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Modern jail
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Failed samples
Students perform a dance at a function organised as part of the “Save the Girl Child” campaign at Red Cross Bhawan in Jalandhar on Friday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh
Parents of Kargil martyrs a distraught lot
Families of martyrs of the Kargil war share
their grief during a programme organised on Vijay Divas in Jalandhar on Friday.
Photo: Sarabjit Singh
‘Insure valuables kept in lockers’
Seminar organised on overseas Punjabi language
Businessmen hopeful of finding solution to difficult VAT refund
3rd annual art fair to encourage artists
City bus project meeting adjourned
Congress appoints committee presidents
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Mystery shrouds inmate’s death
Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service
Kapurthala, July 26 His wife Suman said her husband was fine till last night and had even talked to her on phone saying that he was being harassed and pressurised to run a drug business in the jail. “His death the very next day seems unnatural,” she claimed. Sukhwinder Pal was booked by the Jalandhar (Rural) police on the charges of running a fake currency racket and for drug smuggling. While he had been convicted for the fake currency racket for three years on March 13, his trial in the NDPS case was still pending. The SP said the deceased was an addict. The exact cause of the death would be known after post-mortem, he said.
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Water supply culprit, Health Dept has no role, says Mittal
Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, July 26 Speaking on the sidelines of the concluding ceremony of the "Save the Girl Child" campaign being observed by the Health Department here today, the minister said the department was responsible only for spreading awareness among the masses regarding water-borne diseases and their prevention. “People should boil water and maintain clean conditions, the Health Department can apprise them of that, but the rest is not our job. There are no people ill. The contamination is due to the water supply, so those who supply water are to blame,” the minister said. This was the reply to a query regarding the role of the Health Department and follow-up measures after water samples of 20 schools failed test in the district. Speaking about the male-female ratio in Punjab, the minister said the rising ratio of women in the state had made the government hopeful of achieving the targets envisioned by it. While the sex ratio in 2001 was 798 (in 0-6 age group) and 876 (overall), in 2011, the ratio had risen to 846 (in 0-6 group) and 893 (overall). He said the Health Department presently aims at achieving an overall ratio of 900 women against a 1,000 men. The minister added that while 300 MBBS doctors would be joining by the end of this month, 134 medical officers would also be joining services by the July 30. The minister said the government was also planning to increase the number of doctors in the state - a much awaited and oft-talked about move - and planning 100 state-of-the-art hospitals for the state. He said the government had also been planning diagnostic centres on the PPP mode to facilitate patients across the state. “We have also contacted an agency to provide the facility of diagnostic centres on the PPP mode for patients,” he said. The well-attended ceremony saw the presence of MLA KD Bhandari, Mayor Sunil Jyoti, ADC Praneet Bhardwaj, Civil Surgeon Dr RL Bassan, District Education Officer Neelam Kumari, district IMA chief Dr Sushma Chawla, representatives of various NGOs like PAHAL, Child Help and Citizens Welfare and Protection Council and many other eminent doctors and officials from the health and education departments.
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Parents of Kargil martyrs a distraught lot
Jalandhar, July 26 Since most of the widows of the martyrs had parted ways with their in-laws' family taking a bigger share of compensation in the form of job, gratuity and monthly pension, the ageing parents blame it on the apathy of the government for not paying attention to their plight. The families shared their grief with one another during the Kargil Vijay Divas programme organised by the Kashyap Naujawan Dharmik Sabha here today. Kamla Rani, whose son Deputy Commandant in the BSF Mahinder Raj got martyred on July 13, 1999, had tears rolling down her eyes throughout the function. She recalled her saga, "My son was married for just seven months when the tragedy struck. My daughter-in-law left the house for her parents' place the day it was his kirya. Two months later she delivered a child. She has not got re-married but we have no ties with her. She got adequately compensated in the form of a job as an ETO, has now got promoted as Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner and has no financial burden on her unlike us. My husband has retired, but his job was not pensionable. I have three daughters, who are married. It is just the two of us looking at each other's long face the whole day." Similar is the story of Kirti Chakra awardee Major Raman Dada's family. His retired father, Ravi Dada, too, is upset at the government not doing the needful for the parents of the martyrs. "My son got killed during the Kargil war in 1999. My daughter-in-law left soon after his kirya ceremony with her son Dhruv, who would now be 16-year-old. Ever since, we have had no contact with her. Had he lived and his family been around us, our life would have been much different. It is just a few social organisations which remember the supreme sacrifice made by our sons. The politicians and bureaucrats have never felt any pain for us and have never bothered to inquire about our well-being," he said. A retired honorary Captain Dr SSN Vinayak and his wife Prem Vinayak, whose son Major Kapil Vinayak was killed on July 20, 2005, in Operation Vijay, said their biggest problem in life was loneliness. "After the tragedy, Kapil's widow got remarried and took along her four-year-old son. We have had no problems with that for she had a long life ahead, but we somehow wanted that we be allowed to meet our grandson off and on. He should now be grown up 12-year-old boy and we have been living just to see him one day.
It has been really shattering to hear recently that he has been re-christened as Harshit Sharma, instead of Harshit Kapil
Vinayak, the way we loved to call him," the couple had seemed much peeved at
the thought. Vinayaks have a daughter who is married. "While I run a clinical laboratory to kill time, my wife has not kept any maid at place so that she remains involved all day with household chore," Dr Vinayak said, adding that financial issues, too, had started bothering them now but still were secondary. Families of martyrs Lt Gurvinder Singh, Capt Satnam Singh, Capt Mandeep Singh and Lakhbir Kumar, too, attended the programme. |
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‘Insure valuables kept in lockers’
Jalandhar, July 26 Senior officials of some leading banks revealed that 90 per cent of the billions of middle class families across the country had kept their all-time savings in banks completely uninsured. Suvir Vig, area manager, Bajaj Allianz, said: “People think that to get the locker insured, they will have to take the agent to bank and show him the belongings kept inside the locker. Bank lockers are insured under Section 3 of the house hold policy with very low premium. The user only has to declare the value and the details of the bank locker where the possessions are kept. But if the value of the individual jewellery item exceeds 10 per of the sum insured, then the evaluation certificate from the jeweller is also required,” he added. Dr Rajesh Yaduvanshi, Punjab circle head, of the Punjab National Bank, said: “Bank lockers are the most preferred means to keep valuables due to one’s total privacy in operation and secrecy in content. Be it the property papers, ancestral jewellery or gold coins bought on auspicious occasions, they look forward to the most secure way to protect it by using lockers. The relation between the bank and the lessee is that of a tenant and a landlord. We just sign an agreement with the lessee and he is allowed use of the locker as and when he wants.” According to him, most of the banks have working alarm systems, 24 hours electronic surveillance through CCTV footage, strong room with iron-gate walls and floor and the latest technology - the smoke alarm system, but sometimes due to this laissez-faire attitude by the users, all the measures fritter away. He adds: “Since the lockers are placed in very high security zones under extreme security measures, the chances of theft is one among a million.” He, too, stressed on the need to insure valuables, keeping photocopies of the important documents kept inside the locker and entering updated personal record. People often do not make photocopies of the important documents before keeping them inside the lockers. They feel that the documents kept inside the lockers are safe and there is no need to keep an extra photocopy elsewhere.” Many cases have been reported in the past where termites or floods had completely destroyed currency notes and important documents kept inside the locker. Bank officials said that maximum lockers are used by women, who most of the time opened lockers in a haste. “Either they come to bank to get jewellery to wear it on the same evening or to take out some very important document required immediately. In haste, they sometimes drop small jewellery items on the floor. Also, at times they leave the locker door open and later blame the bank for breaking it,” rue most of the bankers. |
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Seminar organised on overseas Punjabi language
Jalandhar, July 26 Sunnar, also an alumnus of the institution, said overseas Punjabi literary production is quite good in quality as well as in quantity and honestly represents the ethos of migrant Punjabis. The occasion was marked by recitation of poems by Sunnar and Prof Kulwant Singh Aujla. In his welcome address, the principal of the college, Dr GS Samra, said: “Lyallpur Khalsa College is committed to serve Punjabi culture and language.” He said at present the Punjab Centre of Migration Studies carried out research on migration in context of Punjab, particularly focusing on in-migration of labour from other states and out-migration of Punjabis to developed countries, and its influence on Punjabi culture and language. The discussion in the seminar was chaired by Dr Kulwant Singh Sandhu and Dr HS Atwal. Vote of thanks was given by the centre coordinator Prof GS Buttar. Green Day celebrations
The Media Club of the MGN Public School, Adarsh Nagar, Jalandhar, organised a tree plantation day under the assistance and guidance of principal Brinder Badwal. Different kinds of saplings were planted. She inspired the students to be eco-friendly and plant trees to save the future generations. She said their one act can be a huge step towards humanity adding that Montgomerians are always counselled and guided for humanitarian acts. Function to commemorate Kargil Vijay Divas
BD Arya Girls College, Jalandhar Cantt, organised a function on Kargil Vijay Divas to pay homage to the martyrs of Kargil War. Major Pawan Sachan and Captain Ruchika Pandey were the resource persons on the occasion. College Principal Sarita Verma welcomed the guests. Speaking on the occasion she said: “The free India, in which we live today, was never possible without the sacrifices of our great war heroes, who fought till death to save our country.” She motivated students to give respect to the martyrs and the jawans, who are still defending the borders. A power-point presentation, related to Kargil war, was also shown to the students. Major Sochan and Captain Ruchika Pandey while addressing the students gave detailed information about the Kargil episode. Students were also shown a special documentary on Kargil War. Principal Sarita Verma thanked the guests for their efforts. The whole staff and students remembered the martyrs of Operation Kargil. Neeru Sharma managed the stage on the occasion. General knowledge quiz
Mayor World School, organised inter-house general knowledge quiz competition at the school premises. Inspiring excellence and general awareness among the students in every field was the primary aim of this quiz competition. It was an attempt to showcase the rich talent of its students. The show, which was a kaleidoscope of knowledge and skill, was conducted for the students of Class VI to VIII. |
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Businessmen hopeful of finding solution to difficult VAT refund
Jalandhar, July 26 The representatives of city businessmen under the aegis of Federation of Jalandhar Industrial and Traders Associations will meet Sukhbir Badal in Chandigarh on July 30 to apprise him about the problems being faced by them and to find a possible solution. Thanking Bhandari for arranging their meeting with Sukhbir, the federation president Gursharan Singh and Vyapar Sena chief Ravindra Dhir said they were hopeful for the positive outcome of their proposed meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister on Tuesday. Earlier, in a meeting held under the aegis of Federation of Jalandhar Industrial and Traders Associations here on July 22, Bhandari had assured them about fixing a meeting of industrialists with either CM Parkash Singh Badal or deputy CM Sukhbhir Badal to find a possible solution to their problems. Bhandari assured the industrialists here that he would also raise the issues of VAT refund, e-trip of the invoice amounting to Rs 50,000 or more on the Sales Tax Department website and imposition of three days off for general industry and four days off for induction furnaces by the PSPCL with BJP state president Kamal Sharma. Bhandari, also a BJP MLA from Jalandhar north constituency, assured the industrialists that their genuine demands would definitely be fulfilled. “If I fail to keep my promise, I will like to join industrialists for agitation for their genuine demands as I am also a trader,” he added.
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3rd annual art fair to encourage artists
Jalandhar, July 26 Barring wood, glass and clay art works, phulkari and cloth work would be the centre of attraction during this exhibition, said Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh, who is also the chariman of the District Cultural and Literary Society, Jalandhar. Notably, this call to the city-artists in the city is an open invitation for them to display their works. While the exhibition shall provide them with a platform to display their works, it shall also be an interesting opportunity because anyone is allowed to participate. The DC has exhorted principals of schools and colleges as well as organisers to bring as many students of theirs institutions to the exhibition to evoke interest in various arts among them. The DC said all the participating artists would be awarded certificates by the District Cultural and Literary Society. The artists will be divided into two groups based on their age - less than 30 and more than 30 years. While the ones who are placed first, second and at third positions, will be honoured with prizes. Certificates will be given to the participants, who stand fourth and fifth, respectively. The registration pro forma for participation in the exhibition shall be provided by Channi GS Takulia, office secretary, Virsa Vihar, Bhagat Namdev Chowk, Jalandhar. |
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City bus project meeting adjourned
Jalandhar, July 26 “The issue has been raised by the operators and we have promised them to find a concrete solution for the same. We also had detailed discussion with the district transport authorities. As far as the extension of the bus service is concerned, it will be done in a phased manner,” said Vinay Bublani, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation. “The bus operators have shown a little reluctance for the same as thousands of autos are plying on their route. They do not pay taxes and have no pollution and fitness certificates. Whereas we have to pay our taxes regularly, operate according to time table and get our pollution check and fitness done on time. We are suffering huge losses due to them,” said Praveen Olivera, spokesperson, City Bus Service Operators Committee. The decision for extending the city bus service project will now be taken in the board meeting which is scheduled for next week.
— OC |
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Reluctant to involve "his" men on the issue of failed water samples in the district, Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal today put the blame totally on the water supply.
Speaking on the sidelines of the concluding ceremony of the "Save the Girl Child" campaign being observed by the Health Department here today, the minister said the department was responsible only for spreading awareness among the masses regarding water-borne diseases and their prevention.
Fourteen
years down the line since the loss of their sons in the Kargil war, the void
left in the hearts of their parents perhaps has only been getting deeper and
wider. The parents of martyrs, who at that time had their jobs, independent
earnings and were energetic to fend for themselves, now seem to have become
emotionally, physically and financially distraught.
