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1 caught with Rs 50,000 in police chase
Ludhiana, December 24 One of the accused even jumped from the Jagraon bridge to escape but he could not escape as a sewadaar of Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib caught him and recovered a bag containing Rs 50,000 stolen by the accused. Inspector Gurpreet Singh, SHO, Division No 2 police station revealed that it all began in the afternoon when the two accused Satish and Kala alleged leader and key member of a notorious Moradabadi gang snatched a bag containing the money from a cycle parts manufacturer. The incident took place when the industrialist was coming out of the Bank of Punjab, Miller Gunj. The victim immediately rung the police. Inspector Gurpreet Singh said SSP Narinderpal Singh immediately put up nakkas at key places in the city. The accused could not escape the nakkas and were spotted riding a scooter at one on the GT road. The police followed them. They were intercepted on the Jagraon bridge. Satish then dumped the scooter and jumped from the bridge only to be caught by sewadaar Pritam Singh. The
police later found that the two belonged to the notorious Moradabadi gang which was responsible for a number of crime activities in North India.
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They celebrate, but
quietly
Ludhiana, December 24 Sister Linda Mary, the in-charge of the home said God had given them (the care-takers) a chance to serve these abandoned people. “They have gone through several pains and agony in life and we try to bring smiles on their faces, may be for a little while. The celebrations would be a low-key affair but everyone is putting in efforts to decorate the home”, she said. She further added that the ones, who can walk properly, would be taken to the church on Sunday for
prayers. We have made Christmas tree and small hut for them. One of the philanthropist here has booked a lunch for them on December 25. At midnight, children would be given sweets, said Sister Mary, one of the care-taker of these unfortunate people for the past six months. Maria, around 40, a mentally-challenged woman said her parents had left her here from Pathankot. She said, “My parents had left me here. We were three sisters but I used to trouble them and always wanted their attention, so they dropped me here. Now, none of them visits me. If they come to take me home, I will never trouble them. I feel happy to celebrate festivals with all my friends here”, she said. Deepa, Jyoti and Bharti are the new guests this year. The Railway police had brought them to Mother Teresa’s Home on November 8. They are real sisters and are absolutely normal. “We want to transfer them to Chandigarh or Delhi for adoption. They are real sisters and we wish that they are never separated. At the same time, they need to be educated, too. We have sought help from the Deputy Commissioner”, said Sister Linda Mary. Twenty-year-old Rajni misses her parents very much. “The entire family used to sit, watch TV and eat sweets together on Christmas and New Year eve. I was normal as any other human being. I do not know what happened suddenly, both my legs got paralysed.
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Dance reflects rhythm, harmony
Ludhiana, December 24 Mansingh, who is here to perform at the invitation of the Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam and for conducting a workshop at BCM and KVM School during an interaction with the media here, remarked that dance was not just the ordered bodily movement. “It is the enactment of the sur-tal taken from the real life”, she remarked. A disciple of Prof US Krishna Rao, Mansingh regrets the trivialisation of the various institutions, including the Gurukuls. She pointed out that a gurukul was not a simple word. There is an idea, a history behind that idea which is institutionalised in gurukul. Without wanting to pronounce judgements on anybody she remarked, we need to ensure that the classic traditions are held in a classic manner. During interaction with the media, she was at her brilliant best while speaking about her subject. A question about the four arms of Shiva as Natraj was enough to set the spark on fire. She took about half an hour to describe each and every posture of the Natraj, holding everybody in awe. She pointed out, “even Lord Shiva is described as Natraj, the Lord of the Dance”. She observed a lot more needed to be done to preserve the classic tradition and heritage. But at the same time, she was optimistic that there were people who were inclined towards the classical forms of art. She was herself associated with the movement for the revival of the classical arts and she has herself been running the ‘Centre for Indian Classical Dance’ in New Delhi. Moreover, she has been conducting regular workshops all over the country where young students learn the basics of classical dance. During her four decade long dancing career, Sonal Mansingh has performed all over the country “in almost every nook and corner”. Besides, she has enthralled the dance lovers in 85 countries abroad. But she loves to perform at home as her roots keep her beckoning again and again. It is her fifth visit to Ludhiana.
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Gang killing protected
animals busted; one held
Ludhiana, December 24 Roasted pieces of a slain mongoose and paws, hair of a wild cat has been recovered from the possession of the accused. Ms Anupama Jain, vice-president, PFA and her son Mr Nitin Jain, a member of the organisation had got information that the a group of men and women were seen roasting some animals on a vacant plot near Shivalik Doon School, Haibowal. They visited the spot and found that they were tribals, who were in the process of cooking a slain mongoose. They called the Haibowal police. SHO Kuldip Singh raided their huts and found claws, and hair of wild cat. Two hounds were also found. The police arrested Bhola Nath, the alleged gang leader. Dr Sandeep Jain, president, PFA said, mongoose was a protected animal under schedule-2 of the Wild Life Protection Act. Under the act, killing of the animal could land a person in
imprisonment for five years.
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Workers to hold protest rally
Ludhiana, December 24 “It is to strengthen labour movement and we would raise issues concerning workers like closure of the two cycle divisions of the Hero Group, increasing unemployment and other anti-people policies,” said Mr Jagdish Chand, joint-secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Punjab.
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Jail term for bounced cheque
Ludhiana, December 24 The orders were passed while deciding on a complaint filed by Mr Narinder Kapoor, partner of M/s Kapoor Alloys, Focal Point, Ludhiana.
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NRIs’ plea to govt on welfare society
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 24 Referring to the outcome of a seminar on problems and solutions of NRIs, organised under the aegis of the Global Punjab Foundation, Dr Harjinder Pal Singh, secretary- general of the foundation, said there was a need for the state government to focus attention on understanding and solving of problems related to NRIs. “If the government was genuinely interested in winning the confidence of NRIs, which has been shattered due to the indifferent attitude of successive governments, an intense recourse should be adopted,” maintained Dr Walia. Reiterating contents of the resolution passed by the NRIs, Dr Walia said that only genuine members should be inducted in the society constituted for their welfare. More executive powers should be given to solve the problems of the NRIs, he added. Elaborating on the issue Dr Walia said separate cells should be constituted to redress grievances of NRIs towards natives and other NRIs. “They were facing diverse types of problems and those created by their brethren were more acute than those generated by locals,” illustrated Dr Walia. Mr Harbans Singh Jandali, president, Ontario Sikh Gurdwara Council, stressed on recognising contribution of NRIs in restructuring the border state. He claimed that non- Resident Punjabis had been contributing a lot in the development of rural areas of the state. “But instead of reciprocating our gesture, the government and the beneficiaries made a mockery of us by playing tactics. It is high time the government recognise the role of NRIs in the development of the state and give them due reverence in various spheres of society,” said Mr Jandali. He alleged that NRIs had been exploited by officials of the revenue department on varied pretexts. London-based journalist S. Nirpal Singh Shergill also aired similar views and maintained that the Punjabis would be gainers in case the lost confidence of their non-resident brethren was regained. “It will encourage us to invest our hard-earned money in various projects and that will generate employment for the youth and thus bring prosperity here,” said Mr Shergill.
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Taxation lawyers sore over VAT problems
Ludhiana, December 24 A meeting of the Taxation Young Lawyers Association, held under the chairmanship of Mr Jatinder Khurana here, discussed in detail the technical and administrative problems which stood in the way of taxation lawyers. Mr Khurana lamented that the official apathy and shortcomings in the infrastructure were adding to the woes of trade, industry and professionals as far as the new VAT regime was concerned. He said the computer system of the Excise and Taxation Department had proved to be inadequate, which resulted in inordinate delay in issuing the VAT registration numbers, necessary amendments in the registration of dealers and processing of refunds. Mr Khurana further pointed out that the government appeared to have gone back on its promise of withdrawal of the Central Sales Tax (CST) once VAT was given effect. He also expressed his strong opposition to the proposed turnover tax in lieu of octroi. Other speakers at the meeting including, Mr Sachin
Mahendru, chairman, and Mr Ajay Kaushal, joint secretary of the body, alleged that hefty penalties were being imposed by the department for the non-submission of returns by the traders and further that transport vehicles, carrying goods, were being delayed at check barriers on frivolous grounds. Functionaries of the association urged the department of excise and taxation and the state government to streamline the working and redress problems relating to VAT on top priority. They also pleaded that the process of issuing VAT refunds be also speeded up. Prominent among those present at the meeting were Mr Rajnish Gupta, Mr Arwinder Singh, Mr Kasturi Lal Bhandari, Mr Amandeep Malhotra, Mr Sham Sunder Ahuja and Mr Divesh Chopra and Mr Rishi Khanna.
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Session on parenting
Ludhiana, December 24 KVM students
meet autistic kids
The psychology students of Class XI of Kundan Vidya Mandir got their first exposure to ‘autism’ when they visited Darpan, a special school for autistic children. The air was full of festivity as KVM students sang and danced for them. The students of Darpan were enamoured and joined in the singing and dancing. Dr Niranjan, Director, Darpan, Dr Chandan, occupational therapist and Ms Poonam Kalra, a social worker, briefed the students regarding the symptoms, behavioural problems, and special needs of those children. KVM students got sensitized to the needs of autistic children which was the main objective of the interaction.
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MCPI (U) flays India’s stand at WTO meet
Ludhiana, December 24 They said, “this stand, is betrayal of the cause of our agriculture and industry. “By agreeing to the proposal of developed imperialist countries to phase out the subsidies in agriculture by the year 2013, interests of Indian farmers have been hit”. Mr Lyallpuri and Mr Kuldip Singh have also flayed the dual role of CPM leadership, who are critical of the stand but were lending support to the government.
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Consumer Protection Council
Ludhiana, December 24
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VAT creating problems for trade, industry
Ludhiana, December 24 “People are not claiming the refund under the fear that if it is rejected once the refund can be possible only through the appeal process. Although this is not a well founded argument but large amounts of refund are not being claimed due to this fear. As per rough estimates the refund under VAT may be anything above Rs 350 crores. On the other hand the Financial Commissioner, Taxation, claims that refunds claimed by industry and trade are worth about Rs 25 crore,” he said. Mr Sharma said the government had promised VAT refunds without producing forms ‘C’ and ‘H’. However, after implementation of the Act, there was no amendment to this effect, he alleged. “A Sub Committee of Cabinet Ministers was constituted to facilitate the refund without the production of ‘C’ forms. The matter is bogged down in politics and there is no effective follow-up of this.” The chamber said industrial units whose refund was building up beyond a level were knocking on the doors of banks for enhancing their working capital. On the face of this major problem under VAT , surveys and search by the Income Tax Department are on the rise and this is also becoming a major factor in crippling the working of industry and trade, the chamber said. Quoting a study, Mr Sharma said VAT had also resulted in an increase in transportation cost for exporters. A study commissioned by the Department of Commerce and conducted by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India has found this, he said. The study was conducted initially in four states of Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal. To start with seven sectors of industry were covered. They are gems and jewellery, leather and leather products, drug and pharmaceuticals, auto mobile and auto components, engineering goods, textile and handicrafts and agro and food processes. The increase transaction cost is reported to be above 10 per cent in the VAT regime. “The main factor for increase in the transaction cost is not the availability of funds under VAT, increased paper work as well as record keeping,” said Mr Sharma.
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