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Key administrative posts lying vacant in Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur, January 14
It’s double whammy for residents of Gurdaspur. For long considered to be one of the most industrially backward districts of the state, the Punjab Government seems to have added to the woes of the locals by not posting the requisite number of officers against the sanctioned strength following which administrative work is suffering in this politically and geographically sensitive district.

Gas stove repair shop gutted
Nawanshahr, January 14
A gas stove repair shop at Gulshan Bazaar in the interior of the town was gutted in fire today. As per the owner of the shop the fire broke out when he was checking a burner of a gas

3 booked for murder
Hoshiarpur, January 14
Following the death of Jagdish Singh of Sardulapur, the Mahilpur police has booked Ram Kumar of the same village, Jaspal Singh and Sandeep Singh, both of Tuto Mazara, under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC.

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	Key administrative posts lying vacant in Gurdaspur Ravi Dhaliwal /TNS Gurdaspur, January 14 It’s double whammy for residents of Gurdaspur. For long considered to be one of the most industrially backward districts of the state, the Punjab Government seems to have added to the woes of the locals by not posting the requisite number of officers against the sanctioned strength following which administrative work is suffering in this politically and geographically sensitive district. J.S Grewal, Batala Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), is also holding the additional charge of Gurdaspur District Transport Officer (DTO) which means he has to work overtime if he has to do justice to both the jobs. Although the officer maintains that he is working nearly 12 hours a day in an attempt to discharge his duties efficiently, highly-placed sources claim that it is a bit too much for the officer to simultaneously hold on to two important public dealing posts and do justice to both of them. Likewise, Gurdaspur SDM Tejinder Pal Sandhu is also working as the SDM of Dera Baba Nanak. Like his Batala counterpart, he too is an overworked officer. The state government provided some balm to the administration by posting PCS officer Dr Nidhi Kalotra as Assistant Commissioner (General). However, she has also been given the additional charge of Public Grievances Officer. The post of the District Revenue Officer is being taken care of by the Gurdaspur tehsildar while the post of Executive Magistrate is lying vacant for the past several months. Some key posts of revenue officials are also lying vacant following which residents, particularly those living in rural areas, are finding it difficult to get their work relating to division of land and mutation of land records done. “Girdwari work which has to be done by naib tehsildars is also suffering badly,” revealed a senior officer. Things have come to such a pass that the naib tehsildar of Kalanaur is holding the additional charge of the same post at Dera Baba Nanak while the naib tehsildar of Naushera Majha Singh is also doing the work at the adjoining tehsil of Batala. Similarly, the naib tehsildar of Kahnuwan has got the additional charge of the same post at Dinanagar. Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhinav Trikha claimed that administrative work was not suffering, but officials, on the condition of anonymity, claimed that residents have been at the receiving end due to paucity of officers. Sources cite the example of the Batala SDM who also has to discharge his duties as the DTO of Gurdaspur. “The officer is overstressed as he has to work for nearly 12 hours a day if he has to do justice to both the posts. By virtue of being DTO he went to neighbouring Fatehgarh Churian early today morning and after challaning some private buses there he had to return to Batala by afternoon to attend to some urgent work in his capacity as SDM. Luxury buses on the Amritsar-Jammu-Katra route ply after 10 pm and sometimes he spends the night challaning these buses,” said an official.
	Gas stove repair shop gutted Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, January 14 A gas stove repair shop at Gulshan Bazaar in the interior of the town was gutted in fire today. As per the owner of the shop the fire broke out when he was checking a burner of a gas stove after repairing it in the morning. Luckily, the owner of the shop managed to get out of the shop. Some LPG cylinders lying in the shop blasted and flames went high, consequently creating panic in the bazaar and the adjoining localities. Former MC chief Lalit Mohan Pathak and nearby shopkeepers and residents immediately sprung into action. The fire brigade was called. Due to narrow bazaar, it was difficult for the fire brigade vehicle to reach the site. The nearby shopkeepers assisted firemen to put off the fire. After a struggle of more than two hours the fire was extinguished and the nearby shopkeepers and residents heaved a sigh of relief.
	3 booked for murder Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, January 14 Following the death of Jagdish Singh of Sardulapur, the Mahilpur police has booked Ram Kumar of the same village, Jaspal Singh and Sandeep Singh, both of Tuto Mazara, under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC. According to police sources, Jagdish Singh went to the house of Meena, wife of Davinder Singh, in his village in connection with Lohri celebrations of her son. While performing bhangra on the DJ, he had a quarrel with the accused, who were allegedly under the influence of liquor. But people who were there intervened. Later, Ram Kumar along with other accused took Jagdish Singh in their Tata Sum (PB-08Z-7608) and later Jagdish Singh was found unconscious near a well in the village on the next morning. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to a hospital.
	Two snatchers held Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, January 14 The Sadar police busted a gang of snatchers by arresting its two members, Ram Pal of Alachaur village here, and Sukhir Singh, alias Sukha, resident of Denowal village, Hoshiarpur. Their accomplice Jatinder Singh, alias Jyoti, resident of Badonwan village, Hoshiarpur, is yet to be arrested. Giving details to mediapersons, DSP Satish Malhotra said the gang was active in Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts. A police party, led by Sadar police station SHO Hardeep Kumar arrested the two members from Bheen Chowk. They gang members confessed to their involvement in 11 cases of snatching in different areas. The police recovered a motorcycle, mobile phones, cash and sharp-edged weapons from their possession.