Civil services results
City girls outshine boys
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — With the results of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 1998, out today, six candidates from the city who have made it through, were obviously jubilant. And with four girls having made it to the Mains, girls certainly outshone the boys.

Manisha Verma, who has secured 178th rank in her second attempt, said, “I just cannot believe it and am thrilled. But my parents seem to be happier than me, because I was cool throughout but they were worried. In fact, I would like to give all credit to my parents. It is only because of them that I have been able to achieve this. My interview went off well, though I was not too thrilled about it. And since I was the last candidate to be interviewed, I was feeling quite comfortable by the end of it all. I am now looking forward to my training”.

Daughter of Mr S.K. Verma, Additional DGP, Punjab, Computers and Wireless, Manisha, a product of Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, and Indraprastha College, Delhi, from where she did her psychology honours, Manisha had opted for psychology and sociology as her Mains subjects. “I used to study for eight hours daily, and though my friends say that I deserve a holiday now, I think I would now like to take up a job and not sit at home, because I am not used to it”, she added.

Ekroop Caur, who has secured 274th rank, also had the combination of psychology and sociology as her subjects. This was Ekroop’s first attempt, who cleared her masters in psychology, from Panjab University, Chandigarh, last year. “I am feeling on the top of the world. And my parents are feeling very proud of me, just great! I never thought that I could have actually done this, and that too in my very first attempt”. Ekroop did her schooling from Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, and is the daughter of Mr Jang Bahadur Singh, a lawyer.

Dr Dinesh Arora, who has also cleared these exams in his maiden attempt and has secured 206th position, said, “It was during my internship at Chandigarh Medical College, Sector 32, that I prepared for these exams. I would like to thank my friends and family for achieving the same since I did not attend any coaching classes”. He completed his internship in March ’91 with a distinction in ophthalmology. His father, Mr R.P. Arora retired as Director, Irrigation, Punjab, while his elder sister, an MBA gold-medalist is posted as Deputy Commissioner, Customs and Excise, Ludhiana, and his younger sister is a scientific officer at NIC, Chandigarh. The 22-year-old said, “I got my inspiration from my family and especially my mother”. Dr Arora did his schooling from Chaman Lal DAV Public School, Panchkula.

The other two who have made it through the finals of the Civil Services examinations include Dr Amandeep Garg of the PGI who has secured 29th rank and Tina Dua, who has secured 176th rank and is working in the Indian Economic Services, Chandigarh.

Sandeep Jain, a mechanical engineer from PEC, Chandigarh, who has secured 307th position in his second attempt said, “I don’t have anything much to say, because this rank is useless. I would sit again next year”. Sandeep belongs to Sunam, district Sangrur, Punjab, and had opted for history and mathematics for these examinations. His father, Mr Rishi Pal Garg, is an advocate in Sunam.

University Syndicate meeting adjourned
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — The much hyped meeting of the Syndicate in which major issues of superannuated persons continuing at their posts, appointments of three Deans being kept in abeyance and the decision of granting provisional admission to examinations to students falling short of the required lectures by a few members of the Syndicate which met to convene an emergency meeting in the absence of the sub-committee appointed to look into these cases, were to be discussed, was adjourned sine die by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof M.M. Puri, members of the Syndicate, said here today.

The case of 19 superannuated persons employed by the university was the first to be taken up after some members insisted that the action taken report be discussed before the agenda for the meeting. A note stating that the services of the said persons be "terminated" as per "decision of the Syndicate meeting held on February 19", signed by nine of the 15 members, was passed on to the Vice-Chancellor.

"The Vice-Chancellor informed members that he had sought legal opinion in the matter and that the earlier decision was not a decision of the Syndicate but of a few members only,'' Mr Randeep Surjewala, told mediapesons at the University Guest House, Sector 14.

Mr Rajinder Deepa, one of the Syndics, contested the statement and said the proceedings and discussion on the agenda could continue only if the case of superannuated persons was decided first, he added. However, "the Vice Chancellor, noting the insult to the Chair and the threatening behaviour of the member adjourned the meeting and retired to the Registrar's office", a press note issued by the Public Relations Officer of the varsity said.

The nine members said they were planning to go to the Chancellor "as soon as possible"and would request him to convene a meeting to set things in order .

"It was an attempt by the Chair to ignore the authority of the Syndicate. If all doors are closed on us, we have no choice but to adopt these methods to make ourselves heard," Mr Rajinder Bhandari, a member of the Syndicate, commented.

Mr G.K. Chatrath, another Syndic, confirmed the facts of the meeting. He, however, added that Mr Rajinder Deepa in previously held meetings, had used "unparliamentary language" which did not befit a Syndic. He also contested the fact that "if the Vice-Chancellor is not even empowered to frame the agenda of the meeting, what is the purpose of his chairing the meeting of the Syndicate".

Mr S.S. Gill, said after the meeting, that "The Vice-Chancellor was willing to discuss the item in the next meeting but Mr Deepa insisted that this be taken up before moving any further. He used language which was uncalled for at the meeting though I am with them on the issue of removal of superannuated persons."

Seven members signed a statement saying that they "strongly condemned the use of intemperate language against the Vice-Chancellor".

Selling farm land for houses
Property dealers booked
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, May 25 — Several property dealers and land owners have been booked by the police for selling agricultural land for residential, commercial and industrial purposes within the municipal limits of Kalka and Pinjore Municipal Committees in violation of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Area Act, 1975.

The violators including an agro-forestry company based at Mani Majra have been charged by the Town and Country Planning Department of Haryana for unauthorisedly selling land and further raising constructions without seeking mandatory permission under Section 3 of the above mentioned Act.

According to information available, 33 separate first information reports (FIRs) have been registered at Kalka and Pinjore police stations on a complaint lodged by the District Town Planner, who has been delegated powers by the Director of the Town and Country Planning Department. More cases are likely to be registered in the coming days.

Sources said that for selling land for non-agricultural purposes within the limits of a municipality and within a distance of 5 km from the boundary of a municipal committee one has to seek permission from the authority concerned. All the violators — 25 cases in Pinjore area and another six cases in Kalka area — have been booked under Section 7 (1) of the Act.

A majority of the violations, running into several hundreds, are in Bitna, Shiv Shakti colony, Rathpur colony, Dharampur, Abdulapur and on the Pinjore -Nalagarh road. The residents of the area say that though the unauthorised selling of land and construction activity has been going on since 1997 an action on such a large scale had never been taken before by the government.

Meanwhile, a recent decision of the State Government to regularise unauthorised buildings falling within the municipal limits of Kalka and Pinjore is yet to be implemented as the necessary amendment in the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952, has not been done.

At least 2,800 such buildings will be regularised within the municipal limits of Kalka and Pinjore. It may be pertinent to mention that to put a check on unauthorised constructions the Revenue Department had banned registration of land up to 1000 sq metres.

42 bank promotions revoked
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — Forty two employees of the Chandigarh State Cooperative Bank Limited who were allegedly promoted contrary to norms and beyond the sanctioned strength by the previous Board of Directors (BoDs) have been reverted to their original post by the Registrar Cooperative Societies (RCS).

The BoD, which was superseded in October by the Registrar for negligence in performance of its duties, had promoted 64 employees up to the level of Manager (Inspection). The meeting in which these promotions were made was also annulled by the Registrar following which, the then Managing Director reverted all promoted employees.

Subsequently, the employees filed a civil writ petition which was dismissed as infructuous by the court. However, advice of the legal adviser of the bank was sought in this context and he opined that “ the decision of the court regarding deputy managers will not be bar as the said challenge of persons with regard to annulling of the meeting of the RCS, whereby they were promoted to DM and the litigation was not regarding any dispute of seniority etc”.

The employees who benefited include one Deputy Manager who was promoted as Manager (Inspection), six senior accountants and one senior clerk who were promoted as deputy managers. Similarly, nine junior clerks were promoted to senior clerks and six peons were promoted as daftaris.

According to sources, senior clerks were the largest beneficiaries. As many as 21 were promoted as junior accountants. One senior accountant, who was said to be close to the MD, was promoted to the then non-existent post of Private Secretary.

To consider and review all promotions made by the BoDs and representations by many employees who claimed that they had been rightly promoted as their promotion was long overdue, a departmental promotion committee (DPC) was constituted which submitted its report to the Registrar.

Consequent upon the recommendations of the DPC, the Registrar ordered the promotions and reversions.

Sources said in all there were 24 beneficiaries holding various posts in the bank. While four deputy managers were allowed to continue as they had the requisite seniority and promotions was due, two senior accountants were promoted as deputy managers, the first in compliance with high court orders and the other as his junior had been promoted before him.

Similarly, the promotions of six senior accountants, six junior clerks, one peon, two chowkidars, two drivers and one gunman, were also found to be in order.

Since some of the promoted/ demoted employees are facing a CBI inquiry or have cases pending in various courts, their promotion and demotions shall be subject to the outcome of the CBI case and the decision of the courts. They shall however continue to be governed by the Chandigarh Cooperative Financing Institutions Service Rules, 1992.

Sources added that the BoDs had also flouted rules and in another instance had appointed 26 employees, 12 junior clerks and 14 peons, beyond the sanctioned strength. Their services too had been terminated, which were upheld by high court.

Panchkula to have golf course
By Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, May 25 — This elite urban estate of Haryana is all set to be a part of the golf circuit of the country with the state government giving its nod to the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) to develop a golf course in Sector 3 here along the Ambala-Shimla National Highway.

The project to develop an 18-hole golf course of international standard in over 135 acres along the Ghaggar had been hanging fire due to differences between politicians and state bureaucracy over its utility. Politicians had questioned the utility of the project for a common man.

Even the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, while talking to media persons during his visit to the township in 1997, had indicated that his ministerial colleagues were opposed to the project. The then Commissioner of Town and Country Planning (TCP), Mr Bhaskar Chatterjee, was also present on the occasion.

The project has been revived after a gap of almost a year and a half. The Chief Minister approved the project at a recent meeting with senior officials of the TCP. The major thrust while developing the golf course, officials say, will be on maintaining a thick green cover in and around the golf course. Apart from retaining existing trees, at least 4,500 more saplings will be planted. A 30-metre-wide belt around Devi Nagar village, located on one side of the proposed golf course, will be thickly covered with trees.

It will be a "public golf course" which means that even middle class people will be able to afford to visit it. Developing an international level golf course incurs huge costs which may reach upto Rs 50 crore. This golf course, officials say, will be developed keeping the expenditure involved in the project within limits.

Sources said out of 135 acres of the proposed area under the project, 35 acres was being acquired while the rest had already been acquired. The process to acquire the 35-acres area was in final stages and would be completed within one month. The golf course, officials say, will come up on about two-kilometre-long strip of land of varying width, running parallel to the Ghaggar. As per the earlier design, the 18-hole golf course was to be developed in a loop fashion with nine holes in each loop which would begin and end at the club house.

The Chief Minister is reported to have desired that HUDA actively participates in the developing the golf course. A preliminary study to hire a consultant to design the course was being done. Officials said that they also planned to develop the side of the course facing the Ghaggar. A water body would be developed along the Ghaggar which might be an attraction from the tourism point of view and would help in recharging the falling ground-water table in the area.

There was also a plan to reclaim vast chunks of land along the banks of the Ghaggar, which get eroded by heavy discharge in the seasonal river during monsoons. A study on reclaiming the land on both banks of the river had been entrusted to the Roorkee University.

Foundation stone of health centre laid
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, May 25 — Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance and Planing Minister of Punjab, laid the foundation stone of a 30-bed community health centre at the Civil Hospital here today. Equipped with modern technology machines, the health centre would come up by June 2000 at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore.

The new building, being constructed by the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), would cover 2,361 square metres. It would have facilities for surgery, dental, ENT, general medicine, orthopaedics, paediatrics and gynaecology. It would have doctors consultation rooms, emergency block, examination room, registration office, operation theatre, recovery room and emergency ward.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the residents of the area could avail themselves of medical services for 24 hours in this hospital. He directed Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, to get the forest land adjacent to the building for residential accommodation of doctors. He announced another ambulance for the local hospital.

The Finance Minister directed Mr S. S. Channi, Managing Director of PHSC, to fill the vacant posts of doctors and other staff members in the civil hospitals at Lalru and Banur. "To develop the area economically and socially, the Punjab Government will provide better health and educational facilities to the public," he added.

Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, said more than 750 doctors would be appointed in the state in the next two years to fill the vacant posts in various civil dispensaries. He disclosed that 175 doctors who were doing private practice by taking long leave had been suspended by the department.

He said more than 300 nurses would be recruited and the vacant posts of drug inspectors would be filled soon. He added that various hospitals and dispensaries had been provided with sufficient medicines, x-ray films and other medical supplies and all the repairable equipment had been put to use.

Mr S.S. Channi, MD, PHSC, said the corporation had spent Rs 1 crore on the repair of equipment worth Rs 20 crore to install them in different hospitals and dispensaries in the state. The licences of 7 blood banks had been obtained again after the Supreme Court had cancelled the licences of 21 blood banks in the state.

A Punjabi dance was performed by Shivin Mittal of Deepmala Public School on the occasion. Dr G. S. Preet, Director, Health Services, Punjab, Dr S.P.S. Sohal, Chief Engineer, PHSC, Mr S. S. Sidhu, SDM, Dera Bassi and Dr Satwant Kaur Bhalla, SMO, Dera Bassi were also present.

15 students get certificates
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — As many as 15 students were given certificates for qualifying the stitching examination at a prize distribution funcion held on the premises of Stitch `n’ Craft Training School in the Dadu Majra colony yesterday.

An embroidery machine fitted with an electric motor was donated to the school for starting a course in embroidery. The course in embroidery will commence on June 10. The facility for learning typewriting will also be made available in the school shortly.

The prizes were distributed by Mr Sher Singh, President of the Temple Management Committee.

Party holds meeting
Tribune News Service

ZIRAKPUR, May 25— A meeting of the Patiala circle of the Lok Bhalai Party was held here yesterday. The national President of the party, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, could not attend the deliberations as he had other engagements in Delhi.

Mr Manjit Singh Malerkotla, a senior leader of the party, chaired the meeting, while Mr Paramjit Singh Sidhwan, General Secretary, conducted the proceedings. The gathering expressed its concern over the political crisis facing the country and the growing incidents of communalism. The meeting demanded that the expenditure incurred during the tercentenary celebrations should be highlighted in a White Paper and the government should give details of the donations received at Anandpur Sahib.

Meanwhile, Mr Harvinder Singh and Mr Bhupinder Singh were declared conveners of the party from the Banur constituency.

Reddy to reinforce Kiran's steps
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — Mr C.S.R. Reddy, SSP (City), will reinforce some of the steps initiated by the former Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kiran Bedi, for enforcing law and order and regulating traffic. He has taken this decision with a view to maintain the tempo of the police force.

At a meeting with the office-bearers of Traders Association of Sector 17 held recently, a serious note was taken of encroachments by vendors selling their wares on pavements. Mr Reddy directed the constables manning that beat to remove them or pick them up and take them to police stations. These vendors were nowhere to be seen when Dr Bedi had taken charge and introduced an effective beat system. After her transfer, some of them returned. Mr Reddy told the staff on night patrol to take action against vendors selling eatables like paranthas late at night and early in the morning.

He also instructed a team of three SHOs to work out arrangements for reviving the water hydrants installed in Sector 17 to extinguish fire and submit the report within 15 days. Keeping in view the difficulties faced by the fire extinguishers to reach the site of fire in Sector 17, it was essential to install more water hydrants in these public places to meet any eventuality, he said.

In order to further regulate the traffic in the Sector 17 market, Mr Reddy assured the members of the association that he would take up the matter of the underground parking with the Administration and the Corporation. The parking had been lying vacant for the last 10 years.

The members had repeatedly written to the Administration to clean the place and install an electricity meter so that they were able to provide city residents with a proper parking free of charge. According to Mr Subhash Kataria, the President of the association, this would help solve almost 90 per cent of the parking problem in the area.

The activities of the weekly Plaza Carnival, which often encroached upon public space on Saturdays, would also be monitored. The constables on duty would ensure that the organisers of the programme confined their activities to the stage so as to avoid inconvenience to public.

UT powermen hold dharna
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — Members of the UT Powermen Union held a dharna near the Chandigarh Housing Board roundabout here today in support of their long-pending demands. The protesters decided to observe a day-long pen/tool-down strike on June 17.

Members of the union reached the venue and raised slogans against the Administration for not accepting their genuine demands. The agitators alleged that they had been protesting for a long time but the Administration had not done anything in this context.

Mr B.M. Rana, General Secretary of the union, said the Administra-tion had gone back on several assurances which had created anxiety in the minds of the employees.

Their main demands were grant of bonus for 1997-98, grant of the PSEB scales to leftout categories, time-bound promotions, filling of vacant posts by promoting departmental employees, creation of additional posts in view of the increased workload and appointments on compassionate ground.

‘Contractor liable for breach of trust’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — You park your car at a parking lot. An employee of the contractor of the lot issues you a slip for the fee he charges for parking the vehicle. Later, the car is stolen. Is the contractor liable for breach of trust?

This question was raised before the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.S. Lamba. The judge ruled that the contractor is liable for a breach of the trust.

It so happened that Mr Satinder Singh of SAS Nagar parked his car at the inter-state bus stand on May 17 at 9 a.m. Later, he left tor Delhi. On May 20 he returned from Delhi and found his car not parked at the parking lot. He enquired from the contractor as also from his employee. But neither gave any satisfactory reply. He again went to the contractor, Mr Mulk Raj Arora, but got no convincing reply.

Mr Satinder Singh lodged a formal complaint with the bus stand police post. In his complaint, he stated that his car (HYW-2490) could be started only by giving push and for that purpose at least two persons were required. He suspected that his car had either been sold by the contractor or had been concealed by him.

The police placed on the record of the court a copy of the agreement executed by Mr Mulk Raj Arora with the Chandigarh Administration.

The stand of Mr Arora’s counsel was that the car was entrusted to the contractor’s employee and as such no offence under Section 406 of the IPC was made out against Mr Arora. He also asserted that if the contention of the public prosecutor that offence under Section 406 of the IPC was made out, no contractor would take contract for any parking lot in the city. He also argued that the slip was only for one day and as such after the expiry of one day, there was no contract between the parties.

“The argument of counsel for the applicant that no offence under Section 406 of the IPC was made out does not appeal to logic,” the judge ruled and added: “The Chandigarh Administration gives licence to the contractors so that the public could park their vehicles and the contractors would ensure their safety.”

The judge dismissed the anticipatory bail moved by Mr Arora. He, however, directed the investigating officer to release him on bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 5,000 to his satisfaction. The bail would be granted on the condition that the applicant “shall join the investigation as and when called upon.”

Kiran’s mother shifted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — Mrs Prem Peshawaria, mother of Dr (Mrs) Kiran Bedi, was today shifted from the intensive care unit of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research to Escorts Hospital in New Delhi. Doctors attending on her said that she continued to be in deep coma.

Prof J.S. Chopra, a former Director-Principal of the Sector 32 Government Medical College Hospital, and a world renowned neurologist, who had been attending on Mrs Peshawaria, told The Tribune that the patient would continue to be on ventilator as there had been some improvement in her brain. Some of the vital functions of the body were normal.

Professor Chopra said that Mrs Peshawaria still continued to be in deep coma. The exact damage to the brain could not be assessed as long as she was on ventilator and life support system. An ambulance van fitted with ventilator took her to Delhi today.

SNIPPETS

Essay contest
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — As many as 105 students of different schools participated in the Narinder Kumar Goyal memorial essay competition organised by the UT Environment Department here yesterday.

The topic of the essay was “How one can save Sukhna Lake and the City Beautiful”. It was open for students of classes VII to XII.

The winners will be awarded the Narinder Kumar Goyal trophy and other prizes on the closing ceremony of the ongoing ''shramdan'' at the Sukhna Lake.

Shifting of liquor vend urged
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — Mrs Kamla Sharma, the first mayor of the city and presently, Chairperson of the Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board, today urged the Adviser to the Administrator of Chandigarh to order shifting of a liquor vend from the Sector 52 rehabilitation colony.

Mrs Sharma, who met the Adviser, said that the location of the vend was a major attraction for slum dwellers. She also highlighted various other problems being faced by the residents of the colony.

The problems include absence of a school. She said that since there was no school in the vicinity, parents were not keen to send their children to schools at far off places. Instead, children were being put to work.

The colony has no community centre. In the absence of such a centre, residents find it difficult to organise social functions. The colony also continues to be without any parks, especially for children.

Mrs Sharma also insisted on provision of a primary health centre-cum-dispensary in the area because of the high density of population and increased risk of infection. Since the bus service to the colony is inadequate, she also demanded a better bus service.

World Cup match on big screen
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — With all eyes focused on the India-Sri Lanka World Cup cricket match in England tomorrow (Wednesday), the city cricket fans will have a taste of the match on the big screen with Nirman Cinema, Sector 32, going ahead with its decision to show the match in the theatre starting 3 p.m. tomorrow.

Admitting that there was a poor response to the screening of the Kenya-India match, was hopeful of a big turnout because of the exciting nature of the match.

Fire-hit get relief
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, May 25 — Fire-affected persons of the Phase IV Sahibzada Ajit Singh rehri market were given relief cheques at a function organised at the Community Centre in Phase III B1 here today.

Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, Ropar Deputy Commissioner, gave cheques for Rs 10,000 each to 52 affected persons.

It is learnt that a few booth owners were agitated because they were not given any relief even though they had suffered losses. It is alleged that the dhaba owner from whose premises the fire started took four cheques — one in his own name, another in the name of his wife and two in the names of his partners.

Ms Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal, a former MP, said that talks with PUDA were on to provide pucca booths in the market. Morever, she said, the affected persons need not pay tehbazari till they were back in business once again.

Rally by bank employees
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 25 — Members of the Land Mortgage Bank Employees Union, Punjab, held a rally in support of their demands in Sector 17 here today. They resolved to observe a Punjab bandh, besides boycotting collection of loan instalments from farmers.

The protesters from various parts of the state assembled at the venue and raised slogans against the state government for pursuing anti-employee policies and not acceding to their just demands.

The protesters were demanding the reinstatement of Mr Baljinder Singh Chandumajra, President of the union, who had allegedly been suspended under political pressure and contrary to norms. Similarly, other employees who had been targeted for participating in union activities should also be reinstated.

The other demands include grant of new pay scales, enhanced TA and vehicle allowance and one month's salary as a yearly incentive.

Mr Hardev Singh Harpalpur, a spokesperson of the union, said the protesters also resolved that they would boycott their offices on June 6 and hold a mass rally at Chandigarh. An appeal was made to the farmers to get their work done before June 6 so that they were not inconvenienced.