21022023-CT-01.qxd 2/21/2023 12:25 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune AMBALA MAN DIES AS TRUCKS COLLIDE IN FATEHGARH SAHIB UPGRADE 3 STPs BY APR 30: UT ADVISER TO SMART CITY ONLINE EXAM: 10 NABBED FOR HELPING CANDIDATES A mini-truck driver dies after he rams vehicle into a truck parked on the GT Road near Jalbehra village. P3 Dharam Pal visits sewage treatment plants at Raipur Kalan, Raipur Khurd, Diggian, 3BRD & Dhanas. P3 Ambala police bust gang allegedly involved in helping candidates in the PGT online exam for jobs. P3 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 300 PANCHKULA 110 MOHALI 207 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF GOLD CHAIN SNATCHED Chandigarh: An unidentified person snatched a gold chain from an elderly woman. The 67-year-old complainant reported that the gold chain was snatched from her near her house in Maloya. The police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into it. TNS Man falls off rooftop at Hallo Majra, dies Chandigarh, February 20 A 35-year-old man died under mysterious circumstances after falling off the roof of a house at Hallo Majra. The victim, identified as Amod Mandal, a resident of Hallo Majra, had gone to his sister’s house, who lives in the neighbourhood. The police were informed about the incident, following which a team reached the spot. Mandal was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. The police have started investigation into his death. The victim is survived by wife and 10-yearold son. — TNS PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 29.5°C | MIN 14.6°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.15 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6.56 AM » TUESDAY | 21 FEBRUARY 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Over 22K dogs sterilised, ~2.14 crore spent since 2015, puppies still dot UT City Beautiful reported more than 3,062 stray dog bite cases in 8 months last year FAKE BANK GUARANTEES MC identifies officials at fault, to issue chargesheet Tribune News Service Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 20 Even as the Municipal Corporation claims to have got more than 22,000 stray dogs sterilised since 2015 across the city, packs of puppies can be spotted in many sectors. No wonder the city had witnessed more than 4,000 dog bite cases in only eight months from April 1 till November 30 last year. The corporation paid from Rs 789 to Rs 1,700 per dog over the years to four agencies for operating on 22,015 dogs, 1,1376 male and 10,639 female, caught from areas across the city. However, residents feel there is no desired change on the ground. During a random check, packs of newborn puppies were spotted at the back of Sehaj Safai Kendra in Sector 22, in an open area at Sector 23 opposite Sector 16 Cricket Stadium, opposite the CBI office in Sector 30-C, in Sector 30-B, in the green belt behind the Sector 48 hospital, near the dispensary in Sector 11, near the Panjab University guest house in Sector 35 and other sectors. “Sterilisation seems to be a mere formality as the public is getting harassed by stray dogs. We have seen newborn puppies in Sector 22,” said Rakesh Kanojia, president of a city-based social welfare association. Questioning the sterilisation drive, city-based social activist Likhmaram Buda- NEAR PU GUEST HOUSE STERILISATION BY AGENCIES SPCA COMPANY FROM MAHARASHTRA Paid ~88,58,808 at ~972 per dog (April 5, 2015-June 2017) A female dog and its puppies at the market of Sector 30-C on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: PRADEEP TEWARI 4,257 DOG BITE CASES FROM APRIL TO NOV ’22 Month Strays April 369 May 350 June 379 July 475 August 377 September 341 October 420 November 351 Total 3,062 Pets 170 189 175 82 129 114 98 238 1,195 CANINES CONTINUE TO HOUND WALKERS The local green belt has many newborn puppies. Besides, one more female dog is ready to give birth. Stray dogs chase walkers and attack them. ❝ JJ Singh, PRESIDENT, RESIDENTS WELFARE ASSOCIATION (RWA), SECTOR 48-A ❞ DR AMANDEEP, KESHOPURA, SIRSA, HARYANA Paid ~58,47,270 at ~870 per dog (Sept 30, 2020-Sept 2021) Total Male Female 9,114 4,646 4,468 BHINDI RISHI PASHU KALYAN SAMITI, BHIND, MP Total Male Female 6,721 3,599 3,122 COMPASSION FOR ANIMAL WELFARE ASSOCIATION, PATIALA Paid ~39,22,119 at ~789 per dog (Aug 2017-Sept 2019) Paid ~28,30,500 at ~1,700 per dog (June 27-Dec 31, 2022) 4,971 2,621 2,350 1,665 765 900 (A total of 22,015 dogs sterilised by four agencies for ~2,14,58,697) WORKING HARD TO CURB MENACE Now, we aim at sterilising two-thirds of the female stray dog population to contain the numbers. Besides, we have now started localised sterilisation in some sectors. We are working hard to curb the stray dog menace. ❝ ❞ Anindita Mitra, MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER SECTOR 23-B SECTOR 22-C STRAY DOG POPULATION SECTOR 30-B nia said, “Sterilisation is only on paper. They do not sterilise as many dogs as they claim in numbers. They should change the A census conducted by the UT Animal Husbandry Department in 2018 pegged the number of stray dogs at 12,920. In the 2012 census, the number was 7,928. practice of catching dogs with nets. It is painful.” Meanwhile, MC officials concerned said as per norms, they had to contain the dog population, not finish it. Teams visit different areas in their vehicles to catch stray dogs. “We drop them back at the same place after sterilisation. We are not supposed to sterilise dogs below six months of age and pregnant ones. We cannot predict which dog would mate with which one as canines can get pregnant even at the age of six months. They can get pregnant twice a year.” Chandigarh, February 20 The Municipal Corporation is going to issue a chargesheet to its officials, who were involved in the case of submission of alleged fake bank guarantees by a paid parking contractor, Pashchatya Entertainment Pvt Ltd. According to a senior MC official, “Those who were involved in the case have already been identified. Some of them have even superannuated. Now, a chargesheet will be issued against all of them.” The MC has also written to the bank to find out if its employees were involved in the case. On a complaint of the civic body, the UT police had booked the contractor for cheating at the Sector 17 police station. In the complaint, Sunil Dutt, superintendent in the parking branch of the MC, claimed that the company was allotted operation and management of 57 parking lots in the city for a period of three years in January 2020. As per the terms and conditions of the contract, three guarantees of Syndicate Bank, amounting to Rs 1.65 crore, were submitted by the firm. The complainant alleged that on account of failure to pay the licence fee of around Rs 7 crore, the MC made a claim to encash the bank guarantees, but the bank claimed no such guarantees had been issued by it. Cops nab fleeing phone snatcher Bus driver suffers ‘attack’3 cars hit , Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 20 The police managed to nab one of the two fleeing motorcycle-borne snatchers after a hot chase. The complainant, Karan of Dhanas, was heading towards Sector 15 on a bicycle when the miscreants snatched his iPhone near the Sector 15/16 light point. Karan raised the alarm and with the help of passersby alerted the police control room (PCR). The police shared the An MC official issues a challan on Monday. 786 challans issued for non-segregation of waste Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 20 On the first day of its drive against non-segregation of waste at source, the municipal corporation issued 786 challans today. The MC is challaning residents as well as owners of commercial establishments who are not segregating waste according to the norms. Anindita Mitra, Municipal Commissioner, said keeping in view the Swachh Survekshan and to keep the city clean, it was important for all residents to cooperate with Commercial units also fined the MC and fulfil their responsibilities under Solid Waste Management Rules. Along with green and blue bins for wet and dry waste, respectively, the MC has installed a black box for hazardous waste and a red one for sanitary waste. The Commissioner said the MC would conduct an intensive checking and violators would be challaned as per the provisions of the rules. Accomplice escapes description of the suspects and their motorcycle with patrolling parties that launched a hunt in the nearby sectors. The suspects were spotted on a road from the PEC towards Nayagaon. “Our team chased the suspects and managed to intercept their bike,” said a police official. While one of the suspects, identified as Kamal of Nayagaon, was nabbed, his accomplice, named Akhil, managed to flee. The snatched mobile phone was recovered and the bike used in the crime impounded. A case has been registered at the Sector 11 police station. The suspect was produced in court today, which remanded him in one-day police custody. Tribune News Service Mohali, February 20 A college bus rammed into three cars at the Madanpura chowk this afternoon as the driver reportedly fell unconscious. The bus was carrying students of a college. A few bus passengers suffered minor injuries. Two cars were badly damaged in the accident. Kiranjit Kaur, a teacher, who was travelling by the bus, said the bus was coming from the Phase 4 side when the driver fell uncon- People gather at the accident spot in Mohali. scious on the wheel. It hit three vehicles and then banged into the rotary. Pay dues within 15 days, CHB tells defaulters Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 20 The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has asked the allottees of more than 13,000 small flats to pay their rent dues within 15 days, failing which their allotment will be cancelled. Yashpal Garg, Chief Executive Officer, CHB, said despite repeated reminders, as many as 13,581 allottees of small flats had not paid their dues amounting to more than Rs 43.02 crore. “The board will be left with no alternative but to initiate the process of cancellation of allotment of the units in case the allottees fail to clear their pending amount within the stipulated time,” he said. Once a unit was cancelled, 13,581 allottees of small flats owe board ~43 cr in rent MAXIMUM CASES FROM DHANAS ■ A maximum of 7,008 are from Dhanas ■ 2,018 from Maloya ■ 1,388 from Mauli Jagran 18,000 Flats allotted under the Rehabilitation Scheme, Small Flat Scheme or Affordable Rental Housing Scheme Flats of the CHB for economically weaker sections at Dhanas. FILE PHOTO the allottee would be required to vacate it and if the appellate authority allowed c m y b its restoration, the allottee would have to pay the dues, with interest and revival charges, he said. The CHB has so far allotted more than 18,000 flats under the Rehabilitation Scheme, Small Flat Scheme or Affordable Rental Housing Scheme (ARHC). These flats have been allotted for sole occupation of the allottees and their families, and cannot be sold or transferred. In March, show-cause notices for cancellation were issued to 11,641 allottees. The same month, nearly Rs 8 crore was deposited by defaulters. The payments could be made at the Sampark Centre or through online mode by visiting CHB website www.chbonline.in. Based on the door-to-door survey carried out last year of 18,138 small flats, the CHB has recently cancelled the allotment of 22 flats for violating the terms and conditions of allotment. The police reached the spot and took the bus driver along. Continued on page 3 30-year-old man stabbed to death in Panchkula Panchkula, February 20 A 30-year-old man was killed in an attack with sharp weapons at the Industrial Area, Phase 2, late on Sunday night. The victim has been identified as Shiv Kumar, a native of Beniwad village of Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, who was putting up at Abhaypur village. He was working at a tile shop on the Patiala road in Zirakpur. The attackers had stabbed him in the throat, on the chest, stomach, leg and hand. In his complaint to the police, Rajesh Gupta, the victim’s nephew, stated that he suspected that Shiv Kumar’s wife was behind the killing. She had an illicit relationship with a contractor, he alleged. — TNS