J A L A N D H A R

Stone laid again
Jalandhar, December 14
While the foundation stone of Dr B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan was laid about seven years ago, a new stone was laid at the same site in the administrative complex here today by a minister amidst fanfare.

Recently-wed commits suicide 
Nawanshahr, December 14
Teachers of privately managed government-aided schools staged a dharna at JSFH Khalsa Senior Secondary School here on Thursday in connection with their on-going statewide agitation. They were demanding to restore the retirement benefits.

CDs on Kalpna Chawla 
Batala, December 14
Mr B.L. Chawla, father of the late astronaut Kalpana Chawla, gifted a set of CDs of her experience to Government College, Gurdaspur, yesterday. He assured more help for providing education and maintaining a computer lab under the name of his daughter.

Teachers stage dharna
Nawanshahr, December 14
Teachers of privately managed government-aided schools staged a dharna at JSFH Khalsa Senior Secondary School here on Thursday in connection with their on-going statewide agitation.

A day of protests

(Clockwise) Members of the Anganwari Workers Union; the Coordination Committee of Trade Unions; the Punjab Government Transport Workers Union; and the PESB Employees Joint Forum stage dharnas at various places in Jalandhar on Thursday.— Tribune photos by Pawan Sharma

Stone laid again
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 14
While the foundation stone of Dr B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan was laid about seven years ago, a new stone was laid at the same site in the administrative complex here today by a minister amidst fanfare.

Ruling Congress leaders could not probably continue on the project whose foundation was laid by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, the then Chief Minister, on May 9, 1999, so another stone was laid by Mr Mahinder Singh Kaypee, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.

While funds to the tune of Rs 50 lakh were allocated from the Punjab Nirman funds in the first week of July, an Ambedkar Bhavan Nirman function was held today. The function had massive gathering with Congress leaders and administrative officers occupying the dais.

Targeted to woo a Dalit votebank in the region, the function concluded with a langar for the masses that continued for over an hour.

Interestingly, when the project was initiated in 1995, it was proposed that it be constructed within the boundaries of Gandhi Vanita Ashram on the Kapurthala road. Later, after it was pointed out that the ashram had little space to offer, another site was suggested within the administrative complex.

The stone laid by Mr Badal stood amidst wild growth for seven years as no further efforts were made by the ruling Congress government. No Dalit leader took the lead to accomplish the project though they occupied various political posts.

Mr Mahinder Singh Kaypee; Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, Minister for Local Bodies; his brother Chaudhary Santokh Singh, MLA, Phillaur; his son Chaudhary Surinder Singh, president, Zila Parishad; and Mr Surinder Mahey, Mayor, all represent the Scheduled Castes community.

No grant came even after the foundation stone was laid. A contract had been allotted by the PWD for its construction but it had to be terminated because of lack of funds.

Recently-wed commits suicide 
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, December 14
A newly wed woman, Pooja, hanged herself to death within seven months of her love marriage reportedly after a brawl with husband at Sheran Wala Mohalla here this evening.

After the incident, her husband Mukesh Anand also tried to end his life by jumping from the roof.

When contacted, DSP Amrik Singh Powar said preliminary investigations suggested that Pooja hanged herself from the fan after the brawl with husband over the issue of going to his in-laws’ house. He reportedly complained her that she visited her parents’ house at every now and then.

Mr Powar said the parents of both the girl and the boy were not in favour of their marriage. Later, the girl’s parents accepted their marriage, while the parents of the boy were still adamant. He said the couple was living separately at the ancestral house of Mukesh’s father.

The parents of both the girl and the boy reside in nearby lanes of Rose Avenue.

Rs 3 lakh stolen

JALANDHAR: A sum of Rs 3 lakh was stolen from a car parked outside the SSI branch of the Union Bank of India at Industrial Area after breaking the windscreen on Thursday.

The victim, Mr Yash Pal, said he was coming from the Adarsh Nagar branch of ICICI Bank after withdrawing Rs 3.10 lakh from it. He gave Rs 10,000 to a party and kept the remaining amount in a plastic bag in the car.

After that he went to the Union Bank of India to deposit a cheque after parking the car outside the bank. When he returned within five minutes, the windscreen of the car was broken and the plastic bag containing the money was stolen.

CDs on Kalpna Chawla 
Our Correspondent

Batala, December 14
Mr B.L. Chawla, father of the late astronaut Kalpana Chawla, gifted a set of CDs of her experience to Government College, Gurdaspur, yesterday. He assured more help for providing education and maintaining a computer lab under the name of his daughter.

Mr Chawla met staff and former students of the college, including Mr Ravi Sanwal, Mr K.N. Sharma and D. K.N. Kaushal.

A memento was presented to Mr Chawla.