Major killed fighting insurgency in J&K
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR (Ropar), April 14— The insurgency in Kashmir has taken yet another life. This time it is 31-year-old resident of Kharar, Major Harminder Pal Singh of the 18 Grenadiers. He was reportedly killed in an anti-terrorist operation near Srinagar yesterday.

A bullet that hit him on the right side of his head killed him instantly, Capt Harpal Singh (retd) told The Tribune this afternoon while his family, the officer' s widow, mother, young brother and other members wept inconsolably.

The young officer also got two bullet injuries on his arm, the father said.

The Major was married just two years ago and his wife , Mrs Roopinder Kaur, hailing from Sriganganagar in Rajasthan, had given birth to a male child three months ago. When The Tribune team visited the bereaved family, the child, Navteshwar, was in the arms of his mother , oblivious of the fact that a bullet had killed his father less than 24 hours ago.

Born on May 9, 1968, Major Harminder Pal Singh was posted in Jammu and Kashmir. He was on a mission somewhere in the valley, where militants were suspected to be hiding, said the father, Capt Harpal Singh(retd) , who is at present employed as Estate Officer with the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB).

The family was informed about the death around 8 pm by the officers of the regiment.

A telephone call from Srinagar said that the Major got two shots in right arm while he along with troops cordoned off an area where militants opened fire at them. The Major was the only reported casualty.

A few month ago, the Major had a narrow escape when a bullet-proof jacket saved his life and he also survived an explosion.

Having done his post-graduation in history from Government College, S.A.S. Nagar, he was selected as Pilot in the Indian Air Force ( I.A.F.) but did not join because he was more interested in the Army.

His body will be flown to Chandimandir from Srinagar via New Delhi tomorrow morning.

The funeral procession will begin at 9 am on April 15 from the resident of the family with full Army honours. The cremation will take place at the Rambagh cremation ground here.

Move to regularise load extensions
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 — With a view to regularising the unauthorised extension of load by domestic and non-residential power consumers, the UT Electricity Department has come out with a simplified Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS).

Under the scheme, which will remain effective from April 16 to May 31, a consumer will have to visit an electricity office concerned only once with the load details filled in the prescribed application and aggrement form.

A consumer, while submitting the form, will also have to deposit security charges for the extended-unauthorised load as per the schedule of security-service charges. Only authorised consumers will be eligible for load extension under this scheme in their names individually without resorting to clubbing of connections in same premises. Load of all connections in the premises, issued in the same name, should not exceed 100 kw.

Sources said test reports would be prepared by the junior engineer concerned, in charge of the department, for the revised load. No consumer would not have to furnish a fresh test report.

For domestic consumers, service connection charges would be recovered at 50 per cent of the present slab-rate, the sources said. They added that for non-residential (NRS) consumers, service connection charges would be levied at the full rate applicable to them. Augmentation of service line or change of meter, if required, would be carried out by the department at its own expenses.

The sources said no load surcharge would be levied while the scheme was in force.

While the load of air conditioners, AC packages, centralised AC systems of standard makes would be regarded as per the specifications, for the non-standarised window-type ACs, it would be considered 2.5 kw per AC. For non-standardised AC packages and centralised AC systems, the load would be individually assessed for each unit.

A witness, who would sign the forms could be any consumer in the jurisdiction of the UT. This was against the current practice of presenting a consumer from the jurisdiction of same sub-division as a witness, the sources added.

The sources warned that after the closure of the scheme, defaulters would be penalised. The load surcharge at the rate of Rs 750 per kw would be levied in case of single-phase connections. The amount would be Rs 1,500 per kw in case of three-phase connections.

In addition to the above surcharge, the load would not be allowed to be removed. It would have to be regularised for which security or service charges at full rate would be levied. The connections of the consumers failing to deposit these charges would be disconnected within 15 days, the sources said.

Officials said that the scheme had been launched to satisfactorily operate the distribution system and give a better service to the consumers.

Under the scheme, consumers would also be provided with meters and cables of proper capacity, which would be augmented as per the revised sanctioned load to give them power supply at the proper voltage.

Minor drivers beware!
Checking begins today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 — A drive to check unauthorised driving of vehicles by minors will start tomorrow.

All station house officers (SHOs), along with force available in the police stations and the entire traffic police staff will start the special checking at 7 am.

The SP, Traffic , Mr Balbir Singh, said tomorrow they would only educate the minors about under-age driving while no challans would be issued.

The force would only warn the minors and note down the number.

The drive will be carried out during the opening and closing hours of the schools.

However, challans for helmetless driving and other visible violations will be issued.

After educating the minors tomorrow, the police will start issuing the challans .

The police have also requested the parents not to allow their wards to ride scooters if they have not achieved the age to drive.

Old couple was not kidnapped
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 — The case of kidnapping of an old couple that had made big news in the past two days turned out to be a case of misunderstanding as the couple had accompanied someone from Shimla on their own.

Mr Ramesh Kumar of Sector 43 had lodged a compliant with the police saying that two of his relatives, who were coming from Jammu had been kidnapped by some one in a car from Sector 22. In reality the old couple had boarded a bus from Jammu to Chandigarh. Along the way they befriended a old woman passenger.

The couple — Mr Chaman Lal and his wife MrsJayashree — alighted from the bus at the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Sector 17. So did the old woman, whom they had befriended. The old woman was destined to go to Shimla and her relatives had sent a car to pick her up from the ISBT here. She then requested the couple to kindly help her in locating the car.

Mr Chaman Lal and his wife helped the woman out. As a sense of gratitude the old woman offered to drop them to Sector 43 after some work in Panchkula. The offer for a lift was accepted by them . Along the way the old woman persuaded the couple to accompany her to Shimla. The couple agreed grudgingly.

Upon reaching Kalka they rang up their relative Mr Ramesh Kumar in Sector 43. Over the phone the couple told a family member that they had met some acquaintance who had persuaded them to come along to Shimla and they were presently in Kalka. This communication gap led to the family members in Sector 43 believe that their old relatives from Jammu had been kidnapped. They rushed to the police.

The old couple arrived back from Shimla and written statement of Mr Ramesh Kumar was recorded in the police station about how the misunderstanding had led to confusion , Mr Ramesh , when contacted confirmed the story about misunderstanding.

Meanwhile a communication gap may have played a big part in the case of kidnapping of Mr Sandeep Goswami, an employee of a sector 9 company( and not a businessman as reported earlier), who was kidnapped and beaten two days ago.

ITBP welfare show from today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14—The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will organise a police welfare exhibition from tomorrow, at the exhibition ground, Sector 17. The interesting feature of the exhibition would be the display of cultural items from Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Garhwal and the Kumaon hills.

The exhibition grounds today were being festooned with banners and flags for the occasion. Tents were being put up for the show.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by Mrs Rita Kaul, wife of Mr Gautam Kaul, DG, ITBP.

The police welfare exhibition would be open from April 15 to 18.

Pak singer adorns Mehfil
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 —The Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, in collaboration with the Punjab Arts Council today organised an evening with artistes from Pakistan at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Rose Garden, Sector 16. The participants of the Mehfil included Ahmed Ali Zafar, a judicial magistrate from Lahore, Mubarak Ali Kamal, a singer and Ghulam Rasool Azad, an educationist.

The evening began with the address of Mr H. S. Bhatty, Secretary-General of the Punjab Arts Council, who besides welcoming the guests from across the border also listed out the activities of the council.

All the three guests from Pakistan are in the country to witness the celebrations of the 300 years of the Khalsa Panth, and were in Chandigarh en route from Anandpur Sahib. Said Ahmed Ali Zafar, "This is my first visit to the country, but it just seems like mine". An emotional Zafar further added that his family's lineage was traced from Hisar in Haryana and "the big truth of my life is that my name, my country, and my attire may look and sound different, but I am one of you". He added, "Our foundations are the same".

It was Ahmed Ali Zafar, Principal of Government College, Sahaupura, Lahore, who gave a long speech on how people on both sides of the border feel for each other and want to be "one again".

On the subject of the Punjabi language, Zafar, who is the first post-graduate and the first assistant professor in Punjabi language in Pakistan said, "Our Punjabi culture could not grow as much as yours, because we did not have Punjabi as our language for a very long time". He also spoke on length about how English words had crept into our day-to-day language and the fact that dictionaries are now being used to understand our own mother tongues.

"The Rig Veda has all the truth and the culture of humanism, and so do Guru Granth Sahib and the Quran. But each of these great 'books' have been embraced by one community each and each one tries to fight with each other", Zafar said.

It was Mubarak Ali Kamal, whose singing delighted the select audience. His soulful rendition of Guru Nanak Tere Gun Gawan, Tu Tey Wandey hain Thandiya Chawwan was well appreciated.

Thousands throng Sector 34 Gurdwara
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 —A huge congregation was held in Gurdwara Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib, Sector 34, to celebrate the 300th birth anniversary of the Khalsa Panth.

Renowned scholars, kirtan jathas and dhadis highlighted the Gurbani and Sikh history. Nearly 20,000 devotees visited Gurdwara till noon and were served with langar.

An ayurvedic medical camp under the supervision of Dr D.K Tayal and his team was held from 9 a.m to 2 p.mat the gurdwara.They examined 500 patients suffering from arthritis and skin diseases and served with free medicines.

Coaching classes for PMT/CET are also conducted in the gurdwara wherein well-qualified teachers give free service.

In the evening, the doctors and teachers who rendered free service and young journalist Ms Harvinder Khetal, Sub-Editor, The Tribune who has been awarded "Prem Bhatia memorial Trust Award for young journalists", were honoured by the management committee of Gurdwara Sahib with siropas and mementoes.

The gurdwara was tastefully decorated and illuminated at night.

A special kirtan darbar was also organised at night up to 11.30 p.m.

A competition of Gatka parties was held in which marshall games were displayed and appreciated by the sangat. A brass-band played religious/martial tunes. Langar of jalebi and kheer was also served.

Fireworks were also displayed to mark the tercentenary festivities of the Khalsa sajna divas.

Rani Balbir Kaur to perform war epics
Tribune News Service

CHNADIGARH, April 14—On the occasion of the celebration of the 300 years of the birth of the Khalsa, theatre personality Rani Balbir Kaur would give a stage presentation based on the war epics by Guru Gobind Singh, ''Shubh karman te kabhoon na taraun', on May 15 and 16 at Tagore Theatre. This would form part of the tercentenary celebrations by the Chandigarh Administration in colloboration with the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala.

While talking to TNS about her production, the name of which was reportedly changed from ''Chandi Di War'' to the present one because of certain objections raised by some organisations, Rani Balbir Kaur said that the ''Shubh karman.....'' presentation would include the martial art forms of Punjab — war dance ''gatka'', war epic singers ''dhadis'', martial hermits ''Nihangs'' and celestial Sufi singers ''fakirs''.

The play, which would include choreography from renowned bhratnatyam dancers, Geeta Chandran and Navtej Singh Johar, would be without any conventional divisions and concrete characters where actors would be like actors and not characters swayed by emotions like in a Brechtian play, she said.

In fact the play would not have any characters but "only narrators" who would talk about the spirit of bravery, humanity and sacrifice of the Khalsa.

While providing a brief background of the history of the tenth Guru and the birth of the Khalsa, Rani Balbir Kaur, who runs her own folk theatre workshop, said that the play would be a "tribute to the celestial heroic spirit of the Khalsa warrior and the celebration for the martial spirit of the Khalsa".

One-way traffic near schools
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 — The one-way traffic system will be enforced on the roads near select schools in the city from tomorrow during the opening and closing hours of the schools.

The system will be enforced from 7 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. and again from 1 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. in the afternoon to streamline traffic and reduce pressure on roads and to prevent accidents. All students, parents and others making use of these roads are requested to cooperate with the traffic police and follow the one-way traffic system during these timings, the police said. Any motorist found violating the rule shall be challaned.

The one-way system will be enforced on the following roads. Road passing in front of St John , Sacred Heart School and St. Kabir School, Sector 26. Entry to these schools and SGGS colleges for boys and girls shall be from the light point near SGGS College and exit towards Police Lines.

The road in front of Carmel Convent School, Sector 9. Entry to this school shall be from near the light point in Sector 9 and exit from the other end of the road.

Road in front of St Anne's School Sector 32 .Entry to this school as well as to S D College and Regional Institute of Education, Sector 32, shall be from near S D College and exit will be allowed towards the fire station.

SNIPPETS

Dr Ambedkar remembered
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14-- Rich tributes were paid to Dr B. R. Ambedkar on his 108th birthday at different functions in the city today. The main function was organised by Dr Ambedkar Study Circle at the Ambedkar Bhavan in Sector 37 where various speakers called upon the people to follow Dr Ambedkar's ideals and lauded his services for the countrymen particularly the downtrodden. The Adviser to the Administrator, Mr Jagdish Sagar, was the chief guest. Prominent among those present were the Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. Ramsekhar. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sagar said the Constitution given by Dr Ambedkar was the best example for propounding social and economic equality in India. He also distributed UTI certificates to 55 girls under "Apni Beti Apna Dhan" scheme amounting to Rs 1.65 lakh. Mr Satya Pal Jain, MP, who was not present, announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh to the circle through the Mayor. At a function organised by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Federation, Mr R. L. Sabharwal, a former Joint Director of the Social Welfare Department, Punjab, asked the Dalits to educate their wards for the betterment of their living standards. Members of the Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Sangharsh Samiti organised a "shobha yatra". The yatra, which started from Maloya village reached Ambedkar Bhavan after passing through various colonies and sectors of the city. The Valmiki Jan Chetna Parishad organised a function in Sector 25. Members of the Rastriya Valmiki Dharam Samaj took out a cycle rally. At a function at Congress Bhavan in Sector 35, various speakers, while calling Dr Ambedkar the "Messiah" of the Dalits, lauded his contribution in the making of the Constitution. The Lok Shakti organised a function in Colony No 5 here.

Exhibition on ad campaigns ends
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 — The six-day exhibition on advertising campaigns put up in the exhibition galleries of Government College of Art, which was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University, Prof M.M. Puri, on April 9, concluded this evening. The advertising campaigns, designed by students of the final year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Applied Art,) proved to be a big draw with artists and advertisers alike. If Parul Malik’s campaign on a Panchkula-based textile mill showed class and calibre, Jasjit Hira succeeded in highlighting the problem of India’s rising population in an effective manner. Abhisha Dhanda, Taruna Arora, Paramjit Kaur, Prateeksha Vasudeva, Smriti Bedi, Preeti Singh and Gauri Mishra depicted various social problems in their campaigns.

ISKCON prepares “Krishna cuisine”
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14—The local unit of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), organised ‘Vedic cooking’, known as “Krishna Cuisine” as part of Baisakhi celebrations at Hare Krishna Dham, Sector 36-B, here today. Hundreds of devotees thronged the temple, according to Bhakti Vinod Dasa Prabhu, President of the unit. The devotees prepared the cuisine with foodgrains from the new crop at the temple premises, which had been introduced by A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of the ISKCON. He had translated Srimad Bhagvatam and Srimad Bhagvadgita in 29 languages. This was followed by ‘abhiseka’ of Lord Krishna, bhajans, kirtans, ‘aarti’ and distribution of ‘prasad’.

Baba Khan fails to turn up
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14—Journalists had to cool their heels waiting for the arrival of a one-song wonder, Baba Khan, whose number, "Teri Eyebrow Black....." is popular on all music channels of television these days. When the singer failed to show up at a press conference organised at a restaurant in Sector 35 after more than an hour of waiting, disappointed journalists went back. He reportedly arrived in the city late in the evening, "since he got stuck up in the traffic". He is scheduled to perform tonight at a discotheque in Sector 9 and to dance to his cassette titled 'Balle Ni Balle'. He had been trained in music by Mohammed Siddique, Diwekar and Pradeep Bhargava.

Gaiety marks Baisakhi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 14 — Religious fervour and gaiety marked the Baisakhi celebrations in city today. The bhogs of Sri Akhand Path were held in the gurdwaras and they were abuzz with activity throughout the day with a large number of devotees, wearing colourful and kesri clothes, paying obeisance. Langars in the gurdwara premises and chhabils at a number of places were organised by the the devout and thousands of persons took langar and sweetened water. Verses from the holy Guru Granth Sahib were recited at the tastefully-decorated gurdwaras and the devotees, including a large number of women and children sat for hours to hear the Gurbani. Similarly, kirtan darbars were held in the gurdwaras. Banners were put by various organisations greeting the people on the occasion of Baisakhi and the 300 years of the creation of the Khalsa. Greeting cards regarding the Khalsa tercentenary were also in demands at a number of shops.