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Cong men exchange blows
Chandigarh, April 23 As the meeting, being attended by Chittaranjan Chanchal, secretary of the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC), and Sanjay Bhajni, general secretary of the BCC, among others was underway, Surinder Singh, former Mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation accompanied by Harjit Singh Nagra, a local leader, allegedly barged into the office and passed certain derogatory remarks against the BCC. Eyewitnesses said it was free-for-all as the leaders of two factions exchanged hot words followed by fisticuffs. The turbans Surinder Singh and Nagra fell off in the melee. The matter reached the police with Chanchal and Bhajni alleging that Surinder and Nagra threatened them with dire consequences. However, no case was registered. Today's incident has brought under sharp focus the simmering differences in the Manimajra unit of the Congress. It may be recalled that the township was important for the Congress in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections as it had over 11,000 votes. During the 2006 municipal corporation elections, Chanchal's wife was tipped to be the Congress candidate from the Ward No 26. However, she was not given the ticket at the eleventh hour. The Congress workers had held a noisy protest the Congress Bhavan in Sector 35 against the non-allotment of party ticket to her at that time. In a apparent bid to control the damage, Surinder Singh and Nagra met Congress candidate Pawan Bansal and apprised him of the sequence of events leading to the unsavory incident. |
2 teenagers killed in accident
Chandigarh, April 23 According to the police, both victims, who were the residents of Nayagaon, were on their way to Saketeri village where they had to deliver some items for a religious congregation (Jagrata). The mishap occurred near Satasang Bhavan on the road. Both victims were severely wounded and suffered multiple injures. The police said smashed helmets were found on the spot. They were rushed to the PGI where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Binder is a musician in a brassband group while John is working as a salesman in a Sector 17 showroom. According to tthe SHO of the Sector 3 police station, a case of causing death due to rash and negligent driving has been registered against the unidentified driver in this connection. |
Online bill facility fails to click
Chandigarh, April 23 Due to lack of coordination between the Information Technology Department and the Axis Bank, the proposal has failed to take off. At least bitter experience of Madan Gupta Spatu, a Sector 20 resident, who has been moving from pillar to post for the past about six months to deposit the bill online, bears a testimony to the fact that the "people-friendly" decision was facing teething troubles. Spatu claimed that he opened an account with the Axis Bank in November 2008 to avoid queues at the e-Sampark centres. However, when he logged on to the official website of the administration (www.chandigarh.gov.in) to pay the bill, he was in for a disappointment as the message "invalid response code in the input URL" was displayed on the system. "When called up the officer in charge of the administration, I was told that the system was alright from their end and there could be problem from the Axis Bank side. However, when I contacted Sumant Nanda from the Axis Bank, he put the blame on administration officials for not rectifying the defect," Spatu alleged. Even when Nanda tried to pay the bill from Spatu's password, the website could not accept the payment. The non-acceptance of the bill was intriguing as Spatu had been paying telephone bills through the direct net banking in the same account with Axis Bank. Though Spatu had been regular in posting mail about the non-functional online payment facility, the bank officials and the administration seemed to be least bothered to rectify the fault. “What is fun of marketing city as the next IT destination by developing the IT Park here when the administration cannot provide the basic facility to the consumers,” Spatu rued. This was despite the fact the IT Director, in an e-mail sent to Spatu, had claimed that the payment of electricity bills can be availed at www.chandigarh.gov.in under the Sampark online section. |
Rape In Car
Chandigarh, April 23 The SHO of the Manimajra police station said efforts were on to trace suspects Kaka Singh, Vinod Kumar and Gurnam Singh of Kishangarh village. The victim had alleged in her complaint that she was picked up from the village on Monday evening after forcing her to inhale some anaesthetic and was raped. One accused Kaka Singh is a partner with her husband in property dealing business. The accused reportedly informed her husband about her location. Sources in the police said the victim, a mother of three, had failed to provide any details about the make of the vehicle or its registration number in which she was abducted. She could only tell that it was a black car. A senior police officer said the case had taken a political twist due to factionalism in the village. One party is siding with the accused while the other with the victim. Both parties debated over the issue and the matter was reported to the police after they failed to reach a compromise. The police said after the arrest of the suspects, they would reconstruct the entire sequence of events taking into record the call details of the mobile phones used by the suspects to corroborate the same with the statement recorded by the victim. A case of kidnapping, illegal confinement, rape and criminal intimidation has been registered on the victim’s complaint after she was medically examined on Wednesday. |
Clash in college
Panchkula, April 23 While main accused Sandip Sharma, belonging to Kalka, was still at large, the three arrested were identified as Arun Kaushik, Gagandeep Singh, Praveen Rana doing MBA at the institute. While chairman of the group Roshan Lal Jindal, who was admitted to hospital following a complaint of chest pain, was released by the police on bail, students in the college observed a strike protesting against the lack of security arrangements at the college. They demanded strict security arrangements on the campus, along with setting up a police post on the gate of institute. They also demanded that there was a strict check on the entry of outsiders. Hostels of institutes were used by the notorious gangsters who were responsible for dozens of murders and
dacoities. |
Pension lure leaves villagers high and dry
Morni (Panchkula), April 23 In the anticipation of getting pension, several villagers of the Madhna area gathered in an open field on the invitation of sarpanch Pattram Kandara this afternoon. However, even after a wait for hours, they got nothing and returned home dejected. This clever move was the brainchild of the sarpanch, who lured innocent villagers by making a false promise just to ensure assembly of a decent crowd for a roadside public meeting of Congress’ candidate for the Ambala constituency and Union Minister Kumari Selja. The minister, who was on a whirlwind tour of the Morni and Barwala areas, arrived around 11.45 am and left within 45 minutes after making an election pitch. Soon after her departure, the sarpanch also vanished but many of the elderly kept waiting till late in the evening in the hope of getting pension “promised” to them. Some of them even waited at the scene till as late as 4.30 pm. As for the announcements made by the leader, at least these harassed villagers had no word of appreciation. “Kya vishwas karen,” said Palal Ram, a resident of Gablabad village, adding that the area had been neglected and there was a perpetual problem of water, electricity and unemployment. “Pension dee nahi, sarak, bijli pani kahan se denge,” he said, adding that price rise had broken their back. “I got the message of the sarpanch through village ‘cowkidar’ that the minister would disburse pension today,” said Lajwanti, who reached Madhna from Chaudhary ka Vaas village around 11 am hoping to receive pension. It was more than a kilometre-long trek through hills to reach here, she lamented. In the evening, the sarpanch claimed that pension could not be disbursed in the morning as the money for the purpose did not reach the bank in time. However, pension was disbursed to some of the elderly in the evening, claimed the sarpanch. He, however, skirted the question of violation of code of conduct by disbursing pension. |
Seven Independents file papers
Vansun, a native of Chandigarh for last 15 years, declared his assets, bank balance and accounts to be “nil”. “If voted to power, I would try to raise a grant of Rs 25,000 for marriageable daughters of widows and the widow pension would be enhanced to Rs 1,000,” he said Other candidate representing the Bahujan Samaj Party (Ambedkar) Subhash Tamoli also filed his nomination papers. A hair dresser by profession, it is for the second time for Tamoli, a resident of Ram Darbar to fight the elections. Third candidate Goswami BV Bharti withdrew his nomination papers when the Returning Officer pointed out the overwriting of his name. Goswami will file his papers from Janata Dal United party tomorrow. However, other independent candidates, who filed their nominations, included SK Suri, Khem Lal Bansal and Naresh Kumar. SK Suri has declared Rs 30,000 cash amount with him and Rs 20,000 with his wife, Rs 5.17 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh deposits in bank in his and his wife’s name and possessing jewellery worth Rs 90,000 with him and Rs 3.25 with his wife. Another candidate Khem Lal Bansal, a resident of Sector 28, has declared to have an agriculture land worth Rs 1.5 crore, industrial sheds worth Rs 1 crore and movable assets as cash amount of Rs 1.5 lakh with him and dependents, etc. Yet another Independent candidate Naresh Kumar, a resident of Burail, has declared to have cash amount of Rs 40,000 in his and his wife’s name, deposits of around Rs 20,000 and an Esteem vehicle. |
Dhawan accuses election department of bias
Chandigarh, April 23 While the request of the BSP minority cell chairman Hazi Ali for holding a Muslim convention adjoining the Jama Masjid in Sector 20 on April 24 was declined, the Congress was allowed to hold a conference at the same venue. Citing another incident of the "step-motherly" treatment by the election office, the BSP candidate stated that the election office asked the BSP yesterday to shift the venue of the April 28 rally to be addressed by UP Chief Minister Mayawati from Sector 17 Circus Ground to Sector 25 rally ground. This was despite the fact that the BSP was granted permission to hold a rally at the Circus ground on April 17, he alleged. |
Electioneering picks up in Mohali
Mohali, April 23 Addressing a rally in Sector 68 here, he said Dr Daljit Singh Cheema and Jasjit Singh would work for the upliftment of the area. He listed the achievements of the SAD during the past two years. When asked about the Longowal pact, he said if the NDA was voted to power at the Centre, the pact would have been implemented. Dr Cheema listed the achievements of the SAD in connection with Mohali. The conveyance deed, allotment of plots in Sectors 76 to 80, international airport and district business centre, Sector 62, were highlighted as the major achievements. A memorundam of demands was given to the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, Congress candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu also intensified his campaigning in the area. He organised a nukkad meeting in the rural areas to reach out to the Senior leader of the Tohra faction Rajbir Singh Padiala appealed to the people to vote for the Congress and said he had pledged that till the time Badals were not wiped out from Punjab, he would not rest in peace. While launching an attack on the SAD-BJP alliance, candidate Daljeet Sigh Bittu said things would become clear on May 13. |
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Recruitment Rules
Chandigarh, April 23 Home Secretary Ram Niwas will take up the matter of finalisation of recruitment rules for the appointment of faculty, including principals, with the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) officials in New Delhi tomorrow. The issue of the finalisation of the recruitment rules had been hanging fire for over a decade now with the administration and the MHRD engaged in a "letter war" over the issue. Due to non-finalisation of the recruitment rules by the UPSC/MHRD, several city colleges, including Government College of Architecture, Government College of Art and Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology, were facing acute shortage of faculty. Recently, the Chandigarh and Punjab chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) had sent a representation to the Chandigarh administration bringing to the latter's notice the acute shortage of faculty at Government College of Architecture. The representation had alleged that due to the failure of the authorities concerned, a number of top posts had been lying vacant in the college. For the past over 13 years, the college was without a regular principal, it alleged. “The administration is making efforts in impressing upon the MHRD about the need to finalise the recruitment rules for the improvement of academic standards in the city,” Ram Niwas said. |
18 rickshaws, bicycles confiscated
Chandigarh, April 23 Later it was discovered that these were confiscated while being part of a political campaign. Riders of these vehicles were rounded up for quite sometime. Nevertheless, they were let off without proceeding any inquiry into the matter. On the instance of SDM east Niharika Rai, the police seized these cycles and rickshaws bearing flags of the BJP at about 12.30 pm from Sector 19. These were pressed into service for distribution of the party pamphlets. Ram Gopal, SHO, the Sector 19 police station said these cycles and rickshaws were seized on the orders of Niharika but were released later on her orders without proceeding any action. “We were informed that a rally is being conducted by the BJP. Reaching there we found that the party flag-borne cycles and rickshaws were being used for distribution of the party pamphlets, which were against the election norms, as we were informed. We confiscated the cycles and rickshaws and the riders were rounded up. But later they were released as per orders of the higher authorities. No action was taken against them,” he said. |
Tenants allege police inaction
Chandigarh, April 23 Association president Sanjiv Sagar said the members had protested against the police on Tuesday when it registered a false case against tenant Jaswinder Singh Sethi on a complaint filed by his landowner Sanjiv Bajaj. DSP (East) PK Dhavan further demanded 48 hours to resolve the issue by conducting a probe into the matter. Sagar further said after the lapse of the ultimatum, the police failed to take an action while on the other hand it threatened to arrest them. And thus, they assembled outside the police station at 3 pm and raised slogans against the police. They called off the protest around 7 pm when the DSP assured his intervention into the matter and called both parties at his office. |
Getting passport to be easier
Chandigarh, April 23 The work on installation of a new high-end server to speed up the process of issuance of passports is in its final stage here. In an effort to revamp the submission system of passport applications, the centres are being opened in Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Ambala in collaboration with the Tata group. “Along with the Tata staff persons, government employees will be deputed at the centres. The scrutiny of applications as well as the partial processing will be done at these centres. Only then the files will be sent to the passport office and passport will be dispatched,” informed Vitul Kumar, the Regional Passport Officer (RPO). The ‘outsourcing’ was likely to smoothen the process not just for the applicants, but would also ensure lesser errors on the part of passport office due to simplification and streamlining of work. Sources revealed that the centres at Chandigarh and Bangalore, which were part of the phase I of this activity, were likely to open towards June end followed by 70 such Passport Facilitation Centres (PFC) or the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) to be opened across the country. The measure of the overall improvement in the system, however, would only be judged by the public and convenience of the applicants in the coming times. |
Curbs on printing pamphlets
Chandigarh, April 23 A copy of instructions issued by the Election Commission of India has already been sent to printing press owners in Chandigarh. According to Section 127A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, no person will print or cause to be printed or published any election pamphlet or poster which does not bear the names and addresses of the printer and the publisher and a copy of the declaration in this respect has to be submitted with the printer. He will also be required to submit a copy with the District Magistrate, Chandigarh. Any person who contravenes the provisions the Section 127A will be punishable with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with a fine which may extend to Rs 2,000 or with both. Meanwhile, UT SSP SS Srivastava, along with the returning officer-cum Deputy Commissioner R.K Rao and other officials visited four counting centres located in Government College for Men, Sector 11, ITI Sector 26 and Government College, Sector 42 and 46, to discuss the security arrangements. They had earlier discussed the security aspects of the counting centres. The SSP said they had discussed the security plans regarding installing the check points, barricades and making strong rooms for keeping the electronic voting machines after the polls. |
3G services to hit city in May
Chandigarh, April 23 “We will be launching the 3G services?(which enable high-speed downloads of video clips, music, pictures and data on cellphones) in Chandigarh by the second week of May," PK Paliwal, Chief General Manager (CGM), Chandigarh, said today. According to BSNL’s general manager of the Cellular Mobile Telecom Services, Chandigarh, VK Ahuja, for availing this service, customers will have to buy 3G-enabled mobile handset. Besides, they will have to pay additional amount of Rs 300 for SIM card. The Rs 250-crore 3G project would offer an array of services. “The mobile users will be able to get a wireless data transfer speed of 2 mbps, telecast of a select few TV channels, high-resolution picture and video downloading, video-conferencing and online gaming,” said Ahuja. He said the availability of more TV channels would also be made to subscribers after the launch of this service. The SIM cards would be readily available to all customers after the launch, he added. “The third generation mobile service will offer a download speed of 20 times faster than with the existing 2G service,” he said. “Families, who have loved ones settled abroad, could make the maximum use of the new 3G mobile services by enjoying a live video chat through phone,” he added. Disclosing that the 3G would be rolled out in a phased manner, the GM said the service would be launched in Amritsar only this month while Chandigarh would get the service next month. Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Bathinda, Gurdaspur and Pathankot have the services. |
Traffic related issues discussed
Chandigarh, April 23 The police said the members of the committee emphasised over the need of slip roads at Attawa Chowk and Hotel Southend Chowk, early completion of bridge near Beant Singh Memorial, re-carpeting of roads, road markings, proper use of cycle tracks, pruning of trees on V-5 roads, removal of beggars near light points, strict enforcement against auto-rickshaws, use of honking horns inner sector roads. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the UT SP (Traffic) at Chandigarh Police Headquarters in Sector 9. The meeting was attended by executive engineer CP (2) Roads, executive engineer CP (1), additional secretary, State Transport Authority, assistant town planner, SDOs, engineering department, and DSP (Traffic). |
School told to refund Rs 7,300
Chandigarh, April 23 Subsequently on inquiry, she was told that the school didn’t have transport facility for students studying in Mohali. So she submitted an application on June 2, 2008, for the refund of fees and was made to wait till June 9, 2008. Her grandfather was informed that there was no provision of fee refund, but the seat had to be vacated by her. The school authorities further informed them that in case Manpreet’s was a special case, an amount of Rs 2,700 would be refunded. However, nothing was refunded. The school authorities stated that they never refused to make the refund and without making any delay, the refundable amount of Rs 2700 was given to her after deducting the non-refundable amount of Rs 7300 out of Rs 10,000, which was received by her in full and final vide receipt dated June 9, 2008. Pronouncing the orders, the forum held, “The complainant’s contention is that after she visited the school on June 2, 2008, she was advised to come on another day and thereafter she visited after two days when the school authorities flatly refused to make the refund. Meanwhile, the school authorities contended that, in fact, she was never asked to come after two days nor she came to their premises on June 6, 2008. In view of the above discussion, we are of the opinion that the complaint should succeed.” |
CITCO may hold another auction
Chandigarh, April 23 The delegation members said that since the person who placed the highest bid escaped and did not even deposit the earnest money, the articles should be given to the one who placed the second highest bid. The dealers also sought action against the employee who made a mock bid. Sources revealed that Tiwari assured the delegation to take a decision in this regard tomorrow. Sources claimed that since the auction had been cancelled, and the only possibility now was to hold another auction. So, the entire process of placing advertisements in newspapers and floating tenders will be done again. |
Low pressure adds to Mohali water woes
Mohali, April 23 She is frustrated with the political parties over the issue and wants to vote out the inefficient political party. She is confused as none of the party, be it the ruling SAD-BJP combine or the Congress government has been able to fulfill its previous poll promises to supply adequate water. Ironically, claims are being made about bringing several multi-crore projects like international airport and several mega housing projects but no planning has been done to meet the water need of the growing city. A similar situation exists in the densely populated areas from Phase III to XI. In summers the demand of water was 23 mgd (million gallons a day) against the availability of only 13.4 mgd. The population is touching three-lakh mark. “In the coming years, the demand of water is expected to shoot up manifold as a number of mega residential projects are coming up in the city’s periphery,” said a public health official of the GMADA. In fact, inadequate availability of potable water has become a burning polls issue for city residents. “The contesting candidates are unable to give any satisfactory reply and have only given assurances,” said Manoj Verma, a resident of the Industrial Area. The situation is worse and the water supply does not reach the first and second floors. They need to take steps of water recharging and rely not only on tubewells. The ban on watering of lawns is only for the residents but the public health employees are using water to wash their vehicles. The residents in most parts of the town are now being given water supply to fill their overhead tanks on alternate days. As a result, the residents collect water in underground tanks, which is then pumped up to fill the overhead tanks. The public health officials said the demand of water in the summers was 23 mgd (million gallons a day) against the availability of only 13.4 mgd. Mohali was getting only 10 mgd of water from Kajauli waterworks and the rest of it from the tubewells. He said 39 more tubewells were needed to meet the water shortage and the MC had been asked to get these sunk at the earliest. |
Hoardings on Atta-dal Scheme
Mohali, April 23 The permission to put up the hoardings has been given by MC officials after payment of certain charges. Such hoardings have been put up at different locations in the city. Sources said the election office had asked the MC to explain after the violation of the code of conduct was highlighted in these columns. Not only the “atta dal scheme” but also the SAD-BJP has put up hoardings on providing roads and setting up international airport. The code of conduct clearly states that announcements of new projects, programmes and concessions that have affect on the voters should be avoided. But the MC has failed to go through the guidelines before giving permission. Earlier, the “atta dal scheme” had found its way on the ration cards distributed after announcement of the elections. A ration depot holder said timings of the paid advertising campaign was in an apparent bid to appease the “targeted” voters in the polls. The MC officials are in the process of replying to the notice. Using an effective media of roadside hoardings to communicate with the targeted section of voters, the parties have bought the most sought after locations in the city to carry on their ad campaign, said an MC official. |
PU don for international research
Chandigarh, April 23 A project is planned measuring the surface viscosity of these particles at the interfaces and building up a miniaturised surface rheometer using magnetic nano-needles. This study is planned at the Bayreuth University. World Book Day The Shivalik Public School observed the World Book Day with fervour and enthusiasm here today. Students participated in various activities like bookmark making and calligraphy. The students prepared creative bookmarks and paper bags. UGC pay scales The Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations welcomed the decision of the Punjab government to seek permission of the Election Commission of India for implementing UGC pay scales notified by the MHRD, Govt of India, on December 31, 2008, in the state. Theft Rakesh Patel of Sector 22-B filed a complaint with the police that his two LPG cylinders, three mobile phones and Rs 2,550 were stolen from his residence on Wednesday. A case has been registered. |
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