08052025-CT-01.qxd 5/8/2025 12:23 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune GUPTA NEW CHIEF OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA BAR COUNCIL DHANAS MAN WITH LONG CRIMINAL RECORD NABBED CELEBS HAIL OP SINDOOR, COURAGE OF ARMED FORCES Senior advocate Rakesh Gupta has been appointed new chairman of Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana. P3 Operations Cell of UT police arrested a wanted criminal, who has over 40 cases registered against him. P3 Operation Sindoor was the answer we needed — not out of hate, but to protect peace and dignity. P4 » » PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 34.2°C | MIN 24.1°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7.05 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.33 AM » THURSDAY | 8 MAY 2025 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE UTtestsemergencypreparedness BJP hails PM Modi, armed forces C HANDIGARH BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra and Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian armed forces for the precision strikes at the basis of terrorists in Pakistan and Pakoccupied-Kashmir. Malhotra said the strikes were not just a response but also a declaration that India would no longer stay silent to any Pak-sponsored act of terrorism. Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla said “Those who dare disturb India’s peace will be crushed at every front. Neither Pakistan nor terrorists supported by it will be spared.” Stand with forces, Cong to people C HANDIGARH Congress president HS Lucky appealed to people to stand unflinchingly with the defence forces, who are showcasing unmatched bravery and shrewd execution of their plans to eliminate enemies of our country without any collateral damage to civilian population. He emphasised that each and every worker of the Congress stood in complete solidarity with the government in its efforts to wipe out terror from the face of India. Proud of our soldiers: Ex-MP Bansal P AWAN Kumar Bansal, former Union Minister and Chandigarh MP said the precision missile strikes by , our forces at nine bases of Pakistan terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohd and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen without harming any civilian or military areas had done the country proud. He said the brave soldiers of the Indian armed forces were fully capable of giving a befitting reply to Pakistan’s misadventures. Strong message to neighbour: AAP P RESIDENT of Chandigarh AAP Vijay Pal Singh has welcomed India’s action against Pakistan, stating that the move has sent a clear and strong message to the hostile neighbour that India will no longer tolerate any provocation. NDRF members educate NCC cadets during the drill at Sector 17, Chandigarh. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Mock drills conducted at ISBT-17, Industrial Area, 20 schools across city Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 7 The UT Administration today conducted civil defence mock drills simultaneously at three locations here to assess emergency response preparedness amid increasing tensions with Pakistan. A building-collapse mock drill was held at the ISBT-17, while fire mock drills were conducted at two locations — Piccadilly in Sector 34 and M/s Punjab Waste Plant Company Private Limited, Plot No. 92, Industrial Area, Phase 1. The exercise at the ISBT-17 started around 4 pm with airraid warning siren and concluded around 4.17 pm. It was presumed that a part of the bus stand building collapsed in an air strike and nearly four people got trapped under the debris. They were evacuated from the building during the drill. The State Disaster Management Authority and the District Disaster Management Authority, along with key departments of the Administration and the Municipal Corporation, conducted these mock drills to assess and enhance preparedness in handling emergency situations. Around 250 Apda Mitra, 510 NSS, 100 NCC, 100 Home Guards and 50 Yuva Morcha volunteers took part in the drills. These simulated highintensity emergency scenarios and aimed at evaluating the coordination, response time and efficiency of various emergency response teams. Key features of the exercise included evacuation procedures for people, deployment of fire tenders and ambulances, on-site triage and medical support for simulated casualties, and coordinated efforts by police, fire, medical and transport officials. UT Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, Home Secretary Mandip Singh Brar, Deputy Continued on page 2 Students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, Chandigarh, take cover under the benches during a mock drill on Wednesday. PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Near complete blackout observed in UT Blackout at famous tourist spot Sector 17 Plaza in Chandigarh. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Chandigarh: A near complete blackout was observed in the city as part of the emergency preparedness drill from 7.30 pm to 7.40 pm on Wednesday. Most of the motorists stopped their vehicles and turned off the headlights as air-raid warning siren was sounded at 7:30 pm. However, the siren was not loud enough and was hardly audible in Sectors 61 (bordering Mohali), 34, 16 and others. According to reports, streetlights remained on in the Chandigarh Housing Board flats in Sector 51. A few residents in Ramdarbar and Modern Housing Complex failed to switch off lights in their houses. Property tax: MC may exempt orphans CAT junks proposed promotion Mayor tells officers to prepare agenda, to be tabled before House Tax Committee Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 29, 56 and Dhanas Panchkula: Sector 15 Mohali: Sector 71 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com INBRIEF Chandigarh, May 7 The Municipal Corporation (MC) is considering exempting orphans from property tax. Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla has directed the officials to prepare the agenda in this regard for the next meeting of the House Tax Committee. Babla issued the directions after she received a request from a young girl who had lost both her parents recently. The girl has received a notice to pay property tax running into thousands. Having no source of income, the girl, along with her neighbour, approached the MC with her request for tax waiver. Since there is no such provision under the law to exempt orphans from paying the tax, the Mayor has directed the officials to prepare the agenda to be tabled before the House Tax Committee. As per the present provisions of the property tax bylaws notified by the Chandigarh Administration, no tax is levied on residential lands buildings owned and self-occupied (No portion is let out) by the persons, who have served or are serving in any rank whether as combatant or non-combatant in the naval, military or air forces of the Union of India, for 300 square yards. For more than 300 square yards, only 50 per cent tax shall be charged. Also, widows or disabled Airport shut persons, who are entitled to the benefits of deductions under Section 80 U of the Income Tax Act 1861, are also exempt from the tax up to 300 square yards. The MC earlier brought a proposal to exempt the wives of defence personnel from the levy. The agenda in this regard was tabled in the last meeting of the committee. However, it was not discussed as the meeting was postponed. Man robbed of cash, phone PURSE SNATCHED AT KHUDA ALI SHER Tribune News Service Chandigarh: Balgovind, a resident of Khuda Ali Sher, reported that three unidentified persons riding a scooter snatched Rs 5,000 and a purse containing his Aadhaar card, PAN card and other documents on Monday. He was targeted near the Radha Swami Satsang turn. An FIR has been registered at the Sector 11 police Station. TNS Chandigarh, May 7 A resident of Mohali was robbed by SUV-borne miscreants near the Sector 37/38/40/41 chowk here. The victim, Varinder Kumar, alleged that the suspects robbed him of Rs 2,000 cash and a mobile phone on Tuesday. Following his complaint, the police registered an FIR under Sections 309(4), 126(2) and 3(5) of the BNS at the Sector 39 police station. Security men stop vehicles heading to the international airport in Mohali. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY c m y b list of trained graduate teachers Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 7 The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh Bench, has quashed the proposed promotion list of Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) dated February 4, 2020, issued by the Office of District Education Officer (DEO) here. The Bench has passed the order on an application filed by Mukesh Jakhar, a teacher (TGT, maths) of a government school. She alleged that the list contained the names of a few teachers who do not have pedagogical training, i.e. BEd in Commerce, while excluding her name despite being eligible as per rules and NCTE norms. The tribunal has directed the Director, School Education (DSE), to redraft the proposed promotion list by restricting it to incorporating the names of only those teachers who have Master’s degree in Commerce with BEd in Commerce, which provides pedagogical skill to teach commerce to secondary classes. Also, the applicant’s name be included considering her case for grant of promotion in the commerce stream against vacancies of APPLICANT’S CLAIM The Bench has passed the order on an application filed by Mukesh Jakhar, a teacher (TGT, maths) of a government school. She alleged that the list contained the names of a few teachers who do not have pedagogical training, i.e. BEd in Commerce, while excluding her name despite being eligible as per rules and NCTE norms. PGT commerce/lecturer. The entire exercise has to be carried out within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The application has been filed by the teacher under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunal Act 1985 through advocate Rohit Seth, seeking the quashing of proposed promotion list. She said she had done BCom, MCom and completed BEd in Commerce. She became eligible for promotion as Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) of Commerce on January 2, 2020. But her name was removed from the proposed promotion list for reasons best known to the respondents. However, teaches, who do have Master’s degree in commerce but have no skill/pedagogical training, have been retained on the list in violation of qualification norms prescribed for promotion to the post of PGT of Commence or Lecturer of Commerce. After hearing the arguments, the tribunal quashed and set aside the proposed promotion list in as much as it contains the names of private respondents who do not have skill/pedagogical training, i.e. BEd in Commerce, while excluding her name despite being eligible as per rules and NCTE norms. The Tribunal has directed the respondents to redraft the proposed promotion list by restricting it to incorporating the names of only those individuals who have Masters degree in Commerce with BEd (Commerce), which is provides pedagogical skill to teach commerce to secondary classes. Also, the applicant’s case be considered for grant of promotion in the commerce stream against one of the seven vacancies of PGT commerce/lecturer. The tribunal has also stated that the entire exercise is to be carried out within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order.