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Murderous Manila connection
Mayor, Municipal Commissioner at loggerheads
Teenager’s death: Residents block G.T. Road
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Jalandhar
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The never-ending ordeal of Bawa Shoes workers
Zonal youth fest for girls begins
25-year-old jumps before train
Two die in road mishap
Cane Growers block road
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Murderous Manila connection
Kala Sanghian (Kapurthala), November 8 On Monday, it received news from that distant shore that the fourth member of the family had been stabbed to death. Three other members have also been killed there in the last two years. According to family members, Avtar Singh, a resident of Gill village was murdered while he was on his way back from a meeting with his debtors. He used to be a textile trader in Manila. This is the fourth murder in a row of natives from the sub region within a year. So far, as many as eight people from Punjab have reportedly been murdered in the Philippines over the last six months. Earlier, the nephew of Avtar was killed on October 3 by some unidentified persons in
Manila. Two brothers-in-law had been killed before him. Avtar Singh had migrated to Manila some five years back after he found it difficult to earn a living by selling earthenware. “My father was returning home after collecting money from his debtors when he was stabbed by some unidentified persons,” said Jatinder, Avtar’s younger son. Surinder Kaur, the widow of Avtar Singh, said that her husband used to sell textile material there but was not finding the venture profitable. “Then my eldest son Dharminder went to Manila seven months ago to help his father shift to some other business. My husband was suffering from huge financial losses over there and could not send any money to us. I am myself a vendor here and sell goods in front of a local school to make ends meet,” added Surinder Kaur.
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Illegal colony
Jalandhar, November 8 While Mr S.S. Johl, the Commissioner, is said to have directed the residents to vacate the colony within 10 days, Mr Surinder Mahey, the Mayor, said that he had sought the intervention of the Chief Minister on the issue over which the Punjab and Haryana High Court had given a deadline of December 1, 2005 for the removal of encroachments. The Mayor said that by doing so, he was supporting the Dalits and people from the weaker section of society. Mr Mahey said that during his conversation with the Chief Minister, he had raised the issue of the court order and that the Chief Minister had instructed the state Attorney General to take up the matter with the court. He claimed that the Chief Minister had assured him that “no injustice will be done to poorer sections of the city”. In a reaction to the statement given by Mr Mahinder Singh Kaypee, Transport Minister, Punjab, in Bhargo Camp two days ago, the Mayor had alleged that leaders from the ruling Congress party were trying to politicise the issue. On Sunday, the minister had reportedly asked the Municipal Corporation authorities to launch a drive against a number of hotels and hospitals in the city that had been indulging in encroachments. He had also stated that the authorities should issue notices on all the residents separately giving details of the encroachments before initiating any drive of the sort. Leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party, on the other hand, seem to have swung into action over the issue. Mr Pawan Kumar Tinu, general secretary, BSP, said that a minister from the ruling party has been shedding crocodile tears over the atrocities being meted out to the Dalits in the colony. “This is his third term as a minister and his father too had been a minister here but neither of the two have done anything for the welfare of the residents.” He said that since the Vidhan Sabha elections were just a year away, the minister, along with a former BJP MLA ,were now worried about the fate of the residents. Meanwhile, the Municipal Commissioner, when contacted for his reaction said: “Let’s see what we need to do.”
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Teenager’s death: Residents block G.T. Road
Jalandhar, November 8 Venting their ire on the private practitioner, the furious relatives and villagers put the body, placed on a charpoy, at the centre of the road, blocking the traffic for over an hour. They raised slogans against the doctor and demanded his immediate arrest for his “carelessness” in treating Baldev Kishen alias Gangu, the 14-year old son of a rickshaw-puller. A Class VII student of Government High School, Dakoha village, Gangu died in the Civil Hospital this morning. According to Mr Bobi Anand, a neighbour, Gangu had mild fever last month and was taken to the RMP, C.D. Sharma, for treatment. “The doctor injected him some medicine after which his body started turning blue. The parents took the boy to another private children hospital near Rama Mandi Chowk. Gangu had started responding to medicines there, but the parents, unable to bear the expenses of the hospital, shifted him to the Guru Nanak Mission Hospital and then to the Civil Hospital where he died today”, he said. The relatives of the deceased did not have any medical documents to reveal the course of treatment. They said that a team from the Civil Hospital took away all medical records that they possessed. Mr Kalia, SP, City I, said that a case had been registered under Section 304 of the IPC in the Sadar Police Station. The RMP, Mr C.D. Sharma, against whom the case has been registered, is said to be absconding and his clinic remained closed today. The Civil Surgeon, Dr S.M. Sharma, has started an inquiry into the matter by appointing a team under Dr G.S. Nagi, Assistant Civil Surgeon. The team comprises some other doctors from the hospital and the District Drug Inspector, Mr Amit
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The never-ending ordeal of Bawa Shoes workers
Jalandhar, November 8 For 20 years, there was a factory of Bawa Shoes Ltd at Siri Goindwal Sahib, near Amritsar. From its humble foundations, it grew and became a big league exporter. Then suddenly the machines fell silent and more than 600 workers (mostly women), with a lifetime of hard work, were left jobless. Production of shoes ceased, the gates were locked and the company owners, as the employees allege, moved base to Jalandhar, and a new factory was set up in Basti Danishmanda under a new name— M/S A.J. Exports. All the dues of the workers, including more than a year’s salary, PF, gratuity and two years’ bonus—totaling over Rs nine crore went up in smoke. The status now, according to the frustrated workers is a few legal suits, four big demonstrations (including burning of the effigies of the factory owners), memorandums to the state Labour Minister, Transport Minister, Food and Supplies Minister, Assistant Labour Commissioner, and even the Punjab State Commission for SCs. Now for the past one month, they have been on a chain hunger strike in front the house of Ms Harkiran Janeja, the owner of Bawa Shoes Ltd, in G.T.B. Nagar. A suit has been filed in the local court asking for a stay order to keep the protesters away (a radius of 300 metres precisely) from the boundaries of the new factory (registered under the name of Ms Rakhi Janeja, wife of Mr Sharanpal Janeja, and the daughter-in-law of Ms Harkiran Janeja). Too much of a foresight, since the workers are yet to demonstrate in front of the factory. Meanwhile, Ms Harkiran Janeja says Bawa Shoes is bankrupt, that she has been put on the road by the forever agitating workers and is helpless in sorting out the matter in any way. While talking to The Tribune, she blamed the workers and their unions for creating troubles. “The factory was set up at Goindwal by my father Mr Paramjit Singh Bawa because he had sentiments attached to the place. But the workers started demanding undue perks.” She even alleged that the unions had shooed away foreign buyers who came there. The workers refute the claim. But the real story began with the lay-offs. Citing “financial problem due to labour problems and to prevent further financial losses,” the company, as per a written agreement with the workers, implemented the first lay-off from October 16-December 30, 2004 and then extended it from January 1- February 28, 2005. The work never started. “During the lay-off period, they took away the machinery illegally,” alleged Ms Devi Kumari and Mr Baldev Singh, heading the Bawa Shoes Workers’ Union. But Ms Juneja said the machines are still there. “If I can find some money, I am willing to start the work.” She also said that she is trying to pay back the dues, though gradually. Mr Amarjit Singh Ansal, an AITUC leader supporting the workers, said the company is unwilling to even strike a compromise.
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Zonal youth fest for girls begins
Jalandhar, November 8 Girls from 20 colleges across the region donning traditional salwar-kameezes, lehnga-cholis with antique jewellery enacted scenes from a Punjabi marriage in gidha competition. Phulkari competition also got a thumping response as students from 25 colleges demonstrated their skills in using multi-coloured threads for hand embroidery. Contests for rangoli and flower arrangement (fresh and dry) were also held at separate venues. Contests, which also included mimicry; histrionics and one-act plays, were held at the Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall. The festival was inaugurated by Dr S.P. Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University. Dr S.S. Sangha, Associate Dean (Student Welfare), regional campus said that contests for mime, fancy dress, skit, classical dance, western vocal and western group song will be held tomorrow.
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25-year-old jumps before train
Phagwara, November 8 According to the GRP, the deceased has been identified as Amrit Kumar, a resident of Kattan village in Nawanshahr district. A suicide note has also been recovered from the body, the police said.
— TNS
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Two die in road mishap
Kapurthala, November 8 Paramjit Singh (24), a resident of Amanipur village, and his friend Satvir Singh (17), a resident of Pamman village, were found lying in pool of blood at the accident site, said the police. It is learnt that the deceased were going towards Talwandi Chaudhrian on the motorcycle. According to an eyewitness, he saw a tractor trolley at some distance from the spot of accident, moving at high speed.
— TNS
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Cane Growers block road
Phagwara, November 8
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