29042022-CT-01.qxd 29-04-2022 00:48 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh TRIBUNE FRIDAY | 29 APRIL 2022 | CHANDIGARH PAGE 2 TAKE ON THOSE SPREADING FILTH TO MALIGN MC IMAGE: SPEAKER MLA Gupta blames ‘mischievous elements’ for deteriorating cleanliness and heaps of garbage in Panchkula. MAINLY CLEAR SKY TRICITY COVID REPORT CHD Tribunal directs insurance company, car driver and its owner to pay ~18,45,120 to mishap victim’s kin. MAX 43°C | MIN 25°C | YESTERDAY MAX 42.2°C | MIN 24.1°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6:58 PM DUMPING OF GARBAGE AT ‘VULNERABLE POINTS’ P’KULA MOHALI POSITIVE 92,041 44,171 95,778 RECOVERED 90,811 43,744 94,584 NEW CASES 11 5 7 ACTIVE 65 13 46 CHANGE 5 5 4 DEATHS 1,165 414 1,148 NEW 0 0 0 SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:41 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE MC mulls entry tax for commercial vehicles Tribune News Service CHANDIGARH 190 PANCHKULA 206 MOHALI 166 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 Haryana Chief Secretary inaugurates three-day PharmaTech Expo & LabTech Expo at Parade Ground in the city. Will boost revenue, F&CC okays several agenda items AIR QUALITY INDEX SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF BTECH STUDENT COMMITS SUICIDE Chandigarh: A 20-year-old engineering student allegedly committed suicide in his hostel room at the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology (CCET), Sector 26, on Thursday. No suicide note was found at the spot. The victim has been identified as Suneet Singh, a resident of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. Suneet was a third-year student of BTech (Electronics). The police were informed. The spot was photographed by the police and the body was shifted to the mortuary at the GMSH, Sector 16. Inquest proceedings have been initiated by the police at the Sector 26 police station. TNS YOUTH ARRESTED WITH HEROIN Chandigarh: A 20-year-old youth has been arrested by the crime branch of the UT police with heroin and charas. According to the police, the suspect, Raja Ram, a resident of Phase XI, Mohali, was nabbed from near the bus stop in Sector 48 with 50 gm of heroin and 200 gm of charas. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him at the Sector 49 police station. TNS THEFT AT HOUSE, ~60,000 STOLEN Chandigarh: Gold and silver jewellery and around ~60,000 were stolen from a house at Mauli Jagran. The police have registered a case on a complaint of Salim Ahmed at the Mauli Jagran police station. TNS MAN BOOKED ON CHEATING CHARGE Chandigarh: A man has been booked by the UT police for duping a Mauli Jagran resident of ~3 lakh. The complainant, Yogesh Chaudhary, reported that Umesh Popat Pardesi cheated him of ~3 lakh on the pretext of sending his son to Singapore and providing him a job there. The complainant paid the money in April 2021, but the suspect neither sent his son abroad nor returned the money. A case has been registered at the Mauli Jagran police station. TNS BIKER SNATCHES MOBILE PHONE Chandigarh: A motorcycleborne miscreant allegedly snatched a mobile phone from a man. The complainant, Bablu, a resident of Sector 52, reported that an unknown person riding a motorcycle snatched his mobile phone in Sector 42. The police were informed and a case was registered at the Sector 36 police station. TNS Garbage dumped on vacant land in Sector 45, Chandigarh, on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: NITIN MITTAL Civic body to initiate legal action against violators Commissioner visits Sec 45, wants civic issues addressed Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 28 Anindita Mitra, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation (MC), today visited Sector 45 and Burail to take stock of issues related to basic amenities being provided by the MC and to check violations in the area. The visit started at 6.30 am. The Commissioner, along with a team of the engineers concerned, went around the area on foot. The Commissioner was accompanied by Kanwarjit Singh Rana, area councillor, superintending engineers, executive engineers, SDEs, junior engineers of the MC, office-bearers of residents’ welfare associa- tions and local residents. During the visit, the Commissioner directed the SE, Public Health, to prepare a plan for providing toilet blocks on the outer “phirni” of Burail village. The Commissioner directed the Medical Officer Health (MOH) to carry out a special drive for sterilisation of stray dogs at Burail village. She asked the SE, B&R, to remove unauthorised cable/Internet overhead wires at the village. She directed the SE, Horticulture, to provide street lights on internal roads of the village. She asked the MOH to issue challans for dumping garbage at vulnerable points in the market area in the village and RAIPUR MAYOR, COUNCILLORS TO VISIT UT The Finance and Contract Committee of the MC approved an approximate budget of ~12 lakh for a study tour of the Mayor, chairman and councillors of the Municipal Corporation, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, to Chandigarh to study the sanitation projects of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. house at the Waterworks Colony, Sector 32, at an estimated cost of ~14.20 lakh. Laying of 90-mm and 110mm pipelines in various parks of Sector 29, 32, 33, 45, 51, Bapu Dham, Ram Darbar and Mani Majra was also approved at an estimated cost of ~43.98 lakh. Other approvals include fixing a railing on the boundary wall of the Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, at an estimated cost of ~43.10 lakh, applying road marking paint on various roads and parking under the jurisdiction of Road Subdivision No. 8 at an estimated cost of ~19.75 lakh, work on development of five parks and open air gymnastic fitness equipment at various locations of Sector 15 and 16 Mask norms go for a toss P’kula faces 6 power cuts Panchkula, April 28 Inverter-free Panchkula is a distant dream for residents who faced at least six unscheduled power cuts today. As the power situation is deteriorating with each passing day, residents said their misery only heightened as they continued to face sweltering heat in the ongoing summer. RWAs’ representatives have been frequenting to Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) offices for relief, but to no avail. In a communication to residents, the UHBVN had recently announced that the city was expected to face initiate legal action against regular violators. She asked the SE, Public Health, to prepare an estimate for laying of storm drainage system in the internal street of Burail village in coordination with the B&R wing within a week. She said provision for a shallow tubewell should also be made. The Commissioner ordered the enforcement wing to remove encroachments at the motor market on the “phirni” road of Burail village by carrying out special drives. She directed the officers concerned for preparing a plan to convert the library/reading room into a multipurpose room for citizens and removal of encroachment in the library. Chandigarh, April 28 To generate revenue, the Municipal Corporation (MC) is considering introducing an entry tax for commercial vehicles. At a meeting, the Finance and Contract Committee of the MC decided to explore the possibility of introducing the entry tax for commercial vehicles to generate revenue. Members of the committee also asked the officers concerned to frame a policy regarding maintenance of parks through “job work instead of manpower”. On the issue of repairs in government houses owned by the MC, the members asked the officers concerned to prepare estimates and put up a consolidated agenda for 15-20 residential houses for repair/renovation. The members also discussed various other important agenda items in detail and accorded approval to the purchase of fire equipment for three newly purchased “water tenders” for the Fire and Rescue Services at an estimated cost of ~22.45 lakh. The committee also accorded approval for providing lights at the Sports Complex, Mani Majra, at an estimated cost of ~11.22 lakh, and special repair of the waterworks OUTAGES IN SEC 15 ON THURSDAY Naina Mishra Tribune News Service 1:37 am to 1:56 am 2:11 am to 2:48 am 4:20 am to 5:04 am 6:25 am to 6:28 am 11:18 am to 11:58 am 3:17 pm to 4:05 pm Visitors move without a mask at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh on Thursday. PHOTO: NITIN MITTAL Vax centre at Sukhna Act independently, HC asks PU now only for children HOSTEL FOR TRANSGENDERS Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 28 In a major embarrassment for Panjab University, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked it to act independently after the university said the final decision on hostel accommodation for transgenders would be taken only after receiving guidelines from the UT Administration. Virtually rapping the university for its stand on the issue, Justice Sudhir Mittal of the High Court asserted that it was expected to be alive to the challenges that have arisen following the acceptance of ‘transgender’ as a separate sex and they coming forward to pursue higher education and becoming an inclusive part of society. The assertion came just over a month after the matter was brought to the notice of the High Court with a transgen- at an estimated cost of ~24.72 lakh, renovation of the community centre at Sector 40 at an estimated cost of ~44.84 lakh and laying of a storm water drainage system for newly constructed 100-footwide road leading from Indira Colony to Mata Mansa Devi Road along with an additional storm water drainage system at an estimated cost of ~48.02 lakh. The meeting was chaired by Sarbjit Kaur Dhillon, Mayor, and attended by Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner, and other members of the committee — Mahesinder Singh Sidhu, Saurabh Joshi, Jasbir Singh, Gurbax Rawat and Taruna Mehta. Other senior officers of the MC were also present. Raps varsity, says be alive to challenges after acceptance of transgender as separate sex ‘ACADEMICS SHOULD BE PROACTIVE’ Academics should be proactive and evolve strategies to address these challenges. They are not expected to rely upon the government or UGC policies for taking decisions in such matters. Being an autonomous body, it should act independently. Justice Sudhir Mittal ❝ ❞ der filing a petition following a grievance over the non-availability of hostel accommodation even after the grant of admission to a post-graduate course. Justice Mittal’s Bench, during the course of the hearing, was told that the first semester had already been completed. As such, there was an element of urgency in the matter. As the case came up for resumed hearing, counsel for the university and other respondents told Justice Mit- tal’s Bench that a room in the faculty house stood allocated to the petitioner temporarily. Besides, eating arrangements had been made for the student in the adjoining working women’s hostel. Justice Mittal asserted that Panjab University was an institution providing higher education in various subjects. It had departments teaching subjects related to social sciences also. Such an institution was expected to be cognizant continued on page 2 c m y b Chandigarh, April 28 In view of a considerable number of children still unvaccinated, the UT Administration has decided that the Covid vaccination centre at Sukhna Lake will now only be utilised for children. The vaccination will take place between 4 pm and 8 pm. Urging those (in all age groups) who are yet to take the vaccine, the Administration said they should get themselves jabbed at permanent centres across the city The precaution dose for adults (18 to 60 years) is also available at private health facilities on a payment basis. —TNS Seven new cases 5 fresh cases in surface in Mohali Panchkula dist MOHALI: Seven fresh Covid cases surfaced in the district in the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 95,778, while three patients recovered from the virus. No new death was reported from any part of the district on Thursday. There are now 46 active cases. The death toll stands at 1,148. — TNS Youth steals ~25 lakh from SUV in Zirakpur Mohali, April 28 Using the “oil leak trick”, a youth allegedly stole a bag containing ~25 lakh from the car of a property dealer at the Big Bazaar light point in Zirakpur late last evening. The property dealer, Mahesh Jain, a resident of Sector 7, Panchkula, in his complaint to the police, said he, along with his nephew Gopal Singla, was going to Panchkula in an SUV He said . when they reached the Big Bazaar light point in Zirakpur, a tyre of the car deflated. His nephew went to the car puncture repair shop, while Tricks property dealer on oil leak pretext REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO he kept on waitng in the car. In the meantime, a man came on a motorcycle and told him that oil was leaking from the car and as he got down to check the leakage, the suspect took a bag containing ~25 lakh. He also took away another bag containing property documents and cheque books. A case under Section 379 of the IPC has been registered against the unknown youth at the Zirakpur police station. The police are trying to get CCTV footage of the area. — TNS Only 4.4% adults in UT get booster shot Residents wonder at inverter-free city plan unscheduled cuts in the coming days due to power shortage in the state and the country. Subsequently, residents have asked the authorities to at least schedule power cuts continued on page 2 PAGE 2 THREE-DAY PHARMATECH AND LABTECH EXPO BEGINS IN CITY FILE PHOTO FORECAST PAGE 2 MACT GIVES ~18-LAKH RELIEF TO ACCIDENT VICTIM’S KIN PANCHKULA: The district reported five fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the active caseload to 13. The overall tally reached 44,171. The death count is 414. As many as 43,744 people have recovered from the disease so far. —TNS Chandigarh, April 28 Only 4.4 per cent of the eligible population above 18 years of age in Chandigarh has taken the booster shot till now, while the daily cases have started showing an uptick in the past few days. Eminent virologists have expressed concern that there will be hardly any protective immunity against Omicron without a booster dose. Of the 8,43,000 eligible population, only 37,768 persons have taken the booster dose in the city. Shahid Jameel, virologist and former head of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics, while speaking to Chandigarh Tribune, said, “Two doses of Covishield have an efficacy of about 70 per cent against symptomatic infection. This falls over time and by six months, it hardly offers any protection. Against Omicron, the 70 per cent efficacy falls to around 10 per cent and with a booster dose it goes up again. Protection against severe disease and mortality is higher and is further enhanced with a booster.” “The reason for boosters is to keep the infection away and to CITY LOGS 11 FRESH CASES OF COVID Chandigarh: The city logged 11 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday. The active case count rose to 65. The death toll remained unchanged at 1,165. Meanwhile, six persons were cured of the disease. TNS further boost protection from the disease. This is important to reduce the virus transmission and circulation in the population. More transmission is also more opportunities for the virus to mutate into new variants,” said Jameel. The booster dose was thrown open to all adults, at private hospitals across the country. However, the drive has seen a lukewarm response so far. “The response has been same as it was at the start of the drive. Around 50 people turn up for the booster shot every day. On the weekends, the number of beneficiaries slightly increases,” said a doctor from a private hospital in Sector 44. Virologist T John Jacob said, “Without a booster, there is hardly any protective immunity against Omicron. continued on page 2