Bhartesh Singh Thakur

UGC brings charges of financial bungling against Panjab University before SC

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has mentioned before the Supreme Court that there were allegations of financial bungling against Panjab University (PU).

Violence on Panjab University campus: All eyes on left-wing student outfit

Right before the students protesting against fee hike were to charge on police personnel for the second time at Panjab University on Tuesday, Damanpreet Singh, campus president of the Students for Society (SFS), a left-wing outfit, exhorted the agitators to resort to protest whichever way they liked.

Some people trying to destablise Panjab University for petty gains, says vice chancellor

Tuesday’s violence on the campus that had protesting students pelting police with stones in response to cops’ use of water cannon and tear gas may deal a body blow to the image of Panjab University already faced with the worstever financial crisis since its inception. HT talked to the man at the helm, vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover as what led to this.

PU protests| Fee hike a form of structural violence, says SFS prez Damanpreet Singh

Students for Society (SFS) president Damanpreet Singh who said their movement will only be strengthened after this.

A black day, we condemn stone pelting: PU student council prez Nishant Kaushal

On a day when protest against the fee hike at Panjab University took a violent turn, HT caught up with PU campus student council president, Nishant Kaushal, who condemned stone pelting. He said some unidentified persons resorted to violence and called for alternate non-violent methods of protest.

Angry over fee hike, Panjab University students clash with police, arrested

Things turned ugly at Panjab University (PU) on Tuesday as the protest against fee hike witnessed police using tear gas and students replying with stone-pelting. At least 15 policemen and some students had to get medical help; some were still in hospitals and said to be in a stable state. More than 50 were taken into custody.

ABVP cuts lone figure on PU campus as it targets V-­C Arun Kumar Grover

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), is cutting a lone figure in the strategy it has adopted to protest against the fee hike.

PU seeks 12.5% increase of Punjab government grant from 2014-­15 onwards

On the lines of increase in grant from the ministry of human resource development, Panjab University is seeking an enhancement at the rate of 12.5% from Punjab government.

Now, MHRD denies Panjab University another grant of Rs 20 crore

Panjab University (PU) vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover has written a protest letter to secretary, higher education, in the ministry of human resources development (MHRD), KK Sharma, after the ministry has denied Rs 20 crore to the varsity. The money is a plan grant under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) to the varsity.

Highest pay package slips at Panjab University placements

Professional courses at Panjab University (PU) registered placements, but slowdown in economy has hit the highest packages. 

Panjab University forms panel to start online courses

Panjab University (PU) on Monday decided to start online courses and for this a committee has been formed under Prof AK Bhandari, while chairperson, University School of Open Learning (USOL), and members from various faculties will also be included. The decision was taken in a meeting of chairpersons under vice-chancellor Prof AK Grover. 

HRD ministry downgrades Panjab University ranking

Panjab University (PU) has slipped massively in the ministry of human resources and development (MHRD)’s varsity ranking from last year’s 12th to 33rd spot this time.

HT Special | Life on the periphery: Villages in Panchkula, orderly sectors lie cheek by jowl

Plush houses of Panchkula surround the remains of several villages here. Both eye the other with disdain. Villagers see the city slickers as forceful occupiers of their land, while the latter work hard to erect boundary walls between the sectors and villages to escape the foul smell of cow dung and the unseemly sight of cattle.

Reliance Insurance deposits Rs 8.69cr after Haryana CM Khattar intervenes

After intervention of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for action and fearing blacklisting, Reliance General Insurance Company of Reliance Group has deposited Rs 8.69 crore under Rajiv Gandhi Parivar Bima Yojna (RGPBY) after eight years.

HUDA doesn’t have money to pay for land compensation

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) doesn’t have money to pay compensation to owners whose land have been acquired. It is seeking loans from banks, which are yet to be sanctioned.

HT Special | Life on the periphery: In Morni, life without light

Life here appears to be caught in a time warp. Though only 50 km from Panchkula and 60 km from Chandigarh, people in Morni have been without electricity for years now. Fans, television sets, geysers, refrigerators, the appliances we take for granted are a distant luxury for the people here. Bald poles without lamps are the only remains of a government plan to install solar lights, which proved to be a non-starter.

Life in the ‘town of flies’ on the periphery of Chandigarh

Buzzing with frustration:122 poultry farms have residents battling the incessant droning of flies; cow dung laced roads is an ‘accepted reality’

Why Panchkula not on smart city list, asks Parliamentary panel

The Parliamentary standing committee on urban development has questioned as why Panchkula has not been included on the list of smart cities despite being an important economic centre with a cosmopolitan character.

Life on the periphery | In a mess: Pinjore pangs

The town once known for it pretty Mughal gardens and the HMT factory has now fallen on bad days with little in the name of development. Illegal settlements are what mark half of Pinjore. Cross the Chandimandir toll plaza and illegal constructions on both sides stare you in the face. On the left are settlements on hills and on the right are dense habitations.

HT Special | Life on the periphery: Urban chaos in Kalka

Congested, unclean and underdeveloped, Kalka does not remotely appear to be a part of the Panchkula Municipal Corporation. Traffic jams continue to be the biggest bugbear of this township despite a massive SC-mandated demolition drive in 2009.

CBI files chargesheet in Rs 52.5- crore fraud at Panchkula bank branch

State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur manager allegedly committed fraud in complicity with a family running shell firms

4 of 10 Chandigarh residents consume liquor: Survey

Close to 4 out of 10 men in Chandigarh are consuming liquor, which is the second highest in the north India, after Himachal Pradesh, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) - 4. 

More women accuse hubbies, in-laws of rape, forced abortions in Panchkula

A number of cases of marital dispute have been registered in Panchkula wherein women have accused their husbands or male in-laws of rape, committing unnatural act, molestation or forced abortions besides making dowry demand.

Power discom directed to pay Rs 5 lakh to electrocuted man

A Kalka court directed Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation to a man whose arms were amputated after he suffered from an electrocution accident in Kalka.

HT Special | Life on the periphery: A poor cousin of Panchkula

Secluded and under-developed. These two words best describe the Panchkula urban estate across the Ghaggar bridge. Distinct from rest of the city, this undulating area is marked by garbage dumps, withering roads, stray animals and vacant plots.

Delhi CBI nabs two men with 106-kg cannabis at railway station near Ambala

The Delhi branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) nabbed two people with 106 kg of contraband (Ganja or Cannabis) near Barara railway station in Ambala. The case was registered on Saturday

Jawan who stood between fidayeen, Indian consulate in Afghanistan gets DG Insignia

Indian Tibet Border Police (ITBP) jawan Jitendra Singh Yadav who fought terrorists at the Indian consulate in northern Afghanistan last year was awarded with DG Insignia and Commendation on Saturday at the ITBP centre here, though many believe he should have got the President Police Medal Gallantry.

Mansa Devi board rushes construction of elevators, stairs ahead of Navratras

Panchkula The board officials of Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine are in hurry these days to complete construction of lifts and stairs in the complex. They want it to finish the works before beginning of navratras, March 28, and also they want it to get it inaugurated by Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Panchkula man to get Rs 8 lakh relief after losing limbs to electrocution

Panchkula set to issue smart cards for RCs, driving licences

Panchkula is set to be Haryana’s first district to issue smart card for registration certificates (RCs) and driving licences (DLs).