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TOP STORIES

MC service charges to burden UT Education Dept by Rs 1 crore
Chandigarh, January 30
Imposition of service charges on government schools and colleges in the city has put an additional burden of around Rs 1 crore on the UT Education Department.

Congress a divided house over candidates for committee poll
Chandigarh, January 30
The rival camps of the local unit of the Congress today failed to decide on the candidates to be fielded for the election, to the two posts of the Finance and Contract Committee, scheduled for tomorrow.

Woman, son injured in LPG cylinder blast
Mohali, January 30
Two members of a family, including a 53-year-old woman, were severely injured in an LPG blast at their residence in Phase 11 here this afternoon. The impact of the blast, which took place in their kitchen, was so tremendous that the entire house was left with cracked walls, broken doors and shattered windows.

Legal notice to Punjabi singer Gurtej
Mohali, January 30
A Kharar court today issued a notice to Punjabi singer Gurtej Singh Tej for February 8 following a petition filed by lyricist Baljit Singh alleging that the singer owed him Rs 55,000.

Determined to set up a special cell for war widows
Chandigarh, January 30
Ms Anupama Singh, wife of the new Army Chief-designate, Lt-Gen J.J Singh, has a heart that beats for war widows and their children. As she will now take over as the Chairperson of the Army Wives' Welfare Association, she is all set to start a special cell for the war widows, who lost their husbands in action.

Stress disorder great challenge for tsunami survivors
Chandigarh, January 30
It may have taken the killer waves of tsunami a few ill-fated minutes to devastate most of the southern shores. But for many its survivors, the moments of unparallel devastation may have permanently etched in their memories, resulting in continual stress and depression.

Conventional wisdom saved Jarawas from tsunami
Chandigarh, January 30
What has tsunami, which devastated coastal areas in Asia, established is that the conventional wisdom is even now superior and more dependable to the know- how gained by the modern man through scientific mode to save itself from natural calamities.

5.8 per cent problematic internet users in cyber cafes, says study
Chandigarh, January 30
If internet is an impulsive habit for you, surfing often becomes uncontrollable and there is no real purpose behind going from one website to another, then these might well be the indications of the ``problematic internet use'' psychiatrist disorder.

Indian involved in latest research on spinal implants
Mohali, January 30
Bio-medical engineering as a discipline is not so new in India. But it would surprise many that an Indian bio-medical engineer has not just made it to the top in the USA academically but is also responsible for some of the latest inventions in spinal implants.

Passing Thru: Tarlochan Singh

COMMUNITY

Braving cruel strokes of destiny Chandigarh, January 30 Misery struck this hapless woman Ram Devi, hailing from Kangra, the day she came to the PGI for the treatment of her daughter Santosh, who is suffering from severe fits. There is no one to help Ram Devi who came to the PGI for the treatment of her daughter. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Modification of anti-encroachment policy sought
Chandigarh, January 30
The alleged high-handedness of the enforcement staff during the recent anti-encroachment drive has hit shopkeepers of the furniture market in Sector 34 hard, with commercial activity almost coming to a virtual standstill.

Workshop on Dalit rights concludes
Chandigarh, January 30
The high rate of discrimination, social segregation, caste violence and atrocities against Dalits in Punjab came under severe criticism at a two-day workshop on “Dalit rights and legal intervention” which concluded here today.

Search Within
A warning to the living, a lesson to remember
The anti-Sikh riots of Delhi (1984), the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the carnage of Muslims in Gujarat and the burning of Dr Graham Staines and his two sons in Orissa are recent events in the annals of Indian history that gave a true measure of intolerance and religious animosity that lay buried in the Indian psyche.

Lions Club office-bearers honoured

Chandigarh, January 30 The Lions Club International was among the first international organisations to send the emergency grant of nearly $5 lakh to the tsunami- affected areas and Lions Clubs of southern states are working to provide shelter, medicines, drinking water and other help to the victims. Delegates at a regional conference of the Lions Club International, Region XI, in  Chandigarh on Sunday.

Dog show held at Leisure Valley Chandigarh, January 30 Dog lovers from various parts of the country gathered at Leisure Valley, Sector 10, along with their pets to show case them in a dog show organised by the Chandigarh Kennel Club here today. Jack, a five-year-old German Shepard, jumps through the ring of arms of his master Jaswant Singh from Mohali, at a dog show held at Leisure Valley, Sector 10, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma

CRIME

Kidnapping case registered
Chandigarh, January 30
A Sector 15 resident, working with a private company, was last night allegedly kidnapped by three persons from his house. He was, however, dumped near Ropar by the car-borne kidnappers after asking him to behave.

BUSINESS

Bank opens branch Chandigarh, January 30 HDFC Bank opened its 12th branch in the Chandigarh region in Sector 37 here yesterday. With this the bank now has 155 branches in North India. Speaking on the occasion, Ms Neena Singh, Vice-President and Regional Head, HDFC Bank, said: “The growing network of branches and ATMs across the country helps us reach out to our customers, enabling us to strengthen our customer relationships.”  Ms Neena Singh, vice-president and Regional Head, HDFC Bank, at the opening of HDFC’s branch at Sector 37 on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

EDUCATION

Leave with(out) pay, PU style
Chandigarh, January 30
At Panjab University, a faculty member can be on extraordinary leave for a whole year and even then get paid for it. At least that was the experience of a Reader of the Department of English who returned to the campus after availing herself of leave only to find her account ‘overflowing’ with money that wasn’t due to her.

300 appointment letters issued at carnival
Chandigarh, January 30
As many as 300 appointment letters were issued on the concluding day of the two-day job carnival and career counselling festival which concluded at the Government College for Girls, Sector-11, here today.

Students hold awareness rally Chandigarh, January 30 The Social Science Club of Government Model Senior School, Sector 46, organised a rally on AIDS awareness in collaboration with the Chandigarh State Aids Control Society here yesterday.  Students of Saupin’s School, Sector 32, Chandigarh, hold an awareness rally on environment. - A Tribune photo

COURTS

Contempt of court notice to SI
Chandigarh, January 30
Adverse remarks against the legal fraternity in a courtroom have landed a Sub-Inspector (SI) of the Chandigarh police in trouble. The Judicial Magistrate First Class(JMIC), Mr Jaswinder Singh, served a contempt of court notice on Mr Dharamvir Singh, SI, for his remarks against Mr Om Parkash, a practising advocate.

CULTURE

Agashe in double role
Chandigarh, January 30
A film actor, a renowned theatre personality and a qualified psychiatrist Mohan Agashe is in the city to take part in the ongoing annual national conference of the Indian Psychiatric Society at the PGI.

LIFESTYLE

Games that kill playgrounds A large number of city's school children have found a 'virtual' paradise for spending their leisure time on the weekends and holidays. The venues are not the playgrounds to see them dribbling hockey balls, pushing or jostling over football or hitting sixes and fours in a game of cricket. Children play video games at the Sector 37 market in Chandigarh. — A Tribune photograph

When women cop dared male daredevils
A team of women police personnel when challenged to do stunts on motorcycle for a special show on Republic Day took the opportunity to prove that they were more than equal to men.

Anupam Kher and Ketki at the shooting of “Yaraan Naal Baharaan” in Chandigarh on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Skin clinics are the in thing
The trend of visiting beauty parlours to get the polished looks is passé. New avenues like skin clinics are offering women a double advantage. They are not only providing expert solution to skin problems but also guiding women to have that much envied glow. As city-based dermatologist, Rachana Mittal of a skin clinic put it, “If you want to look beautiful then healthy skin is a must. Just powdering it up with make-up will not do.” Maintaining that the healthy and glowing skin does require specialised care, she says: “Most people think that skin clinics are for the rich only.

Strike balance in traditional, modern values: Nadira
Nadira Babbar believes that a modern woman should strike a balance between traditional and modern values. She was in the city on the set of ‘Yaraan Naal Bahran’ on Sunday.

HEALTH

Facilities to treat mentally ill lacking
Chandigarh, January 30
Depression, drug addiction or any other psychiatric disorder, may be threatening to knock at anybody's door in these stressful times.

Correct child nurturing can check depression: expert
Chandigarh, January 30
The care and nursing of mothers especially within the first six months of the birth of the child can go a long way in reducing the chances of the child developing depression at a later stage in life.

SPORTS

India lead in Total Tennis series Chandigarh, January 30 The visiting players gave a good demonstration of tennis but went down fighting to Indian players on the third day of the The Fort Ramgarh Indo-Pak Total Tennis Friendship Series played at the Total Tennis Academy’s YMCA Sector 11 premises. Tanvir Ashiq of Pakistan returns a shot against Navinder Pal Singh in an Indo-Pak friendship tennis match at YMCA on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Punjab health corp gets tennis courts

Mohali, January 30 The Chief Secretary Punjab, Mr J.S. Gill, today inaugurated lawn tennis courts on the premises of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) here. The Chief Secretary, Punjab, Mr J.S. Gill, along with tennis players at the inauguration of tennis courts in Punjab Health Services Corporation, Phase VI, Mohali, on Sunday.— A Tribune photograph

Minerva Academy beat Swami XI
Chandigarh, January 30
Minerva Academy overcame Swami XI by 5 wickets in the Third SSP Network Knockout Cricket Tournament being played at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 32, here today.

AirTel CMTS whacks Ericsson XI
Chandigarh, January 30
A strokeful century by Kanav Verma helped AirTel CMTS rout Ericsson XI by 164 runs in a group 'A' match in the Punjab Telcom Operators Friendship Cup Cricket Tournament, at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, in Sector 3, Panchkula, today.

Hoteliers dish out defeat to journos
Chandigarh, January 30
The team of Hotel GK International, which is the reigning champion in inter-hotel cricket, today got the better of mediapersons at a friendly cricket match played here. Electing to bat after winning the toss, the players of GK International posted a decent total of 159 all out in the allotted 25 overs.