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City celebrates birth of 2004

Chandigarh, December 31 All roads led to celebrations as chill failed to freeze the thrill on New Year Eve. As the last surviving day of the dying year slipped away into oblivion ceremoniously, apprehensions regarding blind haze fogging the spirits made their final exit.

WELCOME 2004: Belly dancers perform at a New Year Eve bash at a resort near Chandigarh. — Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

A saga of apathy
Mohali, December 31
As the loud music of New Year Eve party blared from the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Club, little did the revellers know that a mentally challenged and homeless man had been lying on the road just behind the club in the open for the past three days.

Bloody show of apathy  on highways
Zirakpur, December 31
The incident in which a cop’s body was run over by vehicles throughout the night on the busy Kalka-Ambala highway near here on Monday night has once again focused on the growing insensitivity of common man towards human life.

Petrol, diesel prices increased
Chandigarh, December 31
Petroleum companies today gave vehicle owners a New Year blow by raising petrol and diesel prices. The increased prices will be applicable from midnight tonight. The price of petrol per litre in Chandigarh has been increased by Rs 1.02 to Rs 34.11. While in Mohali the price has been increased from Rs 35.93 to 37 a litre. The price of petrol in Panchkula has also gone up by Rs 1 to Rs 33.74.

Fog hangs heavy over Indian Science Congress

Chandigarh, December 31 The thick blanket of fog accompanied by a numbing cold which has been enveloping the entire northern region for the past couple of weeks is threatening to disrupt the proceedings of the 91st session of the Indian Science Congress due to be held here from January 3 to 7. A view of the fog-bound venue of the 91st session of the Indian Science Congress at Panjab University campus on Wednesday morning. — Tribune photo Parvesh Chauhan

Truck overturns near GMCH

Chandigarh, December 31 A truck overturned near the GMCH, Sector 32, today morning when a repaired part of the road caved in. The truck bearing registration number HP22 6714 was coming from Hoshiarpur when the accident occurred due to fog, Jaswinder Singh, the driver of the vehicle told the Chandigarh Tribune today. The truck that overturned due to foggy weather near the GMCH 32 roundabout in Chandigarh. — A Tribune photograph

Govt school timings changed

COMMUNITY

Kamlesh’s election a foregone conclusion
Chandigarh, December 31
The election of Mrs Kamlesh, as the first Scheduled Caste woman Mayor of the municipal corporation, remains a mere formality tomorrow. The election of Mrs Geeta Rani as the Deputy Mayor also remains a formality in the absence of any opposition. The only post that will witness a contest is that of the senior deputy mayor. Mr Pradeep Chhabra from the Congress and Mr Rajesh Gupta from the BJP are in the fray for the post.

Defer CAS implementation, says forum
Chandigarh, December 31
The Cable TV Network Act in its present form would harm the interests of the viewers, as it would result in increase in monthly charges, decrease in the number of channels, no quality assurance and lack of any redress system in case of complaints. These views were expressed by Mr R.K. Kaplash, senior vice-chairman of the Consumer Forum Chandigarh, at a seminar organised on the Conditional Access System (CAS) here yesterday.

City colder than Shimla
Chandigarh, December 31
The cold wave continued to affect normal life as the residents of the city and its surrounding areas once again woke up to a thick blanket of fog which reduced visibility to a few meters.

Shelterless, stray cattle suffer chilly nights 

CHANDIGARH: The fall in temperature in the city to near-zero is not only affecting the poor and the homeless, but also the stray cattle seen on roads and parks all around. The municipal corporation (MC) and religious organisations may try and pass the buck, but the fact is that hundreds of cows are struggling to find a warm place in secluded corners, while facing the wrath of MC employees and residents. Stray cattle in Sector 45 look for shelter from the chilly wind. — Tribune photograph by Pankaj Sharma

Flashback ’03 MOHALI
Ranbaxy blast was the news of the year
Mohali, December 31
The Ranbaxy blast, two visits by the President of India and high profile murders ensured that the township remained in headlines through 2003. While the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) set a new record in declaring examination results in time and finally throwing out the 134 tainted clerks, for Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), the year went down in history when its office shifted from a slummish complex to a six storey glass house building.

Readers Write
Don’t forget senior citizens’ interest in PPF 
Senior citizens are dependent on their savings, there being no old-age security as in developed countries. They depend primarily on the interest on their savings in PPF, etc.

• Mauli Jagran resident dies

• Man crushed to death

CRIME

Scooter stolen, owner gets notice for traffic violation
Chandigarh, December 31
The Chandigarh Police today added insult to an injury of a lineman of the Chandigarh Electricity Department by sending him a notice to furnish details as to who was driving his scooter a month after it was stolen.

Couple hurt in mishap
Panchkula, December 31
A couple was seriously injured after an Indica car carrying a Director of the Haryana Gramin Vikas Bank rammed into their scooter on a road separating Sectors 5 and 6, this afternoon.

BUSINESS

Gujral releases silver coins
Chandigarh, December 31
To mark the golden jubilee of Chandigarh, a set of three commemorative silver coins was released by the Home Secretary, Mr Raminder Singh Gujral, at the UT guest house yesterday. The coins have been designed by Jewellers' Promotion Council, Sector 17. 

Industrialists condemn action of Estate Office 
Chandigarh, December 31
The general body of the CITCO Shed Holders’ Association, at an emergency meeting held here today, condemned the action of the Estate Office to remove shutters forcibly.

JCT may revive its electronics unit

Mohali, December 31 JCT, the flagship company of the Thapar Group, one of India’s largest industrial conglomerates, is making a serious bid to revive its sick unit, JCT Electronics Limited, here. Sources in the company revealed that the fourth meeting in this month between the management and the employees union was held today to finalise the modalities of the proposed revival of this Rs 200-crore plant that had pioneered the production of colour picture tubes (CPT) in India.

The closed JCT electronics unit at the Industrial Area in Phase VIII, Mohali. — A Tribune photograph

Panchkula to have shopping malls
Chandigarh, December 31
If all goes well, Panchkula will soon have shopping malls on the pattern of Delhi and other metropolitan cities. A spokesman of HUDA, which would develop the sites for shopping malls, said here today that the shopping malls would have retail shops, commercial show rooms, display showrooms, restaurants and food plazas, health club and fitness centre, call centres, corporate offices and banks.

EDUCATION

PEC faculty members await notification
Chandigarh, December 31
Even as Punjab Engineering College has become a deemed university, its existing faculty and its re-absorption into the new set-up is an issue that still stands unresolved. All the employees of the PEC, including the Principal, Dr Baljeet. S. Kapoor are unsure of their future and are awaiting a notification to ascertain their roles under the new deemed university status.

Higher education needs new direction, says expert
Chandigarh, December 31
Higher education in India requires a new thinking and a new direction. The gap between the government policies and their implementation needs to be bridged. The need for a change has been argued in the book “Higher Education in India(1781-2003)” by Dr Kuldip Kaur.

PU extends date
Chandigarh, December 31
Panjab University has extended the last date for admission to certificate course in Vivekananda Studies offered by the Department of Correspondence Studies till January 30, 2004, an official press note said here today.

A clarification

COURTS

HUDA employees remanded in judicial custody
Panchkula, December 31
Mr P.K. Yadav, Judicial Magistrate, today remanded three employees of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), Sunil, Sanjiv Jain and R.C. Tarikha, in judicial custody for two days.

LIFESTYLE

He doesn’t compromise on tradition
He believes in promoting Punjabi culture and traditions through his songs. Little wonder, Punjabi folk star Pammi Bai descended upon Punjab Kala Bhavan in Sector 16 clad in a casual jacket over regular trousers, unlike some of his counterparts with pendants hanging around their necks.

Eating Out
Variety is the key here

The New Year brings an exciting new experience of a day out for the people of Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali and even the adventurous neighbouring town dwellers. Thanks to the first multiplex of the region, Fun Republic in the old Dhillon complex in Mani Majra. Newly opened food court in the Fun Republic in Mani Majra, Chandigarh on Tuesday. — A Tribune photograph

Businessmen flock to city for celebrations
REVELLERS, particularly businessmen, rushed all the way to the city from Ludhiana as the dancers unfolded the mystique of Arabia during “Jalwa” organised at Forest Hill Golf and Country Club near Chandigarh.

It’s my life
I want a name in fashion world
I am Shikha Monga, pursuing a diploma course in fashion designing at NIFD, Chandigarh. I have always believed in living life to the fullest. Though I have not been a very academic person, I always had great inclination towards art and craft. I loved dressing up my dolls and even did sketching.

HEALTH

Report on PGI Director likely to be delayed
Chandigarh, December 31
The report of inquiry being faced by the PGI Director, Prof S.K. Sharma, is likely to be delayed as the Director-General, Health Services, Dr S.P. Aggarwal, who is the inquiry officer, has not been able to record the statement of all officials concerned within the stipulated three months time, commencing from October.

SPORTS

Chandigarh loses to Delhi in final

Chandigarh, December 31 Chandigarh school boys went down fighting to Delhi in the final of the 49th National School Games (under-16) for Vinoo Mankad Trophy which concluded last evening at Delhi. Chandigarh cricket team who were runners-up in Vinno Mankad (under-16) School National tournament in Delhi. — A Tribune photograph.