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The Last Blow Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 29 Now, the deputy commissioner-cum-estate officer will have to take all the decisions. Earlier, a number of powers of the estate officer were delegated to the AEO. After a vigilance probe into a controversy over the restoration of commercial and residential properties by the adviser’s court but not implemented by the estate office, the administration had on June 5 decided that lAS officers with at least five years’ seniority or HCS/PCS officers with at least 10 years of seniority would be invested with the powers of the estate officer. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had taken a suo motu notice of a news report about the controversy. In its order on June 5, the administration had announced that apart from the deputy commissioner-cum-estate officer, R.K. Rao, other officers who would be empowered to discharge the quasi judicial functions of the estate officer under the Act would be the chief executive officer, Chandigarh Housing Board, Amar Nath, and additional deputy commissioner I.S. Sandhu. However, the finance department in its June 22 orders had announced that the deputy commissioner would exercise his powers as the estate officer under the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulations) Act, 1952. This means that the deputy commissioner would have to hear over 1,400 cases under the Act. The powers of the chief administrator under Section 15 of the capital Act have not been delegated to any officer so far. The orders by the administration go against its own decision to reduce the backlog of court cases.
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19,000 flawed bombs rejected
Chandigarh, June 29
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has now sought an investigation to ascertain the reasons for failure of the design, production and inspection agencies concerned at each stage to fix responsibility. Under the aegis of the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, the ordnance factory started manufacturing parachute-retarding bombs since June, 1996. The factory manufactured 96 lots of the bomb, with each lot each containing 1,000 bombs, up to March, 2005.
Another seven lots valuing at over Rs 4 crore, which were rejected by the ARDE due to the same defects, were held by the factory in July, 2006, the CAG, in its latest report has observed. The Ordnance Factory Board maintained in July, 2006, that 89 out of 96 lots of bombs were manufactured after meeting the acceptance criteria and evaluation by ARDE and the remaining seven lots held in the factory were awaiting clearance for rectification from the ARDE and Controllerate of Quality Assurance. The ARDE on the other hand maintained that the high rate of para failure and dispersion of the bomb was due to adoption of deviated drawings and use of defective hardware components by the factory during assembly. In November, 2006, the Ordnance Factory Board stated that the bombs were manufactured in accordance with specific drawings framed by ARDE that were cleared in proof as confirming to relevant specifications and acceptance by ARDE. The ARDE, however, was categorical in stating that the factory had adopted deviated drawings and used defective components with ultimately resulted in the rejection of bombs. This promoted the CAG to recommend an investigation into the loss of Rs 10.13 crore suffered due to defective manufacture of bombs. The case was referred to the Ministry of Defence, but it is still to respond to the matter.
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2 new trains to chug in
Chandigarh, June 29 The number of train would change from 4518 to 8218 from July 1. The train would have two coaches of 2 AC tier category and three coaches of 1 AC tier category. The other train, Amritsar-Hardwar express, would reach here at 12.15 pm. The train from Chandigarh to Amritsar would depart at 4.45 pm. Sources said the train could not be run on the Chandigarh-Morinda rail section due to the non-electrification of the track. Special arrangements were being made at the Chandigarh railway station to flag off the trains.
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Ryan still in a mess
Chandigarh, June 29 Now, these students will have to enroll themselves in other CBSE affiliated schools in order to appear for the Class X examination to be held in the year 2008. In its latest decision, the board has granted provisional affiliation to the school from the academic year 2007-08. With this decision, the students would will be able to appear in the board examination to be held in the year 2009. The school had applied for affiliation of the secondary level with the board on the basis of recognition given by the Chandigarh education department. The school had started Class IX w.e.f. the session 2005-06 and its students were due to appear in the Class X examination in the year 2007. However, they were not allowed to appear. Later, as per directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the students were enrolled in government schools to enable them to appear for the examination. In another decision, the board has decided to upgrade Mount Carmel School, Sector 47, to Class XII from the session 2006-07. The board committee has clarified that the upgradation has been granted from the academic session 2007-08 so as to enable its students to appear for the Class XII examination of the board to be held in the year 2009. The committee has also mentioned that in case of any violation of rules in future, it can amount to the withdrawal of the school’s affiliation with the board. The school had started Class XI without getting upgradation from the CBSE. After deliberations, the CBSE committee resolved that in view of violation of affiliation bylaws, its current Class XII batch may be disbanded forthwith and the students may be enrolled in other schools affiliated with the board.
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58-yr-old man found dead in Sec 15 inn
Chandigarh, June 29 The victim had come to the city to enquire about the health of his niece, Pooja, who was admitted to the PGI. The death of the Hamirpur resident came to light when his nephew came looking for him to the inn. When he did not respond to the knocking, the door of the room was forced open. His body was found on the bed. The police has initiated inquest proceedings to ascertain the cause of the death.
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Empowering women economically
Chandigarh, June 29 Initially, the women treated the whole idea simply as a chance to save some money that would otherwise have been spent. “At least our money will be safe in a bank,” smiles Shakuntala. However, what has given a fillip to the groups is an advertisement issued by the UT education department on June 11 earlier this month asking NGOs and women organisations to come forward to make uniforms. “We are also asking them to learn how to prepare mid-day meals,” adds DPI (schools) S.K. Sethia, who says that the department is “willing to cooperate fully” in helping underprivileged women make a living. It all began with city-based NGO Yuvsatta launching ‘Project Uddan’ for the women in the area six months ago. “The aim was economic empowerment. We hoped to encourage them to save, to take loans from among themselves and not from outside and finally use their savings to start their own small income-generating ventures,” explains Pramod Sharma of Yuvsatta. Volunteers began with motivating women to form groups, choose a name for the group and open a savings bank account. The last six months have seen 70 women coming together in seven self-help groups with self-appointed names like ‘Prayas’ (effort), indicating how determined they are. However, it has not been easy. For one, stories about nationalised banks refusing to open accounts or impeding the opening of accounts by making undue demands of producing guarantors with accounts in the bank abound amongst them. However, with Punjab National Bank finally agreeing to open accounts for the seven groups in their Sector 26 branch the process began. At a meeting convened yesterday in the colony, bank’s lead district manager D.V. Sharma reassured the women that a camp would be held in July where banks, under the directives issued by the RBI, would open individual accounts even if there was no money to open them. The meeting was also attended by S.K. Mehta from the food and nutrition board who explained the training programme to the women and the importance of producing food with the right calorific and nutritious value. As for Yuvsatta, they are hoping to encourage the women by using a donation of Rs 50,000 they have received from a Canadian NRI, Anita D’Costa, through her student aid association in Canada, ‘Volunteer in Action’, to buy sewing machines to train the women. In addition, space is also being worked out to start a ‘masala’ centre of hand-ground spices in Kaimbwala. Sharma hopes to set all this into motion by end of July along with taking the tally of self-help groups in the area to 25 in the next three months. As for the training programmes for the existing groups, they begin on July 9 and as Hamcholi, a widow living in the colony and working at a crèche says, “We are ready to fly.”
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Apartment Act opens Pandora’s box
Chandigarh, June 29
Even as a cross section of residents, including architects and property consultants, root for the Act's implementation in the city in public interest keeping in view city's growing needs and character, residents welfare associations are opposing it tooth and nail. The latest to join the chorus against its implementation is the Chandigarh Defence Colony Welfare Association which advocates "that the status quo, which has been existing since a temporary change was brought out by the amended policy of 2001, should be maintained". "The original bylaws and rules for the development of the Capital Project, Chandigarh, should be retained and implemented in totality. The division of property of any size could be done at best among blood relations and that too horizontally without allowing to compound the covered area. The frame control and skyline should remain the same," association president Randhir Singh said here today. In a representation to the chief administrator, Capital Project, it was pointed out that in the original plan, Le Corbusier created infrastructure in the first phase to meet the need of additional 1.5 lakh people only. Permitting floorwise sale and allowing additional area by compounding, the pressure on infrastructure would not bear the extraordinary additional load. The roads - internal, intra and external - could only be broadened to a limited extent. The ever-increasing vehicle population, which had already gone beyond the acceptable road safety limits, besides causing pollution, could not be tolerated, the association pleaded. Other vital services, including power supply, sewerage, solid waste disposal with limited geographical limits of the UT would not be able to bear the uncontrolled ever-multiplying Chandigarh pollution. Since the UT was not generating its own power, natural resources, including depleting ground water, would make the city a prohibitive town to live. The original concept of Le Corbusier with nature providing light and pure air would be a thing of the past, Randhir Singh contended. The whole issue demanded cool and impersonal thinking followed by logical answers.
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Governor inspects rainwater project
Chandigarh, June 29 He was accompanied by his wife Jean Rodrigues, S.K. Sandhu, finance secretary, V.K. Bhardwaj, chief engineer, and Ishwar Singh, deputy conservator of forests. General Rodrigues went round the area and took stock of the progress of the work on different components of the project. The work on a water body spread over 15 acres developed by the forest department with focus on regulating rainwater through latest technologies and water-harvesting measures nears completion. The work relating to cemented pathways, benches, tree plantation and landscaping have been completed and this water body has emerged as a natural spot for attracting birds, wildlife and promotion of aquatic fauna, besides being a means for stabilising the ground water table through recharging. Solar lighting arrangement and boats will be added at the venue. The chief engineer has been asked to speed up the work on
bandhs, check dams and pitched storm walls on this project to ensure the utilisation of rainwater during the
monsoon.
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Plea to release sportspersons
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 29 Following a clash that took place yesterday between followers of Baba Virsa Singh and Nihang Baba Ajit Singh Phoola at the gurdwara, the police has arrested 11 persons of both groups. Addressing a press conference, Baba Balwinder alleged that the police arrested sportspersons who were practising at Baba Sri Chand Sports Club being run by gurdwara caretakers on the premises. An inter-zonal shotput champion, Kashish Khanna, who is in two-day police remand till June 30, has to give trials to get a sports wing seat. He alleged that the followers of Nihang Phoola had come to take possession of the gurdwara and the sewadars only acted in self-defence. Demanding the release of these sportspersons, he said this was an act of oppression. He also said security should be provided at the gurdwara so that such incidents did not recur.
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Modern ‘swayamvar’
Panchkula, June 29 Riding on the success of a similar exercise held on March 17, 2002, the samaj had ventured to solemnise mass marriages on the spot in case the prospective couples confirmed their consent. This is aimed at creating an awareness among the Aggarwal community and combating the rampant evil of dowry, said trust president Satyanarayan Gupta. “As many as 100 prospective couples from the region, including professionals, had sent in their biodata for registration,” claimed Gupta. We had made arrangements of Vedi and Pandits to facilitate the marriage ceremony. Besides, “shehnai vadan” and cultural programme will continue throughout the festivity, said Gupta at a press conference here. Ram Niwas Bansal, Sun City director, will be the chief guest at the function, to be presided over by R.P. Gupta, an IAS officer. Municipal commissioners C.B. Goyal, Sharada Gupta, Anita Aggrawal, Jagdmaba Gupta, S.S. Goyal and Pawan Mittal will also attend the
ceremony.
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Models enchant audience
Chandigarh, June 29 Traditional folk dances by Kala Chetna artistes from Punjab, especially the rarely seen 'Been players', also captured the attention of one and all. |
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A road much neglected
Zirakpur, June 29 The potholed road, which has assumed importance in the wake of the construction of the Zirakpur flyover as part of the four-laning project of the Zirakpur-Ambala stretch of the national highway 22, has become motorists’ nightmare. Hundreds of motorists and commuters travelling between Chandigarh and Baltana are a harassed lot. With traffic jams on the Zirakpur-Panchkula road, particularly near the Ghaggar bridge, a routine affair, a majority of the motorists follow this road. Though the road is important for motorists, the authorities are yet to recognise its worth. In the absence of recarpeting and widening of the road, the commuters have been left high and dry. Even as the bad condition of the road was not enough, its narrowness poses serious threat to the safety of the road users. “With the monsoon around, the condition of the road is only going to get worse,” alleges B.K. Sharma, a regular traveller on the road. Balkar Singh, another road-user, alleges that for years together the authorities concerned have given a raw deal to the road and inconvenienced hundreds of motorists. The road was developed as an alternative link between Chandigarh and Panchkula, he adds. And if the ground situation is any indication, commuters will have to endure the agony of travelling on the potholed road for at least this monsoon season. Even official sources concede that the recarpeting or widening of the road will not be possible this season.
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Rickshawpullers flout rules
Akash Ghai Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 29 Though pedestrians are exposed to danger because of them, no one seems to be bothered about it. As one leaves the bus terminus, one finds these vehicles parked along the internal road for buses just in front of the entry and exit points of the bus stand. Even though these vehicles choke the road and are responsible for accidents every now and then, nothing has been done in this regard. Angry over the hazard, Chandigarh Transport Undertaking Employees Union president Ranjit Singh said with this illegal parking, these rickshawpullers not only put the lives of their passengers in danger but also cause problems for bus drivers. “Most rickshawpullers are migrants and are ignorant of traffic rules. Many a time they stop their vehicles in the middle of the road to pick passengers which causes great nuisance to our staff. Not only do accidents take place because of them but traffic jams are also a common occurrence,” said Ranjit Singh. Demanding a total ban on the entry of rickshaw and three-wheelers on the internal road, he said, “Earlier, no such vehicle was allowed here. Even a board was put up at the entry point of the road. The ban should be reinstated for free movement of buses.” SSP (traffic) A.S. Ahlawat said police officials shoo them (the rickshawpullers) away from the site. As they are not allowed to park their vehicles on the road, “we also fine them Rs 100 for parking at a prohibited place”.
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Women exhorted to fight against foeticide
Panchkula, June 29 Addressing the closing ceremony of a 10-day doll-making workshop organised by the Haryana Kala Parishad at Morni, 25 km from here, she said such social evils could only be checked with the active cooperation general public. Usha Sharma and K.C. Sharma,director and vice-chairman of the parishad, also spoke.
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Follow Kabir’s teachings: Guv Chandigarh, June 29 In a message on the occasion, General Rodrigues said saint Kabir's philosophy called for truthful living, humanism, unity of mankind and selfless devotion to God. His philosophy in Guru Granth Sahib kindled the conscious of human beings with special emphasis on purity of mind and exhorted the masses to lead a peaceful and purposeful life. General Rodrigues appealed to the people to follow the teachings of the great spiritual master and propagate his philosophy for the betterment, progress and prosperity of our society, especially the poor and the disadvantaged.
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Union office inaugurated
Panchkula, June 29 Speaking on the occasion, Nagpal said there had been a sea change in the functioning of trade unions over the years. Strikes and agitations were giving way to finding peaceful solutions, he said. Indian Express resident editor Vipin Pubby emphasised the need for better safety conditions for journalists. Jagtar Sidhu, Anil Gupta and Balbir Singh Jandu of The Tribune Employees Union, treasurer of the All-India Employees Federation M.L. Talwar and general secretary of The Indian Express Newspaper Workers Union Sridhar Naidu, were among those present on the occasion.
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CTU-ABS staff clash Chandigarh, June 29 Earlier in a statement, representatives of the CTU had alleged that the ABS was running inter-state buses without permit. An altercation also took place on the issue yesterday. General secretary of the CTU Workers Union, Chandigarh, Narayan Singh said, “We held a protest today against the highhandedness of the ABS, which is running buses illegally. When our employees raised voice against them, they came to fight.” Members of the union raised slogans and asked the authorities concerned to take proper action against employees of the ABS. They pleaded that only those buses should be allowed which were running on permits granted before 1966.
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Use of horn
Do not use the horn
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Monsoon threat
This is in response to a news item published in your paper recently wherein it was mentioned that government was taking adequate measures to control the outbreak of dengue fever. I am residing in H No. 1602(ff), Sector 18-D, Chandigarh. It is one of the posh areas in the city. Even mild rain causes stagnation of water here as there is no outlet for rain water. The level of road is such that water remains there unless dries up creating filth, bad odour and mosquitoes. I have lodged a number of complaints with the departments concerned and their representatives have also visited the area, but no action has been taken over the last one year. This matter was also brought to the notice of M.R.S. Beniwal, one of the contenders in the MC elections held last year, who assured timely action, but matter took a backseat after he won the election. I request the MC and the health department to take action before the monsoon arrives. Kuldeepak Sharma, 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
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Rs 2.55 lakh, revolver stolen from car
Mohali, June 29 According to the police, Kulwant Singh, owner of Guru Nanak Sweets, had withdrawn a sum of Rs 2.65 lakh from an HDFC bank branch in the area. He had kept Rs 10,000 in his pocket and the remaining amount wrapped in a packet on the back seat. A revolver was also lying there. Thereafter, Kulwant Singh, who lives in Sector 69, left for home. When he reached the Phase VII trafficlights, he remembered that he had to deposit some amount in a State Bank of Patiala branch. He turned around to deposit the amount. On returning from the bank, he found the windowpane of his Accent car broken and the cash and the revolver missing. Senior police officials visited the scene. Investigations are on in this regard.
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Car stolen Chandigarh, June 29 The police has registered a case under Section 379 of the IPC on the complaint. It is investigating the matter.
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Stone of tourist complex laid
Mohali, June 29 The minister said the complex would become one of the main attractions in the town. On Milkfed, he said highest-ever rate was being paid to milk producers by the organisation for their produce. Milkfed had arranged loans to the tune of Rs 25 crore from different banks and were to be given to small and marginal farmers for purchase of milch cattle under the “cattle induction programme”. It had also executed a memorandum of understanding with Allahabad Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce for arranging loans for progressive dairy farmers. The
minister said in the current budget, the state government had approved grant-in-aid to the tune of Rs 50 crore for sick milk unions. Under the scheme, Rs 25 crore would be provided by the state government and the remaining Rs 25 crore would be given by the Government of India. Milkfed managing director V.K. Singh highlighted the achievements of the organisation. He said 152 bulk milk coolers had been installed in societies under the clean milk production programme and many more were in the pipeline. In order to make the functioning of milk producers cooperative societies more transparent, 1,000 automatic milk collection centres and an equal number of electronic milk testers had been provided to the societies.
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Bank opens retail hub Chandigarh, June 29 According to this arrangement, bank’s representatives will call on prospective customers to give details of loan and collect relevant papers required for the purpose. “The aim of establishing the retail hub is to reduce the time taken for processing the applications,” said bank officials. V.K.R. Agarwal, general manager, highlighted the performance of the nank during the past year.
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Of these 12 lots valuing at almost Rs 6 crore issued to the Army were found unserviceable due to high rate of parachute failure and dispersion in proof. Defects included non-opening of the parachute, detachment of the candle from the parachute and fast descent causing ground burning. 
The horn is to be used only if you need to warn other road users of your presence.