20012023-CT-01.qxd 1/20/2023 12:14 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune EYES ON CITY BJP CHIEF’S POST AS SOOD’S TERM ENDS HOUSING BOARD MULLS REDUCING TRANSFER FEE GAURAV’S TON HELPS CITY TAKE LEAD OVER RAILWAYS With BJP retaining Mayor’s post, focus now shifts to whether Arun Sood will continue as city unit chief or not. P2 CHB proposes to reduce transfer fee for leasehold commercial properties that were sold through auction. P3 Gaurav Puri hits an unbeaten ton to help UT claim a 99-run lead over Railways on Day 3 of Ranji Trophy. P3 » » TRICITY COVID REPORT CHD P’KULA MOHALI POSITIVE 99,360 48,434 1,01,163 RECOVERED 98,175 48,013 99,995 NEW CASES 0 0 0 ACTIVE 4 0 0 CHANGE 1 0 1 DEATHS 1,181 421 1,168 NEW 0 0 0 Notice to Pb Govt, civic body | Hearing on Apr 20 Tribune News Service AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 345 PANCHKULA 119 MOHALI 327 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD HC stays Mohali Mayor’s removal as MC councillor SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF PEDDLER NABBED FROM KULLU Chandigarh: A Kullu-based drug peddler has been nabbed by the crime branch of the UT police. The suspect, Bhavneshwar (26), was arrested near the Parvati river at Katagla village in Kasol with 2.5 kg of charas. The police said Bhavneshwar was arrested on the disclosure of Parvesh, a Sector 39 resident, who was caught with 2.4 kg of charas. The police said Bhavneshwar was involved in illegal cultivation of cannabis. TNS Chandigarh, January 19 Acting on a petition filed by Mohali Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of an order passed by the State of Punjab’s Department of Local Government, whereby he was removed from the councillor’s post. Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj also issued notice to the Department of Urban Local Bodies and Mohali Municipal Corporation, while fixing the case for further hearing on April 20. Seeking the quashing of the order, the petitioner contended he was removed on the ground of being a member of a society. It was done in a completely illegal and arbitrary manner and in complete violation of principles of natural justice “when this was not even a ground under the provision of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act 1976”. The petitioner stated the allegation against him was that a complaint was received stating he was member of “Amritpreet Cooperative LC Society Limited” and also the From left: Mayor Amarjit Sidhu, former minister Balbir Sidhu and Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi following HC’s stay. TRIBUNE PHOTO HAVE FAITH IN JUDICIARY Our belief in the judiciary has strengthened. We will keep serving the interests of Mohali and its residents. — Amarjit Singh Sidhu, MOHALI MAYOR SOCIETY LINKED TO SIDHU ‘FAVOURED’ ❝ ❞ ■ Amarjit Sidhu, who became Mayor on April 12, 2021, is accused of allotting public works to Amritpreet Coop LC Society Limited, of which he is member ■ In Aug 2022, six councillors of AAP & 2 ex-councillors claimed he, as F&CC chief, gave society works worth lakhs ■ In Sept, Sidhu was served show-cause notice and given 15 days to submit reply. Sidhu chairman of Finance and Contracts Committee. He participated in FCC proceedings, moved the High Court, but withdrew the plea later ■ In reply, he called the complaint ‘politically motivated’ and sought time for personal hearing. In December, he was given chance for a hearing ■ On Dec 30, the Pb Local Government Dept terminated BJP councillor’s membership; he later moved HC claiming decision was arbitrary whereby tender of development work was allotted to the Continued on page 3 c m y b GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 18°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 21.3°C | MIN 8.5°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5.49 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 7.18 AM » FRIDAY | 20 JANUARY 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Integrated command centre to charge depts for using services Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 19 To make the Rs 295-crore Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) selfreliant, the Chandigarh Smart City Limited is going to fix service charges for different departments, among other initiatives. Chandigarh will become the first smart city to have chalked out a plan to make its ICCC self-sustaining. Termed “brain of city”, the ICCC supports digital applications and ensures seamless steady state operations, city management, surveillance, emergency response mechanisms and real-time tracking of services and vital city metrics throughout the city and Move aimed at making it self-reliant Integrated Command and Control Centre in Sector 17. PRADEEP TEWARI in government departments. To being with, rates will be fixed for different wings/departments for using the ICCC services. Also, data analysis charges will be listed if any private or government agency seeks any of sort of data. It will also offer consultancy services. Under ICCC’s optical-fibre cable network, the Smart City is going to give space to private agencies to lay cables Continued on page 3 23-yr-old stabbed to death in Sec 38 Chandigarh, January 19 A 23-year-old man was stabbed to death at Sector 38 on Wednesday night. The victim has been identified as Sahil. Sources said the victim had gone to attend a jagran at a temple in the neighbourhood when some miscreants attacked him following an altercation. The victim was thrashed and stabbed in the stomach, following which he fell unconscious. Victim’s uncle Binny claimed a youth came to his house saying Sahil had been attacked with a knife. “I rushed to the scene and Continued on page 3 10 UT heritage items up for auction in US today Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 19 At least 10 heritage furniture items from the city will go under the hammer in the US on January 20. The items are likely to fetch between Rs 1.03 crore and Rs 1.43 crore. The artefacts, designed by Pierre Jeanneret, include a pair of lounge chairs, a set of three file racks, a set of eight May fetch between ~1.03 cr & ~1.43 cr Set of dining chairs (L)and committee armchairs are among artefacts. armchairs, a set of six dining chairs, a set of a desk and chair, a set of four stools, a bench, a set of four low stools, a set of a desk and cane chair, and a coffee table. In a letter to the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha, Ajay Jagga, a member of the Heritage Items Protection Cell of the Chandigarh Administration, stated he was submitting it as an additional submission on his “petition for protection of national heritage (Chandigarh Heritage Articles) from being auctioned all over the world” and Continued on page 3