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TRIBUNE IMPACT
4 CRPF men suspended
Angry villagers block traffic
Naya Gaon, October 18
The CRPF today suspended four of its personnel in the Punjab Chief Minister’s security for allegedly assaulting villagers here last night and the Punjab Police has registered a case against an unspecified number of CRPF men for the incidents even as villagers took out a protest march to the Chief Minister’s house today.

Residents of Naya Gaon block the Khuda Ali Sher road on Thursday to protest against last night’s assault and rampage by CRPF men in the village; (right) Commandant S.C. Saini addresses the villagers.
— Tribune photos Parvesh Chauhan

‘Extend Apartment Act to UT’
Chandigarh, October 18
A deputation of leaders of several organisations of UT today met the Governor and UT Administrator, Lieut Gen J.F.R. Jacob, and submitted a memorandum containing a series of suggestions on the implementation of the Punjab Apartment Act and conversion of commercial and industrial leasehold property into freehold property.

Are private academies duping students? Bogus roll number racket unearthed SAS Nagar, October 18 The functioning of private academies has come under sharp focus of Punjab School Education Board officials with the officials of the examination branch unearthing a well-organised racket, enabling the candidate to appear in the March, 2001, matric examination on the basis of bogus roll numbers.

Card sessions begin in earnest
Chandigarh, October 18
Playing cards by placing bets in cash is back on its annual course, or to say that the customary pre-Divali card sessions have already begun in right earnest in the city and its surrounding townships of Panchkula and SAS Nagar.

CTCC burns PM’s effigy, Bahl caught in sparks
Chandigarh, October 18
Members of the Congress today burnt an effigy of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, for re-inducting Mr George Fernandes as Defence Minister in his Cabinet after the Venketaswamy Commission, going into the Tehelka expose, terming the Tehelka tapes as “undoctored”.

Sufi spirit spins soul-searching songs
Chandigarh, October 18
Watching him in concert is like watching the play of ocean waters, sometimes falling low to touch the ebb, sometimes rising in a high tide to reach for the full moon, but finally merging into the majestic ocean to rise afresh. Riding on the crest of spirituality so basic to Sufism, Hans Raj Hans has come a long way. 

• Keeping Sufi music alive

Reethas that are sweet

Chandigarh, October 18 A small tree in the front garden of house number 1144 in Sector 34 is in full bloom with sweet reethas. A Tribune team that visited the house had a taste of the reetha (soap nut). It was sweet. This particular soap nut is awfully bitter, acrid and nauseating — like quinine — in taste. Branches laden with sweet reetha fruit outside a house in Sector 34, Chandigarh. — Tribune photo by Karam Singh

CRIME

Two cases of assault registered
Chandigarh, October 18
Two cases of assault have been registered by the local police. In the first case, Sunil Kumar, a resident of Sector 9, Panchkula, complained that he was threatened and assaulted by Harsharan Singh, near CITCO booth in Sector 10, which resulted in injuries to him. He also alleged that the assailant broke glass of his car.

Burglars steal goods worth Rs 1.5 lakh
SAS Nagar, October 18
Burglars broke into a house in Sector 70 here last night and decamped with goods worth Rs 1.50 lakh while the occupants were away. According to the information available, the owner of the house, Mr Narata Singh, had left for Malaysia five months ago and an artist, Devinder Singh, was living there.

Proclaimed offender held
Chandigarh, October 18
The local police today claimed to have arrested a proclaimed offender from Sector 40. The police has identified him as Vishwanath Attri, a resident of Panchkula. He has been remanded in police custody till October 20.

Man commits suicide
Chandigarh, October 18
A sweeper (on daily wages) with the UT Health Department allegedly committed suicide this afternoon in Ram Darbar here.

EDUCATION

Education board staff poll on October 24
SAS Nagar, October 18
With the last date for filing, scrutinising and withdrawal of nomination papers for the Punjab School Education Board (Non-Teaching) Employees Union ending today, three major groups have been left in the fray. The elections are being held on October 24.

NCTE recognition
Chandigarh, October 18
The Nursery Teachers Training, a two-year course run by the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Institute of Vocational Studies in Sector 27 , has been recognised by the Northern Region Committee of the National Council for Teacher Education, Jaipur, according to Mr Lakhwinder Singh, Director of the institute who briefed mediapersons here today.

Welcome function fails to impress
Chandigarh, October 18
A miserable sound system, coupled with lacklustre quality of the show, marred the welcome function for freshers of the Law Department at Panjab University here today.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Contempt notice to Chief Engineer, XEN
Chandigarh, October 18
Coming down heavily on Punjab’s Chief Engineer (drainage) S.S. Dhaliwal and executive engineer D.S. Sandhu for taking the court’s directions in a “casual manner”, Ms Justice Bakhshish Kaur of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked them to appear in person and to show cause why proceedings under the Contempt of Court Act should not be initiated against them. Notice was also issued to Secretary in the Irrigation Department Rajesh Chhabra

DISTRICT COURT
Bail granted in cheating case
Chandigarh, October 18
Ravi Sher Singh, an employee of the Registering and Licensing Authority, was granted bail today by the UT Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Lakhbir Singh, in a fake license case. The accused was granted the bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 15,000.

CULTURE

Changing face of Ramlila Chandigarh, October 18 The presentation of Ramlila has undergone a tremendous change over the past 20 years. Music, dialogues, script, dresses, sceneries and background, all characteristics in a Ramlila, are witnessing a new look. A scene from Ramlila being staged at Parade Ground, Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Mega-dance competition on Oct 20
Chandigarh, October 18
Western Star Group, All Art Culture Association and Citi Entertainment Network will organise a mega dance competition titled “Taal-2001” at Bal Bhavan, Sector 23, on October 20.

HEALTH

GMCH employees submit memorandum
Chandigarh, October 18
The Chandigarh Government Medical College and Hospital Employees Union today submitted a memorandum to the Director-Principal of the institute, the Adviser to the UT Administrator and the Secretary of Medical Education and Research, apart from the Assistant Labour Commissioner, for taking early action to revoke ‘illegal suspension’ of two staff nurses.

DC sets up panel to grant medical loans
Panchkula, October 18
The Deputy Commissioner, Ms. Jyoti Arora, today set up a three-member committee in order to give loans to their workers for medical relief, till the payment from their Employees State Insurance is released.

Eye conference from October 20
Chandigarh, October 18
The Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College and Hospital, will organise the 25th annual conference of the North Zone Ophthalmological Society on October 20 and 21.

51 units of blood collected
Chandigarh, October 18
A total of 51 units of blood were collected at the second blood donation camp organised by the Lions Club Panchkula Central at Central Revenue Building in Sector 17 here today.

SPORTS

Shooting competitions at SAS Nagar
Chandigarh, October 18
The shooting event of the forthcoming 31st National Games will be held as per schedule in the new range coming up at SAS Nagar, if today’s meeting between top-rung officials at the range is any indication. 

MCM women surge ahead in football meet
Chandigarh, October 18
MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, and Deepak Kapania club surged ahead by registering wins over their respective rivals, Government College for Girls, Sector 11, 5-0, and Dev Samaj College for women, Sector 45, 4-0, in the Chandigarh Senior Women Football Championship for the Deepak Kapania Trophy played here today at Football Stadium, Sector 17.

• CGA miniature golf facility opens today
  
  

Shahi for special meeting of MC House
Chandigarh, October 18
The BJP Councillor, Ms Ranjana Shahi, today urged the Municipal Commissioner, Mr M. P. Singh, to call a special and last meeting of the Corporation House before elections to take stock of what the local body has been able to achieve.

Vacuum cleaners for underground parking
Chandigarh, October 18
The underground parking in Sectors 17, 8 and 9 will no more be dusty as the Municipal Corporation has bought two vacuum cleaners and may buy more for keeping them dust-free.

Joint sanitation drive launched
Chandigarh, October 18
Four departments of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh today launched a month-long joint sanitation drive, beginning with Sector 44. The drive will be carried out in Sector 43 tomorrow. It may be joined in by the enforcement wing in subsequent days.

• 2 pc DA for Admn staff