29122022-CT-01.qxd 12/29/2022 12:56 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh TRIBUNE THURSDAY | 29 DECEMBER 2022 | CHANDIGARH BEANT COMPLEX TO SHAPE UP ON LINES OF DELHI’S INT’L CENTRE PAGE 2 The UT Administration plans to start cultural activities at the proposed Sardar Beant Singh India Int’l Centre. FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY TRICITY COVID REPORT CHD P’KULA MOHALI POSITIVE 99,348 48,433 1,01,155 RECOVERED 98,161 48,011 99,983 NEW CASES 2 0 0 ACTIVE 6 1 4 CHANGE 2 DEATHS 1,181 421 1,168 NEW 0 0 0 AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH SUNSET THURSDAY 5:32 PM 193 MOHALI 255 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF MAN DUPED OVER POWER BILL ‘DUES’ Chandigarh: An 83-year-old man was duped of Rs 79,000 by some fraudsters. Complainant Jagmohan Singh Jaspal, a resident of Sector 40, said he was duped on the pretext of power bill dues. A case has been registered at the Cybercrime police station and an investigation initiated into it. TNS 37.55-GM HEROIN SEIZED FROM MAN Panchkula: A Sector 10 resident has been nabbed in a drugs case. The police said Mehul Saini, alias Pucchi, tried to flee on seeing a police van near a showroom in Sector 10 on Tuesday night. He was caught after a brief chase and 37.55 gm heroin was found on him. A case under the NDPS Act was registered. Saini was produced in court, which remanded him in two-day police custody. TNS WILL INCREASE REVENUE, CUT CHAOS ❝ It will improve revenue collection by allowing more transparency. App will let visitors track parking space online and help reduce chaos at entry point. ❞ — Anindita Mitra, MC COMMISSIONER << An attendant issues slip to a driver at Sector 35 parking. VICKY HOW IT WILL WORK entering lot without levying charge ■ At exit, charge based on time spent in lot to be deducted via FASTag KHARAR RESIDENT HELD WITH HEROIN Chandigarh: The UT police have arrested a Kharar resident caught with heroin. According to the police, the suspect, Raman Kumar of Sunny Enclave, was arrested near the grain market at Maloya. He was found in possession of 32 gm of heroin. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered at the Maloya police station. TNS NOT ALL FACILITIES HAVE BOOM BARRIERS ■ In Dec 2017, then contractor Arya Toll Infra Pvt Ltd launched a smart app for info on available parking space and making online payment ■ However, app, unveiled after much delay by then UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore, failed to serve purpose. It was seldom used by people ■ Those sans FASTag can ■ Even the current parking contract provides for installation of boom pay using scanner apps such as Paytm, Google Pay ■ Currently, parking attendants issue slips and collect payments manually barriers and provision of smart features at all parking lots. However, not all have these facilities ■ The MC claims it will implement the new system in a phased-manner and monitor the facilities right from the start to keep track of vehicles. These will be connected to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Sector 17. Besides, a mobile application will be launched for realtime tracking of space inside these parking lots. This will help visitors plan in advance and drive to another parking lot if space is not available. The new system will also help eliminate the requirement for additional manpower to manage the lots. “Smart parking lots will improve revenue collection. There will be more transparency and will eliminate overcharging. The app will help track parking space online. It will reduce chaos at the entry point,” MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra told Chandigarh Tribune. An agenda in this regard will be tabled at the MC House meeting slated in January. The House will also decide on parking rates. The MC is planning to go in for the public private partnership (PPP) mode under which the parking agency may offer percentage of earnings to be shared with it. FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE 152% jump in traffic challans UT cops fine 5.87L offenders |3.98L via CCTV cameras Amit Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 28 With the introduction of highresolution CCTV cameras in the city, challans for jumping the red light witnessed a 4,183% jump in comparison to 2021. While, 4,097 challans were issued for the offence last year, the traffic police have already issued 1,75,649 challans for the offence till December 27 this year. A majority of the violations has been caught on the CCTV cameras, installed on various roads earlier this year. As per the police records, of the total challans for jumping the red light, 1,71,970 violators were captured by CCTV cameras. Further, as many as 5,86,966 motorists have been fined for different traffic violations against 2,32,319 fined last year. This is around 152% jump in comparison to 2021. Speeding has turned out to be among the most rampant violations in the city, with 1,84,166 motorists being fined for the offence this year, against 64,132 challans issued last year. Of the total challans issued for speeding, 1,53,674 were through CCTV cameras. The high-resolution cameras set up at 40 traffic junctions are equipped with the automatic number reading recognition (ANRR) software. Around 15 police personnel work round the clock at the Police Command and Control Of the 1.75 lakh violators challaned for jumping the red light, 1.71 lakh have been captured by CCTV cameras. RAVI KUMAR 4,183% RISE IN RED LIGHT VIOLATIONS Offence Jumping red light Speeding Without helmet Wrong parking Using phone Driving on cycle track Halting on zebra crossing Drunken driving Other offences Total 2021 4097 64,132 14,103 21,249 1,901 2,565 38,180 0 86,092 2,32,319 2022 1,75,649 1,84,166 45,865 35,232 1,467 6,908 65,322 200 72,166 5,86,966 MOST VIOLATORS CAPTURED BY CCTV CAMERAS Offence Speeding Jumping red light Without helmet Halting on zebra crossing e-challan via CCTV Postal device (radar/ challans handycam) (social media) 0 1,53,674 30,492 183 1,71,970 3,496 7,452 3,350 35,054 281 59,917 5,124 Centre (PCCC) set up in Sector 17 to monitor and issue challans for violations detected. Riding without a helmet also Naina Mishra Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service A CCTV grab shows suspects with car snatched from a Mohali resident. Sec62snatchingsuspects seen pushing car in UT Mohali, December 28 The police today claimed they were on the verge of nabbing the suspects involved in the car snatching incident that took place in Sector 62 here on December 23. The police have procured a CCTV footage of the suspects pushing the snatched vehicle in broad daylight in Chandigarh a day after the incident. A Phase-7 resident had claimed four persons, including a woman, had snatched his car near the Nature Park around 10.30 pm on December 23. “We have traced them and they will be nabbed soon. We have scoured their call details,” said a cop. Sources said it was unusual to see suspects on city roads with a snatched car bearing the orginal registration plate. —TNS Chandigarh, December 28 The UT Administration will again take up the issue of declaring eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary with Punjab and Haryana at the 20th meeting of the Standing Committee of Northern Zonal Council (NZC) to be held in Mohali on January 12. Several senior officials, including chief secretaries of four states and UTs, will participate in the meeting. The NZC comprises Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, National Capital Territory, Delhi, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Even as the ESZ issue was taken up at a council meeting held in Jaipur under the chairmanship of Union Tribune News Service Northern Zonal Council meet in Mohali on Jan 12 UT has declared 2 to 2.75 km from sanctuary’s boundary as sensitive zone. Home Minister Amit Shah on July 9, Punjab and Haryana are still to declare ESZ around the sanctuary in their respective territories. UT Adviser Dharam Pal said the issue would again be raised at the upcoming meeting. The UT had also written to the Ministry of Home Affairs School, dispensary run amid pyre smoke at Rani Majra Gaurav Kanthwal DESPITE SEVERAL PLEAS, OFFICIALS UNMOVED Tribune News Service Mohali, December 28 In what may reflect lopsided priorities of the Punjab Government, a government school and an Ayurvedic dispensary have been functioning in close proximity to a cremation ground at Rani Majra village in Majri block of Kharar tehsil. Even more shocking is the fact that these are located right on the PR-7 Road, but the administration and Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) officials have chosen to look the other way. This is in contrast to the state government’s stated policy of according top priority to education and public health. TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD constituted a large percentage of violations as 45,856 twowheeler riders were challaned Continued on page 2 Admn to again ask Pb, Hry to Work on Sarangpur declare ESZ around Sukhna centre put on hold TWO NABBED WITH STOLEN BIKE Mohali: The police arrested two suspects with a stolen motorcycle at a checkpoint near Sector 71 on Tuesday. The suspects — Sohana residents Saavan Khan and Abhishek Sharma — have been booked under Sections 379-B, 379, 411 and 34 of the IPC at the Mataur police station. TNS SUNRISE FRIDAY 7:18 AM Smart application to help real-time tracking of available space ■ Boom barriers to open for vehicles PAGE 3 BCCI has picked the 21-year-old all-rounder for women’s tri-series starting in South Africa on Jan 19. 89 paid parking lots in city set to have FASTag system Tribune News Service PANCHKULA 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 MAX 18°C | MIN 7°C | YESTERDAY MAX 19.4°C | MIN 5.1°C Chandigarh, December 28 Get ready to zip in and out of city’s paid parking lots, with the Municipal Corporation planning to introduce the FASTag-based system, besides a smart app, at all 89 facilities. Drivers of vehicles without a FASTag will also be able to pay using Paytm, Google Pay or other scanners. Currently, attendants issue parking slips and collect payments manually at all parking lots. The smart system has been proposed in the new parking contract. The current contract for all parking lots, allotted to two different firms, expires in January 2023. Under the new system, boom barriers will open automatically once a vehicle approaches the entry point. No charge will be levied. At the time of exit, charge based on the time spent by the vehicle in the parking lot will be deducted through FASTag. If the vehicle doesn’t have a FASTag, the driver can pay using a scanner app to let the boom barrier open for an exit. High-resolution CCTV cameras installed at the parking lots will scan the registration plates CITY CRICKETER AMANJOT KAUR GETS MAIDEN INDIA CALL The CHB starts issuing show-cause notices to occupants of flats, which are under illegal possession. Sandeep Rana 328 PAGE 3 CHB ISSUES NOTICE TO ILLEGAL OCCUPANTS OF SCHEME FLATS ❝ We have met several officials of PUDA and dist administration, but to no avail. We even mailed registered letters, but haven’t received a reply, A ground being used for cremations near school at Rani Majra. VICKY — Laabh Singh, SARPANCH ❞ CREMATIONS ON SHAMLAT LAND ALONG PR-7 ROAD ■ Cremations are taking place at a ■ Cremations started taking place ground close to Govt Senior Secondary School and Govt Ayurvedic Dispensary at Rani Majra village in Majri block on shamlat land near the school after the land of cremation ground was acquired for the construction of the PR-7 Road Village residents have been complaining of cremations taking place along the road at the rear of the dispensary, which is a stone’s throw away from the Government Senior ■ Residents say poor and migrant labourers, who can’t afford ferrying dead to crematoria, perform the last rites on the shamlat land along the road Secondary School playground in the front. Due to strong winds, ash, dust and c m y b garbage lay strewn in the area. “It is not hard to imagine the impact it will have on the minds of children playing in the ground with cremations taking place right in front of their eyes. Smoke and ash often engulf the school owing to wind. During the rainy season, sludge and animal waste get collected in front of the school and the rot stays for days on end,” says Surender Singh, a village resident. Village residents have made several representations to officials of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), district administration, BDPO and others, but to no avail. “We even mailed registered letters, Continued on page 2 (MHA) to speed up the process to notify the ESZ around the sanctuary for the area that fell in Punjab and Haryana. Earlier also, the administration had asked the Centre and the Haryana and Punjab governments to declare the ESZ at the earliest. If the declaration Continued on page 2 Mauli Jagran youth tied to tree, thrashed Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 28 A Mauli Jagran youth was allegedly thrashed and tied to a tree by some miscreants last night. The victim, identified as Akash, was attacked by miscreants in the forest area of Vikas Nagar near Mauli Jagran. Someone informed the victim’s kin about the incident following which they rushed to the forest. Akash’s sister said, “He was profusely bleeding and unconscious when we reached the spot.” The victim was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Phase VI, Panchkula. The Government Railway Police (GRP) was Continued on page 2 Chandigarh, December 28 The Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research’s Sarangpur centre project has been put on hold in the absence of approval to its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course by the Centre. If approved, the construction at the PGI’s satellite centre will be altered as per the requirement of the course. The possession of 50.76 acres was obtained last year. Initially, it was decided to set up a new OPD, shifting of trauma centre and cancer care to cut wait time for surgeries. It was principally deliberated to provide Emergency services in an efficient manner and thereby improve medical infrastructure at the facility. Kumar Gaurav Dhawan, Deputy Director, PGI, says: “The Sarangpur centre project has been put on hold for now, until a final decision on the MBBS course comes. If the PGI has to run the course, the land at Sarangpur will be altered to cater to the needs of the course. We will have to decide which speciality blocks will have to be constructed to suit the academic requirement.” The matter will be tabled at the Standing Finance Committee meeting for budget approval by the Centre. The proposed setup will have a college building with adequate space for all teaching departments for running MBBS course with 100 seats. The total cost of the project with modern amenities has been estimated at Rs 1,800 crore. A new 500-bed hospital is also proposed to be attached to the medical college with requisite number of beds for respective clinical Nod for MBBS course awaited from Centre PROJECT COST ~1,800 cr PROJECT SITE 50.76 acre FINANCE PANEL TO DECIDE ■ A college campus and a 500-bed hospital planned at the Sarangpur centre for quality education, research and patient care ■ The college building is proposed to have space for all teaching departments to run MBBS course with 100 seats ■ The matter will now come up at a Standing Finance Committee meeting for approval of budget by the Centre ■ At present, the GMCH-32 is the lone institution in the city offering an MBBS course with 150 seats department as per National Medical Council guideline. The proposal envisages a college campus along with an attached hospital fully equipped with the state-ofthe-art facilities for quality education, research and patient care. It also help the institute in addressing the increasing demand of hospital beds, more modular operating theatres, and state-ofthe-art ICU facility for better patient care. A proposal was tabled at a Standing Academic Committee meeting recently for approval for setting up of medical college for MBBS and also 500-bed hospital, an Continued on page 2