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| Friday,
April 20, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Police role under cloud in mason’s death Tusse (Ludhiana), April 19 The village panchayat and the in-laws of the deceased, Balbir Singh, allege that he either committed suicide or was murdered. They allege that whatever be the case, two cops of the Sidhar police and a close relative were responsible for the death as Balbir allegedly suffered harassment at the hands of the two. They also allege that the police was now hushing up the matter by not recording their statements and registering a case on their complaint. The parents and other family members, however, claim that the man definitely committed suicide as he was poverty-stricken due to unemployment. Balbir who left behind his wife and four children, including three girls, used to work as a mason but was without a job for the past four months. The police which has so far booked the case under section 174 only has denied any partisan role in the case. It said the man was not on good terms with his brother and may have committed suicide. However, as no suicide note has been found so far and as the family members are also not sure about the death, the police is investigating the case under Section 174 IPC only. Incidentally, different versions were available about the place from where the body was recovered. Nahar Singh and Kulwinder Kaur, father and sister, respectively, of the deceased claimed that the body was found without turban and trouser from a field near the Halwara air-base on April 16. However, Sidhar police station SHO Prem Kumar claimed that the man had died in his house only. A visit to the village here today and inquiries from the villagers and family members concerned revealed that Balbir Singh was definitely short of money. He also had a legal dispute with his elder brother. Last week the dispute was resolved in a court of law. However, Balbir was not in upbeat mood. According to his father Nahar Singh, he had come from Raikot in the afternoon of April 16 and complained of abdominal pain. Later he went out and never returned. Surjit Singh, Member, village Panchayat, however, has a different tale to tell. He alleged that a sub-inspector and a constable of the Sidhar police station had picked up Balbir several times in the past and subjected him to physical and mental harassment. He was released a number of times when the panchayat threatened to launch an agitation. He said the village panchayat has sent a representation of the Jagraon SSP and urged him to take action against the partisan role played by the police in the case. |
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Industrialists make bonfire of imported
goods Ludhiana, April 19 Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khanna made scathing attacks on the NDA government, headed by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee for its economic policies, which had brought the small-scale and tiny sector of industry to the verge of ruin. With the removal of quantitative restrictions on the import of another 715 items earlier this month, the Indian economy in general and domestic industry in particular were doomed. He said the Indian market was flooded with cheap imported items, which would, in the long run, threaten the very survival of the SSI sector. Moreover, lakhs of people in the lower income groups, directly or indirectly involved in the manufacturing and trading activities, as well as small and marginal farmers would be badly hit as a result of diminishing demand of domestic products. The Union Government, Mr Khanna lamented, had opened the flood gates for multinational corporations (MNCs) to make inroads into the Indian market in a big way and take away the legitimate share of small and cottage industries, thus pushing them towards annihilation. The whole of the industrial sector had since been thrown out of gear and was left high and dry without any succour from any quarter. According to Mr Khanna, out of 28.56 lakh small-scale units in the country, more than 9 lakh had already turned sick as a direct consequence of the wrong economic policies of the government. The fate of the remaining industrial units in the small and tiny sector also stood sealed. With the SSI sector, which was job-oriented, turning sick, the unemployment position in the country was bound to deteriorate and the number of over 5 crore unemployed people would further increase. The LSSMA president, as also several other speakers, called upon the Union Government to immediately review all its policy decisions, affecting the industrial economy of the nation. The decision to open up import of all the 1429 items should be reversed forthwith or at least restrictions should be imposed on such items that were reserved for the SSI sector. Further, the government was asked to lend necessary help to the small and tiny sector of industry to modernise and upgrade its technology so as to achieve the global standards. The members of the industry later submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the district administration, focussing on their main demands. |
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Woman’s fight for
justice Ludhiana, April 19 According to Amarjeet, the uncle of her husband Amar Singh, who was a bachelor had bequeathed one and a half acres of his land to her. She was cultivating and managing the land till recent past. She also harvested the wheat crop this year. However, three bothers Sohan Singh, Kesar Singh and Ranjit Singh of the same village grabbed her land allegedly with police assistance, although she possessed all the documents and had two judgements in her favour. Amarjeet alleged that although she had complained to the police, no action had been taken. She said at today’s sanghat darshan, the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr S R Kaler, had referred the case to the SSP Jagraon who would refer it to the police station Raikot. But she expressed little faith in the Raikot police as, she alleged, it was taking the side of the three brothers. She disclosed that she had won the case in the court of the SDM and the ADC as well. But due to police connivance with the accused, she was being denied her rightful due. Amarjeet’s amritdhari husband had been allegedly picked up by the then SHO, Raikot Ajeet Singh, and constable Devinder Singh on March 8, 1993, on the charges of giving shelter to terrorists. Since then nothing is known about the whereabouts of Surjeet Singh. She alleged that although the complaints were pending against Ajeet Singh and Devinder Singh, both of them had been promoted. In another case involving land dispute, 70-year old Banta Singh of Baunkar village in Koom Kalan alleged that two persons, Mohinder Singh and Surinder Singh, sons of Sher Singh had grabbed his two kanals of land. He alleged that although he had all the legal documents of possession, the two brothers grabbed the land. He alleged that they had also managed to procure fake documents in support of their claim. Banta Singh’s son Subedar Ghula Singh, who is working in the Army and has come on leave, alleged that his father was being harassed and threatened in his absence and asked to give up his claim for land although he possessed it for the last 40 years. |
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Labourers disappear,
police baffled Ludhiana, April 19 According to the hospital sources, the labourers had gained consciousness in the night. However, in the morning when the attendant come to the ward the labourers had already left the place. Interestingly, the Vardhman police had put up security guards at the hospital. They also have been caught unawares. The police have yet to register a case as the labourers were not deemed fit for giving a statement. However, with the vanishing act of the labourers, the police now suspects that they were looted . Sources said the labourers might have taken some drug and fallen unconscious. Sources said the other possibility was that the labourers were wary of a police case. According to Mr Paramjit Singh, incharge Vardhman police post, the labourers were found in the colony. They were brought to the civil hospital.
Interestingly, a woman accompanied them but she also disappeared later. |
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Sacked teachers not
paid salaries Fatehgarh Sahib, April 19 According to Mr Kamaldeep Hans, a leader of the Sikhya Karmi union, about 314 unemployed youths were posted in different primary schools of the district under the Sikhya Karmi Scheme of the government. Later on the directions of the High Court their services were terminated but they have not been given the salary for the period they worked. He alleged that all these unemployed teachers come to the DEO(P) office daily to get the salary as it has been withdrawn from the treasury, but the DEO(P) is harassing them unnecessarily. They met the then Deputy Commissioner, Mr B.S. Sudan, in this connection and he has directed the DEO(P) to make the payment within two days. But since he was transferred, his orders were not implemented. They demanded action against the DEO(P) as he can not keep the government’s money with him for a long time. They have also complained to the Chief Minister in this connection. When contacted the office of DEO(P) he was on leave but the Deputy DEO(P) and the office superintendent told that the amount has been withdrawn but it has not yet been distributed to the claimants as the schools have been closed due to vocation. |
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AT THE CROSS ROADS POETRY is associated with romance, whereas prose is concerned with reason. Most creative persons start their literary career with poetry but gradually drift to prose writing. This has been the case with Prof Jatinderbir Singh Nanda who started composing poems when he joined college but was deeply involved in evaluating works of Punjabi essayist before he left it after postgraduation. He studied in Government College Ludhiana from 1960 to 1966 and stood first in MA Punjabi in Panjab University. He was awarded roll of Honour by the college on this account. As a writer the die had been cast when he was appointed the student-editor of the college magazine The Sutlej. While in MA (final), he had started contributing articles to a quarterly journal Sahit Samachar, published by S. Jiwan Singh of Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana. Before long his critiques on the prose style of Kapur Singh (ICS) and Dr Balbir Singh appeared in the book form. In 1982 when he was teaching in Government College Malerkotla, his interest shifted to the art of novel. So his books, such as Kesar Singh di Novel Kala, Jaswant Singh Kanwal di Novel Kala and Niranjan Tasneem di Novel Kala caught the attention of both readers and critics. In between he produced well-researched work on the poetic contribution of Surjit Patar. Prof Jatinderbir Singh Nanda was born at Rawat (Rawalpindi) on April 5,1943, and settled in Ludhiana after partition. He has a very faint memory of the days when he joined a Kafla (caravan) and came to this side of the border in the company of the other members of his family. In due course his father was posted in Ludhiana as postmaster. In the family his eldest brother Kuldip Singh Nanda, who had done M.Sc. in Chemistry and had a literary bent of mind, influenced him most. He married Sawaran Kaur, at present a lecturer in economics at Government Senior Secondary School, Siar (near Dehlon), in 1972. T.S. Eliot has called April “The cruelest month” but not so in the case of Prof Nanda, even though it is the month of his superannuation. Since 1983 he has been in the local Government College for boys and is at present head of the postgraduate department of Punjabi. His stay in this college has been a memorable one as it has witnessed the full flowering of his genius. The literary atmosphere and the academic excellence of this institution have contributed a lot in chiselling the contours of his personality. He has always aimed at giving the best to his students and they, in return, have found in him a dedicated teacher. He is so much devoted to studies that he has no other interest except an evening walk in his life. Now he is at the crossroads of his career but he knows that he is cut out for teaching and, at the same time deeply immersed in creative work. Linguistics is the area of his specialisation and he has compiled an English Punjabi Dictionary which is replete with classic quotations. His book ‘Punjabi Sahit Adhyan’ has been found very useful for MA students as well as for those who appear in UGC tests. During the last one decade he has contributed numerous articles of general interest to newspapers, such as Punjabi Tribune, Daily Ajit, Jag Bani and Desh Sewak. So far two collections of such articles, Kasumbhra Chug Chug Haari (1996) and Rama Nahin Mukdi Phulkari (2000), have been published and the third one, Kale likh na lekh, is being edited as a press copy. The first one was adjudged the best book of the year by the languages department, Punjab. He also plans to present a collection of his short stories in the near future. Lately he has taken keen interest in the Punjabi Key-board of the computer which he has found inadequate. |
Flouting traffic rules with
impunity Ludhiana, April 19 According to the available data, the city has over 6.5 lakh vehicles with the cars forming the majority. With a few exceptions, most car owners and drivers are flouting every rule mentioned in the Motor Vehicles Act such as defying the restriction as installing fog lamps, using lights on high-beam, coloured lights, pressure horns and tinted glasses which not only violate the law but also prove to be a menace, besides endangering many lives too. The Motor Vehicle Act prohibits use of such lights and other accessories. The head lights have to be painted half in black to avoid inconvenience to the drivers of vehicles coming from the opposite direction. It is clearly mentioned in the Act that whoever contravenes any provision of this Act may be fined between Rs 100 and Rs 5,000 or imprisonment or both depending on the offence. But these offences are being committed by people in the city despite the stringent punishments they may attract. Mrs Radha Bajaj, a local resident said perhaps the traffic rules were being violated because there was lack of education and training of traffic and transport rules by the departments of transport, environment and regions provide publicity. Mr Prem Dutt, a school teacher said city traffic cops should plan a strategy to educate youngsters about traffic rules. The youngsters should be exposed to modules highlighting the pros and cons of obeying traffic rules through live examples and practical displays. Mr G.S.Midda, a retired field officer said that traffic violations were there on roads but more dangerous to that was the role of people who diverted drivers’ attention by suddenly advertising through loudspeakers on the most accident-prone areas like Jagraon Bridge.
"This kind of campaigning should be banned as one can lose ones life also,” added Mr Midda. Meanwhile, a senior traffic police official said that an acute shortage of staff was hitting the functioning of the traffic police and rules were being flouted in the city. On an average there were six traffic policemen for 10,000 vehicles that ply everyday in the city, while in metros like Kolkata the ratio was 45:10,000, in Mumbai it was 37:10,000 and in Chennai it was 35:10,000. |
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Garbage dump awaits ‘inauguration’ Ludhiana April 19 The MC is said to have already given out the dump to a contractor who is said to be waiting for a particular VIP to come and inaugurate it. He has already put up advertisements but has failed to clean up the area of garbage. This structure has been readied for over a month now. What is shocking is that the rubbish of the entire area of the Civil Lines is dumped outside the structure presenting a very nauseating and ugly sight. Moreover, two big banners saying ‘Keep Ludhiana Clean’ are also put up on either side of the rubbish dump. One would like to ask the municipal authorities whether they are going to have a proper inauguration this structure. Will the VIP fill up the first basket of rubbish from the heap and transport it to the structure and the rest will follow the suit? If not, then why is the structure not being utilised for the purpose it was constructed. The residents are eager to know the name of the VIP who is going to inaugurate the multi-coloured gate structure meant for storing of rubbish. |
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Music came to her
rescue Ludhiana, April 19 Ms Walia says;” When God sends misfortune then he fills one with courage to face the world stoically. I was down and
out, but then I looked at my helpless children and I knew that I had to be both father and mother to them. So I started visiting the factory, but after one year I had to dispose it off as it went into a loss. I was back to square one. Then my music which I had learnt before marriage became not only a means of solace but helped me to get a job in the local convent. In the evenings I would run a boutique. Then teach the children and cook meals. I worked 10 to 12 hours to raise my family.” “Before I got married I used to sing on AIR Since my husband did not like my singing I had discontinued, but I kept practicing and, hence, my music came to my help.” Later she joined another public school and taught ‘shabad kirtan ‘. Ms Walia had won a gold medal in Vishrad (MA degree) in music from Pracheen Kala Kendra as she had topped. All the while she kept on running some other business to give her children a good education. Now she can look back with satisfaction that both her sons are qualified persons earning well. Being the only daughter of her parents, she had to quit teaching and move to Delhi to look after them. When she returned she decided to start her own music school and teach children shabad kirtan and classical music. Now her burning desire is to see her students become famous. She says: “I want to record a cassette of light classical songs and gazals. I want to record another cassette with my students. My children have jobs in Chandigarh. So I stay
alone, but my God is with me and has been always inspiring me. Even during my lowest period, I knew He would get me through.” The children love to learn music but the load of syllabus is so much that parents do not encourage children to learn music and hence are depriving them of great joy, she says
sadly. Music is a tonic that provides relief from the stressful life. Moreover music can be a good source of income as in the case of Ms Suman Walia. |
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Contractor ‘harassing’
rickshaw-pullers Ludhiana, April 19 Several rickshaw-pullers and some arthias today met the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Kaler, bringing to his notice the “bullying” by the contractor. The ADC reportedly referred the case to the Municipal Corporation, seeking clarification from it for marking specific parking area in the Subzi Mandi. The arthias and rickshaw-pullers alleged that the contractor charged for parking rickshaws and other vehicles anywhere in the Subzi Mandi. Whoever offered any resistance was bullied, and several rickshaw-pullers were allegedly manhandled by the contractor’s henchmen when they tried to refuse to pay. A rickshaw-puller said: “Even when we take small trips worth Rs 10 only, he would charge Rs 5 from us”. Some residents of Jagdish Pura locality on Tajpur road presented their case for starting the work on concrete lanes in the area. According to Mr Jagmohan Singh Nagpal, the foundation stone was laid about eight months ago by the local MLA, Mr Rakesh Pandey. But the work never started. The residents alleged that some influential dairy owners in the area were not allowing the work to start as they may have to shift out. They urged the ADC to ensure that the work started as early as possible. Some residents of the Nurpur Bet village alleged that two brothers, Shiv Singh and Dev Singh, sons of Karan Singh, had blocked the road in the village leading to harassment to about 15 families. The residents said the two brothers were trying to grab the land which belonged to the government. |
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General’s death
condoled Ludhiana April 19 The executive of the league on behalf of all ex-servicemen prayed to the almighty to rest his soul in eternal peace and grant courage and strength to his family members and others to bear the loss. |
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Missing child
recovered Tusse(Ludhiana), April 19 Six-year-old Kullu, who belongs to Shimla and was on a visit to his maternal uncle’s house in Shivaji Nagar here, had disappeared yesterday afternoon. The matter was reported to the police in the evening which after a two-hour operation found the child loitering around on the Tajpur road far away from his house. The sudden disappearance of the child had caused tension in the area, as a number of child kidnapping incidents have taken place in the city in the recent past. Mr Paramjit Singh, SHO, division no. 6, and Mr Sumeet Sood in charge, Dharampura police post, told media- persons that the child was not kidnapped and had gone away on his own. He said that the child was rebuked by an uncle and had run away. The child, who also calls himself Shah Rukh Khan, said he roamed about aimlessly for hours until he got tired and rested at a convenient place near the Tajpur road when he was recovered by the police. The child was handed over to the relieved parents last night. |
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Widow demands pension benefits Ludhiana, April 19 Ms Chauhan stated that the headmaster, who was also the drawing and disbursing officer of the government school at Kapurthala, where her husband was working as senior lecturer, paid her Rs 50,000 against the due amount of Rs 61,493. She said that the amount of Rs 11,493 had not been disbursed to her and instead she was told that her husband had to clear some unofficial dues which he owned in his individual capacity. Ms Chauhan has claimed that the dues had nothing to do with the government dues. She said that the receipt of the entire amount had been obtained by the headmaster and that he did not pay her the remaining dues despite persuasion on several occasions. |
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Hawker found dead Jagraon, April 19 According to the allegations made in the FIR by Mohinder Pal Singh, a resident of Mullanpur, he along with Ram Charan is residing in a room where Sukha, son of Sahib Singh of Vehrona police station. Vasoni along with his friend was also putting up in the same room. Sukha left for selling groundnut in Mandiani village in the noon, but did not return by night. Mohinder Pal got information on the telephone about a dead body lying near Bridge Kholia in Malsihan Bajan. When he and Ram Charan went there, they found Sukha Singh dead. |
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Conference
on road safety Ludhiana, April 19 The aim of the conference is to work out a low-cost community-based multi-sectoral action-oriented plan for Punjab to bring down the mortality rate through the rising number of road accidents. Its endeavour will be to bring all agencies like State Transport Department, State Traffic Police, Local Self Government, Municipal Corporations, Punjab State Electricity Board, Health Department of Education and non government organisations on a common platform to find quick and practical solution to this problem. |
Watermelons, the nectar of summer Ludhiana, April 19 The watermelon has changed its colours and size. Earlier, it used to be dark
verdent green and now it is available in striped form. Horticulturists are trying to bring in new seedless varieties as seeds are the only trying part of eating the melon. The seeds are used in
'char magaz’ along with three other kinds of seeds which is the most used ingredient to thicken any gravy. The watermelon begins its journey from the desert areas of Rajasthan these days, though earlier it comes from Bangalore. Priced at Rs. 10 a kg, one ends up paying Rs 50 for a piece. It is a pity that the fruit is beyond the reach of the poor, who need it the most to save themselves from dehydration. According to Dr Manpreet of Deep hospital,
”Water melon is excellent for dieters also. It provides fullness but has few calories. The only precaution one has to take is to never to eat a cut piece from the vendor. Once cut, it should be consumed for it fements easily. If after cutting it is not stored properly, it is bound to cause gastroentritise immediately.” The thick skin can be made into the tasty pickle. One can freeze the juice and have it with icecream as a dessert. It can be had for breakfast ,lunch and dinner. The green and red watermelons are always great favourites with people of all ages. |
10 kg poppy husk
seized Ludhiana, April 19 A case was registered against the accused under sections 15,16 and 85 of the NDPS Act.
Doraha Jewellery snatched According to the FIR registered at Payal police station, Harminder Singh was nearing his village along with his wife, Surinder Kaur, on his scooter, when they were forcibly stopped by three youths, who, too, were following them for quite some time on a black-coloured scooter without a number plate. They snatched the woman’s gold jewellery worth Rs 28,000 and absconded. A case has been registered against them under Sections 356 and 34 of the IPC.
Tusse
(Ludhiana) Cars stolen An Esteem car has been reported to be stolen from White Rock Marriage Palace on Ferozepore road. Mr Kuldeep Kumar Vadera had complained to the police that his car (PB10 T- 2131) was stolen on April 17. The police has registered a case but no clue has been found so far. Snatching case 3 booked in assault case |
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Child kidnapped for
ransom Jagraon, April 19 According to the FIR lodged under Sections 364-A, 506 and 34, IPC, by Mohd Shafiq, father of the child, he used to drop his son in the school daily and bring him back after school hours. Aslam, the uncle, got a telephone call at his shop that the caller had kidnapped Nazam and he was in their possession and wanted Rs 50,000 as ransom. Immediately Mohd Shafiq and Aslam went to the school where the child was studying , but were shocked to know from the class teacher that the child had been taken away. |
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