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former cop nabbed with counterfeit money
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 17
The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), a counter intelligence wing of Punjab, today nabbed a former constable with the Punjab police for allegedly possessing fake Indian currency notes of Rs 21,000.
The accused, identified as Kuldeep Singh of village Jastarwal, has a criminal record as well. He was earlier held by the police for possessing 3 kg of opium and 30 gm of heroin. Kaustubh Sharma, AIG counter intelligence, in a press conference here said on specific information the police team nabbed Kuldeep Singh at Chamrang road. A case under Sections 489A, 489B, 489C, 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against him. The SSOC also seized his motorcycle (PB-02-BH-4519).
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It’s a cracker of a problem
Barely a week left for Diwali, confusion prevails over location of Patakha Market
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 17
Confusion prevails over holding of the Patakha Market, despite the fact that it is just over a week left for Diwali. The fire cracker traders were busy throughout the day in completing formalities for getting the shops on rent from the Amritsar Improvement Trust
(AIT).
However, the Amritsar Fire Works Association president Harish Dhawan claimed that the High Court today allowed them to operate shops at the previous Patakha Market in the Jahajgarh area. He said the association had filed the case in the High Court on October 10. He added that all the traders expressed their thanks to the court for understanding their business needs, especially in view of the festive season. When asked, he said, he did not have any written order with him but some members of the association who had gone to attend the hearing of the case at Chandigarh informed him over his mobile. He said that it was conveyed to him in the evening. He said earlier all through the day he had been busy completing the documents to get a shop at Guru Teg Bahadur Mall Mandi Scheme. He accepted that a majority of the shopkeepers were unaware of the development and they were now being intimated of it. the Police Commissioner, Amritsar, RP Mittal, said he was not aware of the development.
The Amritsar Fire Works Association president Harish Dhawan said that the authorities had ruled out the market at Jahajgarh area on theground that it did not fulfill the established norms last year. He stated that “following their mercy plea the honourable High Court had allowed the members of the Association to operate shops from the same market for a certain period ahead of the last Diwali”. Earlier, the wholesale fire-cracker market used to be situated at IDH market, near the bus stand and Pappar wala bazaar near the Golden Temple. However, all these markets had to be shifted to Jahajgarh in 2000, after a massive fire had broken out at the IDH market in which material worth crores had perished and loss of human life had been reported in 1999. He informed that there were around 30 wholesale traders, who have licenses under the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Act, in the city and they had their shops at Jahajgarh. He said all these traders had their duly approved godowns at various locations across the city, especially at Chheharta, Dhapai and Tarn Taran roads. As per the established norms, the Police Commissioner issued a license for a certain period to allow the sale of fire crackers. Similarly, the Union government issues licenses under the Petroleum and Explosive Safety act for storage of crackers.
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Duronto: The dream train does not have many takers
It is losing steam and further decline in number of passengers is likely in winters
Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 17
With just 16,254 passengers travelling from Amritsar to Chandigarh and vice versa since its inaugural run on August 24, the Amritsar-Chandigarh Duronto Express, which was launched amid much fanfare, is losing steam.
An analysis of the passengers who travelled in the express train from August 24 to October 10 shows that a maximum number of people from the holy city of Amritsar travelled through this train. About 8,989 passengers had travelled from Amritsar to Chandigarh while only 7,265 passengers utilised the services of this train from the city. The figures have further revealed that about 1,910 people have travelled from Amritsar to Chandigarh in AC coaches during this period while 1,132 passengers from the city used the services of the express train. The train, with two AC coaches and 12 non-AC chair car coaches, has a capacity of over 1,400 passengers. It is pertinent to mention here that Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Ferozepur, in a communiqué to the Railway Division Ambala had banned unreserved current bookings from September 12, resulting in a further decline in the number of passengers travelling from the city. As a result, the Railways is suffering a loss of lakhs of rupees every day, the sources say. The sources further said that about Rs 4 lakh are spent by the Railways daily to run this express train, however, the Railways has not been able to attract passengers from the city in spite of offering special facilities like the option of purchasing tickets directly from current reservation counters. The ban on booking of current tickets for the train by the authorities is being cited as the main reason for the decline in the numbers of passengers. With the winter season ahead, the number is likely to go down further, as the train arrives in the holy city of Amritsar late in the evening. The minimum temperature touches 0 °C in Amritsar and people will prefer travelling in airconditioned buses run by private operators during winter. Also, the increase in snatching incidents in Amritsar during late-night hours has
also forced people to travel by bus to reach their destination early. People in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas like Mohali have been demanding permanent stoppages at Beas, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali in order to draw more passengers. In spite of running into losses due to the lack of passengers opting for the Duronto Express, the railway authorities are not willing to take up the demand of increasing the number of stoppages on the route. According to sources even the authorities of the IRCTC had suggested that an extra counter be opened at the station as passengers were facing problems in filling the reservation form.
Not on track
- More people travelled from Amritsar to Chandigarh
- About 8,989 passengers travelled from Amritsar to Chandigarh
- Only 7,265 passengers travelled from Chandigarh to Amritsar.
- 1,910 passengers travelled from Amritsar to Chandigarh in AC coaches
- 1,132 passengers from Chandigarh used AC coaches.
- About Rs 4 lakh spent daily by the Railways to run it.
Why no takers
Banning of unreserved current bookings from September 12 caused a decline in the number of passengers travelling from the city. As a result, the Railways is suffering a loss of lakhs of rupees every day.
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Mishri Bazaar’s traditional sweet toys dying a slow death
Neeraj Bagga
Tribune News Service
A trader displaying edible sugar toys at his shop in Mishri Bazaar in the Walled City,
Amritsar. Tribune photo: Sameer Sehgal |
Amritsar, October 17
Centuries old Mishri Bazaar, which is known for dishing out “Khand Wale Khidone” (edible sugar toys), is left with one shop engaged in the vocation.
The proprietor of the shop, Bhupinder Singh, said he is the only one who is preparing these edible sugar toys while the other have switched over to different trades.
He said people procured these toys in honour of the tradition but they do
not buy more than one or two pieces. There are about six shops engaged in making small bowls of edible sugar. These small bowls are used
as a symbol of Shagun (good luck) during festivals or other occasions. All these products are sold in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Once a thriving market of edible sugar toys, it has now turned into a handful of shops preparing these age-old eatables as the demand had declined drastically in the contemporary period. Another trader, Harpreet Singh, said once preparing edible sugar toys used to be a roaring business but now only a couple of shops prepare these edible toys. He said most of the shopkeepers had now shifted to the business of preparing mishri and meethe channe for gurdwaras as well as phuliya, makhane, pickles, jam and murabbe. He said these products were healthy diet for people as the sugar was heated at 400 degree Celsius. He said toys, small bowls and Patashe were made from sugar and were given distinct colour, shape and taste depending upon the intensity of heat. Harpreet Singh said the absence of a good market strategy and change in eating habits of the people are the reasons why the trade is disappearing. He said nobody made an attempt to market these products correctly. Unlike chips and snacks, these edible toys were never sold in a package and no one ever highlighted the nutritious value of the product. A housewife, Shruti Arora, said her family purchased edible sugar toys ahead of Diwali every year keeping in view the tradition. She said she buys only few pieces as nobody would consume it.
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‘Clues’ emerge in Nirankari colony murder case
PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 17
The police today claimed to have received vital clues in connection with the murder case of Chander Kanta, a resident of Nirankari Colony located at Fatehgarh Churian road, here.
Chander Kanta was found killed at her residence on October 5. The incident came to light when her son, Rakesh Sethi, returned from his office. The victim was alone at the time of the incident as her daughter-in-law had gone to Ludhiana. The police has rounded up a couple of close relatives of the family during the preliminary investigations in the case. “Yes, we have got some definite clues regarding the murder case. Some relatives were detained, but it would be premature to name the suspect till the probe is completed,” said R P Mittal, the Commissioner of police. “We are on the verge of cracking the case and will arrest the accused soon,” he added.
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Storming a male bastion yet again!
More girls enrol as MBBS students in Government Medical College
Manmeet Singh Gill
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 17
The fairer sex seems to be fast encroaching upon the male bastion. At least this is the case at the local Government Medical College where the number of girl students enrolled in MBBS course far exceeds that of boys.
During the opening years of the Government Medical College, it had six hostels for male students in comparison to only one for female students. At that time only a few girls from the state opted for the course and thus students in medical courses were mainly boys. The increase in number of girl students during the recent years has altered the arithmetic of hostels. Presently there are four hostels each for female and male students at campus. As per the figures available with the college, in the MBBS batch enrolled in year 2011, 85 girl students were admitted. Of the total 150 seats, the number of boys is merely 65. In the batch enrolled in the preceding year, 2010 there were 90 girls whereas only 61 boys managed to get admitted. Even in year 2009, of the total 150 students admitted to MBBS, 89 were girls thus restricting the number of male students at 61 only. However, 2008 seems to be an exception in which out of the total 149 students admitted, 73 were girls and 76 were boys. In 2007 too college had admitted 77 girls in comparison to 76 boys. Palak, a student said, “Girls by nature are more caring than boys. I think they can be good doctors. That seems to be the explanation why more girls are choosing medical.” She added that admission results have explained that girls are no less than boys but are even better. Commenting on the change in composition of students at college said, Government Medical College Principal, Dr SS Shergill said, “It is not that admission policy adopted by the medical college is female-centric or something. The girl students have managed to get the seats on the basis of merit.” Recalling from his good old days spent at the medical college he said, “During our times there used to only five or six girls in the entire batch. But the things have changed now and there are more girls in each batch in comparison to male students.” He added that college has recently converted two boys hostels in hostels for girls. Even a new NRI hostel for girl students has been raised in view of the need to accommodate the increased number of girls at campus.
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No communication, so no solution
Guru Nanak Dev University teachers-VC impasse
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 17
The deadlock between the GND varsity V-C AS Brar and the teachers refuses to end. Reason: there is a communication gap between the two sides.
Now, both the parties are going to approach the Governor of Punjab, who also happens to be the Chancellor of the university.
Even as the teachers have drafted their letter of dissent to be sent to the Chancellor, the V-C too has decided to apprise him about the prevailing state of affairs in the campus. The Vice Chancellor said that he had earnestly tried to resolve the matter and a mutual agreement between the designated panel and the executive teachers’ body was also made, yet the teachers backed out. “My doors are still open for them. Being the head of the family, I ask the executive body of the teachers to meet me. Instead of making the matter reach a logical conclusion, they have chosen to make the situation go from bad to worse. I, myself, have decided to approach the Chancellor to acquaint him about the whole issue which is directly hitting the studies of the students. “I will seek the Chancellor’s opinion about all the decisions taken so far. Since I did not violate any norm, I have no hesitation to urge him that the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court should be asked to conduct a probe into the allegations of discrimination being made by the teachers”, he said. Balwinder Singh, teachers’ leader said that no negotiation could have been finalised till the general house of teachers’ body gave its unanimous consent to agreeing to those proposals. “There was no consensus in toto on the mutual agreement draft, as claimed by the authorities. Yet, if the VC wants to have a dialogue over the discontentment over certain issues with an open and rational mind, we would approach him tomorrow for an instant and meaningful conclusion”, he said. Meanwhile, the dharna in front of the VC office continued as a mark of protest with faculty members from various departments being a part of it. The members registered their dissatisfaction with the dubious silence of the VC over the issue and making the academicians and academics suffer.
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Agitated pharmacists burn CM’s effigy
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 17
Demanding the implementation of revised pay grades for different categories of pharmacists in Punjab, the Pharmacist Association burnt effigy of the Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, outside the civil surgeon’s office here today.
Shouting anti-state government slogans, the pharmacists demanded that the government should implement the pay grades of Rs 4,200 for pharmacists, Rs 4,800 for Chief Pharmacists Grade II and Rs 5,000 for Chief Pharmacist Grade I. The Association President Shamsher Singh Kohri said in the meetings held with the Chief Minister, Health Minister and various other officials of the Health Department, the pharmacists were assured that names of the designations-Pharmacist, Chief Pharmacist Grade II and Chief Pharmacist Grade I would be changed to Pharmacy Officer, Senior Pharmacy Officer and Chief Pharmacy Officer. Kohri added that before the SGPC elections the government had promised that the decision would be implemented after the elections. He added that the government has failed to keep its promise. The association also said the State government had assured to fill up the vacant posts to lessen the workload on the existing staff. The Association Vice President, Ajay Kohri, said the association has planned to hold a protest in Lambi, the assembly constituency of the Chief Minister.
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