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Tricity buzz: Airport Road hot spot for election offices
The area on Airport Road has become a poll hot spot; one can find vehicles of supporters parked outside all three election offices
With the Punjab assembly elections less than a month away, political parties are pulling out all stops to woo voters.
The three main contenders — Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal — have set up their election offices in the showrooms, barely 100 metres apart, in Sector 79, Mohali, on Airport Road.
The area has become a poll hotspot and the air of festivity is difficult to miss. Outside all three offices, one can find vehicles of supporters parked with tents put up.
Tea and snacks are available the whole day long as campaign strategies are chalked out.
UT administration, MC staff battling Covid
The third Covid wave has taken a toll on the UT administration and the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh. With several employees, including the UT adviser among senior officials, testing positive over the past fortnight, the functioning of both offices has been hit.
Thirty-six employees in the Registration and Licensing Authority alone tested positive. Similarly, several staffers in the departments of UT urban planning, estate office, Chandigarh Housing Board and UT Guest House are recuperating after contracting coronavirus infection.
Reality check for Chandigarh cops
A Chandigarh Police officer was in for a reality check the other day when a worker sought permission to stay back for the night as it was not safe going home after 5pm.
“Sham ko ghar nahi ja sakta, loot hoti hai (I can’t go home now due to snatching),” the worker, a resident of Ram Darbar, said. With three serious crimes against women within a week and now incidents of theft in the evening have raised concerns about the deteriorating law and order in Chandigarh.
Do away with inaugural functions in pandemic
Even in the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UT administration is keen about inaugural functions and media coverage. On January 17, for instance, a media invite was shared by the administration, requesting presence at the inauguration of the Mini Covid Centre managed by Sri Sathya Sai Gramin Jagriti.
UT adviser Dharam Pal was to do the honours at the Police Hospital in Sector 26, Chandigarh. Why can’t they do away with the fanfare during a raging pandemic?
Covid+ prisoner breaks out of Sector 16 hospital
A woman prisoner was admitted to the Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, on Friday, after she tested positive for Covid-19. Since the hospital’s prisoner room was already occupied by another infected inmate, the authorities admitted her to normal room.
After a few hours, the woman broke open the window and escaped from the hospital. It was a challenge for the police and health department officials to trace her but they finally managed to catch her after three hours. “She was again admitted to the hospital but now we are keeping a strict watch,” said Dr Suman Singh, the director, health services.
Inputs by Hillary Victor, Munieshwer A Sagar, Shailee Dogra, Tanbir Dhaliwal and Mandeep Narula
