C H A N D I G A R H

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CHB slashes interest rate
Allottees to pay 10 pc interest on instalments
Chandigarh, November 27
The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) today made a change in its policy by bringing down the rate of interest charged on instalments from allottees from 18 per cent to 10 per cent. The decision was taken at a meeting of the board members today.

Panel to look into changes in CHB flats
Chandigarh, November 27
The committee constituted under the Deputy Commissioner to look into need-based changes in dwelling units in Chandigarh will also look into need-based changes in flats constructed by the Chandigarh Housing Board, (CHB).

Certificate forgery gang busted, 2 held
Mohali, November 27
In a major breakthrough, the Mohali police has claimed to have busted a hi-tech forgery gang, arresting two persons from Mohali on charges of forging vital documents, including matriculation and other certificates of the Punjab School Education Board.

MC fails to take action against erring officials
Chandigarh, November 27
It seems that the Municipal Corporation is not keen to take action against officers who concealed facts about two commercial sites, resulting in the loss of lakh of rupees during an auction of the sites in Sector 9 held last year.

Local vendors violate Mandi Board Act
Chandigarh, November 27
A populist decision by the Congress ruled Municipal Corporation to allow local vendors in apni mandis is in contravention of the Punjab Mandi Board Act. The Act which governs the running of apni mandis strictly forbids private market in or near the mandi(s).

Students return to classrooms Students of Government College for Girls, Sector 11, bask in the winter Sun outside their college canteen after the college reopened following the end of the students’ strike against fee hike in Chandigarh on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

No holiday in schools, colleges
Chandigarh, November 27
There is no holiday in the offices of the Chandigarh Administration and in educational institutions like schools and colleges on Friday. Throughout the day confusion prevailed among parents of school and college going children that tomorrow was a holiday. Actually the Administration had never declared holiday on November 28.

Woman gets burns for exposing neighbour

Chandigarh, November 27 She will not be able to show her face in the public for a long time now. She got boiling water on her face for exposing immoral conduct of her neighbour. Ms Baby, a resident of Janta Colony, Naya Gaon, has some consolation since the Punjab State Commission for Women today took serious view of the police apathy towards the case. The commission has directed the SSP, Ropar, to arrest the accused and take action. Ms Baby, with burnt face, and her husband Ashok Kumar in the office of Punjab State Commission for Women in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Retired soldiers ail under health scheme
Chandigarh, November 27
The delay in issuing smart cards to retired soldiers under the Ex-servicemen’s Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) is adding to their problems. Despite directions being issued by Army Headquarters on the procedures to be adopted till the time cards are issued, there have been numerous instances where ex-servicemen visiting hospitals have ended up paying for their treatment or have been referred elsewhere.

English judge sans wig
Chandigarh, November 27
You do not expect a Judge from England to wear a turban, even if you know he is a Punjabi. After all, aren’t the Judges supposed to wear a wig there. At least this is what they show on the television. So the sight of a gentleman in an immaculate white turban, sitting on a comfortable sofa-set going through a news magazine, takes you by surprise.

COMMUNITY

SAD-BJP alliance exists in MC, says councillor
Chandigarh, November 27
Contradicting the claim of the President of the Chandigarh unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Gurpartap Singh Riar, Mr Harjinder Kaur, a councillor, today produced a document claiming that the BJP-SAD existed in the corporation. She said she would show the document to the BJP councillors in the tomorrow’s General House meeting.

UT flouting Electricity Act
Chandigarh, November 27
The UT administration may soon have to face trouble as it is violating the provisions of the Electricity Act — 2003, under which it has to appoint an Electricity Regulatory Commission to fix power tariff and address the complaints of the industrial, commercial and domestic consumers.

PSEB charged with double standards for billing
Mohali, November 27
In its enthusiasm to implement revised billing rules, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) here seems to have goofed up in a big way. Residents have alleged that they have received highly inflated bills.

Stray animal menace remains unchecked
Mohali, November 27
Even as residents of the town are facing the problems of stray cattle, not a single animal has been caught by the contractor in the past more than one month. In a show-cause notice issued to the contractor here today the Municipal Council authorities stated that no animal had been caught and left out of the town after October 20.

No end to row over encroachment
Panchkula, November 27
The on-going controversy over the alleged encroachment on the Haryana Urban Development Authority ( HUDA) land by residents of neighbouring areas of Punjab, sees no end in the near future.

3 die of cold in Hoshiarpur district
Chandigarh, November 27
The cold wave sweeping the north-west region for the past one week has claimed three lives in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to five, including one in Haryana, since early this week.

Works worth Rs 103 lakh completed
Chandigarh, November 27
As many as 26 works worth Rs 103 lakh have been completed so far this year in Sector 21. Another eight works worth Rs 43 lakh were expected to be completed in the coming few months.

50-year-old crushed to death

CRIME

One held on charge of smuggling liquor
Chandigarh, November 27
The crime branch of the police arrested a Yamunanagar resident on the charge of smuggling of liquor from near the Chandigarh - Zirakpur barrier here today. Another persons travelling in the car, however, managed to escape.

1 held for carrying revolver
Chandigarh, November 27
The police today arrested a resident of Moga, Gurinder Singh Gill, for allegedly carrying a revolver unauthorisedly on the Sector 14-15 separating road. The police said Gill was arrested while he was travelling in a car with the revolver. He had got licence for the weapon but had no permission to carry it. He was arrested under Section 188 of the Cr.P.C.

Suicide by woman
Panchkula, November 27
A 20-year-old woman committed suicide by hanging herself at the house of her husband's relative in Daya Colony, Mansa Devi Complex, today. The police says marital discord between the couple who had been married for six months, was the reason for the suicide.

Boy hurt in road accident

BUSINESS

Beopar Mandal releases directory

EDUCATION

Good response to painting contest

Chandigarh, November 27 Eliciting a tremendous response from the students from various city schools, the painting, slogan-writing and power-point presentation contests marked the third day of the Founder’s Week celebrations at Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, here today. A painting contest in progress at the Founders’ Week celebrations at MRA Senior Secondary School in Chandigarh on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Campus round-up
Parking blues on PU campus

A large number of vehicles on Panjab University campus are facing parking blues because of non-availability of suitable parking space at a number of places. A girl’s scooter collided with a parked motor cycle near Arts Block I last Friday evening because of poor visibility at night. The motor cycle was parked by the roadside. Vehicle rush flows on to the roads for parking in the wake of inadequate space at Panjab University. — Photo by Pankaj Sharma

West on looting spree, says former teacher
Chandigarh, November 27
“The West is on a looting spree in the name of globalisation,” said Prof Banwari Lal Sharma, a former teacher at Allahabad University, while delivering a talk at a programme organised by the Panjab University Teachers Association here today.

COURTS

District Courts
Police custody for Saini
Chandigarh, November 27
Om Parkash Saini, alleged to be the main suspect in the extortion racket busted by the UT police was today sent to police custody for two days by a local court. He was produced in the court of UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr Sanjay Sandhir, who after hearing the police plea remanded Saini in police custody till November 29.

HUDA directed to refund money
Panchkula, November 27
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) to refund money deposited by an unsuccessful applicant of a residential plot in Kurukshetra.

CULTURE

Chandigarh, Nov 27 Music is well said to be the speech of angels. It communicates in a language that instantly charms, inspires and intoxicates. Members of a musical troup “Bratko bibic & the Madleys” from slovenia performs at Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Auditorium in Sector-30, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photograph

Riding club inaugurated
Chandigarh, November 27
A musical ride by horsemen marked the inauguration of the Shivalik Riding and Pony Club (SRPC) by the Chief of Staff, Western Command, Lieut-Gen P.K. Grover, at Chandi Mandir today.

LIFESTYLE

Fashion Fundas
Hot designs for cool guys

With temperatures plummeting the time is ripe to update your winter collection. Cool dudes today are no less than their fair counterparts when it comes to shopping for their wardrobe. Men’s fashion has evolved from sober to snazzy and from bland to vibrant over the years and the wide variety of stuff stocked up in city stores bears testimony to the fact. Stores in city have stocked up stylish woolies for guys. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

McDonald’s to open more outlets

McDONALD’s which is currently operating 50 fast food restaurants in different parts of India plans to double the figure within the next three years. This was disclosed here today by Mr Vikram Bakshi, Joint Venture Partner and Managing Director, McDonald’s (North India), in an interview with TNS. An inside view of McDonald’s in Fun Republic in Mani Majra.

Verma to open refurbished Dolls Museum
The Governor of Punjab and Administrator of UT Chandigarh, Justice O. P. Verma (retd), will formally throw open to public a refurbished International Dolls Museum at the Bal Bhavan in Sector 23 tomorrow.

Go on fat, almond diet for weight loss
Adding fuel to the latest debate in the nutrition community, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity (USA) shows that in two groups eating two different diets containing the same number of daily calories over six months, one group lost more weight than the other.

NEW RELEASES
Much-awaited films open today
First-time director Nikhil Advani’s ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ and producer-director Feroz Khan’s ‘Janasheen’ have generated curiosity and the buzz is that the movies can get a bumper opening. The viewers are looking forward to the two films coming during the Id week.

HEALTH

Steps to instill confidence among HIV patients
Chandigarh, November, 27
As the stigma and ostracisation, attached with AIDS continues to fuel the global epidemic even more, the Voluntary Counselling Training Services being offered by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) have now included the word “confidential” to instill faith in the patients over their HIV status being kept secret.

Nine-year-old awaits gift of life 

Chandigarh, November, 27 Looking at Gurmeet, the nine-year-old cherubic child lying on a PGI bed, nobody can have an inkling that he is suffering from a chronic liver and kidney ailment which could ultimately prove to be fatal. Suffering from a kidney disorder leading to excessive loss of protein, his entire body gets swollen. The problem is so acute that even his eyes swell up, because of which he has not been able to attend the school regularly. “Since the family has no money for treatment, his condition has worsened during the past two years since then. He has been coming to us.

SPORTS

Equestrian stars in the making

Chandigarh, November 27 The recent magnificent performance of the team of 22 children from Chandigarh Horse Riders Society (CHRS) at the national-level Shivalik Horse Show at TA Grounds a few days back has raised hopes that city can become a hub of equestrian events. Aged between 8 and 22 years, they took part in the Shivalik Horse Show and did well. Young and budding riders of the Chandigarh Horse Riders Society at a practice session at the Lake Club in Chandigarh. — A Tribune photograph

Joginder wins under-19 5000-m race 
Chandigarh, November 27
Joginder of Shivalik Public school, Sector 41, emerged winner in the under 19 age group in 5,000 metres section in the UT Inter-School Athletic Meet which began here today at Sports Complex, Sector 7.

MCM DAV, GCG-11 move ahead
Chandigarh, November 27
Government College for Girls, Sector 11, and MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, moved ahead by registering wins over their respective rivals Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 36, by 50-30 and MG Khalsa College for Girls, Kottan 54-46, in the Panjab University Inter College Kabaddi (women) Tournament played here today at Government College for Girls, Sector 11.

Badminton meet today
Chandigarh, November 27
The All-India Inter Zonal Audits and Accounts Department Badminton Championship will begin here tomorrow at Badminton Hall, Sector 42. In this meet, eight teams — AG, UP, AG, Punjab, AG, Kerela, AG, Tamil Nadu, AG, AP, AG, Bihar/ Jharkhand, AG, Rajasthan and AG, MP/Chhatisgarh — will take part.

Joginder wins gold
Chandigarh, November 27
Constable Joginder Singh of the Chandigarh police cornered glory by winning one gold medal in quick reflex action in revolver/pistol event and a bronze medal in attack position in revolver/pistol in the 47th All-India Police Duty Shooting meet held at Cuttack (Orissa) from November 17 to 20. 

ADMINISTRATION

Jhuggi dwellers asked to submit papers
Chandigarh, November 27
The Chandigarh Administration today asked the jhuggi dwellers of Rajiv Colony, Sector 38 (West) to submit papers with proof of their eligibility for rehabilitation under the Licencing of Tenement and Sites and Services in Chandigarh Scheme, 1979 in a special camp to be held on the Estate Office premises on December 1 and December 2 from 11 am to 5 pm.