Three injured in mishaps
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 28 — Three persons were injured in two separate accidents here today.

Madhu and Gaurav Jain were injured when a car (CH-O1-N-7423) hit the rickshaw they were travelling on near the Sector 19\27 traffic lights. Madhu's leg was fractured while Gaurav sustained injuries on his face. The driver of the vehicle fled from the scene.

Subash Chander, a scooterist, was injured when he was hit by a truck (PB-02-A-9491) near the Makhan Majra turning. The driver fled from the scene. Cases under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC have been registered.

Assaulted
Kulwant Singh of Kalka reported that he was stopped near the motor market in Mani Majra and assaulted by Resham Singh and five others. A case under Sections 147, 148, 149, 279, 323 and 308 of the IPC has been registered at the Mani Majra police station.

Arrested
Mr K. K. Talwar, a jeweller in Sector 17, reported that Gurcharan Kaur of Ludhiana purchased gold jewellery worth Rs 8,060 and gave him some jewellery in lieu of it, which turned out to be fake. She was arrested when she came to the shop again. A case under Section 420 of the IPC has been registered.

Over 12 lakh donated for Army fund
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 28 — Employees of Panjab University have donated Rs 12,30, 320 towards the Army Central Welfare Fund by contributing their one day's salary.

The cheque was presented to Lt-Gen B.S Malik, Chief of Staff Western Command, by Dr Paramjit Singh, Registrar, PU. While appreciating the gesture of the employees, Gen Malik observed that the concern, commitment and feelings of employees have inspired the armed forces and were a source of strength for them.

Youth fest
Panjab University Youth Festival Zone-A for the session 1999-2000 is being hosted by MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, from November 3- 5. Students of seven colleges for girls would compete in various competitions. They are Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45; SGGS College for Women, Sector 26, Government College for Girls, Sector 42; Home Science College, Government College for Girls, Sector 11; College of Nursing, Sector 12, and MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36 A.

The festival will be marked by a variety of competitions in singing, dancing, drama, histrionics, poem recitation, creative writing and fine arts.

MFC study material
The entire study material for MFC (I and II) for the session 1999-2000 has been printed and is being made available to the students on the spot. Dr R.K. Gupta, Coordinator, Department of Commerce and MFC (Correspondence Studies), has asked the students to collect the same from his office on any working day.

ITI students on strike
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 28 — Nearly 100 students pursuing various courses in Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Sector 28, today boycotted classes and observed a strike to protest against the decision of the authorities to make the students who fail in examinations refund the scholarship or the stipend amount.

Students also alleged that since the trades of tool and die maker, mechanist grinder were affiliated to any state-level bodies, they were not able to get jobs in reputed national-level companies. Some students said there was lack of sports facilities, proper drinking water and upkeep on the premises. Students of stenography (English) alleged that there had been no regular instructor of stenography for the past two-years-and-a-half.

Dr S.K. Aggarwal, Director of the Technical Education of the UT, revealed that the pass rate of students in certain disciplines was as low as zero per cent in the past ten years. The pass percentage in the stenography course (English and Hindi) had been zero. The results of Machines, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning courses had been 38.4 per cent. Instrument Mechanical course had 23 per cent pass rate, while in the Carpentry course it was 28.6 percent. It was 33.3 percent in the Plumbing course and 11 per cent in the Welding course. Keeping in view their performance, the students did not deserve these stipends, he said.

The heads of the institutions had been asked to take stringent measures to streamline the functioning of these institutions and bring about improvement in the results. Students who do not clear the final examination are asked to refund the scholarship and stipend received by them, when they come for the reappear examination. However, this decision will be applicable from the joining of the next batch after it is approved by the Chandigarh Administration and recorded in the prospectus.

Regarding shortage of teaching faculty in the Stenography (English) course, he said posts would be filled shortly and timings of the course had also been increased to improve the performance of these students. Dr Aggarwal added that the results of these students would also be included in the annual confidential reports of teachers.

The Principal of the institute, Mr Shiv Dev Singh, said he would look into general problems of students. He said generally, most students did not use sport facilities at the end of the day. Since the five-day week was introduced, they were to have sport in the last period and not in the day.

MC auctions net Rs 7.11 cr
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 28 — The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) today netted an amount of Rs 7.11 crore through the auction of commercial property in Sector 9-C, near the CITCO petrol station, here.

According to sources, the response to the auction of booths was good with 20 of the 23 booths auctioned fetching an amount of Rs 1,71,55,000. However, the auction of the SCOs evoked very poor response with only three of the 15 SCOs being sold off at a price of Rs 5,40,25000. The three built-up shops in the Thakurdwara Community Centre in Mani Majra, which were to be auctioned on monthly rental basis, could not be auctioned for want of bidders.

The maximum amount an SCO fetched was Rs 1.83 crore while the minimum was Rs 1.78 crore against a reserved price of Rs 1.36 crore. The cost per square came to Rs 48,915 in this category of the auction, which was conducted at the Tagore Theatre.

In the category of booths, the maximum price fetched was Rs 11,25,000 and the minimum Rs 7.95 lakh with the reserved price being Rs 7.60 lakh. The price per square came to Rs 35,900 in this category.

As many as 31 bidders participated in the auction which was conducted by a team of officers comprising, among others, Mr R.K. Rao, Assistant Commissioner, Mr Manmohanjit Singh, Superintending Engineer (Public Health), and Mr H.S. Sood, Chief Accounts Officer. The observer for the auction, Mrs Kamla Sharma, a former Mayor, could not attend the auction.

Prices of pulses go up
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 28 — The prices of a number of pulses have increased during the past two weeks.

During a survey of the local market, it was found that if a kg of white chana was priced at Rs 36 two weeks ago, it could be had today for Rs 38 in the retail market. The wholesale price of the commodity has jumped from Rs 32 to Rs 34 a kg.

The jump in the price of 'arhar' was more noticeable as if a kg of the commodity could be had for Rs 32 last week, it was available in the market today for Rs 37. In the wholesale market the price has jumped from Rs 29 to Rs 33.50 a kg during this period. Similarly, 'mah dhuli', which was priced at Rs 32 a kg last week, could be had in the wholesale market for Rs 28 to Rs 32 a kg.

There was, however, no change in the price of 'mah chilika' as it was priced in the retail market at Rs 29 a kg and in the wholesale market at Rs 27 a kg. 'Mah sabat' was available in the retail market for Rs 28 a kg and in the the wholesale market for Rs 25.50 a kg. According to traders, the prices of most pulses had increased as transportation of these had hit due to the truckers' strike.

"Malika masar' has become costly as the price of a kg of it has jumped from Rs 28 to Rs 30 in retail and from Rs 25 to Rs 27 a kg in the wholesale market. The price of 'dal masri' has jumped from Rs 26 to Rs 28 a kg in retail and from Rs 23.50 to Rs 24.50 a kg in the wholesale market. "Kala masar' was stable at Rs 28 a kg in retail and at Rs 24 a kg in the wholesale market. There was no change in the price of 'rajmah' as it could be bought in the retail market for Rs 32 a kg and for Rs 28 a kg in the wholesale market. The price of 'roungi' was stable at Rs 36 a kg in retail and at Rs 32 a kg in the wholesale market.

Karan bowls St John's to win
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Oct 28 — A deadly spell of bowling by Karan Dhanoa fetched a nine-wicket win and the under-12 title for hosts St John's High School, Sector 26, over YPS, SAS Nagar, in the final of the second Blessed Edmund Rice Cricket Tournament played here today.

Varinder Pal Singh of YPS, SAS Nagar, who scored 53 runs was declared the best allrounder in this group. Nalin Chopra of the winning school who scored a fine 65 unbeaten runs was named the best batsman of the tournament. Karan got the best bowler award.

Earlier in the morning, YPS won the toss and elected to bat first. The beginning of the innings was strong with Varinder and Harman helping the score reach 139 when the third wicket fell.

In the next 20 runs, the entire team was back in pavilion with Karan claiming six wickets.

St John's team started with a bang and the opening partnership made 79 runs before Amrinder Pal was caught by Harman off the bowling of Kirat at 35.

However, the other two batsmen, Nalin and Jasdeep, demolished the bowling of YPS team. They achieved the target in 20 overs with nine wickets still in hand. Nalin hit eleven boundaries in his fine 65 unbeaten runs while Jasdeep sent seven balls to the fence in his unbeaten 38 runs.

Brief scores: YPS, SAS Nagar, — 158 runs all out in 29.5 overs (Varinder Pal Singh 53, Harman 44, Gurkirat 11, Karan Dhanoa 6 for 12, Kritarth Jain 2 for 16); St John's — 163 for one in 20 overs (Nalin Chopra 65 n.o., Jasdeep 38 n.o., Amrinder Pal 35).

Cricket trials

The Mohali Cricket Association will organise selection trials for the under-16 team on October 31 at 10 am at the grounds of the association. The selected team will take part in the Punjab State Inter-District Cricket Tournament for the ML Markan Trophy. The team will play its first match on November 3 against Fatehgarh Sahib at SAS Nagar.

Sanjay School win soccer tourney
By Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, Oct 28 — Sanjay Public School, Sector 44, won the under-17 UT Inter-School Football Tournament which concluded here today after beating Government Model High School, Sector 38, by two goals to one.

GMH-38 dominated the game in the beginning and their player Sanshi Dein scored the first goal in the 28th minute. Till the end of the first half, GMHS players never let Sanjay School boys come back in the game.

In the second half, Sanjay School changed their tactics which proved beneficial and they equalised the score in the 36th minute through Narinder Singh. Later, Ram Vilas scored a goal in the 48th minute which helped Sanjay School win the match, 2-1.

The third place in this section went to Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, when they defeated Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 15, 5-1. Sunny Toor of SPS-41 scored three goals.

Softball meet

The Chandigarh Amateur Softball Association will hold the 14th UT Senior State Softball Championship for men and women on October 30 and 31 at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 23, according to a press release of the association.

Minkey festival

The minkey (mini hockey) festival organised by the Active Sport (India) will be held on November 12 and 13 at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, according to Mr Kuldip Singh. It is to be conducted in the under-8, under-10 and under-12 sections and children drawn from various schools of the city will take part in it. In the under-8 and under-10 sections, boys and girls will play in one team, while there will be separate teams for boys and girls in the under-12 section.