E-Paper
Tricity buzz: HT Chandigarh reporters’ tracker on all those making, or faking, news
When it rains, it pours in Chandigarh; dirty politics over cleanliness survey rankings; Mohali MC’s enforcement team in relax mode; PGI comes out with flying colours on holding exams; switch off lights to dodge the deadline and more...
When it rains, it pours in Chandigarh
After complaining that City Beautiful hasn’t seen much rain in July, residents stopped complaining about a deficit monsoon in August. Floodgates of Sukhna Lake had to be opened last weekend after heavy overnight rain. Now residents are heard complaining that there has been too much rain this season. With over 900mm of rainfall this monsoon, the city has crossed the average amount of rain it gets between June and September much before August ends. There’s more rain in the offing in the first two weeks of September!
Dirty politics over cleanliness survey rankings
The poor performance of Chandigarh in the recent Swachh Survekshan rankings yet again will see municipal corporation officials cornered at the general house meeting on August 31. The civic body will be under attack for submitting data with the Swachh Bharat Mission, claiming 100% waste segregation at source when door-to-door segregation in sectors hasn’t taken off. While ruling BJP councillors will zero in on officials, the Congress is expected to target the mayor and his party for the poor performance.
Mohali MC’s enforcement team in relax mode
The Covid-19 pandemic has given a good excuse to the enforcement team of the municipal corporation of Mohali to stay put in office. For the past few months, 12 officials of the enforcement team are relaxing in office. They have neither carried out any drive nor challaned any rehri or phariwallà. No wonder they are making their presence felt on roads across the town, obstructing traffic. The worst-affected areas are Phases 9, 10, 11, 3B1, 3B2 and Sector 68.
SDMs not taking calls, complain UT councillors
The Chandigarh administration asked the city’s councillors to share inputs on measures that could be taken to control the Covid-19 pandemic, but UT officials have not been as forthcoming. One of the councillors shared how sub divisional magistrates (SDMs) don’t even take their calls. “Residents turn to their councillors whenever they face an issue and it is our duty to help them. But it is unfortunate when the administration’s officials don’t even take our calls,” the councillor said, requesting anonymity.
PGI comes out with flying colours on holding exams
Politicians may be divided on holding medical and engineering entrance exams such as NEET and IIT-JEE but Chandigarh’s Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has successfully conducted entrance exams for nearly 24,000 candidates amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Dean, academics, GD Puri says: “It required extraordinary effort to complete the examination process. Due to the Covid-19 parameters, the number of centres was increased which involved higher expenses. Since air travel not available, staff from PGI could not be deputed to distant centres such as Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Mumbai. These centres were manned with the staff working at sister institutions in different cities.”
Switch off lights to dodge the deadline
With the Chandigarh administration strictly implementing night curfew to contain the spread of coronavirus, eatery owners have devised a novel way to dodge the timings. As the siren is sounded, declaring the time to shut shop, eatery owners in many areas switch off the lights but continue to prepare orders even till 10pm. According to the directive, eateries are allowed to operate till 9pm but switching off lights allows them an additional hour.
Parking at a premium at civil hospital in Panchkula
Parking a car at the Civil Hospital in Panchkula costs Rs 20, which is double the rate for parking a vehicle at most commercial places in the tricity. For instance, the car parking charge is Rs 10 in Sector 17, Chandigarh. The high rate of parking at a public institution, that too a hospital, seems unjust to many. However, who has the time to argue with the man issuing parking slips as all are in a rush to enter the hospital, either for their own check-up or for their loved ones.
Inputs by Hillary Victor, Munieshwer A Sagar, Shailee Dogra, Tanbir Dhaliwal, Rajanbir Singh and Amanjeet Singh
