01112023-CT-01.qxd 11/1/2023 12:42 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune JEEV MILKHA SINGH GOLF MEET FROM TOMORROW PGI TO HOST CONVOCATION AFTER GAP OF 4 YEARS 1,000 STUDENTS TAKE PART IN ‘RUN FOR UNITY’ IN CITY The sixth edition of Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational Golf Tournament will be played from November 2-5. P2 The PGIMER is set to host its 36th annual convocation on November 2 after a four-year hiatus. P3 Nearly 1,000 students from the region come together for “Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — Run for Unity”. P3 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 161 PANCHKULA 111 MOHALI 132 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF JEWELLERY SHOP EMPLOYEE DUPED Chandigarh: A Sector 38 resident reported that two unidentified persons cheated his employee and took away gold ornaments from his shop in Sector 23 on October 30. On the complaint of Subendhu Sasmal, the shop owner, a case under Sections 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Sector 17 police station. TNS VEHICLE STOLEN FROM DHANAS Chandigarh: A Dhanas resident reported that an unidentified person stole his scooty, which was parked in front of his house, on the night intervening October 27 and 28. On the complaint of Mohinder Pal, a case under Section 379 of the IPC has been registered at the Sarangpur police station. TNS Mani Majra set to get 24x7 water supply from next month ~162-crore pilot project to benefit more than 1 lakh residents Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 31 From December, residents of Mani Majra will start getting 24x7 water supply, a first in the city. According to the Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL), the project completion date of the round-theclock water supply pilot project in Mani Majra is December 17. Of the total 21 km length, the pipeline to supply water to the area has already been laid on 13 km. About 75 per cent work of constructing two underground water reservoirs (UGRs) has been completed. Each reservoir will have a capacity of 2 million gallons per day (MGD). While of the total 12,700 ordinary water meters to be replaced, 10,700 have already been replaced with ultrasonic smart water meters and work on the remaining ones is on. With the installation of ultrasonic smart water meters, the staff of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) will not have to visit houses to take the reading. The reading will be visible on the supervisory con- Ultrasonic smart meters being installed under the 24x7 water supply pilot project are likely to have 100% accuracy. OTHER ADVANTAGES OF PROJECT ■ Smart meters will end MC staff’s visit to houses to take readings ■ Accuracy rate of new meters will be 100 per cent ■ The project will save MC manpower and billing cost ■ There will be no water contamination; water wastage will reduce AREAS TO BE COVERED Modern Housing Complex, Shivalik Enclave, Indira Colony, Shastri Nagar, Old Mani Majra trol and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The system will give not only monthly reading but also daily consumption figures. Besides, the accuracy rate of new meters will be 100 per cent. The project will save on manpower and billing cost. The project will benefit a population of 1,09,000 in Mani Majra for now. Modern Housing Complex (MHC), Shivalik Enclave, Indira c m y b Colony, Shastri Nagar and Old Mani Majra will be covered under the pilot project. “Remaining parts of Mani Majra will get covered under the ongoing pan-city 24x7 water supply project,” said an official. The corporation has already invited request for proposal (RFP) from six selected agencies for providing long-term technical assistance (LTTA) for the Rs 510-crore project. The project will have Rs 412 crore AFD’s soft loan and Rs 98 crore European Union’s grant. The loan will be paid by the residents in their soonto-be increased monthly bills. The CSCL had allocated the Mani Majra pilot project to SBE Engineering and Infrastructure Private Limited for Rs 162 crore. It includes Rs 70.77 crore as capital cost and Rs 91.30 crore cost of operations and maintenance of water supply for 15 years. Besides providing 24-hour supply to the area, the project will end the problem of water contamination. The water wastage will be reduced from 35% to 15% as the chances of leakage in supply lines will be minimised. Chandigarh, October 31 UT Adviser Dharam Pal, a 1988-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, retired today. He served the city for more than two years. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is yet to name his replacement. As the Administration awaits the MHA order in this regard, UT Home Secretary Nitin Kumar Yadav, a 2000-batch Haryanacadre IAS officer, will hold the additional charge of the post of UT Adviser. The names of a number of senior AGMUT-cadre IAS officers, including Dr Sharad Chauhan, a 1994-batch officer posted as Principal Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh, and Amit Yadav, a 1991-batch officer currently posted as the New Delhi MC chairperson, are doing the rounds for the post. — TNS MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 31.3°C | MIN 14.7°C SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:36 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Pal superannuates, Home Secy gets addl charge of UT Adviser MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5:36 PM » WEDNESDAY | 1 NOVEMBER 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE 20th bid, no takers for 18 liquor vends in city UT moots raising quota of existing outlets Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 31 Despite persistent efforts by the UT Excise and Taxation Department, including the reduction of reserve price by nearly 60%, 18 liquor vends have failed to attract any bidder even in the 20th round of auction. Out of the total 95 liquor vends in the city, these 18 unsold licences pose a significant financial challenge to the department. The revenue target for the financial year 2023-24 had been set at Rs 830 crore, but nearly Rs 500 crore has been collected so far. To mitigate the financial loss, the department has proposed to increase the continued on page 2 CONTRACTORS FLAY MOVE ■ Grappling with losses due to significant difference in VAT in Punjab and Chandigarh, the city’s liquor contractors have opposed the move. ■ Darshan Singh Kler, president, Wine Contractors’ Assn, said an increase in quota will adversely hit their business. ■ Vinay Pratap Singh, DC-cumCommissioner, Excise & Taxation, said distribution of remaining quota among existing liquor vends was part of Excise Policy. Thieves strike at ex-IAS couple’s P’kula house Tribune News Service An exhaust fan was removed to gain entry into the house. Panchkula, October 31 A theft took place at the residence of a retired IAS couple in Sector 17 here on Monday afternoon. Pradeep Kasni and Neelam Kasni, both retired civil servants, had left their home around 3 pm for a hospital visit. On returning at 4:30 pm, they found their rooms ransacked and a locker kept inside one of the rooms stolen. “We had gone to the hospital for approximately an hour and a half, and on returning, we saw that all rooms had been rummaged by the thieves. The incident took place in broad daylight in an area inhabited by government officials,” said continued on page 2