C H A N D I G A R H

MC bodies dissolved amid unruly scenes
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — Bowing under the pressure of the majority BJP-SAD councillors, Mayor Raj Kumar Goyal today dissolved the nine subcommittees at the 44th special meeting of the MC House amidst unruly scenes. Even as the BJP-SAD councillors kept demanding that the resolution be passed by division of votes in the House, the Mayor adjourned the meeting.

Councillors of Municipal Corporation have heated arguments on the issue of the constitution of subcommittees in Chandigarh on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

Victims of the Bhuj earthquake get down from an aeroplane at the Chandigarh airport on Monday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

Jat Sabha donates 21,000 to CM’s Relief Fund
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The 105th birth anniversary of Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram was celebrated with music and melody on the premises of Jat Bhavan in Sector 27 here today. There were a number of folk song and dance performances to mark the Basant Panchmi celebrations, apart from the birth centenary celebrations of Sir Chhotu Ram.

1 lakh donated for quake-hit
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The Principal, Dr A.C. Vaid, and Mr U.K. Sharma, President, Managing Committee, GGDSD College, Sector 32, donated Rs 1 lakh in favour of the Indian Red Cross Earthquake Society on behalf of the students, teaching, non-teaching staff and management of the college here today.

Chandigarh Falls in second highest tremor risk category
‘Severe quake in Kangra can devastate city’
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The city and its environs experienced approximately 30 noticeable earthquakes over the past 12 months, while the number of tremors which went unnoticed, except those recorded by scientific instruments, was much more. The tremors felt in Chandigarh were harmless, experts said, adding that the city could be devastated if a severe earthquake were to rock Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, which was in the high risk category.

84-year-old man first to contribute
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — An 84-year-old man, carrying a cheque of Rs 90,000, pedalled his way to The Tribune office this morning to be the first person to contribute to the Gujarat Chief Minister's Earthquake Relief Fund.

Cops attach Punwire MD’s farmhouse
SAS NAGAR, Jan 29 — In the Punwire cheating case, the local police has, through the Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, attached a farmhouse owned by the managing director of Punwire, Mr Gurpal Singh, at Dera Bassi. Nine officials of Punwire wanted in several cases of cheating have been arrested by the police.

COMMUNITY

Lane that leads to mishaps
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The narrow two-lane road from old Mani Majra and behind the Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, via the railway crossing towards Madhya Marg and Kishangarh village has become an accident-prone area. Last week, a five-year-old girl was killed in a road accident near the railway crossing.

Environmental scientists’ body
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The election of the office-bearers and the Executive Committee of the Society of Environmental Scientists, a national body registered in Delhi, were held recently. 

Akademi honour for Tribune staffer
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi has decided to publish journalist Ashwini Bhatnagar’s debut manuscript, Shadow’s Word. The book will be launched nationwide in February. The Akademi Chairman, Maj-Gen Himmat Singh Gill, said the book had been selected because of its “intensity, authenticity and fresh style of writing”. Mr Bhatnagar is an Assistant Editor on The Tribune.

CRIME

30-year-old woman commits suicide
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — In less a year after her marriage, Tikkapreet, an Army colonel’s daughter allegedly having strained relations with her husband, today committed suicide by consuming poison. Two other women were hospitalised with poisoning. 

Three held for flesh trade
SAS NAGAR, Jan 29 — The local police has arrested two girls for being involved in flesh trade. A person, Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Bhora Colony in Ludhiana, has also been arrested for running flesh trade.

Residents take to night vigil
SAKETRI, Jan 29 — The rising instances of crime in the area have brought the residents out of their houses and into the streets, literally. Having taken upon themselves the task of checking the crime graph, they have taken to keeping night vigil in the colony and the adjoining village.

EDUCATION

PU depts demand Rs 58 lakh more
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — Far above expectations, the Panjab University budget recorded additional demands worth nearly 58 lakh from various departments during 2000-2001.

CET-2001 on May 27
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, is conducting the CET-2001 on May 27 for admission to the engineering and architecture courses in the colleges affiliated to it for the academic session 2001-02.

History quiz organised
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The team of Government College Sector 46, won the inter-college quiz organised by the History Association of DAV College, Sector 10, here today.

Annual day of school
SAS NAGAR, Jan 29 — The annual prize-distribution function of Sant Isher Singh Public School was held in Sector 70 here yesterday. Mr Y.P. Katyal, Joint Secretary of the CBSE, was the chief guest and Mr Kulwant Singh, President of the local civic body, presided over the function.

Manipuri students leave for Jaipur
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — A group of 20 Manipuri students representing the state on a 15-day excursion to Delhi, Chandigarh and Jaipur left for Jaipur from here today.

COURTS

HC directive on auctions
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Sud, today directed the UT Administration that it should first see the site before it is auctioned as this would avoid litigation and inconvenience.

GCM adjourned till Jan 31
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The general court martial trying Maj Maneesh Bhatnagar on charges of wilful disobedience was today adjourned till January 31 due to the unavailability of the witnesses sought by the defence.

CULTURE

Focus on organic cultural practices
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — The second day of the national training workshop on organic farming being organised by the Environment Society of India saw a rapid exchange of information between the experts and farmers from various parts of the country and people from the region.

Typifying the spirit of experimentation
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — Painter Anjolie Ela Menon was in town today to deliver a lecture on art and her creative process on an invitation from the Government College of Art, Sector 10.

HEALTH

New technique to correct cataract
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — With latest techniques available, phacoemulsification of white cataract is now possible. Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, during the annual conference of the Chandigarh Ophthalmological Society here yesterday, Dr Jagat Ram, Additional Professor, Ophthalmology Department, PGI, said this technique, to which the world was recently introduced in the year 2000, is now also available in the institute.

Workshop on quality of drugs
SAS NAGAR, Jan 29 — The Indian pharmaceutical industry would have to pay attention in the area of drug quality if it had to compete in the international market, said Mr V.N. Kaul, Secretary in the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, while speaking at the inaugural function of a two-day workshop on “Quality requirements for exports of drugs and pharmaceuticals” organised at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research here today.

SPORT

City has another tennis star
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — Saurabh Singh of Chandigarh continued his fine form from the ITF Junior Tennis Meet that concluded on January 27 in Delhi by defeating seeded players in the Chandigarh leg of the meet today. The meet began here today in the Sector 10 CLTA Stadium.

Athletics meet organised 
CHANDIGARH, Jan 29 — Purnima of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, and Charandeep Singh of St Anne’s Convent School, Sector 32, secured first place in 400 metre event in under 14-age group of girls and boys section respectively of the UT School Athletic meet organised by UT Education Department here at the Sports Complex, Sector 7.

ADMINISTRATION

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