24092024-CT-01.qxd 23-09-2024 23:53 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune PHARMA FIRMS DEMAND SEZ TAG FOR PANCHKULA BJP GOVT PROVIDED JOBS WITHOUT BIAS: DHAMI GURDAS MAAN TALKS ABOUT ALBUM SOUND OF SOIL Industrialists meet Cong candidate for Panchkula Chander Mohan, discuss their demands. P2 Uttarakhand CM addresses events in support of Gian Chand Gupta and Shakti Rani Sharma. P2 Legendary singer Gurdas Maan shares anecdotes as he talks about his latest album, Sound of Soil. P4 » » WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH Placed in essential service provider category over four years, reveals MC Tribune News Service A show of collages titled “Contemplation”: By Mohinder Tuli, September 25, 5:15 pm, Government Museum & Art Gallery, Sector 10. The exhibition is open till October 1 from 11 am to 7 pm (Monday closed). Entry free Musical show Sureela Safar17: Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, September 28, 4:30 pm APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 29, 56 and Dhanas Mohali: Sector 71 Panchkula: Sector 15 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com INBRIEF MAN INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENT Chandigarh: A vehicle sped away after hitting a motorcyclist. Harwinder Singh, a resident of Nayagaon village, reported that his motorcycle was hit by a car at the Sector 16/17 light point. He was admitted to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16. The police have registered a case at the Sector 17 police station and started investigation. TNS MAN HELD WITH ILLICIT LIQUOR Chandigarh: The police have arrested a resident of Mauli Jagran with illicit liquor. Suresh Kumar was arrested at Makan Majra with 52 nips of countrymade liquor. A case under the Excise Act has been registered against him. He was later released on bail. TNS BJP leader attacked Chandigarh, September 23 A resident of Mani Majra was attacked with sticks by around six persons this morning. While the assailants damaged the car of Shashank, a local BJP leader from Indira Colony, he managed to escape. According to sources, Shashank had come to a nearby bus stop to drop off his daughter. A school bus was supposed to pick her up from there. Around six persons, wielding sticks and sluggers, arrived there and shattered the windowpanes of Shashank’s car. As they charged at him, he ran for his life. The police were informed about the incident and a team reached the spot. An investigation into the incident has been started at the IT Park police station. The police said they were scanning the CCTV footage of the area to identify the assailants. — TNS Chandigarh, September 23 Amid rising concerns over unregistered vendors and the alleged inaction of the authorities concerned with regard to encroachments across the city, the Municipal Corporation (MC) today revealed that the licences of 1,219 nonessential service providers had been reclassified as essential service providers over the past four years. These vendors were granted permission to operate at the sites they were found operating from during a survey. In the previous General House meeting, BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi, supported by councillors from other parties, had criticised the MC officials, accusing them of turning the civic body into a “den of corruption” and failing to address the issue of encroachments. Ahead of the coming House meeting scheduled for September 26, the vendor cell of the MC responded to Joshi’s concerns, stating that the House had approved the reclassification of certain ven- A parking area in the Sector 22 market opposite the ISBT encroached upon by vendors. FILE PHOTO dors running tandoors and selling “chhole bhature”, “kulcha chhole” and “paranthas” as essential service providers. From February 2021 to January 2024, 1,219 non-essential service providers had their licences converted under this category. During a survey conducted in 2016, around 11,000 vendors, categorised into street, essen- tial and non-essential groups, were registered. They were allocated vending sites for five years for a monthly licence fee. However, many vendors did not move to the designated sites, citing poor business, and continued to operate from unauthorised locations. Both registered and unregistered vendors are occupy- ing unauthorised spaces across the city, including corridors, pavements, road berms, and parking lots. Unregistered vendors can even be found in Sector 17 Plaza, a no-vending zone. Sectors 1 to 6 and Sector 17 were designated as no-vending areas in 2019, allowing only essential service providers to operate there. Despite this, unregistered vendors operate without fear. The agenda for the coming House meeting includes just two development-related items — a proposal to upgrade Khuda Ali Sher stadium at a cost of Rs 1.75 crore and the construction of pedestrian paths at EWS Colony, Dhanas. FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE ‘0001’of CH01-CW series goes for ~16L Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 23 The most sought-after fancy registration number, “0001”, has fetched the highest bid of Rs 16.50 lakh against the reserve price of Rs 50,000 during an e-auction of the CH01-CW series conducted by the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) here today. The second highest bid of Rs 10 lakh was made for “0009”, while “0005” fetched the third-highest bid of Rs 9.98 lakh. An official said during the e-auction of vehicle registration numbers (fancy and choice) from “0001” to “9999” of the CH01-CW series and the re-auction of the leftover fancy numbers of the previous series from September 21 to 23, a total of 489 numbers Chandigarh, September 23 To prevent motorists from driving on cycle tracks, the UT police have decided to install bollards on these tracks throughout the city. Initially, these were put up on a few roads. The issue of motorists driving on cycle tracks was raised by the SSP (Traffic), Sumer Pratap Singh, during a meeting of District Road Safety Committee (DRSC) held last month. The SSP had pointed out that steps needed to be taken to stop vehicles from plying on the cycle tracks. Sources said to address the issue, the traffic police conducted a survey regarding installation of bollards at the entry and exit points on the cycle tracks and a detailed report was sent to the Chief Engineers of UT Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 23 In view of the Assembly elections in Haryana, the UT Excise Department carried out inspections at various liquor vends and found some unauthorised liquor godowns in past week. The teams of the depart- speeding car hits bike Husband fighting for life in hospital Tribune News Service WERE RETURNING HOME Bollards installed on a cycle track in Chandigarh. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Administration and Municipal Corporation. The practice of driving on cycle tracks to avoid traffic jams was rampant in the city. A few years ago, the traffic police had constituted a cycle safety squad, comprising policemen, to prevent motorists from driving on the tracks. The squad was also asked to sensitise cyclists, rickshaw-pullers and ‘rehriwalas’ to using cycle tracks. The police said two-wheeler riders were usually found driving on the cycle tracks and they were challaned. To ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians, a proposal to have timers at zebra crossing lights is also under consideration. The Engineering Department has prepared the estimates for the installation of the lights with timers. Mohali, September 23 A 26-year-old woman and her seven-year-old son were killed when a speeding car hit the bike they were riding on the Landran Road this morning. Her husband suffered severe injuries and was admitted to a hospital. After hitting the bike from behind near the gurdwara chowk, the car crashed into a roadside tree. Prabhjot Kaur and her son Manraj Singh died on the spot. Jobanjeet Singh (33), a resident of Kajheri village, Chandigarh, along with his wife and son, was returning home from Ghoga Diwali village when the accident took CRAZE FOR FANCY NOs. NUMBER 0001 0009 0005 0007 0003 0002 0008 0033 0006 0015 HIGHEST BID ~16.50 lakh ~10 lakh ~9.98 lakh ~7.07 lakh ~6.01 lakh ~5.25 lakh ~4.15 lakh ~3.15 lakh ~3.01 lakh ~2.76 lakh were auctioned. The RLA earned a total revenue of Rs 2.26 crore. The authority had earned a total revenue of Rs 1.97 crore from the e-auction for the CH01-CR series along with re-auction of the leftover fancy numbers on July 25. It saw Continued on page 2 1,450 cases of liquor seized Bollards to be put up on all cycle tracks Woman, son killed as Tribune News Service MAX 37°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 37.6°C | MIN 26.1°C SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6.12 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Amid encroachment concerns, 1,219 issued vending licence PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET TUESDAY 6.16 PM » TUESDAY | 24 SEPTEMBER 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST ■ Jobanjeet Singh of Kajheri village, along with his wife and son was returning home from Ghoga Diwali village when the accident occurred on the Landran Road around 8:30 am. place around 8:30 am. “The unsuspecting family on a bike was rammed by the speeding car from behind. Jobanjeet Singh has been admitted to the Civil Hospital, Phase 6, in a serious condition,” said Jujhar Singh, Prabhjot’s brother, who resides in Kharar. The police arrested the car driver and shifted the bodies to the mortuary of the Kharar hospital. ment confiscated a total of 1,450 cases of liquor worth about Rs 30 lakh. Excise and Taxation Commissioner Rupesh Aggarwal stated that the department had enhanced enforcement activities to curb the menace of interstate smuggling of liquor to and from Chandigarh. Man found murdered in Dhakoli drain Zirakpur, September 23 The police found the body of a 45-year-old man in a drain at Dhakoli early in the morning today. Morning walkers noticed the body and informed the local councillor, who reported the matter to the police. The victim, identified as Mukesh, a painter, had been residing in the Vasant Vihar area for the past 15 years, said local residents. The police found blood and a brick near a medical shop, some 250 metre from the drain. They shifted the body to the mortuary of the Dera Bassi Civil Hospital. Residents complained that drug menace was a big problem in the area and brawls took place frequently. They demanded police patrolling be stepped up in the area. Continued on page 2 Hockey referee at 21, Hema of Uttarakhand shows the way Deepankar Sharda Tribune News Service Hema Singh Chandigarh, September 23 A sport is not just limited to playing on the field and Hema Singh of Uttarakhand has proved it with elegance. At the age of 21, when a player aims at winning medals for the nation, Hema has become one of the youngest hockey referees. The ‘lady boss’ on the field, who has been the captain of Team Uttarakhand and has attended the Indian junior national camp, is supervising the matches of the 14th Hockey India Sub-Junior Men National Championship at the Sector 42 Sports Complex. In the job of referee dominated by men, Hema is setting a courageous example of beating the odds, proving that sports has a vast aspect beyond playing to make a career. Hema is the only sib- ling among her four sisters and a brother to opt for sports. She started her love with sports by taking to athletics. She aspired to become a 100m runner and don the Indian jersey. However, her coach asked her to opt for hockey. Playing at the left fullback position, Hema won accolades for her state. However, she was quick enough to realise that the high competition in the national sport may derail her dreams of making it big in her life. By 2021, she enrolled for a referee course. She has supervised four major events, including the national tournament, which started today. “I am happy to opt for this profession. It’s usually a male-dominated field, but here (in Chandigarh), there are four female referees who will be supervising the matches here. I had realised a good scope in turning into an c m y b Hockey referee Hema Singh supervises a match at the Sector 42 sports complex on Monday. NITIN MITTAL official, and from that day, I am attached to this job,” said Hema, after successfully supervising the match between Bihar and Manipur. She said, “I still play hockey and wanted to be around the sport. I am the only one among my siblings to opt for sports. Besides being in love with hockey, it also helps me earn some money to help my family. If not a successful player, I would like to become a successful referee and super- vise international matches in future.” She is well aware of the challenges ahead, especially what happens after marriage. “Yes, it will be a challenge, but I will be sticking to hockey. Challenges are obvious in life, but I have come this far to achieve success. I don’t know about the future, but hockey really keeps me happy,” added Hema, who is still pursuing her studies. “Sports is not limited to becoming a player. There are various aspects and it’s a vast area. Being a player has its own charm, but being an officiating member brings more responsibility. During my playing days, we used to challenge a referee’s call. Now, I get to know the challenges a referee faces,” said Hema. “I think being a referee is tougher than being a player,” she signed off to supervise the next match.