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| Saturday,
May 18, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Bland campaign for no-issue poll ends
Ludhiana, May 17 The campaigning remained low-key in the absence of star campaigners and traditional rallies. Mr Jagjit Singh, Minister for Local Bodies, and Mr Gurbinder Singh Atwal, Parliamentary Secretary, were the only top leaders to campaign for the Congress. Candidates of the combine of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and the Bharatiya Janata Party had to be content with only two former Punjab ministers — Capt Kanwaljit Singh and Mr Gurdev Singh Badal — participating in some election meetings. The local BJP candidates failed to get any senior party leader from the state or the Centre to campaign for them. The Congress election campaign suffered a setback on Wednesday when the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, called off his visit to the city. Though a former state CM, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, visited the city last week to inaugurate a drug store of one of his supporters, he, too, stayed away from the campaigning here. While most of the Congress legislators preferred to stay away, Mr Surinder Dawer, the Congress MLA from Ludhiana East, and Mr Rakesh Pandey, the Ludhiana North MLA and the Minister for Printing and Stationery, campaigned for the party candidates. Mr Milkiat Singh Birmi, Congress MLA from Ludhiana Rural, with 34 MC wards in his constituency, abstained from the campaigning to show his resentment against selections. The president of the District Congress Committee (urban), Mr K.K. Bawa, and Mr Pawan Dewan joined the campaign. Had the CM arrived here, things would have been different, but Mr Dawer said the party’s network in the city was strong. For the BJP, while its senior leader and a Rajya Sabha member, Lala Lajpat Rai, was busy attending the Parliament in New Delhi, the other senior party leaders showed no interest in these elections. A senior party leader said it was not possible for the party to spare all its leaders for campaigning because the elections were being fought on purely local issues. He said workers at the grass roots understood these issues better than senior leaders. Most leaders of the SAD (B) could not be seen campaigning anywhere. There was no collective and conscious effort from them to organise a joint rally. Rather, none of the major political parties in the fray organised any big public rally this time around. The one that the Congress planned became a damp squib when the CM didn’t turn up.All parties in the fray have no issue for these elections. The claims of development by SAD-BJP combine and the anti-corruption cries of the Congress have failed to impress voters, who would rather like to have clean drinking water, functional sewerage network, sanitation, parks and functional streetlights. While, when the SAD-BJP combine was in power, the MC did give funds for the development of various wards, relations between the alliance partners had soured in the past two years to the extent that the outgoing Mayor, Mr Apinder Singh Grewal had to seek the support of the Congress to preempt a no-confidence motion against him. The alliance partners differed on several issues like octroi abolition, free water and exempting citizens from paying house tax. The Congress’ tenure in the House has also been full of confusion and opportunism. Populist measures like abolition of octroi have been rejected by the judiciary. Lack of funds has created a sense of caution among some candidates, who would, otherwise, have promised voters the sky.
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Candidates make last-ditch attempts Ludhiana, May 17 The last day of electioneering for the civic poll was marked by corner meetings and scooter rallies by DYC activists to seek support for the party nominees in different city localities. According to the DYC vice-president, Mr Sarbjit Singh Bunty, duties were assigned to party ranks to ensure maximum polling. Mr Parminder Mehta, while addressing meetings in several wards in the city, observed that the success of the Congress in municipal elections would further bridge the gap between the ruling party and the masses and would serve as an impetus to developmental activities in towns and cities. The legal cell of the SAD has asked the electorate to vote for the SAD-BJP alliance candidates on the basis of the performance of the outgoing councillors, who had strived hard to pursue a developmental agenda. In a joint statement, Mr Makhan Singh Aneja, president, and Mr Kirpal Singh Kalra, secretary-general of the SAD, legal cell, said many of the major development projects were still incomplete and the alliance candidates, if re-elected, would ensure that more and more funds were made available for development and the ongoing projects were completed. Mr Kulwant Singh Dukhia of SAD and Mr Sanjiv Talwar of the Congress in ward No. 51, Mr Sat Pal Puri (Congress) from ward No. 66, Mr Devinder Singh Bittu (SAD) and Mr Harpal Singh Kohli (Independent) from ward No. 40, Ms Barjinder Kaur (Congress), Ms Kuldip Kaur (SAD) and Ms Suneeta Rani (Independent) from ward No. 14, Mr Mohan Singh Chauhan (SAD) from ward No. 24, Mr Bhupinder Singh (Ludhiana Development Alliance) from ward No. 15, Ms Kashmir Kaur (BSP) from ward No. 5, Ms Harjit Kaur (Congress) and Ms Devinder Kaur Gill (SAD) from ward No. 32, Mr Ripudaman Sharma (BJP) and Mr Madan Lal Bagga (Congress) from ward No. 4, Mr Shakti Kumar (BJP) and Mr Bharat Bhushan Thapar (Independent) from ward No. 70, among others, held election meetings in their respective wards seeking support to their candidature. Meanwhile, Mr Parveen Bansal, sitting councillor and BJP candidate from ward No. 57, has apprehended violence and other election
Mr Surjeet Singh, alias Jeeta, who has filed nomination papers as an Independent from ward No. 52, has charged officials, entrusted with election duty, of acting at the behest of a Congress legislator and rejecting his nomination papers for not having been signed. He alleged that he was under pressure from the legislator to withdraw his candidature and when he refused to oblige, his signed nomination papers were switched with a new set of papers and later rejected. |
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Cong
expels 22 rebels Ludhiana, May 17 Disclosing this here today, the District Congress Committee president, Mr K.K. Bawa, said the rebels had been given sufficient time to withdraw. However, those who refused to withdraw or sit in favour of the official candidates were expelled by the party. The party had constituted a five-member disciplinary committee headed by its district president, Mr Bawa, and comprising Mr R.K. Gupta, Mr Pawan Dewan, Ms Harbans Kaur, Mr Manjit Singh and Mr Ashok Makkar as its members. Those expelled include Mr Rakesh Marwah from ward No. 1; Mr Jagjit Singh Bedi from ward No. 2; Mr Gurdev Singh from ward No. 4; Mr Ajaib Singh from ward No. 5; Mr Kanwaljit Singh from ward No. 6; Mr Wassan Singh from ward No. 11; Mr Baldev Singh from ward No. 13; Mr Dev Dutt Sharma from ward No. 22; Mr Ujjaggar Singh from ward No. 31; Mr Balwinder Singh Gorkhi from ward No. 34; Mr Mohinder Singh from ward No. 35; Mr Varinder Kapoor from ward No. 37; Mr Gurmel Singh from ward No. 42; Mr Raj Kumar from ward No. 47; Mr Ravinder Singh Syan from ward No. 48; Mr Om Prakash Ratra from ward No. 50; Mr Dhian Singh from ward No. 52; Mr Rajinder Batra from ward No. 57; Ms Sudesh Kumari from ward No. 59; Mr Harwinder Happy from ward No. 60; Mr Satnam Ahuja from ward No. 63; Mr Balwanider Singh Grewal from ward No. 66; and Mr Bharat Bhushan from ward No. 70. Mr Bawa also clarified that Mr Rajan Kholi from ward No. 3 had not been expelled and his name had been erroneously mentioned in the list of those expelled. |
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Promises of freebies, but voters aren’t buying Ludhiana, May 17 In this election without an issue, development is the common cry of all politicians. The people are cynical because they are still living with insanitary conditions, bad roads, power and water crises, alarming rise in pollution and declining standard of living even after more than a decade of the formation of the MC. While the Congress is banking on the anti-corruption plank to coast them to victory, the combine of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal expects the development carried out in their tenure to get them votes. A large number of Independents are raising issues concerning their wards. Voters here say that they are in a fix. Every time they vote for a person or a party, they end up betrayed. While the probable councillors are busy fighting their opponents and promising voters basic amenities, free water, sanitation and uninterrupted power supply, they are mum on how these schemes will be executed, especially, in a regime that has resolved to scrap all freebies. Nothing has been done to improve the conditions in middle class neighbourhoods and labour colonies, where non-functional streetlights, erratic power supply and lack of sanitation have become rather common. What motivates the candidates — public service or big bucks? Each councillor gets about Rs 4.5 crore, besides the amount sanctioned for his or her ward by the local MLA or MP, to spend in his or her term. The development expenditure has to be approved by the councillor before the sum is released to the contractor concerned. In a city of big money, the campaigning has boiled down to the candidates’ capacity to foot the bills for a continuous binge. With just 48 hours to go, campaigning is in full swing and last-minute strategic alliances are being made. Money and liquor flow freely. Heat wave in the region has put a wet blanket on many campaigns, but candidates with resolve are still going from door to door. Voters are being woken up before dawn and at late night, because these are the hours when everyone is at home. Canditates have had to face the fury of many citizens whom they disturb at such odd hours. In posh localities, the campaigning is sober — seen more on the cocktail circuit than outside. The curbs on the use of loudspeakers and defacement of public property have been welcome changes. |
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Police books 12 for defacing public property Ludhiana, May 17 Incidentally, the cases were registered in two police stations only while the remaining ones have yet to take notice of the violation of the Public Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1997, Punjab. Only Division No 1 and No 2 have taken suo motto cognisance of the defacement. Five cases have been lodged in Div. No. 1 (Kotwali) and seven in Div. No 2. The police has booked the violators without any consideration about the party they belonged to. Almost all the parties have got representation in this dubious distinction. The police act came as a surprise also as the massive number of cases have outnumbered the few registered during the Punjab Assembly elections held three months ago. The media can also take some credit of this action. Ludhiana Tribune was one of the first to expose the violation of the Act. Interestingly, reliable police sources said even though the defacement was going on for the last two weeks, the directions of the senior police officers to book such violators only came yesterday late afternoon. Sources said the Election Commission had strictly directed the civil and police administration to stop the defacement mush
before the elections. Messages
According to reliable information available, three congress candidates and four Akali-BJP candidates have been booked under the Act. The remaining, excluding one from the Samajwadi party, were independent candidates. Some of the candidates booked by name have been identified as Sunil Mehra from BJP-SAD, Ashok Thapar from Cong-I, Rakesh Prashar from Cong-I, Jatinder Singh alias Goldy from Samaj Party, Vjiay Kumar Gaba from Cong-I, Gurdeep Singh alais Neetu from BJP and Independent candidates were Satish Kumar Thakral, Rishipal Talwar alias Bablu, Jagdish Kumar alias Gabba and Jai Raj. According to the FIRs, the candidates or their workers have been booked for pasting posters relating to election material on government and public property. The posters were found pasted on telephone boxes, Municipal Corporation office building, a govt. school, on the civil hospital building, roundabouts, tubewells, post offices and even on a letter box at Girja Ghar Chowk. Some police personnel posted in police stations where no action has been taken said the lower rung cops were reluctant to register cases as in the last elections. A majority of
such cases were not followed to their logical conclusions. Some cops even admitted that they did not want to offend the local politicians. The police has also not arrested any accused in the cases so far. |
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Police playing partisan role, say complainants Ludhiana, May 17 The case came up at the fortnightly meeting of the District Complaints Redressal Forum held here yesterday where the complainant, Mr Karamjit Singh of Pamal village, said the Jagraon police had not registered cases of fraud against the office-bearers of the society even after a year had passed since the Director, Enforcement, Chandigarh, had directed the police to do so. He alleged that the president and a member of the society, Amarjeet Singh and Tarjeet Singh, respectively, had taken loans from the society by furnishing false documents. He said the former had taken a loan by mortgaging the papers of eight canals of land, while actually he had only one acre of land. Karamjit alleged that the latter had taken a loan of Rs 25,000 by pledging papers of a property in his mother’s name and the property did not exist at all. He alleged that he had prepared the false documents and had shown the land belonging to his mother in revenue records while the papers were of a land in some other village. He said the Director, Enforcement, had conducted an inquiry into the case a year ago and directed the SSP, Jagraon, to register a case against the two on May 10, 2001. He said nothing happened in the case. He said the SSP had directed the ASI of Jagraon, Joga Singh, to book the accused but he was dilly-dallying in the case. He alleged that Joga Singh kept telling him that he had lost the copy of the orders and told him to get a duplicate copy from the office of the Assistant Registrar, Ludhiana. Karamjit further said that he provided him with the copy but nothing was being done. He alleged that police officials were playing partisan role and were shielding the guilty. He further alleged that of late the accused party had started threatening him with dire consequences if he would pursue the case. The Deputy Commissioner directed Mr Karamjit to file a fresh application to the complaint officer. |
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Lunch turns bad six months after Ludhiana, May 17 The state government had ordered an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of funds released for tent service and providing journalists with meals at the meet. The Director Public Relations Office (DPRO) has, now, asked journalists to furnish details regarding the quality of the food (whether it was worth Rs 120 or not) served at the meet. Information has also been sought on whether or not they were present at the lunch hosted by the then Union Sports Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, in a five-star hotel here on November 19, 2001. Though Mr A.K. Sinha, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), who was asked to conduct the inquiry in this case, had written to a former DPRO in this regard a month ago, the letters to journalists were sent today. Mr Sinha was not available for comments on the issue. The DC, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, when contacted, said he did not know anything about the letters as the inquiry was being conducted by Mr Sinha. He said writing letters to journalists would not serve any purpose. The inquiry was ordered in January. Then, Mr Sinha had directed Mr Darshan Singh, the then DPRO, to verify the records and submit a report within a week. The then DPRO and the head of the media committee for the games, Mr P.S. Kalra, was issued a charge sheet in the case. He has already replied to the authorities concerned in this regard. The inquiry was ordered after the officials concerned presented a Rs 4 lakh bill for the meals. The amount raised suspicion in the mind of the authority concerned and the matter was brought to the notice of the government. The government said the number of journalists at the games was huge, but Rs 4 lakh was still too big an amount to treat them. Sources said the number of journalists mentioned in the bill had been double the actual number. The price of a single meal had also been allegedly doubled in papers. Sources also said the organising committee had expected about 120 journalists to be at the games and arranged accordingly. The records however showed that about 250 journalists were served lunch for 13 days of the meet (total number of meals came out to be 3,495). The bills say that every meal cost about Rs 120 and it included both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Sources said the meals had been supplied by a caterer in the Fountain Chowk area, who charged Rs 40 for a vegetarian meal and Rs 60 for a non-vegetarian meal. |
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CITY SCAN Gone is the hour-glass. Nearly forgotten is the sun-clock. Clock Tower is standing at its place. Its hands have been exercising both the choices: whether to move or stop. As time twins, their efforts coordinated resulting in unison. For difference in angular velocities, they look to be out of step. Mostly it is an illusion. At times, they agree to disagree: one hand moves, the other rests. They have been enjoying short as well as long holidays. This clock tower, like any human institution, is subject to lack of cooperation. Also a victim of inefficiency. Even neglect, at times. In 1948 the city had only two college professors having Ph.D. degree: Dr A. Mahadev Daula M.A.(History), Ph.D. (Berlin-Germany) and Dr Sher Singh M.A. (Persian and philosophy), Ph.D. (London-UK). Both were colleagues and friends. Dr Daula was humorous, informal and extrovert. Dr Singh was witty, reserved and introvert. Dr Daula hailed from Sekheywal village, the same as that of Sahir’s father Ch. Fazal Mohd. Dr Daula was my group-tutor and Dr Singh my class professor. I remember many exchanges of wit and wisdom, scholarship and brilliance, of these scholar-giants. Dr Daula retired in 1949 and joined Sudhar College. Waiting for a bus for Sudhar, we were standing at old Raikot bus-stand, G.T. Road, near the Clock Tower. An old, but gaudily painted, bus was spotted in slow motion. Dr Daula burst out, “Here goes the new bride”. Dr Sher Singh quipped, “Bride comes, she never goes as bride. It becomes a woman, a wife, meanwhile.” “No, no, brides come, brides go,” Daula said agitatedly. “Bride means dulhan, bridegroom stands for dulha! How can this old bus be equated with a bride?” Dr Singh argued. “No, no, Sher Singh, I
have attended many marriages, seen many brides. Here in India, there in Europe,” elaborated the historian. “So do many match-makers, ceremony-performers. Dulha goes once dressed up with the distinction of a sehra. Similarly, dulhan comes to her new home dressed in the bridal robes and with ceremonial paraphernalia,” Dr Singh tried to clinch the issue. Dr Daula raised his hands in admiration and enthusiastically hugged Dr Singh. Both smiled which culminated into laughter of the learned. We, the students, watched in amazement, with delight. Did not join the laughter, only turned our faces aside. Students only respected, never were informal. Things are otherwise now. There was enough time. Real scholars were at ease. Perhaps, unconsciously searching for a fresh bout of some higher intellectual order. Dr Sher Singh looked at the Clock Tower and called it ‘City-sentinel.’ To elaborate he said, “Hour by hour it chimes and alerts us like a watchman at night.” Dr Daula partly liked the comparison and said in half disagreement, “This sentinel of yours is blind, it speaks the same language during the day even when we are awake!” Dr Singh said, “Dr Daula, it is a real sentinel, it alerts you round the clock.” M.S. Cheema |
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Counselling of mothers, kids a must: study Ludhiana, May 17 These are the findings of a study on ‘Impact of Home Environment on Temperament of Rural Children’ conducted by Ms Gurpreet Grewal, Ms Deepika Vig, Ms Ritu Mahal and Ms Vandana Kanwar, all assistant scientists in the Department of Human Development, College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University. The study has been sponsored by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as a part of All India Coordinated Research Project on ‘Comparative Child Care Through Farm Creche’. During the study, 60 children below the age of one-and-a-half years were selected from Pamal, Rurkan and Salempura villages for the control group. Similarly, 60 children of the same age group and socio-economic status were selected from Bhaini Arayian, Talwara and Salempura villages for the experimental group. With the community help, a farm creche was set up for the children from the latter group at Bhaini Arayian village where the kids from the other two villages were also invited daily for three years. In the farm creche, the four PAU scientists provided the children a variety of age appropriate play material such a blocks, board, flash cards, colours, soft toys, rattles, slides and books. Even the mothers of the children from experimental group were invited from time to time for various educational programmes. The mothers were given an illustrated package on nutrition and child care which carried all the relevant information of hygiene, vaccination, diet for children, symptoms and precautions for diseases usually contracted by children of that age. They were also invited for demonstrations, discussions, lectures and slide shows and materials such as flash cards and folders on child care were distributed to them. The temperament of children was adjudged on the basis of various parameters such as adjustability, expression of affection, general response and physical activities. Even the home environment of the child’s family was studied at that time on the basis of an inventory which included the time spent by mothers on child, involvement of father, play materials available at home, outdoor activities, safety factors at home, light and ventilation for the child. After intervention of three years, again the temperament of child and home environment was studied and significant improvement was observed among all the 60 children and their families from the experimental group. The scientists concluded that home
environment of children at all age levels from experimental group improved as they shifted from low home environment during pre-intervention to medium or high home environment during post-intervention assessment. They also found that after intervention, the temperament of children from medium home environment, belonging to experimental group, improved whereas temperament of children from control group remained as such. |
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Ex-services league
supports Cong Ludhiana, May 17 According to its president, Lieut- Col Chanan Singh Dhillon (retd), this was being done to ensure that the “unholy combination of the Akali-BJP regime which corrupted Punjabi society to the core” was shown the door. Mr Dhillon said: “We appeal to the rank and file of the veterans, their dependents and war widows residing in the municipal cities of Punjab to support and vote official candidates of the Congress to defeat Akali-BJP combine.” |
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5,000 crates gutted Amloh, May 17 Someone informed the office of the DFSO, Amloh, about the fire at 11.45 am. A fire-engine was called from Mandi Gobindgarh to the extinguish fire. |
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‘Withdraw work from tainted judges’ Kharar, May 17 This demand was made by various speakers while addressing a dharna organised here yesterday by the Bar Association, Kharar, expressing support to the struggle against corruption. Speakers appealed to the public to come forward in the struggle against corruption. |
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Cop booked for
corruption Ludhiana, May 17 Mr Gurcharan Singh alleged that he had paid the money to the constable in connection with the serving of a court summons after being forced by the cop to do so. Case
against finance firm:
The complainants stated that they were employees of a finance company being run by the accused and alleged that they had paid Rs 10,000 each as security for getting employment. They alleged that the accused were not paying back the security amount to them and a large number of other employees of the company. By declining to pay back the money, the finance company was committing a fraud involving Rs 50 lakh, added the complainants. The case has been handed over to the Economic Offences Wing. Fraud
alleged:
Held
for eve-teasing:
According to an FIR registered against him, the accused was indulging in teasing women passersby in the area. Case
registered:
Mr Kamaljit Singh, a resident of Navin Nagar, alleged that his son, Inderjit Singh, who lives separately, forcibly occupied his house on Wednesday and took possession of a scooter belonging to him. Dowry
cases:
The Focal Point police has registered a similar case on the statement of Ms Sandip Kaur, a resident of Dhandari Kalan, against her husband, Harkirat Singh, Giri Kaur, Gurmeet Kaur and Harpreet Kaur, all residents of Patiala. Woman
beaten up:
Held for quarrelling:
One arrested:
Tipsy men booked:
Driver booked:
According to the police, the accused was driving a vehicle at a very high speed and crossed the red lights installed at the main chowk of the town on Wednesday. Cases
of theft:
The Haibowal police, on the statement of Ms Madhu, a resident of Anand Nagar, has registered a case of theft against unknown person(s). The complainant stated that the unknown burglar had nicked Rs 1,000 and gold ornaments from her residence on Wednesday. Another case of theft was registered at the same police station on the statement of Mr Navjit Sahni, a resident of Joshi Nagar, against unknown burglars who allegedly took away Rs 2,500 and gold ornaments from his house on Wednesday. The Shimla Puri police also registered a case of theft on the statement of Mr Munshi Ram, a resident of Gobind Nagar, against unknown burglar(s). The complainant stated that he runs a jewellery shop in the Hamir market. On Tuesday night, his shop was burgled by unknown persons who decamped with some gold and silver ornaments. The Model Town police has registered a case on the statement of Mr Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Guru Angad Dev Colony. He stated that someone stolen his scooter from outside a hospital on Wednesday. Jagraon Liquor vend employees fired at:
According to
the complainant, he, along with another employee of the vend, were
present at the vend when two scooter-borne persons came there and
asked for a bottle of liquor. They paid Rs 65 for the same, but also
wanted the complainant to open the door of the vend. On his refusal to
do so, they fired at them. However, both the employees escaped unhurt.
Later, the accused fled from the spot. |
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PNB exceeds targets Ludhiana, May 17 He said that this business included deposits of Rs 11032.85 crore and total advances of Rs 7402.23 crore. The business of the zone registered a growth of 17.49% over the previous year. The productivity per employees has increased by Rs 2.30 crore as at the end of March, 2002, according to Mr Khurana. The priority sector, he said, was advancing where the business touched Rs 2359.20 crore as on March 31, 2002, as compared to Rs 1937 crore during the same period last year. This was the highest from among all banks in Punjab. Mr Khurana further stated that the Punjab Zone attained number one position amongst all the banks in state of Punjab in providing financial assistance to SSI units which as at March, 2002, stood at Rs 828 crore. |
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