Jalandhar, December 2
This year’s NRI sammelan and annual general body meeting scheduled for December 12 is likely to be a low-key affair.

The enthusiasm is not very high, perhaps because of a low turnout of the NRIs back to their native places, which partly is due to the global economic crisis and partly the recent terror attacks in India.

Another major reason for the subdued festivity is that the sammelan is now being independently organised by the NRI Sabha, unlike last year when the Punjab government had run the show in a big way for two days with one function at Chandigarh and the second at Jalandhar.

Till date, the Punjab government has not joined hands for organising the event and is rather learnt to have been preparing for its own show at Chandigarh some time in January.

NRI Sabha secretary Ravinder Guru believes that there has been at least 30 per cent less turnout of the NRIs to the region this time. “Many NRIs are not in a position to pay a visit to their native homes this time. Having suffered financial losses, they have simply put off their plans for the time-being,” he said.

President Kamaljit Singh Hayre pointed out, “The airlines have also cut down their services. From today, the Jet airlines has withdrawn its flight from Canada to Amritsar. Naturally, the inflow is less.”

But Hayre claims that he had received confirmation from 2,000 of the total 12,000 members of the sabha for their visit. “That will make a good gathering. I have also invited some foreign MPs and mayors of Indian origin to attend the event,” he seemed quite optimistic as he showed invitation cards for the event to be organised at Victoria Gardens on the GT Road.

Former president of the sabha Pritam Singh Narangpuri, however, said the NRIs were somehow more eager to come for an event organised by the government rather than by the sabha alone.

“This gives them an ample chance to interact with bureaucrats and politicians and know them personally. The NRIs always look forward for such an opportunity to put forth their demands before the lawmakers,” he opined.

Gurdaspur, December 2
Life turned upside down twice for Sahil (name changed) of Kotla Surat Malhi village in this district - first when he became dependent on drugs and was secluded by society and the second time when he recomposed himself to lead a healthy and meaningful life.

Similarly, for 24-year-old Sharanjit Singh (name changed), a resident of Pandori Mahnta village in the district, who was a hardcore addict, life became a hell and he had become a liability on his family.

The de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centre being run by the Red Cross Society helped them recover from the habit of drugs and made them self-reliant to run their own small businesses.

Sahil was given training in computer working and mobile repair. Sharanjit got training in hardware and software networking at the computer training centre in the de-addiction and rehabilitation centre.

Balwinder Singh (name changed) (29), another hardcore addict, has become a role model for other addicts and unemployed youths of the area.

As after leaving the habit of addiction through treatment at the local de-addiction centre, he is not only motivating the other addicts to shun drugs but also encouraging the unemployed youths to involve themselves in self-employment to earn enough to have all comforts in life.

These are not the isolated cases. About 19 drug-addicts, who have been treated at the local de-addiction centre and have been given training in hardware, software networking and mobile repair, had settled themselves nicely in their life by taking up their own occupations.

Apart from this, a number of addicts, who have been given training in bee keeping, mushroom cultivation and dairy farming while they were treated at the local centre, are successfully running their ventures.

Some of them, who have taken loans from banks and other financial institutions, have been returning the instalments at regular intervals without any difficulty.

Romesh Mahajan, project director, Red Cross de-addiction and rehabilitation centre, said though the centre was being given a meagre grant by the ministry of social justice and empowerment, they had been trying to use it for the benefit of maximum number of addicts.

He said, apart from a computer centre in the centre, a gymnasium had also been there so that addicts could improve their distorted physique.

The centre also organised camps for training the addicts in bee keeping, mushroom cultivation and other activities.

He said the Punjab government had requested to the ministry of social justice and empowerment to upgrade the de-addiction centre to 50 beds from the existing capacity of 30 beds. He added the facility of free food for the inmates was being provided with the donations from the public figures.

Jalandhar, December 2
Demanding interim relief on par with other central government employees, the members of the National Federation of Telecom Employees staged a dharna in front of the telecom building near Company Bagh here.

The members said while the employees of other public sector undertakings like BHEL and ONGC had received their interim relief, they were still awaiting their dues which amounted to nearly Rs 5,000 per month.

The members also criticised the recent step taken for promotions. “There has been clearcut discrimination against many employees,” they alleged.

Hoshiarpur, December 2
The District Consumer Forum, Hoshiarpur, has ordered the Indo-Canadian Transport Company (ICTC), Chandigarh, to refund Rs 100 along with the litigation expenses and compensation of Rs 3,000 to Harjinder Singh Saini of Aslamabad here within one month.

Harjinder was cheated by the company when he purchased a bus ticket from Chandigarh to Hoshiarpur for Rs 220.

Later he found that the officer of the company had overcharged the bus fare by mentioning Pathankot as the destination.

When he informed the official concerned, he assured him that Rs 100 would be refunded at Hoshiarpur by the bus conductor.

However, the conductor refused to refund the amount after reaching the destination. The transport company in its reply to the forum said it never issued tickets for the destinations which were on the way from Chandigarh to Pathankot.

But the forum held that there was no evidence to prove that the company never issued tickets for the destinations. The forum said as the company did not file the affidavit of the bus driver or the conductor that Harjinder Singh travelled in the said bus from Chandigarh to Pathankot, consequently, it is held that the company is guilty of unfair trade practice.

Jalandhar, December 2
Punjabi lyricist Tarlochan Singh Chann Jandialvi (UK) and playwright Dr Atamjit Singh will be conferred with “Kewal Vig Award” for the year 2008.

The convener of the Kewal Vig Foundation, Jatinder Mohan Vig, said Chann Jandialvi of the “Madhania” song fame and playwright Dr Atamjit would be given the award during a function at Virsa Vihar in Jalandhar on December 4.

The annual award was instituted in 1994 in the memory of the founder editor of Punjabi magazine Janta Sansar. As many as 35 distinguished personalities have already received the award.

Former Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Surjit Singh Minhas, senior deputy mayor Kamaljeet Singh Bhatia, DAV College principal Dr V.K. Tewari and assistant director, language department, Manpreet Singh Bal will be special guests of honour during the award-presentation ceremony. 

Hoshiarpur, December 2
A mentally retarded woman, who used to beg in and around the local bus stand and sleep during night under the passenger shed there, today started screaming with pains. The cries attracted passengers and Punjab Roadways staff.

On seeing her condition, the Punjab Roadways authorities informed SDM Capt Karnail Singh, who instructed them to send her to Nari Niketan, Jalandhar. But in view of her serious condition, she was admitted to the local civil hospital.

Senior medical officer Dr Gurdev Singh told this correspondent that after her medical examination and ultrasound, it was found that she was in the advance stage of pregnancy. She is reported to be in the age group of more than 30 years.

The delivery was expected in the first week of January. But on account of serious internal infection, her treatment has been started.

She only revealed her name as Kiran, but was unable to speak or understand Hindi, English or Punjabi, Dr Gurdev Singh said and added that it was presumed that she might be from Bengal or Bangladesh and was unable to explain about the person who was responsible for her pregnancy.

It was further presumed that some body might have raped her, said Dr Gurdev Singh.

Nawanshahr, December 2
The CIA staff today busted a gang of inter-district vehicle-lifters by arresting two of its members, Ajay Kumar, alias Modi, resident of Padrana village in Hoshiarpur (presently living in Chandigarh), and Narain Singh of Ladhana Jhikka village, and recovered a car, a motorcycle, six scooters, two pistols and three live cartridges from them.

Talking to mediapersons, DSP Narinder Kumar Bedi said on a tip-off a police team led by CIA in charge Hardeep Kumar had put up a naka near Naura village on Monday. The accused, who were coming in a car (HR-26-5475), when saw the naka, tried to flee but were nabbed by the police.

The gang used to lift vehicles from Chandigarh and sell these at Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur. During investigation, the accused confessed to their involvement in 18 such thefts, the cases regarding which had already been registered 
in Chandigarh.