Held with 3 liquor boxes
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH,July 4 — The police has arrested a resident of Colony No 5 for possessing three boxes of India-made foreign liquor.

The accused, Sukhchain Kumar, was arrested in Sector 47 while he was carrying the boxes containing bottles of liquor.

A case under Sections 61, 1 and14 of the Excise Act has been registered against him.

Assault: Mr Shiv Kumar, a resident of Hallo Majra, has complained that his son was assaulted allegedly by Sital Kumar of the same village. While the accused has been arrested, the police is investigating the matter.

A case has been registered under Section 324 of the IPC.

Brawl: The police has booked two residents of Colony No 5 for indulging in a brawl.

The accused, Krishan Kumar and Ashok Kumar, were arrested on the charge of affray. A case under Section 160, IPC, has been registered. Further investigations are on.

Molest bid: On a complaint lodged by Harvinder Prasad, a Mauli Jagran resident, the Mani Majra police has booked Manju Sharma, a resident of Mauli Jagran, on the charge of attempting to molest a girl. A case under Section 354 of the IPC has been registered and further investigations into the case are on.

Four arrested: Four persons, Parminder Singh, a resident of Kapurthala, Mohinder Singh, a resident of Sector 28, Omkar Singh, a resident of Sector 12 and Saroj of Colony No 4, were arrested after they were found roaming about in the city under mysterious circumstances. A case under Section 41/2/109 of the IPC was registered against them. The police has also booked Avtaar Singh after he was found creating nuisance at a public place.

Body found: The police found the body of a turbaned youth from the Shaheed Bhagat Singh

Colony in Sector 42 here today.

According to the police, the youth appeared to have consumed liquor in excessive quantity. The body has been sent for a post mortem.

Road mishaps: As many as eight persons have been injured in road accidents in different parts of the city since last night.

M.L. Arora, Kiran Ahuja, Parvinder Ahuja, all members of a family and residents of Sector 15, were injured while the scooter they were riding was hit by an Esteem car near Sector 24 police post.

An unidentified person was injured while his scooter skidded near Dhanas village. He was later admitted to the PGI.

Similarly, Vivek, a Sector 37 resident, and Hari Chand of Sector 41 were injured when the scooter and the moped they were riding skidded in Sector 38 and Sector 31, respectively.

Gurpreet and Tiwari, both residents of Sector 21, received injuries after a head-on collision between their scooters near the Sector 21 gurdwara here today.

In another incident, an unidentified person was found in an unconscious state near Dadu Majra village. He was admitted to the PGI.

Lemon gets cheaper
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 4 — The prices of most of commonly used vegetables have witnessed considerable fluctuation in the local market during the past three days.

During a survey of the market today, it was found that a kg of cauliflower priced at Rs 14 three days back, was available at Rs 16. Its wholesale price has increased from Rs 50 to Rs 60 per 5 kg. The price of cabbage also increased from Rs 7-8 a kg to Rs 10 a kg in retail and Rs 35 to Rs 45 per 5 kg.

Gourd went the cabbage way as its price increased from Rs 8 to Rs 12 a kg in retail and Rs 30 to Rs 40 per 5 kg in the wholesale market. Similarly, the price of squashgourd increased from Rs 10 to Rs 14 a kg in retail and Rs 40 to Rs 60 per 5 kg in the wholesale market.

The case of lady's finger was no different as the price of a kg increased from Rs 7 to Rs 10 in retail and Rs 25 to Rs 40 per 5 kg in the wholesale market.

According to traders, the price increased due to lesser arrival of seasonal vegetables in the market following rain in the region.

Cucumber also become costly during this period as a kg of the vegetable increased from Rs 8-10 to Rs 12 in retail and Rs 35 to Rs 50 per 5 kg in the wholesale market.

On the other hand, the prices of some of commonly used vegetables decreased in the local market. A kg of capsicum, priced at Rs 20 a kg three days ago, was available at Rs 10. The fall was an outcome of added arrival of the local varieties of the vegetables from different parts of Punjab and Haryana.

For the same reason, the price of ''tori'' came down from Rs 15 to Rs 12 a kg in retail and Rs 60 to Rs 50 per 5 kg in the wholesale market.

With a dip in the temperature due to rain in the region, the demand of lemon has decreased, which in turn has resulted in a fall in the price from Rs 20 to Rs 15 per kg and Rs 60 to Rs 50 per 5 kg.

There was no change in the prices of some of the vegetables. A kg of onion was still priced at Rs 10 in retail and Rs 40 per 5 kg in the wholesale market. Similarly, the local variety of potato was priced at Rs 5 a kg and the ''pahari'' variety could be purchased at Rs 10 a kg. Brinjal was still priced at Rs 10 a kg in retail and Rs 40 per 5 kg in the wholesale market.

Keeping a tab on calls to Pakistan

The Chandigarh police recently called a meeting of PCO owners and told them to exercise vigilance in the case of clients calling Pakistan.

However, those living in Chandigarh have close relations with many families living in Pakistan. No wonder, on a sudden check on the day of the blast, it was found that some 400 calls had been made by residents of Chandigarh to their friends/ acquaintances in Pakistan.

In view of the caution to be exercised by PCO owners, a city-based innovator, Mr Chanchaljeet Singh Chawla, has come out with a new software, to be incorporated in the PCO machines, that will generate a different kind of beep if a client quietly attempts to connect himself to someone in Pakistan. The new software will ensure that such call will not mature even if the client goes on trying.

It will be up to the PCO owner to remain alert in all such cases where callers try to get in touch with their linkmen in Pakistan.

Film no, screen yes

With the ban on car films, the film sellers might be having a tough time but the boys selling colourful sunscreens and sun shields do thriving business on the city roads. The residents can see many of these boys wearing bright neckties on the roadside, especially near traffic lights, tying to attract the passing car drivers by opening the beautiful and bright landscaped sunscreens or by waving the sun shields (see photo on top of the page).

These boys do not mind working even when the mercury shoots up. Mr Bhagat Ram, a graduate claims to do brisk business throughout the day. He admits that the job involves the risk of an accident. Yet he has to work for his further studies. The colourful sunscreens are priced at Rs 100 and a pair of sun shields costs Rs 150.

Conmen at work

Although the public is becoming more aware about trickery conmen have been devising new ways . Recently, four tricksters made some Sector 21 residents their target by collecting charity for performing last rites of their relative, a roadside cobbler, who according to them had died of some disease.

After collecting a handsome amount from a number of residents, they knocked at the doors of an employee of Punjab Agricultural University, stationed at Chandigarh. Taking pity, he handed over Rs 150 to them. But as soon as they left, he got suspicious and chased them. He found two of the four relishing mangoes by sitting on the railing of a park in the locality.

He followed the two, only to find the other two purchasing a bottle of liquor at a shop in Sector 22. And the trail of surprises did not end here. When he narrated his story and requested a beat officer of the Chandigarh Police to nab the conmen and to recover his money, he said: " Did we ask you to give him money? Are we responsible for what you have done? The officer thus refused to do anything for the poor samaritan, letting the tricksters go in search of more well-meaning victims.

Tree plantation

With a view to supplementing government efforts in bringing down pollution and also to make the towns more green the Environment Society of India (ESI) launches a tree plantation campaign during the monsoon season every year. About 6000 saplings of 10 species are distributed free of cost to the sector welfare associations, religious committees, educational institutions, army and paramilitary units, nongovernmental organisations in Chandigarh, Mohali Panchkula and other areas.

This year the tree plantation campaign will be launched during the coming week. All these organisations can send their requirements of plants, and their species, to the ESI Karuna Sadan, Sector 11B, Chandigarh (Phone 746832).

Local locales

The residents of the city have often heard Chandigarh being called the "Paris of India". Now with a large number of films and serials being shot in the city, it would not come as a surprise if Le Corbusier's landmarks here start getting compared to the locales of Switzerland!

"That day would never come", say many "serious" city stage and television artistes. The logic given by them is that with a number of "easy-come-easy-go" Punjabi channels being aired on television these days, not only are the viewers bored of watching the same Sukhna Lake and Pinjore or the Leisure Valley but the artistes are also refusing to feature at these spots.

At the "mahurat" of a recent Punjabi serial, one of the artistes when asked whether she also starred in the serial, answered: "Well, I was approached by the producer-director, but when I came to know that the shooting would take place in and around the city I refused. Imagine being shot at the same places where nearly the whole of 'GCG' crowd has now sung and danced around trees and appeared on television. I am after all a serious artist"!!

Where "mahurats" of films and television are concerned, suddenly the art and culture correspondents are being made to run from one hotel to another to cover the coconut breaking ceremony and the mahurat shots. At one such function, called one morning at 8:30 am, a set of groggy eyed scribes reached the hotel to find that they would have to wait for some time for the unit to arrive. The "some time" turned out to be two hours.

Prof J.S. Chopra

Prof J.S. Chopra, a former head of department of neurology at the PGI and former founder Director-Principal of the Sector 32 Government Medical College Hospital, has been selected as Editor-in-Chief of World Neurology, a prestigious journal of the World Federation of Neurology. His appointment was made at a recently held meeting of the Publications Committee of the Federation in London. Professor Chopra attended the meeting as a delegate from India as well as in his capacity as Vice-Chairman of the Finance Committee of the WFN.

For Professor Chopra, it is a major achievement for he has become the first neurologist outside North America and Europe to be appointed Editor-in-Chief of World Neurology. There was a fierce contest for this prestigious position this time also. World Neurology is published from Amsterdam and distributed among more than 25,000 neurologists in 90 countries affiliated to the WFN. It carries recent updates and recommendations about important neurological disorders and therapeutic implications, important activities of the WFN and calendar of events in neurosciences.

Professor Chopra has already edited a number of neurology publications, both at national and international level. He has also edited over a dozen books and monographs and published over 230 research papers. He has been recipient of a number of prestigious awards, including Dr B.C. Roy award for excellence in medical sciences.

City girl

Sandeep Kaur Singh, a Chandigarh-based girl, has been chosen for the prestigious Ontario Scholarship for higher studies in health sciences. Sandeep Kaur Singh did her Class X from Yadavindra Public School at SAS Nagar and plus 2 from the Sector 15 DAV Girls Senior Secondary School before moving to Canada last year.

Though she got admission in all three prestigious universities in Ontario, she is joining University of Western Ontario in London in Canada in Health Sciences. According to her father, Mr Surjeet Paul Singh, Sandeep aspires to be a dental surgeon.

The Ontario Scholarship for excellence in studies is highly competitive and is given at provincial level to best of students at OAC level (post senior secondary level).

"Crush Pakistan"

We have received in mail a thick envelope containing a bunch of pink coloured "Crush Pakistan" handbills. Though the name of the organisation which printed and distributed them is not mentioned either on the handbills or the envelope carrying them, but the gesture of the sender, in the present scenario when our gallant soldiers are making supreme sacrifices to uphold the unity, integrity and sanctity of our borders, is appreciable.

These handbills in a way reflect the general sentiments of the people of the country.

Part of duty

Sleeping babus may be a common sight in government offices, but finding officers in a similar state of bliss may be a rare thing.

One of our colleagues went to meet Mr O.P. Popli, SDM, S.A.S Nagar after fixing an appointment with him over the telephone. He sent his visiting card through the "ardali" of the officer. There was no response from the officer for an hour. When the colleague asked the office superintendent to remind the officer about the appointment, he was told the officer was taking his lunch. Another hour passed with no sign of any call from the officer. The colleague decided to enquire from the "ardali", who dampened the enthusiasm of the colleague to get a story from the officer by calmly saying: "Sahib to khana khane ke bad so gaye hain aur main unko nahin jaga sakta."

8-wicket win for DAV team
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, July 4 — DAV Coaching Centre, Sector 8 scored a fine eight-wicket victory over Chetan Sharma's XI in a friendly cricket match played here today at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8.

The visitors were from former Indian test cricketer Chetan Sharma's academy in New Delhi and had come here to play an exhibition match of 35 overs a side.

Chetan XI won the toss and opted to bat first but were all out for 133 runs in 33 overs. Gagandeep with 27 runs and Tony with 21 runs remained main run-getters for Chetan XI. Sudeep and Amandeep bagged three wickets each for DAV's team by giving away 18 and 20 runs, respectively. Ishpreet was the other succesful bowler for the local team who took two wickets for 16 runs.

In reply, the home team batted quite comfortably and their opening batsman Gaurav Gupta contributed 40 valuable runs. However, Shekhar Bahuguna and Amandeep stole the final show when they slammed 44 and 38 runs, respectively, and remained unbeaten. The Chandiagrh team made 134 runs for the loss of only two wickets in just 20 overs.

It was decided to send DAV Coaching Centre's team to Delhi to play more matches with Chetan XI after the ensuing monsoon season.

Ball badminton titles

Anisha Bhatti of MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36 and Arun Kumar bagged the girls' and boys' titles, respectively, on the concluding day of the Chandigarh Open Ball Badminton Tournament here yesterday at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41.

In the final, Anisha was stretched by her collegemate Sonika who wrapped up the first game at 15-3. But in the second game and third games, she went down fighting to Anisha, 13-15, 13-15, to lose the match.

In the boys' section too, Arun Kumar faced some anxious moments before winning the match against Mukesh Sharma in straight games, 15-10, 15-12.

Cricket tourney

On the second day of the second Street Players Cricket Tournament (under-17) here at Government College for Men, Sector 11, the team of Sector 15 defeated the Sector 36 team by 48 runs.

Brief scores: Sector 15 — 107 runs all out in 19 overs. Sector 36 — 60 runs all out in 12 overs. The matches are being organised by the Yuvsatta in collaboration with the Master's Sports Welfare Society.

CPWD cannot remove encroachments

This is regarding news item that appeared in Chandigarh Tribune under the heading Central Government houses in bad shape. It appears that the item has been published by your correspondent without verifying facts, particularly in regard to the responsibility of maintenance of various jobs of these houses.

The fact is that for the Survey of India quarters in Sector 32, the responsibility for the maintenance of roads and removal of garbage from the dustbins, removal of congress grass etc. and water supply rests with the Municipal Corporation. The CPWD is not responsible for these jobs.

Again the responsibility for the removal of encroachments made by residents in front of their houses is also that of Municipal Corporation/UT Chandigarh. The CPWD cannot remove these encroachments. Further, it is clarified that no communication has been received by the CPWD from the Director, Survey of India, Brig K.S. Khatri.

Also the routine maintenance in Sector 7 is being done by the CPWD with utmost care and the complaints are being attended to expeditiously. For the removal of the congress grass, action is taken regularly at appropriate time.

Regarding the complaint of low water pressure, particularly during morning hours, the CPWD has got no control over the quantity of water since the supply is being given by the Municipal Corporation. The role of the CPWD is only to boost the water supply given by the corporation.

For the sub-letting problem, the CPWD is not responsible, as after the construction is complete, the quarters are handed over to the Estate Department which at regular interval deals with cases of sub-letting. Further, it is stated that Mr J.R Bansal, as mentioned in the news item, is not in charge of quarters in Sector 7 and of the Survey of India, Sector 32.

S.M. AMRIT
Superintending Engineer
CPWD, Chandigarh

Erratic power supply

Erratic power supply to Sector 37 A is causing concern to the residents as electrical gadgets can get damaged. The voltage in the Sector fluctuates frequently, besides there is problem of tripping every now and then. It is the responsibility of the department to ensure stable power supply so that the consumers are not at the mercy of the suppliers.

R.N. Gupta
Chandigarh

Rain water disposal

Apropos news item “Drains to take care of rains” published in Chandigarh Tribune on June 26.

The engineering department of HUDA has left out the flood-prone low-lying area of Sector 4, Panchkula, where extensive damage was caused on account of flood water during recent rains on 20.6.99. Residents had been making repeated requests to HUDA officials concerned to make suitable rain water disposal arrangement for long.

Instead of making any arrangement, HUDA officials diverted the rain water from adjoining areas of Sector 3, Sector 21, Sector 1, Azad Colony, Devi Nagar, Old Panchkula etc. towards houses in the low-lying area.

As a result of faulty planning and inaction on part of HUDA officials, about 20 houses are submerged in water with nearly 3-4 feet water around these houses. The gushing flood water entered the basements and ground floor of our houses, causing extensive damage to the property.

It almost became impossible to move out of the houses for 3-4 hours after the rains stopped because of flood water flowing all around. The small underground pipe line being put by the engineering department cannot cope with the enormous amount of water directed to this end, unless the water is diverted and put in the nullah at 2-3 upstream points. The officers concerned of HUDA were apprised of the situation who had also seen the damage at the site. The memorandum requesting early remedial measures had also been sent to the Chief Administrator, HUDA.

It is sad and surprising the HUDA officials have again ignored the plight of residents of the area.

A.S. BIRDI
Coordinator
Flood Affected Residents Committee
Sector 4, Panchkula

Bird sanctuary

It is gratifying to note that Mr S.K. Sharma, ESI President, had mooted the idea of setting up a bird sanctuary on Sukhna’s Northern shore by planting fruit-bearing trees, shrubs and grass so as to attract birds at a national wetland seminar in April, 1989, at Chandigarh. This proposal was appreciated by the then Advisors.

If such a project fructifies, it will not only be another feather in the cap of city, but will also add to its beauty. It will increase tourist influx into the UT.

In the event of the project of the Sukhna Lake bird sanctuary taking concrete shape, it will be in the fitness of things if the bird sanctuary in Sector 21-A & B is closed and shifted to be merged with the Sukhna Lake bird sanctuary for the following reasons:

I The sanctuary in Sector 21-A & B is not in line with Section 18 of the Indian Forest Act, which enjoins geophysical, ecological, and geomorphological prerequisites e.g lake, river, rocks, mounds for setting up such a sanctuary, which are non-existent at the present site.

II This sanctuary is in the midst of a thickly populated locality.

III The bird sanctuary has been carved partly out of playground of a school.

IV This sanctuary has insanitary conditions with mass excreta of birds, and is infested with wild mice, lizards, serpents, emitting foul odour.

V This sanctuary has been raised and foisted on the unwilling residents of the area, who have been protesting against it.

Baij Nath Sharma
Chandigarh

HUDA and open spaces

One can understand that HUDA cannot maintain all open spaces, but there are certain places which have to be maintained. Look at the surroundings of the District Central General Hospital, especially the space between the hospital and the residences on the opposite side. It is nothing less than a slum, more so after the HUDA demolition drive in Sector 6 of hedges, fences — the so called encroachments.

Not only garbage from nearby houses, but also hospital waste like plaster casts etc are thrown there. Besides, there is cow dung and buffalows wandering and grazing inside the hospital compound itself. For the whole area, there is one trolley, opposite the residences. Most of the cleaners of the residences on the opposite side cannot be expected to go there daily to throw the waste.

At least two to three trolleys are needed near the hospital, and one or two inside. Already with the removal of hedges and fences, the area looks like a slum with an easier access to cattle and hence increase in their number.

A suggestion for HUDA is to invite and welcome residents, who are prepared to adopt vacant places not only outside their houses but also on the opposite side across the road, to grow trees, grass and plants to beautify places.

Jyotsna Khanna
(Chandigarh)
Sakshi Khanna
(Panchkula)

Wait for VIP

Apropos ‘Health centre awaits inauguration’ in Chandigarh Tribune of June 3. It is a definite sign of progress when a country builds hospitals, schools, libraries, educational and research institutes, railways, roads, and bridges, etc. If this alone is to be taken as an indicator, India would qualify as a remarkably progressive nation. On the other hand, isn’t it a sign of decay when these facilities are allowed to crumble and rot without being put to use, while a leisurely search goes on to find some VIP to inaugurate these?

Why must it be that in our country the public has to await such impractical, meaningless and costly rituals before the inauguration of these facilities. Usually sycophants attempt to appease politicians by arranging inauguration ceremonies for them with the intent to be in their good books. It is because of this reason that they ‘keep public properties in abeyance’ till their ‘gods’ have a chance of ‘blessing’ them. Isn’t it downright criminal to deny these facilities to honest taxpayers once these are complete and ready for commissioning? After all, it is with the help of citizens’ tax money that these facilities are built.

Why must there be any need for politicians or other VIPs to bestow their ‘blessings’ on these public facilities? Doesn’t anyone realise or bother about the colossal loss that such undesirable delays impose on the exchequer and the nation, needless to mention the unforgivable inconvenience caused to the people at large?

Vivek Khanna
Panchkula