16032023-CT-01.qxd 3/16/2023 12:09 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune TEENAGE BOY GIVES LEASE OF LIFE TO FOUR AT PGI FOUR DAYS ON, TWO HELD FOR ROBBERY AT DARIA SANDEEP SANDHU DEFEATS PANGING IN GOLF FINAL A 19-year-old boy, who died in mishap at HP, gives new lease of life to four patients through organ donation. P2 UT cops arrest two persons for allegedly committing a robbery at Daria village on March 11. P2 Sandeep Sandhu wins Chandigarh leg of AVT Champions Tour finale by seven strokes at Golf Club. P2 » » Palsora outlet fetches highest bid of ~11.65 cr Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 15 The UT Excise and Taxation Department failed to find buyers for nearly 55 per cent of its liquor vends that went up for auction here today. High excise duty and VAT in comparison to Punjab are to blame for the lukewarm response to the auction. Only 43 of the 95 liquor vends put up for auction by the department could go under the hammer. The highest bid of Rs 11.65 crore was received for the liquor vend at Palsora village, against a reserve price of Rs 9.60 crore. In all, 62 bids were received for 43 liquor vends/licencing units having a reserve price of Rs 202.35 crore. The department collected a total revenue of Rs 221.59 crore in the shape of licence fee, registering an increase of nearly 9.5% over the reserve price. A sum of Rs 2.17 crore was collected in the form of nonrefundable participation fee. After the first round of bidding, the department is in the process of inviting tenders for the second round from March 16. The department is also ADMN RAKES IN ~221.59 CR ■ 62 bids received for 43 liquor vends with reserve price of ~202.35 cr ■ UT collects ~221.59 cr, registering an increase of 9.5% over reserve price ■ In 2022, UT had earned ~420 cr against reserve price of ~344 cr ■ UT will now invite tenders for second round of auction from March 16 UT EXCISE POLICY NOT FRIENDLY ❝ There is open quota in Punjab, but UT has capped it at 18L boxes a year. Rates are uniform in Mohali & P’kula. Why will people from these areas buy liquor from UT? — A liquor contractor ❞ VENDS THAT DREW TOP BIDS Liquor vend Highest bid Reserve price Palsora ~11.65 cr ~9.60 cr Sec 61 market ~9.55 cr ~9.52 cr Sec 48 market ~8.95 cr ~6.19 cr Sec 9 Madhya Marg ~8.15 cr ~7.45 cr Sec 26 Transport Area ~7.20 cr ~5.74 cr planning to implement other measures outlined in the UT Excise Policy, such as granting new licences, label approval and permits/passes online. This will eliminate the FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE 7 infected with H3N2 virus in Mercury set to drop as light Mohali;active Covid cases nine rain predicted till March 20 Mohali, March 15 As many as seven cases of H3N2 influenza have been reported in the district with the most recent being from Kharar. Further, there is a minor spurt in Covid cases in the district, with the active caseload touching nine today. need for licencees to physically visit the office, thereby promoting transparency and ease of doing business. In 2022, the department had Continued on page 2 c m y b Officials said most of the H3N2 patients were adults and were being treated according to the protocol. No case of infection among children had come to the fore so far, said Mohali Civil Surgeon Dr Adarshpal Kaur. Continued on page 2 Chandigarh, March 15 The day’s temperature is expected to fall several notches over the next few days as the weather department has issued forecast for light rain from March 17 to 20. The sky is expected to be generally cloudy on Thursday, fol- MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 31.8°C | MIN 15.3°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:30 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD 55% liquor vends in UT go unsold, only 43 find takers GENERALLY CLOUDY SUNSET THURSDAY 6:31 PM » THURSDAY | 16 MARCH 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST lowing which, there is a forecast of light rain up to March 20. The maximum temperature today was 31.8 °C, which was four degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature stood at 15.3 °C, three notches above normal. Continued on page 2 AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 139 PANCHKULA 68 MOHALI 99 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD