Jalandhar, December 16
A city-based lawyer who did not get information under the RTI Act from the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, has managed to get the relief from the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. The forum has asked the DC to pay Rs 1,000 as compensation to the lawyer.

Arvind Sharda had filed a complaint before the forum claiming that he had applied for the information regarding his complaint on noise pollution from the DC on October 3, 2009, as a consumer by paying Rs 10 by way of two postal orders of denomination of Rs 5 each through a speed post. Even as the information sought was to be provided to the plaintiff within 30 days, he got an acknowledgement of the same on October 23, 2009, and a letter on November 23, 2009, that the reply would come to him shortly.

In his complaint to the forum, the complainant said: “Despite a lapse of more than eight months, the required information has not been provided.”

The opposite parties claimed that the complainant should have instead gone to the Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, or the State Information Commissioner for the appeal and that RTI Act applicant had not right to appeal before consumer forum.

Sharda had earlier complained to the DC on August 3, 2009, that there was a blatant violation of rules laid down in the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Controlled) Rules, 2000. He had said that there were no distinctive display signs depicting the area to be silence zone, especially around the judicial courts complex. He had asked two questions, “When did my complaint received by the PGA dated August 6, 2009, and sent to steno on August 7, 2009, actually presented before the DC-cum District Magistrate? What action has been taken on the above mentioned complaint?”

The forum presided over by Darshan Singh and member Jyotsna Thatai said: “The complaint is maintainable. The forum has the jurisdiction to hear and decide the case. The act of the opposition party amounts to deficiency in service. He is directed to pay Rs 1,000 as compensation within a period of 30 days from the receipt of the copy.” 

Jalandhar, December 16
The city police today busted the gang of vehicle lifters and arrested two persons in this regard. The police also recovered three stolen motorcycles from their possession.

The accused have been identified as Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Satnam Nagar, and Sunny, alias Dhobi, of Gandhi Camp.

SHO Nirmal Singh said both the accused were arrested following a tip-off. He said the police had received information that two members of the vehicle lifters gang had been roaming near New Grain Market.

After intercepting the accused, the police arrested them. During preliminary investigation, both the accused revealed about the stolen bikes, which were later recovered by the police.

Both the criminal have a criminal past as cases of theft had already been registered against them at various police stations in the city. The police said a case under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC had been registered.

Jalandhar, December 16
Those were anxious moments when the surrender took place at Ramna Race Course in Dacca, as it was called, on December 16, 1971. "I was in the second helicopter along with Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora, the GOC-in-Chief of the Indian and the Bangladesh joint forces and the chiefs of the Eastern Air, Navy and the Army commands that landed in Dacca at 3.30 pm."

"At 4.30 pm, history of the overwhelming defeat of the Pakistan army was to be written, the surrender had taken place and Dacca now known as Dhaka was the free capital of Bangladesh."

These historic moments were shared by Major General SPS Sidhu (retd), who was awarded Vashisht Sena Medal (VSM) for the 1971 Indo-Pak war. "The first helicopter carrying the Chief of the Staff of the Eastern Army Major General JFR Jacob had flown to the Dacca airport at 11 am. Gen Jacob was to formalise the surrender documents," he said.

"Every fraction of a second was precious when Lt Gen AAK Niazi, the supreme commander of the Pakistan Army in East Pakistan, handed over his pistol and lanyard to Gen Aurora. Those moments still fills my heart with pride as we saw people of Bangladesh stepping in a liberated nation," said Major General Sidhu. Recalling the war when "Operation Jackpot" was launched, Gen Sidhu, a Punjab Regiment officer was Lt Col posted as class A instructor at the Army War College, Mhow. He was appointed the General Staff Officer-I for the operation as he was involved in its conduct. "The Commandant of the Army War College at that time, Major General OS Kalkat, was made the director of the Operation Jackpot. On March 27, 1971, I along with Maj Gen Kalkat had joined the Headquarters Eastern Command," he added. The officer, who was all praise for the Mukti-Bahini, said it was a highly motivated and a determined force. "Before the war started, Mukti-Bahini and the rebellion Bangladeshi forces launched fierce commando operations during day and night targeting the Pakistan army," he said, adding that their intelligence network paved way for clandestine attacks against Pakistan, which was already making news in the country.

Gen Sidhu said on the evening of December 3, 1971, Pakistan air force made the first strike on Pathankot, Ambala, Srinagar and Agra airbases, which was the beginning of the war.

Talking about the war, he said, "The Indian and the Bangladesh soldiers fought the war decisively with great valour. In case of Pakistan, their senior army officers were lacking in leadership qualities and professional know how while the young officers were well motivated and they fought well."

Gen Sidhu signed off saying that he had a collection of rare pictures of soldiers at the warfront and a memorabilia, which too have become part of the historic war. 

Jalandhar, December 16
Unmindful of the risk to their life, schoolchildren continue to cross railway tracks at various places in the city right under the nose of the railway authorities.

The problem assumes dangerous proportions during foggy weather which makes visibility very low in the early morning hours when schoolchildren are on their way to schools.

A few weeks ago, a couple of the schoolchildren were run over by a train in Haryana when they were on the way to school on a foggy morning.

When The Tribune team visited the city railway station one afternoon, a number of schoolchildren were found crossing the railway tracks, that too during the busy hours when the railway traffic is at its peak. However, no railway official was present at the spot to remind teenagers of the danger.

Continued visits to the railway station for a few days revealed that crossing railway tracks was a routine for schoolchildren. Children of families living on the either side of the railway tracks find it an easy shortcut to go to school by crossing railway tracks.

This has also put a question mark over the security at the railway station as schoolchildren enter the station, walk on the platform and then cross the tracks right under the nose of railway authorities.

Rules stipulate that if the railway police finds someone crossing the tracks, it can challan the trespasser under Section 145 of the Railway Act.

When contacted, Railway Protection Force (RPF) inspector AK Sharma said crossing of railway tracks was illegal. “If we find anyone crossing railway tracks, we generally warn him and if the violation is repeated, we impose a penalty of Rs 500 on them. However, I will take strict action if someone is found crossing the railway tracks. 

Kapurthala, December 16
Congress workers staged a dharna in front of the Talwandi Chaudhrian police station today to protest against the arrest of a Sultanpur Lodhi-based Congress worker, Surjit Singh.

The protesters complained that Surjit was falsely implicated in the case. Navtej Singh Cheema, former president of the District Congress Committee, said Surjit and other Congress workers were booked in a criminal case as they had gathered against the administration at the Goddarpindi bridge four months ago.

The protesters were complaining against the authorities for their alleged failure in providing relief to the flood affected farmers, he added.

A police party today arrested Surjit Singh from his house following which his supporters got agitated and lodged their protest outside the police station and later staged a dharna in front of the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Sultanpur Lodhi.

The irate protesters lifted the dharna only after the SDM ordered release of Surjit Singh. 

Jalandhar, December 16
The 40th anniversary of Vijay Diwas was observed today at Jalandhar Cantt with senior retired Army officers and gallantry award winners from the 1971 war taking part in it.

This was a momentous occasion to cherish the victory in 1971 and also to pay homage to the brave men who made supreme sacrifice for the sake of the country. Senior serving Army officers of Vajra Corps and war veterans paid homage to the martyrs of the 1971 war by laying wreaths on the Vajra War Memorial at Jalandhar Cantt.

Senior serving Army officers and the war veterans, including Lt Gen SS Sangra, Lt Gen MS Shergill and Lt Gen AS Bahiya, gathered on this occasion.

Vijay Diwas commemorates the finest hour of the Indian armed forces. This historic victory signifies a unique and unparalleled feat wherein the Indian forces fought selflessly for a just and noble cause to liberate the people of Bangladesh.

The Vajra Corps proved its mettle on the strategic western front and achieved its objectives with vigour. A proud nation conferred eight Maha Vir Chakras, 47 Vir Chakras and numerous other awards on the valiant men of the Vajra Corps. The Corps was also bestowed with the Theatre Honour- Punjab and Battle Honours Sehjra, Dera Baba Nanak and Fatehpur in the war.

Jalandhar, December 16
Being the fag end of the year and schools and colleges about to shut down in a week owing to the winter break, this is the time when most government officials and employees usually plan long holiday leaves with their families. But things have been entirely different this year with elections around the corner.

Instead, government employees claim that they are being made to work overtime to clear most files related to departmental work orders so that the planned projects get cleared well in time before the implementation of the code of conduct. Besides, there are other departments which are caught up in the election-related tasks assigned by the Election Commission of India, so the employees claim that the family tours this winters were completely ruled out.

Employees of the Municipal Corporation commented: "What to talk of leaves, we have to sit in the office till 9 pm. We are even being called on weekends these days."

The busiest employees are those from the B&R department who have several pending work orders to be cleared. "Works to the tune of Rs 19 crore were cleared in the Finance and Contracts Committee meeting held yesterday. The work orders for proposals cleared in the previous meetings are also pending", they divulged.

"There are nearly 80 such projects in the pipeline including those of roads, parks, sewage, streetlights and other works which are to be cleared", they further revealed. Almost similar is the case of staff in the other two local bodies including PUDA and Jalandhar Improvement Trust.

The officials and employees working in the administrative complex, on the other hand, claim that there were too many election meetings and other preparatory tasks being conducted these days that they could not even think of a chance of taking a break. "At times when we take even a single day's leave, we are called back to the office to present certain files or cases", said an employee of the SDM office. The Deputy Commissioner and PCS officials in the district too are held up owing to their poll duties.