28092023-CT-01.qxd 9/28/2023 12:07 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune AMBALA MAN STRANGLES WIFE TO DEATH, ON THE RUN CITY SHOOTER MANU CLAIMS TEAM GOLD IN SHOOTING HCG LOG RECORD VICTORY IN CHANDIGARH GOLF LEAGUE Cops have booked an Ambala resident for allegedly killing his wife over a domestic dispute. P2 Arjuna Awardee Olympian Shooter Manu Bhaker has claimed a team gold medal in Asian Games. P2 Homeland Chandigarh Gladiators defeat Golf Masters 7-0, a record in the Chandigarh Golf League. P2 » » Tribune News Service Mohali, September 27 A major fire broke out at a chemical factory at the industrial area of Chanalon in Kurali this morning. Five women workers suffered burns. Three victims were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Phase 6, here while the others were rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, in Chandigarh. Anju suffered 70 per cent burns. Sandhya, who received 50 per cent burns, was stable. Thick smoke engulfed Shemrock Organics Private Limited in the Focal Point, Chanalon, around 11:30 am. Within minutes, the parafin wax-manufacturing unit turned into a raging inferno with boilers spewing flames as high as 50 ft. AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 80 PANCHKULA 73 MOHALI 71 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF PO FLEES POLICE CUSTODY, NABBED Chandigarh: A proclaimed offender, Ajay Kumar, who fled from police custody at the GMCH-32 on Tuesday, was caught from Kajheri village in Sector 52 on Wednesday. A case under Sections 224, 332 and 353 of the IPC has been registered. TNS JAIL INMATE CAUGHT WITH CHARAS Chandigarh: A Burail jail inmate, who had returned from a court hearing, was caught while sneaking 14-gm charas into the jail. Amandeep Singh, Additional Jail Superintendent, reported the charas was recovered from Ajit Singh after he returned from a hearing at the District Courts. TNS 40 LABOURERS WORK AT UNIT DAILY: RESIDENTS ■ Thick smoke engulfed Shemrock Organics Private Limited in the Focal Point, Chanalon, Kurali, around 11:30 am ■ Boilers kept at factory spewed flames as high as 50 ft ■ Fifteen fire engines from Mohali, Kharar, Dera Bassi, Chandigarh, Ropar, Chamkaur Sahib and Morinda pressed into service ■ Foam-based fire extinguishers rushed from Chandigarh around three hours later brought the Flames rise at the factory in Kurali on Wednesday. PHOTO: VICKY fire under control ■ Officials did not confirm or deny MAGISTERIAL PROBE ORDERED any death in the incident till late The DC has ordered a magisterial probe into fire. “An Additional Deputy at night as it was not possible to Commissioner-level officer will be entrusted with the inquiry. The guilty enter the factory due to will be booked definitely for endangering the lives of the innocent and sporadic explosions poor labourers,” she added. She said the victims would get adequate ■ Local residents said around 40 compensation for the treatment-related expenditure. As several tin drums filled with inflammable liquid and gas started exploding inside the building, cranes and fire engines had to be pulled back. The authorities got area in a 200m radius of the factory vacated. Continuing explosions hindered firefighting opera- MC takes over 30 taxi stands for fee default Ex-cricketer’s kin booked Sandeep Rana Chandigarh, September 27 Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag’s brother, Vinod Sehwag, and two others, who were declared proclaimed offenders (POs) by a local court in a chequebounce case, have been booked by the UT police. A case under Section174-A (non appearance in response to proclamation under Section 82 of the Act 2 of 1974), IPC, was registered at the Mani Majra police station against Vinod Sehwag and two others, all directors of M/s Xalta Food Beverages Private Limited. Krishan Mohan Khanna, a resident of Sector 12, Panchkula, and proprietor of Shree Naina Plastics Ins., Khata Baddi, had filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act against the three before the court after the cheques issued to him by them were dishonoured by the bank. During the court proceedings, the accused did not appear before the court and were declared POs in July 2022. The complainant had also moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 27 In a major crackdown, the Municipal Corporation today took over 30 private taxi stands, the occupiers of which had failed to pay the ground rent dues for the past many years. Besides, the civic body has received a whopping Rs 78 lakh in ground fee since it issued a public notice asking the taxi stand allottees to clear their dues a month ago. Of this, Rs 27 lakh was recovered today after the MC officials started taking over the taxi stands. The MC officials said the drive continued till late night as they received orders to take action only today. The cash-starved MC is going to auction these taxi stands with an eye on earning revenue. According to information, the monthly ground rent varied between Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000 based on the area. Since the occupiers had not paid their dues for many years, the total amount pending was huge. Many defaulters had been regularly paying the rent Recovers ~75 lakh from rent defaulters An MC official at a taxi stand. till the MC House increased the rates. A few occupiers had stopped paying the rent during Covid. A number of defaulters had moved court, but did not get any relief. There were a total of 59 defaulters. Meanwhile, the corporation will also take up the issue of late fee to be charged from the defaulters in the coming House meeting. Some allottees have paid the ground rent but are yet to pay the late fee, contending that it should be 12 per cent, not 24 per cent. Tribune News Service Define out-of-turn allotment norms: HC Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 27 In a significant development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the chairman of the UT house allotment committee to spell out parameters taken into consideration while making out-of-turn allotment of houses. The direction by Justice Sandeep Moudgil of the High Court came on a petition filed against the Union Territory of Chandigarh and other respondents by Arvind Kumar and three other constables. They were, among other things, seeking the quashing of orders vide which the allotment of government houses to the petitioners on an out-of-turn basis had been cancelled. Their counsel submitted that the impugned order was passed wrongly and illegally without assigning any legal reason. It was against the law laid down by the High Court and also against principles of natural justice. One of the issues raised by the petitioners in their plea before the court was weather the allotment of government accommodations already made could be cancelled by the respondents on the ground of paucity, “that too when sufficient pool was available with the respondents”. Taking up the matter, Justice Moudgil issued directions to the UT, seeking comprehensive details on the allotment of government houses to Class III and IV employees working in the Chandigarh Police and police personnel from the adjoining states of Punjab and Haryana “on account of performing special duties as stipulated in the rules for government house allotment”. Justice Moudgil also made it clear that the respondents were required to furnish information on whether a seniority list was maintained for the applicants seeking an out-ofturn allotment and on account of performing special duties. Justice Moudgil further made it clear that the affidavit continued on page 2 c m y b An injured being shifted to Chandigarh. TRIBUNE PHOTO labourers came for work at the factory daily ■ 300 cops, led by SSP and SP, were present in the area with a team of doctors, ambulances tions. The wall of the adjoining factory was demolished to make access for the firemen. Sporadic flames were seen inside the factory at 8:30 pm even though the blaze had been brought under control earlier, said firemen. All efforts to contain the fire had a limited effect as water proved of little help to douse the flames. Foam-based fire extinguishers, rushed from Chandigarh around three hours later, brought the fire under control. Kharar Fire Officer Kaur Singh said the firefighters were struggling to contain the fire as inflammable liquid in large quantity had caught fire. Fire engines sprayed water to keep the nearby structures safe. Sources said at least three families of labourers had been looking for their relatives at the site in the evening. Factory owner Gurinder Chawla continued on page 2 MAX 34°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 33.5°C | MIN 21.9°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:14 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD 5hurtinchemicalfactoryfireatKurali MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET THURSDAY 6:12 PM » THURSDAY | 28 SEPTEMBER 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Allotment of 83 small flats cancelled in city Chandigarh, September 27 The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has cancelled the allotment of 83 flats for violating terms and conditions of the allotment. These flats were allotted under the Rehabilitation Scheme, Small Flat Scheme or Affordable Rental Housing Scheme. An official said the allotment was cancelled as the original allottees were not found in possession of these flats. The flats were located in Sectors 38, 49, 56, Dhanas and Maloya. The occupants of these flats have been asked to vacate the dwelling units within 30 days, he said, adding that ample opportunity was provided to the occupants for verification of documents, but to no avail. The CHB has allotted more Original allottees were not found in possession of units EWS houses at Sector 38-W, Chandigarh. PRADEEP TEWARI than 18,000 flats under the three schemes. These flats cannot be sold, transferred or rented out. The cancellation of allotment comes after the CHB conducted an extensive survey of the flats from July to September in 2022. — TNS