119 years of Trust N E W S

Friday, May 28, 1999
Chandigarh Tribune
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Functioning of complaint centres delayed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC), infamous for delaying things, is at it again. This time it has delayed the setting up of complaint centres and the publication of the citizens' charter for the redress of public grievances.

The setting up of the complaint centres has been hanging fire since last year. They were to be set by August 15 last year as part of the golden jubilee of the Indian independence.

Similarly, the publication of the citizens' charter, which was to give telephone numbers of the complaint centres and of the officials concerned for the redress of grievances concerning water supply, streetlighting, storm water and sanitation and the number of days needed for the complaints to be redressed, has met the same fate.

The corporation had decided to open 10 complaint centres in Sectors 4, 15, 20, 27, 29, 32, 37, 42, the civic body's office in Mani Majra, besides the centralised control room in Sector 17 last year as it was felt that the general public was put to a lot of inconvenience in the absence of a proper platform for registering complaints.

It was observed that people approached the top functionaries of the corporation, including the Mayor, the Commissioner and the Chief Engineer, even for the redress of minor complaints.

Earlier, the civic body had problems in creating infrastructure for the complaint centres. Now when the infrastructure and suitable accommodation for them has been found, the civic body is yet to recruit the staff for them.

Though the Finance and Contract Committee, at its meeting held here recently, recommended the recruitment of staff comprising a telephone operator, a clerk and a peon for each of the centres, the decision is yet to get the nod from the House of the civic body. Since the item is not listed on the agenda of the meeting to be held tomorrow, it would take quite some time before the staff is recruited and the complaint centres start functioning.

Sources said if the civic body did not recruit the staff soon, the setting up of the complaint centres could be deferred as the model code of conduct might come into force which could ban fresh recruitment.

The Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, said the staff would be recruited soon. A special meeting for the approval of the staff recommended by the committee might be convened next month.Back



 

No improvement in Net services
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — Internet services in the city have not improved despite the Telecome Department taking a “shut down “ for more than six hours just a week ago in an attempt to improve the services. The number of telephones lines to access the net had then been increased from 120 to 160.

Getting a connection is difficult as the network is clogged with users trying to access it for hours at a stretch without much success. Connectivity onto the Internet node has been bad since March. In the past two days, connections have been slow and the downloading of data has been at žth or 1/5th of the usual speed.

Sources said the problem was inadequate band width. The number of telephone lines had increased but their had been no corresponding increase in band width. “It is the band width through which the information actually passes from the central server in sector 17 to various users. “If the number of users increases, the band width has to be increased, “ informed Mr Vivek Bansal, President of the Internet Users Association.

More the number of users, more is the load on net. The band width needs to be increased, Mr Bansal added. A source in the department said the band width that allows data to be down loaded needs to be increased as users have been complaining that down loading becomes slow as the entire band width gets used up.

Besides, lines are used heavily as businessmen are realising the advantage of communicating through the net. A user said the speed to download data had been reduced to 72 bites per second, which was more than five times less than the usual speed. He also added that there had been no visible improvement in the services.

The load factor has further increased as Internet users living in the industrial hub of Ludhiana can also reach the Chandigarh node through a local call. Apart from this, travellers, who come to city and download their e—mail, add to the load factor, according to another user.

Mr Bansal hoped that the current problem of “garbage” on the net was a teething problem created due to additional lines and it would go away after a while. To solve the problem of several people using the same password, the department has used a procedure through which not more than two users can log in at the same time.

People are known to have programmed their modems for automatic dialling in the early hours, thus blocking the lines several hours in advance. Some users, especially those using the Internet at official expense, are known not to log out of the net for several hours.

A problem for e—mail recipients is that the entire mail gets mixed up with no space between different mails. Sometimes even the entire mail is “washed out”. A user has to make an effort to know one mail drop from the other, a Sector 18 Internet user said. Another user added that “services are unavailable” or a message “mail box is locked “ is often flashed when one tries to access the mail box. Back


 

1 held for raping minor
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, May 27 — The police has arrested a local photographer in his early forties for allegedly abducting and raping a minor girl of Sector 15 here. According to information available, the photographer, who was living in Sector 15, allegedly enticed the girl to elope with him on the pretext of marrying her.

Earlier the father of the girl, Mr Ram Chander, lodged a complaint with the police on May 22 that his daughter had been missing and repeated efforts to trace her had not yielded any result.

He said after he and his wife returned from Malerkotla on May 20, they found that their daughter had not returned from her sewing classes. He alleged that the photographer, Sushil Kumar, had abducted his daughter. The police then registered a first information report (FIR) under sections 363 and 366 of the IPC.

After police raids at different places, the photographer was arrested yesterday. Following subsequent investigation and medical examination of the victim, the police has added sections 376 and 506 of the IPC to the FIR.

Sources said the photographer had been married twice earlier and the first marriage had resulted in a divorce. He has now been remanded to judicial custody.Back


 

5 Inspectors, three SIs transferred
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The Chandigarh Police today ordered the transfers of five Inspectors and three Sub- Inspectors. The Inspectors include two Station House Officers while the SIs include, two incharges of police posts.

Mr Nanhe Ram, SHO, Sector 34, has replaced Mr Om Prakash as SHO, Mani Majra. Mr Hardev Singh (Security) replaces Mr Nanhe Ram while Mr Om Prakash replaces Mr Hardev Singh in the security wing.

Mr K.I.P. Singh (airport security) has been posted as incharge of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in place of suspended inspector, Mr P.K. Dhawan.

Mr Mani Ram, incharge of the Anti Auto Theft Cell, replaces Mr K.I.P. Singh. Among the SIs, Mr Raghbir Singh, incharge of the police post at Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) replaces Mr Yashpal as incharge of the police post at the Railway Station.

Mr Yashpal has been posted in the Police Station, Sector 11. Lastly, Mr Ved Prakash, who has just been reinstated, has been posted as incharge of the police post at ISBT.Back


 

TV show helps nab conman
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The popular television show "India's Most Wanted" has helped the police nab yet another criminal who had gone into a sort of self-imposed retirement after cheating people of several lakhs of rupees.

With the nabbing of conman Mohammed Wahid by the Chandigarh police, the numbers of successes the show has scored has gone up to 20 out of the total 62 episodes telecast so far.

The conman had been lying low in the city since January this year. Cases of cheating and forgery have been registered against him in Karnataka. A Karnataka police party is expected to reach the city to take custody of Wahid, who has reportedly cheated people of several lakhs of rupees while posing as a well-heeled and influential businessman, police sources said.

The conman was nabbed within an hour of the show having been telecast on Tuesday night. A caller from Chandigarh called up the channel that telecast the show and sent a fax also. The channel host then called up the local SSP, Mr C.S.R. Reddy, around 11 pm and a party of the Sector 3 police station detained Wahid under Section 109 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for verification of his antecedents.

Hailing from Bangalore, Wahid had been living in Sector 8 here in a rented house. The house belongs to a retired armyman. The police is taking action under Section 188 of the IPC against the landlord also. In Chandigarh, it is mandatory for landlords to provide information to the police under Section 144 of the CrPC. The SSP said that the armyman had not disclosed about his tenant to the beat officer who had visited his house last month.

The conman had been leading a normal life style along with his wife, who according to police sources is in the know of things. He had been cheating the country's well-known business houses by posing to provide them more and better scope for business. In each case, the person who dealt with him lost the sum.

Wahid had brought Rs 6 lakh to Chandigarh and roamed around in a red colour Matiz car. He had come to Chandigarh with a view to settling down in the city and lead a normal life, he told police investigators. Since his arrival in the city, he had not conned anyone.Back


 

ITBP personnel donate blood
Tribune News Service

BHANU (Panchkula), May 27 — As many as 506, personnel of the Indo-Tibetan-Border Police (ITBP) donated blood at the basic training centre (BTC) here, today. The camp was held in association with the Blood Bank Society, PGI.

This the first-ever mass camp, to be organised by the force at the centre, saw a large number of recruits and officers lining up to donate blood. The camp was inaugurated by Mr S.C. Nayar, ADIG, ITBP. He was the first person to donate blood followed by officers and jawans. Wives of a couple of officers also joined in for the purpose.

Mr Nayar said the camp would become a regular feature as blood was the most precious gift that one could give to anybody. In view of its service conditions, the force itself needed blood in case of injuries and other medical exigencies.

The idea of such camps in the force was the brainchild of Mr Gautam Kaul, DG, ITBP, who was a regular donor. Mr Diwakar Prasad, IG, ITBP, had also motivated the personnel about the importance of blood donation.

Mr Nayar said those who had not donated blood today would be asked to go to the PGI in the next couple of days to do so. A list of donors would also be drawn up so that a ready reckoner of blood groups was available to meet any emergency or blood shortage at the PGI blood bank. Refreshments were also served to all the donors.Back



 

Union leaders reinstated
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The employees of the examination branch of the Punjab School Education Board ended their agitation today following re-instatement of three union leaders by the board authorities.

The union leaders, Mr Jarnail Singh Brar, Mrs Kiran Bala and Mr Maghar Singh, had been suspended two weeks ago for their alleged role in creating indiscipline and rowdyism and use of unparliamentary language against officials of the board. Mr Brar and Mrs Kiran Bala, who are Senior Assistants in the examination branch, and Mr Maghar Singh, a Senior Assistant in the Accounts Branch, were also accused of inciting other workers to stop the ongoing work pertaining to the preparation of Class X and Class XII results.

A senior official of the board when contacted said that the three had been reinstated following a written assurance given by them that they would not create indiscipline in future and would also co-operate with the management. The office-bearers of the Punjab School Board Employees Association have also assured the new Chairman of the board that they would co-operate with the board officials so as to solve the problems of the employees and increase the efficiency of the board.

The General Secretary of the Association, Mr Jarnail Singh Brar, has in a press release issued here today claimed that the Chairman, Prof Kehar Singh, had accepted their demands pertaining to taking back the fake cases registered against 26 employees for not issuing roll numbers in time. The board, the press release said, would also take back the cases against the three union leaders who spoke against misuse of board vehicles and direct recruitment of employees in the board. Back


 

Union stages dharna
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, May 27 — The Block Karmachari Union, Dera Bassi, staged a dharna before the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer, here today in support of its demands.

More than 30 members of the union, including 3 women, gathered here and raised slogans against the Punjab Government for not releasing their salary since January, 1999. The union had been demanding the release of dearness allowance (DA) since June last year. They alleged that the block authorities had turned a deaf ear towards their demands, while the employees of other blocks had been paid DA.

Mr Jagir Singh, President of the union, said employees of the panchayat samiti had not got their salaries since January this year. The department had not paid Mr Balwant Singh, a chowkidar, whose retirement was due next month, his salary since May last year.

Mr Jagir Singh said the widow of Naseeb Singh had to run from pillar to post for 3 years to get the balance payment from the department. He also said Ms Malkiat Kaur of Gholu Majra village had been left without arrears since 1978.

The union leaders said the employees would have to approach the court if no other option was left to get their rights. The union threatened to intensify the agitation if their demands were not accepted soon. Back


 

Test for neo-literates held
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — A written test for neo-literates was conducted at 12 centres in different government schools in the city today. It was a part of the Total Literacy Campaign, introduced under the overall guidance of the National Literacy Mission, a wing of the Human Resource Development Ministry.

At most of the centres, the turnout, mostly women, was beyond the expectation of the administrative officers. The campaign was supervised by Ms Sudesh Kalra and Ms Joginder Moti, Deputy Directors, Adult Education. They were assisted by Mr Shiv Kumar Sharma and Mr V.P. Sharma.

The Chandigarh Literacy Council took the services of a Jaipur-based NGO during the campaign. This NGO conducted the test.

The campaign was designed to identify and educate the illiterate persons falling in the age group of 15 to 35 years, although no upper age limit was enforced. They were taught reading, writing and arithmetic through the innovative method of Improved Pace and Content Learning.

Funded jointly by the central and state governments, the campaign was launched in the city in 1992. Initially, 5,2000 illiterate persons in the required age group were identified. Planned activities for environment building were undertaken to arouse mass awareness and obtain the cooperation of the community. Since then, 35,000 illiterates attained the status of neo-learners.Back



 

Folk dances enthral
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi in collaboration with the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala, today held a festival of folk dances of India at the Punjab Arts Council, Rose Garden, Sector 16. In it, folk dances of Assam, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Punjab were presented before the audience.

The festival started off with 'bohag bihu', a spring dance of Assam, which began with male dancers coming on to the stage blowing small horn-like instruments called 'pepa' and 'dhols'. The colourful and energetic dance also involved playing of a wooden percussion instrument called 'taka' and an earthen wind instrument, 'sutuli'.

Kathak performance by well-known Bhawai dancer from Rajasthan, Roop Singh Shekhawat, followed the dance. In the dance, Shekhawat balanced seven pots on his head. He also balanced his heavily built body on top of glasses and swords.

It was 'dholoo kanita', an all-male tribal dance from Karnataka, led by Purshottam, which lifted spirits of the audience. With the dancers, wearing yellow headgears and beating 12 huge drums, the dance was able to attract large crowds from the houses surrounding the venue.

The uninhibited dance, which sometimes even went into a wild frenzy, seemed not only a spontaneously vigorous dance but various formations of the dancers were also appealing and aesthetic.

The evening's last performance was the stimulating 'gatka' of Punjab.Back



 

No decision yet on MFC exam
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — Students of Masters of Finance(II) are in a dilemma about rescheduling of their paper of international finance held on May 19. The students had walked out of the examination hall, alleging that the paper did not conform to the prescribed pattern.

The students further alleged that according to the prescribed pattern of the paper by the university, there should have been “five sections in the paper consisting of two questions each and the students would have been required to attempt at least one question each from all the units. All questions carry 16 marks each and they were required to attempt five questions out of 10.”

However, this year's paper had three sections instead of five and the students were instructed to attempt 13 instead of five questions and the classification of marks did not conform to the pattern. In one of the sections, all questions were compulsory and a few questions were out of syllabus.

The candidates cited last year's example when a similar situation had occurred and the university had rescheduled the examinations within two days.

Meanwhile, the students have sent in several written requests to the Vice-Chancellor through the Chairperson of the Correspondence Department. A copy has also been forwarded to the Controller of Examination and a subsequent reminder sent but they have not got any response so far, the students informed.

The Controller of Examination said, “The complaint is under consideration.”Back


 

Theatre workshop begins
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — A theatre workshop for children was inaugurated by Mrs Harjinder Kaur at Gandhi Samarak Bhavan, Sector 16, here today. The workshop will tackle various aspects of theatre which include yoga, relaxation exercises, theatre exercises to increase concentration, besides mask-making, story making and voice and speech modulation techniques.

The workshop has already arranged an interaction between children and noted singer, Hans Raj Hans, on June 3. Efforts are being made to arrange more such interactions with local artists during the month-long workshop being conducted by Mr Kulbir and Ms Suvinderpal Kaur, postgraduates in theatre and television from Punjabi University.Back


 

JEs plan rallies
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The joint action committee of junior engineers of Punjab, Haryana and the UT has decided to hold awareness rallies at all district headquarters of Punjab and at Chandigarh on June 9.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Satnam Singh Dhanoa, Secretary-General of the committee, said the aim of the rallies was to draw the attention of the Punjab Government towards the demands of junior engineers.

He further said that step-motherly treatment had been meted out to junior engineers. No promotional scale had been given to them and a less basic pay had been given to them. Back


 

Khadi union holds rally
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — Members of the New Punjab Khadi and Village Industries Board Employees Union held a rally to protest against the alleged anti-employee stance of the board authorities here this afternoon.

Mr R.S. Dhaliwal, President of the union, said the board had promoted junior employees and had put them in charge of the loan disbursement section, flouting all norms. He said employees, who were about to retire from service, were being harassed by the authorities. Their retirement papers were not being processed and they were facing a lot of problems in getting their pension benefits.

Other demands are release of bonus for the past four years, promotions strictly according to seniority, besides the revival of the loan collection branch. Back



 

First aid camp for kids begins
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27—A camp on first aid and home nursing was inaugurated at Government High School, Sarangpur, by Mr Brahmjit Kalia, District Education Officer, today. Organised for rural school children, the camp has been set up by St Ambulance and the Red Cross Society in collaboration with the Education Department.

The idea is to train children in first aid. "Especially now that the monsoons are on anvil, such training will stand them in good stead since snake bites are common during the rainy seasons. Due to lack of proper information and knowledge, most of these cases take a serious turn by the time medical help is sought,'' Mr Kalia said while speaking about the camp.

Most of the students come from the nearby Karsan colony, besides Khudda Alisher, Kaimbwala, Badheri, Raipur Khurd, Dadu Majra, Dhanas, Kajheri, Karsan and Maloya. The boys will be trained in first aid while the girls will get additional training in home nursing.

During the five-day camp, students of rural schools will be trained in giving first aid to those with wounds, bleeding, fractures, snakebites, artificial respiration, carrying persons on stretchers, tying bandages and tackling cases of poison and intoxication.

Mr S.K. Nazar from St John Ambulance and Mr Ram Kishan Lay, a UK-trained lecturer, delivered lectures and gave demonstrations on first-aid. The Sarpanch of the village, Mrs Bhupinder Kaur, along with the village panchayat attended the inaugural function. The panchayat will bear the expenses of providing refreshment to the students attending the camp.Back


 

SNIPPETS

ICSE results today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27— The results of Classes XII and X examinations conducted by the Indian Certificate of Secondary Examination (ICSE) will be declared tomorrow.

They are available on the Internet at the address http://www.cisce.org.

The results were expected to reach the Principal of St. Xavier’s School and convener of the CISCE, Mr Andrew Gosain, today.

Constitutional amendments demanded
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — The local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) organised a dharna at the Sector 17 Plaza today to demand some amendments to the Constitution. They demanded that the Constitution should provide that key positions like those of the President, the Prime Minister, the Vice-President and the Chief Justice of India, should be filled from among those who were born-Indian citizens.

The participants in the dharna were addressed among others by Mr Gurpartap Singh Brar, President of the local unit of the SAD, besides Mr Mohinder Singh and Mrs Harjinder Kaur, both Councillors. The speakers also blamed the Congress for deterioration in law and order situation in the country.

Demand to free Pak newsman
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — Terming the detention of Pakistani journalist Najam Sethi, as an attack on the freedom of the press, the Kharar Journalists Association, has demanded that he be released immediately.

Mr Gagan Suri and Mr Krishan Parvez “Premi”, the newly elected President and General Secretary of the association, respectively, said that a resolution was passed to condole the sudden demise of Patiala- based journalist Ms Saroj Sirhindi. The association also expressed concern over the misuse of the word “press” by people on vehicles. The association urged the district administration should issue stickers to recognised journalists of the district.

Easy access to research material
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 27 — "Significant research projects and papers will be collected and a directory of these will be prepared to enable easy availability of research material to students. There is a proposal to set up a faculty research corner in the A.C. Joshi Library of the university,'' Dr Satya P. Gautam, Convener of the Research Board, informed, at Panjab University, here today after a meeting of the board.

He added that reimbursement of costs of books had been hiked by members of the board to promote research work and reading among scholars. Also, required amounts were sanctioned to various departments for conducting seminars and lectures during the academic year.

The aim of the board is also to encourage inter-departmental discussions and debates on various topics. Members of the faculty, conducting seminars in their respective departments, have been requested to visit various affiliated colleges to disseminate information.Back


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