Admn move irks Bansal CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The Chandigarh Administration's move to delete the provision relating to the right of the holder of a 'power of attorney' to seek conversion of leasehold land into freehold has drawn serious opposition from Mr Pawan Bansal, a former member of Parliament.

Couple crushed to death

Fire in Industrial Area factory
CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — A major fire was reported from the Industrial Area, Phase II, here today.

‘What politics has to do with sports?’
CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — "There cannot be anything worse than this." "It is unfortunate". "It is stupid". "What politics has to do with sports?" "It deserves serious condemnation from all sides."

Artificial limb for peahen PANCHKULA, Jan 20 — The Nevedac Prosthetic Centre at Daulatsinghwala near here, which has provided artificial limbs to thousands of people is now grappling with an unusual case, perhaps, the first of its kind in the country.

Rash driving cases on the rise
SAS NAGAR, Jan 20 — Negligent and rash driving cases are on the rise in the city. According to official figures, there had been an increase of about 40 per cent in such cases in last year as compared to the previous year. Despite an alarming rise, no concrete step has been taken by the police so far to prevent the occurrence of such incidents in the city.

Ramasekhar may be city DC
CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The Home ministry has reportedly cleared the name of Mr Ramasekhar, an IAS officer of Haryana cadre, for the post of Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh.

Employees find supermarket shut

Training programme

Land acquisition
Admn accepts Jain's suggestion
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 19 — A reduction in stamp duty from 12 per cent to 6 per cent on the Punjab pattern, further simplification of the procedure for conversion of leasehold property to freehold property, implementation of the Apartments Act and a review of decision to acquire land for paramilitary forces by uprooting people with "pucca" houses at Hallomajra were some of the issues raised by local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, at the third meeting of the Administrator's Advisory Council here today.

Mr Jain told The Tribune after the meeting that when housing was a major problem facing the Chandigarh Administration, there was no justification in demolishing already constructed houses for acquiring land for paramilitary forces.

He said many other members agreed with him in suggesting to the Administration to have a second look at its decision over acquisition of land at Palsora and Hallomajra villages.

Earlier, the Adviser said that the Administration had decided in principle to allot alternative sites to all those who had constructed their houses at Deep complex before the notification of Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act. In view of the new suggestion today, he said the Administration was ready for a second look.

On the issue of simplification of the procedure for conversion of lease hold property, he said he suggested at the meeting that representatives of the public must be associated with all such committees. He also suggested further simplification of the procedures, including enforcement of the Apartments Act, to cover dwelling units of the Chandigarh Housing Board. "The owners must be given absolute rights. Besides, the general power of attorney (GPA) should be fully recognised," Mr Jain added.

Talking about the provision of basic services to people living outside "lal dora" in villages, the local MP wanted the Administration to take a decision in this regard at the earliest. For provision of services, he offered to give money from his MP fund.

Mr Jain said that all members agreed that beauty and character of the city should not be spoiled and any encroachments should be checked effectively. The Administration must devise ways to provide housing and other facilities to those engaged in informal services to the residents of the city, he added.

He added that it was agreed that the next meeting of the Council should be held either in the last week of March or in the first week of April.

Admn move irks Bansal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The Chandigarh Administration's move to delete the provision relating to the right of the holder of a 'power of attorney' to seek conversion of leasehold land into freehold has drawn serious opposition from Mr Pawan Bansal, a former member of Parliament.

Reacting to a recommendation made to this effect by a committee of senior officers, Mr Bansal said in a statement that if such a recommendation were to be given effect to the very purpose of the scheme regarding the conversion of residential leasehold property into free hold property would be rendered meaningless as a large percentage of Chandigarh property, particularly housing board flats, had already been sold on the execution of valid powers of attorney.

Mr Bansal said it was after a protracted and in-depth discussion of this question that the conversion scheme of 1996 had permitted application for conversion by a person holding a valid power of attorney to sell or otherwise transfer property. The only condition applied to such cases was the levy of a surcharge of 33.33 per cent on the conversion fee. Also execution of a regular conveyance deed in such cases had been provided for.

He said the people were, however, discouraged from applying for conversion because of certain objections by the Estate Office and the scheme had virtually remained a non-starter.

Urging the Administrator of Chandigarh to amend the earlier leasehold rules of 1973 that provide for payment to the Administration of an amount equal to one half of the difference between the present market price of any flat and its price at the time of allotment.

The former MP said that the conversion scheme was framed for the benefit of the people in view of the changed concept about the ownership over landed property and every effort should be made to remove the lacunae therein and to make it truly people-friendly. The Administration should not be merely guided by the monetary considerations.

He also urged the Administration to reduce the stamp duty from 12.5 per cent to 6 per cent. This, he said, would not affect the revenue but encourage people to declare the true price.

Longest spell of chill in UT
By Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — Residents of Chandigarh have braved a record number of cold days this winter. In the past 28 days, the maximum daytime temperature has dropped below 15°C on 17 days, which is a record of sorts.

Interestingly in the past 12 years, daytime temperature in Chandigarh has dropped below 15°C only on 24 days. The winter season comprises the months of December and January, meteorological department officials said while giving out data about how this year the city has witnessed the maximum number of cold days ever during a season.

Starting from December 24, daytime temperature has dropped below the 15°C mark on 17 days. Twelve such days have been during the current month while five days were in December. In the past 10 days, the mercury went beyond the 15°C mark only on one day, January 13. On all other days, including today, the temperature was below 15°C with January 18 being the coldest at 10. 4°C, according to data available with the weather office.

On the other hand, the minimum temperature has not dropped much. Met officials explained that due to fog and a cloud cover, the minimum temperature does not drop, but the maximum also does not rise.

So far this winter has been the second most dry winter the city has experienced. There was no rain in December and only 26 mm of rainfall has occurred in January. The driest winter was the 1996-97 season when only 23 mm of rain fell in December and January. The chances are that rain may break the cold spell. The forecast is that it may rain tonight or tomorrow.

Weather pundits explained that winter rain is caused by western disturbances. The number of western disturbances cannot be predicted. Similarly, no reason can be assigned for any variation in rainfall.

Surprisingly, yesterday Chandigarh, Ambala, Amritsar and Patiala were colder than Shimla during the day. In Chandigarh the maximum temperature rose from 10.4°C since January 18 and it was recorded at 11.6°C today. Ambala, Amritsar and Patiala had a maximum of 10.4°C, 13.6°C and 14.1°C, respectively.

On the other the hand, Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, recorded a daytime temperature of 15.4°C. In the City Beautiful, residents shivered as blowers and heaters remained switched on during the day.

The sun made a brief appearance today but overcast conditions prevailed soon after.

Fire in Industrial Area factory
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — A major fire was reported from the Industrial Area, Phase II, here today.

Goods worth thousands of rupees were destroyed in the blaze which gutted the first floor of a factory manufacturing mattresses and pillows. The fire reportedly broke out when a highly inflammable material, telonin dye iso-cynide (TDI), used in the cutting and processing of the mattresses, caught fire around 12.20 p.m.

A major portion of machinery on the first floor and huge piles of mattresses and pillows were burnt. However, the stacked finished products on the second floor and important office documents and furniture on the ground floor were saved due to the timely arrival of the fire brigade.

According to Mr Darshan Singh, Chief Fire Officer, eight fire engines fought the blaze for over 45 minutes.

The building has been sealed. The exact loss will be ascertained by tomorrow.

The Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, Mr S.K. Gathwal, and the Secretary, Dr Amar Pal Singh, visited the factory premises.

‘What politics has to do with sports?’
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — "There cannot be anything worse than this." "It is unfortunate". "It is stupid". "What politics has to do with sports?" "It deserves serious condemnation from all sides."

These are some of the reactions from eminent sports personalities, sports administrators and politicians on the ransacking of office of the BCCI in Mumbai in the wake of Shiv Sena's threat to disrupt the ensuing India-Pakistan series. It all started with the vandalisation of the Union Capital's Ferozeshah Kotla pitch following which the first Test was shifted to Chennai.

Among those interviewed by The Tribune today were Mr Inderjit Singh Bindra, a former President of the BCCI; hockey Olympians R.S. Bhola and Pargat Singh and a former member of the Lok Sabha, Mr Pawan Bansal, and a former Test cricketer and member of the 1983 World Cup champion Indian cricket team.

Mr Inderjit Singh Bindra, who is also the President of the Punjab Cricket Association, says people should react to such acts of "vandalism". "Let these handful of hooligans be isolated and punished. There is no place for politics in sports. It is strange that people who are behind all this vandalism occupy key positions in the BCCI. One of the vice-presidents of the BCCI has been a part of the group responsible for vandalism. He should have been thrown out. You just cannot have double standards.

"The Government must make it clear that if such a thing happened, there shall be no international cricket in Mumbai for next three years. There is no business of politicians to be doing such a thing," Mr Bindra added.

Mr Pawan Bansal, a former CTCC chief and an ex-MP, said that "it is more than vandalism".

"It deserves serious condemnation by all. The Bharatiya Janata Party is in connivance with the Shiv Sena activists, their alliance partners. To prove its bona fides and its sincerity, the BJP Government must ban the Shiv Sena and put those responsible for acts of vandalism behind bars. In fact, everybody feels strongly about these unfortunate developments. It is very serious," adds Mr Bansal.

R.S. Bhola says the action of Shiv Sena disruptionists was "stupid" as it would have serious international ramifications. "It will have negative impact on international scenario. Our relations with Pakistan have been improving gradually. I strongly feel that sports must go on and politics has nothing to do with sports. And if the ISI had been creating problems, let the government and its agencies handle that problem. I really feel sad at these developments," concludes Bhola.

Pargat Singh, who had the distinction of captaining India in two consecutive Olympic Games, says that action of Shiv Sena activists was "unfortunate". Such incidents need total condemnation from all sections of society.

"Attempts to disrupt sporting events is total nonsense. The government must take firm and strict action against defaulters so that sporting events go on without allowing any political interference. The incidents at Mumbai and New Delhi can have far-reaching implications. Their immediate impact can be felt on the ensuing nine-Test series between the hockey teams of the two countries.

"The government must ensure that all sporting events are held without any disturbance as the prestige and honour of the country is at stake. I appreciate the Pakistan board for deciding to go ahead with the tour," Pargat Singh added.

A former Test cricketer and a member of the 1983 World Cup champion India team, Yash Pal Sharma, says acts of "vandalism at Mumbai and Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi have been very shameful. Whosoever is responsible for it, it has made us hang our heads in shame.

"We are more hurt as the World Cup won by us in 1983 has been damaged in this mad vandalism. Did we win this Cup for this humiliation ? If cricket matches against Pakistan are not to be allowed in India, then why play Pakistan in Sharjah or in Toronto in Sahara series. But why pick on cricket alone. I strongly feel that all must sit together and find a solution to these problems. There is no problem which cannot be solved through dialogue or negotiations. I respect Bal Thackeray but it does not mean that politics should be allowed to spoil sports.

"When we won the World Cup in 1983, seven Pakistani cricketers joined us in celebrations and danced with us the whole night. This is what makes sports so beautiful. It is only sports which brings the entire world together on playfields as in Olympics.

Let us not divide people in the name of sports," Yash Pal Sharma averred.

Artificial limb for peahen
By Rajmeet Singh

PANCHKULA, Jan 20 — The Nevedac Prosthetic Centre at Daulatsinghwala near here, which has provided artificial limbs to thousands of people is now grappling with an unusual case, perhaps, the first of its kind in the country.

What is so exceptional about the case? The case does not relate to a human-being but to peahen, which lost one of its legs due to a bone disease — afflicting the bird species.

The bird, a 10 year-old female peacock, has been referred to the centre by the Haryana Wildlife department from a mini zoo at Pinjore after a strange disease 'osteoporosis' damaged the bird's right leg.

Dr M.R. Singla, a veterinary doctor of the State Wildlife department, says initially scales appeared on the leg. Parts of bone grew above the surface like scales and then minute holes appeared in the bone thereby weakening it . A similar disease had afflicted the mother of the bird, says Dr Singla.

"The diseased leg of the peahen broke off about three months ago when it tried to grasp the wire mesh of its enclosure at the Pinjore zoo. The injured leg was treated with antiseptics. A wildlife expert suggested having an artificial leg for the bird. This is how the bird landed at the prosthetic centre", Dr Singla adds.

When the bird arrived at the centre it generated a lot of interest among the practising prosthetics. Accepting the bird as a challenge, experts at the centre designed a plastic leg with a rubberised claw — weighing 80 gm.

The Managing Director of the prosthetic centre, Dr V.J.S. Vohra, says as it was an exceptional case, "we decided to try the novel experiment of providing a prosthetic leg to the bird"

Mr Janak Singh, a senior technician, who has designed the artificial leg says the bird is not fully accepting the leg and would have to be trained to use it. There is no problem when it has to walk. But when it takes small flights and lands on its legs the artificial leg, attached with the base bone with a strap, breaks off .

Dr Vohra says the prosthetic leg is good for cosmetic use. As the new leg does not have claw movement the bird has problem when it takes a flight.

Mr Chadi Lal, who has been designing artificial limbs for the past 25 years, is hopeful about the outcome of the experiment. He says earlier ambulatory aid had been provided to dogs. Even a horse of a former Chief Minister of Punjab had been provided with an artificial foot. But fixing an artificial leg to a bird is a rare thing, he says.

Animal activists and veterinary doctors view the experiment as a big challenge. They say birds, which lose their limbs in accident or due to some disease, could get a new lease of life if the experiment is successful.

Rash driving cases on the rise
By Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Jan 20 — Negligent and rash driving cases are on the rise in the city.

According to official figures, there had been an increase of about 40 per cent in such cases in last year as compared to the previous year. Despite an alarming rise, no concrete step has been taken by the police so far to prevent the occurrence of such incidents in the city.

As many as 70 cases of rash driving were registered last year compared to 51 in 1997, according to figures.

Interestingly, 50 per cent of the cases witnessed the involvement of youth in the age group of 18 to 20 and most of them were without licences. Similarly, 50 per cent of the incidents took place due to carelessness of the drivers, particularly while overtaking at high speed, the police sources said.

Most accidents occurred at as many as 16 T-Points in the city and on the highly congested road leading from Phase VII to Phase V. "Not a single day passes without an accident on this road. Normally most of the offenders or victims are school-going boys driving their vehicles at high speed," observed Mr Dimple, a Phase VII resident.

A trader of the area attributed the problem to lack of traffic management on the part of the city police. He alleged that the "challan-loving" cops leave intersections as and when the traffic-lights are off. It seems they are not interested in regulating traffic".

What is disturbing the police is the increasing involvement of youth driving latest hi-speed vehicles in road accidents. "You can see teenagers driving City Hondas, Fords and even Mercedes at greater speeds," said one of the police officials. He opined that the problem could be tackled only if the parents did not allow their children to drive such vehicles.

According to sources, the city police had launched a number of drives in the recent past but none succeeded. When contacted, Mr B.S. Randhawa, the Superintendent of Police, admitted that the problem was acquiring an alarming proportion. He, however, said nothing much could be done as the city police was facing an acute shortage of staff. "We have a strength of only seven to eight cops for manning as many as 25 roundabouts in the city, for which we need at least 25 to 30 cops for traffic duty," he added.

The city police had been requesting the higher authorities for the deployment of more officials for traffic duty for the past one year, but nothing had come out of this, the sources said.

Mr Randhawa said there could be no real solution to the problem unless the teenagers were educated by parents against the perils involved in driving at high speed.

Meanwhile, incidents of burglary and vehicle theft have gone up in the city. As many as 26 cases of burglary were registered in 1998 as compared to 24 in 1997. Cases of murder and attempt to murder witnessed a fall last year.

Mr Randhawa, said in a majority of theft cases migrant labourers were found to be involved. In order to prevent vehicle theft, the residents have been advised to get their vehicles fitted with anti-theft gadgets.

Ramasekhar may be city DC
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — The Home ministry has reportedly cleared the name of Mr Ramasekhar, an IAS officer of Haryana cadre, for the post of Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh.

The name of Mr Ramasekhar had been recommended by the Chandigarh Administration.

The name will now go to the Cabinet Committee on Appointments before formal orders are issued.

Employees find supermarket shut
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — Employees of a Sector 35 supermarket were shocked this morning when they found the shutters of the store sealed.

They were shocked when they came to know that the stores had been closed down.

The employees on the condition of anonymity said that the entire stock had been shifted early in the morning by the management of one of the supermarket chains without any intimation to them.

The person in charge of the store was not available for comments. However, a guard present outside the supermarket confirmed that the establishment had been closed.

Training programme
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Jan 20 — A two-day specialised training programme on occupational safety and health is being organised by the North Zone Chapter of the National Safety Council at Pinjore from January 29.

Emphasis will be laid on occupational health.

Experts from the PGI and Chandigarh Medical College are expected to participate in the programme.

The function will be inaugurated by Mr D.S. Bains, Special Secretary to the Union Minister of State for Industry.

Couple crushed to death
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 20 — An employee of Panjab University and his wife — a school teacher — returning home on a scooter (CH-01-J-2592) were crushed to death by an unidentified vehicle near Khuda Lahora village around 6.30 this evening.

The vehicle sped away even as the couple breathed their last within minutes of the crash, according to police sources.

The vehicle possibly hit the scooter, throwing the couple off the scooter. They died due to head injuries sustained from the fall.

The deceased, Mr Manmohan Singh, (58) and Pawanjeet Kaur, (52) were returning home on the PU campus in Sector 14 when the accident occurred near the village, which is on the western boundary of Chandigarh. Manmohan Singh was employed as Superintendent in the Physics department while his wife was working as a teacher in a school near Mullanpur village in Ropar district, according to sources.

The couple has three children — a son and two daughters, who are living abroad, a family member said.

A case under sections 304-A and 279 of the IPC has been registered.

Duped: A Sector 21 trader, Mr Raj Kumar Aneja, has been duped of his new Maruti van ( CH-01-7343-T) by two persons, Ram Ahet of UP and his driver, Jaswinder Singh. Mr Aneja, who deals in gachak and reveri, had bought the van last month.

He alleged that yesterday he sent Jaswinder Singh and Ram Ahet to the house of his brother, Mr Som Nath, in Sector 23. The duo never reached there and nor did they come back with the van.

The Sector 19 police has registered a case.

Injured: A Sector 40 resident, Mr Rajeev Khosla, was injured when his scooter was hit by a Maruti van in Sector 39. He has been admitted to the PGI.

Motor cycle stolen: A new motor cycle (CH-01-X-3567) owned by Mr Anil Kumar of Sector 34, has been stolen from the Sector 34 market.

SAS Nagar

Four held: The police has arrested four persons for indulging in gambling in Phase XI here on Wednesday.

According to official sources, the accused have been identified as Bhajan Lal, Kishan Lal, Chotte Lal and Shiv Charan, all residents of Amb Sahib colony, Phase 11.

A case under sections 13A\3\67 of the Gambling Act has been registered against the accused, who were later released on bail.