25052023-CT-01.qxd 5/25/2023 12:33 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune FOUR ARRESTED FOR DUPING DARIA RESIDENT OF ~2.8 LAKH RESIDENTS OPPOSE SIGNAL BOOSTERS ATOP HOUSES RRR CENTRES: CHANDIGARH MC FELICITATES DONORS Cybercrime Cell of the UT police arrests four persons for duping a Daria resident of ~2.80 lakh. P2 Residents submit complaint to local councillor against mobile phone towers installed atop houses. P2 MC honours residents for donating usable household items at reduce, reuse & recycle (RRR) centres. P2 » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 103 PANCHKULA 72 MOHALI 84 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD Issues directions after communication from MHA on matter Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service INBRIEF 14 BULLET BIKES IMPOUNDED Panchkula: In the past 15 days, the police have impounded 14 Bullet bikes for using modified silencers and causing noise pollution. A crackdown was initiated following complaints about firecracker-like sound being set off by bikes in the area. The police cautioned bikers against modification of silencers. TNS DARIA RESIDENT HELD FOR THEFT Chandigarh: The police have arrested a man for stealing a delivery bag. Raju Verma alleged that an unidentified person stole a delivery bag from Sector 47. A case was registered at the Sector 31 police station. During probe, suspect identified as Ankur, a resident of Daria village, was arrested. TNS Chandigarh, May 24 The UT Administration has directed the Municipal Corporation to prepare an action taken report in connection with the alleged parking scam. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had recently sought a report from the administration on the issue. The report was sought after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pointed out inaction by the administration in the matter of short recovery of parking fee by the MC from two licencees and loss of stamp duty and registration fee due to nonregistration of the lease agreement. According to information, a firm, Paschatya Entertainment Private Limited, was awarded the contract of 57 parking lots in Zone 2 in 2020, which ended in January this year. But the firm failed to pay a licence fee of nearly Rs 7 crore to the MC. On account of failure to pay the fee, the MC had then made a claim to cash three bank guarantees of Rs Judicial remand for Beetle driver Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 24 A local court today remanded Paramveer Singh Dhola, 19, prime suspect in the May 17 Beetle car accident case at Dhanas that claimed three lives and left four others injured, in 14-day judicial custody. Dhola was produced before the magistrate, who remanded him in judicial custody after the police did not seek his further remand. Meanwhile, the suspect has withdrawn an application filed for permission to appear in a BA first year examination. In the application, filed through advocates Terminder Singh and Sunil Singh Gill, Dhola had stated his police custody since May 20 had caused him mental stress and left him with little time to prepare for the examination. Under the circumstances, he did not wish to take the exam slated for May 26 and sought court’s permission to withdraw the application. In another application, Dhola sought court directions to the Superintendent, Burail TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Prepare action taken report over parking scam: UT to MC ~7 CRORE LOSS TO CIVIC BODY ■ In 2020, MC allots 89 (32+57) paid parking spaces in Zones I and II for a period of three years on a licence fee basis ■ Paschatya Entertainment Pvt Ltd is awarded contract of 57 parking lots in Zone 2 of UT; contract ends in January this year ■ After the firm fails to pay ~7 cr in licence fee to the MC, latter tries to cash its 3 bank guarantees of ~1.65 crore each, but the bank says it has issued none ■ Further, Paschatya and another contractor, Ram Sundar Prasad Singh, pay ~8 lakh less in stamp duty while taking the possession of parking lots from the MC ■ CAG points out inaction by UT over short recovery of parking fee by MC and loss of stamp duty & registration fee due to nonregistration of lease agreement ■ Contractor Anil 1.65 crore each, but the bank claimed no such guarantees had been issued by its branch. On a complaint filed by the MC, the police had booked the directors of Pashchatya Entertainment Pvt Ltd. The prime accused, Anil Kumar Sharma, and six others, including Sanjay Sharma, Anil’s accountant Ajay Kumar and a bank employee, ARRESTS SO FAR Sharma and six others, including director Sanjay Sharma, Anil’s accountant Ajay Kumar & bank employee, have been arrested ■ The civic body recently chargesheeted parking branch SDE Jagdeep Singh, Supdts Monil Chauhan & Sunil Dutt, senior assitants Kulbhushan & Pooja Kainth, & a junior assistant CBI PROBING MATTER The CBI this week seized documents related to parking scam. Officials spent eight hours at MC office and questioned various officers besides taking away relevant documents. CHAOS IN PARKING LOTS In the absence of contractors, MC has deputed its staff to manage parking lots at various locations in the city. However, motorists complain of chaos in the parking lots as workers seldom guide them after issuing the slip. were arrested. A senior UT official said after receiving the communication from the MHA, the officials concerned of the MC Continued on page 2 Civic body to map shamlat land through differential GPS Withdraws plea to take Plans to spend ~2.39 cr on fencing to keep encroachers at bay Sandeep Rana BA exam; seeks separate barrack Chandigarh, May 24 Tribune News Service ENSURE NO GAP BETWEEN LINES IN REPORT, COP TOLD Probe officer was directed by court to submit report in such a way that there was very little space between the lines. The directions came after court noticed huge gaps between lines in the report submitted by police. Jail, to provide him medical facilities, including proper bedding due to a disc problem he had suffered in 2018. He further urged the court to put him in a barrack away from hardened criminals, considering his young age. The court ordered provision of medical facilities as per the jail manual. Continued on page 2 In order to get improved location accuracy of its shamlat land in villages, the city Municipal Corporation is going to conduct a differential global positioning system (DGPS) survey. The DGPS is an enhancement to the global positioning system (GPS). Based on latitude and longitude of the surface, a digital record will be created. Through the DGPS, realtime data will be made available. There will be 3D survey results with 24 hours availability, worldwide coverage and higher accuracy. It will not be affected by cloud cover. Around 600 acres in villages under the MC will be surveyed through the DGPS. The civic body will get a digital data through this advanced survey. The Chandigarh Administration had recently decided to hand over shamlat land in all UT villages to the corporation. The MC is yet to get it formally. WILL OFFER BETTER LOCATION ACCURACY ABOUT THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY USED ■ MC plans to fence off shamlat land, with proposed periphery of 6 km, that UT recently decided to hand over ■ Digital data of 600 acres belonging to MC in villages will be generated thorough the advanced survey ■ Real-time data with higher accuracy will be available with the MC in 3D and it can be accessed 24x7 Differential global positioning system (DGPS) provides improved location accuracy, which can be up to 10 cm against 10 to 15 m in case of GPS. Accuracy is enhanced due to elimination of signal deterioration. DGPS finds location in relation to a fixed reference point rather than trying to find it directly. The cost of GPS system, however, is lower. The civic body has already prepared an estimate of Rs 2.39 crore to fence off its property to avoid encroachment. An estimated length of the proposed periphery of shamlat land is 6 km. At present, different open grounds or various shamlat lands are being encroached upon or are in a state of neglect with people throwing debris and garbage, leading to insanitary conditions in the neighbouring residential area. The corporation had fenced off its area and even raised the matter with the UT regarding the same about its land. Since all villages are with the MC now, the administration is of the view that even shamlat land should be handed over to it for development and other purposes. PGI offers free online hearing evaluation of patients Naina Mishra Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 24 The Department of Otolaryngology at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has initiated a groundbreaking study aimed at providing accessible hearing healthcare to individuals experiencing hearing problems. The study involves implementation of a free online hearing test, available on a dedicated website, as part of a comprehensive audiological rehabilitation programme. WILL HELP REDUCE OPD VISITS ■ PGI has joined hands with ICMR ■ Individuals can access website to offer free online hearing test through a website as part of a comprehensive audiological rehabilitation programme ■ Aim is to identify individuals with hearing loss using a simple digitin-noise test by assessing auditory speech recognition abilities in noisy environments in quiet space & will be guided by an expert; they can later book appointment for further evaluation at PGI clinic ■ This will help minimise number of visits individuals need to make to outpatient department while ensuring they receive comprehensive care The primary objective of the study, “Developing digitin-noise test in Hindi and implementing a combination of online and in-person hearing health care among adults in Chandigarh and neigh- bouring states: An explorative study”, is to identify individuals with hearing loss using a simple digit-in-noise test. This test specifically assesses auditory speech recognition abilities in noisy environments and serves as an effective screening tool. To participate in the study, individuals are required to find a quiet space with minimal ambient noise and access the website. They are then c m y b guided to engage in a telephonic consultation with a qualified expert from the PGI’s Speech and Hearing Unit, where they can describe their hearing problems. Participants can subsequently book an appointment for a comprehensive hearing evaluation at the PGI clinic. Based on the evaluation results, prescribed hearing aids can be purchased from the clinic. Additionally, participants will have access to an online rehabilitation programme, designed to provide personalised audiological rehabilitation. Continued on page 2 MAX 32°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 34.2°C | MIN 23.7°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:24 AM » THURSDAY | 25 MAY 2023 | CHANDIGARH GENERALLY CLOUDY SUNSET THURSDAY 7:14 PM FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Protesters armed with swords, can’t remove barriers, HC told MORCHA STANDOFF Action may be disastrous, says UT Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 24 Just about two months after a non-government organisation filed a PIL seeking the removal of encroachment by Qaumi Insaaf Morcha protesters in Mohali, the UT police today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court many protesters, particularly Nihangs, were present at the site. An affidavit filed in the high court said they were armed with swords and other traditional weapons, along with horses. “Considering the ground situation, for the present, it is not advisable that the barricades be removed since that may allow the protesters a free run into the city which could possibly lead to disastrous consequences,” the affidavit added. The court was hearing a petition by Arrive Safe Society of Chandigarh. Among other things, the petitioner AFFIDAVIT FILED BY ADMN IN COURT ■ Considering ground situation, it is not advisable to remove barricades for now ■ UT in touch with Punjab Govt & Mohali cops; holding parleys with protesters ■ A DSP, 3 inspectors and 241 other personnel on duty round the clock at site ■ Won’t let safety of public and state functionaries get jeopardised had contended it was learnt the protesters were seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, including Balwant Singh Rajoana –– a convict in Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassination case. They also wanted the release of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar –– a 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict. As the case came up for resumed hearing, the Bench of Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Harpreet Singh Brar was also told senior functionaries of the Continued on page 2 Mercury drops 7 notches in a day Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 24 Early morning rain came as a relief for city residents as the maximum temperature dropped by seven degrees today. The tricity area also witnessed showers late in the evening. As per the forecast, light rain is expected till May 29. According to the city weather department, the UT recorded the maximum temperature of 34.2 °C, against 41 °C witnessed yesterday, which was 1.3 degrees above normal. Today’s temperature was five degrees below Midnight showers lash tricity PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI » FORECAST normal. Strong winds that started last evening continued overnight. Till 8.30 am, 2 mm rainfall was recorded in the city. The season has already received fair amount of rainfall. Since March 1, 134.5 mm rainfall has been witnessed in the city. This is 155.3% higher than normal. The minimum temperature stood at 23.7 °C, which is two degrees below normal. “Thunderstorm/lightning with gusty winds is likely at isolated places for the next five days. Thunderstorm/ lightning with hail and squall at the speed of 50-60 kmph is expected at isolated places on May 24 and 25,” said a weather update.