26122024-CT-01.qxd 12/25/2024 11:44 PM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune GOOD GOVERNANCE BEGINS AT HOME, SAYS MP JINDAL JUDGE INSPECTS KEY PANCHKULA INSTITUTIONS BOLLYWOOD CELEBS SPREAD CHEER ON CHRISTMAS Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal addresses an event on Good Governance in Panchkula. P2 Ajay Kumar Ghanghas, CJM and Secretary, DLSA, Panchkula, inspects various institutions. P2 Sonakshi, Zaheer are celebrating Christmas in Australia amidst kangaroos and koalas. P4 » » WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH MAX 23°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 23.9°C | MIN 7.4°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 7.17 AM /THETRIBUNECHD Elante festive lights come crashing down on 4-yr-old MAINLY CLEAR SUNSET THURSDAY 5.29 PM » THURSDAY | 26 DECEMBER 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Yuletide spirit XMAS HORRORChild escapes with minor injury on forehead Tribune News Service NO LESSONS LEARNT Hemant Utsav: By Pracheen Kala Kendra, from December 27 to 29, 6 pm, ML Koser Indoor Auditorium, Sector 35-B. Rang Parampara 2024: Seven-day theatre festival, Mini Auditorium, Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, from December 25, 6:30 pm APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar Panchkula: Sector 5 Mohali: Sector 76 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com INBRIEF IMPOSTER RUNNING CLINIC BOOKED Chandigarh: A Kaimbwala resident has been booked for running a clinic posing as a medical practitioner. According to the police, Roshan was running “Chaudhary Clinic” near the bus stand at Kaimbwala village. The police have registered a case under Section 318 (4) BNS, 15 (3) of the IMC Act at the Sector 3 police station. TNS Chandigarh, December 25 Christmas cheer turned into horror for the parents of a four-year-old girl when around 20 festive lights put up at Elante Mall came crashing down on her this afternoon. A major tragedy was averted as the girl escaped with a minor injury to the forehead. This is the third mishap to have taken place at Elante this year. Three months ago, a woman and her niece had suffered injuries when a large granite slab came off a pillar and fell on them. An 11-year-old had lost his life after a toy train overturned mid-tour in the mall courtyard in June. In today’s incident, Navneet Thakur, a resident of Sector 50, visited the mall with his wife and fouryear-old daughter, Avni, to celebrate Christmas. The family purchased tickets for the make-shift “Winter Wonderland”, set up in the mall’s courtyard. According to Thakur, there was a designated dance floor for children. The area was adorned with ■ The mishap on Christmas Day marks the third such incident at Elante Mall this year. Three months ago, a woman, Surbhi Jain, and her niece, Maisha Dixit, a child actor, had sustained serious injuries after a granite slab fell on them. The slab had come off a pillar at the mall. ■ The incident occurred when the family visited the Mall to celebrate Maisha’s 13th birthday. Maisha and Surbhi were posing for photographs when the granite slab fell on them. ■ Another mishap had claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy in June. Sehbaaj Singh, who was riding a toy train, died after it overturned and his head got crushed. Sehbaaj’s cousin and other children riding the train had escaped unhurt. << A video grab of fancy lights hanging close to the floor at the Elante mall. hanging lights, some of which suddenly fell and hit Avni on the forehead. Police were informed about the mishap and the injured girl was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32 for treatment. “The doctors advised a CT scan for Avni, but we chose not to proceed with it due to her young age,” Thakur said. The father expressed dissatisfaction with the behavior of the mall’s management, UT needs to recover ~36 lakh from Punjab: Audit report Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 25 The Director General of Audit (Central) office has stated the UT Hospitality Department needs to recover an expenditure of Rs 36.99 lakh from the Punjab Government. The amount was incurred on two vehicles used by the Punjab Raj Bhawan. An audit team conducted the audit and prepared an inspection report on accounts of the office of the Director, Hospitality Department, UT Guest House, Sector 6, for the period from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2024. The UT Guest House, located between the two Raj Bhawans in Sector 6, has 51 rooms and 17 suites. The guest house provides hospitality to state guests, VIPs, VVIPs and government officers while they are on tour, duty or holiday. According to the report obtained under the RTI Act by activist RK Garg, the Home Department of the UT Administration had allotted two vehicles wide order dated November 14, 2011, to the Director Hospitality, State Guest House, for the protocol pool. During checking of records of the office of the Director Hospitality, State Guest House, for the period of 202223 to 2023-24, it was observed that two vehicles were placed at the disposal of the Punjab Raj Bhawan with effect from July 22, 2013. Further, scrutiny of records revealed that all expenses relating to these vehicles on account of fuel, repairs and maintenance amounting to Rs 23,83, 457 during the period from 201617 to 2023-24 was incurred by the UT Guest House, which were to be borne by the Punjab Government, as these continued on page 2 District Court pending cases cross 1 lakh mark amid repeated strikes by lawyers Ramkrishan Upadhyay Chandigarh, December 25 Increasing pending cases, recurrent strikes by lawyers and a murder on the court premises were some of the challenges that the District Courts faced in 2024. For the first time, the pending cases have crossed the one lakh figure this year. The backlog is the highest in the history of the District Courts, which came into being on November 1, 1966, soon after the bifurcation of the states of Punjab and Haryana. It had increased by over almost 50 per cent in the past four years with the number of the pending cases recorded at 1,02,664 on December 23. The year also witnessed recurrent strikes by lawyers. First, the lawyers went on strike in August against the proposal of the Chandigarh Administration to implement the new Tenancy Act. The advocates had abstained FILE Tribune News Service from work for more than 20 days in protest against the proposed Act .They alleged that the draft of the New Tenancy Act had been finalised without their consent and would affect the litigants, common man and lawyers if implemented. The District Bar Association decided to end the strike only after meeting the Governor of Punjab and UT Administrator. They again resorted to strike after the death of fellow advocate Neeraj Hans. He died on October 7 after allegedly being punched in the chest during an argument with fellow advocates in the parking lot of the court complex in Sector 43. Hans was rushed to the hospital where he died during treatment. Three cross-FIRs were registered following his death. The members of the Bar Association did not attend court for many days while protesting the alleged police inaction in the case. The advocates decided to resume work only after they were given an assurance by senior police officers on the issue. The complex also witnessed a shocking incident. Former AIG of Punjab Police Malvinder Singh Sidhu allegedly shot dead his sonin-law Harpreet Singh on the court premises on August 3. Harpreet was an Indian Revenue Services officer and posted in Delhi. There was a matrimonial dispute going on between the two families, and both sides appeared at the Chandigarh Family Court for mediation. When Harpreet arrived there, Sidhu opened fire at him. The incident raised serious concerns over the security of the complex. Besides, the trial in a murder case of 35-yearold national-level shooter and continued on page 2 c m y b alleging that they failed to provide any support or medical assistance at the spot. He further highlighted a disclaimer on the event tickets, which stated that participation to the “Winter Wonderland” continued on page 2 People light candles at the church in Sector 19, Chandigarh, on the occasion of Christmas. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Hold mayoral poll as per schedule: Assn Chandigarh, December 25 Opposing the demand raised by AAP to hold the Mayoral election after February 20, the Second Innings Association, a group of the elderly, has requested the Deputy Commissioner to reject the demand and hold the election as per schedule in January. President of the association RK Garg stated that the undue demand should be rejected as it would set a wrong precedence for com- ing years. He said the 2024 mayoral election was notified well in time. However, a mayor was declared elected after some delay due to one or the other reason and judicial intervention. The date of mayoral election notification was done as per law, as such, it was represented that this political demand, if received formally, may be rejected and the poll be held as per the MC Act, he added. — TNS Auto driver dies in accident Mohali, December 25 A 37-year-old auto driver died after being hit by a car at the Phase 11 light point. The victim, Promod Kumar, a resident of Amb Sahib Colony, was hit by a car coming from Chandigarh side. His auto overturned and he sustained head injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. The police have registered a case at the Phase 11 police station. — TNS