04112024-CT-01.qxd 04-11-2024 00:36 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune 3 AMRITSAR-BOUND FLIGHTS DIVERTED TO CHANDIGARH SALMAN IN HYDERABAD TO SHOOT FOR SIKANDAR KARTIK SHARES LIGHT-HEARTED MOMENT ABOUT MOTHER Dubai-Amritsar, Mumbai-Amritsar and Ahmedabad-Amritsar flights land at Chandigarh airport. P2 Bollywood superstar's security has been beefed up in the light of death threats from Bishnoi gang. P4 Kartik Aaryan is happy that his mom is not getting tickets for his film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. P4 » » WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH 46th Annual Chandigarh Sangeet Sammelan: To be organised by the Indian National Theatre in collaboration with the Durga Das Foundation from November 8 to 10, Strawberry Fields High School auditorium, Sector 26. On Day 1, classical vocalist Rutuja Lad will perform at 6 pm, followed by vocalist Atul Khandekar. Triveni Kala Utsav: By Chandigarh Sangeet Natak, on till November 5, Rani Lakshmi Bai Bhawan Auditorium, Sector 38-C, kathak performance by Marami and her daughter Meghranjani Medhi on the opening day Fifth edition of the Tricity Theatre Festival: Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, Chandigarh, from November 4 at 6:30 pm onwards, the play “Kaun Mohan Deshpande” to be staged on the first day, entry by ticket APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 43, 45 and Maloya Mohali: Phase V Panchkula: MDC, Sector 5 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com INBRIEF TWO BOOKED FOR BURSTINGCRACKERS Chandigarh: The UT police have registered two cases against unidentified persons for defying the District Magistrate’s order on bursting of crackers. The police had received information about crackers being busted in Sector 17 and 7 on November 2. Cases under Section 223 of the BNS have been registered by the police. TNS CHEATING CASE REGISTERED Chandigarh: A cheating case has been registered at the Sector 17 police station on a complaint filed by Sukhwinderpal Singh of Sector 22. He reported that Varun allegedly cheated him out of Rs 10 lakh. The police have started an investigation into the case. TNS Were returning from Sonepat village after celebrating Diwali Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, November 3 Three members of a Chandigarh-based family were killed after the car they were travelling in caught fire due to sparking at Shahabad last night. The deceased have been identified as Prof Sandeep Naseer, his minor daughters Prapti and Amanat, who were students of Sacred Heart School, Sector 26. The injured, Lakshmi, Aarti and Sudesh, from Sonepat, were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, with burns. Sandeep was a professor at the Chandigarh University. Sources said the victims were on their way from Sonepat to Chandigarh when a fire broke out in the car near Mohri in Shahabad around 10.40 pm. Sandeep was travelling with his wife Lakshmi, daughters Pari and Amanat, brother Sushil, Sushil's wife Aarti and son Yash, and his mother Sudesh. Sushil, in his statement to the police, said, "As we reached Mohri, we observed smoke in the car due to sparking in the wiring and the car got locked. We started suffocating due to the smoke. I managed to unlock the car. Passersby rushed us to a hospital in Mohri where my brother Sandeep and his daughters died during treatment. Sandeep and Pari had suffered burn injuries on their right hands, while Amanat Chandigarh, November 3 Inspector Jaspal Singh of Chandigarh Police has been recognised for his investigation by the Ministry of Home Affairs with ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshta Padak’. He had cracked high-profile rape and murder cases leading to the arrest of a serial rapist and killer. Jaspal is the only police officer from Chandigarh among the 463 police officers across country who have been recognised for their work in the field of special operations, investigation and forensic science. The serial rapist and killer, Monu Kumar (38), a resident of Shahpur Colony, Sector 38- FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE PANCHKULA MC POLL TODAY Advantage BJP as three councillors join party Singla of Cong, Independent Punia, JJP’s Garg in saffron fold Ravneet Singh Tribune News Service Deceased Prof Sandeep Naseer worked at Chandigarh University. Sacred Heart mourns death of pupils, closed today The victims’ car after mishap at Shahabad near Kurukshetra. had suffered injuries on her stomach, arm and both hands." As per the statement, Lakshmi, Sudesh and Aarti also suffered burns and were referred to the PGI in a serious condition. Shahabad SHO Nirmal Singh said, “Eight people, including deceased Sandeep, his wife and two daughters, brother Sushil, his wife and son, and their mother, were travelling in the car when the incident took place.” Chandigarh, November 3 Mourning the death of its two students, Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, announced that the institution would remain closed tomorrow. “It is with profound grief that we are informing you about the sad demise of our beloved students, Amanat (II Amber), her sister Prapti (LKG Lotus) and their father. They were returning from their home town and met with a fatal accident. The school will remain closed on November 4 for classes Nursery to XII to pray for the peace to the departed souls,” stated a message by the school principal. Chandigarh University also mourned the death of Sandeep, who was a faculty of Civil Engineering. “He (Prof Sandeep Naseer) was a gem of a person and it’s very shocking that he is no more between us,” read a statement by the university. — TNS Panchkula, November 3 The BJP has the edge in the elections to the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor with three councillors joining the party in the presence of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today. The elections will be held tomorrow. Sunit Singla, who had quit the BJP to join the Congress before the Assembly poll, returned to the saffron party. Independent councillor Omvati Punia, who had supported Congress candidate Chander Mohan in the Assembly elections, and Jannayak Janata Party’s (JJP) Sushil Garg also joined the BJP . Now, the BJP is again in majority in the 21-member MC House with 12 votes. The elections to the two posts had been delayed for nearly four years due to conflicts among councillors. Though the BJP was in majority at the time of formation of House in 2020, two councillors, Sunit Singla and Paramjit Kaur, had joined the Congress just before the Assembly elections this year. Initially, Independent councillor Omvati Punia had also extended her support to the Congress candidate in the elections. Though the Congress candidate Chander Mohan won from the constituency, the BJP again Home Ministry medal Civic apathy for city police officer Tribune News Service MAX 33°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 32.8°C | MIN 15°C SUNRISE TUESDAY 6.39 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Cityprof,2daughtersdie as car catches fire in Hry MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET MONDAY 5.34 PM » MONDAY | 4 NOVEMBER 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST West, was arrested in May this year. He was held in connection with the 2022 rape and murder of a 44-year-old woman in Maloya, after his DNA matched the evidence found on the victim’s body. The DNA report further linked Monu to the 2010 rape and murder of a 22-year-old MBA student in Sector 38 West. The case, which had remained unresolved for over a decade, saw renewed efforts from Jaspal and his team, whose meticulous investigation led to the arrest of the accused. Monu’s DNA had also matched the semen found on the clothes of a 55-year-old woman who was brutally murdered in Sector 54 on February 27 this year. Councillors join the BJP in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. GAME-CHANGING MOVE Till Saturday evening, the Congress had the majority in the MC House with nine councillors along with the support of Independent Councillor Omvati Punia. The JJP had two councillors and the BJP eight. Now that came to power in the state. Omvati Punia confirmed she had joined the BJP She . said, “The Congress had only given assurances but the BJP will carry out development in the region. I have joined the BJP for a proper development of the whole city.” She had been approached by Congress leaders for support during the Assembly elections. “I have remained an Independent councillor and had only lent my support to the Con- Singla, Punia and Garg have joined the saffron party, its vote count, including that of the Mayor, has increased to 12. The Congress has been reduced to eight councillors and the JJP one. gress candidate during the Assembly polls,” she said. Till Saturday evening, the Congress had the majority in the MC House with nine councillors along with the support of Independent Councillor Omvati Punia. The JJP had two councillors and the BJP eight. Now that Singla, Punia and Garg have joined the saffron party, its vote count, including that of the Mayor, has increased to 12. The Congress has been reduced to eight councillors and the JJP one. The present situation indicates another victory for the lotus. Garg said, “The BJP is an old party. I have joined the party to ensure that the various public projects and works are completed at the earliest.” Both Punia and Garg said only the party’s senior leadership would decide who would contest the elections to the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor. PU team develops model to study Alzheimer’s in zebrafish Tribune News Service Tree branches block a cycle track on the Sector 6-7 road in Panchkula on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: NITIN MITTAL Chandigarh, November 3 Researchers at the Department of Biochemistry, Panjab University, here have shown that zebrafish can be an excellent model to study Alzheimer’s disease. It is the most common type of dementia, accounting for, at least, two-thirds of cases in people aged 65 and above. Zebrafish are a popular model organism for studying diseases because of their similarities to humans. In a study published in a leading journal, “Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology”, the team modelled sporadic Alzheimer’s disease by injecting a chemical called streptozotocin HAS SIMILARITIES TO HUMANS Zebrafish are a popular model organism for studying diseases because of their similarities to humans. In a study published in a leading journal, “Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology”, the team modelled sporadic Alzheimer’s disease by injecting a chemical called streptozotocin (STZ), which is commonly used to model diabetes in animal system. (STZ), which is commonly used to model diabetes in animal system. This injection into the brain of fishes exhibited Alzheimer’s disease hallmarks in terms of amyloid plagues (protein aggregates) and cytoskeleton (tau protein) abnormalities along with anxiety and cognitive decline. “The study is a first by the team to explore the effects of injecting STZ into zebrafish brain and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease-like symptoms. The study suggests that zebrafish could offer a simpler and cost-effective way to study the disease and test new treatments given the similarity of their nervous system with humans,” said Prof Rajat Sandhir. This model allows for a rapid testing, offering researchers a new tool to explore Alzheimer’s mechanisms and screen potential drugs to combat this challenging disease, he added. continued on page 3 UT plans water body to protect area around Rock Garden from untreated sewage Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Waste water from Kansal flows into forest area near the Rock Garden. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Chandigarh, November 3 The UT Forest Department and Wildlife Department has initiated a project to construct a shallow water body near the Rock Garden to control the spread of sewage water in the forest area for the protection of flora and fauna, Lake beat and Chandigarh Range. The project, estimated to cost more than Rs 10 lakh, is aimed at stopping the flow of sewage, which has turned parts of forest into a swamp, threatening trees, wildlife and nearby Sukhna Lake. For years, untreated sewage from Kansal in Punjab has flowed into Chandigarh, damaging several acres of forest and leading to the loss of hundreds of trees. This swampy build-up has not only harmed the land and vegetation but also endangered wildlife, posing health risks that could lead to the spread of diseases among animals. The new water body is expected to trap the sewage flow and prevent it from spreading further into the forest area. Officials from the Forest c m y b FOREST TURNED INTO SWAMP The project, estimated to cost more than Rs 10 lakh, is aimed at stopping the flow of sewage, which has turned parts of forest into a swamp, threatening trees, wildlife and the Sukhna Lake. Department have confirmed that the tender process has already begun, and construction work will commence once a contractor is selected. Discussions with the Punjab government are ongoing to address the root cause — a lack of sewage treatment. Punjab has previously proposed installing a 5 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) to prevent sewage from reaching Chandigarh, but delays persist. Now, Punjab officials have been requested to provide a timeline for the STP’s completion to ensure the sewage problem is permanently addressed. Environmentalists and local residents hoped the Forest Department’s action would help in restoring and preserv- ing the natural environment around Chandigarh’s forest areas and this initiative is essential for safeguarding both the city’s green cover and the well-being of its wildlife. The city’s forest cover has expanded by 5% over three years, bringing a greener outlook to the UT. According to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the forested expanse within the city grew by approximately 1 sq km over the three years. In the 2019 India State of Forest Report (ISFR), the forest cover meas- ured 22 sq km, which expanded to 23 sq km in the 2021 ISFR. A pivotal player in the increase of the UT greenery is the Greening Chandigarh Action Plan (GCAP), an annual blueprint collaboratively prepared by various departments, including the Forest Department, the horticulture wing of the Engineering Department and the Municipal Corporation. Under this plan, each department sets a yearly target for plantation, contributing to the overall expansion of the forest cover.