08012024-CT-01.qxd 08-01-2024 00:26 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune 5 MTHS ON, ROAD REPAIRED, BUT NOT METALLED YET RAILWAY STATION UPGRADE MAY MISS APRIL 10 DEADLINE INDIA-AFGHANISTAN MATCH: TICKET SALE PICKS UP PACE Rough patch on a slip road outside the Sector 20 filling station inconveniences commuters. P3 Observes a team of over 20 railway officials, led by Braj Mohan Agrawal, Railway Board Member. P3 Opening game of the three-match T20I series to be held at PCA Stadium on January 11. P3 » » GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 14°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 11.4°C | MIN 7.6°C SUNSET MONDAY 5:38 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:20 AM » MONDAY | 8 JANUARY 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE 223 CITCO hotels operating sans fire safety certificate PANCHKULA 193 Sandeep Rana MOHALI 238 AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH Tribune News Service 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF CYCLIST KILLED IN ACCIDENT Chandigarh: In a case of hitand-run, a cyclist died after being rammed by a recklessly driven car. According to the police, Raj Kumar, a resident of Rajiv Colony, Sector 17, Panchkula, reported that a car sped away after hitting his brother Ramesh Kumar near the motor market, Mani Majra. The victim was admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. The complainant shared the car’s registration number with the police. A case has been registered at the Mani Majra police station. TNS MOBILE SNATCHED AT DHANAS Chandigarh: Three motorcycle-borne persons snatched a mobile phone at Dhanas. Manish Kumar, a resident of EWS Colony, reported that unidentified persons snatched his phone near the marble market. The police have registered a case at the Sarangpur police station. TNS 2 ARRESTED FOR STABBING MAN Chandigarh: The police have arrested two persons for stabbing a resident of Burail. In his complainant, Kulbhushan Walia has alleged that Manoj (32) and Kamal Kumar (48) stabbed him near his house. He suffered injuries and was admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. The police registered a case at the Sector 34 police station. Later, both suspects were arrested. TNS TWO MOBILE PHONES STOLEN Chandigarh: Two mobile phones have been stolen from a room in Daria village. On a complaint filed by Dalip Kumar, the police have registered a case at the Industrial Area police station. TNS Camp to redress plaints on Jan 15 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 7 The UT Administration is organising a grievance redress camp for serving soldiers, ex-servicemen and their dependents at Zila Sainik Welfare Office, Sector 21-D, here on January 15 from 10 am to 2 pm. They can visit the office along with their applications and requisite documents. The office will forward their applications to the department concerned and follow the progress of status. Chandigarh, January 7 Various hotels and establishments under Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation Limited (CITCO) are operating without valid fire safety certificate (s). This has prompted Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra to shoot off a “demiofficial letter” to Purva Garg, Managing Director, CITCO, to look into the matter and issue strict instructions with regard to installation of the requisite firefighting equipment in all buildings/establishments of the corporation and obtain fire safety certificate(s) immediately. “The fire safety certificate has been applied with respect to various hotels and other establishments of CITCO. However, the issuance of the certificate (s) is still pending due to formalities to be completed by the authorities concerned … It is a matter of great concern. The goal of the Fire Department is not only to issue fire safety certificates but also, more importantly, to enhance the safety and security of the guests, visitors, staff, public property and infrastructure at large,” the letter by the commissioner read. “I would like to submit that the safety and well-being of Municipal Commissioner writes to corporation’s MD for intervention the guests, visitors, staff, public property and infrastructure is of paramount importance, and can hardly be overemphasised, and fire safety is an essential compo- nent of the same. The recent fire incidents during the past two-three months in the city have underscored the need for a proactive approach to fire prevention and safety,” the MC chief points out in the letter. It was also brought to the notice of the CITCO MD that a major fire incident had happened on October 9 at PGI’s Nehru Hospital and lives of more than 400 patients were in danger. Fortunately, due to timely intervention by several departments, there was no loss of life. However, the aftermath of the fire was visible from the first to fifth floor and it took fire brigade more than five hours to fully douse the fire. “It goes without saying that there was a huge loss of property. It would be pertinent to mention here that this building had no requi- City shivers as day temp drops to 11.4°C Chandigarh, January 7 People shivered as the day temperature dropped five notches below normal today. The maximum temperature fell from 16.2°C yesterday to 11.4°C today, which is five degrees below normal. The minimum temperature fell to 6.5°C from 7.6°C yesterday — one degree above normal. However, the day and night temperatures are expected to rise in the coming days with the maximum temperature expected to touch 15°C in the next five days and the minimum temperature to 9°C. Meanwhile, it is expected to be mainly cloudy sky with moderate/dense fog in morning/night on Monday and Tuesday. Thereafter, it will be mainly cloudy sky, as per the Chandigarh Meteorological Department. There has been no rain in the city in January so far. While there was a forecast for rain earlier, the latest predictions show signs of rain. Dry weather has caused foggy conditions forcing many people to stay indoors. Motorists face a tough time negotiation dense fog in mornings and evenings continuing for the past few days. The same conditions were witnessed even during afternoon today. Meanwhile, the city witnessed its official “cold” day, according to the Met Department. — TNS Maximum temperature expected to touch 15°C in next 5 days A train reaches Chandigarh railway station amid dense fog on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: NITIN MITTAL Schools to remain closed till January 14 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 7 In response to the prevailing weather conditions, the Education Department has ordered the closure of all government, governmentaided and private schools for Classes up to VIII till January 14, with a reopening scheduled for January 15. Online classes are encouraged for these classes during this period. However, for Classes IX to XII, the school timings remain unchanged, according to the initial order. Schools have the flexibility to regulate timings for the staff and are required to inform all persons concerned. This adjustment is aimed at addressing the cold spell and anticipated dense fog in the region. Schools are advised to adapt to the modified schedule and communicate any changes to the staff and students accordingly. site fire equipment as per the National Building Code of India as also the mandatory Fire Safety Certificate from the Fire and Rescue Department of the MC,” says the Commissioner. The CITCO runs Hotel Mountview, Hotel Shivalikview, Hotel Parkview, Chef Lakeview restaurant, banquets, Baithak restaurant and Transit lodge. Meanwhile, Purva Garg, Managing Director, CITCO, was not available for comment on the matter. PU’S DENTAL HOSPITAL FOUND WANTING TOO Dr Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences Fog continues to hit flight schedule Tribune News Service Mohali, January 7 Dense fog and low visibility continued to spoil the flight schedule at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International (SBSI) Airport here today with 13 flights having been cancelled and as many delayed. The morning departures to Mumbai and Bengaluru were cancelled, while the flight from Pune could not arrive at the airport. After the departure of Mumbai flight at 6:18 pm, only one flight to Mumbai (7:59 pm) took off on time, while the rest all were cancelled or delayed. Five evening flight arrivals — Jaipur (7:55 pm), Delhi (10.05 pm), Hyderabad (10:10 pm), Mumbai (10:25 pm) and Ahmedabad 11:25 pm) were cancelled for the day. The departing flight to Dubai was late by about 40 minutes, while the arrival was on time at 3:14 pm. Most of the flights were late by about an hour today. With rain predicted on January 8 and 9, foggy conditions are likely to subside after that. The flight schedule has gone awry due to fog and low visibility since December 28. Flights have been cancelled or delayed on a daily basis. The situation gets exacerbated during the morning and PGI to expedite work on Sarangpur centre 24-yr-old dies, two Naina Mishra Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 7 Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is expediting work on a medical college along with a 500-bed hospital and a 500-bed trauma centre at its centre in Sarangpur. Prof Vivek Lal, PGIMER Director, said, “We have made a broad proposal that is currently lying pending with the standing finance committee. When developed, it will be an asset with a state-of-the-art trauma centre and a holistic cancer treatment centre.” The institute has decided that there will be a screening OPD for 16,000 patients, one super-speciality block and the buildings of associated required services. It will also have residential and shopping areas, as per the master plan of the Sarangpur Centre. The present footfall at the PGIMER is from 30,000 to 40,000 per day. These figures are increasing continuously thereby putting a huge strain on all PROPOSAL WITH FINANCE PANEL Prof Vivek Lal, PGIMER Director, said, “We have made a broad proposal that is currently lying pending with the standing finance committee. When developed, it will be an asset with a state-of-the-art trauma centre and a holistic cancer treatment centre.” HI-TECH FACILITIES The PGI is proposing to establish a medical college at Sarangpur with intake of 100 students per year, along with a 500-bed hospital, a 500bed trauma centre, a screening OPD for 16,000 patients, a superspeciality block and buildings of associated services. It will also have a residential area and a shopping complex. INSTITUTE UNDER STRAIN The present footfall at the PGIMER is from 30,000 to 40,000 per day. These figures are increasing continuously thereby putting a huge strain on all resources of the institute, both human and infrastructural. resources of the institute, both human and infrastructural. As per the Master Plan, “The present land resource of the institute in Sector 12, Chandigarh, is woefully inadequate leaving little scope for expansion to catering to the c m y b ever increasing demand of patient care services. To mitigate the problem, the institute authorities vigorously took up the matter with the UT Administrator for allotment of additional land in the vicinity of the institute.” Accordingly, 50.76 acres have been allotted to the PGIMER by the UT on a leasehold basis. The lease deed was signed on March 8, 2021. The institute is proposing to establish a medical college with intake of 100 students per year, along with a 500-bed hospital, a 500-bed trauma centre, a screening OPD for 16,000 patients, a super-speciality block and buildings of associated services. This will also have a residential area and a shopping complex. This would also help the institute in addressing to some extent the increasing demand of hospital beds, requirement of more modular operation theatres, and a state-of-the-art ICU facility for better patient care. At present, the city has only one medical college offering MBBS course at GMCH-32. hurt as scooters collide amid fog Tribune News Service Dera Bassi, January 7 A youth died and two were seriously injured in a headon collision between two scooters near a steel factory on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway amid fog last night. The deceased, identified as 24-year-old Jai Prakash (24), was a resident of Lalru. The scooter Jai Prakash and Vishnu were riding collided with another twowheeler ridden by Deepinder Kaushal, a resident of Ganesh Vihar, Dera Bassi, who was going to a filling station. Passers-by rushed the three injured to the subdivisional hospital in Dera Bassi in an ambulance where the doctors declared Jai Prakash dead on arrival and referred Deepinder and Vishnu to the GMCH-32 in and Hospital, Panjab University, has not even applied for the fire safety certificate, according to the MC. The MC Commissioner has also written a demi-official letter to its Principal, Prof Hemant Batra, pointing out “being a hospital (vulnerable building) running without a valid fire safety certificate is a matter of great concern. The goal of the Fire Department is not only to issue fire safety certificates but also, more importantly, to enhance the safety and security of patients, faculty, teaching/non-teaching staff, students, public property and infrastructure at large.” Chandigarh. The police said the post-mortem of the deceased would be conducted after the arrival of his family. After taking the statements of both injured, the exact cause of the accident could be known, said the police. On Friday night, a 56-yearold resident of Sector 20, Panchkula, died when he was crushed under the wheels of a vehicle after falling off his bike on the Dera Bassi-Barwala road. Deceased Gyan Chand was a manager in an industrial unit near Behera. 13 cancelled, as many delayed AIRPORT NOT EQUIPPED WITH ADVANCED ILS Airport officials cited defence installations near the airport and heavy maintenance expenses on the advanced instrument landing system (ILS) as reason for the airport not having been equipped with this facility. On an average, it is required only for 15-20 days in a year for night landings here, they added. At present, the airport is equipped with Category 2 ILS. evening hours. For the past one week, the early morning and late night flights have been affected. The flight connectivity at the airport is seriously hampered during this time of the year for around a month when the need for advanced Instrument Landing System (ILS) is felt the most. Airport officials cited defence installations near the airport and heavy maintenance expenses on the ILS as reason for the airport not having been equipped with the advanced facility. On an average, it is required for 15-20 days in a year for night landings here, they added. At present, the airport is equipped with Category 2 ILS. Two fall prey to cyber frauds Chandigarh, January 7 Two persons have fallen prey to an online fraud and lost a total of Rs 3.20 lakh. The police said a woman reported that an unidentified person sent her a link through the Telegram app and offered work from home. The suspect asked the victim to complete certain online tasks and managed to con her out of Rs 2.93 lakh. A case has been registered at the cybercrime police station. In the other incident, Ram Chander continued on page 2 Caretaker held for stealing jewellery Chandigarh, January 7 A 30-year-old man, who was employed as a caretaker, has been arrested by the UT police for stealing gold jewellery from the house at Mani Majra. Minal Mehra (38) reported that Deepak (30), a resident of Abheypur village, Sector 19, Panchkula, was employed as continued on page 2