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Ward No. 7 goes to Cong
Chandigarh, January 14
Congress candidate Phool Chand won the MC byelection from Ward 7 here today. He defeated SAD-BJP-CVM alliance candidate Sachin Singh of the BJP by just 104 votes. There was 58.58 per cent polling.

Congress candidate Phool Chand with supporters after winning the Ward 7 byelection in Chandigarh on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

Mafia eyes govt land in Mauli Jagran
Chandigarh, January 14
While Chandigarh Administration is going “overboard” in spending lakhs on rupees on constructing 23,000 dwelling units for slum dwellers after acquiring more land, it has failed to save its vacant land in existing resettlement colonies.

Attending classes? Other things to do at school!
Chandigarh, January 14
If you think that your child goes to school for the sole purpose of academic activities, you can be in for a big surprise. They are put to sundry jobs which have no relevance to their pursuit of learning, found by a Tribune team visiting schools.

Paying ‘gurudakshina’! A student fetches milk for her teachers at the Government High School, Karsan, Chandigarh, on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Vinay Malik

Post Lohri, day temperature dips
Chandigarh, January 14
Lohri bonfires seem to have made a difference. As compared to earlier days, the night temperatures recorded today were higher adding much-desired warmth to the weather.

As evening draws, migrants sit around a bonfire to beat the cold in Chandigarh. — Tribune photo by Malkiat Singh

3 of family die in road accident
Chandigarh, January 14
Three members of a Sector 33-based family were killed in a road accident today.

CSIO develops low-cost personal safety weapon
Chandigarh, January 14
Credited with designing many innovative equipments and gadgets, the Central Scientific and Industrial Organisation has built a prototype of an electromagnetic weapon. This will not only demonstrate the use of electronics for national security and maintaining law and order, but can also be used for the personal safety of individuals.

Prof Darshan Singh Maini dies at 88
Chandigarh, January 14
A noted scholar of Henry James, poet, writer, columnist and a frequent contributor to The Tribune, Prof Darshan Singh Maini, died this morning. He was 88. Professor Maini was born on January 8, 1919, in Jhelum, now in Pakistan. His family actively participated in the freedom struggle. After getting his Master’s degree in English in 1942, he taught at Khalsa College, Lyallpur.

Watch Out
Inderjit Chadha
Another local hockey sensation, is showing his prowess on the Chennai turf where the third league of the Premier Hockey League Tournament is in progress. Inderjit, a product of the Chandigarh Hockey Academy, Sector 42, was instrumental in enabling the junior Indian Hockey team to clinch the World Cup in 2001-2002.

In Town
Sarabjit Cheema
A "bhangra star" of the Punjabi music world, will be in town on Monday to release his latest music album, "Nacho Nacho" at the Chandigarh Press Club.

COMMUNITY

7 councillors welcome idea to dissolve House
Panchkula, January 14
Seven councillors today welcomed the suggestion to dissolve the House and hold fresh MC elections. Holding that no works were being carried out in their wards, they held that the public interest was getting lost in the tussle for the MC President's chair.

Housing Problems
Now, water shortage in winter
Chandigarh, January 14
Development comes at a price. Thousands of residents of several colonies in Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat are realising this the hard way. They had been facing a severe water shortage since the start of the flyover as part of the four-laning project of Ambala-Chandigarh highway.

Officer’s conversion to JAG Dept raises brows
Chandigarh, January 14
The conversion of an officer from a different corps to the Judge Advocate-General (JAG) Department despite a ban reportedly against him by the Discipline and Vigilance Directorate, has raised the brows in several quarters.

Stray dog menace on the rise
Panchkula, January 14
The stray dog menace is growing at an alarming pace in the city in the absence of any agency to sterilise the dog population. As night descends, the roads virtually become their domain and evening walks are a nightmare for residents.

IAF has all-weather recce capability: Tyagi
Chandigarh, January 14
Stating that some of the shortcomings faced by the IAF in the 1999 Kargil conflict have been overcome, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, said the Air Force now had all-weather recce and surveillance capability.

Lohri celebrations galore
Mohali, January 14
Shivalik Public School here celebrated Lohri and Makar Sankranti with great excitement and piety. Students of classes III to XII assembled in the school auditorium with the teachers. The programme included poems, songs related to Lohri and speeches highlighting the significance of this festival which marks the end of peak winters and announces the dawn of the spring season.

Mumbai firm captures Lohri on film
Chandigarh, January 14
While most city residents were busy celebrating Lohri gathered in circles around a bonfire, curled up to beat the chill and munching popcorns in front of their houses and the more urbane crowd dancing away to glory at discothèques, far in a sleepy village at the periphery of Zirakpur, a team of Humming Bird Films from Mumbai was busy shooting the traditional Lohri that was being celebrated in ‘Vaseela’, a farmhouse made on the theme of a Punjabi village.

‘Not much difference between Cong, BJP’
Mohali, January 14
Pulangh, a social welfare organisation, today organised a seminar on the “Question of Punjab Assembly Election to be adjusted in the welfare of people” at the auditorium of Shivalik Public School, Phase VI, here.

Librarians should be information officers: Bansal
Chandigarh, January 14
“Libraries are the real temples of modern India and librarians should promote extra-curricular studies among their readers,” said Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, Chandigarh MP and Union Minister of State for Finance, here today. Mr Bansal was presiding over a thanksgiving function organised by the Confederation of Librarians’ Association of Northern India at the DAV College, here today.

3 of family sustain burn injuries
Chandigarh, January 14
Three members of a family, including a minor boy, sustained burn injuries in a fire that broke out from smouldering coals that they had kept in their hut in colony Number 5, here, tonight. The police ruled out the possibility of any foul play in the incident.

Punjabi magazine released
Chandigarh, January 14
Chandigarh Digest, a monthly Punjabi magazine, was today released at the Chandigarh Press Club by Mr Surinder Kumar Jagota, councillor, Municipal Corporation.

Kidney patient needs help
Chandigarh, January 14
Mr Janam Jai Sahu, a resident of Ranchi, needs financial help for kidney transplant. Sahu, who has been under treatment at the PGI for the past about seven months, needs about Rs 3.5 lakh for the operation and essential drugs after the surgery. Sahu can be contacted in Room No 14, Janata Serai Building, PGI. TNS

CRIME

Woman robbed of jewellery
Chandigarh, January 14
Two unidentified youth robbed a 74-year-old woman of her gold ornaments from near gate number 2 of the Panjab University campus early this morning.

Inebriated woman attempts suicide
Chandigarh, January 14
Thirty-year-old Ameena, hailing from Bihar, allegedly set herself afire at her sister’s residence on the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) premises in Sector 30 here this afternoon.

Man dies in road accident
Chandigarh, January 14
A 30-year-old man, Sameer Seth of Sector 45 was killed after an unidentified vehicle hit his motorcycle near the roundabout of Sectors 32 and 33 late on Saturday night. The police said the accident took place at around 11:35 pm.

EDUCATION

Two students denied entry to AIIMS exam centre
Chandigarh, January 14
A scene was today created outside the gate of the DAV Model School, Sector 15, here this morning. The incident took place when two students, Inderpreet Kaur Dardi (roll no. 7138159) from Patiala and Parveen Kumar of Hoshiarpur (roll no. 71418910) were reportedly denied entry to the school, where an entrance test for postgraduate courses (MD) of the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) were being held.

Students coming out of the DAV School, Sector 15, Chandigarh, after taking the entrance test for postgraduate courses of AIIMS, on Sunday. — A Tribune photograph

Sanjivani completes five years
Chandigarh, January 14
Sanjivani, a Chandigarh-based NGO committed to the promotion of education in the region, today celebrated its fifth anniversary. All members of the NGO gathered in its Sector 20 office and reiterated their commitment for the promotion of education among the underprivileged.

Youth day celebrated
Mohali, January 14
The role of youth in solving problems facing the nation came under the microscope on the occasion of National Youth Day, which was observed at Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering and Technology (SVIET), Ramnagar, on the 145th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

VC assures help to foreign students
Chandigarh, January 14
It was a cultural event to remember when students from over a dozen nations along with those from the country gathered at Panjab University here this evening to celebrate International Students Day. Students from countries like Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Tibet, Yemen and Iraq participated in the event.

Korean students perform at Law auditorium, Panjab University, Chandigarh, during the celebration of International Students Day on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

12 Rayat students make it to Wipro
Mohali, January 14
India's third largest offshore business process outsourcing company Wipro has selected 12 students from the Institute of Engineering Information and Technology, Railmajra here. Out of a total of 72 students of the Rayat institute who appeared for the test, 12 made it the big league. The successful candidates had to undergo a rigorous pre-placement test followed by group discussion and an interview.

NSS camp in slums
Mohali, January 14
NSS volunteers of Gian Jyoti Institute of Management and Technology celebrated Lohri with school dropouts from slum areas, here today.

COURTS

Bhushan Industries case: Legal recourse delays trial
Chandigarh, January 14
The trial against the accused, including six officers of the BBMB and the UT Electricity Department, for allegedly facilitating theft of power by Bhushan Industries has hit a roadblock, thanks to the drawn-out legal process.

CULTURE

Punjabi humour stands out, says Bhagwant
Chandigarh, January 14
He has been making people laugh with his rustic humour for over a decade now. So when he was called to perform in the Great Indian Laughter Challenge, it was a platform that gave him instant recognition traversing the language barrier. Known for his ‘tongue in cheek’ style, Bhagwant draws inspiration from rural Punjab, which he claims is an inseparable part of his existence, and believes Punjabi humour stands out undoubtedly.

From Bengal with love
Chandigarh, January 14
Soumitra Basu has spent a lifetime projecting life through theatre. And yet he insists he should not be called a theatre professional. “I am an academic, a teacher first. Theatre is my passion, not profession,” says the Kolkata-based actor-director, who teaches Bengali literature at the University of Jadavpur, Kolkata.

Saigal’s magic in new compilation
Chandigarh, January 14
Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi chairman Kamal Tewari today released ‘Ghazalein’ sung by K.L. Saigal in a set of two audio CDs at a function to commemorate the 60th death anniversary of Saigal and the 210th birth anniversary of Mirza Ghalib, organised by the K.L. Foundation of the Environment Society of India, at the Museum Auditorium, Sector 10, here.

HEALTH

Spice, Sigma register win in Twenty-20
Chandigarh, January 14
Spice Telecom registered a thrilling 14-run victory in their opening match in Pool B of the Inter-Media/Government/Corporate/Institutions Twenty-20 Cricket Tournament held today at the Sector 10 DAV College ground here. Pitted against Tata Indicom, Spice XI were dismissed for 118 in 16.4 overs.

Cricket: Stadium XI thrash St John’s
Chandigarh, January 14
In the first semifinal, marred by overage allegations which were followed by protests, Stadium XI beat St John’s Cricket Academy by a huge margin of 152 runs in the Ist Jal Champions Trophy at the MCM DAV College grounds, Sector 36, here today.

Shahnawaz steers DAV to victory
Mohali, January 14
A fine knock of 66 runs studded with seven fours by Shahnawaz enabled DAV Senior Secondary School, Chandigarh, team to beat Hindu Sabha Senior Secondary School, Amritsar, in the last match of the PCA Parle Inter-School Tournament held at the PCA Cricket Stadium, Mohali, here today.

Jaspreet wins 100 m race
Chandigarh, January 14
Jaspreet Singh of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, won top honours in the 100 metre race (men) in the Chandigarh State Athletic Championship, 2006-07 Sub juniors (boys and girls) and seniors (men and women) which started at Athletic Complex, Sector 7, here today.

City girls second best in carrom
Chandigarh, January 14
The city girls’ team emerged runner-up in the 34th Sub-Junior National & Inter-State Carrom Championship held at Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) recently.