Sector 46 house burgled
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — The house of an employee of the Chandigarh Electricity Department has been burgled. a wrist watch, a gold ring and a gold chain were stolen.

Mr Inder Dev Avinash was living in the electricity office staff quarters in Sector 46.

A case under sections 454 and 380 of the IPC has been registered.

Nine arrested: Nine persons have been arrested for allegedly creating nuisance in a public place after consuming liquor. They are Ramesh Bhatia, Jagdish Kumar, Vikas, Rajesh, Bittu, Anil Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Pak Munda and balwan Singh.

They have been booked under sections 34/5/61 of the Police Act.

Three held: The police has arrested three persons in two separate cases for carrying liquor.

Narendar Kumar and Sanjay Gupta of Mauli Jagran were arrested from the colony while carrying 100 pouches each of country-made liquor. Jatinder Kumar of Karnal was nabbed while carrying 90 pouches of country-made liquor.

Separate cases under the Excise Act have been registered

Cyclist injured: A cyclist was injured when he was hit by a car (HR-51-D-0550) on the road dividing sectors 17 and 22.

The cyclist, Balbir Singh, was admitted to General Hospital. The driver of the car ran away, leaving the vehicle behind.

Massive rally by PU employees
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — Members of all the seven associations and unions affiliated to the Panjab University Non-Teaching Employees Federation organised a massive rally to protest against the indifferent attitude of the university authorities towards their long-pending demands.

Some of their demands include payment of additional dearness allowance with effect from January 1, 1999, payment of fixed medical allowance, implementation of a pension scheme, promotion policy for the non-teaching staff, abolition of the contract system, appointments to be made against regular posts, payment of computer allowance, payment of revised local conveyance and creation of additional posts on the basis of increased workload.

While addressing the rally, Mr Dharam Paul Sharma, President of the federation, warned the authorities that if their demands were not settled amicably, they would organise another protest rally on June 23 and then intensify the agitation.

The presidents and general secretaries of various associations and unions of the non-teaching staff also criticised the delaying tactics being adopted by the university in accepting their demands.

NSD students to play 'Yerma'
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — Students of the National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi, and the Yavanika theatre group, Chandigarh, have got together to stage a Hindi version of the play 'Yerma', in the city in an attempt to interpret the story in a contemporary set-up.

The play, which dwells on the fervent desire of a woman for a child, is being directed by Suveeran, a final-year student of the NSD. Suveeran is also a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Natak Akademi Award for his play 'Dr Faustus'. The script of 'Yerma' has been translated by Sewak Nayyar of the Yavanika theatre group.

Talking about the contemporary set-up of 'Yerma', Suveeran, who has directed about 20 plays till date, said that most persons had conceived it a feminist play, and had regarded Yerma as the ideal woman. Concepts, he said, he did not agree with. "I see her as very human, who cannot even find her own solutions to her problems and believes in things like black magic. What intrigues me in 'Yerma', are the complexities of a husband-wife relationship. I think that even if Yerma had a child, the husband-wife relationship would have been far from cordial, since both individuals were so different from each other."

The cast of the play includes Dibyendu Bhattacharya of the NSD Repertory, who would be playing the role of Yerma's husband, and first year NSD students, Indu Verma, Aparna Chaturvedi, and Richa Nayyar of Chandigarh. Richa and Indu, both play the lead role of Yerma.

The young team of actors, which is trying to change the structure of the play by reshuffling scenes and experimenting with time and space, said that the contemporary setting of the play was what they, the present set of youth, saw it as. Sewak Nayyar said, "It will be natural for the audience to compare this production with Neelam Mansingh's much-viewed and much-played production of 'Yerma'. But, we are playing it regardless of what had been done in the past. We will present it according to our sensibilities and viewpoints."

The production is using stock music for the otherwise lyrical play, especially Peter Gabrielle's music. The sets are designed by Suveeran himself.

An odd character has also been created in this production, which these NSD actors are looking forward to stage in front of Chandigarh audience, from July 1 to July 3, at Tagore Theatre.

Badminton coaching camp opens
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — The summer badminton coaching camp organised by the Chandigarh Badminton Association, in association with the Sports Authority of India and Panjab University, Chandigarh, began at PU Indoor hall here today.

Fifteen boys and ten girls in different age groups arrived for the camp. The camp, free of cost, was inaugurated by Mr Suresh Harmilapi, Director Incharge, SAI Northern centre. Mr M.C. Sethi and Mr D.K. Mukerjee, President and Secretary of the CBA, respectively, were also present.

The first session was on tactical training by Mr T.P.S. Puri, a former chief national badminton coach. The singles and defensive techniques would be taught tomorrow, followed by sessions on preparation in a specific way and diet requirement for badminton by Dr S.N. Sharma. The evening session would be devoted to anaerobic training.

The camp will continue till June 27. It will include lectures and practical aspects of badminton by eminent persons associated with this game, such as Dr J. Rai, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics (PGI), and Mr D.K. Mukerjee, founder of the Chandigarh Badminton Association.

Skating carnival from June 26

The Rollerbones will conduct a City Skating Carnival at the Skating Rink, Sector 10, here on June 26 and 27. This was stated today in a press release of the club.

The objective is to promote, encourage and tap the talent in this game. Competitions will be held in speed skating, hockey on skates and artistic events. There will also be fun games like fancy dress competition, balloon bursting, musical chairs, tug of war and obstacle race.