Chandigarh: Punjab cadre IAS officer Vijay Namdeorao Zade on Thursday took charge as the UT Finance Secretary. The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the appointment of Zade, a 2002-batch officer, to the post of Finance Secretary on inter-cadre deputation for a period of three years. He replaces Ajoy Kumar Sinha, whose tenure had ended on August 31 last year. TNS

20 containment zones in UT

Chandigarh: To break the chain of coronavirus, the UT Administration on Thursday declared 20 micro-containment zones in the city. District Magistrate Mandip Singh Brar said regular screening and monitoring of the areas would continue and frequent sanitisation of the areas would be conducted. The affected areas declared as micro-containment zones are parts of Sectors 7 (CPWD), 20, 21, 27, 28, 32, 33, 39, 41, 45 and 51 and Raipur Khurd village, Vikas Nagar Mauli Jagran, Mauli Jagran, and Mohala Area, Mani Majra. TNS

Expert session on innovation

Chandigarh: The Innovation Cell of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, organised an online expert session on 'Corporate-Startup Collaboration'. The resource person for the session was Dr Vincenzo Corvello, Assistant Professor at University of Calabria, Italy, and editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Innovation Management. He spoke on innovation and innovation management. The presentation was followed by a question-answer session. TNS

'Freedom of Glorious India'

Chandigarh: The University Institute of Fashion Technology & Vocational Development, PU, organised an online competition - Come let's celebrate it's in six yards of Grace - to celebrate the 75th anniversary of 'Freedom of Glorious India'. Entries were received from various PU departments as well as colleges. TNS

PU VC hands over air purifiers

Chandigarh: PU VC Prof Raj Kumar handed over 30 air purifiers to GMSH, Sector 16, and 20 to GMCH, Sector 32, here on Thursday. The air purifiers were donated by the US-based Molekule Inc and Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility. Dr Amandeep Kang and Dr Jasbinder Kaur expressed their gratitude to PU VC and Jaspreet Dhau from Molekule Inc. TNS

2 mobile phone snatchers held

Panchkula: The police on Thursday claimed to have nabbed two persons for snatching a mobile phone of Bir Ghaghar resident Mukesh Kumar on April 29. The suspects have been identified as Naresh Kumar (23), alias Nesi, and Sanjay, alias Laadi, both residents of Gujjar Mohalla in Patiala. A case was registered against them at the Sector 5 police station. A court sent them to two-day police custody. TNS

Sanitation drive launched

Chandigarh: The local MC on Thursday launched a month-long special sanitation drive under the Swachh Bharat Mission from Sector 22. Such drives will be conducted throughout city on a daily basis till June 19. Pruning of trees and cutting grass from parks and road berms, cleaning road gullies and chambers and removing accumulated debri on road berms and other open areas will be part of the drive. Mayor Ravi Kant Sharma said underpasses, main roads, repair of existing dustbins, painting of children play equipments and railing would be part of the drive. TNS

Congress to distribute masks

Chandigarh: To mark the 30th death anniversary of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, the Chandigarh Congress has decided to distribute 1 lakh masks among residents. Congress workers will viist door to door to distribute masks and make people of the city aware of the pandemic situation. TNS