08082024-CT-01.qxd 8/7/2024 11:42 PM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune STUDENT PARTY LEADERS TO BE LIABLE FOR VIOLENCE: SSP FIRE OPERATOR, DRIVER JOB ASPIRANTS HOLD MARCH BOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES PRAISE VINESH’S RESILIENCE A meeting of UT police officials and representatives of student parties held on the university campus. P2 Over 150 aspirants marched from Haryana Staff Selection Commission office in Sector 2, Panchkula. P2 After disqualification, celebrities praise Vinesh's resilience, determination and indomitable spirit. P3 » » WHAT’S ON TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Unspoken: Ab Har Koi Bolega: The second edition to be presented by Novel Bunch and Indian Women Network on August 9 at the CII from 4 pm. Three sessions — infidelity, LGBTQ discrimination and sexual abuse in relationships —- will be held. Entry by invitation. Experts to determine whether HC campus overlaps the area Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Varsha Ritu Sangeet Sandhya: A classical music programme being organised by Indian National Theatre in collaboration with Durga Das Foundation; auditorium of Strawberry Fields High School, Sector 26, on August 9 from 6:30 pm. The event will feature Hindustani classical vocalists Vidushi Meeta Pandit and Avinash Kumar, who will be accompanied by Tarun Joshi on harmonium and Ram Kumar Mishra on tabla. Entry is free of cost. Chandigarh, August 7 In what seems to be an attempt to curb factionalism and put up a united show within the city BJP after losing the recent Lok Sabha poll, the party high command has clearly told city unit president Jatinder Pal Malhotra and senior leader Sanjay Tandon to work together. The two leaders are now seen together at major meetings and events of the party. They were first publicly seen together during the recent visit of Home Minister Amit Shah, who was here for the launch of 24x7 water supply project. At the inauguration venue in Shivalik Park, Mani Majra, Malhotra and Tandon were sitting backstage. Former city BJP president Arun Sood Chandigarh, August 7 More than four years after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the demolition of constructions in the Sukhna Lake’s catchment, a Division Bench today asserted physical demarcation of the area was required to be completed at the earliest. The Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal also ordered a panel of technical experts to initially determine whether the High Court campus overlapped the Sukhna catchment area. The direction is significant as the HC order on demolishing the constructions in the area could potentially affect the court’s own premises. Ever since the passing of the order in March 2020, concerns were raised that its new wing might be a part of the catchment. The “original” High Court building was set up in 1954-55, before the man-made lake came into being. Since the lake was not in existence at the time of the High Court’s construction, there was neither catchment area, nor any possible violations of rules. But the new wing, comprising an auditorium and other structures, came into existence much later, definitely much after the construction of lake. “As to whether the High Court campus lies within the catchment area as per the Concerns are being raised that the new HC wing might fall in the catchment. FILE PHOTO MARCH 2020 OBSERVATION OF COURT The Punjab and Haryana High Court had in March 2020 declared Sukhna Lake a legal entity, and ordered demolition of legal/unauthorised constructions in its catchment area within three months. The court had slapped costs of Rs 200 crore on Punjab and Haryana before directing its chief secretaries, along with the UT Adviser, to constitute a high power committees to fix responsibility of authorities accountable for “such large scale” unauthorised constructions. Survey of India Map dated September 21, 2004, becomes relevant to the issue involved and, therefore, physical demarcation of the said catchment area of Sukhna Lake is required to be completed at the earliest,” the Bench asserted. Going into the background of the matter, the Bench observed a relevant aspect in the present case was whether the HC campus came within the catchment area. The court, while hearing a “Court on its own motion” or suo motu case on saving the Sukhna Lake in March 2020 had declared all commercial, residential and other structures constructed in the catchment area falling in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh illegal and unauthorised before ordering the carrying out of demolition drive within three months. Teej euphoria An employee performs during the Teej celebrations at the HC complex on Wednesday. The event was attended by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and others. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar Mohali: Sector 76 Panchkula: Sector 5 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com New OPD timings at GMCH-32 Chandigarh: Now, the registration of patients will be done from 8 am to 11 am, while the OPD timings will be 9 am to 2 pm at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, from August 16. — TNS SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.46 AM FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE The Bench observed that the order was stayed by coordinate Bench on December 18, 2020, to the extent of demolition of constructions in the catchment pursuant to filing of review-applications. But restraint against construction or building activities of any kind in the catchment area was not disturbed. The Bench, during the course of hearing, also expressed its displeasure over the delay in constituting the committee, which was initially proposed in September 2022. It issued a stern warning to Panjab University, Punjab and Haryana to appoint their nominees within a week, failing which coercive action will be taken. also arrived there later. Both were also present in an important 40-minute four-member exclusive meeting with Shah and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria. Yesterday, the two leaders went to Delhi where they together met several ministers. They also met Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs. Both have mostly been working separately so far. Another fact that has come to light is both former MP Satya Pal Jain and former BJP president Arun Sood, who are accused of not actively campaigning during the Lok Sabha election in the city, were not present in the meeting with Shah. Some party men raised the issue with senior leaders about Sood allegedly trying to Chandigarh, August 7 Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari today raised the issue of ban on sale of share-wise property in Chandigarh, in the Lok Sabha today. Tewari demanded that the notification issued on February 9, 2023, on the issue be rescinded immediately. He said the Supreme Court order proscribed sanctioning of any building plans that converted a three-storey building into three separate floors owned by three different people and further prohibited the registration of any MOUs that gave effect to such an arrangement. However, these were only interim directions till the Heritage Committee took a view run a parallel local party unit, which, the latter denied saying that meeting officials does not mean he is doing any harm to the party. Without the knowledge of the local party chief, Sood led a delegation that met the UT Administrator and the Deputy Commissioner, which created rumblings in the local party unit. Sources said the party had received a report about individual leaders here and was studying it. They said after the Congress wrested the Chandigarh parliamentary seat from the BJP which it , was holding for two consecutive terms, leaders at the Centre were serious about the UT. Congress candidate Manish Tewari had won the seat defeating BJP’s first-timer Tandon with a thin margin of 2,504 votes. Jatinder Pal Malhotra and Sanjay Tandon meet Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in Delhi. Tewari raises ban on share-wise sale of property in Lok Sabha Art Exhibition: The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience at Nexus Elante. On till Augustend. On display are as many as 265 artworks. Tickets can be bought on Insider.in starting from ~899. Film screening: French film Marinette (with English subtitles), Gallery Alliance Francaise, from 5 pm. Entry is free MAX 33°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 31.8°C | MIN 26.1°C 4 yrs on, High Court seeks clear City BJP president Malhotra, put united demarcation of lake catchment TandonformerupJain not in theshow Ex-chief Sood, MP picture Saurabh Malik CHANDIGARH PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET THURSDAY 7.10 PM » THURSDAY | 8 AUGUST 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST on the re-densification of the heritage sectors (Sector 1-30). The Heritage Committee decided that there would be no re-densification of population in the heritage sectors. Once the committee arrived at a conclusion, the Supreme Court directions supposed to be lapsed. But the moot point is that the Supreme Court never banned the share-wise sale of property, he said. However, the UT Administration did not seem to appreciate the court orders properly and on February 9, 2023, it banned the sale of share-wise property in the entire union territory, he observed. He demanded that the February 9 notification may be rescinded to provide relief to residents, who are, otherwise, forced to go for distress sale of their property at far less prices than the actual market prices to their co-owners, thereby introducing the Law of Pre-Emption in Chandigarh that militates against the Constitutional Right to Property enshrined in Article 300-A of the Constitution of India. — TNS MURDER AT DIST COURT Victim’s uncle joins probe Chandigarh, August 7 Kuldeep Singh, uncle of deceased Harpreet K Singh, today appeared before the police at the Sector 36 station, following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Harpreet, an Indian Civil Accounts Services (ICAS) officer, was allegedly shot by his father-in-law, Malwinder Singh Sidhu, a retired AIG of Punjab Police, at the District Courts on August 3. The HC on Tuesday had directed Kuldeep, who was already before the court seeking bail in a case registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, to appear before the police station concerned by 8 am today. Continued on page 2 Avoidable rent of ~1.66 cr paid for anganwadi centres: Audit report Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 7 Three project officers of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme had released more than Rs 1.66 crore rent towards anganwadi centres during the period of 2018-19 to 2022-23 in the city, which could have been avoided, pointed out an audit report. According to the report obtained under the RTI Act, the ICDS scheme was launched to improve the nutritional and health status of children in age group of 06 years, to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout, and to enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education. As per “Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0”, states/UTs shall continue to tap funds for construction of anganwadi centres from various government schemes and involve individuals, companies, business houses and institutions of repute and CSR funds for the construction of anganwadi centres purely on a public welfare basis without any obligation. The states/UTs shall relocate those anganwadi centres which are running on rent and without sufficient infrastructure to nearby govern- SAKSHAM ANGANWADI AND POSHAN 2.0 NORMS As per “Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0”, states/UTs shall continue to tap funds for construction of anganwadi centres from various government schemes and involve individuals, companies, business houses and institutions of repute and CSR funds for the construction of anganwadi centres purely on a public welfare basis without any obligation. The states/UTs shall relocate those anganwadi centres which are running on rent and without sufficient infrastructure to nearby government primary schools. ment primary schools. According to the audit report, during the scrutiny of records of project officer-I, ICDS Cell, UT, it was noticed that there was a total of 450 anganwadi centres, of which most were running from rented accommodation. The report mentioned that the project officer-I released Rs 56.96 lakh on account of c m y b rent in contravention of guidelines of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. Under the scheme, the officer should co-locate/relocate those anganwadi centres, which were running on rent and without sufficient infrastructure to nearby government primary schools or government building charging no rent. “It has resulted in an avoidable rent payment on account of rented agwanwari centres of Rs 56.96 lakh,” stated the report. On being pointed out in audit, the department replied that the matter would again be brought to the notice of higher authorities. Similarly, during checking of records of project officer-II, it was noticed that there were a total of 150 of anganwadi centres, of which most were running on rented properties. The officer paid Rs 66.25 lakh on account of rent in contravention of the guidelines and it has resulted in avoidable rent of Rs 66.25 lakh. Also, during checking of records of project officer-III, it was noticed that there were a total of 150 angwanwadi centres. There also most of the centres were running from rented premises. The officer paid Rs 43.32 lakh on account of rent. The report also pointed out irregular procurement of “poshan laddoos”. During checking of records of the project officer-III for the period of 2028-23, it was noticed that a three-member committee was constituted to explore the source of supply of material under the Prime Minister’s Poshak Laddoo scheme initially for ICDS beneficiaries like for nearly 9,319 pregnant women and lactating mothers, and an expenditure of Rs 35.24 lakh was met from the state budget. The ICDS contacted the Model Jail, CITCO, CIHM, Chandigarh, and the order for procuring laddoos was given to the CIHM without adopting the procedure. It was noticed in the audit report that bids were not invited at online portal. Due to this, competitive rates for poshak laddoo could not be obtained. The tender process for procurement of laddoos was irregular,” pointed out the report. “Recently, the UT Home Department has pointed out that they are on the last stage of working out a mechanism to monitor the audit objections, but nothing happened so far,” said RK Garg, an RTI activist.