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Strikes hit banking, bus services in city
Strikes throw life out of gear
Principal Secy visits PUDA sites
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‘Lovers’ suicide bid: Man also dies in hospital
Foetus found in garbage bin
Suicide case
School battles demon of addiction
Construction of retaining walls of Ikheri Pul sought
Cash, valuables looted in Phagwara
Finland Governor visits PTU
From Schools and colleges
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Strikes hit banking, bus services in city
Jalandhar, February 20 All nationalised banks and majority of private banks remained closed today owing to a call of the United Forum of Bank Unions. More than 2,000 bank employees and officers participated in a procession taken out in the city and passing through Punjab National Bank Chowk and Nehru Garden. Owing to the strike nearly 280 branches of banks falling in the city and 630 in district remained closed. Around 18,000 cheques amounting to Rs 200 crore in the city were not cleared. Cash transactions worth Rs 200 crore were affected and a total business of Rs 400 crore got hit in the city alone. Convener of the United Forum of Bank Unions Amrit Lal said the strike had been called over the demand of controlling alarming price rise, stopping anti-labour policies, defending trade union rights, stopping bank reforms, stopping outsourcing, pending wage revision and pending appointments on the basis of compassionate ground. Staff of the Punjab Roadways also held a strike today with not allowing entry of buses in the bus stand. Only private buses were operating and that too from outside the stand. Owing to the lack of availability of buses, several commuters had to remain stranded for a long time or walk long distances with their luggage to board a bus. The union members have been demanding filling of vacant posts on regular basis for a long time. Even the trade unions of the Powercom held a strike today. All linesmen were off work today and participated in the demonstrations held across the city by the trade unions. The union activists moved past the city carrying their flags. If that was not all, even the teaching staff of Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology went on a mass casual leave today over the demand of pay revision, pay fixation and payment of other pending allowances they are entitled for. Members of the Punjab Chandigarh Medical Sales Representatives' Union (PCMSRU) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) today submitted a memorandum of their demands to the Deputy Commissioner (DC). On the call of their Indian federation (FMRAI), the PCMSRU members remained on strike today. The members will also observe strike on February 21. Demanding fixation of pay wages, prosecution of violators of labour law and enforcement of working hours of medical representatives, the members attended a meeting at the Guru Nanak District Library. After the meeting the members marched to the DC's office and presented the memorandum along with Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) members. State president of the PCMSRU Vinit Sharma and city unit president R Sahni were present on the occasion. Meanwhile, CITU members also observed a strike today and gathered at the local CITU office. Speaking on the occasion CITU general secretary Ram Murti said the strike had been observed for 10 demands made by the central trade unions and federations. Members of the CITU also held a protest march and a rally outside the DC's office. |
Strikes throw life out of gear
Phagwara, February 20 Banking and telecom services in public sector were also hit as the employees, including officers, observed strike in protest against reforms and outsourcing. Though private banks remained opened, but their Automatic Teller Machines(ATM) were found out of orders. Traders and industrialists felt inconvenience due to the two-day strike as clearing houses of the banks could not be operated. Employees of the BSNL also participated in the strike. Strikers sought urgent steps to control price rise, strict enforcement of labour laws in work places, social security net for workers in un-organised sector, end to disinvestment in PSUs and raising minimum wage to Rs 10,000. |
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Principal Secy visits PUDA sites
Jalandhar, February 20 The officer along with staff from the department took a round of the old jail site, which is likely to be developed for a residential flat scheme mixed with commercial pockets. A plan of the scheme is yet to be finalised. He also went around the old DC office, which is being planned for use as a site for shops and multi-tier parking lot. The officer also took a round of the vacant land of the Irrigation Department on Kapurthala Road, which is being developed as a mixed zone for residential-cum-commercial purposes. The officer also went to Kapurthala and took a round of the sites available there. |
‘Lovers’ suicide bid: Man also dies in hospital
Jalandhar, February 20 The body was handed over to the family after postmortem. The duo, in their mid-40’s, had consumed poison in Sant Nagar. The woman had already died yesterday. — TNS |
Foetus found in garbage bin
Jalandhar, February 20 Some passersby noticed the foetus in the garbage bin and informed residents of the area. As the news spread in the area, scores of people assembled at the spot, following which someone informed the Police Control Room. Station House Officer (SHO), Division No 8 police station, Gurpreet Singh said after getting the information about the foetus from the Police Control Room, two police personnel were sent to the spot and the fetus was recovered from the bin. The foetus seemed to be three to four months' old. The police had sent it to the Civil Hospital for postmortem, so as to determine its sex and age. Meanwhile, a complaint was lodged. |
JE’s family threatens to end life
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, February 20 A junior engineer of the Panchayati Raj Department, Harbhajan Singh, committed suicide in his office in Abadpura on January 25 and left a note accusing his three colleagues of forcing him take the extreme step. While addressing mediapersons here today, Capt Ranjit Singh, an elder brother of the deceased, threatened to commit suicide if justice was not done to the family within a week. He lamented that the family was fed up with the false assurances of the administration and the police. He alleged that the police authorities were reluctant to arrest the accused - DDPO Sarabjit Singh Walia, BDPO Bhagwan Singh and SDO Navdeep Singh - even after registering a case of abetment to suicide against them. Capt Ranjit Singh accusing Surjit Singh Rakhra, Punjab Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, of hurting the sentiments of the grief-stricken family by paying a visit to the family and saying that neither Harbhajan Singh nor the accused are above the law, which would take its own course. Moreover Karuna Raju, Director of the department, also hurt the sentiments of the family by offering a clerical job to the deceased’s son Jaspinder Singh, who is a M.Tech final year student. The family had been put under strain by the higher authorities of the department as notices of payment of hefty amounts were being served on the family to justify the claims of the accused in the case after the death of the JE. Capt Ranjit Singh alleged that the accused were in constant touch with Jaspal Singh, Deputy Director of the department, who is also a brother-in-law of BDPO Bhagwan Singh, to get the notice for the recovery of hefty amounts served on the family. Capt Ranjit Singh said the family would stage a dharna for indefinite period before the office of the Deputy Commissioner if the accused were not arrested. He also condemned the attitude of the state government, especially the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development, for not releasing the emoluments and other benefits to the family of the deceased. He alleged that the family pension was also not given to the family as yet. |
School battles demon of addiction
Jalandhar, February 20 While the district is reeling under the pressure of rampant drug abuse, the problem has made aggressive inroads into the education system too. Of the many government schools in the district which battles the problem of drug abuse among their students, the Government High School, Basti Bawa Khel, is one of the prime sufferers, especially among urban schools. Conversations among staff members at the schools-both the Government Primary School and the Government High School- reflect an air of tension - the perpetrators of which are the ‘spoiled’ students, as they are politely being referred to. Rude behaviour, abusive language by students, breaking of school property, brawls, including throwing of furniture, and even police being summoned, are some of the events that the school schedule is regularly dotted with. An all-woman staff says such unruly kids are difficult to handle. Earlier this year, in charge teacher of the high school had shifted eight to ten students to sports school because she was unable to handle them anymore. Within minutes of The Tribune visiting the school premises today, a perturbed staff member of the primary school complained that a mobile phone of the cook had been stolen on the school premises just a while ago while no one from outside had entered, the staff had no clue who stole the mobile. A staff member shows a broken door of the class which was broken by some hooligan students. Another was the bathroom door, which was badly broken by violent students, and was recently fixed, she adds. “There are few students in Class X with whom it is difficult to talk as they never answer. They come to school daily but refuse to study and rather upset the entire class. They do not get their books either. When there is a fight among such students, furniture is bound to be broken. We have tried counselling them, reforming them by holding lectures and seminars everyday in the morning assembly, but to no avail,” a teacher said. Staff members said it was common among schoolchildren to scale the wall and jump out. Teachers have even allowed some students to stay out just so the others can study. While the primary school has 550 students and work in five shifts for regular students, deaf and dumb students, aIl classes, aaganwari classes and NCLP evening school, the high school has 428 students (150 being boys). Teachers say they have no choice but to bear such students until the exams are over and rely on the police to be of help in times of emergency. The back side of the school is lined with people carrying out shady activities and the students also catch it from the area. Teachers express disillusionment on the role of the police and the Education Department. “While departmental checks are regular and even police comes in every time it is called, no effort has been made by the police to check back on us or make regular enquiries. If the PCR officials are regularly put on duty outside or around such schools it will greatly help countering the problem,” the staff says. |
Construction of retaining walls of Ikheri Pul sought
Jalandhar, February 20 The Mayor demanded that the retaining walls of Ikheri Pul and Domoria underbridge should be constructed for the safety of the residents. He asked XEN Dinesh Kumar and SDO Rajesh Sharma to ensure that an open drain flowing along the track should be covered and connected to a disposal to avoid its overflow. Jyoti also proposed that green belts should be developed near all crossings and bridges where there were ample spaces available. He also proposed that an escalator should be installed for the convenience of majority of residents, who had to board trains from platform number 2 |
Cash, valuables looted in Phagwara
Phagwara, February 20 Robbers managed to escape along with snatched items. The police has registered case under Section 458, 380 of the IPC. |
Finland Governor visits PTU
Jalandhar, February 20 Punjabi NRI Ranbir Singh Sodhi is originally a resident of Dhuri in Sangrur. He was in Jalandhar on a personal visit. He contacted Punjab Technical University in order to understand the possibilities of signing a memorandum between PTU and Finland. Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajneesh Arora and Dean Academic Dr Buta Singh welcomed Sodhi and introduced him to the university officials. Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajneesh Arora told Sodhi about the technical education in Punjab, the availability of seats and industrial concerns and said if any proposal of MOU would come from Finland, PTU would definitely consider the matter. Dean Academic Dr Buta Singh Sidhu and Registrar Dr HS Bains suggested to initiate students, researchers and faculty exchange programme between the two countries. |
From Schools and colleges
Jalandhar, February 20 Donors were given refreshments and a certificate of appreciation for this service to humanity. NSS coordinator Avnip Deora motivated students to come forward for this noble cause. Prof Lakhbir Singh, president, Pahal and Dr Gagandeep Singh motivated the donors. Dr Rajesh Bagga, director, AIMTC thanked Prof Singh for his support. They also extended their thanks to students, who participated in the camp. Dr Bagga lauded the selfless service rendered by the students. Activity report Cooking-without-fire activity was organised at DIPS School, Kapurthala. It was a class-wise competition in which class-teachers guided students to plan and bring the required ingredients for the competition. Students from Class IV to VIII participated in the competition. In the activity period, students prepared Indian and traditional dishes under the guidance of class teachers and garnished them beautifully. Class VIII-B got the first prize while the second position was bagged by Class VII-A. The third position was bagged by Class VIII-A. Principal Sumanjeet Kaur Walia explained the merits, nutritious values and delight of Indian food. Community lunch Community lunch was organised at the CT Kindergarten. Tiny tots shared their cherishing moment to instill the value of sharing their eatables. They relished food with sharing and expressed feelings of love and respect towards one another. Parminder Kaur, co-chairperson, CT Group of Institutions was the chief guest on the occasion. Ranjana Rajput, principal, CT Public School, appreciated the laudable endeavours of the children of CT Kindergarten and enlightened students about the significance of community kitchen using the historical langar system instituted by Sikh Gurus as an example. Farewell party Gurukul School organised farewell party for the passing out batch of Class XII. Students of Class XI welcomed their seniors with a welcome song, followed by a cultural programme. Students of Class XII performed modelling on the stage. Simranpreet was declared Miss Gurukul and Rahul was declared Master Gurukul. Principal Dr Rupinder Grewal, president NK Handa and director Sushma Handa congratulated winners. Meanwhile, a farewell party was organised by students of Class XI for students of Class XII at DIPS, Dhilwan. School head boy and head girl welcomed the guests and students. Games, performances, modelling etc were a part of the programme. ‘Miss DIPS’ and ‘Master DIPS’ contest were judged by principal Romila Sharma. Gagandeep Singh and Harkamal Mann won the title of ‘Master DIPS’ and ‘Miss DIPS’, respectively. Students were given best wishes by teachers for the forthcoming exams. Athletic meet Rayat Bahra Group of Institutes celebrated its 5th annual athletic meet 2013. On the final day of the two-day event, Reliance Industries, Hoshiarpur, president Deepak Kaura presented the overall winning trophy to co-educational engineering college and encouraged students to make sports a part of their lives. Amandeep Singh and Poonam Mehta were declared Best Athlete-2013 in men and women category, respectively. The sports meet started with a colourful cultural programme by students of Rayat Bahra. A tough competition in all athletic events was seen, as students competed with each other for top positions. Rayat Bahra Group's chairman Gurvinder Singh Bahra offered his felicitations to students and faculty members. The programme was also attended by renowned bodybuilder Prem Chand Dingra, social worker PS Sachdeva and Sukhwinder Singh, a silver medal winner in special children competition in Korea. |
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