Amritsar, September 18
An evening walk cost a man his life. A pedestrian died on the spot, while another escaped with injuries, when a car hit them while they were on their evening walk on the GT road bypass on Saturday evening.

The deceased has been identified as Puran Singh.

The driver of the car has been booked under section 304 A IPC with the Sultanwind police station.

According to the police station in-charge Harinder Singht said on the basis of a complaint filed by Udhav Sharma who accompanied the deceased at the time of the incident, a case has been registered against the accused.

The accused was driving a car bearing the number PB02-BP Temp 0400, according to the police.

He allegedly lost control over the vehicle and smashed into the two victims who were walking along the road. No arrest has been made so far.

Tribune News Service
For Akshay Kumar coming to the holy city is an emotional experience. He visited the Golden Temple with the star cast of his latest offering, Speedy Singhs, directed by Robert Liebermann. “My father was born here and every time I visit Amritsar, memories of my childhood come alive and I miss him," says the actor who has produced the crossover sports drama with an international star cast.

Accompanying him were actors Anupam Kher, Gurpreet Guggi and Vinay Virmani, who plays the lead opposite American actor Camilla Belle. The international cast also includes actor Russell Peters and Rob Lowe. With Speedy Singhs, also titled 'Breakaway' for the international market, Kumar has tried to bring together his two loves, Punjab and sports. "My love for sports runs in my blood as my father was a professional wrestler. So sports comes natural to me, whether its cricket, football or martial arts." This time it's ice-hockey. "It's the national sports of Canada and since it has a lot of Punjabi population, the theme of Speedy Singhs brings the two elements together. This movie is not just about sports but the fight for acceptance by a Punjabi in a game that is dominated by white people," says Akshay.

It is also about the generational difference in ideologies amongst the Punjabis living abroad. "It is also story of a father-son relationship and their conflicting values. A coming-of-age story that celebrates the triumph of Punjabis," says Anupam Kher, who represents the Punjabi community in the film. Do we see another Bend It Like Beckham performance from him? "Not at all, my character is more dominating and strict here. It is a powerful role with a lot of values," says Kher.

The movie has already got full house at the Toronto Film Festival, "It was an unusual sight with the bhangra beats, elephants and Punjabi flavour at the red carpet. We are releasing the movie successfully with 650 prints across India," Akshay said. The movie's music is already a hit in bhangra and hip hop circles with performances by Grammy winning artistes Drake and Ludacris.

As for Kumar, next on agenda seems a Punjabi movie. "Give me a good script and that might just happen.”

Debutant actor Vinay Virmani said, “I am lucky to have worked with such a talented international cast. The young actor enjoyed being mobbed while visiting Golden Temple, "It is my first visit to Punjab and it feels like home. I am enjoying all the attention." Virmani has also penned the story of the movie.

“It is heartfelt as I have faced similar problems while I was in Canada. Many Punjabi youth were not allowed to play ice-hockey because of the racial barriers," says the actor who has played ice-hockey while in school and has a postgraduate degree in acting from Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, New York.

Amritsar, September 18
The much-hyped “Go Green, Go Clean” eco-drive seems to have lost steam. It was the pet project of the local MP Navjot Sidhu that was launched four years ago in order to change the face of the holy city by reviving its green cover.

The hoardings of the campaign have outnumbered the surviving saplings planted under the campaign in the city. Sidhu had shown his displeasure several times in the past about the ‘couldn’t-care attitude’ of the authorities toward his vision. He has invested a total of Rs 2 crore for the success of the eco-drive.

Four years down the line, The Tribune team, took a random round of the city to observe how ‘seriously’ this eco-drive is being taken care of. What more can one expect from the authorities when the plants grown just outside the main entrance of the Municipal Corporation’s guest house were suffering the brunt of utter negligence. The trees, along with the iron guard, were found in dilapidated condition.

Similarly, the saplings planted as a part of the eco-drive have dried up at several places. Another startling fact is that, in the absence of tree guards the stray and domesticated bovine animals end up munching these plants. This scene was witnessed on the road divider leading to the main Hall Gate area.

It is pertinent to note that just few months back, another massive drive was introduced. Trees were planted on the road divider beneath the main flyover on the GT road. Today, these trees are dying for the want of proper care. The recent downpour has uprooted most of these plants. Baffled at the uncaring attitude of the authorities Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Sidhu’s wife, a few months ago had volunteered to carry on the eco-drive. She had even announce the decision to file an RTI with the AMC to know the details of the expenditure incurred in the name of eco-drive.

Navjot Singh Sidhu said, “It is really a pain to see the lacklustre attitude of the authorities towards such a project that would not only be beneficial but will also improve the environment for the coming generations. I am still committed to the mission of maintaining a green belt for the holy city. NGOs like Art of Living and Mission Aagaaz have joined me for this purpose and we have decided to plant over 10,000 saplings in various parts of the city.”

Municipal Commissioner Dharam Pal Gupta said, “We will soon replace the dead saplings in different parts of the city and will ensure that the objective of eco-drive is not defeated. In collaboration with the horticulture department, we have formed special teams who would check the saplings’ grip, will water the plants and fertilised them on a regular basis.”

Amritsar, September 18
The foul smell from the overflowing sewerage pipes within the local Civil Hospital premises has made breathing difficult for the hospital staffs, patients and their attendants.

The sewerage system at the hospital had collapsed four days back, thus causing the overflow of water.

The blockage in the sewerage pipes has resulted in the total collapse of the system and surprisingly, the management knew about the blockage for a few weeks now. The showers in the city worsened the problem as blocked pipes failed to drain out the rain water. Apart from the stinking smell of the sewerage water, a garbage dump adjacent to the wall of the hospital is also releasing foul smell after the rains. A visitor, Charanjeev Singh, said, “A hospital and its surroundings are required to be neat and clean. The unhygienic condition caused by the sewerage water here is posing a grave threat to the patients’ health.”

The foul smell is not the only problem that the visitors are facing. They have to walk through the waterlogged roads to reach the hospital, which is adding to their woes.

Sanjeev, a shopkeeper said, “The roads on the either sides of the hospital floods even after little showers. Firstly, the roads are on a low-lying surface and secondly, the sewerage system is not competent enough to drain out the water.” The visitors have no other option than to walk through the water and get their shoes and clothes spoilt, he added.

Talking to The Tribune, Senior Medical Officer Balbir Singh Dhillon said, “The health branch of the MC has been asked to rectify the problem.” He added that the hospital has complaint about the garbage dump but nothing has been done so far.

A dance performance to celebrate Nirvana’s new project in Amritsar on Sunday. A Tribune Photograph

Amritsar, September 18
Metcalfe Nirvana launched its 107 acres mixed use township for customers following an entertainment extravaganza last night.

The company's Director, Roshan Dabriwal, said the group arrived in the holy city after setting up similar townships at Bhopal, Dhanbad and Indore. He said his group targeted tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Anticipating customers from both India and abroad, he said the rates had been set for 3BHK, 4BHK and 5BHK from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.

He said the township would offer plots in 200, 250, 300 and 500 square yards, the villas on 200, 300 and 500 square yards and five acres for group housing. Besides, it would have dispensaries, schools and clubs. He said flats would be available from 1200 square feet to 2500 square feet.

Dabriwal said that the township would be completed within next four years and added that the infrastructure development work had already been initiated.

He added the customers can reserve their choice of plots and flats after paying an initial 10 per cent of the total amount.

He elaborated that rich construction specifications had been stipulated for villas, including, POP, cornice, marble flooring and a choice of woodwork.

He added that an excellent sewage system, a waste treatment plant, and fountains, parks, round-the-clock security and rain water harvesting were other characteristics of the township.

Amritsar, September 18
The Amritsar Bar Association has called a general body meeting of its members on Monday to discuss the problem faced by the advocates due to the Samadhan Scheme introduced in the judicial system.

Navjeet Singh Turna, the General Secretary of the Bar Association, said, “There had been complaints from various sections of the advocates fraternity about the procedure adopted by the judiciary with regard to the Samadhan Scheme.”

The Samadhan Scheme was introduced to clear the backlog of pending cases in the courts. In this scheme the pending cases are tried with fast track courts.

Though the scheme is beneficial for the litigants awaiting justice for many years, the lawyers feel that due to the procedural lapses in the scheme, the purpose of justice gets defeated. “Due to the short term hearing dates, sometimes the lawyers are not able to obtain the evidence that is vital in the case,” said Turna.

He also adding that they are not against the scheme but want proper justice for all.

Amritsar, September 18
The demand for LPG kits has increased following the petrol price hike of Rs 8 per litre in the last four months. Babbu a mechanic on Queen’s road said usage of LPG to run cars are increasing day by day. He said the recent abrupt rise in petrol prices had forced many customers to turn to LPG kits.

Officials of the Transport and the Food Supplies Departments are having a tough time in keeping tab on the illegal usage of domestic LPGs.

A 60 litre of approved LPG kit can be installed at Rs 8000 while an unapproved kit comes at a much lower price.

It takes only an hour to fit a contraption that holds the standard 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder in the boot of the car and a rubber hose along the undercarriage that attaches it to the carburetor. This modification is possible only in petrol cars.

Yoginder Pal Dhingra, owner of the first LPG filling station in the city, said that demand of LPG fuel had risen in the last quarter and this week in particular. He said that more than four brands of cars were supplying factory fitted LPG kits and many petrol-run old cars were being switched to LPG. A litre of LPG cost Rs 44.89, which is 40 per cent cheaper than petrol available in gas stations, he said.

Amritsar, September 18
During a raid conducted at a private hospital here, the district health authorities detained a patient who had allegedly come for a sex-determination test. The person who was operating the ultrasound machine managed to flee.

The raid was conducted at Kalia Hospital in the Putlighar area.

A team of health department, including the Civil Surgeon Dr Avtar Singh Jarewal also seized a baggage of equipment and medicines allegedly used in abortion.

Dr Jarewal said in the absence of the designated radio sonologist, an unauthorised person was conducting the tests at the time of the raid.

He said the person fled when the team arrived at the clinic.

Rekha, a resident of Gurdaspur, who was detained by the health authorities to get a sex-determination test conducted, said she was informed of the sex determination tests being performed at hospital by a woman called Laddi.

Rekha claimed she had a daughter so she was trying to know the sex of her second child.

Dr Anil Kalai, owner of the hospital said, "It is a conspiracy hatched to malign our reputation.

No ultrasound scans were being performed today."

Amritsar, September 18
The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Council has decided to take up the matter of relaxation of visa rules for Pakistan lawyers with the Union government. The Additional Advocate General, Haryana, Partap Singh, said, “The visas issued by the two countries entitle the visitors to visit only those cities that are specified in them. Both governments must end this practice.”

He said the Bar Association of Pakistan’s Supreme Court has already taken up the matter. He urged the Indian government to adopt a lenient approach in issuing visas to Pakistani advocates.

Lawyers from six countries, including India, took part in an international conference organised by the Pakistan Bar Association held from September 9 to 15. Out of the 92 Indian advocates, who took part in the conference, 38 were from the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association and Bar Council.

Punjab AAG Harpreet Singh Brar said the Indian Bar Council has invited its Pakistan counterparts to visit Chandigarh in November to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of the formation of The Advocates Act, 1961. During the visit, Brar and Partap Singh were awarded life-time membership of the Lahore Bar Association.