08052023-CT-01.qxd 5/8/2023 12:38 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune ONLINE ADMISSION FOR ALL CLASSES IN GOVT SCHOOLS LOCAL EVES REGISTER 2ND STRAIGHT WIN IN HOCKEY RADHA, RITAM WIN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES Dept plans to start online admissions to all classes in govt schools from 2024-2025 academic session. P3 Defeat Telangana Hockey (13-0) in second match of sub-junior women national meet in Odisha. P3 Top seed Radha Sadhra and third seed Ritam Kumar won the Roots AITA CS7 U-18 titles. P3 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 94 PANCHKULA 59 MOHALI 78 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD Chandigarh: Two motorcycleborne suspects snatched a gold chain from a woman. The victim, a resident of Sector 41, alleged unidentified men snatched her chain near her house. A case has been registered at the Sector 39 police station and an investigation initiated. TNS MAN NABBED FOR ASSAULT Chandigarh: The police have arrested a man for assaulting a Himachal Pradseh resident near Gurdwara chowk on Dakshin Marg. Complainant Kartavya, a resident of Mandi, alleged Hardeep Singh of Moga and others assaulted him with a kirpan. He suffered injuries and was admitted to the GMCH-32. A case was registered at the Sector 34 police station. Hardeep was later arrested. TNS TRAVEL AGENT BOOKED FOR FRAUD Chandigarh: The police have booked an immigration consultant for duping a city resident of Rs 14.19 lakh. Complainant Abhishek Nager, a resident of Sector 46, alleged Gurwinder Singh and others from M/s Overseas Study Planner, Sirsa, duped him on the pretext of providing study visa for Canada. A case under Sections 406 and 420 of the IPC has been registered and an investigation initiated. TNS POWER HELPLINE MOHALI: 9646119214 AREAS: Sectors 66 to 113, Mauli, Sohana, Chilla, Raipur Khurd, Raipur Kalan, Bhago Majra, Bairmpur, Lakhnor, Landran, Bharatpur, Machli, Swara, Chadiala, Derri, Manauli, Giddarpur, Saneta, Drali, Manak Majra, Nano Majra, Sambhalki, Moja Dholl, Saini Majra, IT City & JLPL. POWER SHUTDOWN MOHALI 8 AM TO 6 PM: New Sunny, Old Sunny Colonies, Sectors 123, 124 and 125, Hussainpur, Manana, Jhampur, Jandpur, Thaska, Behlolpur, Tadauli, Raipur, Desumajra villages. FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Bids invited for sweeping at 13 UT villages, Mani Majra Agency to carry out GIS-based mechanised, manual sanitation job Sandeep Rana Chandigarh, May 7 On the lines of southern sectors, 13 villages and Mani Majra will soon see geographic information system (GIS)based mechanised and manual sweeping as the municipal corporation has invited e-bids from interested private agencies to carry out the work. The civic body has invited online bids through e-tendering process from interested companies for “GIS- based mechanised, manual sweeping and transportation of waste from Mani Majra and 13 villages, which were transferred to the Municipal Corporation by the UT Administration recently”. Interested bidders have been asked to submit their online bids by May 29. At present, the sanitation job in the southern sectors of the city i.e. Sectors 31 to 63, including villages and slums, has been outsourced. This comprises sweeping, collection and transportation of solid waste from bins in a segregated manner, cleaning and washing of litter bins, washing of road berms, removal of vegetation/grass cutting on roadsides/berms, removal of construction and PRADEEP TEWARI 2 BIKERS SNATCH GOLD CHAIN MAX 37°C | MIN 20°C YESTERDAY MAX 34.9°C | MIN 17.7°C SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:34 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Tribune News Service INBRIEF MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET MONDAY 7.04 PM » MONDAY | 8 MAY 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST Municipal corporation workers lift garbage at Dhanas village on Sunday. ON LINES OF SOUTHERN SECTORS ■ Sanitation job in southern sectors i.e. Sectors 31 to 63, including villages and slums, has been outsourced to a private agency ■ MC has invited bids from firms for sweeping, transportation of waste from Mani Majra and 13 villages transferred to MC recently ■ Work entails sweeping, transportation of solid waste; washing of bins, road berms; removal of vegetation on roadsides, demolition waste, etc. ■ A control room will be set up and manned by staff of firm; staff and machine deployed will be tracked through a software via a big screen THE VILLAGES MC FACING STAFF SHORTAGE Behlana | Raipur Khurd | Raipur Kalan | Makhan Majra | Daria | Mauli Jagran | Kishangarh | Kaimbwala | Khuda Ali Sher | Khuda Jassu | Khuda Lahora | Sarangpur | Dhanas MC says it is short of 554 sanitation workers. There are 378 safai workers in Mani Majra and 13 villages. These can be shifted to other wards to meet the MC needs. demolition waste from roadsides/berms, etc. These will be undertaken by a private agency at these 13 villages now. A control room will be manned by the private company’s staff. A big screen will be installed and location of the staff and machine deployed will be tracked through a software. The MC has been claiming an acute shortage of manpower, to the tune of 554 sanitation workers, across all areas being serviced by it. In Mani Majra and 13 villages, there are a total of 378 safai workers who can be transferred to other wards to meet the MC’s requirement for upkeep of sanitation. At present, these villages require speeding up of work on construction of roads that were broken due to laying of new water, sewerage and storm pipelines. A former sarpanch of Raipur Khurd village says: “Mechanised sweeping will improve sanitation here. But the agency should ensure there is sufficient staff for manual cleaning of narrow lanes as well. Besides, we request the MC to speed up road construction work as during rain, these turn into mud tracks.” The 13 villages — Behlana, Raipur Khurd, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra, Daria, Mauli Jagran, Kishangarh, Kaimbwala, Khuda Ali Sher, Khuda Jassu, Khuda Lahora, Sarangpur and Dhanas — had merged with the MC after the term of their panchayats ended in January 2019. JET SET... Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will unveil the Indian Air Force Heritage Centre in Sector 18, besides a gaushala at Raipur Kalan, in Chandigarh on Monday. PRADEEP TEWARI PAGE 3 Kurali man poisons two minor kids;daughter dead, son critical Tribune News Service Mohali, May 7 A man allegedly poisoned his two children, killing his 12year-old daughter and leaving 13-year-old son battling for life, after suspecting his wife of having illicit relations at Nagal Singhan village of Kurali on Saturday afternoon. Suspect Kulwinder Singh, 40, a mason, allegedly spiked a cold drink with a poisonous substance and forced his family members to consume it. While his children took the drink, wife Pinki Rani, 36, refused to have it. Kulwinder, who also consumed the drink, was admit- Suspected wife of having illicit relations SUSPECT FLEES MOHALI HOSPITAL ■ Suspect spikes a cold drink with a poisonous substance and forces his family members to consume it ■ He & minor children take it, while wife resists move; as their condition deteriorates, they are shifted to hospital ■ On learning about daughter’s death, suspect flees the Phase 6 Mohali hospital on Sunday morning ■ Boy is referred to GMCH-32, where his condition is Kulwinder Singh stated to be critical as he has low blood pressure levels, say doctors ted to the Phase-6 hospital. However, on learning about his daughter’s death, he fled the hospital this morning. Rani claimed: “Kulwinder abused and beat me up yesterday afternoon, accusing me of having illicit relations. He served a spiked drink forcibly to children. The girl took two gulps, but the boy threw up instantly as he found it bitter.” continued on page 3 8 yrs on, PGI’s plan for new OT Delhi man linked to loan app scam arrested complex awaits resuscitation Helped Chinese national flee country via Nepal after racket busted Naina Mishra Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 7 The Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI), Chandigarh, has been sitting on a proposal for the construction of an operating theatre (OT) complex at the institute for over eight years, even as the existing theatres have outlived their utility witnessing frequent breakdowns. The Main Operating Theatre Complex at Nehru Hospital is located on the fourth and fifth floors of the Service Block. The OTs, nine on each floor, were commissioned more than 50 years ago, but no major renovation has been carried out ever since. As a result, various engineering MAJOR SURGERIES AT INSTITUTE 2010 2019 11,829 51,221 CONCEIVED IN 2015 ■ In 2015, then PGI Director formed a panel to study feasibility of a new operating theatre complex ■ Panel recommended construction of a complex having 30 OTs opposite Nivedita Hostel ■ Standing Finance Committee gave in-principal nod to complex with 25 OTs, instead of 30, in 2016 ■ Work couldn’t be executed then; agenda again taken up in 2022 by panel, but was deferred services have outlived their utility and are not functioning efficiently. Breakdowns in old and dilapidated equipment often lead to interruption in the functioning of OTs. With the patient load increasing manifold and medical technology witnessing advancements, the need for construction of the state-of-theart OT complex has been felt by surgeons at the institute. The number of major surgeries being carried out at the institute had risen from 11,829 in 2010 to 51,221 in 2019. Various surgical departments as well as faculty associations have been demanding construction of a new OT complex of international standards from time to time. In 2015, then PGI Director had constituted a committee comprising members from the continued on page 2 Chandigarh, May 7 The Cyber Crime Investigation Cell of the UT police has arrested a Delhi resident for helping a Chinese national and kingpin of the loan app-cumextortion racket escape India. So far, 34 persons have been arrested in the case. Earlier, 33 individuals, including a Chinese national, were arrested in connection with the scam. Bharat Kumar (41), a resident of New Delhi, was directly in touch with the kingpin and had helped him escape India through Nepal. The police said the suspect had worked in China from 2006 to 2011 and later returned to India. In 2016, he started a mobile accessories business in partnership with Chinese nationals in Delhi. ANOTHER CHINESE SUSPECT IDENTIFIED One more Chinese national has been identified as a suspect in the scam. Proceedings to issue red corner notice against him are in progress. ARRESTED PERSONS FACING 89 FIRs As many as 1,578 complaints and 89 FIRs are registered against arrested persons, analysis of data of suspects shared with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has revealed. << Bharat Kumar in custody of the Chandigarh police. Bharat met Stark, a Chinese national, in 2022 through another Chinese friend Yao. Bharat took a flat on rent in his name for Stark in Gurgaon. Bharat then incorporated a shell company, Alpha Genetech Pvt Ltd, which was registered for digital marketing and online dating application. Bharat and his wife became its directors. He along with three of his aides, two of whom were earlier arrested by the police, used the firm to convert rupees into US dollars and sent the money to Stark. In July 2022, Bharat got alerted after the police cracked down on those running the instant loan app scam, following which Stark decided to flee the country. Bharat dropped him at the Nepal border, from where he fled. The police said Stark possessed a fake passport of Nepal. According to the police, Stark was operating the online loan application scam from China and Bharat had transferred to him money in US dollars using different crypto wallets. continued on page 3 Morning rainstorm snaps trees, hits power supply in tricity area Tribune News Service Auto driver held for molesting minor Chandigarh, May 7 An auto-rickshaw driver has been arrested by the UT police for allegedly molesting a minor girl. The suspect has been identified as Sandeep Kumar (29), a resident of Mani Majra. The police said the victim’s family had hired the auto-rickshaw to ferry the seven-yearold girl to school and bring her back. The suspect allegedly molested the victim in the vehicle. On reaching home, the victim informed her mother, following which a complaint was filed with the police. A case under Sections 354 of the IPC and 10 of the POCSO Act has been registered at Industrial Area police station. — TNS Chandigarh/Mohali, May 7 Rain accompanied by strong winds lashed the UT and its adjoining areas, snapping trees and affecting power supply this morning. In Chandigarh, a dry tree fell onto the terrace of a Sector 30 residence, prompting MC officials and area councillor Taruna Mehta to rush to the spot. The councillor said dead and dried-up trees should be identified and removed at the earliest to prevent any untoward incident. Further, a large tree fell in a parking lot at Sector 21. However, no one was injured in the incident. Area residents called up the horticulture wing of the MC and workers later cut and removed its branches. A tree branch also fell in Sec- From left: Morning walkers use umbrellas amid rain at Sukhna Lake; a tree that fell on a car in Phase 2, Mohali; and a broken branch hinders movement of traffic at Industrial Area, Phase 1, Panchkula. VICKY & NITIN MITTAL tor 25. A part of the damaged tree blocked the cycle track, affecting the movement of commuters. There was no report of major damage or loss. Officials said they received several calls of falling of tree branches and teams were sent to the spots. It took them several hours to clear the dam- aged branches. Power supply was affected in some areas of the city as 6.8 mm of morning rain took residents by surprise. It was accompanied by lightning and strong winds. There is, however, no forecast of rain for the next five days. The city on Sunday recorded a maximum tem- c m y b perature of 34.9 °C, three degrees below normal. The minimum temperature stood at 17.7 °C, which was 7 degrees below normal. The temperatures are expected to rise over the next few days. In Mohali, too, rainstorm damaged trees and snapped electricity lines in several parts, leaving residents powerless for hours. During the one-hour rainstorm, several tree trunks snapped and branches fell onto roads, inside parks and open spaces of Phases 2, 4, 5 and 7. In Phase 2, a gulmohar tree split vertically into half and fell on a car parked outside a house and damaged the overhead power cables. Several trees and branches were broken along the main road in Phase 2, while a tree fell onto the main road near PCL chowk in Phase 5. Residents said the rainstorm caused a four-hour power outage in continued on page 3 FLIGHT DIVERTED Bad weather briefly affected services at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport. A morning flight from Mumbai to Chandigarh scheduled to arrive at 7.45 am was diverted to Delhi, where it landed around 8.30 am.