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| Sunday,
September 30, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Violent protests over demolition of structure Ludhiana, September 29 At least one person and six policemen sustained injuries as an angry mob pelted stones at the police near the temple. The police also had to resort to lathi-charge in which one person was seriously injured. A number of private and police vehicles were also damaged in different parts of the city. Reports of violence from Kailash Cinema market, Karimpura Bazar and several parts of the old city had also poured in. A curfew-like situation prevailed in the entire city as people preferred staying indoors fearing riots. A demolition team of the MC, in a sudden move, demolished some alleged illegal structure near the famous Durga Mata temple at about midnight last. A portion of a boundary wall of an under-construction temple and a room on the other side of the road was demolished. The room was initially meant for use as police post during the festival season, but was later extended. While the temple committee claimed that all structures were legal, the MC officials claimed it was illegal. Interestingly, sources informed that the dispute over the structures had been going on for the past one month. Some meetings with the temple committee, MC and the district administration also took place. The sources said the MC’s step last night had surprised the district administration also. Parleys failed as representatives of the mob were demanding the immediate suspension and transfer of the Commissioner MC, besides the registration of a case against him and the police for demolishing the ‘legal’ structure, hurting the religious sentiments of the the people and injuring protesters. While the concentration of the protest was at the traffic light chowk near the temple, where an angry mob blocked the Ferozepore road since 8 am, a mob marched to the house of the MC Commissioner, S. S. Sandhu, in the afternoon near Rakh Bagh and gheraoed it. The house was under heavy police security to prevent any untoward incident. While officials of the Municipal Corporation preferred to stay away, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S. K. Sandhu, and the SSP, Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu, tried to pacify the crowd, but failed. They also held an hour-long meeting with the representatives of the angry mob, which included members of the Durga Mata Mandir Committee, Lala Lajpat Rai, Member, Parliament and Mr Sat Pal Gosain, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha. However, the meeting failed to resolve the matter. Another meeting was fixed in the evening. The situation remained critical at a traffic light chowk near the temple throughout the day. As soon as the news of the demolition spread in the city, people began collecting at the chowk and traffic was blocked. Earlier in the day, the police resorted to-lathi-charge at about 10.30 am, when some members of the mob manhandled SDM Kuldip Singh and some police officers when they were persuading the agitators to lift the dharna. The officers were pushed around in the presence of Mr Rai. While the officials were withdrawing from the scene, a section of the mob went on a rampage and demolished a milestone on the road and also starting pelting stones at the police. The police then ordered a lathi-charge. Later, Mr Rai sat on a dharna outside the Division No. 5 police station as the police had launched a lathi-charge in his presence when he had gone to pacify the crowd. Minor skirmishes between the police and the mob continued throughout the day. |
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MC
Chairman, SHO transferred Ludhiana, September 29 The demonstrators were partly pacified after the announcement about the removal of the Commissioner made by the senior BJP leader, Mr Lala Lajpat Rai, in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sandhu, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Harpreet Sidhu, and leaders of different political parties at the dharna staged outside the temple. Mr Rai said he had received the communication from the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, about the decision. The late night operation of MC officials had led to widespread tension and resentment among the people in the town as several people converged on the temple. A team of MC officials headed by Zonal Commissioner Prem Chand, descended on the spot at around 11.30 pm last night and demolished three partly built pillars, which were to form the base of the main entrance to the new temple, being raised along side the existing Durga Mata Mandir. There was only a watchman present in the temple complex at that time and the MC demolition squad faced no resistance, whatsoever. Cutting across political affiliations leaders of all political parties including the BJP, the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic Morcha), converged on the spot and staged a dharna demanding the dismissal of the Commissioner. They pointed out that the demolition had deeply hurt the religious sentiments of lakhs of people and the Commissioner should be held accountable for it. The three local legislators, including Mr Satpal Gosain of the BJP, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Mr Rakesh Pandey of the Congress, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal of the Panthic Morcha, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, state BJP president, Mr Surinder Dawer the president District Congress Committee, Ludhiana, Mr Harbans Lal Sethi, district president, BJP, Mr Jeevan Dhawan, DCC general secretary, also joined the dharna. However, they urged people not to get provoked and appealed for peace and communal harmony. Although Dr Sandhu was not in the town, senior officials in the corporation maintained that they had time and again insisted upon the temple management to remove the illegal structure which had been built on encroached land. The MC Additional Commissioner, Mr Raminder Singh, told Ludhiana Tribune that while the main building of the new temple, was as per the approved plan, the proposed main gate of the temple and the structure raised for this purpose, was in violation of the house line by almost two feet. The temple management had been requested several times to remove the encroachment towards the public road during a series of meetings held between the representatives of the management and the MC officials but they failed to act on their own, thus forcing the MC administration to initiate the action. However, Mr Lala Lajpat Rai, who is the senior vice-president of the Durga Mata Mandir Management Trust, alleged that the MC officials had betrayed him. Mr Rai said, he had been authorised by the trust to negotiate with the MC. “However, while negotiations were going on and I was away to Delhi, the MC officials bulldozed the structure”, he regretted, while adding, “I fail to understand, what provoked the corporation officials to act in such a hurry and in a highly irresponsible manner, particularly when there are thousands of illegal structures in the city”. Chairman of the trust Purshotam Mittal and two members Mr Kishan Chand Gupta and Mr Bumpy Vishal expressed surprise over the midnight operation of the Municipal Corporation. |
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A day of chaos Ludhiana, September 29 The protests started in the morning itself and the Jagraon bridge area of the city was totally disconnected from the rest of the city. The normal traffic flow in the area was diverted through the Mall Road, Old Kachehri Chowk and Domoria Bridge. The daily schedule of the residents was disturbed as it took residents more than two hours to reach their destinations. Endless traffic jams due to the closing of certain roads added to the woes of commuters. Many were seen parking their cars on Domoria Bridge and walking to reach their respective destinations. It was a difficult day for the schoolchildren and the college-goers also especially for those who had to appear in examinations. It was difficult for students of the Government College for Women, who had an examination today, to reach their college. They were being stopped by the police near the Fountain Chowk. The main markets of the city were also closed forcibly by the activists. |
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Molestation: IHRO for ouster of teacher Ludhiana, September 29 Addressing a press conference here today the Chairperson of the IHRO, Mr D.S. Gill, said the organisation had conducted an inquiry into the case and after talking to the victim, teacher and members of the fact-finding committee constituted by the PAU. Mr Gill, said in a written statement, that the inquiry had revealed that the girl was molested by her major advisor, but many teachers were trying to shield the accused. He said the Vice-Chancellor should constitute a high-level committee to devise means and mechanism check the menace of sexual exploitation of girl students. |
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Case registered against MLA Khamano, September 29 In this regard, a complaint has been registered at the Khamano police station. According to the report, on September 24, the MLA and his secretary came to the hospital with about 15 men. The secretary, along with some men, went upstairs and reached the roof of the hospital from where they shouted that they would see who was able to vacate the shop of Subhash Kumar, a shopkeeper in nearby area. According to Dr Charanjeet Singh, these persons also misbehaved with women staff and nurses of the hospital. Later, they escaped in cars. The police has registered a case under Sections 294, 452 and 509 of the IPC. |
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Netizens unhappy with cyber cafe services Ludhiana, September 29 The common problem of the netizens is the slow speed at which the Internet is accessed, especially during the evening hours. This is the time when there is maximum rush at the cafes and the Internet traffic gets blocked. Mr Vivek Sharma, an engineer and a frequent visitor to cyber cafes, says most of the cyber cafe owners use many computers on single line which affects the speed. These people are more concerned about their business rather than the kind of services they provide to Net users. Seema, a student of MCA, says different cyber cafes in the city charge different rates for surfing which causes confusion in the minds of Net users. The rates vary from Rs 15 to Rs 50 per hour. Sarika, another regular visitor, says that cyber cafe owners have set a minimum rate irrespective of the time spent on surfing. She says at times when she is in a hurry and simply wants to check her mail, she has to pay Rs 15 for 10 minutes, the charges which can entitle her Net
surfing for half an hour. Varinder, a student of MBBS, says he has to visit different websites for the required information and because of slow speed a lot of time gets wasted. ‘‘Getting a print out is also a difficulty as most of the cyber cafes do not have a printer and the others charge Rs 40 for colour print and Rs 15 for black and white printing” he says. There are other problems as well. Most of the cyber cafe owners do not possess the technical knowhow required to manage a cafe efficiently. An elderly woman says ‘‘I regularly visit a cyber cafe to mail my son living in Australia, but I forget certain commands or get some errors. When I ask for assistance from the owner, he will spend hours over it, waste my time, charge more and still not be very helpful in getting out of the problem.’’ Another user says connections break down too often during usage and it has to be started all over again. ‘‘A lot of time gets wasted for getting connection re-established and in re-opening the sites. Later when you request the owner to deduct the charges for that time, he would not agree to your request it is really annoying,’’ he says. While the Internet users feel that there should be some set norms for running a cyber cafe, the owners still believe that service are good. A cyber cafe owner at Maya Nagar says he is using eight computers on a single phone line which according to him is ideal. A cyber cafe owner at Ghumar Mandi says, it is not possible to guide all the customers as some of them do not even know how to use the mouse. Even after repeated attempts to instruct them, the users are not able to learn proper way for surfing, he says. |
Panthic Morcha against Devi Lal’s memorial Ludhiana, September 29 Addressing protesters here yesterday, leaders of the morcha lambasted the Badal government for betraying the trust of the Panth and people by indulging in various acts of omission and commission at the cost of the state's interest. They alleged that Badal government had not only deviated from the panthic agenda, but had also crossed all the limits of corruption. The convener of the morcha, Baba Sarabjot Singh Bedi, appealed to the people to strengthen his party and ensure its victory. He assured people that he would endeavour to usher in an era of progress like the one established by great Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. "I would also ensure total panthic unity, with ek pradhan and ek sihant", he said. Opposing the setting up of Devi Lal's memorial in Punjab, the radical Sikh leader, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, said the memorial would be demolished when the Panthic Morcha would come to power. He promised that all the statues of people like Devi Lal and Beant Singh would be demolished as "all of them were anti- Punjabis". Former SGPC chief and senior morcha leader,Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, demanded an independent inquiry into the allegations of corruption levelled by the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president, Capt Amarinder Singh, against the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. He observed, the counter charges levelled by Mr Badal against Capt Amarinder also needed to be probed. Another senior morcha leader Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal criticised the Badal government for rejecting the recommendations of the Human Rights Commission to handover the probe into the burning of birs to the CBI. ‘‘The protagonists of the human rights have proved to be the worst violators’’, he remarked.  |
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Punjab Cong gearing
up for poll Ludhiana, September 29 In a press statement, Mr Johar said the party set-up in the state was being streamlined by the leadership in a bid to project the image of a united and strong party. Elaborating the measures taken by the party high command in this direction, Mr Johar disclosed that the AICC President Sonia Gandhi had constituted a five-member high powered committee under the chairmanship of former Union Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. The committee, comprising of former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Virbhadra Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Union Minister Mr Yogendra Makwana and former minister from Madhya Pradesh Nilma Shekhawat, would supervise the working of the PPCC and be responsible for laying down the electoral strategy. The party high command, according to Mr Johar, had also set up a coordination committee, headed by AICC cashier Moti Lal Vora, who was also in charge of Punjab affairs. Further, a manifesto committee with former Union Minister Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder as its chairperson, a campaign committee, headed by Mr Raghunandan Lal Bhatia, MP, were already in place to carry out their respective tasks. |
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Distinguished Punjabis to
be honoured Ludhiana, September 29 The president and secretary of the Prof Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation disclosed that mela would be inaugurated at 9.00 a .m. at Punjabi Bhavan. A symposium on Prof Mohan Singh’s writings and a Ghazal Darbar would be held on the day. A competition in the recitation of poems penned by Prof Mohan Singh by college students would be a special attraction. Each college could send one participant. Kavishri and Dhadi Darbars were also being organised. Meaningful and powerful plays by famous writers would be staged. A slide show tracing the history of the mela would be shown by photographer T.S. Sandhu. Players of different instruments like algoza, sarangi, dholak, tumbi, tabla would get a chance to compete and show their skill. Folk dance competitions were also a part of the programme. |
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BJP clarifies on
octroi abolition Ludhiana, September 29 Mr Rinwa was talking to reporters after addressing a convention of the traders’ wing of the party. He assured that the party and the government was committed to guarding the interests of the trading community. He said all pending issues related to trade and industry would be settled on a priority basis. The BJP leader denied that he had been ignored by organisers at the Killianwali rally which was addressed by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, after inaugurating a memorial to former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal. Welcoming the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Mr Rinwa said, its activities were posing a threat to the national security. He advocated a stern action against the divisive and anti-national forces. |
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‘Interests of non-Sikhs safe under SAD regime’ Ludhiana, September 29 This was stated by the SAD Adviser, Mr Amrit Lal
Aggarwal, at a meeting with mediapersons here last evening. He lauded Mr Badal for his undaunting stand against militants and other antisocial elements, which had led to complete elimination of terrorism and communalism from the state. Mr Aggarwal, who had joined the SAD along with 500 other non-Sikhs, including doctors, lawyers and other professionals here, in the presence of Mr Badal, expressed his confidence that black days of terrorism would never return and bonds of communal brotherhood would be further strengthened with more and more non-Sikhs would join SAD (B). |
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From Andhra to sell hammocks Ludhiana, September 29 Not only Ramu but also Veapan, Yastata Rao, Geeappan and many others like them have come miles from their homes in search of business. “I thought that I would make some money from this industrial city, but it has been more than 24 hours now but I have not sold even a single piece”, said Ramu in a dejected voice. The hand-made colourful hammocks are available in three sizes-small, medium and large. “The small piece is for Rs 10, the medium for Rs 20 and the large ones for Rs 35 and Rs 40 because two persons can sit on these hammocks”, said Veapan. They have put up their ‘stalls’ in different areas including the Mall Road, Maharani Jhansi Road, Civil Lines and Dandi Swami. “This is my second visit to this city. Last year the response was good so I persuaded my friends to accompany me this time, but things have changed. People do not even look at these”, said 26-year-old Yastata Rao. Each of them is carrying 800 to 1000 pieces. The hammocks can be hung on trees, between walls, in the garden and even in the sitting room. “We make about 20 pieces from one kilogram of plastic rope. The rope is also expensive. In Andhra, people buy these hammocks, but the margin is very low. Last year, I could sell all the hammocks in Ludhiana within seven days and I had to go back on my village to bring more pieces, Yastata Rao said. These hammock weavers are basically fishermen and they make fishing nets in their villages. “The idea of making these hammocks came from there only”, said Ramu. “I will wait for another day or two, if the hammocks are not sold, then I will go to Jalandhar. I cannot go back like this. My family is waiting, Ramu added. |
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PET TALK PETS do not need frequent bathing. Their skin is more delicate than human beings. It is much more prone to drying out due to application shampoo or soap. In fact, frequent bath with a strong product may dry out natural oils in the dog’s skin and lead to constant scratching which in turn can lead to bacterial infections. Shampoos for human use are formulated to remove all oils. You need to get one formulated for dogs that will remove dirt, but not the essential oils. Dogs that are frequently bathed may require some supplements (such as vegetable oil) to keep their skin and coat healthy. A condition called impetigo may result from not rinsing out of all the soap. Other general problems, such as fleas that prefer dried-out skin, may also occur. First, groom your pet to rid its coat of any mats or knots. Bathing will not remove these and in fact will worsen these. Plug its ears with cotton to prevent water from entering into its ears. To prevent soap-burn in eyes, smear the eye area with a little vaseline, or administer a few drop of mineral oil or protective eye ointment in each eye. Do not use shampoos made for human use. These contain harsh detergents and are not ph balanced for pets. These could damage pet’s hair and sensitive skin. Wet your dog thoroughly. Using a shampoo, especially formulated for dogs, lather and rinse its head carefully. Massage shampoo into the hair and down to the skin. Clean the face using a towel saturated with water and shampoo and the insides of the ears with a sponge or washcloth. Work up a good lather. Rinse your dog thoroughly even beyond when you think you've got all the soap out. Do not use vinegar, lemon, or bleach rinses; these are acidic and can damage the dog’s coat and skin. Dry out excess water from pet’s coat. For pets with short hair, rub the hair vigorously with a towel, first in the direction of hair and then against it, working from head to tail. Long hair should be combed properly to prevent any tangles. Do not allow the pet move out until the hair is completely dry. To obtain a full, fluffed appearance in a long-haired pet, blow dry with cool air in summer and with warm air in winter (never hot) while brushing the hair. Finally the brushing should be done in the direction of hair growth. Dogs with oily coats may benefit from ‘dry-cleaning’ in between baths. Calcium carbonate, talcum or baby powder, and cornstarch are effective for this purpose. These can be used frequently without any fear of removing essential oils or damaging the coat and skin of the pet. Apply powder and then brush from toes toward head with a soft bristle brush. Then brush the dog normally to remove all the powder.
— Jaspreet Singh |
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New cycle rickshaw rolls out Ludhiana, September 29 A sample piece of this type of rickshaw is presently plying on the roads. It has been manufactured by M/s Chanan Ram & Brothers Agra. Mr Sukhdev Gambir, proprietor of the firm, said, “Production of this type of rickshaw will soon start in Ludhiana”. He could not tell about the cost of the rickshaw as, according to him, it could be determined only after the assembling of these rickshaws started in the city. Mr Ajay Kumar is the first rickshaw-puller who is plying first such rickshaw. He says that he has been given this rickshaw for the test ride to work out its efficiency. He says this cycle rickshaw requires less physical labour. He says it attracts people and he was getting good business. |
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INTUC
flays govt over privatisation Ludhiana, September 29 Dr Subash Sharma, president of the Punjab INTUC, said, the existing economic model was deliberately being distorted to suit the interests of a few people only. He lashed on the economic policies of the government, which he alleged were being dictated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He cautioned against the widespread unemployment caused by these economic policies. Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, local MP, assured his party’s support to various demands of the workers. The convention was attended by representatives of various trade unions and organisations from across the state. |
Minor girl abducted Jagraon, September 29 Illicit liquor seized: The Sidhwan Bet police arrested Balwinder Singh, alias Binder of Bhaini Gujjran, near Sheikh Talwara and seized from his possession 15 bottles of illicit liquor. In another incident the police has seized 20 bottles of illicit liquor from Darshan Singh of Sherewal. The police has registered cases under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act. SAHNEWAL BOOKED ARRESTED POPPY HUSK
SEIZED AHMEDGARH ARRESTED |
‘Announce anti-dumping duty on yarn’ Ludhiana, September 29 He said this decision will provide stability to the manufacturers of acrylic yarn within the country, though they have already undergone great losses for want of imposition of anti-dumping duty on such yarn. Mr Pardhan said the FM should notify the imposition of the said dumping duty immediately so that the acrylic yarn manufacturers are saved from the current impact of the attacks on the WTC in the USA. |
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