77 villages flood sensitive
Amritsar, June 28
As many as 77 villages located on the bank of the Ravi, touching Amritsar, have been identified to be flood prone during the ensuing monsoon.

Man nabbed with pirated CDs
Amritsar, June 28
Acting on a tip-off, the CIA staff seized a huge quantity of pirated and porn CDs and DVDs in the Chheharta area here today.

Bangladeshi national held
Amritsar, June 28
The police has arrested a Bangladeshi national Hafeez who was found wandering in the city.

Comfort zone
Online shopping bug bites city ‘net’izens
Amritsar, June 28
The online shopping concept dipped its toe in Indian market seven years ago, when big players like E-bay imported the comfort of shopping to your computer screens.

Amritsar, June 28
The police has arrested judo coach Rajiv Arora for allegedly raping a school student.

Police Commissioner RP Mittal said the police has enough evidence to proved the charges.

The girl was a student of Kanya Maha Vidyalaya, Namak Mandi.

It is pertinent to mention here that the complainant in her statement submitted to police alleged that the accused picked her up from her residence on the pretext of a month-long karate camp being held at Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh.

She alleged Arora took her to his residence on the pretext to getting his luggage and committed the crime. He then took her to Kangra where he again raped her and then left her in the karate camp.

“Although the family was reluctant to send the girl to the camp, the coach insisted that she must attend the camp for her progress,” said Mittal.

Medical examination of the student has confirmed rape.

Amritsar, June 28
The Rambagh police has booked three members of a family in a rape case.

The girl in her complaint said she had an affair with Shamsher Singh of Nangal Pannua village. She said the accused took her to a hotel near Jallianwala Bagh where he made physical relations with her.

“After this, he started avoiding me and did not respond to my calls,” she said. She said four months later, the accused along with his family members came to her and apologised for his misconduct. She alleged Harpal Singh, Shamsher’s grandmother, arrived at her house with the proposal of marriage and borrowed Rs 3 lakh for getting job for Shamsher. But after that they did not respond to the calls.

The police has registered a case under Section 376, 366-A, 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code against Shamsher Singh, his father Harpal Singh and grandmother Biba in this regard. No arrest has been made so far. The police authorities said that investigations were going on while no arrest has been made so far.

Amritsar, June 28
An inquiry conducted by a special investigation team has indicted the personal assistant of Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike and a bank manager in a Rs 1.15 crore scam. The case dates back to November last year (during the SAD-BJP coalition government’s previous regime).

Sarbdyal Singh had allegedly connived with Bank of Maharashtra manager OP Rosam to siphon off a grant issued by Ranike for carrying out development works in villages.

The inquiry was carried out by the special investigation team (SIT) constituted by Police Commissioner RP Mittal. The three-member SIT was headed by ADCP (City-II) Amrik Singh Pawar.

Of the 12 cheques issued by the Minister and received by his PA Sarbdyal Singh, three were cleared through bank accounts of villagers living in other panchayats than they were meant for. “How can a cheque get cleared from the account of a person of some other village. It was a deliberate attempt to usurp money… bank accounts were opened on fictitious identity,” the police commissioner said.

The SIT today interacted with the bank authorities and Rural Development Department officials, besides the sarpanches concerned of the villages for which the grants were issued by the Minister.

The police has booked the duo under sections 406, 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC.

Amritsar, June 28
The District Food and Civil Supplies Department has received Rs 13 lakh which will be given to BPL families as incentive when they enrol themselves under Aadhaar scheme.

It is pertinent to mention here that in order to encourage BPL families to enrol themselves under the scheme, the UID authorities have decided to offer them an incentive of Rs 100 per enrolment.

However, due to lack of funds, BPL families were deprived of this amount. But the department has now received the funds from the Central Government to distribute it among the BPL families.

Dr Rakesh Singla, Controller, District Food and Civil Supplies, said the department has received the funds and it would soon distribute among the BPL families who had and would be enrolled under Aadhaar.

“The process of identification of those who had already enrolled for UID cards has started,” said Singla. According to estimates, there are about 60,000 residents under the BPL category in the district.

Meanwhile, the department today started its second phase of making UID cards. It has established as many as 40 enrolment centres in various parts of the district.

“We have targeted to make as many as 18 lakh Aadhaar cards in the second phase. In the first phase the department had prepared about 7 lakhs cards,” said Singla.

About 16 centres has been established in the walled city area while remaining centres are set up in the rural and semi-urban areas including Beas, Rayya, Mehta, Jandiala, Attari, Chaugawan, Harsha Chhina, Rajasansi, Chheharta, Verka, Kathunangal, Jaintipur and Mattewal.

Dr Singla said the work of preparing cards would continue till its completion. “We want to cover the whole population in next seven months.”

Amritsar, June 28
As many as 77 villages located on the bank of the Ravi, touching Amritsar, have been identified to be flood prone during the ensuing monsoon.

This was disclosed during a district officials meeting headed by Ajnala SDM Ravinder Singh today. This meet was organised to initiate preventive measures.

“Out of the 77 villages, we have shortlisted 43 sensitive and 34 most sensitive villages located on the banks of the Ravi touching Amritsar belt,” said Ravinder Singh.

A control room has been established which would be made operational by July 1. This office would function round the clock and can be reached at 01858-221102.

Apart from this, three special teams have been constituted under the Block Development and Panchayat Officer Ajnala, Block Development Officer Chaugawa and Naib Tehsildar Lopoke.

The Ajnala Tehsildar has been told to examine the disaster management exercise.

“We will also constitute action committees at village level, the convener of which will be the patwari, sarpanch, panchayat member, nambardaar, panchayat secretary,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ravinder Singh has also directed the drainage department officials to get acquainted with the each and every update about the water level of the Ravi. Similarly, the medical officials were directed to be equipped with ample stock of medicines and apparatus. The animal husbandry department has been conveyed to make arrangement for taking care of live stock. The police and security agencies too have been conveyed of rescue operations.

Amritsar, June 28
The online shopping concept dipped its toe in Indian market seven years ago, when big players like E-bay imported the comfort of shopping to your computer screens.

And today, it dominates the over $10 billion e-commerce market in India. A flurry of portals that sell everything from electronics to clothes, shoes, fragrances, even a pair of jocks have made it a productive market. Emerging as the world’s third biggest nation when it comes to online shopping, we buy 20 items per minute online.

The facts might sound like a presentation on B 2C, but the online shopping bug is catching up at a high pace. Why the big cities, Amritsar citizens too have contributed to the big shopping boom online. “Online shopping has struck a chord with time-constrained middle class shoppers in India, where rising incomes, aspirations to own brands and an underdeveloped brick-and-mortar retail network are pushing many to shop from their homes. Not only in India, but more than 85 per cent internet users in the world are purchasing goods and services online and credit cards have become the preferable mode of paying. Of late, savvy online users are opting to make big purchases on the digital space as it comes with a hassle free shopping experience,” says Aditya Sharma, a PR executive from city. Aditya, who is a regular user, says, “He prefers to shop online as it saves him the time. Most shopping portals offer a wide range of branded, non-branded stuff. One has to just pick and choose.”

Online shopping strictly works on the funda of ‘what you see, you get’. “Contrary to the belief, the goods purchased online are worth the buy,” says Ruchira Anand, who recently got a dress from designer label Pia Pauro. “Online shopping is just like regular shopping only a bit easier. Since one doesn’t have access to all the brands in city, online portals offer a feasible option. Mostly, I prefer to buy accessories and dresses online as they offer latest trends and brands,” says the 19-year-old student of BBK DAV. Women contribute to 40 per cent of the total online shopping. Jewellery, kitchen and home accessories, wardrobe… you name it and they will order it. “Online shopping has made things easier by bringing products directly to consumers. You don’t have to sweat out two hours in the mall to buy that one dress or bag. One click does it for you,” says Gunjan Sikka, a student of Amritsar College of Engineering.

Moreover, bargain-hunting consumers are latching on this trend as online retailers are offer products at special discounted prices. “One of the popular retail sites offers multiple brands and services at 60 to 80 per cent off, another at 20 percent off on hi-end brands like Louis Vuitton and Lacoste. For people who fit into moderate income bracket, this sounds like done deal. With no cargo fare, strict delivery deadlines and most offering cash on delivery system, online shopping has definitely become a smart way to shop,” shares Varun Dhingra, a businessman from the city.

With a lot on their list, from mountain biking gear to stamps, they provide auctions as well for collector’s items. “Some niche websites have stuff usually not found in the market, like rare stamps, coins, artifacts and books. For collector’s or people who value such things, these websites become the only way to shop,” explains Baljeet Riar, a stamp collector from city.

Amritsar, June 28
The holy city faces a major problem of garbage. Inefficient and irregular system of lifting garbage and non-execution of Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Processing Project proposed at Bhaktanwala make residents of the city live in most unhygienic conditions.

Amritsar, June 28
The district disability and rehabilitation (DDR) centre, a subsidiary of District Red Cross Society, today distributed artificial limbs and tricycles to among 16 physically challenged persons.

Ritu Aggarwal, wife of Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal, said these appliances were distributed free of cost. “This scheme is funded by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The DDR centre, established here in 2010, distributed seven tricycles and nine artificial limbs among the needy,” she said.

Till date, the DDR centre has distributed 142 tricycles worth Rs 8.5 lakh, 27 wheelchairs worth Rs 1.35 lakh, 6 hearing aids worth Rs 6000 and equal number of crutches worth Rs 3,000 besides artificial limbs worth Rs 1.39 lakh.

Amritsar, June 28
Vipin Kumar, a commerce graduate from local Khalsa College has brought laurels for the institution, city and even state by becoming the only candidate from Punjab to join the current academic session in National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi.

Vipin, who was honoured by Principal Dr Daljit Singh and Khalsa College Governing Council Joint Secretary Ajmer Singh Heir, said his first love is Punjabi theatre.

He recalled how he first performed at college’s main hall stage during a youth festival and once he overcame his hesitation there was no stopping his pursuit for acting. “I want to work for promotion of Punjabi theatre which has a great tradition. Now, I want to concentrate on studies at NSD,” he said.

He thanked Dr Daljit Singh, his teacher Prof Davinder Singh for the support. He also thanked his theatre guru Rajinder Singh.

Vipin has acted in famous plays including ‘Ishaque Di Suh, Jag Da Mool’, ‘Agad Akhara’ and ‘Uprali Manjil’. He said he was encouraged by famous theatre artistes including Neeta Mahindra and MK Raina. “I want to become a versatile actor”, he said he. Dr.Daljit Singh said he was happy at the success of Vipin.