain open in tricity
Chandigarh, March 10
For the first time ever, all Central government offices located in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali will remain open on Holi tomorrow.

HOLI HUES: Students have fun with colours on the Holi eve in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik

Another rape victim gets speedy justice
Chandigarh, March 10
Close on the heels of convicting accused in the German national rape case in record time, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge RS Attri delivered justice in a similar fashion and convicted Chander Pal, a labourer, of raping his stepdaughter.

PU slaps ban on Mika
Chandigarh, March 10
Taking serious note of Punjabi singer Mika’s objectionable behaviour during a recent programme at Panjab University, the authorities have decided to impose a ban on his entry or holding of his shows on the campus.

Government may face wheat glut for procurement
Chandigarh, March 10
Even as the government is grappling with shortage of storage space for wheat, it is likely to face a wheat glut for procurement during this rabi marketing season (RMS). With the government offering a higher minimum support price (MSP) than the existing price of wheat in the domestic and international market.

Release of convicts on parole
HC for setting up appellate authority
Chandigarh, March 10
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants to give the convicts another chance at “justice” before they knock the High Court doors against the rejection of their pleas for release on parole.

COMMUNITY

Incomplete road cries for MC’s attention Chandigarh, March 10 Tall claims of the Municipal Corporation authorities to bring the villages under its jurisdiction at par with the city fall flat, going by the slow, and in many cases even negligible development. The abandoned work at the approaching road to Ram Darbar from Industrial Area, Phase II, till the Community Centre. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Recarpeting of roads from today
Chandigarh March 10
The Chandigarh administration has declared that the recarpeting/strengthening on certain roads will be in progress on March 11 and 12, 2009.

Meltdown: Job cut hits city youth
Chandigarh, March 10
The effects of global economic meltdown are slowly taking its toll in the city. Though the immediate consequences are not as bad as compared to what is happening in other countries, the signs are not encouraging either. A freeze on hiring, expansion plans on hold, no appraisals and a cut in existing job seems to be becoming a ubiquitous phenomenon.

Women celebrate Holi with flowers in Mohali on Tuesday. Photo: Vicky Garu

Police to adopt zero tolerance policy
Steps taken to maintain law and order
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh police has made elaborate security arrangements to ward off incidents of hooliganism in the city by adopting zero tolerance policy, especially against traffic rules violators on Holi.

Beware! Revelry may create problems
Chandigarh, March 10
On the festival of colours, Holi, an uncontrolled festival bonhomie can result in serious damage to skin and eyes. Medical experts caution that whereas harmful chemical components in colours can cause lead to health hazards, the problem multiplies when actions of individuals are intentional.

Speaking Out
Residents for safe Holi
Chandigarh, March 10
The aromas of mouth-watering “gujias” and scented “gulal” in the air, coupled with the enthusiasm to celebrate Holi envelopes the city. The residents are geared up for Holi celebration with ‘pichkaris’, coloured water, balloons and ‘chandan’.

Shweta Bhatia Rajni Gupta Amrinder Kairon Prashant Sharma Suman Prabhdev Singh

Rock Garden beautification plan discussed
Chandigarh, March 10
Home-cum-Tourism Secretary Ram Niwas today chaired a meeting regarding the beautification and development of the Rock Garden.

Isabelle’s deportation shocks Alliance Francaise staff
Chandigarh, March 10
The deportation of Isabelle Normand, former director, Alliance Francaise, who was recently arrested by the Kullu police for allegedly trying to smuggle ‘charas’, has left the centre staff and students in a state of shock.

Musical soiree enchants audience          Chandigarh, March 10 The Sega dance and music group from Mauritius presented their diverse folk and contemporary musical culture in a soiree brought to the city by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation at the Tagore theatre here today. A music group from Mauritius performs saga dance during a show at Tagore theatre, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vinay Malik ‘Satrangi Saanjh’ leaves audience awestruck Chandigarh, March 10 Aptly titled ‘Satrangi Saanjh’, a harmonious blend of Kathak classical dance and songs steeped in Braj folklore, set the festive Holi mood at Pracheen Kala Kendra here today.

Lack of rice storage capacity
Millers suffer huge financial loss
Bassi Pathana, March 10
If the state government did not take up the issue of lack of rice storage capacity in the state, rice millers as well as the state government would suffer a huge financial loss as still 40 lakh MT of paddy is still lying for custom milling in the rice mills.

Welfare assns meet Rodrigues
Chandigarh, March 10
A delegation of the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations, Chandigarh, (FOSWAC), led by its president PC Sanghi, called on UT Administrator SF Rodrigues here today.

SP Vigilance to probe against UT Adviser
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh administration today asked SP (Vigilance) R.S. Ghuman to hold an inquiry against UT Adviser Pradip Mehra for the alleged favouritism shown by him while exercising his quasi-judicial powers for reviewing cases relating to resumption of properties.

EDUCATION

Quota still a distant dream for EWS students
Chandigarh, March 10
With almost all school through with admissions for the coming academic session, the prescribed 15 per cent reservation of seats for the economic weaker sections (EWS) still remains a farce in the city.

PU to review policy on star nites
Chandigarh, March 10
After having the bitter experience of organising Mikka Punjabi singer star nite last Saturday on the Panjab University campus, the authorities have decided to review the policy of allowing such events on the campus.

PU Notes
Entry only through gate no 2 today
Chandigarh, March 10
The entry and exit to Panjab University would be regulated through gate number 2 tomorrow (Opposite Sector 15) in the context of Holi. Gate number 1 and 3 will remain closed.

From Schools & Colleges
Festival of colours celebrated
Mohali, March 10
The Indo Global Colleges, Abhipur, celebrated the festival of colours with full enthusiasm and enjoyment in the college premises here.

Holi celebrated with joy and fervour
Zirakpur, March 10
The colour of festival, Holi, was celebrated with great joy and zeal at Chandigarh Public School, Baltana, here yesterday.

Talk on women empowerment
Chandigarh, March 10
A seminar was organised by Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory at its Ramgarh range to commemorate the International Women’s Day.

DAV teachers take out candlelight march
Chandigarh, March 10
The DAV College Teachers’ Union took out a candlelight procession in support of their demand to revoke the arbitrary and illegal suspension of their three office-bearers at Sector 17 here today.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

Rs 5 lakh for history library
Patiala, March 10
Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Dr Jaspal Singh, has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh for department of Punjab historical studies for the creation of a library and archival museum for proper preservation of rare pictures, books and documents related to history of Punjab.

Inderpal wins poster-making contest
Ambala, March 10
Presentation, poster making and rangoli competitions were organised at Guru Nanak Institute of Technology here today. Students presented effective presentations and made breathtaking rangolis and posters on various religious, social, cultural and scientific issues.

15 selected in placement drive
Banur, March 10
As many as 15 students of MBA were offered selection letters by SISCON Technologist and Informatic Private Limited during a placement drive at Shaheed Udham Singh Institute of Management and Information Technology, Tangori.

Women take a look at the exhibits during a flower show at Ambala on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Kamal Sachar

Body found hanging from tree
Ambala, March 10
An unidentified body of a young male was found hanging from a tree in the Cantonment area on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway today.

1 held for gambling
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 10
The Sirhind police today arrested a gambler from near the MC Park and recovered Rs 2,500 from his possession and some slips used for gambling.

Crack in track delays train
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 10
A minor crack on a railway line near Mandi Gobindgarh railway station today delayed the Amritsar-Nanded Sachkhand Express by 15 minutes.A lineman deployed on the railway line saw a minor crack and signalled the driver of train to be cautious. The train driver stopped the engine.

Nominated
Patiala, March 10
Dr Ashwani Sharma, principal-cum-director, Government Ayurvedic College, Patiala, has been nominated as a member of the senate of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. His nomination was cleared by the Punjab Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the university.

COURTS

7-year jail for Pak spy
Chandigarh, March 10
Taking note of the fact that the Pakistani national Abid Mehmood impersonated himself as Nihal Chauhan after forging voter identity card and sports certificates, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Kanchan Mahi sentenced Abid to rigorous imprisonment (RI) of seven years and imposed a fine of Rs 13,000.

Saji Mohan Case
Police gets fresh production warrants
Chandigarh, March 10
For third time in a row, the Chandigarh police today obtained production warrants for Saji Mohan, the disgraced former Zonal Director of the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB).

CRIME

Tricksters in Panchkula police net
Brought on production warrants; had duped 4 shopkeepers of Rs 14 lakh
Panchkula, March 10
The Panchkula police has brought two roving tricksters to the town on production warrants who had allegedly duped four shopkeepers of Rs 14 lakh posing as PGI doctors.

Man posing as cop held Used to extort money from couples in parks Chandigarh, March 10 The Chandigarh police yesterday arrested a dismissed home guard volunteer, who had allegedly been extorting money from couples while posing as a policeman. Manoj Kumar, who was caught posing as head constable, in police custody at Sector 36, Chandigarh, on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Gangrape
Accused appears before SP
Panchkula, March 10
Aman Ahuja, one of the main accused in the gang rape case of 16-year-old girl, appeared before Amitabh Dhillon, Panhckula Superintendent of Police here today.

CIA to probe missing boy’s case
Panchkula, March 10
After the failure of the local police in tracing a missing 15-year-old boy, Mandip of Harioli village, near Raipur Rani, the case was today handed over the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) here.

Rs 20,000 snatched in Mani Majra
Chandigarh, March 10
Ram Kumar of Panchkula alleged that Bittu and Ukesh, both residents of Mauli Jagran, snatched his cash Rs 20,000 and two mobile phones after beating him at near the railway track, Mani Majra, yesterday.

Gurdwara Row
Ration card agent held
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh Police today arrested Satnam Singh of Togan village, a ration card agent, for allegedly facilitating inclusion of Gurbhej Singh Sonu’s name in a ration card for procuring a passport.

CTU employees’ body chief held
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh Police today arrested president and office-bearers of the CTU Union for allegedly detaining the staff of the Director, UT Transport, and creating obstruction in their work.

SPORTS

Boxing championship begins today Chandigarh, March 10 The stage is set for the 1st International and 16th A K Misra Boxing Championship, which will kick start from tomorrow here at the Sector 10 Skating Ring as all participating teams reached the city today. Players of the Mauritius boxing team during a practice session at Sector 42 in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Pradeep Tewari

Hockey championship from today
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh police department is organising the 57th All-India Police Hockey Championship from March 11 to 19 here in the city.

Golf tournament from tomorrow
Panchkula, March 10
Top professional golfers of the country will sweat it out on the par 72 greens of the Panchkula Golf Club for the Rs 30 lakh prize money Aircel-Professional Golf Tour of India Players' Championship that gets underway here on March 12.

SUS college clinch title
Banur, March 10
Shaheed Udham Singh (SUS) College of Engineering and Technology, Tangori, won the third All-India Shaheed Udham Singh Memorial Basketball Championship held on the college grounds.

Wrestling tourney from March 14
Chandigarh, March 10
The Chandigarh Wrestling Association (CWA) is conducting the state Junior and Sub-Junior Wrestling Championships on March 14 and 15 at the Labour Hall in Sector 30 here.

Kabaddi trials postponed
Chandigarh, March 10
Trials to select different zonal teams of Punjab for the Punjab Gold Cup Kabaddi League scheduled for March 11 and 12 at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana have been postponed.