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Warm welcome to 2009
Terror attacks fail to dampen celebrations
Chandigarh, December 31
Though this year prominent clubs here, like the Golf Club, Chandigarh Press Club, CGA Range, Chandigarh Club, PCA Club and CITCO hotels, including Mountview, Shivalik View and others, refrained from any celebrations as a mark of respect to those who died in the Mumbai terror attacks, the limited number of venues for the New Year celebrations in the city failed to dampen the partying spirits of people. Residents of the city ushered in the New Year with gusto and enthusiasm by flocking various hotels, restaurants and discothèques.

Party’s on: Revellers set the dance floor on fire at one of the discotheques in Chandigarh on the New Year eve. Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan

Aerizzona sealed again
Chandigarh, December 31
The New Year eve party at the popular discotheque Aerizzona in Sector 9 was spoiled as the enforcement team of the Estate Office sealed the premises today. Objecting to the “habitable use” of the basement of the discotheque, the Chandigarh Administration has served Aerizzona a notice for misusing the premises and to stop the activities in the basement.

The closed entry point of Aerizzona following a raid by the Estate officials on Wednesday. Tribune photo: S Chandan

Peon found dead
Chandigarh, December 31
Narayan Parsad, a peon in the court of Judicial Magistrate (First Class) P.K. Lal, was found dead in a rivulet near Bal Bhawan in Sector 23 here today.

Auto Driver’s Kidnapping
Body recovered from SYL canal; 2 held
Chandigarh, December 31
The Chandigarh Police recovered a bloated body of 24-year-old Kunwar Pal, an auto-rickshaw driver of Darua village, from SYL canal in Kurukshetra today. He had gone missing under mysterious circumstances on December 20.

Taxi driver murdered on GT Road
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 31 A taxi driver, who came here drop passengers at Amritsar from Delhi, was shot dead on the GT Road in Sirhind. His body was found lying in the car today morning.

MC mayoral elections today
Chandigarh, December 31
The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, goes to mayoral polls tomorrow with the elections to the post of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. This time, only the Congress and the BJP-SAD alliance have fielded their candidates for the post of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor while the BSP has decided to partially abstain from the elections.

COMMUNITY

Mayor Chhabra given farewell
Chandigarh, December 31
Mayor Pardeep Chhabra was given farewell at the coordination committee meeting, headed by Advisor to the Administrator Pardeep Mehra, and attended by Home Secretary Ram Niwas, Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Chief Engineer UT Krishanjeet Singh, Chief Engineer MC SK Bansal and Chief Architect UT S Kaur.

Outgoing Mayor Pradeep Chhabra inspects a newly inaugurated CCTV camera in Chandigarh on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Traffic Violations: 2008
1,54,860 vehicles challaned in city
Chandigarh, December 31
The UT traffic police became richer by Rs 1.25 crore in 2008. Going by the records, the collections this year reached Rs 3.71 crore as compared to Rs 2.46 crore last year.

• 3,030 in Zirakpur

Ban on autos ferrying school kids from today
Chandigarh, December 31
Following a blanket ban on auto-rickshaws ferrying schoolchildren from January 1, the parents are finding themselves in a piquant situation as the school authorities have passed the buck on the education department and parents.

Tribune Impact
Decks cleared for fabricating new chassis
Chandigarh, December 31
Taking cognisance of the report published in these columns yesterday “Worn-out buses to run on city roads”, the Chandigarh Administration today finalised the tender process for fabricating the 17 new chassis lying at Chandigarh Transport Undertaking depot.

Inquiry marked into irregularities in promotions at GMCH
Chandigarh, December 31
Chandigarh Home Secretary, Ram Niwas, has marked an inquiry into allegations of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) nursing staff of irregularities in the promotions in the health institution here today.

Grant for Tagore Theatre Society
Chandigarh, December 31
The Haryana government has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh as grant-in-aid to the Tagore Theatre Society. The grant is being released to the society for the development and promotion of indigenous art and culture. — TNS

10-day NSS camp ends
Chandigarh, December 31
A 10-day NSS camp concluded here today at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 44-B. Volunteers learnt many things and they tried their best to educate others with the help of small skits and slogans. 

PNB’s micro centre
Chandigarh: As a part of its drive of financial inclusion by providing banking facility and financial services at an affordable price to a majority of the low-income population, the Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Wednesday opened its first micro finance centre in the region at Maloya village here.

Annual winter camp for kids
Chandigarh, December 31
Go Bananas Kids Club is holding it’s annual winter camp for kids at New Public School, Sector 18. About 30 little ones between the age group of 3 to 13 years are participating in various events, including dancing, painting, and singing.

Children perform dance during the annual winter camp for kids at New Public School, Sector 18, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Parvesh Chauhan

Farewell to 11 PGI officials
Chandigarh, December 31
Anil Kumar Gupta, Deputy Director (Administration), PGI, honored 11 superannuating officials presenting mementoes to them here today. He also handed over beneficiary cheques comprising GPF, gratuity and group insurance.

Garbage disposal plant controversy to haunt new Mayor
Chandigarh, December 31
The garbage disposal plant controversy set to haunt the new mayor after a special MC house meeting held on the last working day of the mayor today, proved to be a damp squib.

Newly laid roads start breaking
Were re-carpeted after five years
Mohali, December 31
The roads in Phase X here, strengthened after five years, have started ripping off about a week after the re-carpeting was done, exposing the quality of work executed by the Municipal Council.

Appeal to be filed against GMADA order
Housing project at Rampur Kalan near Banur
Mohali, December 31
The Sahara City Homes has decided to appeal before the appellate authority against the decision of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) to reject its case for the grant of licence to its housing project at Rampur Kalan near Banur on the Zirakpur-Patiala road.

Tribune employee retires
Chandigarh, December 31 Phoolwati, cleaner, The Tribune, retired here today after putting in more than 21 years of service. She joined the institution in 1987.

MK Gupta made member (irrigation), BBMB
Chandigarh, December 31 MK Gupta, former engineer-in-chief, Haryana Irrigation Department, has been appointed member (irrigation), Bhakra Beas Management Board, by the Union Ministry of Power. He took over his new assignment today.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

College security guard found murdered; 1 held
Ambala, December 31
A security guard of Guru Nanak Engineering College , Hema Majra, around 25 km from Ambala Cantt, was allegedly murdered and later the body was burnt by one of his colleagues late on Monday night on the college premises.

Riot victim to protest in front of PM’s office
Dera Bassi/Mohali, December 31
After loosing hope of getting justice even after 24 years, Harvinder Singh Kohli, another eyewitness of the 1984 riots, has decided to sit on one-day fast on January 1, 2009, with his family in front of the Prime Minister’s office in New Delhi.

No celebrations
Bassi Pathana, December 31
There will be no celebrations in the town on the eve of New Year due to the killings of innocent people during the terrorist attacks in Bombay, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. 

13-yr-old sustains burns
Kharar, December 31
A 13-year-old girl sustained burn injuries at her residence in the Balongi area today. The victim, Megha Misra, was looking for toys using an oil lamp. The incident took place at around 11:15 am, when she was alone at home. 

Unidentified bodies on rail tracks shoot up
Ambala, December 31
The number of unidentified bodies recovered on the railway tracks and its periphery in Haryana has increased during the last few years. SP, Railway Police, Haryana, Bharti Arora, informed here today that around 1750 bodies were recovered in 2008, out of which 1199 were identified. It was 1696 in 2007 while in 2006 as many as 1529 bodies were found.

Lesser number of criminal cases reported
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 31
A lesser number of criminal cases were reported this year in various police stations of the district. Last year a total number of 1,539 cases were registered, however, the number reduced to 1,411 this year.

CRIME

7 snatching incidents in 24 hours
Chandigarh, December 31
Despite heavy deployment of the police across the city in the wake of New Year, snatchers continue to prowl in the city, as seven incidents of snatchings have been reported in the past 24 hours. The police, in its utter failure to nab the culprits is trying desperately to hush up the incidents to save its face, as three incidents of snatchings have been reported, here today.

Mobike stolen at Sector 17
Chandigarh, December 31
Jagdip Singh, a resident of Moga, filed a complaint with the police alleging that his Passion motorcycle, no. PB-29-E-1536, was stolen from Sector 17 on December 29.

Yearender|Crime
Vehicle thefts, property-related crime increased in 2008
Mohali, December 31
With the district emerging as the new centre of infrastructural growth, the influx of population is changing the profile of the crime. Crime related to property, ranging from white-collar offences to cheating and burglaries, registered an increase in 2008 as compared to the previous year.

Thieves decamp with taps worth Rs 59,000
Mohali, December 31
Thieves decamped with taps worth Rs 59,000 from a house under construction in Phase XI.

SPORTS

Bhullar fifth in PGTI Order of Merit
Chandigarh, December 31
Twenty-year-old Gaganjeet Bhullar from Kapurthala, who earned full playing rights for the 2009 Asian Tour because of his 65th ranking, finished fifth in the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) Order of Merit for 2007-08.

Cricket Tourney
DAV-8 sneak past DP Azad academy
Chandigarh, December 31
Hosts DAV, Sector-8, thrashed DP Azad Cricket Academy by 8 wickets during the 1st CCA-GNPS Gold Cricket Cup, here today, on the school ground. DP Azad Academy elected to bat first after winning the toss and could not get a fast start due to early fall of wickets.

A batsman misses the ball during a cricket match in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Tribune photo: S.Chandan.

Ashbeer leads in junior golf tournament
Chandigarh, December 31
Fifteen-year-old Ashbeer Saini from Kapurthala carded a one-under par 71 for the second consecutive day to take an overall lead of two strokes over favourite Rashid Khan of Delhi at the midway stage of the Lalit Suri All-India Junior Golf Championship on the par-72 greens of Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkata today.

Black Elephant win u-12 cricket title
Patiala, December 31
Black Elephant Cricket Club downed Kanpur Nursery by nine wickets to annex the title in the 8th Dhruv Pandove Memorial Cricket Tournament (u-12), which concluded at the Army Club ground here today.