Top Headlines of the Day

1. Cracker ban to stay in Chandigarh

The ban on firecrackers will continue without any relaxation, the Chandigarh administration decided on Thursday.

Rejecting the review representation made by a city-based traders’ association, UT adviser Manoj Parida said the order issued on November 6 under the Disaster Management Act, banning the sale and use of firecrackers in the city, needs no modification or relaxation.

However, Parida said that while conducting the draw of lots, it had been “clarified categorically that the allotment will be subject to a final decision by the UT administration regarding the imposition of any ban on crackers”.

“The applicants (association) were specifically asked not to go for advance purchase of crackers until November 6. A letter was also written to the president, Chandigarh Cracker Dealer Association, on November 5, stating that the purchase of crackers should be kept on hold,” the adviser said in his order.

2. Chances of light rain in Chandigarh from November 15

After no rain was witnessed in the city since the end of August, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials are predicting light rain in the city on Sunday and Monday.

The maximum temperature in the city fell down from 29.3 degrees on Wednesday to 28.8 degrees on Thursday. The minimum temperature went down from 13.1 degrees on Wednesday to 11.8 degrees on Thursday. In the next three days, the maximum temperature will remain between 28 and 26 degrees while the minimum temperature will remain between 12 and 13 degrees.

3. Chandigarh seeks Centre’s nod for second medical college

The Chandigarh health department has submitted a fresh detailed project report to the central government for establishing a new undergraduate medical college in the city.

Approval has been sought from the ministry of health and family welfare for a medical college with 100 MBBS seats, associated with the 500-bed Government Multi Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, officials privy to the development said.

The city currently has only 150 MBBS seats offered by Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, which also has 125 seats for postgraduate programs. The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research offers only postgraduate programs with around 310 seats.

4. Made by inmates, colorful candles up for grabs

Besides mouth-watering sweets, gel and wax candles made by inmates of the Burial jail are up for grabs at Srijan, the exclusive jail store in Sector 22, this Diwali.

These products will be sold at stalls, which will come up at Sukhna Lake, the Sector 18 market, and outside the RLA office in Sector 17 – said, Virat, The AIG (Prisons)

5. Chandigarh can host domestic games comfortably amid pandemic, says UTCA official

Having hosted a number of under-19, under-23, and Ranji Trophy matches successfully last season, the UT Cricket Association (UTCA) is keen on organizing games in the upcoming domestic season as well, by making a bio-bubble.

The domestic season was postponed owing to the outbreak. It was earlier slated to get underway in September, but now the BCCI president has said in an interview that it will be held in January 2021.

A meeting in the runup to the domestic season will be held after Diwali. Chandigarh had received BCCI affiliation last season and several of its men and women teams had also qualified to the Elite group from the Plate group.

6. Annual Chandigarh Bird Club survey: 429 migratory waterfowls spotted in and around Sukhna Lake

The Chandigarh Bird Club has identified 34 species of waterfowl and 43 species of arboreal birds in a survey conducted on Thursday at Sukhna Lake and surrounding areas.

As per the survey, which is conducted strictly between 7 am to 10 am, 429 waterfowls were identified. Of these, the most common species was the Ruddy Shelduck with 141 sightings followed by 47 sightings of the Great Cormorant and 40 of Indian Spot-Billed Duck.

7. Chandigarh’s active Covid count goes past 1,000 again

After nearly a month, the number of active Covid-19 cases in Chandigarh crossed the 1,000 marks once again on Thursday.

Following a surge, active cases had shot up to 3,171 on September 16. The pandemic hit a plateau the following month, and active cases dropped below 1,000 in mid-October. As the number of recoveries remained higher than in fresh cases, the number of active cases reached 593 on November 2, before starting to rise again.

Meanwhile, the death toll increased to 244

8. 109 new cases, 1 death in Chandigarh

The city today reported 109 fresh Covid cases, taking the case tally to 15,543. It also saw a Covid death. A 74-year-old woman from Mani Majra, who was also suffering from jaundice, died at the PGI. As many as 64 patients recovered from the disease in the past 24 hours

9. In Mohali, active cases up 49% in 8 days

Mohali district witnessed a 49 percent increase in active cases in the past eight days. From 550 on November 3, the number of active cases rose to 822 yesterday. So far, 13,311 cases have surfaced in the district and 12,159 patients have been cured. There are 899 active cases with 253 deaths in the district.

10. Panchkula sees no death in 6 days

The district today reported 72 fresh cases, taking the infection count to 7,783. No fresh death due to the virus was reported. The recovery rate of the district stands at 91.9 percent.

Even though the daily cases are on the rise, the district has witnessed no Covid death in the past six days.