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Skeletal remains were of Reema,
says DNA report
Mr Bhanu Pratap Jain, eldest son of the businesswoman, said they would be filing an application to the authorities that the remains of her mother be handed over to them so that her last rites could be performed. The police said the body remains would be handed over to the family soon.
Ludhiana, May 3 “The DNA profile of the skeletal remains, alleged to be of Reema Jain, matched with that of her mother, Ms Renuka Jain,” says the DNA examination report received by the Jagraon police today. The DNA report was eagerly awaited as the entire police investigation in the case depended on the report. It was the only scientific method to prove that Reema Jain was murdered and her body dumped in a septic tank by the accused, as claimed by the police. Apart from the DNA profile, samples of hair and teeth have also matched. The chemical examination report of the bones had already established that the skeletal remains were of a human being. No traces of acid were found in the sceptic tank. Mr Jaiswal said all pieces of the murder tale have come together now. He said it had been proved that Reema Jain was kidnapped on July 30 from near the Mall road in Ludhiana by five killers hired by her elder brother-in-law, Micky Jain.
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Changing climate affecting agriculture: PAU expert
Ludhiana, May 3 The agro-meteorologists of Punjab Agricultural University have come up with revelations on how agriculture is getting adversely affected or is likely to be affected in the future due to climatic changes. According to PAU scientist Prabhjyot Kaur Sidhu, these changes are due to greenhouse gases that have led to global warming and depleting ozone layer. This will impact agriculture, requiring scientists to work on new technologies and strategies for crop, fruit and vegetable varieties and hybrids. These have to be resistant or tolerant to temperature variations and low on water requirement. This will also mean a change in sowing time or agronomic management practices and exigencies. Planting different varieties of crops in the same agro-climatic zone due to regional weather changes will be imperative, as regional weather changes will mean presence of particular pest infestations, as well. The changing weather will also impact population dynamics of insects, pests, soil moisture, irrigation water availability, mineralisation of nutrients and consequently impinge on socio-economic life. The warmer climate will lower yields of wheat and paddy and many species of flora and fauna may perish or migrate. With weather playing a spoilsport, the wheat yield in the state this year is expected to be less by about 8 to 10 per cent. Aphid is one of the few major pests of wheat and mustard. It’s occurrence is also influenced by weather conditions. And, aphid infestation is favoured by cloudy weather and high relative humidity. Prabhjyot Sidhu has conducted a systematic and scientific study of climatic changes in Ludhiana over the past over 30 years and traced variability in day and night temperatures and rain patterns. She presented her study to the district extension specialists here on Tuesday, where Director Extension Dr S.S. Gill was in the chair. According to her, the data indicated that while minimum temperature rose by 0.07°C per year since 1970, maximum temperature dipped by 0.02°C per year. If the night temperature has been rising, rainfall pattern has also been changing. Ludhiana has been receiving 100 mm more rain per year since 1970, though number of rainy days has decreased. There has been increase in extreme weather condition events, as well. These changes have impacted the wheat yields this year. Even paddy yield is influenced by these changes. Temperature remained normal in November, December and January. However, it was 4 to 6°C above normal in February, coinciding with anthesis and grain filling in wheat. This rising temperature had adverse effect on wheat productivity. Prabhjyot also carried out assimilation studies to see what would be the effect on wheat productivity, if the temperature went up during February and March. Her conclusion is that temperature 4°C above normal will decrease wheat yield by 9 per cent.
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Thousands attend Ramdev’s camp
Ludhiana, May 3 In his inaugural address Swami Ramdev listed the importance of the yogic practices in day to day life. He pointed out that yogic practices and pranayam had evolved after a prolonged research by ancient rishis. He said the world had only now woken up to the importance of yoga while Indians practiced it for ages. He stressed the need for simple lifestyle. His now famous anlome-vilome and kapaal-bhaati pranayam remained the main attraction.The pranayam demonstrations were interspersed with his regular discourses on yoga, dharam, culture, ayurveda and nationalism. It is for the second time in two years that the Swami has been conducting the yoga camp. The session started at 5 in the morning and continued till 7.30 a.m. All the people who had come stayed put. The organisers had done well to ensure the smooth movement of people going in and coming out of the camp. The venue had originally been planned at Kohara but was shifted to Dugri within the city. The administration had also made elaborate arrangements for the proper conduct of the camp. Later in the day, the Swami kept on receiving visitors belonging to all sections of society. However, his continuous refrain has been that he has nothnig special or exclusive to people coming to meet him personally.
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Mystery shrouds SAD leader’s death
Mandi Ahmedgarh, May 3 The deceased was also a former Director of the Child Development Board and renowned commission agent of Dasaundha Singh Wala village in Sangrur district. While his wife had reported to the police that he had consumed some poisonous substance by mistake, media reports hint at a different story. The police has registered a report under Section 174 of the CrPC. Further action would be initiated on the receipt of chemical report of viscera that had sent to the state forensic laboratory, Patiala. According to a statement made by Ms Surinder Kaur, widow of Baldev Singh, he had swallowed some poisonous chemical by mistake at his house on Saturday. “My husband swallowed some poisonous chemical, mistaking it to be a cough syrup on Saturday. He was taken to a private hospital at Malerkotla immediately after he realized that it was some poisonous substance,” she told the police. She said her husband had no enmity and the family did not wish to lodge a criminal case against any one. Baldev Singh was later shifted to a multi-specialty private hospital at Ludhiana on the same day. He died the next day. Sources at the Sandaur market revealed an entirely different story. The deceased had reportedly consumed insecticide purchased from a shop at the local market. He had thrown his mobile phone into Sirhind canal near Kalyan Bridge, before consuming the poisonous substance. He drove his car to his shop at Sandaur village and the neighbours took him to a private hospital at Malerkotla from where he was shifted to a Ludhiana hospital where he died on Sunday. Baldev Singh was a SAD leader. He occupied the office of the Director, Child Development Board, during the Akali regime. He was close to former SAD minister, Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhala.
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3 city parks go to private firms
Ludhiana, May 3 The development will come as a breather for these lungs of the highly polluted city. A lot of hue and cry had been raised in the recent past as residents had been complaining of poor maintenance of these parks. The matter had even reached the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PHRC), which had asked the Deputy Commissioner to submit a report. The matter of poor upkeep of parks was raised by various councillors in the MC's general house meet yesterday. The MC chief had then announced that three major parks, including Rakh Bagh, Rose Garden and Leisure valley, had been handed over to a private company, that would bear the maintenance cost, besides depositing a security amount of Rs 5 lakh to the civic body. In return, the private company will be entitled to put up boards and hoarding advertising itself at various places in the parks. It will also bear the cost of maintenance on its own. The civic body will also save expenditure on water and power being supplied to these places. He added that the mini rose garden would also be handed over to a company. The process of handing over had been initiated with calling of tenders. He said 250 gardeners working in these parks would be withdrawn and deputed in other parks which are ill-maintained due to understaffing. The city has 723 parks and 450 gardeners. Around 200 are already working in various parks and around 250 had been working in four major parks. Around 160 gardeners were working in Rose Garden and Rakh Bagh alone which were spread over areas of 15 acres and 25 acres.
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MC appoints Public Information Officer
Ludhiana, May 3 The applications for seeking information can be filed from 10 am to 4 pm in his office in Mata ani chowk. The appeals would be heard from 11 am to 1.30 pm The Municipal Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sharma, was the appellate authority under the Act.
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Recruitment of ADAs sought
Ludhiana, May 3 A resolution to this effect was passed by the executive committee of the association at a meeting held here which was chaired by the president of the association, Mr R.S. Gill, District Attorney, Jalandhar. The association also demanded the implementation of the scale of professionals with regard to
District Attorneys, Deputy District Attorneys and Assistant District Attorneys after 4-9-14 years of service. It also demanded the library and wardrobe allowances for its members. The association also stressed the government to implement the new amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr P C) in Section 24, 25 and 25-A. The executive committee also requested the government to pay the Attorneys extra for the work done on every Saturday, as in other state government
departments Saturday was always a holiday, whereas the Attorneys had to work on that day without any remuneration. Giving the details, Mr Amar Ashok Pathak, District Attorney, Ludhiana, said the association would pursue their demands at every appropriate level. Mr Harnek Singh, secretary of the association, Mr Shiv Dutt Sharma and Mr Ashwani Bedi also attended the meeting.
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LIC takes possession of defaulters’ property
Ludhiana, May 3 Company officials said the party had taken a housing loan from the branch, but defaulted in repaying dues to the tune of Rs 5.32 lakh. The company had given a 60-day notice to the borrowers in December, 2004, but they failed to come forward for repayment or settlement, following which the company decided to take physical possession of the property mortgaged in borrowers’ names. “All premises were duly locked and sealed. The entire procedure was carried out with the assistance of M/s GATS Financial Reconstructors Limited,” the company said.
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6-month-old male child found
Ludhiana, May 3 Shopkeepers took care of the child and informed the police. A migrant labour woman volunteered to keep the child till his parents were found or the police made arrangements for the child. Already, three families, all of migrant labourers, have come up to adopt the child. Police sources said the child was quite weak. They said the girl child was found abandoned but it was quite rare that a male child
was found.
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Another chance for riot victims
Ludhiana, May 3 Mr. Ashok Kumar Gupta, Deputy Commissioner, informed that now the victims not covered earlier could submit their applications till May 15. He informed that as per the directions of the state government, no claims would be received after May 15. Any information or enquiry regarding old/ new files of any claimants could be had from the SDMs, he added. In case an old application of any claimant was
incomplete or untraceable, he could apply afresh so that he could also avail of the benefit.
TNS
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