27022023-CT-01.qxd 2/27/2023 12:09 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune I LEAGUE: PUNJAB FC EDGE PAST SUDEVA DELHI CRPF WIN ALL-INDIA POLICE BADMINTON GAMES THREE-DAY REAL ESTATE EXPO CONCLUDES ON A HIGH NOTE Juan Mera scores a hat-trick to help RoundGlass Punjab FC log an easy 8-0 win over Sudeva Delhi FC. P2 The CRPF team win the title on the concluding day of the 15th All-India Police Badminton Games. P2 The final day of The Tribune Real Estate Expo-2023 witnesses a surge in the number of visitors. P3 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 206 PANCHKULA 60 MOHALI 120 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF YOUTH HELD FOR STEALING MOBILE Chandigarh: A 24-year-old man has been arrested for stealing a mobile phone. Complainant Ravinder Kumar, a resident of Sector 44, alleged that Sujeta Pal stole his mobile phone at Apni Mandi in Sector 46. The police were informed about the incident and the suspect was arrested. A case has been registered at Sector 34 police station. TNS CAR HITS SCOOTER AT MATKA CHOWK Chandigarh: A car sped off after hitting a scooter near the Matka Chowk. A woman of Sector 47 reported the matter to the police. She also provided the registration number of the car to the police, following which a case was registered at the Sector 3 police station. Investigation is going on. TNS TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Shell out 5% more for water in City Beautiful from April 1 Sandeep Rana BIG BURDEN ON COMMON MAN Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 26 From April 1, residents will have to shell out more for water with 5 per cent annual recurring increase in water charges coming into effect. This is for the first time that the annual recurring increase has been fixed at 5 per cent, which earlier used to be 3 per cent. Last year, the administration had notified the 5 per cent annual hike for the 202324 fiscal. Residents said they were already fed up with the high water rates. The 5 per cent hike, coupled with the existing 30 per cent sewerage cess on the total water bill, is going to add to their woes. 10 challaned for drunken driving Chandigarh, February 26 The police have challaned 10 persons for drunken driving and impounded three cars during antidrunken driving nakas put up at three locations in the city last night. As many as 313 drunken driving challans have been issued and 99 vehicles impounded this year so far. — TNS ❝ Recurring increase in water and sewerage charges is a big burden on common man. The MC has failed to give me the exact figures of its expenses based on which it has been increasing the charges. The rates should be rationalised. ❞ RK Garg, PRESIDENT, SECOND INNINGS ASSOCIATION CAN REVIEW THE HIKE: MAYOR If residents find the 5 per cent annual hike too much, we will review it. Anup Gupta, MAYOR ❝ ❞ President of the Second Innings Association RK Garg said, “The authorities just pass rules and do not consider the correlated conditions. Recur- ring increase in water and sewerage charges is a big burden on common man. The MC has failed to give me the exact figures of its expenses based on which it has been increasing the charges. The rates should be rationalised.” AAP’s Leader of the Opposition Damanpreet Singh slammed the BJP saying, “The MC is meant for the welfare of the residents and should not be run as a profitmaking organisation. The Centre asks the BJP-ruled MC to generate more revenue. If we get a chance, we will give free water to residents like we did in Delhi and Punjab.” Meanwhile, MC officials said the hike had been carried out after many years, keeping in view losses. To ensure that there is not a big gap in spending and income in future, a continued on page 3 Vendors alongside the wall of Civil Hospital, Mani Majra. NITIN MITTAL c m y b Chandigarh, February 26 With the MC turning a blind eye to encroachments by vendors, an illegal market alongside the boundary wall of the Civil Hospital, Mani Majra, continues to inconvenience people. The vendors selling clothes, eatables and other items leave little space for pedestrians. Traffic gets disrupted due to MAX 29°C | MIN 13°C YESTERDAY MAX 29.1°C | MIN 11.7°C SUNRISE TUESDAY 6.50 AM FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Truck hits car, Kalka man dies Panchkula, February 26 The husband of Neha Sharma, councillor from Ward No. 29 (Bharat Nagar Colony) of the Kalka Municipal Council, died in an accident yesterday. In her complaint to the police, Neha stated that she was going towards Barwala with her husband, Rajkumar, in a car around 12.30 pm yesterday. When they reached near the gate of the Forest Department office in Pinjore, a rashly driven tipper coming from the opposite direction hit their car. Her husband, who was driving the car, fell unconscious. She, with the help of passers-by, took him to a hospital in Pinjore where the doctors referred him to the Government Hospital, Sector 6, Panchkula. The doctors declared him dead on arrival. The police have registered a case. — TNS MC turns blind eye to illegal Mani Majra market Tribune News Service PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET MONDAY 6.19 PM » MONDAY | 27 FEBRUARY 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST the rush at the market in the evening. “Local residents are inconvenienced due to the insanitary conditions around the area. These vendors were allocated space here temporarily during the Covid times. The market grew in size as the MC failed to remove them. Some of the vendors here have their own shops, which they have rented continued on page 3 One of the suspects nabbed by the Dera Bassi police. 4 ‘highway robbers’ nabbed at Dera Bassi Tribune News Service Mohali, February 26 The police today claimed to have arrested four highway robbers armed with sharp weapons at Dera Bassi and foiled a possible robbery late last night. They have been identified as Gagandeep Singh (21) of Banur, Parvinder Singh (21) of Gulabgarh in Dera Bassi, and Harkirat Singh (19) and Harmandeep Singh (20), both residents of Jawaharpur in Dera Bassi. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Darpan Ahluwalia said the Dera Bassi police had received information that around 15 youths carrying sharp weapons were spotted near a local hotel on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway looking for their target. A police team, led by the Dera Bassi SHO, Sub-Inspec- Cops looking for their absconding accomplices ROBBERY FOILED Dera Bassi police had received information that around 15 youths carrying sharp weapons were spotted near a hotel on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway looking for their target. tor Jaskanwal Singh Sekhon, who were present near the DAV school, reached the spot immediately. On seeing the police, the suspects tried to escape. Three of them were caught after a brief chase. Sekhon said they caught Gagandeep Singh with a sharp weapon at the spot and also arrested two of his accomplices, who were hiding on the roadside. She said the police were investigating as to who continued on page 3