& V I C I N I T Y
Sunday, February 28, 1999
|
C H A N D I G A R H & V I C I N I T Y |
|
Sunday, February 28, 1999 |
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
 |
|
|
Wailing children, harried moms CHANDIGARH, February 27 — Huge crowds thronged Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, Sector 16 here today on the second day of the Festival of Gardens. With the various stalls outside the garden being the main attraction, the flower show, the baby show, bands and folk dances were no less crowd-pullers.  Winners of the Rose Princess and Prince contests held at the Festival of Gardens in Chandigarh on Saturday: (Top) Mehr Singh (six months to one year category), Harman Batra (one year to two years), Mehar Dua (two to three years), (below) Vyom (six months to one year), Umang (one year to two years) and Abhjit Singh (two to three years category). — Tribune photos |
 |
Illegal
felling of trees in city |
|
‘City
Beautiful is fast decaying’ City
sewage causes disease in villages
Stall
owners left in dark 2,500
attend medical camp Complaint
against fair price shop Road
becomes virtual deathtrap Jerath’s
bail plea rejected Demolition
drive called off Traffic
trouble spot of Kalka Computer
courses sans teachers Quiz
winners honoured Computing
a bright future Kids
present lively show 250
GCG girls awarded prizes |
||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Wailing children, harried moms CHANDIGARH, February 27 — Huge crowds thronged Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, Sector 16 here today on the second day of the Festival of Gardens. With the various stalls outside the garden being the main attraction, the flower show, the baby show, bands and folk dances were no less crowd-pullers. The Kalagram Craft Fair at the Leisure Valley, Sector 10, however, registered a lukewarm response. Crowds did start pouring in towards the evening and the main attractions remained the extravagant folk dances. The Festival of Gardens began with the Rose Prince and Rose Princess competitions in which more than 500 children in three categories, varying from the age groups of six months to three years, participated. A panel of 18 judges — three judges for each group comprising a doctor, an educationist and a housewife — spent time with each kid “ evaluating” his or her weight, immunisation, mental alertness, behaviour, cleanliness, hygiene and, of course, overall appearance. The contests were inaugurated by Mrs Rama Chhibber, wife of Lt-Gen B.K.N. Chhibber, Administrator, UT, Chandigarh. On the occasion a cultural programme was presented by some local schools. A welcome song was presented by students of Government High School, Sector 41, followed by a giddha presentation by the girls of Kailash Bahl DAV Centenary School, Sector 7. The contests which went on for more than three hours had wailing, screaming and sleeping children wearing bright colourful clothes. With most young girls dressed as “pretty young things” and the “lads” dressed anything from a young “Krishna” to a “Chacha Nehru”, it were the parents rather than the kids who seemed to be overzealous about winning the contests. “I am tired of waiting, my child’s name is way down in the list,” complained Mrs Kulwant, trying to manage her wailing one-and-a-half-year-old baby. “This is my first child and everything she does I consider it to be the best. That’s why I am here. But things are slightly messy here. The pandal is overcrowded and the time period it too long,” added another mother, Mrs Shalu, whose 15-month-old daughter was seen running around. Mrs Anu Malik, mother of a 10-month-old said: “The contest is a kind of a training ground for admission in schools that my daughter would be facing later.” The organisers of the contests gave away gifts to all participants — dolls to the girls and cars to the boys. But with an eye on the crown of Rose Prince and Rose Princess, most parents waited till the afternoon, for the announcement of the winners. In the afternoon, a seminar on “landscaping and horticulture” was held at the Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, in which 11 participants from various universities of the region participated. The major attractions for the final day of the festival would be an on-the-spot painting competition at 10.30 a.m., followed by a folk programme by the Chandigarh police at 1.30 p.m. and the rose quiz at 2 p.m., besides the Hans Raj Hans show at the Leisure Valley. The prize distribution would take place tomorrow at 3.30 p.m. at Rose Garden. The following are the results of the Rose Prince and Rose Princess competitions: Rose Prince: Six months to one year — Vyom Kackria (1), Rohan Dutta (2), Akshay Kaushal (3); one year to two years — Umang Dhawan (1), Annie (2), Rahul Sharma (3); and two years to three years — Abhijit Singh (1), Aditya Madan (2), Haarshit Puri (3) Rose Princess: Six months to one year — Mehar Singh (1), Urvashi Guglani (2), Amrita Singh (3); one year to two years — Harman Batra (1), Tania Malhotra (2), Srishti Malhotra (3); and two to three years — Mehar Dua (1), Sejal Bawa (2), Sarah Ohri (3). For the competitions in
the brass band and pipe band categories, the judges
commended all the bands and gave them equal rating. |
Illegal felling of trees in city CHANDIGARH, February 27—As many as three full-grown trees were illegally felled in different parts of the city during the past one week. While two of the trees were felled by some “unidentified” persons in Sector 35 nearly seven days ago, a 25-year-old tree which was being cut in Sector 16 this morning, was saved following an intervention by some residents of the area. The culprits, however, seemed to have gone scot-free as no action has been taken by the police which was reportedly informed by residents well in time about both incidents. During a visit to Sector 35, this correspondent found that two 60-foot tall eucalyptus trees had been chopped off from the middle near house No. 2382. According to Ms Ranju, a resident of the house, the trees were cut by some “unidentified” persons posing as Estate Office officials last week. She claimed that both “officials” were caught red-handed by a police party from the Sector 36 police station. “They were taken away by the police and we do not know what happened afterwards,” she said. She however, said it was a “good riddance” as the trees hindered the inflow of light to their house. It was also found that a number of trees had been pruned in the area by residents without any permission from the authorities in the local Municipal Corporation. Interestingly, when contacted, officials at the Sector 36 police station said they were unaware of the incident and no case had been registered against the offenders so far. Similarly, there was a high drama in Sector 16-A where a tree, which was being axed near the boundary wall of house No. 223, was partly saved when some residents objected to the cutting exercise and informed the police. According to Ms Nandini Kakkar, a resident, half of the tree had already been cut when the police arrived on the scene and stopped the person engaged in cutting the 25- year-old tree. She alleged that the policemen, however, did not take any action against the culprit. Instead, they stopped me from taking snaps of the tree cutting exercise undertaken by a servant of a resident,”she said. Mr Raghbir Singh,
Executive Engineer of the horticulture wing, said he had
no knowledge about the incidents. Officials at the Sector
17 police station confirmed that a police party went to
the area. They, however, said no case had been registered
so far. |
‘Surcharge on IT a negative
step’ CHANDIGARH, February 27 — The Union Budget ‘99 presented by the Finance Minister, Yashwant Sinha this morning has evoked mixed reactions. A cross-section of people contacted by Chandigarh Tribune said that most of the proposals in the Budget were below their expectations. The general feeling was that the government has not announced any specific measures to kickstart the economy. On the positive side, emphasis has been on agriculture, small-scale industries, indirect taxes have been simplified, there has been reduction in the capital gains tax and a proposal to cut the fiscal deficit. On the negative side, there is 10 per cent surcharge on income tax, there is no mention on how they plan to reduce the fiscal deficit or downsize the government to meet the revenue targets. There is not much provision for provision of infrastructure. Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma, Reader in the University Business School, is of the view that the fiscal deficit will not be achieved by the Finance Minister, Mr Sinha, in 1999-2000. “I am disappointed with him as he has not increased the capital expenditure to the desired extent. The long term implication of this is too serious and business revival will be difficult,” he said. According to him these budgetary proposals will have an inflationary impact on the economy. “The union budget is just market oriented, which indicates industrial growth and productivity but offers nothing for the lower middle or poor classes,” said Mr Balwant Khullar, a chartered accountant. The nominal hike in the price of diesel will hike the prices of essentials, thus burdening the common man. However, the upper middle class stands to benefit in terms of interests on loans as the exemption limit has been raised from Rs 30,000 to Rs 75,000. Maj. A.S Baidwan (retd) expressed his unhappiness over the 10 per cent surcharge increase on income tax, saying that it would affect the salaried class and the retirees. However, the defence outlay of Rs 45,000 crore is welcome as they have for once taken into consideration the requirement of defence forces and have further assured that more funds can be made available depending on the requirement. The incentives announced for the corporations undertaking housing will not only lead to an increase in the number of houses for employees but also generate more employment. Mr Onkar Chand, a senior citizen, is happy that the present government has broken the tradition of presenting the Budget at 5 pm by presenting it at 11 in the morning. “It is a mixed Budget for the common man, including the senior citizens. It reflects hope for rural India with emphasis on village development and 1999-2000 being declared the Gram Sabha year. The government’s proposals in terms of better health, education and housing facilities are also very encouraging. However, the inflationary push in the Budget remains, which is bound to pose difficulties for the common man. Contrary to the views of a majority of people, Mr J.P. Khanna, a businessman is satisfied as it has given sufficient relief in terms of import duties. But the exemption limit on income tax should have been raised to Rs 1 lakh, he says. Ritu Jain, a housewife rues that “it is not a common man’s Budget. The hike of Re 1 in the price of diesel will lead to an increase in the freight charges which in turn will increase the prices of essential consumer goods. She is also upset about the hike in postal rates as it affects the common man who does not have access to the Internet. A banker, P.C. Sood also feels that it is not budget for the employees. “We were expecting a relaxation in the income tax limit , but the salaried class finds itself burdened with a 10 per cent surcharge on income tax.” The indication in the Budget with regard to reduction in government expenditure is positive but it does not make any mention of the concrete steps that it would take to do so. Dr B.S. Ghuman, Chairman
of the Department of Public Administration, says the
positive features include announcements such as reduction
in fiscal deficit, containment of irrelevant expenditure,
an indication to trim the size of the government by
abolishing certain posts, introduction of zero-based
Budget. The negative features include surcharge in income
tax, hike in postal rates and no inbuilt assurance on the
implementation of the announcements. |
Paying for classes missed CHANDIGARH, February 27 — A number of students of the local Sanjay Public School are up in arms against the school authorities for not being given the CBSE roll numbers. They alleged that authorities were demanding astronomical amounts, ranging between Rs 5000 and Rs 500. Aggrieved students are both from Class V and plus two. The school authorities on the other hand denied that “very huge” amounts were being demanded. “The maximum fine is Rs 500. This is being charged from students who have lecture shortages and the fines are according to the CBSE rules. Even the school prospectus is clear about the guidelines. The total number of students in this category were marginal”, the principal said. When The Tribune correspondent visited the school today, a number of parents and students could be seen outside the Principal’s office. Also present at the venue were a few women social workers. Students showed no dues bills where varying amounts of Rs 2500 and Rs 500 were written on the back of the slip. One of the students said the school was indulging in bargaining and reduced the fine in certain cases. Another student could be heard saying “ I have not told my parents about the lecture shortage and the fine, otherwise they would get angry. I don’t know what to do”. The school Principal said, “the school did not intend to stop the roll numbers of majority of the candidates. They are being made to realise their non-seriousness and their parents are being summoned.” She also said that a large number of children, particularly in the science stream, enrolled in the school in senior secondary classes had attended coaching classes outside for most part of the year at the cost of regular classes. Their parents were informed telephonically at regular intervals. But even the parents seemed non-serious as was evident from marginal attendance in parent-teacher meetings”. The school rusticated at least seven students for non- seriousness but had to take back at least three of them because of pressure from bureaucrats and politicians. A social worker, Ms Indu,
questioned the Principal why the roll numbers of those
who did attend classes were not struck off and why
parents were not informed in writing. |
Young, old join 11-km cycle
safari CHANDIGARH, February 27 — There was a overwhelming response to the bicycle safari organised by Citco here today. Over 400 persons, including students and the elderly, participated in the safari, which was flagged off by the UT Administrator, Leiut-Gen B.K.N. Chhibber (retd), from Chef Lakeview of the Sukhna Lake this evening. On its way, the 11-km safari passed through Kaimbwala and Saketri villages and the regulator end of the lake, before culminating at Chef Lakeview. Complimenting Citco for organising the safari, General Chhibber said Chandigarh was emerging as a major centre for leisure and sport activities. Ms Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, Chairperson of Citco said a boating contest was likely to be held at the lake next month. Meanwhile, eight-year-old
Sahil Talwar, a student of Vivek High School, was given a
prize of Rs 1,000 by Ms Ghosh, for being the youngest
participant. |
‘City Beautiful is fast
decaying’ CHANDIGARH, February 27 —— “This City Beautiful is fast deteriorating. And if not cared properly, it will no longer be the city we anticipated,” says Mr M.N. Sharma, the first Indian Chief Architect of Chandigarh. He cautions against “dooming more than 30 per cent of the total population in slum areas”, saying that this is posing “ a grave threat not only to the social fabric of the city but also to its orderly growth and law and order situation.” Credited with a rare distinction of designing and developing of two capital cities — Chandigarh and Abuja (Nigeria) —, Mr Sharma said that all planners and architects of Chandigarh, including Albert Mathew, Mathhew Nowicki, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry, were conscious that not enough provisions had been made for the lower sections of society. “We did plan colonies and started taking care of families of both skilled and unskilled labour living in slum conditions. We made sure of some nice accommodation for them. In fact, we wanted to categorise ‘Palace of poor’ so that everyone, including labour, should have dignified life in city. We even planned transit sites. It was this effort of Chandigarh that got us a prestigious international award in Paris in 1973. See for example, the Bapu Dham colony we designed,” says Mr Sharma. “When I came back to Chandigarh after a stint abroad, I felt that there is no control of the city over any aspect. The City has started decaying. The violations are galore. We must remember that Chandigarh has been the greatest experiment during the 20th century for contemporary urban planning and architecture. The results of this experiment are to be applied not only to India or other developing countries but also all over the world. “The human aspiratons are the same. No city can survive unless it caters to all sections of society.Chandigarh has been planned with every detail. I happen to be the first Indian architect to be associated with Albert Mayer and Matthew Nowicki and seen the growth of the city from its inception. But unfortunately, instead of taking advantage of experience and expertise we have, we have been looking outside to solve our problems. “The idea of holding an international conference to celebrate 50 years of the idea of Chandigarh was laudable. The Administration did its best to make it a success. But it was unfortunate that most of the people who attended the conference were either not conversant with Chandigarh nor admirers of Le Corbusier. Unfortunately, they came at a time when it was extreme winter conditions with thick fog making it impossible for them to see much of Chandigarh. They came with written speeches and pre-conceived ideas, amounting to arrogance and not appreciative of those who knew Le Corbusier and his concept. “We are lucky that Pt Jawaharlal Nehru and Le Corbusier came together for Chandigarh. Without either of them, this city would not have been possible. When we were here, all top functionaries of the Administration, including the Chief Commissioner, Chief Architect and Chief Engineer, all were field workers. There were no barriers in the ranks. But with the passage of time, I find a big difference in the working of the top officials of the Administration. “I am also pained at so many encroachments and unauthorised constructions. How can the Administration see all this and shut its eyes. It is all the more painful that our own people have not appreciated efforts of their own people. We are now looking outside for designers for our regional planning. We have our own full-fledged departments. We must strengthen our own organisations so that needs of people are taken care of. “Private architects
and planners are getting assignments. There is plenty of
work. But we must make sure that Chandigarh remains what
it has been planned for,” adds Mr M.N. Sharma. |
City sewage causes disease in
villages MANAULI (S.A.S. NAGAR), February 27— Dark black waters of city sewers have become cause of several diseases in several neighbouring villages. Heart problems, epilepsy and skin diseases are common in and around Manauli village, says a medical practitioner. According to the Sarpanch 15 villages in the area are facing the wrath of the ‘dark black water’. They include Manauli, Chilla, Chacho Majra, Saini Majra and Premgarh. The waste water is posing a serious threat to animals as well. Even the quality of underground water has been affected. It would not be incorrect to call it “infected”, a villager said. Some water-borne diseases are common here. Mrs Manjit Kaur, a heart patient, blames the water as the cause of her problem. She says that various requests to the authorities in this regard had proved futile. Farmers have installed the water lifting pumps in the sewer nullah for irrigation. The farmers in the area of the view that the water has increased their yield. Mr Nachhtar Singh of Chilla village says that the size of vegetables grown here is quite large. However, the villagers themselves buy vegetables from other areas for consumption and avoid the home-grown “polluted” vegetables. The Sarpanch of Manauli adds that the proposed project of a water tank was yet to be executed as the water tests conducted by the authorities proved unsatisfactory. She further adds that the water is so contaminated that whenever any medical camp is held in the village, water is transported from “safer” places for the doctors. The government dispensary staff at the village agree that the number of patients of asthma, gall bladder stone, kidney stone and hypertension is on the rise. Ms Sushma, pharmacist at the dispensary, says that they advise the villagers to use filtered water but they could not afford to buy filters. “It is a matter of
serious concern and requires in-depth research”,
says a farmer. |
A juicy stop for commuters ZIRAKPUR, February 27 — Huge piles of kinnow have become an attraction for the commuters on the National Highway at Singpura, 2 km from here. Tourists purchasing this delicious fruit can often be seen at the stalls from the early hours till late evening. Kinnows are sold at reasonable rates by the vendors, besides providing fresh juice. Most of the customers are tourists from Delhi, Punjab , Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan , Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, who cross this way. “After having a glass of fresh kinnow juice, I feel relaxed after a long journey,” said a traveller on his way from Delhi to Shimla. The fruit is being sold for Rs 5 a piece at Shimla. and is neither so juicy nor fresh there, he says. Another tourist, on his way to Chandigarh, said that kinnows sold here were large in size and sweet in taste. After travelling continuously for more than three to four hours one looks for liquid food, which he finds here, he commented. More than 50 vendors are doing this business for the past three years here. The kinnow season starts from December and ends in March. Mr Sohan Lal , an old vendor, said that the kinnow, from the orchards of Abohar, Ganganagar and Fazilka, are sold here by weight and not by number. He also said that seven to eight trucks of kinnows are sold here every week. They purchase a truck full of kinnows for Rs 30,000 to 32,000 and sell it for Rs 35,000. Thus a vendor, on an average, earns Rs 60 to Rs120 per day. Mr Sunder Ram said that all of them were landless workers. Earlier they used to do this business in Chandigarh but due to interference of the Estate Office they had to shift to this place. Though the vendors are
doing a sound business, they do not have any permission
to set up shops here, from the Mandi Board. |
Stall owners left in dark CHANDIGARH, February 27 — Stalls given out by the Estate Office at the Rose Garden in Sector 16 for the Festival of Gardens are in darkness once the sun goes down because electricity connections have allegedly not been released for certain stall owners. Tarun Arora, one such stall owner, says,“We have paid an extra Rs 500 to the office and our electricity connection has still not been released. With only one day to go, we have to fight for what is rightfully ours. Finally, they relented and we got power for some time which went off within an hour.’’ He is supported by another stall owner, Mr Vinod Yadav, who is of the opinion that they will have to organise a protest collectively. “An individual’s protest will go unheard by the officials, who, as it is, prefer to turn a deaf ear to any complaints. Let us see how we can make ourselves heard, ” he says. Some of the stall owners staged a dharna last night for being left in the dark. It was only then that the officials sprang into action and provided electricity to the stalls though it was very late by then. “What was the use of providing us with electricity when most people had left ?” Navneet asks. Mr Somnath Makkar from the Electricity Department says they have given the electricity demanded by the Estate Office. “Once we give them electricity, our responsibility ends and theirs begins. How they distribute this electricity is none of our business,’’ he adds. The SDM, Mr P.S. Gill, justifies the stand of his department. He agrees that the stalls allotted on February 25 could have faced some problem of electricity, though they were in a position to complain. “These people are just trying to make an issue out of nothing. They might demand a refund later but we will not allow them anything because we are not at fault. They submitted their applications very late and the office had no commitment beyond lighting their tents, which we have honoured,’’ he contends. Meanwhile, the various
stall owners pack their wares as soon as evening begins
to set in because sale without light is not possible
while a few make do with candles. |
2,500 attend medical camp CHANDIGARH, February 27 — The Sudershan Chakra division organised a two day civil interaction and medical check up camp at the border village of Khatan, (Ganganagar), Rajasthan, which concluded today. The camp, which received overwhelming response, was inaugurated by Maj-Gen Mohinder Singh, General Officer Commanding of the division. Specialist army doctors from the field of gynaecology, paediatrics, ophthalmology, ENT, dental and lady surgeons examined and treated more than 2, 500 persons. The villagers were also informed about personal hygiene, cleanliness of surroundings and some common diseases. A large number of cattle were also examined and treated by veterinarians. The villagers were told how to guard their cattle against some diseases which affected their livestock regularly. Other welfare activities
like repair of school buildings, purification of drinking
water sources besides plantation of saplings was also
undertaken by the army authorities. |
Complaint against fair price shop Chandigarh, February 27 — Members of the Residents Welfare Association, Sector 19, an organisation of persons living in government houses types II and III, have complained to the authorities against the alleged “autocratic functioning” of the fair price shop owner of the area. Mr Vijay Kumar, president of the association in a statement signed by him and 40 other residents, said the shop was in a dingy room and had no power connection. The owner seldom distributed commodities on time and opened the shop as per his convenience, they alleged. In a letter to the
Secretary, Food and Supplies, the members demanded action
against the depot owner. |
Road becomes virtual deathtrap Mullanpur Garibdass, February 27 — The road from Chandigarh to Kurali via Mullanpur Garibdass has become a virtual deathtrap due to lack of maintenance, leading to frequent accidents. Traffic on this road is heavy as it is the shortest route from Chandigarh to Ropar. A large number of industrial units and brick- kilns are also located in the area and use this road to transport goods and raw material. A large number of trucks can be seen plying on the road all the time. The road has developed potholes making the passage of traffic difficult. At places the condition of the road is so bad that the villagers regularly fill the potholes with soil on their own. The worst affected spots are on the Mullanpur Garibdass village stretch. The residents complain that repeated reminders to the authorities have had little affect. “Our representations to the elected representatives of the area too have progressed little beyond assurances” they say. According to Mr Narinder Jeet, a local resident, the condition of the road has deteriorated during the past 10 months. While traffic has increased little care has been paid to the condition of the road, he added. Mr Arvind Puri, a local social activist, said the administration seem to have closed its eyes on the matter. The stretch has become an accident prone zone. There is hardly a day when an accident is not reported. The situation gets aggravated during the monsoons and driving at night is nightmare. The police also blames the poor condition of road as the primary cause of accidents. On February 20, Mr K.S. Aulakh, Principal Chief Forest Conservator, Punjab, was killed in an accident when his car rammed into a truck near here. In a particular accident, a trolley carrying bricks overturned, seriously injuring eight persons. “Here accidents occur mainly because of the bad road rather than collisions”. Mr Sarabjit Singh Sidhu, SHO, Mullanpur, added,” We are unable to react or provide first aid whenever an accident takes place as the telephone at the local police station is out of order for the past 15 days”. The PWD has started the
work of carpeting the road, but Mr Varinder Singh, a
local resident, claims that the work is progressing at a
snail’s pace. On the other hand the PWD officials
said the work would be completed within a month. |
Jerath’s bail plea rejected CHANDIGARH, February, 27 — The Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, today rejected the bail application of Mr K.K. Jerath, Chief Engineer, Chandigarh Administration (under suspension), in connection with FIR number 1, lodged by the Vigilance Cell under Sections 13(1) (a) (b) (c) (d) and Section 2 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with Sections 406, 409, 420 and 120-B, IPC. The judge had yesterday heard arguments for and against the bail application. The stand of the defence counsel was that as in FIR numbers 2 and 3, registered by the Vigilance Cell, the prosecution had discriminated against Mr Jerath in this case. This case had been registered on the basis of certain diaries seized during an income tax raid on the houses of three alleged middlemen. Although Mr Jerath had been booked on supposition, because only his initials appeared in the diaries, the Administration did not proceed against other officers, despite their full names appearing in the diaries. The defence counsel had pleaded that Mr Jerath was placed on a better footing than the other accused persons, who had either not been arrested or were granted bail. His client had already been in judicial custody for 92 days. Out of the 36 accused persons, only 13 officials had been arrested and all of them, with the exception o2f Mr Jerath, had been granted bail. As many as 23 accused had not been arrested. He also asserted that diaries were not admissible evidence, as was held by the Supreme Court in the CBI versus V.C. Shukla case. Opposing the bail application, the special public prosecutor had contended that at least one set of diaries were accurate books of accounts, in which entries in respect of kickbacks paid to Mr Jerath and other officers had been made for the period from September 8, 1995, to March 26, 1997. The diaries recovered from Sharma brothers, allegedly by middlemen, contained receipts and expenditure details, both of professional and personal nature. He had contended that the investigation had connected various accused with the crime. There was unimpeachable evidence to show that Mr Jerath was the “lynchpin to this colossal corruption”. He had said the case “uncovers an intricate design system of institutionalised corruption”. He had also said other
accused persons had cooperated with the investigating
agency and it was not essential to arrest all accused, in
view of the mandate of the apex court in the Joginder
Kumar case. |
Demolition drive called off PANCHKULA, February 27 — The enforcement staff of the local office of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) had to abandon its plan to demolish unauthorised structures raised at Manav Kendra of Ruhani Satsang at Bhainsa Tibba village here, after a large number of followers of the sect gathered at the kendra this morning. The staff equipped with three bulldozers and led by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Panchkula and the Estate Officer of HUDA, were there to remove the structures raised on HUDA land. A contingent of police was kept waiting at a distance from the site. But sensing the mood of the mob, the drive was called off. The officials said more time had been given to the management of the kendra as a congregation was to be held here in the coming days. Sources in the Administration said the kendra had already been served notice by HUDA — few days back to remove the encroachments. The issue has been hanging fire for the past many years with the Chandigarh Ruhani Satsang urging the Government to give the land to the kendra. Meanwhile a spokesman of the kendra said the demolition would affect the future of more than 300 children who were being given spiritual education at the kendra. Free homoeopathic, ayurvedic and allopathic dispensaries also being run at the centre. He said more than eight
lakh devotees attended spiritual congregations, thrice
every year. A representation in this regard will be
submitted to the Chief Minister. |
Traffic trouble spot of Kalka KALKA, February 27— The gateways to Shimla, the towns of Pinjore and Kalka, have become trouble spots for traffic on the Chandigarh- Shimla highway. Long queues of vehicles stuck on the road is a common sight. The traffic peaks during late evening hours. The road is not wide enough for smooth traffic in both towns. As thousands of vehicles pass these towns, bad roads and sharp turns often result in traffic jams. The route become extremely busy during the tourist season. The industrial belt in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, is said to have added to the problem. A young student of a local college, Mr Devider Singh, is of the view that more traffic police personnel should be deployed for a smooth traffic Vendors have further made the passage of traffic difficult. Several fruit sellers and juice vendors keep their rehris beside the road, making it vulnerable to accidents. Cattle menace is also said to be another reason of accidents on the road. Parked auto rickshaws and taxis on the roadside also hits the flow of traffic. These vehicles parked near the shops add to the agony of the shop owners. Mr Dinesh Gabha, a cloth merchant, complains of loss in his business. “Auto drivers often park their vehicles in front of the shops on the road. Primarily, we lose our customers and secondly it always extends the risk of accidents”, he said. Both the towns of Pinjore
and Kalka lack bus stops. The buses halt on the road
increasing the chances to accidents. The tourist vehicles
also create traffic hazards as they park their vehicles
on the road for shopping. |
Computer courses sans teachers CHANDIGARH, February 27 — With computers having become the new catchword of the 90s, computer education in government colleges still seems to be on its crutches. Reportedly, almost four years back, colleges were made to buy computers, without developing the necessary infrastructure in terms of computer laboratories or computer instructors. “Around six computers were foisted upon us, around four years back. These gathered dust because the staff did not know how to use them”, says Mrs Mohini Sharma, Principal, Government College for Girls, Sector 42. Reportedly, the college was asked to give these computers to Government School, Sector 23, which was providing a computer course, but the college allegedly refused to do so. The college today runs three computer courses: a one-year course in electronic assembly, a six-month course in electronic repair and a one-year course in computer hardware and maintenance. However, there is no specialised full-time instructor. The 200 students of all these courses, the equipment for which has been provided by the Consumers Electronic Punjab Limited, Mohali, receive a stipend of Rs 250 per month from the Punjab Government. According to teachers of the college, the course has a dropout rate of 30 per cent. The Principal, Government College, Sector 46, Major D.P. Singh, says, “The computers given to us were basically for office automation, but the staff member who had been trained to work on computers is on maternity leave. We have now started an optional computer course in the college”. The college claims to be the only government college to provide such an optional course at the B. Com final year level, and that too without any extra fee. As many as 28 students have opted for this course comprising two-hour sessions for three days. The college has three computers and six monitors. The only government college in the city to run a Bachelor in Computer Applications (BCA) course is the Government College, Sector 11. Ten computers were installed in November last year. Mr D.S. Mangat, DPI (Colleges and Schools), says “The computers that were purchased for the colleges were basically meant for office automation. Their configuration serves the purpose for which they were purchased”. Most of the colleges, however, have started various courses in computer applications and demand full-time teachers for the same. “I am an M.Sc. in Maths, and since I had some inclination towards computers, I am now also handling the computer section of the college, along with handling the audio-visual department”, says Dr Daljit Singh of the Government College of Education, Sector 20. The college has an optional computer education course for B.Ed students, It is being run for around four years without a special instructor. Dr Daljit Singh has got “special approval” from Panjab University to run this course, according to Mrs S. Tangri, Principal. Meanwhile, there is no provision by the Central Government to fill any post specifically for computer education, because of which most colleges are making use of part-time instructors. “The college staff is periodically sent to National Informatics Centre (NIC), Sector 9, to learn computers and automise their office”, adds Mr Mangat. A lecturer in Government
College, Sector 46, says, “Some of us were sent for
a 14-day computer training some time back. But lack of
manpower needs to be looked into immediately by the
authorities”. A lecturer in Government College,
Sector 11, adds, “The staff is sometimes sent for
training, but then it depends on the cooperation given by
the staff members”. |
Quiz winners honoured CHANDIGARH, February 27 — The Adviser to the Administrator, Mr Jagdish Sagar, today honoured the two students of St John’s High School, Sector 26, who had won the all-Asia finals of the Bournvita quiz contest, held in Mumbai recently. The duo,Gunjit Singh and Pulkit Diwan, were presented a trophy at an impressive function on the school premises amid thunderous applause. Mr Sagar said though facts were important, information must be touched with emotions. He urged students to combine light reading, like fiction, with serious literature. Among those present was the father of Gunjit, Mr Puranjit Singh, Chief Engineer of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC). Mr Sagar also awarded
prizes to a number of students associated with library
projects of the school. |
Computing a bright future CHANDIGARH, February 27 — Rishi Bajaj and Monica Randhawa are working hard to realise their dream of striking it rich in Canada. After finishing their 10 + 2, they have enrolled themselves in one of the prestigious computer training institutes in Chandigarh for a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) course. They were among the lucky five, who got admission to the B.Tech. course last year after an entrance examination. After their four-year course, Rishi and Monica will qualify as software engineers which will cost them a lakh each. They would then like to go abroad as programmers involved in developing and improving software. They may be the luckier ones from among the 70,000 to 80,000 students who pass out from about 100 computer training institutes in Chandigarh, every year. In the past two or three years, a large number of such institutes have mushroomed in different sectors of the city, besides the prestigious and the better known ones which are few in number. According to Mr Sameer Vij, business executive with a well-known computer training institute, the maximum number of students opt for career courses in computers after completing 10 + 2. According to him, at present the Information Technology (IT) industry offers more jobs than the other fields. Mr Vij divides the graduates passing out of these institutes into three broad categories. There are those who start their own business in software development. They cater to specific requirements of software packages in various industries. In the second category are those who go abroad to countries like the USA, Canada or any of the European countries. The third category consists of those who are absorbed in the IT industry in India as programmers, or in the administrative or accounts departments, besides Human Resource Development (HRD) and Research and Development (R & D). In the computer training institutes, there are beginners’ introductory courses which last from eight hours to 12 days. The awareness courses, as these are called, are generally attended by housewives, old persons and sometimes bank employees in short, by everyone who is seeking basic familiarity with computers. The career courses vary in duration from three months to three years. The fee varies from Rs 599 for the eight-hour course to Rs 53,700 for the three-year course. In the three-year course at some institutes, after completing two years’ training, the third year is devoted to acquiring ‘professional practice’ (PP) in a software-related company. The candidates are paid a stipend during this term and are appraised and graded according to their proficiency and skills for future placement. Most of the bigger and the
prestigious institutes have their own placement
divisions, sometimes on a global level. They assess and
grade the students according to their capabilities and
monitor their technical and communication skills besides
a host of other personality traits. Counselling is
provided in various areas of personality development. On
investigation it was found that graduates of one of the
prestigious institutes are working with several blue chip
companies. |
Kids present lively show CHANDIGARH, February 27— Skits, songs, poems and many other items marked the annual function-cum-fete of Stepping Stones School, Sector 38, here today. Held in three shifts, the tiny tots presented their programme first followed by items by students of Class I to Class V and finally came the programme of students till Class X. The nursery class children began the show with nursery rhymes while the students of kindergarten recreated old Mac Donald’ s farm on the stage which was full of ducks, chicks, pigs and dogs. Other students of the same class dressed up as yellow ducklings were out for pleasure in the meadows where they sang and danced and made merry. The entertaining programme presented by the next lot of students comprised an innovative ‘qawwali’ through which the students conveyed their resentment on being over burdened with school work and a poem titled ``There isn’t time’’. The play, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, was next in line followed by the beautifully presented `dandia’ of Gujarat. They wound off with an amazing karate display. In the third session, children presented the song``Heal the World’’ while Vanita Jagdish, a student of Class VIII, danced beautifully to `Maro Ghagro Re’’. Karate, aerobics and an English play presenting the pranks played by students in class. A prize distribution function was held at the end of every round for excellence in academics, sports and co-curricular activities. The ``Best Student’’ award was given to Neha Gupta and Harkirat Bhatia, both students of Class X. The chief guests for the
various sessions of the function were chosen from amongst
those who have been associated with the school for a long
time. The annual function was held at the premises of the
school for the first time in 15 years. |
250 GCG girls awarded prizes CHANDIGARH, February 27—At the 42nd annual prize distribution function of Government College for Girls, Sector 11, about 250 prizes were given to students for academic excellence, here today. The function commenced with ``Saraswati vandana’’ by the students followed by the prize distribution and a ‘bhajan’ presentation. Shelly Bansal was awarded the roll of honour for acting while Sonia Kanwar, Aarti Mehta, Chandresh and Kusum were given the roll of honour for sports. Kamini and Aarti, both second year students, were given a special award for honesty. They deposited Rs 5000, they had found at the college premises, with the principal. Meenakshi Sharma and 23 sportspersons were given the college colour for NCC and outstanding performance in sports, respectively. Four scholarships were also awarded at the function. While the scholarships for standing first in chemistry in the first, second and third years went to Rajinder Kaur, Nanta and Preeti Tyagi respectively , the Rina Sarao scholarship went to Rattan Kaur, a student of BSc III. The Principal of Government Medical College, Prof V.K. Kak, gave away the prizes. He urged the students to keep pace with the explosion of knowledge and stressed the changing role of the teacher to one of a facilitator who disseminates knowledge from a learner’s point of view. The Principal, Mrs Vijay
Lakshmi, read out the annual report of the college. She
highlighted the achievements of the students in
academics, sports and various co-curricular activities. |
CHANDIGARH, February 27 — The President of the Panjab University Campus Students Council, Mr Dayal Pratap Singh Randhawa, ended his fast on the fourth day here today. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof M.M. Puri, offered a glass of fruit juice to Mr Randhawa and conveyed an assurance from the Adviser to the UT Administrator to look into the demands raised by him. According to a press note, the demands, which have evoked a positive response, include grant of separate bus passes to girl students at peak hours, opening of bus pass issuing counters on the university and college premises, separate fee counters in all departments of the university and common bus passes for all public transport. The demands which required further perusal were waiver of entertainment tax in cinema halls, free bus passes for students and railway reservation counters at PU, the note added. Postponement sought: The
Panjab University Students Union, in a press note here on
Saturday, sought postponement of the annual examinations
of undergraduate classes. |
CHANDIGARH, February 27: The police today found the baby of a new-born abandoned baby girl from the cremation ground near the Indira Colony in Mani Majra. The girl was spotted by some kids playing near the cremation ground, who later informed the police. A case has been registered. One held: The police has arrested Kamal Preet Singh, a resident of Sector 17 of Panchkula, on the charges of outraging the modesty of a minor girl of the Customs Colony, in Sector 37, here. According to the police, the 20-year-old accused came to the colony and tried to outrage the modesty of the girl after luring the six-year-old to the roof of a house. When the girl raised the alarm, the father of the girl, Mr Ranjit Singh, along with other persons overpowered him and informed the police. A case has been registered. Beaten up: Mr Rakesh Gulati, a resident of Sector 27, in a complaint with the police alleged, that he along with Anil Khurana were beaten up by Amit and others. Mr Gulati and Mr Khurana have been injured and admitted to the general Hospital in Sector 16. A case has been registered. Dowry case: Ms Dharmjit Kaur, a resident of Shastri Colony, complained to the police that his husband Kuldip Singh, and her in-laws, Bant Singh, Ram Bakash Singh and Partap Singh, all residents of Ludhiana, have been harassing her for dowry. A case has been registered. Liquor seized: The police has arrested Kishan Lal, a resident of Maloya Colony, and seized 36 bottle of country wine from his possession. Car stolen: Mr Khuswant singh, a resident of Sector 34, in a complaint with the police alleged that his car UP-78-G-5255 has been stolen from his residence. A case has been registered. PANCHKULA Body found: The
body of a new born boy was found lying near Bal Niketan
in Sector 2 here this morning. The police suspects the
boy had been abandoned by someone near the niketan last
night. The post mortem of the victim was conducted at the
local General Hospital here. |
CHANDIGARH, Feb 27 — For the classical art lovers of the city it is a bonanza time. After experiencing an enthralling performance of Kuchipudi last evening, it was an evening of aesthetically presented Kathak, by Prerna Shrimall, an exponent of the Jaipur gharana. Prerna began her rendering of pure Nritta in Teen Taal elaborating with That, Uthan, Amad $ Paran — the meaningless syllables or "bols" which are filled with meaning through gestures by the dancer. She made this rendering effective through innovative abstraction and combined it with elegant movements. "Upaj," the hallmark of Jaipur gharana, was a nicely presented where the artist provided spontaneous improvisations in rhythmic patterns. This was followed by a Khayal in raga behar "Niko Rang Saras Bahal", celebrating the spring season. She was at her best in innovative explorations of Mayur and Badal where she let her body language go free and explored the rhythmic and poetically sensitive aspects of the rainy season. The traditional Sawal
Jawab was followed by a "holi". She also
demonstrated different kinds of pirouettes used by the
exponents of Jaipur gharana. Prerna concluded her recital
by a prayer of peace for all in Sanskrit. She was
accompanied by Fateh Singh on tabla, Murad Ali on Sarangi
Rakesh Prasanna on flute and vocalist Imran Khan. Musical evening CHANDIGARH, February 27 — Swar Aanchal Mohali, in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs Haryana, held a musical evening today at the Tagore Theatre. With a number of Chandigarh singers seen often in musical programmes on television, today’s evening of ‘Bhule Bisrey Geet’ was like many other musical evenings held frequently in the city. But the organisers for a change had both the crowds and the music under control. The evening began with Ritu belting out an old number, ‘Mere sahab’ followed by ‘Teri shanai’ by Jugraj and Sushmita. Ritu,who is often seen on such stage shows, later sang ‘Yeh raat bheegi-bheegi’ along with Ajay and ‘Dil tadap-tadap’, sounded quite engaging. ‘Piya kaise milun’, from the film ‘Saranga’, sung by Rajinder Kala and Veenu Kautish, proved to be a delightful rendition. Veenu Kautish is another regular in such shows, and has also sung for many Punjabi films. Other notable singers included Sunil and Amarjit. The 22 old Hindi film songs included hits like ‘Aa ja sanam’, ‘Jo wada kiya woh’, ‘Dheere-dheere bol koyee sun na ley”. The music for the evening was arranged by Raman Kant. The other accompanists included Bimal Sharma on the flute, Gautam Dhar on the tabla, Puneet Talwar on the rhythm guitar, and Arun on the keyboard. Mr J S Kesar, Secretary, Public Relations, Punjab was the chief guest on the occasion. Suchet Bala impresses CHANDIGARH, February 27—Hundreds of local residents thronged Sector 17 to enjoy the Plaza Carnival here today. Suchet Bala and Satbir Dhillon impressed the audiences with foot tapping folk songs of Punjab. In the artists corner
students of the local Arts College sketched portraits of
people. |
CHANDIGARH, February 27 — The prices of dates and some of the costly ‘off-season’ vegetables have come down during past three days. A survey of the local market revealed that the price of dates have come down by about 35 per cent during the past three days. If a kg of the commodity was available for Rs 30 during past week, the prices crashed down on Wednesday to between Rs 15 and Rs 20. While in the Sector 26 vegetable market dates are priced at Rs 15 a kg, elsewhere it is Rs 20. According to sources, this was because the demand had decreased owing to a rise in the temperature. “People only want to enjoy dates during winters,” said a fruit seller in Sector 22 market. On the other hand, the price of pineapple has gone up during this period. A piece of the fruit, priced at Rs 25 last week, was available in the market today for Rs 30. The rise is attributed to the onset of the “marriage season”. While there is no fluctuation in the prices of most of the common fruits, ber and raspberry, which had made their entry in the market after February 15, were priced at Rs 20 and Rs 40 per kg respectively. On the vegetable front, the prices of some of the ‘off-season’ vegetables have come down considerably during period. A kg of bittergourd, priced between Rs 40 and Rs 50 just two days back, is today available in the Sector 22 vegetable market between Rs 20 and Rs 30. Similarly, the retail price of capsicum has come down from Rs 25 a kg to Rs 15. Ladyfinger, which was priced at Rs 45 a kg last week is available in the Sector 22 market for Rs 30 a kg. According to traders, the fall in the prices was due to a steep decline in the prices of other vegetables and enhanced arrivals from Howrah and Calcutta. The prices of vegetables per kg are as following:- Peas-Rs 5 cabbage-Rs 2 cauliflower-Rs 2 carrot-Rs 2 beans-Rs 12; cucumber-Rs 10; capsicum-Rs 15 sugarbeet-Rs 2 tomato-Rs 5 potato-Rs 3 onion-Rs 5 bittergourd-Rs 20-30 ginger-Rs 32 Garlic-Rs 40 brinjal-Rs 6 lady finger-Rs 30 and gourd-Rs 15. The prices of fruits per
kg are: apple-Rs 40 grapes-Rs 30 banana-Rs 15 a dozen;
pomegranate-Rs 40 a kg; mausambi-Rs 40 a dozen; orange-Rs
40 a dozen; raspberry-Rs 40; ber-Rs 20 and papaya-Rs 20. |
 |
 |
| Nation
| Punjab | Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | | Editorial | | Business | Sport | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | E-mail | |
