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August 16, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Remembrances, celebrations mark Ludhiana, August 15 Speaking on the occasion, she stressed the need to make all-out efforts to carve out India as envisaged by our great martyrs and freedom fighters, who laid down their lives and underwent terrible hardships during the freedom movement to liberate the country from the cruel British rulers. She said although patriots from all parts of the country had made contribution to the freedom struggle, Punjabis had remained in the forefront with exemplary enthusiasm and accounted for 80 per cent of the sacrifices. Ms Bhattal — paying rich tributes to the martyrs and patriots — especially mentioned the names of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Udham Singh Suman, Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai and added that they enthused a new and decisive spirit in the freedom movement that ultimately threw the foreign rulers out. The minister said after Independence, the Punjabis had also made enormous sacrifices while fighting to safeguard the frontiers during number of wars forced upon the country by our neighbours. Ms Bhattal exhorted the people to remember the sacrifices of the martyrs and seek inspiration from their acts of bravery and patriotism so that the younger generation could inculcate the spirit of nationalism. She said during the past 55 years, India had emerged as the largest successful democracy in the world with formidable achievements at international level. Referring to the aims and objectives of the state government, Ms Bhattal reiterated that the government was committed to eradicating corruption and providing transparent and efficient governance. She said during the past four months, strong steps had been taken to improve the shattered financial condition of the state. She asserted that the state government with a view to ensuring full participation of the people in the governance had held free, fair, and peaceful elections to zila parishads, block samitis and municipal corporations in the state. The minister, while appreciating the contribution of Punjabi farmers, who strived hard to make the country a surplus state, expressed concern over the prevailing draught situation that had damaged around 50 per cent of the paddy causing an estimated direct and indirect loss amounting to around Rs 2,000 crore to the state. She informed that the government had submitted the proposal for a special grant of Rs 800 crore with the Union Government and had received a grant of Rs 100 crore to give immediate relief to the affected farmers. She exhorted the people to rededicate themselves to the nation building and to strengthen unity and integrity of the country, so that the country could successfully meet the threats posed by revolutionary developments in science and technology and implementation of the WTO agreement. On this occasion, the minister distributed 16 sewing machines to the needy women and 12 tricycles to the handicapped persons on behalf of the District Red Cross Society. The I-Day parade comprised contingent of the Punjab Police, Home Guards, NCC (Boys and Girls), NCC (Air Wing), Scouts, Girl Guides, and ex-servicemen. Students from more than 50 schools of the city presented a mass PT show and a colourful cultural programme. Among others present on this occasion include Mr Nahar Singh Gill, Mayor, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, Mr Mohammad Mustafa, DIG, Mr H.S. Sidhu, SSP, Mr S.K. Handa, District and Sessions Judge, Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, Lala Lajpat Rai (both MPs), Mr Malkiat Singh Dakha, MLA, Mr Prem Mittal and Mrs Sushil Gupta (both Deputy Mayors), Mr A.K. Sinha, ADC, and Ms Rakhi Gupta Bhandari, ADC (D). Similarly, Mr Rakesh Panday, Minister for Printing and Stationery, unfurled the national flag at Independence Day function at Khanna and took salute from the march-past. Addressing the function, Mr Panday said, “We must remember our martyrs and patriots who sacrificed their lives to bring freedom to the country.” He said the families of the martyrs and freedom fighters were the honour of the society and the government would ensure proper respect to them at all levels. The Minister said the country, during the past 55 years, had emerge as the largest democracy in the world and made enormous achievements at all levels. He said the government had taken concrete steps to improving the shattered economy of the state and was committed to ensuring the integrated development of all parts of the state. He appealed to people to extend their full cooperation to the state government to strengthen the unity and integrity of the country. On this occasion, the students of different schools presented a colourful programme and mass PT show. Independence Day was observed with enthusiasm at several places in the city with Congress, District Youth Congress and many other organisations holding impressive functions here. The District Congress Committee (Urban) president, Mr Krishan Kumar Bawa, unfurled the national flag at Congress Bhavan. Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, MP, Mr Gurdev Singh Lapra, president, DCC (Rural), Ms Sushil Gupta, Deputy Mayor, Mr Pawan Diwan, vice-president, Punjab Youth Congress, Mr Ashok Makkar, vice-president, District Youth Congress, Mr Gurbhej Chhabra, Member, PPCC, and Mr Varinder Kumar, general secretary, DCC, were also present on the occasion. The District Youth Congress (Urban) activists organised many functions in different city localities where the Tricolour was unfurled and tributes were paid to the martyrs and great sons of the motherland who had taken part in the freedom struggle. Earlier, the party workers, led by DYC president, Mr Parminder Mehta, washed with milk the statues of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. The district unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI) organised a function in Manoj Colony to observe 55th anniversary of Independence. Dr Arun Mitra, assistant secretary of the party, and Mr Gulzar Goria unfurled the national flag on the occasion. Lala Jiwan Kumar, vice-president of the Bhartiya Valmiki Sabha, Punjab, presided over a function to mark Independence Day in Chhawni Mohalla and unfurled the national flag. Schoolchildren presented a colourful
The local unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad organised a “Mashal Jaloos” on the eve of Independence Day at Akhand Bharat Divas. The “Jaloos” started from Government College for Boys. The aim was to show solidarity among students and youth of the country. Addressing the students, Arya College unit president Rajat Sood said the students were ready to sacrifice their lives for the prestige of the country. Unit president Sandeep Kapoor, secretary Rohit Sharma, vice-president Sumedha Gupta and other student leaders were present. PHILLAUR:
AHMEDGARH:
AMLOH:
The Block Congress Committee celebrated the day at the old grain market. The function was chaired by the president, Mr Shingara Singh. Mr Sadhu Singh, MLA, hoisted the national flag and distributed nine cheques for Rs 20,000 each for pucca houses and four cheques for Rs 10,000 each for the renovation of the houses of scheduled castes. In the Municipal Council complex, Mr Baldev Singh Aulakh, council chief, hoisted the national flag and at another function organised by the Labour Union in the FCI complex, Mr Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, MLA, unfurled the national flag. At Mandi Gobindgarh, Mr Harinder Singh Bhambri, council chief, unfurled the national flag at the municipal complex. SAMRALA:
Mr Jaspal Singh Jaggi, SDM, unfurled the national flag, while the local MLA, Mr Amrik Singh Dhillon, participated as special invitee. Mr Jaggi emphasised the need for brotherhood in the society. PAYAL:
The celebrations included rendering of national song, dances, bhangra, and giddha by government schools of Payal, Ghudani Kalan, Kaddon, Dhamot, Doraha along with Sant Ishar Singh School, Rara Sahib, Government College, Karamsar, Khalsa Girls High School, Doraha, Guru Nanak Model Senior Secondary School, Doraha. Speaking on the occasion, the SDM congratulated people and asked them to preserve the hard-earned Independence of our country. The function was also attended by Mr Amrik Singh Rauni, member Zila Parishad, Mr Najar Singh Lapran, block president, Congress, Mr Karnail Singh Kalia, block project coordinator, Dehlon, and Mr Jaswant Singh Gill, Principal, Guru Nanak National College, Doraha. DORAHA:
SAHNEWAL:
After the flag-hosting ceremony, Mr Birmi shared his views with the gathering. Mr Jasminder Singh Sandhu, vice-president, Punjab Youth Congress, Mr Ramesh Pappu, former president, Nagar Panchayat, Mr Pawan Kumar Pamma, president, Youth Congress, and Mr Gurvir Singh Hara, general secretary, Youth Congress, were also present on the occasion. |
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AIDS among children on the rise Ludhiana, August 15 Since the child was apparently well, his parents did not come for a follow-up until about a month back. The child and his parents came to the doctor again and the doctor did not recognize all of them as both the parents and the child looked haggard. The mother and the son were thin and were continuously
coughing. Both had fungal infections in their mouths and throats. That
was when they told the doctor that they were all HIV positive and had been so for the last four years. Since the child was in a bad shape, he was admitted immediately to the hospital, supportive treatment was given to him and he recovered to some extent. In another case, a six-month-old child also had AIDS. His father, who was a truck driver, had died of AIDS sometime ago. The attending doctor at a local nursing home said that both the mother and the child were found to be HIV positive and they would be required to get a regular treatment for many years, which would definitely be expensive for the family. Dr Vibhu Narad, senior consultant
paediatrician, Guru Teg Bahadur Charitable Hospital, said many such cases (AIDS among children) were being reported in the city recently. Worldwide, 75 to 80 per cent of HIV infection in adults was transmitted through unprotected sex. The mother-to-child transmission accounted for more than 90 per cent of global infections in infants and children. Sharing HIV-infected equipment by drug users accounted for 5 to 10 per cent of adult infections and 3 to 5 per cent infections were acquired by blood or blood products. “Something which needs to be made clear to general public is that it is not even certain that all HIV-infected individuals will eventually develop AIDS. Possibly up to 30 per cent will develop AIDS and another 25-30 per cent will develop AIDS related complex (fever, diarrhoea and weight
loss). However, it is
Dr Alka Dogra, president of the state unit of People’s Health Organisation (PHO), one of India’s biggest NGO, working for AIDS when contacted admitted that there was definitely an increase in the number of children having HIV virus. She said that many cases were being reported in which AIDS virus was transmitted from father to mother and from mother to the unborn child. The data from UNAIDS and World Health Organisation (WHO) collected in 1997 revealed that more than 48,000 children in India were HIV infected. According to the World Bank Reports, 2001 India HIV/AIDS Update, the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS had risen three-folds in six years to reach an all-time high of 13.4 million. India has the largest number of AIDS orphans of any country in the world, at 1.2 million in 2001, and predicted to rise to 2 million in five years and 2.7 million in 10 years. Dr Vibhu suggested that counselling was an essential part of managing HIV infection and AIDS. Issues such as reducing the risk of infection, family planning, sexual relationships were all important areas for discussions.
Counselling was a vital part of caring for people who were dying and supporting those who were taking care of them. “The HIV-infected children should be given good quality of life. They should be kept in regular touch with the doctor so that they could be given proper care and attention,” said Dr Vibhu. |
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Old land dispute almost took his life Ludhiana, August 15 The victim, Gulshan Kumar, a resident of Bonkar Dogran village, is recuperating in a local hospital and has lost one finger of his left hand, with multiple fractures in right leg and injuries on the head. The victim has already got a congenital deformity and does not have his right hand. Talking to TNS from his hospital bed, Gulshan Kumar, 40, alleged that he was attacked by seven assailants on August 7 when he was going to work in his fields in Fatehgarh Lakha village. Finding him alone, the assailants, one of whom is an alleged relative of a Congress leader based at Phillaur, attacked him in his fields. They allegedly hit him on his head with a sword and cut his fingers as he had immediately placed his hand on the head. Unconscious Gulshan fell on ground and the assailants further beat him with lathis. He was repeatedly hit and suffered multiple fractures on one of his legs. Deep injuries were also suffered by him on his other leg. According to Gulshan, the assailants also took away his mobile phone, thinking he was dead. After one hour he was spotted by some women of the village who gave him water and reported the matter to other villagers. He was then taken to the Civil Hospital, Phillaur, and referred to a local hospital after three days. Narrating his tale, Gulshan said he had bought a piece of land from one of the assailants some years ago. Now he wanted to grab that land. He said they had gone to various courts, but finally lost the case in High Court in 2001. He alleged that they had been troubling him over the issue for the past many years and he had got many cases registered against him. Gulshan alleged that although he had got a case of an attempt to murder registered against the accused, the police was not doing anything in the case. He alleged that all seven assailants were living in the same house but the police was not arresting them as they were allegedly being patronised by a Congress leader. Gulshan recuperating in a Ludhiana hospital. |
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Callous administration? The district administration’s claims of arranging all comfort for women, who were given sewing machines by the Agriculture Minister, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, at the district-level function to mark Independence Day here, proved to be on papers only. While officials of the administration have claimed that they had made elaborate arrangements for the transportation of the machines, honoured women were carrying the machines on their own. One such woman, Ms Kamaljit Kaur, who had come from Bhutgarh Jattan village, near Macchiwara, said she was pregnant and not supposed to carry weight, but the callous attitude of the officials concerned had forced her to do the same. She said she was happy that she was honoured but it would have been better had somebody escorted her at least till the gate of the Government College of Boys, where the function was held. She said she was accompanied by a male relative, who was physically challenged and was not able to help her. A senior official denied such allegations. He said jeeps were arranged to drop the physically challenged at their places.
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Encroachments thrive as admn looks the other way Ludhiana, August 15 A ray of hope raised in the wake of the Congress victory at the recently-held Assembly poll and the local Deputy Commissioner’s directive to the Municipal Corporation to remove all roadside encroachments within the city limits has given way to despair once again. Thanks largely to the determination of the encroachment “mafia” to stay put come what may and the rampant corruption in the civic body because of which larger public interests are being relegated to the background. Ludhiana is a city where thousands of migrants land every day from UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and so on.While majority of them go in for labour jobs at farms and factories, there are others who have ambitions of making it big in the richest city of Punjab. They somehow manage to buy or hire a rehri on which they start a roadside business which in fact is very profitable at the end of the day. And since the old city is already congested with roadside , stationery rehris, these migrants are heading for those outer areas of the city which have not fully developed yet. The Aggar Nagar area on the Ferozepore Road, the Focal Point area on the Chandigarh Road, the area on both sides of the Jalandhar Road and the area around the Tajpur Road are some of the latest favourites with these migrants determined to make a living in the city. But still migrants, who are keen on doing business in the more congested old city, can do so easily, provided they are willing to pay a higher fee to the encroachment “mafia”. An anti-encroachment drive was launched by Mr R.L. Kalsia, the former Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, shortly before the Assembly poll. But soon after the Congress came to power in the state, the bulldozers came to a halt as Mr Kalsia was shifted to accommodate Mr S.K. Sharma, a PCS officer, as the new Commissioner. Interestingly , the new MC House with a Congress majority, in its various meetings so far has not taken up the matter of roadside encroachments for discussion so far. Nor has the civic body paid any heed to the directive of the Deputy Commissioner to get roadside encroachments removed. Equally intriguing is the silence of the new Congress MLAs from the city on the issue which has made general life in the city miserable. In such a scenario, one can not but help wonder whether the city is being governed by elected representatives of the people or the dons of the encroachment “mafia” which in fact is looking forward to increasing its ‘holdings’ in the old city and expanding its base in the outer city as well. The project under which an elevated road is to be built between the Jagraon bridge and the Chand Cinema on the GT road to facilitate the flow of heavy traffic to and from Jalandhar has surely raised hopes of the encroachment “mafia” which is flexing its muscles to occupy prime places under the elevated road after it is completed. However, the new Congress-dominated Municipal Corporation, which has failed to devise any concrete anti-encroachment plan for the city by which its roads can be widened, is continuing with the old, worn-out system of raids by the men of the tehbazari department during which the roadside seller temporarily disappear into side lanes. Those who make regular contributions to the mafia’s protection kitty are even informed about the raids well in time. Monthlies being paid by roadside sellers near chowk Ghanta Ghar and other busy places in the old city continue to increase in proportion to the increase in rental value in these areas. The authorities concerned, however, seem to be satisfied with the casual approach to the menace of roadside encroachments. |
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Civic body rift deepens Amloh, August 15 Mr Baldev Singh Aulakh, council chief, told mediapersons here, yesterday, that the council had elected Mr Rajinder Singh Roji, Dr Kishore Chand, Mr Budh Raj as chairmen of house tax, water-supply, development committees and Ms Surinder Kumari as chairperson of cleanliness committee. He further stated that the meeting had also approved the proceedings of the last meeting subject to the decision of the High Court. In the last meeting the election of vice-president was held in which Ms Usha Garg mustered the support of six councillors and Ms Santosh Kumari also equaled with six votes including the MLA vote. Mr Baldev Singh Aulakh who was presiding over the meeting with his right of casting vote declared Usha Garg elected as vice-president. The decision was, however, challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. According to the sequence of events the election of Municipal Council, Amloh, was held in May, 2000 to elect 11 members. The seat of president was reserved for a backward class candidate, which was captured by Mr Baldev Sedha on August 29,2000 on the basis of Soni Rajput backward caste certificate, which was withdrawn by the government in December ,2001. Thereafter, the 11 elected councillors and Mr Sadhu Singh, MLA, who also has the right to vote, elected Mr Baldev Singh Aulakh unanimously, who was the only backward caste candidate, from ward No. 2, reserved for backward caste candidate. He assumed the charge on April,17 this year. Mr Aulakh is considered to be close to Mr Jasjit Singh Randhawa, State Minister for public health Rural Development, Punjab as the brother of Mr Aulakh is the Political Secretary. The was Civic body divided into two groups on July 27, last when Mr Sadhu Singh Dharamsot sided with Santosh Kumari, candidate for the post of vice-president supported by the former president Baldev Sedha. Two vice-presidents Jeewan Kumar Puri and Ramesh Kumar Gupta, who had completed their one-year term on July, 17,2001 and July 23 this year, respectively, alongwith Amarjit Kaur. Another vice-president candidate Ms Usha Garg was supported by councillor Budh Raj, Surinder Kumari, Dr Kishore Chand, Rajinder Singh Rozi alongwith president Baldev Singh Aulakh. |
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Musharraf
flayed for remarks on Kashmir Ludhiana, August 15 The DYC district president, Mr Parminder Mehta, said in a statement here today that the army dictator was in the habit of pursuing double policies. “While under international pressure he openly condemns terrorist activities and debunks international terrorism, when face-to-face with people of his country, he uses Kashmir issue to get cheap popularity and rouse communal passions.” Mr Mehta urged the Union Government to evolve a firm and clear-cut policy on Kashmir and to relentlessly fight against the anti-national activities of communal and separatist elements in Jammu and Kashmir. He also sought the intervention of the United Nations and the entire international fraternity to build up pressure upon the Pakistan Government to give up the policy of interference in internal affairs of India. “The world leaders should take a serious note of the overt and covert support by the Pakistan government to cross-border terrorism.” The DYC chief held the BJP-led NDA government responsible for the stepped-up violence in the valley and the large-scale migration of people belonging to minority community from the state. “People in J & K are living in an atmosphere of fear and
insecurity and have lost trust in the law and order enforcement machinery,” he added. |
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SSP releases Punjabi magazine Machhiwara, August 15 On this occasion, the SSP planted a sapling. He announced a grant for the construction of a room. Mr Jagdev Singh Jassowal, chairman of the society, appealed to the people to start ‘Drug Quit Movement’. He said ‘Jago’, a cassette, was the first step of the anti-drug campaign. Earlier the ‘Jago’ team, comprising Kuljit Mani and Sukhwinder Sukhi, made the people aware of this campaign by singing a few songs from the cassette. Jatinder Delhon, a singer, also made his presence felt. Mr Balwant Singh Takhi, Mr Rampal Singh, Mr Daljit Singh Brar, Mr Gurmeet Singh Saini and Mr Fateh Singh Nagra promised to prove grants for the construction of one room each. Dr Paras Ram Panjgrain donated a piece of land for the construction of the hospital. Among the other donors are Mr Avtar Singh Malwa, Mr Baldev Singh Takhran, Mr Balbir Singh Manewal, Mr Gurdip Singh Brar, Mr Kulwinder Singh Manewal, Mr Jaswant Singh Bulewal, Mr Kuldip Singh Jatiwal, Mr Manmohan Singh Khera and Mr Gurnam Singh Brar. Sanmukh Azad and Sawarn Singh Chhaurian entertained the audience. |
Exporters need more facilities: study Suggestions * The documentation process, which has been found cumbersome by many exporters, should be simplified so as to reduce the time, though the government has tried to initiate this with the aligned documentation system (ADS). The process still needs further simplification so as to reduce unnecessary paper work. * The excise and custom authorities should be made more effective and efficient. * More R&D and infrastructural facilities should be developed. Ludhiana, August 15 According to Dr K.N.S. Kang, director of the college, the survey was conducted by Deep Maini, an MBA student with the help of Ms Sukhjinder Bath from the college’s faculty. The survey included responses of 40 auto-parts exporters of Ludhiana, including 10 sole-proprietary firms, 18 partnership firms and 12 private limited companies of Ludhiana, exporting auto-parts. Dr Kang stated “Despite problems in automobile sector, opportunities in this sector in India are attracting big names and they are investing vigorously in infrastructure, design and development. This industry in India is today posed for the big leap.” The study revealed that 80 per cent of the firms a involved in direct exports of auto-parts and 27 firms get export orders by visits abroad. Surety of payments and price offered were the major factors that were considered in exports. The promotional expenditure incurred by the exporters was between 2 to 4 per cent of their sales and according to the study the majority of the exporters distributed their products abroad by directly sending them to the registered importer. The study revealed that shop was the most preferred mode of transportation and 19 respondents said that a lot of time was consumed at dry ports when the goods were booked for exports. The study claimed that 75 per cent of the respondents themselves booked goods for shipping and they faced harassment by the custom authorities in shipping goods. The study showed that foreign exchange contract was the most preferred methods to guard against unfavourable exchange rate variations.
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‘One
person office’ inaugurated Ludhiana, August 15 The concept of opening such an office is unique to United India and this idea is conceptualised to ensure maximum penetration of insurance and offer personalised services to individual clients. This is the only office opened by any public sector insurance company. The inauguration ceremony was performed by Mr R.S. Singhal, Regional Manager, RO, Ludhiana. |
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