Internal feuds take toll on working of Gandhi Ashram 
Amritsar, May 10
Working of the 45-year-old Kshetriya Shri Gandhi Ashram (KSGA), Amritsar zone, has to a standstill due to internal feuds. Established for providing employment opportunities to rural men and women at their door steps, the Amritsar zone, covering Punjab, Lucknow and Jammu and Kashmir, has been unable to provide job to daily wagers, weavers and charkha spinners for the past nearly three months.
A section of employees of Kshetriya Shri Gandhi Ashram in a protest mode in Amritsar. Photo: Vishal Kumar 

Nursing home in the dock
Tarn Taran, May 10
The Health Department, Punjab, has filed a criminal complaint in the court of Judicial Magistrate, Patti, against Trehan Nursing Home for violating the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (PNDT) Act.

Dept of Posts introduces Worldnet Express
Amritsar, May 10
Keeping in view the high number of pilgrims from abroad visiting the holy city for paying obeisance in the Golden Temple, Department of Posts has introduced “Worldnet Express” (to send document and parcel overseas) in two branches of the city.

Amritsar, May 10
With the opening of Sant Singh Sukha Singh (SSSS) College of Arts for Women, the girls of Maqboolpura area, infamous for alcohol and drug addiction, can now hope to receive higher education.

The 119-year-old Sant Singh Sukha Singh School Committee, headed by Deputy Commissioner, Kahan Singh Pannu, established the college.

He inaugurated the college campus during a special function held here today. Dr Jagdish Singh, director of the SSSS schools and colleges, was also present on the occasion.

Maqboolpura is also known as a locality of widows. A number of families lost their men to drugs or alcohol and their children were devoid of education.

It is pertinent to mention here that Citizen Forum Vidya Mandir, started by a government teacher couple Master Ajit Singh and his wife in association with industrialist-turned-social worker Brij Bedi, is providing yeoman service to the children of the area by giving them free education till Class 12.

The college is affiliated with Guru Nanak Dev University.

Initially, basic courses would be provided. In the future, there are plans to introduce vocational courses, said the DC.

“We will provide higher education to the girls who could not afford to go out of the area owing to their poor family conditions. We will do whatever we can do to provide education to them by charging very nominal fees. Considering the hard work and need of the children we will even reduce the fees so that they can continue their education,” informed Dr Jagdish Singh, while talking to The Tribune.

The admissions to the college had already started, Dr Singh added.

Amritsar, May 10
Guru Nanak Dev University College, a government run coeducational institution, is all set to start functioning from June, said Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu, who visited the construction site along with AS Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, and other senior university officials here on Sunday. After inspecting the ongoing work, Pannu said the coeducational college is being established at 12 acres of land in Verka.

The Punjab Government has sanctioned Rs 15 crore for its construction and 90 per cent of the construction work is already completed, added the Deputy Commissioner. Brar said the classes in the new college would start from July 15 and the admission process would commence from first week of June. He revealed that 500 students would be admitted during this academic session.

The admission would be opened for BA, BSc (Non-Medical), BSc (Computer Science), BCom (Professional) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). The prospectus of the university has already mentioned the admission process to the new college.

The VC said the university had already recruited the principal and faculty for the college. The admission office of the college would become operational from June 1 in the college campus. He informed the fee structure of the college would be at par with the fee structures of other government colleges. It may be recalled that the residents of Verka village had donated 12 acres of land for setting up the government college in the region. — TNS

Amritsar, May 10
The deadline, fixed by the Punjab Government for registration of the de-addiction centres running in the state, has elapsed, but onl\y a handful of these units have applied for the same and majority is running without the requisite license.

And with the reports of brutal physical tortures of inmates by the musclemen and owners of these centres are catching headlines, the state government has decided to take prompt action against the illegal de-addiction centres.

Confirming this, Satish Chandra, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, said, “Till now, only 23 government-run de-addiction centres and 43 private centres have applied for the licence and have completed the requisite norms under government notification.”

The government has decided to write to the deputy commissioners of various districts to conduct survey and shut down the illegal de-addiction centres running in their respective areas.

While talking to The Tribune over phone, Chandra said, “We have decided to write to the deputy commissioners to carry out a survey and identify illegal de-addiction centres who have not applied to the Health Department for getting themselves registered with the government and taking prompt action to shut them down.”

It is pertinent to mention here that following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the government formulated new norms for running and monitoring all the drug de-addiction centres operating in the state and issued a notice in this regard on January 19 asking the centres to get themselves registered with the government after fulfilling the norms within three months of issuing of notification. However, only a handful of them especially private de-addiction centres applied for the license.

In the recent past, about three illegal de-addiction centres were raided by the district administration in Amritsar in which over a hundred drug addicts were rescued. They were living in inhuman conditions and were brutally tortured by the owners and musclemen of these centres.

From Amritsar, besides the government-run de-addiction centres, no other centre applied for the necessary licence, confirmed Civil Surgeon Dr Chandanjit Singh Kondal.

As per the new set of norms, all government and private de-addiction centres are required to be registered with the Health Department besides constituting district-level committees headed by the DCs to inspect registered centres whether they were following the minimum standards set by the high court.

Then they had to send a detailed report along with their recommendations to the authorities concerned. The government would also constitute a state-level committee to supervise functioning of district-level committees.

As per norms the centre must have an MBBS doctor, a psychiatrist, a counsellor besides trained staff for giving medicines to the patients.

Amritsar, May 10
Working of the 45-year-old Kshetriya Shri Gandhi Ashram (KSGA), Amritsar zone, has to a standstill due to internal feuds.

Established for providing employment opportunities to rural men and women at their door steps, the Amritsar zone, covering Punjab, Lucknow and Jammu and Kashmir, has been unable to provide job to daily wagers, weavers and charkha spinners for the past nearly three months.

Employees of the Amritsar zone have been on strike for the past about 40 days. The zone has 10 commercial outlets in its jurisdiction.

As a result of internecine feuds, the number of weavers and charkha spinners has dwindled sharply. At present, 740 weavers, charkha spinners and other artisans spread across Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Lucknow were associated with it. Last year, the zone registered a turnover of nearly Rs one crore.

The number of weavers, spinners and artisans was 3,000 and turnover was Rs 6 crore in fiscal 1995-1996.

The KSGA Amritsar zone is yet to recover about Rs five crore from various KSGAs across the country.

Talking over phone, KSGA Amritsar zone director Ram Naresh Singh, whose office is at Lucknow, said, “How can we recover the amount when we are unable to deliver consignments.”

He said the bank limit of the Amritsar zone has been reduced from Rs 2.64 crore to Rs 1.65 crore. He said internal strife forced the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to hand over it to Khadi and Village Industry Commission (KVIC), Chandigarh, about a year ago.

Current administrator of KSGA Amritsar zone, Sheesh Pal Singh, of KVIC Chandigarh said about Rs 22 lakh annually went to paying interest on various advances. Establishment and office expenditure of the KSGA costs about Rs 54 lakh per annum.

A section of its employees alleged financial mismanagement and irregularities against a group of employees.

Employees are perturbed over the fact that they were not paid salary for the past three months while no money has been deposited in their provident found for the past year.

Of 41 KSGAs across the country, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, allocated Woollen Khadi Cluster on 34 about three years ago. Under the cluster, the Amritsar zone was allocated a grant of nearly Rs one crore for merino wool and desi wool for producing clothing for shirting, coating, tweed, hosiery, readymade garments, blankets and namda.

The agitating employees in a letter to KSGA Amritsar Zone Director Ram Naresh Singh alleged that raw material was shown to have been procured on inflated prices, salary was released to persons, who were never employed.

Ram Naresh Singh said the allegations of embezzling funds under the Woollen Khadi Cluster Programme were exaggerated. He said Rs 26 lakh out of Rs one crore central grant was spent. He said allegations of the misappropriation would be verified by auditors of the institution.

Meanwhile, he warned the all agitating employees to join duty failing which action would be taken against them.

Amritsar, May 10
There seems to be no end to the miseries of Dilbagh Singh Gill, a former government teacher, who is running from pillar to post to save his agriculture land from the unscrupulous persons.

All thanks to the apathy of the Revenue Department especially the Patwari of the area concerned who allegedly wrote the ‘inteqal’ of his land to opposite party even as the civil court had already issued a stay order for the same in his favour.

Earlier, Dilbagh had to fight a long and lonely battle in Canada for the custody for his grandson as his daughter was brutally murdered by her husband.

During the course, he lost his government service and he had to depend on his agricultural land. A resident of Partap Nagar, he has his agriculture land in Kotla Doom village in Ajnala tehsil.

“The civil court has granted a stay order in my favour in 2006 which was also registered in the ‘Roznamcha’. But the said patwari, Manohar Lal, ignoring the stay order wrote inteqal of more than 11 kanal of land in the name of one Daljit Kaur who further sold the land to several other persons which was against the civil court orders,” said Dilbagh.

He said he approached the higher authorities but nothing concrete has been done so far.

“The family who purchased the land is threatening to eliminate me in order to get the possession of the land,” he said. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also ordered the police authorities to provide security to him in this regard.

“On which orders the patwari wrote the inteqal and helped the accused persons to sell the land,” he asked.

When contacted, Manohar lal claimed that Dilbagh singh had not shown any stay orders to him while adding that whatever he did was done on the basis of documents produced before him.

It is pertinent to mention here that the SDM Ajnala had also refused to act on the complaint filed by the accused saying that as long as the matter was in the civil court no changes could be made in the documents.

Seeking justice, Dilbagh urged Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu to initiate inquiry against the accused patwari and cancel all the faked inteqals and registries made to opposite party.

“I became a heart patient during my struggle for the possession of my grandson and underwent a heart operation. I am feeling helpless,” said Gill.

The Deputy Commissioner said the matter had not come to his notice and if Dilbag Singh comes to me, I will ensure justice is done.

Amritsar, May 10
To ease traffic flow beneath the elevated road from Alpha Mall to Bhandari Bridge, the Punjab Government has decided to widen the existing roads from double lane to eight lanes besides constructing two service lanes.

“The project of construction of eight-lane road from Amritsar Gate to Bhandari Bridge would cost Rs 30.57 crore which would be borne by the Punjab Government through Punjab Infrastructure Development Board,” informed Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu while inspecting the site where the initial work has already been started.

It is evident to mention here that the construction of elevated road from Alpha Mall to Bhandari Bridge, the width of existing road has decreased considerably due to piers and median of 5.5 meters. The traffic chaos beneath the elevated road especially near Bhandari Bridge have become an order the day. The inordinate delay in the completion of elevated road also aggravated the problem.

“The contract amounting to Rs 27.65 crore has been allotted to Satish Aggarwal and Company, Amritsar (JV) with time limit of six months and scheduled date of completion is November 24,” said Pannu. He added that from Amritsar Gate crossing to Taranwala Bridge it is proposed to widen the road to 8-lane in addition to service lane of 5.5-metre wide on both sides. From Taranwala Bridge to Alpha Mall it is proposed to provide service lane on one side.

From Alpha Mall to Bhandari Bridge (under elevated bridge) the existing road would be improved by widening as per availability of space. Footpath on both sides from Amritsar Gate crossing to Bhandari Bridge of 1.5-metre wide will be provided, he said.

Amritsar, May 10
Common man pays the most whenever there is any strike by auto-rickshaw drivers.

The two-day strike by auto-rickshaw and mini buses in first week of May caused such a situation in the city.

Common citizens and schoolchildren were the major victims of the strike.

A resident of Guru Bazaar, Gurminder Singh said the strike was a bolt from the blue for his family as his two kids studying in primary classes in DAV International School outside Verka bypass were not able to go to their schools.

Harmit Singh, a resident of Puttalighar, said undoubtedly the commuters enjoyed a trouble free walk on the city roads that were free of traffic jams and congestions. However, people like him, who do not possess any vehicle, depend on auto-rickshaws for commuting.

However, with the introduction of local buses by the government, residents will heave a sigh of relief.

District Transport Officer Dhyan Singh said nearly 150 buses under city transportation would be plied in and around the city. He said of them 30 AC buses would be introduced soon and these would be under the control of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation.

Amritsar, May 10
Mushrooming growth of concrete structures has reduced the area under orchards in the city.

Once known for ‘baghs’ (orchards) of pears, the city topography has undergone a tremendous change in the past three decades due to rapid urbanisation.

Now, the state government policies, supportive district administration and commercial viability are attracting enterprising people to turn to orchards and new concept of net farming again.

Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu has unveiled the waxing and grading machine worth Rs 4.5 lakh at the orchard of Maj Manmohan Singh Verka (retd), who is credited for setting up the first kinnow orchard in the district.

Major Verka said the machine would enable him to clean, wax and grade the fruit crop and package it swiftly.

He said in order to sell the produce to other states, waxing and grading were necessary to get good returns.

Pannu along with the Punjab Horticulture Department, Assistant Director, Dr Baj Singh Sandhu, visited the orchard and a net farm house being run by a young progressive farmer Vikram Sarkaria.

Maj Verka has grown kinnows, varieties of plum, cherry, banana on his 18-acre orchard. He sells his fruit in different areas of the country. He said a 16-kg box of pear fetched Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 in Kolkata during Durga Puja.

Pannu, who played a pivotal role in getting the pear estate status for the district, said Amritsar was considered one of the coldest districts among the plains which suit pear production. He said about 800 acres of land was under pear plantation at present.

He informed that the Pear Estate Society would be registered on May 9. The society would draw its members from Punjab Mandi Board, Punjab Agro-Industry Corporation, Chief Manager, Lead Bank, Horticulture Department of Punjab Agriculture University, Punjab Horticulture Department, and five farmers.

He said 2.5 acres land opposite of New Amritsar has been earmarked for setting up of Rs 1.4 crore building of the society. It would have soil testing and leaf analysis laboratories and required machineries.

He opined the Amritsar international airport, with the facility of centre for perishable produce, is a gateway for exporting fruit while being connected with an elaborate railway and road network.

The Deputy Commissioner is also credited for introducing the net farming in the city. He recalled that after encouraging couple of progressive the net farm houses were set up in 2007. Their number rose to staggering 103 this year.

Dr Baj Singh Sandhu said the area under orchards had come down in the past some years due to colonisation. He added that 50 more net houses would be added this year. He felt that the new policies would stem the trend.

Amritsar, May 10
Liberation of Tibet from Chinese occupation was the moral responsibility and strategic necessity of India, said Dr Kuldeep Agnihotri, director, regional centre of Himachal Pradesh University, speaking at a seminar on ‘India, China and Tibet-Triangular Relationship’ organised by Panchnad Study Centre here.

“An independent Tibet from time immemorial has served as a defense for Indian borders against Chinese aggression. However, the presence of Chinese troops in Tibet has made the entire north-east border of India vulnerable to expansionist designs of Communist regime,” he said.

Dr Agnihotri said the Indian diplomats should accept this harsh reality that India and China are rivals who are in competition with each other to be recognised as economic super powers in the world.

“China has been encircling India to jeopardise the security of our country. It invaded and took over Tibet, it supported Maoists in Nepal and has ensured that Nepal is ruled by people hostile to India. It has strategic defense relations with our arch rival Pakistan and encroached upon territory of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, it has also been building bridges with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,” he pointed out.

Agnihotri lamented that policy makers in India are crippled by division of opinion as far as China is concerned. Those who are blinded by their economic interests in China are advocating a policy of status quo. They are preaching that India should ignore the Indian territory grabbed by China or the part of PoK handed over it by Pakistan and instead offer an olive branch to that country.

“If India can keep pace with economic development of its neighbour, strengthen its military prowess and alleviate poverty, diseases and hunger from its society then India will be able to overtake Chinese power,” he said. He also appealed to people to boycott Chinese goods and buy Indian products only.