Chandigarh, May 25
Once again, students from the tricity have shown excellent CBSE Class XII result declared today. In the region, girls (88.11 per cent) surpassed the boys (80.14 per cent).

Prachi of SD School, Sector 32, scored the highest marks in the commerce stream (96 per cent), while Nischay Grover of Shishu Niketan School, Sector 22, topped in the non-medical stream with 95.4 per cent.

In the medical stream, Dikshit Chauhan of DAV SSS-8 topped with 95.4 per cent and Apoorva of DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, Panchkula, topped the humanities with 95 per cent marks.

None of the students from government model schools in the tri-city could clinch the top honours this year.

All toppers told TNS that coaching classes after school hours was the key to their success.

A total of 6,794 students who appeared in the exam belonged to various government schools of the UT. Among the government schools, Devina of GMSSS-16 with 91.4 per cent marks topped the Arts stream. Abhishek of GMSSS-40 with 94.6 per cent marks topped the non-medical while Ashina Puri of GMSSS-16 with 93.6 per cent marks topped the medical stream.Sakshi Bhasin of GMSSS-16 with 95.8 per cent marks topped the commerce stream.

Usha Sharma of GMSSS-33 with 89 per cent marks topped the vocational stream.

The top positions in different streams were bagged by students from private schools. Students of private schools in Mohali, Panchkula and Chandigarh outshined those from government schools. In the commerce stream Prachi of Pandit Mohan Lal Public School, Sector 33, was the topper with 96 per cent.

Sharing the same percentage of marks in the medical stream (95.4 per cent) is topper Dixit Chauhan of DAV Senior Secondary School-8 . Dixit, who originally hails from Shimla, has been living in the city for the last two years. Dixit believes in ‘karma’, and aspires to be a doctor.

“He has always been focused and his proficient in English,” his principal said.

Chandigarh, May 25
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has embarked upon an ambitious project to ensure 24-hour uninterrupted water supply to the residential areas falling under its limits.

Speaking to TNS, MC chief engineer S.K. Bansal said at present the corporation was providing water for 12 to 16 hours a day. He said the officials concerned of the corporation had already started working on the project and it was likely to be executed within a couple of months.

Bansal said the corporation intended to generate water from the Bhakra main line canal and would work out a strategy to supply it to households round the clock. He said regular supply would also be ensured in Mani Majra and the adjoining areas. The city’s water needs are met by arranging water from two sources - surface water (canal water) and underground water. The MC procures surface water from the Bhakra main canal flowing at a distance of 27 km, which is tapped at Kajauli village. Besides, the corporation has about 180 operational tubewells in the city that feed water to the pipelines.

Though as of now there were no plans to dig new tubewells in the city, considering the high cost of installation, the corporation would make arrangements to carry water from the Bhakra main line, Bansal said. He said canal water would now also be carried to Mani Majra.

He said canal water was more potable as compared to underground water that was available in the city and expressed the hope that the residents would welcome the corporation’ s move.

Bansal said the project would solve the “water woes” of the city and the adjoining areas. It is also likely that the corporation may stop imposing the ban on washing of cars and watering of lawns during peak summer seasons once the project is implemented. 

Dera Bassi, May 25
The Punjab government has finally delivered justice to the Dalits in Sarangpur village in Dera Bassi sub-division in a case related to the auction of shamlat land.

In an order, the deputy director, rural development and panchayats, has ruled that one-third of the shamlat land measuring 710 bighas will be reserved for the Dalits of the village.The Deputy Director had shifted panchayat secretary Ram Charan to Talwara for his alleged biased role in the whole issue.

Ram Charan, in connivance with sarpanch Balwant Singh, had allegedly been denying the Dalits their right over the land.The Dalits had traditionally been given rights over one-third of the land at open auction in previous years.

Panch Gurinder Singh and village resident Ram Sharan had been pleading the Dalits’ case with the Deputy Director.

Chandigarh, May 25
It is with the aim of nurturing young minds that Cambridge Child Development Centre (CCDC), Singapore, is planning to expand into India.

With proficiency in child care programs and preschool systems; CCDC has more than 12 years of experience in imparting early childhood education. With more than 30 branches in seven Asian countries, India is next on the cards for them.

“There are 50 lakh children seeking admission in the region while the number of preschools here can literally be counted on one’s fingers,” said Sunil Bakshi of Mind Quest Educational Services, Chandigarh. Mind Quest Educational Services is CCDC’s master franchisee in North India.

The plan, therefore, is to open 100 centres in five years in India; the first one will be opened in August at Jalandhar. While the fee will be city-specific, it will range from Rs 800 to 1,400 per month, along with an entry fee, which is still being worked out. These schools will cater to children from 2 to 5 years of age.

“Each child is unique and by basing the syllabus on the innovative Reggio Emila Approach, the curriculum is child-originated and teacher-framed,” said marketing director of CCDC Lynn Ng.

The course is centred on project exploration (questions being answered through practical study), whole arts (unique to this course where children are taught about famous artists, their art and how they did it), bilingual literacy, numeric, computer-assisted learning, music and movement, science discovery, fun cooking and physical education.

Lynn added that it was important for parents to be involved in the curriculum of their child. “Together, we can be partners in the child’s learning process,” said Lynn. 

Chandigarh, May 25
It proclaims to be the “world’s first complete self-help book for managing broken hearts”.

Dr Ranjay Vardhan believes “mending broken hearts” is his “passion and dream project” which has found fruition in his book released on Tuesday at the Press Club, Sector 27, by the vice-chancellor of Panjab University, Prof R.C. Sobti.

“Coping with Broken Hearts”, as the book is titled, to quote Dr Vardhan’s mentor, Prof J. Mohan from the department of sociology, PU, “is a book deeply researched, full of concern and complete with very beautiful prescriptions” to help you get over a broken heart.

However, this is not to be confused with a broken heart over love affairs alone, for the book spans the gamut of failures that lead to a broken heart. There is something here for everyone to identify with.

For a ‘movement’ that started in 1991 when Dr Vardhan was a research scholar at PU, to counselling people with broken hearts, to writing this book, he has come a long way. However, he is not content and wants to go further.

This would include advanced counselling, another book on the topic dealing particularly with family support for broken hearts, even recognition from the Limca Book of Records for four nicknames he has earned from the media for his work, including ‘Doctor Feelgood’, ‘Mr Fixit’ and others.

While his heart is with this mission, he would also like to write on women and information, communication and technology as a follow-up to a book he has written titled, “Female Headed Households in Patriarchal Society: A Sociological Study” apart from a collection of poems also published previously. He teaches at the Government College for Girls, Sector 42, but what he would ultimately like to be known most for is his concept of ‘Broken Heartbia’ a phobia of broken hearts, a term coined by him.

It would be necessary to delve into this book to know more on this new-fangled moniker. 

Panchkula, May 25
A delegation of the Citizens Welfare Association met DC Neerja Ramshekhar here today and demanded dissolution of the local municipal council.

A memorandum submitted to the DC demanded proper utilisation of Rs 20 crore grant proposed to be released for 2007-08. As a majority of the members of the MC keep involving in one controversy or the other the dissolution of the civic body is the only way out, it said.

The development grants should be handed over to HUDA or any other authority for proper development of the city, it demanded.

Chandigarh, May 25
A true-blue bohemian describes this Argentinean best and while the capital Buenos Aires may be her place of birth, Stella Basiluk is living life as a global citizen. However, there is one difference. Stella is no high-flying investment expert. She ekes out a living by fashioning handcrafted jewellery with semi-precious stones and selling them on beaches all round the world!

In the city, housed in her friend Jaspreet’s home at Mani Majra, Stella is currently busy putting up a ‘collection’ for her next stopover, Ibiza. While macramé is her preferred style for necklaces and bracelets, her ‘original’ designs are what really catch the eye. A good example is a crystal quartz necklace shaped like a heart with tiny wings sticking out from the sides.

Stella’s story goes back to 2001 when economic problems besetting her country forced her to leave Argentina and move to Brazil in search of a living. Always fond of creating things ever since she was a little girl, Stella decided to take up macramé and twine it with stones to make jewellery that she could sell. “I stayed on the beach, strung the jewellery around my neck and arms and sold them,” smiles Stella.

So does she make enough money? Enough to meet my needs, she insists. “I do not want to possess a lot of things. I do not want to be attached to material things. I just want to live happily,” Stella explains. From Brazil, she moved to Ibiza, and on to Scandinavian countries where she sold her creations at music festivals. She then heard a lot about Goa and so made it her next stop. But all this for a lark? “Is it not great how you have to start all over again when you leave everything behind,” she laughs.

So how did she get to Chandigarh, we ask? Jaspreet was in Goa a month ago for a short break when she bumped into Stella at a midnight bazaar. Jaspreet loved her stuff and over a cup of coffee invited her to Chandigarh.

While Jaspreet gets our kudos for shedding an inherent Indian suspicion of most things foreign, we cannot help but ask Stella how she, with her smattering English, gets by around the world. “I know myself and I know what is best for me. I will, therefore, always think the best for myself.” 

We boast of our city’s beauty and feel pride doing it. The city is undoubtedly the best in the country when it comes to cleanliness. A recent survey conducted by ORG-AC Nileson confirmed it by ranking Chandigarh as the cleanest city in the country. Hats off to the city’s sanitation department in achieving such distinction.

It is time for the MCC (Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh) to pay attention to the public toilet facilities in the city, which are in pathetic state. Barring a few, most of the toilets need overhauling and be maintained properly afterwards.

I hope that the authorities take care of it and help the public get rid of ablution problems. The public too on its part should behave like responsible citizens and take care while using public facilities.

HARBINDER SINGH
Chandigarh

Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at news@tribuneindia.com or, write in, at: Letters, Chandigarh Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh – 160 030

Chandigarh, May 25
The Chandigarh police seized 740 cases of liquor (690 cases of bottles and 50 cases of quarters) from a truck (HR-40A-9919) near Transport Chowk in the wee hours today. The police arrested the truck driver, Surjit Singh, and the cleaner, Raj Kumar.

Crime branch in charge Satbir Singh said, “The police got information that Industrial Area-based liquor contractor Rajinder Singh was involved in smuggling liquor to Gujarat. At a naka headed by sub-inspector Rajinder Pal, the truck, which was carrying 360 bags of chemical powder, was stopped. On search, we recovered 740 cases of liquor, which were put under the bags.”

On being interrogated, the driver said one Bittu had handed over the truck to them and directed them to go to Gujarat via Panchkula, added the police official.

The police also found a fake “bilti”, which was prepared by a Paonta Sahib-based company for M/s Arvind Pharma in Gujarat.