Jalandhar, April 15
The last year’s major disaster that led to the killing of 23 young labourers and crippling of three victims in Shital Fibres factory perhaps has not helped the departments concerned learn lessons.

Officials of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) and Deputy Director, Factories, which have been indicted by the administration in its report, have been simply passing buck on one another.

While the factory land could have been resumed by the PSIEC on account of glaring violations exposed at the time of the disaster, the owner, Shital Vij, has already raised a new factory at the same site in Focal Point Extension. Most officials point out that they are not even aware that a new building has come up and others have said they are not even sure whether it conforms to the zoning norms.

MP Arora, Managing Director, PSIEC, said, “The action to be taken is to be finalised by a state committee under the Principal Secretary, Industries. The committee has other members, including those from the local government and industry association. It is up to the committee to decide as to what action is to be taken. Even the survey conducted in the state pointed out to bylaws violations across the state. Taking a harsh action of demolition against all of them cannot be taken as a practical solution.”

Asked on his response to a new building already raised at the site, he said, “It is not in my notice. The GM (Planning) will have the details.”

The GM (Planning), Randhawa, when contacted, said even he was not sure whether a new building had come. Later, after checking up with local officials, he called back saying that a plan had been submitted. “I have asked the SDO concerned to check if the plan is right,” he said.

Additional Director, Factories, Sodhimal said with just six officers across the state it was not possible to do a physical check for each factory. “After all an officer needs to spend some time in each factory and only then he issues a stability certificate. Further no officer is ready to do this for they say that in case a factory collapses after the certificate, they will have to owe the responsibility,” he shared his experience. “Our job is to get the guilty prosecuted, the process for which is going on,” he added.

Disaster management poor

Ever since the factory collapse incident has taken place, the district-level disaster management team has not got any major boost. The toll-free number 1077 has not been popularised. Despite high-rise buildings coming up in city, no hydraulic ladders have been purchased. The only purchases made have been two bikes having fire extinguishers, a light tower and electrical cutting gadgets, all of which have been handed over to the Fire Department.

Accident no deterrent

The accident at Shital Fibres has not come as a deterrent for anyone, including the administration and the factory owners. The big factory owners continue to rule and do not allow the officials to inspect their premises. There also is a huge barricading at the entrance of the road leading to Shital Fibres factory, across which no one is allowed to move on without permission from the owners. Even this reporter had to face much resistance from security guards deployed at the barricading during a visit to the site on Friday last.

Shital’s response

When asked as to whether he had sought permission for reconstructing his factory, he could not reply. “I am suffering from depression ever since three factory workers have died due to food poisoning,” he tried to be evasive.

Jalandhar, April 15
With the oil marketing companies reducing petrol prices by Rs 1 per litre, the citizens will get relief of about Rs 1.33 per litre from tonight after adding value added tax (VAT) and other duties on the reduced amount.

The citizens are now getting petrol at Rs 74.36 per litre and they will get it at around Rs 73 after midnight. The companies had earlier reduced the petrol prices by 85 per paisa on April 2.

Though the citizens hailed the reduction in petrol prices, they expect furthermore slashing of petroleum products rates.

Welcoming the reduction in petrol prices, social activist Rajat Mohindru said, “Considering the reduction in oil prices in international market from $ 109 per barrel to $ 101, I was expecting that prices will be reduced by at least Rs 1.60 per litre.”

Mohindru further said the state government and the Centre should also reduce VAT and other duties on petroleum products to provide more relief to the common man.

Monty Sehgal, executive member of Punjab Petrol Dealers Association, welcomed the reduction adding that oil marketing companies should inform the dealers in advance regarding such move to minimise their losses with fluctuation in prices.

RTI activist Sanjay Sehgal said, “Earlier, the prices were increased at regular intervals. Now the prices have been reduced for the second time in a month. It is after a long time that good news about fuel prices has been heard.”

Sahil Sharma, a student, said, “The state government should cut taxes such as VAT on fuel to give a respite to the masses. The petrol in Punjab is very expensive because of excessive rate of VAT here. The SAD-BJP government should take such move to provide relief to the people.”

Parveen Sharma, a taxi driver, said, “Though it is a little reduction, it will mean something for the common man. These days, a scooter or car is not a luxury but a necessity. People have to drive vehicles and reduction in prices would save them a little money.”

Jalandhar, April 15
In view of the prevailing tension in the state following rejection of the appeal of Devinder Singh Bhullar in the Supreme Court, paramilitary forces were deployed in the city today.

BSF personnel were seen posted at various important intersections of the city, outside religious places and city markets this afternoon.

The ADCP-I, Naresh Dogra, said the situation was normal as of now and the deployment had been done just as a precautionary measure.

Phagwara, April 15
Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPC) Som Parkash today distributed cheques of grants for Rs 79 lakh among various sports clubs, village panchayats and educational institutions of the assembly constituency and some social organisations at a function held on the premises of the Municipal Corporation here.

The ADC, Satish Single, SP HPS Khakh, SDM PP Singh, tehsildar Vipin Bhandhari, MC Commissioner Kuldip Singh, Executive Officer Adarsh Sharma and Markfed Chairman Jarnail Singh Wahid Advocate were present.

The CPS disclosed that a comprehensive plan of Rs 198 crore had been prepared, which would be implemented in 16 villages of the subdivision during the financial year of 2013-14.

Jalandhar, April 15
Even more than three months after the post of SDM-II got vacant on the transfer of IAS officer Isha Kalia, the seat has been lying vacant here.

While the additional charge for the post has been vested with SDM-I Iqbal Singh Sandhu, the office work has been suffering as there are nearly 106 court cases, which have not been taken up ever since Kalia was transferred, owing to which the litigants are being given new dates.

Since the SDM-II has a huge area in Jalandhar-II tehsil, including Basti areas, Kartarpur and Bhogpur, falling in its purview and there is always so much happening around, most officials believe that it is practically not feasible for an official to take care of works in two such big tehsils.

Jalandhar, April 15
The Centre for Human Rights, Initiative, Training and Research Association (CHITRA) launched a project Sambandh, to help children in need for care and protection.

As their first project in this respect, CHITRA has taken up the initiative to ensure grant of monthly financial support from the Social Security Department for two destitute girls of the SC community from April 2013.

The CHITRA activists would identify such children in future and bring them under the ambit of social security schemes and also arrange admission against 25 per cent quota in unaided government schools under the RTI Act, 2009.

Convener SK Kapoor and co-convener KS Nagra said the Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 8 had ordered a blanket ban on working of children above 14 years and below 18 years with directions that their employers will be booked under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

The High court also ordered for setting up of special courts for children in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

Kapurthala, April 15
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal is doing politics of convenience on the issue of Deviderpal Singh Bhullar,Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) president Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary said here.

"The Akalils filed affidavit in the apex court in 2009 defending Sumedh Saini labelling Bhullar as a hardcore criminal. Saini was also rewarded with top post as the Director General of Police in 2012 ignoring a number of senior IPS officers. Now when Bhullar’s petition for clemency, along with 17 other accused, has been rejected by the President, the Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal are meeting the PM to explain the ‘peculiarities’ and uniqueness in Bhullar's case saying peace in Punjab will be disturbed,” he said.

Flaying the Akali Dal for always picking up Panthic agenda and ‘Aman nu khatra’ like slogans, Vikramjit Singh said, “They are in the habit of doing, particularly when they have no justification and answer to the ill-governance, poor law and order or a paralysed fiscal status of the state economy. The best way for them one is to terrorise innocent people and divert their minds from such issues to the Rajoanas and Bhullars and memorials.”

“It is clear that since the panchayat elections are round the corner and the Congress is highlighting its misdeeds and exposing their unfulfilled promises made in the election manifesto, the SAD has no guts to face the electorate," Vikramjit said.

The PYC president made an appeal to the ruling party to stop nursing the politics of convenience while playing with the religious sentiments of the masses.

Jalandhar, April 15
The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal's clear-cut instructions to all administrative officials to remain available to public during office hours do not seem to have gone down well with the district's topmost administrator.

In sheer defiance of the orders of Sukhbir, it has been more than three weeks since Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh was last seen in her office. Her colleagues, subordinate officials and frequent visitors to the office claim that they can actually count on fingers as to how many days they spotted their "first woman DC of Jalandhar" in her office ever since she got posted in the district on December 31 last year.

Every time a person walks in to DC office, her staff has been telling that the officer was in Chandigarh in connection with some court case or for a meeting. In the event of an urgent work, the person is directed to her camp office (residence), where many hesitate to go.

The things have come to such a pass that almost all monthly meetings, including those of revenue and health, are chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner Praneet Bhardwaj. All public dealings on her part, including complaints regarding Suwidha Centre, various departments and by NRIs, are also heard by the ADC.

It is pertinent to mention here that Shruti, who is the wife of an SSP, spent the first few weeks at her camp office citing reason that she was getting her room renovated. Ever since she joined here, she has been visible in just a few meetings, including those for Vigilance Monitoring Committee on March 26 ond a police-public interaction organised by IG (Zonal) on International Women's Day. Though she was not at all publicly available, her presence in the city has been known only through photographs sent via the District Press Relations Officer — once at Dhussi Bandh two weeks back and then again at leather complex treatment plant site last week.

Shruti Singh, when contacted, said she could not put in more time in office due to some frequent meetings in New Delhi. "I have had a lot of pending 'dak' in my office last week, which I only know how I managed to clear. I, however, have decided to spend more time in the office from now on," she replied.

Jalandhar, April 15
The Department of Sanskrit of Kanya Maha Vidyalaya (KMV) has organised a seven-day workshop on computational Sanskrit.

Nripendra Pathak from Jawaharlal Nehru University is conducting the workshop. In this workshop, emphasis is being laid on the importance of Sanskrit language promotion, Sanskrit processing and tool kit development, scope and future task, etc.

The principal of KMV Dr Atima Sharma said such workshops proved to be very beneficial for the students.

Phagwara, April 15
The Goraya police today busted an inter-district gang of robbers with the arrested of its two members, identified as Parambir Singh and Lakhwinder Ram, residents of Nawanpind Naichian village.

The two had been booked under Sections 397 and 307 of the IPC for allegedly chopping off a hand of a scrap dealer in their attempt of looting on the night of April 8 on the Rurrki-Ghurrka road, near Goraya.

This was stated by Phillaur DSP Paramjit Singh Pannu this afternoon. The police had recovered a motorcycle, sharp-edged weapon and 500 gm of intoxicant powder from the arrested accused.

While narrating the incident, the DSP said the scrap dealer, Santokh Lal, was returning to his village Gurrka on his cycle, when the robbers riding on a motorcycle stopped him and asked him to hand over his cash (Rs 350) to them of merely. When he resisted the robbers, chopped his left hand and sped away.

Pannu said a police party, headed by SHO, Goraya, Sarabjit Singh Rai, raided several places and succeeded to nab the accused on Pasla Road today. The injured scrap dealer was admitted to the Phillaur Civil Hospital. Senior Medical Officer, Phillaur, Dr Hari Singh said this afternoon that the injured was recovering, but unfortunately his chopped hand could not be joined as the family did not have enough money (in lakhs) to go for an operation in some big medical institution.

The SMO said even then the hospital staff kept his chopped hand preserved for more than 24 hours, while it could be joined within six hours only. The SMO denied the allegations that the chopped hand was thrown in the garbage by the hospital staff.

Phillaur SDM Jasbir Singh said the injured scrap dealer was being treated free of cost and some financial helps from the government was also being recommended.

Punjab Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Rajesh Bagha along with Phillaur SDM Rajesh Bagha had visited Phillaur Civil Hospital on April 13 to meet Santokh Lal.

Meanwhile, SHO, Goraya, Sarabjit Rai said the arrested gang members were wanted by the police in more than dozen incidents of robbery and snatching in Phillaur, Goraya, Zandiala, Noormahal, Apra, etc.

Jalandhar, April 15
A two-day career-cum-job fair was inaugurated on the Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus today.

The fair witnessed an overwhelming response from both job seekers and companies from across India. Over 5,000 candidates sought jobs on the first day from companies. Nearly 1,000 candidates were shortlisted for jobs by the companies.

Commenting on the fair, staff recruiter, IBM, Nishank Gupta said, "The number of candidates visiting our stall is pretty good and so is the quality. We are also making on-the-spot offers. One of the things which I want to specially mention is the support provided by LPU student volunteers, who actually helped in handling and streamlining our processes.”

Vijay Magotra, Campus Relationship Manager from WIPRO said, “Our present association with LPU is very fruitful and we intend to continue to build the relationship in the future as well. The fair has helped us to select candidates conveniently and as per our requirements.”

Chancellor, LPU, Ashok Mittal said: “The job fair is to increase awareness of the students about employment opportunities available in the related area of their dreams. Along with, it is also to enable employers to discuss career and training opportunities face to face with the job seekers. I am happy to note that thousands of students from different Indian states have received first-hand opportunity to reach potential employees and many of them have got selected.”