02052024-CT-01.qxd 5/2/2024 12:12 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune KHARAR COUPLE DONE TO DEATH, 4 SUSPECTS HELD WIFE, PARAMOUR HELD FOR MANDI GOBINDGARH MURDER LAMP POSTS UNDER Z’PUR FLYOVER NEVER LIT UP Couple residing at Swaraj Enclave in Kharar stabbed to death by four persons on Tuesday night. P2 Police claim to have solved murder in Mandi Gobindgarh town within 48 hours of the crime. P2 Fancy lamp posts installed under the flyover on 1-km stretch have not been lit once after installation. P2 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 104 PANCHKULA 110 MOHALI 118 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF SCOOTER RIDER DIES IN MISHAP Chandigarh: In a freak accident, a scooter rider died after crashing into a car door, which was negligently opened by the driver. A resident of Sector 40 reported that Parveen, a resident of Sonepat, stopped his car on the main road in front of the entrance to the ISBT, Sector 43, and suddenly opened the door, hitting the scooter which her husband was riding. The victim sustained injuries and was admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Sector 32, where he succumbed to injuries. The police have registered a case at the Sector 36 police station. The driver was arrested and later released on bail. TNS PEDESTRIAN HURT IN ROAD ACCIDENT Chandigarh: A theft was reported at a house in Sector 44. Chaman Lal Aggarwal reported that jewellery was stolen from his house. A case has been registered at the Sector 34 police station and investigation started. TNS TWO BOOKED FOR CHEATING JEWELLER Chandigarh: The police have booked two persons for duping a jeweller of Rs 65 lakh. Chetanaya Kumar Verma, who owns a jewellery shop in Sector 23, alleged that Anuj and Guman purchased gold jewellery for their shop in Una. However, they failed to make the payment, causing him loss of about Rs 65 lakh. The police have registered a case at the Sector 17 police station. TNS KHARAR Supply to be affected from 9 am (Thursday) to 10 pm (Friday): New Sunny Enclave, Old Sunny Enclave colonies, Sectors 123, 124 and 125, Hussainpur, Manana, Jhampur, Jhampur colonies, Jandpur, Thaska, Behlolpur, Tadauli, Raipur, Desu Majra and Harlalpur villages. WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI CHANDIGARH: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar MOHALI: Sector 76 PANCHKULA: Sector 5 FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE HC lifts stay, Tribune flyover project to kick off after 4 yrs College girl, driver killed in collision between auto,SUV Says stay granted in 2019 has set city back by decade Chandigarh, May 1 Two persons, including a student of Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, lost their lives and four students sustained injuries when the auto-rickshaw they were travelling in collided head-on with a speeding SUV on the Sector 5/8 road today. The students were to appear for their exams. The SUV was being driven by an Army man who was going home on leave. Sources said one of the deceased, Anjali, a BA (final year) student and native of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh (HP), along with five college students, was on their way to the college from Nayagaon to appear for their exams. When the auto reached the Sector 5/8 road, a speeding SUV, which was reportedly overtaking a vehicle, collided head-on with the auto. The police were informed about the accident and all injured were rushed to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, where Anjali and the auto driver, identified as Rajiv, a native of Amethi, Uttar Pradesh (UP), were declared dead on arrival. College Principal Jatinder Kaur, along with other teachers and staff, visited the hospital. Speaking to media, Jatinder Kaur said among the Saurabh Malik DEVELOPMENT NEED OF THE HOUR Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 1 More than four years after the Punjab and Haryana High Court applied brakes to the Tribune flyover project by restraining the authorities concerned from taking further steps to uproot, relocate or cut trees, a Division Bench has vacated the stay, paving the way for its construction. The Bench ruled that the stay granted on November 20, 2019, had set Chandigarh back by a decade. The city was built and conceptualised in 1950 and could not continue to remain the same. Development was an ever going process. The town was planned for 5 lakh people. But today “we are dealing with the tri-city, which is now bounded by Panchkula, Mohali and New Chandigarh, having a population of over 15 lakh”. The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji, at the same time, directed that the administration would not rush forth to cut the trees till the project was finalised and the construction was liable to start. The Bench asserted the issue of access and travel to DON’T CUT TREES TILL PROJECT FINALISED The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji, at the same time, directed that the Administration would not rush forth to cut the trees till the project was finalised and the construction was liable to start. Chandigarh was required to be taken into consideration as it was the capital of two states having government buildings. The authorities were planning “Metro” to ease the traffic situation. In such circumstances, infrastructural projects, which would ease the situation, were the need of the day, “rather than fall back on the times not to use the vehicles”. Elaborating, the Bench asserted it was a matter of common knowledge that traffic coming from Delhi/Dera Bassi side to Chandigarh was held up for one and a half hours following traffic jams. A large number of residents had started putting up in Zirakpur due to easy availability of flats and apartments in high-rises, but were dependent on Chandigarh for work, education, health and entertainment purposes. The Zirakpur Municipal Council was stated to have a population of one lakh and the area had developed phenomenally over the years as its boundary was touching Chandigarh. “All residents also flow continuously in and out of Chandigarh. The need, as such, is to ease the traffic in such situation, rather than to block the development. In our considered opinion, the “All residents also flow continuously in and out of Chandigarh. The need, as such, is to ease the traffic in such situation, rather than to block the development. In our considered opinion, the stay which was granted on November 20, 2019, has taken Chandigarh back by a decade. In such circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that it has led not only to cost overruns, but also ensured that the town has not progressed and developed which is the need of the hour,” the HC Bench observed. stay which was granted on November 20, 2019, has taken Chandigarh back by a decade. In such circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that it has led not only to cost overruns, but also ensured that the town has not progressed and developed which is the need of the hour,” the Bench observed. In its detailed order, the Bench made it clear that it was open to the Administration to proceed with the project in a manner it deemed fit, and whether to associate the earlier contractor or to call for fresh bids. “Needless to say that all environmental continued on page 2 Tribune News Service Four students suffer injuries, were on the way to college for their first exam The damaged auto-rickshaw and the SUV (below) after the accident on the Sector 5-8 road on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING OVERTAKING When the auto carrying the students reached the Sector 5/8 road, a speeding SUV, which was reportedly overtaking a vehicle, collided head-on with the auto. It was being driven by an Army man who was going home on leave. TWO PUPILS SUFFER MULTIPLE FRACTURES ❝ Two of the injured students, who have suffered multiple fractures, have been referred to the PGI. — Jatinder Kaur, COLLEGE PRINCIPAL injured, one was a BA (final year) student and three are pursuing BSc (final year). They all are residents of Leh. “Two of the injured students, who have suffered multiple fractures, have been referred to the PGI,” she added. Anjali was residing in a PG accommodation at Nayagaon. “Today was the first exam of all students,” she added Now, pay by QR code at MC parking lots Tribune News Service Police videograph traffic flow near Chief Minister's house in Chandigarh on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Traffic yet to be restored on road near CM’s house Chandigarh, May 1 Despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order to open the stretch outside Punjab CM’s residence, connecting Sukhna Lake to Nayagaon, on May 1, the road was not thrown open to traffic today. Earlier in the day, the traffic police conducted videography to assess vehicle movement. In the evening, the barricades, which were placed on the road along with the barbed wire decades ago, were removed. However, the second layer barricades was still in place. Sources said the road was expected to be thrown open to traffic from Thursday. It was barricaded at the merger point of Uttar Marg and Vidya Path in the 1980s during the terrorism period in Punjab. Commuters moving between Nayagaon and Sukhna Lake had to take long detours. — TNS Chandigarh, May 1 In order to streamline parking and earn more revenue, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has revamped the paid parking system by introducing digital payments through QR code, which is also aimed at ensuring accuracy in revenue collection. In order to avoid inconvenience to the visitors and to enhance revenue generation, several improvements have been made by the MC. Now, proper uniform and identity cards have been given to parking attendants for their easy identification. Payable rate lists and instructions to customers have been displayed in all paid parking lots. The Jana Small Finance Bank Limited has been associated for handling of collection of paid parking and facilities provided for management of RATE LIST DISPLAYED AT FACILITIES PRADEEP TEWARI Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 1 “Whoever is happy will make others happy.” This quote by Anne Frank best suits 82year-old former top bureaucrat Ashok Kundra. The retired 1966 batch IAS officer, Kundra yesterday donated Rs 2 crore to the Post Graduate Institute (PGI) Poor Patients Welfare Fund (PPWF). “There’s a time in life when one comes to know about the hardships in a human’s life. The value of giving is more than gaining. I am happy to contribute a small happiness to someone’s life,” said Kundra, who stays in Sector 10 here. Kundra had held many key posts in Punjab and in various MY BIT FOR POOR PATIENTS patients ❝I have seen life’s value at the PGIMER.toManyI tried to do can’t afford treatment and just surrender life. my bit with this contribution to the fund. An endowment will be made of Rs 2 crore and the interest used for the treatment of poor patients. — Ashok Kundra, FORMER BUREAUCRAT ❞ Central Government departments during his 36 years of service in the Indian bureaucracy. His wife, Sunanada Kundra is a retired principal of Home Science College, Sector 10. One of his sons is a wellknown bureaucrat and anoth- c m y b ❞ The SUV driver is an Army man. He is posted at Chandimandir, said a police official. The police have registered a case at the Sector 3 police station and started investigation. The SUV driver has been arrested and both vehicles have been impounded. The families of the deceased as well the injured were informed about the accident by the police. 6 UT heritage items sold for ~51L in US Tribune News Service As per the rate list, Rs 7 is charged for two-wheelers, Rs 14 for four-wheelers (noncommercial), Rs 28 for LCV/mini-bus, service Jeep, cab, taxi or three-wheeler and Rs 70 for tourist buses/HCV. These rates have been displayed at the parking lots. A QR code displayed at a parking lot of the MC in Chandigarh on Wednesday. paid parking lots. Visitors shall now be able to pay parking fee through QR code scanner in 71 paid parking lots, which are being managed by the MC in Sectors 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 20, 22, 26, 34, 35, 43, Mani Majra and multiplexes. As per the rate list, Rs 7 is charged for two-wheelers, Rs 14 for four-wheelers (noncommercial), Rs 28 for LCV/mini-bus, service Jeep, cab, taxi or three-wheeler and Rs 70 for tourist buses/HCV. These rates have been displayed at the parking lots. These steps have been introduced to minimise the Former bureaucrat Kundra believes in giving Depankar Sharda POWER ALERT MAX 33°C | MIN 20°C YESTERDAY MAX 30.9°C | MIN 17.7°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.38 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Chandigarh: A pedestrian was injured after being hit by a truck. Haneef, a resident of Phase I, Bapu Dham Colony, reported that he was hit by a truck driven by Rajesh Kumar in transport area, Sector 26. He was admitted to the GMCH, Sector 32. The police have registered a case at the Sector 26 police station. TNS THIEVES STRIKE IN SECTOR 44 MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET THURSDAY 7.01 PM » THURSDAY | 2 MAY 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST er a doctor in the US. “I have seen life’s value at the PGIMER. Many patients can’t afford treatment and just surrender to life. I tried to do my bit with this contribution to the fund. An endowment will be made of Rs 2 crore and the interest used for the treatment of poor patients,” he added. Kundra has also created a corpus for his alma mater, Government College, Hoshiarpur. “It’s very less and covers a handful of students. My college life has played an important role in my life. There was a time when we expected some help to get books and proper coaching. There must be many students, who are really talented, but lack resources. It’s a small effort towards my alma mater, which holds a close place to my heart,” added Kundra. A soft-spoken Kundra, who last held the charge of Secretary, Mines, Government of India, added: “Life is not easy for everyone, but we can help each other in the best possible way. There’s no other noble way to dedicate our life towards human welfare. “College life was highly enjoyable as with some hard and divine grace I did very well. Teachers encouraged me. I topped in MA Economics. Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, who was then a professor at Panjab University, offered me a job of research assistant but I didn’t join as I had to appear for the IAS exam. My father and my teachers were the main source long queues of vehicles due to cash payment and PoS machines at most of the parking lots, further leading to traffic chaos. The parking staff deployed in all paid parking lots have been provided new uniforms and identity cards so that visitors can identify them easily. Chandigarh, May 1 In yet another auction of UT’s heritage items, six artefacts went under the hammer in the US on April 30 fetching a total of Rs 50.92 lakh. Ajay Jagga, a member of the Heritage Items Protection Cell of the Chandigarh Administration, said an auction house, LAMA, sold a pair of easy armchairs for Rs 9.9 lakh, a pair of committee armchairs for Rs 8.94 lakh, a daybed for Rs 13.68 lakh, a set of four stools for Rs 8.41 lakh, a desk and a chair for Rs 4.73 lakh, and a set of four stools for Rs 5.26 lakh. In the auction held last month in Chicago, US, seven heritage items from the city had been auctioned for Rs 69.18 lakh. In a letter to Dr S Jaishankar, continued on page 2 April GST up 23 per cent Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 1 Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in the city last month witnessed an increase of 23% against the gross levy collected during the corresponding period in 2023. According to the Ministry of Finance, the collection for April this year stood at Rs 313 crore, Rs 58 crore more than Rs 255 crore received during the same month in 2023. The collection for March had increased to 18% at Rs 238 crore. It was Rs 36 crore more than Rs 202 crore generated in 2023. The collection for February had increased to 12% at Rs 211 crore against Rs 188 crore received in 2023. The min- Mops up ~313 crore in comparison to ~255 cr collected in 2023 istry did not share the details of the tax collected during January this year. December 2023 saw an increase to 29% at Rs 281 crore. Similarly, the collection for November was Rs 210 crore, which was 20% more than Rs 175 crore collected during the same month in 2022. The collection for October remained Rs 389 crore, Rs 38 crore more than the levy received in 2022. In September, the UT witnessed a growth of just 6% with Rs 219 crore mop-up against Rs 206 crore collected in 2022.
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).