Page 6 - Chandigarh

Shweta Sharda, the winner of Miss Diva Universe 2023: Details inside

The Miss Diva Universe pageant was organised in Mumbai on Sunday. India's Shweta Sharda will compete in the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador later this year

Chandigarh Housing Board asked to desist from anti-competitive practices

Competition Commission has directed Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) to desist from indulging in anti-competitive practices and decided not to impose any penalty as the entity has already taken corrective measures. It was alleged that CHB has abused its dominant position by imposing unfair terms and clauses on the allottees, among others, with respect to a self-financing housing scheme floated in 2010. The 'market for the provision of services for development and sale of residential flats in the Union Territory of Chandigarh' was considered as the relevant one while assessing the complaint, according to an official release on Wednesday. Competition Commission of India (CCI) found that CHB was in a dominant position so as to operate independently of the competitive forces prevailing in the relevant market. Further, the regulator noted that there was non-disclosure of date of delivery of possession to applicants of the flats and levying of penal interest for full month on account of de

Around 100 Haryana farmers enroute to Chandigarh protest detained

Around 100 farmers from Haryana were taken into custody on Tuesday as they headed towards Chandigarh for a demonstration to seek compensation for losses caused by floods, police said. In Longowal in Punjab's Sangrur district, farmers continued their 'dharna' over the detention on Monday of some farm leaders who were going to the Union Territory of Chandigarh -- the joint capital of the two states -- for the planned demonstration. There was a clash with police when farmers tried to block a highway in the district. Security was tightened at the inter-state borders of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh in view of the protest in the Union Territory, while in Sangrur, some leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) joined the protest there on Tuesday. In the Sangrur clashes a farmer had died after he came under a tractor-trolley, while five policemen were injured. Police have booked several farmers under the Indian Penal Code, including for attempt to murder. The Chandigarh protest was calle

Haryana receives 59% excess rainfall in July, Punjab 44%, says IMD

Haryana and Punjab, which were recently hit by floods in several parts, logged over 40 per cent excess rains in July, the Meteorological Department here said. While Haryana recorded 59 per cent excess rainfall, Punjab logged an excess of 44 per cent, it added. Union Territory Chandigarh, the common capital of both states, received 170 per cent excess rainfall in July, a MeT official told PTI. As against the normal of 273.2 mm for the period, Chandigarh received 738.7 mm of rainfall. In July, the city even recorded an all-time high of 302.2 mm in a span of 24 hours, the official said. According to the MeT official, Haryana witnessed 237.1 mm of rainfall in July, compared to its average of 149.1 mm -- an excess of 59 per cent. Over the same period, Punjab recorded 231.8 mm of rainfall, against the normal of 161.4 mm -- 44 per cent excess. None of the districts in Haryana saw deficit rain in July, while Panchkula and Yamunanagar were the wettest districts, the MeT data showed. Panc

Mortar shell found near Shastri Nagar bridge at Chd's Bapu Dham Colony

An abandoned mortar shell was found near the Shastri Nagar bridge behind the Bapu Dham Colony here, police said on Sunday. After receiving information about the shell, police cordoned the area off and traffic going towards the Shastri Nagar bridge was also diverted, they said. A team of the Chandigarh Operation Cell and police was deployed near the spot. A bomb disposal squad of the Army was later called in which took away the shell for its safe disposal, police said, adding that an investigation was underway.

Several commuters stranded as floods block highway in Himachal Pradesh

Hundreds of commuters were stranded in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district as the Chandigarh-Manali national highway was blocked following flash floods and landslides, officials said on Monday. The 70-km Mandi-Pandoh-Kullu stretch has been badly affected, they said. A total of 301 roads are closed in the state following heavy rains, while 140 power transformers are disrupted. Flash floods were witnessed in Khotinallah near Aut, about 40 km from Mandi town, on the Pandoh-Kullu stretch due to a heavy downpour and the commuters have been stranded since Sunday evening. The alternative Mandi-Kullu route via Katola, blocked due to landslide, has been opened after almost 20 hours and small vehicles are now being diverted through this stretch, said the officials of the Mandi administration. The Mandi-Pandoh stretch was blocked near 6 Miles after a landslide. The officials said restoration work is underway and explosives are being used to blast heavy boulders blocking roads on this stretch.

Heavy rainfall blocks Manali-Chandigarh Highway, restoration work begins

The heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district blocked Manali-Chandigarh Highway on Sunday evening. The restoration work is under process

Punjab CM urges Union Minister Puri to include Mohali in Smart City project

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday urged Union Housing and Development Minister Hardeep Puri to include Mohali in the Smart City project for its inclusive development. Mann, who met Puri at his office here, said Mohali assumes immense significance because it is part of the tri-city which also includes Chandigarh and Panchkula. Most of the departments of the Punjab government have their head offices in Mohali and as such it is imperative to give further fillip to its growth, the chief minister said. He said Mohali and its adjoining municipal committees like Zirakpur, Kharar, Derabassi and Kurali have witnessed immense growth because of the presence of the international airport, educational institutes, industries and townships. The area needs special funding to support planned growth and infrastructure development, the Punjab chief minister said, adding that including Mohali in the Smart City project for its holistic and planned growth was the need of the hour. Flagging

MSP demand: Delhi-Chandigarh highway remains blocked, farmers to meet

Farmers blocking the national highway in Pipli in Haryana's Kurukshetra district over the demand for MSP for sunflower seeds will hold a meeting on Tuesday to mull their future course of action after two rounds of talks with the district administration failed to yield any outcome. Farmers have blocked the highway (NH-44) near Pipli, which connects Delhi with Chandigarh, and some other routes since Monday afternoon after holding a mahapanchayat on the issue. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said they held a meeting with the district administration twice on Monday night but the talks did not yield any outcome. He said a local committee of farmers that was constituted on Monday and the leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) would hold a meeting on Tuesday to chalk out their further course of action. Tikait said the issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sunflower crop is not only affecting farmers in Haryana but the entire farmer community "as we are demanding a M

Haryana farmers hold 'mahapanchayat' along Delhi-Chandigarh highway

Traffic on the Delhi-Chandigarh National Highway was disrupted on Monday as farmers gathered there after holding a mahapanchayat in this district to press for minimum support price for sunflower seed. Apart from leaders of various khaps and Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, Olympic medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia, one of the grapplers who have been demanding action against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, were present at the mahapanchayat. The "MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao mahapanchayat", called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), was being held at a grain market in Pipli close to National Highway-44 which was blocked by farmers a few days ago demanding that the government procure sunflower seed at MSP. After the mahapanchayat the farmers started marching towards the highway. Farmers led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni had June 6 blocked the national highway near Shahabad for over six hours demanding tha

Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates 2 CGHS centres in Panchkula, Chandigarh

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday inaugurated two CGHS wellness centres in Panchkula and Chandigarh calling quality healthcare priority of the Narendra Modi government. With the Friday opening, Chandigarh now has two Central Government Health Scheme wellness centre. The minister inaugurated the Panchkula centre through a virtual link. Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said, "It has been the priority of the Narendra Modi government that citizens get quality healthcare." "If a country has to be made prosperous, it is important that its citizens are healthy. Healthy citizens build a healthy society which in turn leads to a prosperous nation," he said. The minister said the Centre is planning to launch several facilities, include an e-RUPI voucher, for the people. He also praised the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which he said has given health security to 60 crore people so far, as he went to on to attack Congress saying you can't kill poverty with speeches. "In 1971, lat

Ayushmann supports LGBTQIA+ community in Chandigarh to turn entrepreneurs

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana is supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in Chandigarh by investing in building food trucks for the community and helping them become self-reliant through food business. The food trucks are being called "Sweekar", promoting the importance of acceptance for the community in today's society. Ayushmann, who is the National Ambassador of UNICEF, believes an individual must do their bit to help as many people as possible. According to me, an actor should try & have a social responsibility. It is the love of the people that put us in a position where we can do our bit to empower people and communities thereby raising awareness on important issues. I have always believed that inclusivity is the primary pillar for nation building," the actor said in a statement. "We have to also encourage others to do the same. Once we realise how symbiotic we are as a society and how we can only thrive by being together, we will achieve our bigger goal of creating a harmonious, ...

Amid unseasonal rain, Chandigarh administration calls for dengue alert

"All residents of Chandigarh are advised to follow the precautionary measures to protect themselves from the diseases like dengue, chikungunya and malaria," it added

Chandigarh bags first rank in National Water Award 2022: Ministry

Ministry of Jalshakti has adjudicated Municipal Corporation Chandigarh first in the best Urban Local Body (ULB) category of the National Water Award 2022, said an official release

Defence Min Rajnath Singh inaugurates IAF Heritage Centre in Chandigarh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the first-of-its-kind Indian Air Force (IAF) Heritage Centre here on Monday, officials said. The Centre has been set up under a memorandum of understanding between the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the IAF which was signed last year. Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari and Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher were also present on the occasion. The IAF chief had visited the Indian Air Force Heritage Centre last month to review its progress. Spread over 17,000 square feet, this is the first heritage centre of the IAF and depicts its role in various wars, including in 1965, 1971 and the Kargil war, and the Balakot air strike through murals and memorabilia. Its exhibits will be a source of inspiration for future generations and will showcase the indomitable spirit of the Indian Air Force, officials said.

Rajnath Singh to inaugurate IAF Heritage Centre in Chandigarh Monday

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the first-of-its-kind Indian Air Force Heritage Centre here on Monday, officials said. It was set up under a memorandum of understanding between the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the IAF, signed last year. Last month, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari visited the Indian Air Force Heritage Centre to review its progress. Spread over 17,000 square feet, this is the first heritage centre of the IAF and depicts its role in various wars, including in 1965 and 1971 and the Kargil war, and the Balakot air strike through murals and memorabilia. Its exhibits will be a source of inspiration for future generations and will showcase the indomitable spirit of the Indian Air Force. Divided into various sections, the heritage centre has several attractions such as aircraft models, aero engines and weapons, including Gryazev-Shipunov twin barrelled guns. The centre also showcases augmented reality, hologram, virtual reality, and electro mechanical

PM Modi to pay last respects to Parkash Badal in Chandigarh today: Report

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Chandigarh Wednesday to pay his last respects to former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal who died at a private hospital in Mohali. Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch Badal was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali over a week ago after he complained of uneasiness in breathing. He breathed his last around 8 pm Tuesday. He was 95. Prime Minister Modi will reach Chandigarh at 12 noon to pay his last respects to Parkash Singh Badal, sources said. Modi had on Tuesday described the demise of Badal as a "personal loss" and said he was a colossal figure of Indian politics who contributed greatly to the nation. "Extremely saddened by the passing away of Shri Parkash Singh Badal Ji. He was a colossal figure of Indian politics and a remarkable statesman who contributed greatly to our nation," Modi said in a tweet. Badal worked tirelessly for the progress of Punjab and anchored the state through critical times, the prime minister said. "Parkash

Ease of Moving Index: Here is how people commute in various Indian cities

Agartala has the best walking infrastructure, but overall the condition of footpaths in the country has deteriorated in the last four years

Govt relaxes wheat procurement norms in Punjab, Haryana, C'garh, Rajasthan

The Centre has relaxed quality norms for wheat procurement in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Rajasthan to prevent distressed sale as well as protect the interest of farmers, a senior official said on Tuesday. The recent untimely rainfall, hailstorm and high velocity wind have damaged the standing wheat crop, which was ready for harvest, in some parts of these states. These state governments had demanded the relaxation in procurement norms. Currently, wheat procurement is underway in Madhya Pradesh, while it has been delayed in other states because of untimely rains. State-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) along with state agencies undertake the procurement of wheat. "After the field survey, we have relaxed the quality norms for procurement of wheat in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Rajasthan in order to reduce hardship of farmers and to avoid distressed sale of wheat," Subodh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary in the Union Food Ministry, told PTI. The government has relaxed t

Cong, AAP accuse Chandigarh MP for using 'inappropriate' words for voters

The Congress and the AAP on Thursday slammed BJP MP from Chandigarh Kirron Kher, accusing her of using "inappropriate" words while referring to her constituents at an event here, and demanded that she apologise. They claimed that Kher, a second-time MP from Chandigarh, used words such as "laanat hai" and "chittar ferne chahiye" while referring to voters. Kher was addressing an event in Kishangarh here on Wednesday and she talked about the development works done for the residents of the Deep Complex locality. In a video, the MP is purportedly heard saying that "agar Deep Complex mein ek bhi banda mere ko vote na dale toh phir bade laanat ki baat hai...jaakar chittar ferne chahiye unko, kyon ki itne paise deke maine unki sadke banvayi (If not even one from Deep Complex votes for me, then it is a highly shameful thing...they need to be beaten up with slippers)". Kher appeared to be speaking in a lighter vein, but her political rivals latched on to her remarks and launched a scathing .