Pay anomalies upset senior PAU teachers
Kanchan Vasdev
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 6
Certain senior teachers of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here are getting paid less than their juniors, thanks to anomalies in the implementation of the revised salary structure with effect from January 1, 1996.

Though the revised pay-scale was enforced in 1999, many teachers are drawing salaries according to the previous structure. They have written a number of times to the authorities concerned about this anomaly, but to no avail.

According to a letter of the Union Ministry of Agricultural Research and Education, the salaries of university teachers were to be revised from January 1, 1996.

In many university departments, teachers who are even more than five years junior to some other teachers are getting paid more than their seniors. Teachers who have to bear it are upset, but the PAU authorities do not know what to do in this situation.

The Deputy Comptroller (Audit), Mr A.C. Rana, had recently written to the Office of the Comptroller of the PAU, seeking a review of the pay-scale. In an audit requisition, the Deputy Comptroller had said: “With respect to teachers who were given advance increments on account of acquiring M.Sc, M.VSc, Ph.D or M.Phil degrees in the unrevised pay-scale, have had their pays as on January 1, 1996 erroneously fixed by taking into account advance increments. However, these increments were to be excluded for calculating one increment after every three increments in the unrevised scale.”

He had also said: “While checking pay-fixation cases of teachers in audit, this thing escaped notice as the PAUTA representatives were pressing for an early withdrawal of pays according to the revised scales.” The Deputy Comptroller had also sought the advice of Examiner Local Fund Accounts of Punjab on how to remove the anomalies.

Moreover, some teachers who had acquired a Ph.D degree before January 1, 1996, but not received these benefits, have not been given the increments, though the UGC had said that they should get the benefits from July 27, 1998.

When contacted, Mr Rana said he had received a number of such complaints from teachers. He said it was not a major problem anymore, as most of the cases had already been settled. He said, if any teacher still had this problem, he or she should contact him immediately.

The affected teachers, however, said they had contacted him a number of times, but nothing had been done to remove the problem.

Stop victimising women: Shabana Azmi
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 6
“More women die in one week from pregnancy-related complications in India than all the women who die in Europe throughout the year. Incidentally, 70 per cent of these deaths are preventable. The only reason why no one bothers about these alarming figures is that these women belong to the lower strata of society”. This was disclosed by Member of Parliament, Ms Shabana Azmi while delivering the fifth Sat Paul Mittal Annual Oration on “Empowerment of women”, here today.

Ms Azmi reiterated that empowerment of women had become a buzz word, where as the need of the hour was to work for a just, equitable and peaceful society, in which women had the right to make their own decisions. “At present we live in a society that accuses the victim for the crime perpetuated against her. The need of the hour is to change the orientation of the society without which empowerment of women would not be achievable”, she said.

She went on to tell an august gathering of medical students and eminent city residents at the Dumra Auditorium, Dayanand Medical College (DMC) that the indifference in the society towards women could be gauged from the fact that the number of women who die due to lack of medical treatment equals to the number of people who would die in 300 air crashes. “No government anywhere in the world can survive if it fails to prevent the deaths of so many people in air crashes, but in India politicians are totally indifferent to the deaths of so many women, yet they continue to survive in politics”, she added.

She said that no one need to be scared when women talked of empowerment as they were only trying to say, “Women are different and their needs and solution to their problem have to be taken care of from a point of view that is other than the predominant male point of view”.

Ms Azmi said that to achieve empowerment of women, certain steps had been recognised as essential. The first and foremost of them was the education of the girl child. “When a girl of eight should be going to school, she is acting as a surrogate mother to her sibling. With every addition in the family, the biggest casualty is her education”. Not only is education denied to the girl child, but even the education that is imparted to her is oriented towards a male dominated society in which a man’s role is projected to be that of a bread winner, while the women’s as that of a homemaker.

“It is a misconception,” she said “thinking that making a girl economically independent by providing her education for a job is adequate for women empowerment. Till the time the women is not independent in making her own decisions by deciding on what to do with her earnings and her life, the prevailing economic independence is only leading to double work for the women, who has to do both the office and domestic work”. Ms Azmi said that it was time that men and women renegotiated work when both partners are working.

Speaking to a spellbound audience, Ms Azmi said that empowerment of women meant that women could make decisions that effect their lives. She condemned moves by certain states to debar women having more than two children from contesting elections. “The decision of having more children is not that of the women, on top of it the decision of some states to censure her for no fault of hers is not only unfair, but also contra productive”, she said.

Coercion as a means of family planning and population control had failed and it is high time the government realised that only empowerment of women by putting them in the center of development issues would help curb population, rather than any forcible means or punishments, she added.

Having returned from Gujarat, Ms Azmi also strongly condemned the communal violence in that state and added that a few misguided politicians had perpetuated the violence with vote banks on their minds. “I condemn both the killing of passengers on board the Sabarmati Express and the burning of innocents in various towns and villages of Gujarat”. She appealed to the audience to vow to not let communal violence present its ugly face in any part of the country and to actively participate in foiling the designs of misguided politicians.

Plastic bags banned in city
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 6
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, has imposed a ban on use of plastic bags for carriage and transportation of edible products. In a notification, issued under ‘Recycles Plastic (Manufacture and Usage) Rules 1999,’ it has been stipulated that according to Rule 4, bags or cartons made from recycled plastic would not be used for storage or transportation of edible products. Further, carrybags made from virgin or recycled plastic should have a minimum thickness of 20 microns.

It may be recalled that while disposing off two different writ petitions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had put a ban on use and manufacture of carry bags of less than 20 microns thickness made from virgin or recycled plastic.

The orders issued by the Deputy Commissioner made it clear that violation of these directions would attract penal action under the Environment Protection Act 1986.

DC asks officials to redress public grievances
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 6
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, who assumed office on Monday, told the district officials to redress public grievances on top priority. He said that working of the subordinate staff should be streamlined to ensure punctuality and time-bound disposal of files.

Addressing his first meeting of the district officials here today, Mr Aggarwal had a detailed discussion on the working of different government departments and progress of development works in the district. While assuring that problems being faced by certain departments would be resolved, he called for detailed reports from some other departments.

The Deputy Commissioner asked the district officials and the Food and Civil Supplies Department to gear up for the purchase of ensuing wheat crop. Discussing the working of the Health Department, Mr Aggarwal observed that while there was no need to panic from the threat of plague, the situation called for caution and adequate preventive measures.

Youth festival begins at PAU
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 6
Attired in their best, students of five colleges of Punjab Agricultural University took out a procession on the campus marking the beginning of a three-day youth festival at the campus.

The procession started from the Students’ Home and ended at the open air theatre, where the Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, accompanied by Deans of the constituent colleges, formally inaugurated the festival by lighting a candle. Addressing a large gathering of students and faculty members, Dr Aulakh emphasised the importance of discipline in life. ‘‘One must enjoy his win and accept the defeat with grace,’’ he said.

Dr M.A. Zahir, Dean of the College of Basic Sciences and Humanities and President of the Dance, Drama and Music Club, said PAU had not only excelled in the field of agricultural research, but had also encouraged cultural and fine arts activities.

Earlier, Dr J.S. Toor, Director, Students Welfare, PAU, welcomed the chief guest, students, faculty members and guests to the festival. According to Mr Manjit Singh Grewal, Welfare Officer, the festival would continue on March 7 and 8. A number of cultural activities would be held during the festival. 

Punjab board exams begin
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 6
Thousands of students of Class X and class XII appeared for their written examination at 348 centres set by the Punjab School Education Board here today. While the written test of English for Class X students were held in the morning session, students of class XII from various streams appeared in the evening round.

At Arya Senior Secondary School, Old Sabzi Mandi, two centres for both the classes had been set up. Mr B.K. Verma, Principal, said that nearly 560 students of each class including a majority of the privately appearing students took the examination today.

Over 240 students of Class X from Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Jawahar Nagar, including 157 students from private schools, appeared for examination of English in the morning at the centre. In the evening, nearly 120 students of the school from class XII along with 55 students from private schools from various streams took the examination. 

BJP workers burn Sonia’s effigy
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 6
Hundreds of BJP workers today took out a procession and staged a demonstration in front of the Clock Tower and also burnt an effigy of Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her reported remarks about the Godhra incident, where about 60 kar sevaks were burnt to death. Some Congress workers also tried to confront them and prevent them from burning the effigy. However, they were kept at a distance by the police and the situation was saved from taking an ugly turn.

BJP leaders also alleged intimidation at the hands of the police saying false cases were being registered against the party workers by the police at the behest of their political masters. The district BJP president, Mr Harbans Lal Sethi, said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party strongly condemns the registration of false cases against BJP workers and police lathi-charge on the workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad”. He disclosed that the names in the FIRs included some of the active BJP workers, who were not even present in Ludhiana on the day of bandh.

The BJP leader accused the SHO of Division No 2 police station of “special prejudice against BJP” and demanded his immediate transfer. He alleged that the SHO had not performed his duties honestly.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Kamal Chaitely, district president of the Bharatiya Yuva Janata Morcha, alleged that a Congress councillor had been found involved in the Godhra massacre and demanded that he should be severely punished. He warned the Congress President to desist from resorting to divisive politics as it will prove harmful for the country.

Meanwhile, the District Congress Committee (Urban) president, Mr K K Bawa, has condemned the BJP workers for burning the effigy of the Congress President.

‘Migrant workers being exploited’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 6
The District Youth Congress (DYC) has expressed concern over exploitation of migrant workers by owners of industrial units and commercial establishments. It says that the government and the district administration has failed to assess the gravity of the situation and take corrective steps.

In a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, the Labour Cell of the DYC said a majority of about six lakh migrant workers here were being treated harshly and subjected to economic and social exploitation. They were made to work for 13 hours continuously and denied minimum wages fixed by the government.

According to Mr Sabhajit Pandey, head of the DYC Labour Cell, the erratic payment of wages to migrant workers is a common complaint. Mr Pandey said they were hired and fired at will and legal recourse to seek justice was also beyond their reach.

Moreover, a massive backlog of cases in the Labour Courts made the litigation more expensive and time consuming.

The DYC has urged the administration to evolve a set up to redress the grievances of migrant workers. It has also sought scrupulous enforcement of labour laws in private establishments, grant of health cover and life insurance to workers, strengthening of public distribution system for the poor, ration cards and voting rights for migrant workers, payment of minimum wages, an end to contract system of labour and low-cost housing for workers.

NCLP: labouring hard for kids
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, March 6
In Ludhiana the Labour Department, under the National Child Labour Policy, is running 40 schools for child labour with the basic objective of suitably rehabilitating the children withdrawn from employment and to reduce the incidence of child labour in areas where there is a known concentration of child labour.

Mr. S.S. Bandi, the Assistant Labour Commissioner and the Project Director of NCLP said that the government had earmarked a budget of Rs 2.5 crore to run such schools. This project started in September 2001 and is to run for three years. After the completion of three years, surveys being carried on child labour would determine the future course of action. Mr S.S. Bandi said that each school imparts education to 50 children daily and nutrition amounting to Rs 2.50 is given to all school children during school time. A stipend of Rs 100 per month is also given to the students through cheques. The schools are run in the afternoon in government school or college buildings.

He further said that students are prepared to appear for class V examination conducted by the Board. The Deputy Commissioner is the ex-officio in-charge of this project. Students above 10 years of age are also given vocational training, like making of envelopes and preparing liquid detergents. In some schools, students are given training in tailoring as well as mending clothes. SDP College, which houses one of these schools in the afternoons, has bought some old scooters and the students are given training to repair these scooters. Mr Bhandi said that 23 NGOs are quite active in helping the government, like the Rotary Club, Nishkam Sewa Society, Shiv Sharan Welfare Society and Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle help them with providing uniforms, books and arranging medical check ups of the students.

The inspection of these schools is carried out by members of the State Monitoring Committee randomly. Four to five schools are visited every week. Pappo Abnash Singh, a member of State Monitoring Committee, along with Mr Bhandi inspected schools no. 21, 22, 29 and 30 recently and were pleasantly surprised to see that the students were being served hot milk and bread and butter. They could recite the National Anthem as well as the tables. The visitors were impressed by the level of understanding gained by these students. Attendance of the students was very good. The interest and the enthusiasm of teachers and the upkeep of books and notebooks in these schools was quite up to the mark.

Later on, some of these students would be joining the formal stream of education and those who were not interested in studies could join a vocation of their choice for which they would get training in these schools.

The NCLP are regularly reviewed through a Central Monitoring Committee. In three cities in Punjab i.e. Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana, there are 107 schools in all, where 5,350 children have been enrolled.

While child labour is a worldwide phenomena, the problem is more acute in developing countries. Hundreds of children in developing countries start working at a very early age. These children are vulnerable to many kinds of exploitation and abuse. They are exposed to risk at work and are also more susceptible than adults to the deleterious effects of the working environment. In a survey conducted by International Labour Organisation's Bureau of Statistics there are 120 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 for whom work is a secondary activity. Unfortunately India has the largest number of child workers in India. Hopefully projects like these will help reduce incidence of child labour.

Dairy-owners refuse to be cowed 
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, March 6
What could be described sheer apathy on part of civic administration, city residents in about a dozen colonies have been made to live in pathetic conditions for more than decade now, thanks to the presence of hundreds of dairies in these areas.

Due to persistent lack of concern of the Municipal Corporation, there has been a total collapse of civic amenities in these colonies, spread all over the city and on its periphery. According to residents, they live in the worst possible insanitary conditions, with cattle excreta scattered all over streets, choked sewers and drains, unbearable stench and heaps of fodder stocked all around being a common feature.

Unauthorised dairy units, operating in city localities in violation of the provisions of Punjab Municipal Corporation Act 1976 have reversed the little initiative taken by civic administration and district authorities in the past. Although no one was prepared to go on record, yet residents alleged that certain dairy-owners enjoyed political patronage, which had scuttled the attempts of the residents of these localities to move the MC administration into action.

A senior citizen Mr Raghbir Singh, resident of Guru Arjun Dev Nagar colony near Samrala Chowk and a retired Executive Engineer of Punjab Irrigation department, who has been suffering due to a dairy unit operating just next to his residence for the last over 15 years, had moved a petition before the Punjab Human Rights Commission, pleading justice and restoration of his civic rights.

The petition, which is still pending before the PHRC, stated that between 1985 and 1993, the district administration, Punjab Pollution Control Board, the District Grievances Committee and the MC had passed orders for shifting of dairies at different occasions, which were never implemented, nor was any follow up action taken. As a result, the residents of all these colonies, where dairy units were located, were forced to live in literally inhuman conditions.

When asked for comments, the MC Commissioner, Mr R.L. Kalsia, said the civic body was seized of the matter and ground had been prepared to provide alternative sites to these dairy units to facilitate their shifting so that sufferings of the residents could be mitigated.

“During a preliminary survey, some 500 dairy units were listed in colonies like Guru Arjan Dev Nagar, Jagdish Pura, Kailash nagar, Subhash Nagar, Salem Tabri, Issa Nagri, Chander nagar, New Chander Nagar and Asha Puri. Thereafter, orders were issued under section 343 (1) (c) of Punjab Municipal Corporation Act 1976, declaring these areas as ‘no cattle zone’.”

The MC, he added, had earmarked land in Jamalpur area for development of a dairy complex, where basic infrastructure will be provided and plots will be carved out for sale to dairy owners in an open auction. He said once the dairy complex was ready for occupation, the MC would not hesitate to take deterrent action against defaulters and if needed, physical removal of cattle and dairy units would also be carried out.

Rs 33 cr elevated road project well on its way
Our Correspondent

City Mayor, along with some other MC officials, inspects the work on elevated road near the railway station in Ludhiana.— IV

Ludhiana, March 6
The project for construction of 2.5 km long ‘elevated road’, first of its kind in the region, is progressing well and the executing agency — M/s Skanska Cementations India having completed the preliminary work of soil testing and pile testing, have already laid 56 piles, out of total 380 to be laid on the entire stretch on Old G.T. Road between the Jagraon Bridge and Chand Cinema.

City Mayor Apinder Singh Grewal accompanied by other officials of the municipal corporation visited the construction site near railway station where a giant digging machine has been currently deployed for the work of pile laying. After detailed discussions with the technical staff of the construction company, Mr Grewal expressed his satisfaction on the progress of the project.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, the Mayor said with the completion of the elevated road and Lakkar Pul flyover, providing another motorable link between old city localities and the Civil Lines, the lot of traffic load would be taken off from Jagraon Bridge and Domoria Pul, the existing links between old city and localities lying West of Ludhiana - Delhi rail tracks.

Simultaneously, the work for the flyover in place of existing Lakkar Pul has also been taken in hand and the PWD Department, the executing agency for Rs 9.35 crore project, has already taken up the construction of 18.9 metre wide approach road from Old Courts side.

According to Mr Ashok Kumar, Superintending Engineer (Projects) of the MC, the portion of the railway bridge over the Ludhiana - Delhi tracks would be constructed by the Railways, for which the civic body has deposited Rs 4 crore with the Northern Railway. In addition, the MC has also paid of Rs 2.36 crore with the Railways towards the cost of Railway land to be utilised for the proposed flyover.

The flyover, almost one kilometre in length, will have a four lane carriage way of 18.9 metre from Civil Lines side and two lane 7.5 metre wide carriage way on approaches from Bhadaur House side and Raikhy Cinema side. After crossing the railway tracks, it will have a rotary near existing Society Cinema, from where an integrating link to elevated road would be provided through Bhadaur House area at Mata Rani Chowk.

Yearning for the ‘best’ car
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 6
Ludhianvis, craze for the best in life probably explains the number of super luxury Mercedes cars being driven on the roads of Ludhiana. According to figures collected from car dealers, of about 400 Mercedes cars in the north, including Delhi, 200 are in Ludhiana alone.

Ludhiana, described as commercial capital of Punjab and Manchester of India, has no dearth of the affluent. Besides big industrial houses like Hero, Oswal, Avon and others, there are thousands of affluent families, who live life “kingsize”.

The craze for Mercedes is found to be most among the neo-rich class. Because, it is believed, this provides them instant recognition and status that does not always come so simply with affluence.

About the Ludhianvis’ enterprising spirit it is said that people here may start from a bicycle and will end with Mercedes only as they will keep struggling to reach to the top. For style-loving Ludhianvis, buying a Mercedes is no distant dream. For 200 odd Mercedes move everyday on the sprawling roads of the city. Besides there are other imported vehicles like Parado, Pajero, Land Cruiser and BMW also. But the Mercedes remains the preference.

It is the craze for new cars which provides chance for a large number of luxury lovers to go in for Mercedes. According to a leading car-dealer of Ludhiana, there are some people who change their vehicles every year. “They go for the latest model and want to be first among the users and they sell their not-so-old cars, thus providing a chance for others to get the best cars at a relatively low price”, the dealer said. Some people are so crazy that they are prepared to pay a heavy premium on a new model. No matter where the model is launched, they want it in Ludhiana. There seems to be a mad race among some car-crazy people to possess the latest model first.

The possession of Mercedes has also been simplified by the easy finance schemes launched by various banks and financial institutions. Usually people will keep only one Mercedes, but there are others who possess two such cars for their personal use only. There is large depreciation in the price of Mercedes. The price of Mercedes comes down by at least Rs 4-6 lakh within six months and there are people who sell it within this period at such a loss as they would like to buy latest model. Most of the owners were too reluctant to answer any query lest they may come into the notice of the Income Tax authorities. That, too, is typical of Ludhianvis. They show off riches as long as they are not noticed by the IT officials. There riches end, where the IT jurisdiction starts.

Physical disability does not deter him
Tribune News Service

Reshuffle has no motive: SSP
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 6
The district police chief, Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu, said the recent transfers of police officials had been long-pending and done in a routine manner. According to him, the transfers are in tandem with the reviewed policing measures of the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Ludhiana Range. He said the transfers were aimed at making policing people-oriented.

Mr Sidhu said the transfers had been withheld in view of the elections in the state. “News reports that these postings were done to preempt political interference are baseless,” he said.

Mr Sidhu denied that he had proceeded on leave after making the transfers and a report in this regard in this newspaper had been published erroneously. He said he had no political motive in mind. “I give my decisions a good thought before I execute these,” he said.

Shobha yatra on Sunday
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 6
The Haibowal Mahotsav Committee will take out a shobha yatra from Mata Chintpurni temple on the Balloki Road on March 10 in connection with Shivaratri celebrations, according to a press note of the committee.

Mr Satwant Singh Luthera, PRO of the committee, said that the shobha yatra, which would start at 2 pm would be inaugurated by Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, Chairman, All-India Anti Terrorist Front.

Mr Chander Shekhar, IG, Punjab, would light the lamp while the poojan of the shobha yatra would be performed by Mr R.L. Kalsia, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation.

Mr Luthera further told that a large number of religious and social organisations would be participating in the shobha yatra led by Shankaracharya Madhavashram. Hundreds of pupils of Shankaracharya would accompany the guru in the yatra. 

Six injured in brawl
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 6
Six persons, including three women, were injured in a brawl that arose out of misunderstanding between neighbours in Puneet Nagar on the Tibba road on Monday night. Both parties have lodged complaints with the Basti Jodhewal police.

According to information, a live electric wire had fallen in front of the house of Sonu, a labourer. When he was standing outside his house, he saw a neighbour’s child, Raju, coming that way. Apprehending danger to the child on account of the live wire, Sonu ran up to the child and threw him off balance to save him from getting electrocuted. But the child’s mother, Ms Babli, without asking Sonu the reason for his action, started quarrelling with him. And soon both the families were engaged in a fight in which Sonu received head injuries. Others injured in the brawl were Babli, Manjit Singh (26), Shehzadi (40), Tahir (22), and Ishrat (20). The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital.

College feud: The Division No. 8 police has registered a case against Avtar Singh, a resident of Humbran Khurd, and five of his accomplices, under Sections 341, 323, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC on the statement of Pavittar Singh, a student of the Arya College for Boys who is a resident of the same village.

According to information, the accused had entered the college campus on Monday and attacked the complaint. The situation came under control after intervention by a patrolling police party.

Three held: The Civil Lines police, on the complaint of a constable, Mr Pardip Singh, has arrested three car-borne persons and booked them under Sections 186, 353, 189, 279 and 506 of the IPC on the charge of rash driving and tearing the uniform of a cop who tried to intercept them.

The accused who were travelling by a car at a high speed on the Mall Road on Monday have been identified as Preet Kamal Singh, Preet Balak Singh and Satwinder Pal Singh, all residents of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar.

At a naka at Threeke chowk on Monday, the Sadar police also arrested Gurjit Singh, a resident of a village in Ferozepore district, on the charge of reckless driving.

Fraud alleged: The Sadar police, on the complaint of Mr Balwinder Singh, a resident of Rajguru Nagar, has registered a case of alleged fraud under Section 420 of the IPC against Baljinder Singh, a resident of Threeke Road. The complainant had alleged on Monday that the accused had fraudulently sold his plot.

Theft alleged: The Koom Kalan police, on the complaint of the Panjab State Electricity Board Executive Engineer, has registered a case of theft under Sections 379 and 427 of the IPC against some unidentified persons who had allegedly stolen a transformer and other goods belonging to the board from Panjeta village on Monday.

One booked: The Sarabha Nagar police has booked a man for suspected theft on the complaint of his wife under Sections 379, 323 and 506 of the IPC. According to information, Ms Manjinder Kaur, a resident of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, had stated that she was married to the accused some time ago, but they could not lead a peaceful life. On Monday night, her husband allegedly stole two mobile phones which belonged to her along with Rs 10,000 and two sets of gold rings.

Threatened: The Sadar police has booked Pritam Singh and his son, Hardip Singh, alias Deepa, residents of Phoollanwal village, on the complaint of Mr Jarnail Singh, a resident of the same village, under sections 447, 506 and 34 of the IPC. The complainant alleged that the accused had forcibly took the possession of his plot and had threatened him of dire consequences.

Knife seized: The Division No. 2 police, on Monday, arrested Gyan Parshad Tripathi, a resident of the EWS Colony, and booked him under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. A ‘kamanidar’ knife was seized from him.

Liquor seized: The Sarabha Nagar police, on Monday, arrested Ashok Kumar, a resident of Dhakka Colony, and seized eight bottles of illicit liquor from his possession. The accused has been booked under the Excise Act.

JAGRAON
Electrocuted: Babu Ram ‘Ghansham’, a migrant labourer in the fields of a man called Sukhdev Singh of Sidhwan Bet, was electrocuted when he tried to pilfer power from high-tension wires with the help of a ‘kundi’ to play his tape recorder. One of the wires fell on him and another came in contact with a live wire. The police has handed over his body to his relatives after the postmortem.

Case against gamblers: The Raikot police arrested Balbir Singh of Tajpur Road and Gopal Kishan of Mohalla Aggarwal at Raikot for gambling and seized Rs 300 and playing cards from them.

A case under the Gambling Act has been registered against them.

Absconder caught: The police has arrested a man named Kulwant Singh of Adda Raikot from near Khalsa School. He had absconded in 2000 after a case under Sections 452, 323, 324, 325 and 380 of the IPC had been registered against him. The court had issued warrants for his arrest.

National Safety Day celebrated
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 6
The Vardhman Spinning and General Mills celebrated the National Safety Day here. Over 150 workers of the mill participated in the function along with officials from the Labour Department and senior officials of the management.

Addressing the workers, Mr V.K. Goyal, Chief Executive, Vardhman Spinning and General Mills, said, “Human resource is the most important capital. By developing a work place, which is conducive to safety norms, we are not only minimising the chances of any loss, but aiding into better productivity through more secure and efficient work force.”

On the occasion, all the workers took an oath to abide by safety norms and instructions and do their best to prevent accidents by following all the instructions. The senior professionals from the Labour Department and factories enlightened the workers with certain practical examples. They made live presentation and demonstration to observe the safety norms.

Among others, Mr Daljit Singh, Mr Daler Singh, Mr Sudhir Kakkar, Deputy Director of Factories, Mr Kashmir Singh, Mr Daljit Singh Kochhar, Mr Sukhminder Singh, Assistant Director of Factories, also participated in the function.