Tuesday, December 7, 1999
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N E W S Tuesday, December 7, 1999 |
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weather spotlighttoday's calendar |
Acres of
crops ploughed through SAS NAGAR, Dec 6 — Standing crops on several acres of land between Kambali and Jagatpura villages was ploughed with tractors by the enforcement staff of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) in a major operation launched this morning. The crops had been raised by peasants on the land acquired by PUDA a few years back for urbanisation. At least 90 acres of the total 118 acres adjoining Kambali had been cultivated by the original owners of the land without authority. The operation to clear the area, falling under the proposed bulk material market in Sector 65-A, would continue. In today's operation, four tractors along with 20 personnel of the enforcement staff and police force was earmarked for the bulk material market. No resistance was offered by the farmers, who watched their crops being razed by the tractors. An additional police force was kept as standby at the Sohana police station. The operation was by coordinated by the Sub-divisional Officer (Enforcement) and a Junior Engineer, Mr Sukhpal Singh. The officials said though the land had been acquired by PUDA in 1995, the peasants had been tilling it and raising crops of wheat, animal fodder and vegetables. According to sources, compensation for the acquired land had been paid in 1995. Some residents of Kambali village, on the other hand, alleged that certain PUDA officials had been taking money from them to allow cultivation on the acquired land for the past four years. The money was charged as per the produce per acre. The officials said at least 11 acres had been earmarked for the proposed Chandigarh-Ludhiana railway line, which passed through the acquired land. Apart from rehabilitating the local marble, timber and iron traders, PUDA has offered to provide sites to traders sitting on government land in Chandigarh. Meanwhile, the town and planning wing of PUDA has prepared a rough land utilisation scheme of 118 acres in Sector 65-A. At least 86 acres had been earmarked for the bulk material market. The officials said 100 sites of different sizes had been earmarked for timber traders. For the iron and marble traders, the number of sites earmarked were 100 and 83, respectively. Provision for religious
places, cremation ground, dispensary, transport area,
fruit and vegetable market, and a petrol station had also
been incorporated in the planning. |
PUDA
sleeping, encroachers reaping SAS NAGAR, Dec 6 — With the PUDA authorities turning a blind eye, an unauthorised rehri market has come up on a piece of land meant for public buildings in Phase XI here. Khohas are being added every now and then, the total number at present being over 150. The authorities were as yet not able to say as to what would be constructed on the 1.7-acre plot which had been encroached upon. While the encroachers want PUDA to provide them with pucca booths on the Chandigarh pattern, the municipal councillors of the area have sought immediate removal of the market which, they say, has become a nuisance to nearby residents. Mr Amrik Singh and Mr S.S. Barnala, municipal councillors, have twice written to the PUDA Additional Chief Administrator to remove the illegal rehri market. Mr Amrik Singh told The Tribune that 15 or 20 khokhas along the main road in Phase XI had been removed by PUDA earlier as a community centre building had to be constructed in the area. The new Khoka market had come up over the past few months between a mandir and the Community Centre now under construction. Earlier, he said, there were around 50 khokhas but now the figure had risen to more than 150. Mr Amrik Singh alleged that a certain person was collecting Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per khokha for giving “permission” to put up a structure. He was also giving a “guarantee” that nobody would evict the encroachers. The President of the Ajit Khokha Market, Mr Harbhajan Lal, said Khokha owners shifted to the present site on April 5 this year because PUDA had demolished several khokhas to construct the Community Centre. The then Additional Chief Administrator of PUDA, Mrs Seema Jain, he claimed, had told the uprooted Khokha owners to “settle nearby”. They were also asked to vacate the sites meant for showrooms. This was done by them and hence the present rehri market had come up. Mr Harbhajan Lal claimed that many khokha owners had been doing business in the area since 1987. They had also been paying tehbazari till December, 1994. When the elected civic body came into being in 1995 it refused to accept the fee. He said khokha owners were ready to vacate the site if they were allotted permanent booths. He claimed there were 168 booths in the unauthorised market. Mr Dipinder Singh, Additional Chief Adminstrator, PUDA, said today that a survey of the rehri market had been carried out by PUDA officials and genuine persons would be allotted sites in an area earmarked for the purpose. The allotments would be done in December itself, he said. Mr K.S. Brar, Executive
Officer of the Municipal Council, said the civic body had
stopped collecting tehbazari from the Phase XI khokha
owners as the council had received orders from the Ropar
Deputy Commissioner in this regard. Moreover, the council
was not interseted in encouraging encroachments, he
added. |
Employees
seek intervention SAS NAGAR, Dec 6 — A delegation of the employees working at the local Estate Office of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) met the Additional Chief Administrator (ACA), Mr Dipinder Singh, seeking his intervention in an alleged case of police harassment of two of its employees in connection with payment of refund in a plot transfer case. According to the information available, a plot in Sector 71 was allotted to a freedom fighter, Mr Arjun Singh. He pursued the PUDA to cut the cost of the plot as had been done in other cases of freedom fighters. In the meantime, the plot was sold to a woman, Baljit Kaur. But later the PUDA decided to refund some amount to the original allottee. A relative of the woman approached the police, alleging that an affidavit given her to give the refund amount to the original allottee was fake. Involvement of some employees of the Estate Office was also alleged by him. Following the complaint, police officials from the Phase I police station visited the Estate Office to question a superintendent and an assistant. The employees then met
the ACA, seeking his intervention as they maintained that
no First Information Report had been registered by the
police. Mr Dipinder Singh said he would inquire into the
matter to ascertain the facts. |
Stray
bullet travels 2 km to shock village CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Panic gripped Khuda Lahora village, near the PGI, as word spread that someone had resorted to firing at a liquor shop near the village here this afternoon. A large number of police officers, including Mr Baldev Singh, SP, reached the spot. A bullet had reportedly pierced the thick metal sheet used to construct the liquor shop and an ahata adjoining it, before falling into a plastic container used to store water. Mr Murari, who runs the ahata, told the officers that he was working behind his counter when he heard a sound akin to a soda bottle being opened and it was only after he saw water leaking out of the container that he realised that something was wrong. "While emptying the container, I saw a slug lying inside and called the police." His statement was corroborated by Mr Roop Singh and his friends who were having drinks at that time. The police also questioned the labour force and other people who live nearby whether they had seen or heard someone firing the bullet. No one seems to have seen or heard anything, which foxed the officers. Finding that the slug had been fired from a government issue 7.62-mm self-loading rifle (SLR), a police party was sent to nearby police posts and one to the Patiali Ki Rao firing range near Dhanas village to ascertain whether the bullet had been fired from there. It had indeed been fired from there by a CRPF party doing target practice since 10.30 a.m. and one stray bullet had managed to reach the shop more than 2 km away. A case under Section 336
of the IPC, has been registered at the Sector 11 police
station. |
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THE department has written to the District Sports Officer, who is in charge of the range, to discontinue allowing paramilitary and other police forces to use the range so that such incidents do not occur in future. Mr Parag Jain, SSP, said someone could have been injured in today's incident and the range is meant for small arms practice and not for prohibited bore weapons. He said he would take up the matter with the administration so that a standing order could be issued for the type of weapons which can be fired at the range in future. It would also be ensured
that the department was informed of such practices well
in advance, he added. |
Sometimes
they enforce the law, sometimes... CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Notices by the Chandigarh Administration notwithstanding, work on the construction of a parking lot along the Punjab Police Secretariat on Jan Marg has been continuing. The work is being executed by the Punjab Police Housing Corporation. It is not the first parking lot which is being constructed on public land outside the main building. The Punjab Mini Civil Secretariat has already one such parking lot which has been fenced with steel grills. To curb the misuse of this open space along Jan Marg, the Engineering Department of the Chandigarh Administration has also undertaken work on the construction of a slow carriageway in Sector 9-C. The work is expected to be completed by January 15. Investigations showed that due to inadequate parking facilities inside the Mini-Secretariat and the Punjab Police Headquarters, representatives of public visiting these buildings had earlier been parking their vehicles on the road and central verge facing the residential area in Sector 9-C. After strong protests from owners of houses facing these buildings, the local police swung into action and started taking action against those who parked their vehicles in front of the houses, blocking their entrances, besides creating nuisance. Public parking apart, the facilities are far from adequate inside the Mini-Secretariat building for parking of vehicles belonging to employees working there. Though the basement parking of the Punjab Police Headquarters is sufficiently big and large, only senior police functionaries are allowed to park their official vehicles there. As such, hundreds of employees working in the Police Secretariat are forced to park their vehicles, including bicycles, scooters and four-wheelers on the public land at the back of the building facing Jan Marg. Since rules do not permit the use of such open spaces for any construction activity or parking area, the UT Administration has reportedly taken a serious view of the misuse of the green open space by both Punjab Mini-Secretariat and the Punjab Police Headquarters in “unauthorisedly” constructing these parking lots. And this violation has been taking place just under the nose of the seat of the UT Administration. The UT Secretariat is less than 100 m away. While the work on the slow carriageway has been in progress, it is all chaos in the mornings and evenings when the employees arrive and leave. This portion of Jan Marg presents a look of a jungle of vehicles at these times. The employees, especially those of the Police Department, maintain that sufficient parking space was available in the basement parking of the building, but they were not allowed to park their vehicles there on the pretext of “security” and to “avoid crowding at the entrance and exit of the parking lot, both in the mornings and evenings”. On the other hand, even
the official vehicles, including those of the police,
remain parked all along Jan Marg throughout the day
rather than being parked in the basement. |
PUNWIRE
officials still at large SAS NAGAR, Dec 6 — The local police is yet to arrest a former Managing Director and an Executive Director of the Punjab Wireless Systems in connection with a two-week old case registered against them for not depositing the provident fund of employees with the Provident Fund Commissioner. The case was registered
against them under Sections 406, 409 and 120-B of the IPC
on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Punjab Wireless
Systems Employees Union. The employees had complained
that their provident fund, amounting to Rs 3 crore, had
not been deposited with authorities concerned. |
Himalayan
Queen, Shatabdi delayed CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — The Shatabdi Express, running from Delhi to Chandigarh, and the Himalayan Queen, also running on the same route, were delayed by almost 50 minutes each this morning. The delay occurred as a locomotive hauling a goods train developed a snag just outside Dappar railway station, located between Ambala and Chandigarh. The track between Ambala and Chandigarh is single line track. The two trains arrive within 15 minutes of each other at Chandigarh. Both trains were halted at nearby stations as a locomotive was sent from Ambala to Dappar to hauled the goods train ahead, while the Shatabdi and the Himalayan Queen followed. The Himalayan Queen
reached here at 11. 18 a.m. and the Shatabdi reached here
at 11. 35 a.m., sources said. |
Nucleus
cops’ force on anvil CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — In view of the problem faced by the police following deployment of a majority of the local constabulary on law and order duties, a nucleus force would be created so that routine policing did not suffer. This has been decided as the proposal to raise a battalion of the Chandigarh Armed Police (CAP) has reportedly not found favour with the Home Ministry. A unit was raised in the 90s, but it was wound up later on. Commenting on the new development, Mr Parag Jain, SSP, said in the absence of a separate set-up to deal with protesters and perform duties at the time of other events, personnel from various police stations were put on duty, thereby bringing all activity at the stations to a virtual standstill. At the time of major agitations or demonstrations, even senior officers, besides the SHOs, were present to prevent any untoward incident. This had a telling effect on the functioning of the department and was a cause of harassment to the public. A lot of man hours were wasted in just deploying a larger force and waiting endlessly for anything to occur. Elaborating further, Mr Jain said the nucleus would be drawn from existing personnel who were posted in various wings of the department. A list of persons who could be used elsewhere, in addition to their present duties, has been drawn up and the additional force would take shape in the coming days. In the police headquarters alone, there were more than 150 officials who were posted in excess of the numbers required. Since the city had a limited force and the pressures on it were increasing each day, something had to be done. He said he would take up the issue of deputing more personnel with senior officers of Punjab and Haryana. If the proposal was agreed to, the pressure on the local police would ease considerably and they would be able to devote more time to other pressing matters and strengthening the beat system, he added. Meanwhile, sources said lakhs are spent by way of facilities and salaries given to 14 companies of various paramilitary and police forces from other states stationed here. There are six companies of the Madhya Pradesh State Armed Police Force (MPSAF), five of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and three of the India Reserve Battalion (IRB). According to figures
available with the department, more than 1,15,460
personnel were detailed last year on duty connected with
political meetings, processions, dharnas,
anti-encroachment, nagar kirtans, strikes and other
miscellaneous duties last year. This year too, the figure
touched 52,146 till October 31. This is besides the
250-300 personnel of the local force, almost 10 per cent,
which is posted in addition to the paramilitary force. |
Police
laxity, recruitment issues raised at darbar PANCHKULA, Dec 6 — Cases of police laxity, pleas for recruitment into the police force and transfers were subjects which topped the grievances’ list at the open darbar held by the Haryana Police at the Police Headquarters in Sector 6, here today. During the darbar, Mr S.P.S. Rathore, Director-General of police, marked the case of the death of Surjit Singh, an employee of the BEL Factory, Panchkula, to the Crime Branch. Surjit Singh was found dead on a deserted road on September 9 this year. His wife, who had alleged murder even though the police suspected it to be an accident case, today blamed the police for not arresting Rashpal Singh, a worker in the same factory, while adding that he was the last one to visit her husband that night and take him out. The family members said that they had made representations to the Chief Minister, the DGP and the Superintendent of Police earlier also, but to no avail. In another case, complainants from Karnal alleged that the police had failed to take action against the 10 named in their complaint. They contended that though police investigations were on in a previous attack on the family members, they alleged that the police was taking the second attempt lightly and no necessary action had been taken against the accused. The cause of dispute between the two parties is a six-acre piece of land, and the Superintendent of Police, Karnal, was investigating the case. However, the DGP referred the case to the crime branch for necessary action. Jaipal Singh, a resident of Panipat, said that his nephew, Narendra, was shot at by Antar Singh, a resident of Nimbari village on November 21. The police, in spite of repeated pleas, have failed to arrest the accused named in the FIR. Mr Rathore directed the official concerned to look into the matter and take necessary action. During the darbar, Dr Davendra Chopra alleged that Mrs Usha Singh, a resident of Kurukshetra, had duped him of Rs 60,000. The police was directed to register his case and take steps necessary to recover the cash. A complainant also alleged that her son had been kept in police custody for nearly four days, and that family members were not allowed to meet him. However, the police justified the detention, stating that interrogation in the case was still on and that he would be released once the police was through with the questioning. While police personnel took the opportunity to put up cases of administrative problems, a number of them came along with their families with pleas of transfer from the districts they were stationed in. A number of old women came looking for job opportunities for their sons. Mr Rathore took note of officers playing truant during the open darbar and issued instructions that the SP, DSP and SHOs should be present whenever the open darbar is held to ensure prompt disposal of cases and satisfaction to the public unless pressing circumstances justify their absence from the `court’. Later, addressing
mediapersons, Mr Rathore appreciated the work done by the
Panchkula police in nabbing the tantrik, Billu Badshah,
who had eloped with a married woman, a resident of Sector
7. |
Traffic
wardens to help cops CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — As per a revised policy, traffic wardens will now not only assist the police in regulating traffic but will be present when corridors in various sectors are cleared. The wardens, numbering nearly 40, have been under fire for their reported inaction in fulfilling the objectives for which the traffic warden cell was set up in the city. They were required to assist the police in the event of any major drive and regularly interact with the public and spread traffic awareness. Mr Parag Jain, SSP, said he had deliberated on the present set-up and had found that there was scope for improvement. It is a very viable and progressive scheme which had not been reviewed for a long time. There was a general feeling in the department that the wardens were not doing much to promote traffic awareness. “I held a meeting with all wardens on December 4 and told them that they should be prepared to commit more time and would be asked to participate in various ongoing drives regularly. Non - serious members would be weeded out and new and energetic persons would be urged to come forward”, he added. A meeting of the wardens
was chaired by Mr S S Randhawa, DSP, Traffic, at the
traffic lines today. Twenty five members attended the
meeting. The Chief Warden was asked to supply a list of
all wardens and ensure that they were present at the duty
points assigned to them along with the personnel on duty
at various places in the city. |
‘Keep
Haryana clean and green’ CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — The Environment Society of India organised a seminar on "Keep Haryana clean and green" at the Sector 11 Karuna Sadan today where representatives of 43 government and non-government organisations participated. Mr Man Mohan Singh,
Joint Director, Environment, Haryana, impressed upon the
NGOs to take up local issues with the active involvement
of government organisations and make Haryana clean and
green. |
Business men convicted for
concealing income CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Holding a Sector 18 firm and its two partners guilty of concealing income,the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, has sentenced them to three months' rigorous imprisonment, besides imposing a total fine of Rs 8,000 under the Income Tax Act. Pronouncing the orders in the open court, the CJM observed: "The complainant has been able to bring home the guilt against the accused that during the assessment year 1983-84, the accused persons concealed the income of Rs 42,700 and was shown as Rs 27,400 intentionally and thus Messers Om Parkash Aggarwal being a firm and Om Parkash Aggarwal and Sadhu Ram being partners of it, are hereby held guilty and convicted under Section 276-C and 277 of the Income Tax Act". After hearing the arguments on the quantum of sentence, the CJM observed: "I am of the considered opinion that no leniency is desirable in the case in hand, keeping in view the minimum punishment prescribed under the Act". Earlier, in a complaint before the court, Income Tax Officer R.S. Juneja on behalf of the Income Tax Office had alleged that the firm had "wilfully and intentionally concealed its real income with a view to avoid payment of due taxes." The counsel for the complainant had further stated that the firm had not only falsely verified income returns, but had "fabricated false evidence for the purpose of corruptly using the same as true before the complainant". The accused, when confronted with the incriminating evidence against them, had, however, denied the allegations. Claiming to be innocent, they had asked for a trial. Sentencing the accused,
the CJM also imposed a total fine of Rs 4,000 on the firm
along with a fine of Rs 2,000 each on the accused under
both the Sections of the Income Tax Act. |
Ravi
withdraws suit on SAD’s undertaking CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — On a statement by counsel for the Shiromani Akali Dal and other defendants undertaking that action against a Punjab Legislative Assembly member, Mr Ravi Inder Singh, would be taken as per the provisions of the party’s constitution — by the working committee, — the plaintiff today withdrew the civil suit, challenging the validity of a show cause notice issued to him. Mr Ravi Inder Singh, in his suit, had earlier sought directions for restraining the defendants from taking “any steps” in pursuance of the November 16 notice “threatening his expulsion from the SAD under the authority of its Political Affairs Committee”. He had added that the committee existed “factually”, but had no legal right to expel anyone from the party. The right to expel, he had added, was with the working committee alone. Today, after about two hours of arguments, counsel on behalf of the SAD and the Political Affairs Committee stated that “any action against the plaintiff shall be taken as per the provisions of the constitution of the party, that is, the working committee of the SAD”. Responding to the undertaking, counsel for the plaintiff said in view of the statement, the suit was being withdrawn. His statement, along with the statement of the counsel for the defendants, was recorded before the UT Civil Judge (Junior Division) Mr Naval Kumar. The plaintiff had earlier sought directions to the defendants against the alleged destruction of the democratic structure of the dal “by curbing the freedom of expression, critical appreciation and the democratic activity within the party”. He had also asked for the grant of any other relief “that the applicant be found entitled to”, in the interest of justice, “equity and good conscience and in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the suit”. Claiming the Political Affairs Committee “to be alien to the constitution of SAD”, counsel for the plaintiff had further stated that Mr Ravinder Singh would suffer “irreparable loss and injury to his political and social rights in society” if ad-interim injunction was not granted. The loss, his counsel had added, “could not be compensated in terms of money”. Opposing the plea, counsel for the defendants had contended that the plaintiff had not only been participating in the committee meetings, but had also been taking decisions which had consequences. Refuting the allegations
regarding threat of expulsion to the plaintiff, counsel
had added that the MLA had just been issued a show cause
notice. |
Contempt
petition admitted in HC CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has admitted a criminal contempt petition preferred by Mr I.P. Atre, a local District Courts lawyer, against Mr Paramjit Singh, alias Bittu Yanki, an accused in the murder of his daughter Manisha also a District Courts lawyer. Another person named in the petition is Mr R.K. Verma, an advocate. Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice Amar Datt constituted the Bench. The petitioner alleged that the contemners had made insinuating, disparaging and scandalous allegations against the trial Judge, Mr S.S. Lamba, Additional Sessions Judge. He added that the contemners had stated in their transfer petition filed in the high court that the trial judge was working under the undue influence and pressure of Mr Atre and members of the District Bar Association. The murder case before
the trial Judge is at the evidence stage. The transfer
application is pending before the high court and fixed
for December 22. The civil contempt petition earlier
filed by the accused against the trial Judge was
dismissed by the High Court on May 27, 1999. |
Bail for
four in kidnapping case CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — A Subdivisional Officer and a Deputy Director, along with two others, were today granted bail by the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.S. Lamba, in a kidnapping and criminal intimidation case. The accused — SDO Ashwani Kumar, Deputy Director Usha Rani and two others were earlier booked by the Chandigarh police under Sections 452, 363, 506 and 498-A of the Indian Penal Code on the complaint of city resident Ms Maninder Kaur. She had alleged that her mother-in-law Usha Rani and the other accused had tried to forcibly snatch her son, besides threatening her. Ashwani Kumar, she had added, was her husband. Seeking the grant of bail, defence counsel stated that the accused were being implicated in the case. Refuting the allegations
regarding the making of an attempt to strangulate the
complainant, he added that there was no medical evidence.
He added that there were no marks on the
complainant’s neck. |
Remand
for two in murder case CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 —
Accused Ranjit Bhardwaj and his wife Lakshmeena Devi,
accused of being involved in the Industrial Area
slaughter-house murder case, were today remanded in
police custody by the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr
Sant Parkash.Pronouncing the order in the open court, the
CJM observed: “Accused Ranjit Bhardwaj has made a
disclosure statement today itself and recovery is yet to
be effected. Accordingly, he is remanded in police
custody till December 11”.The CJM further observed:
“Since Laksmeena Devi is to be interrogated
extensively, she is remanded in police custody till
December 8. She should be produced on that date”.The
two were earlier booked by the Chandigarh police under
Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code after a
decomposed body was recovered from an abandoned toilet in
a slaughter-house in Industrial Area.According to the
police, Ranjit had dumped the bedsheet-wrapped body of
his cousin Ram Awadh in the slaughter-house toilet after
killing him with an axe while he was sleeping in his
jhuggi in Colony No 4.The police added that the two,
along with Ranjit’s wife, were staying together for
about four years. The accused, was apprehended after he
had sold a television set, an LPG stove and a cylinder,
belonging to the deceased. |
National
award for Harinder CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Mr Harinder Pal Singh, an employee of the Department of Architecture, Punjab, has been given the national award for the welfare of people with disabilities, by the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on December 3 on the World Disabled Day. The award is meant for creative disabled individuals. "Mr Harinder Pal
Singh despite being a disabled government employee has
earned a name for himself in the field of bhangra, a folk
dance of Punjab. National and state dailies have
appreciated his creative talent and work. He along with
his team has participated in various Doordarshan
programmes and national youth festivals sponsored by the
Department of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government
of India. He also participated in national integration
camps and organised adventure programmes for the
disabled. He deserves appreciation and recognition for
his achievements," the citation at the award
presentation ceremony read. |
Awareness
camps held CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — The State AIDS Control Society of the UT, in collaboration with the Society for Service to Voluntary Agencies (SOSVA) and the Citizen's Awareness Group, on the fifth day of the Family Health Awareness Campaign, organised two camps for HIV-AIDS-STDs-awareness-cum-diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) in Bapu Dham Colony and Indira Colony. About 200 patients suffering from STDs and RTIs were given free medicines and 70 blood tests of suspected STDs-RTIs patients were done. About 1,100 persons were given information of these subjects through songs, dances, street plays, film shows, besides personal and group counselling. To intensify this campaign, training was imparted to the field-level machinery (Anganwari workers, teachers of local government schools, volunteers of Nehru Yuvak Kendra and panchayat members of the areas), prior to its launch. The population between
the ages of 15 and 49 which falls in the reproductive age
group is being targeted through this campaign. NSS Day celebrated PANCHKULA, Dec 6 — The International NSS Day was celebrated at Youth Hostel in Sector 3 here today. Organised by the District Sports and Youth Welfare Department, the programme included a group discussion by members of rural youth clubs of the district and a cleanliness drive. The day began with a
prabhat pheri, following which the NSS related issues
were discussed and a talk on deaddiction and AIDS was
also delivered. A rally was organised on the occasion and
the members marched from the hostel to the cricket ground
in Sector 5 where the cleanliness drive began. |
Administration
to get tough with ST evaders CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — The business establishments which are evading payments of sales tax will be facing a tougher Chandigarh Administration that is on the verge of sending notices to all defaulters. This will be covering a whole lot of people like small restaurant operators, traders, cloth merchants, karyana shop owners and retailers, among others. The notice will also cover those persons who have not yet taken their sales tax numbers. According to sources, a comprehensive list of all those who deposit sales tax, those who just evade depositing sales tax and those who have not even taken their sales tax numbers has been prepared. All action will be as per rules framed and amended by the government from time to time. The action comes after a deficit in collection of sales tax in the city. Without naming any specific trade, an official said: “We are targeting all those who are not paying the government its due revenue”. Without saying what action the government intended to take, the official added that the idea was to collect revenue from all and the defaulters would come later. Replies to the notices
will be sought in a time-bound manner, while officials
will rely on the list prepared by the field staff and on
the sales tax numbers issued in the city. |
SNIPPETS Dharna enters 34th day SAS NAGAR, Dec 6 — The dharna by the Godrej-GE Employees Union entered its 34th day today. The General Secretary of the union, Mr Vikas Sharma, alleged that the management of the company, with the help of the police, prevented some of the employees from entering the factory. In the process, some of the women employees fainted, he claimed. Mayor denies lobbying CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — In reaction to media reports, the Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, has denied to have lobbied for any group within the cable operators, and emphatically stressed that he does not have any connection with any party of cable operators in the city. A decision to tax cable operators is a collective decision of the house taken in interest of the Municipal Corporation and people of Chandigarh. The same should be taken in the right spirit while no meaning should be derived from it. He urged the city residents not to panic and asked cable operators to refrain from passing over the cost of the taxes to the consumers. BSP function CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — The local unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party today observed the death anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Speaking at the function, Justice A.S. Bains (retd), described Dr Ambedkar as an eminent scholar, statesman and intellectual. He wanted that people should follow his teachings in letter and spirit. Employees stage dharna KHARAR, Dec 6 — Employees of the Health Department sat in dharna outside the office of the Treasury here today to protest against the non-payment of salaries to about 400 employees of Primary Health Centre, Gharuan (Kharar), and of Civil Hospital, Kharar, for November. The dharna was addressed by union leaders. They raised slogans against the Punjab Government and the Treasury Officer. Some union leaders said although the Civil Surgeon, Ropar, had written to the Treasury Officer that employees should be given their salaries for November as the budget for the fourth quarter would be passed soon by the Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab. Even then the officer had not cleared their salary bills, they added. Mr Rattan Singh, the
officiating Treasury Officer, said he did not have the
budget of the Health Department and so he could not clear
the bills. He said as soon as necessary sanction was made
available to him, the bills would be cleared. |
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