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Approach road to
railway station in a mess
Rupee devaluation cheers exporters
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Demand for LPG-operated vehicles shows rise
‘Fish oil helps in speedy recovery of accident, burns victims’
No arrest yet in Chandigarh jeweller robbery case
Overloading rampant in animal-drawn carts
5 DTO clerks shifted
500 gm of heroin seized
second marriage
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Approach road to
railway station in a mess
Amritsar, August 21 Evans, part of a six-member tourist group from Belgium, said members of his group were drawn from various countries of Europe. After landing at the Delhi airport, they came to Amritsar by train. He said the group noticed the completely worn out road after coming out of the main building of the railway station. He said it offered them a bumpy rickshaw ride "but then it is part of the journey as one finds all kinds of roads". A local, Dr AL Adlakha, who had gone to drop one of his relatives at the railway station in the morning, was stunned to find that the entire stretch in front of the railway station was teeming with countless potholes. He said the quality of the road was exposed, as these pits appeared after the stretch remained submerged in rainwater. He pointed out that delay in repairing the road could prove costly to visitors in case the rains return. “Then it would be difficult to locate these pits under the water,” he remarked. He said the railway station was proposed to be developed into a world-class station way back in the 2009 Railway Budget, but the Central Government’s announcement of upgrading it in 2006 had little impact on its infrastructure. Vendors at the railway station stated that the waiting hall for general passengers, which was raised after dismantling the colonial period one about three years ago, had been leaking throughout the rain for four continuous days recently. Hence, the hall was not utilised for the passengers. The daily footfall of about 30,000 passengers and the arrival and departure of as many as 129 trains made the local railway station a happening place, where facilities are very critical for tourist care. Divisional Railway Manager Naresh Chander Goel said, “He had just finished his visit to the railway station and found the stretch in front of the railway station in a deplorable condition”. He said he had directed the agencies concerned of the railways to re-lay the road. On the question of the leaking general waiting hall, he replied that he would get it checked. He said gradually new facilities were being provided and the beautification of the railway station was being done. In the first part, its facade was raised as per the city’s Sikh architecture. Recently, momentum was set to establish a food plaza at the railway station and the tender process was about to start for the same. Besides, a private consultant had been hired to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to provide state-of-the-art facilities at the local railway station, for which joint funding would be done by the union ministries of tourism and railways. The tourism ministry would provide the railways a grant of Rs 10.28 crore for the project, while the Railway Ministry would provide the land. Besides, the railway station would have a retiring room, VIP lounge, waiting room, waiting hall, parking area, circulating area and other facilities.
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Rupee devaluation cheers exporters
Amritsar, August 21 He added that a majority of the local chess was exported to European countries and the demand picked up before Christmas. The city has many units specialising in chess board and its pieces manufactured
from wood. Shawl exporter PL Seth said, “There is certainly some benefit over the export of shawls but it has been brought down
by the costly import of raw material.” Local export-oriented units use yard made from imported April Wool from Australia, while wool for carpet is imported from New Zealand. Besides, American wool is imported from the USA, Urugaian wool from Russia and South African wool is also popular for preparing the material. Pashmina wool, which is found only in the Ladakh region of the country, also comes from China. He added that though the exporters were reaping monetary profit, the overall devaluation of the rupee in international market was detrimental to the Indian economy. Exporter Arvinder Pal Singh of Amar Singh Chawal Wala (Lal Qila) brand said it was a temporary benefit and in the long run, the economy would suffer. He said the communication was so fast that the traders around the globe know the fraction of fluctuation in the currency and move accordingly. He said in rice export, their main rival was Pakistan and its currency has touched 103 in exchange of a dollar.
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Demand for LPG-operated vehicles shows rise
Amritsar, August 21 A litre of LPG fuel costs Rs 49.89 and a consumer saves 40 per cent of its operation cost in comparison to petrol. He said the installation of an LPG filling station was a very expensive proposition and two filling stations have been established in the city with the active assistance of the public sector undertaking (PSU) company IOC. “About Rs 1 crore was invested by the IOC and over Rs 50 lakh was invested by the filling station owners”. Earlier, prospective buyers were attracted towards diesel-run cars after finding operational cost of petrol run vehicles marching upwards. However, the prices of diesel fuel are also being steadily raised by the government for the past some months and the trend is likely to be continued, commented Puneet Arora, a local. “Hence, I decided to fit a company approved
LPG kit in his new vehicle.” He said in this way, he would not add to the city’s pollution and its regular driving would cost about 40 per cent less. IOC officials in the city said that among the segments of automobile vehicles active in the city, autos were the largest to shift to the green fuel. However, keeping in view the large number of autos plying on the city roads, the share of the LPG auto was very small. Even as LPG filling stations were established to pave the way for convenient availability of the fuel in the city, it requires integrated and comprehensive efforts to popularise the fuel among residents. Proper use essential
The installation of an LPG kit from roadside and unauthorised mechanics could pose a serious danger compared to the factory fitted LPG version. The usage of domestic LPG cylinders in vehicles is a very dangerous move, as experts opine that it is much more compressed and highly inflammable. Poor-standard LPG kits pose fire threat in four-wheelers. They say the LPG gas cylinders are designed to be used in an upright position and laying them on side may cause the valve/valves to malfunction.
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‘Fish oil helps in speedy recovery of accident, burns victims’
Amritsar, August 21 A paper in this connection was presented at the "Second International Conference and Exhibition on Nutritional Science & Therapy" at Philadelphia, USA, by Dr Pankaj Soni, chief anaesthesiologist representing the hospital. Dr Soni pointed out that the patients with fish oil-enriched intravenous nutrition regimen plays a wonderful role in the early recovery of patients
suffering from burns and trauma injuries. Dr Avtar Singh, director and head of the orthopaedics department of the hospital, said, the hospital was using fish oil-enriched nutritious diet given through intravenous means in the hospital for the past six years with encouraging results. A random, parallel group study was carried out at the intensive medicine, department of critical care of the hospital and a
comparative sample was of a total of 311 patients all of whom were accident victims. He said the patients were divided into two groups, in which there were 153 patients in a control group and 158 patients were put in the steady group. The patients in the steady group were imparted a fish oil-enriched nutritious diet intravenously. All the accident victims taken in this sample group were those with 30 or more percentage of burns. He said during the search, it was found that the steady group which was being given the nutrient had a significantly higher recovery rate, less hours of stay in the ICU and also, therefore, reduced cost incurred on hospitalisation. Dr Soni stated that fish oil had anti-inflammatory properties and thus helped to reduce inflammation. "It also reduced the post operative infection rate," he said and added, "No serious adverse events related to the fish oil treatment were reported". The treatment was adjudged to be safe and effective, according to the report. More than 200 specialists from the world participated in the conference, including delegates from countries like Egypt, Canada, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq etc. The three-day conference had at least 10-12 speakers each day, reading medical papers on studies on metabolism under various conditions and situations.
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Cops being targeted by criminals, kin
Amritsar, August 21 In a recent incident, a team of Anti-Narcotic Cell of Amritsar rural police was attacked with sharp-edged weapons by two drug peddlers on the intervening night of August 12-13. One of the policemen narrowly escaped the attack. Both the accused were later arrested by the police. The accused were identified Suba Singh and Major Singh of Brar village and proscribed drugs were recovered from them. On August 10, a police party was attacked by the family of a youth, Manjinder, who was booked by the police on charges of snatching. The police team, headed by ASI Baldev Singh posted with CIA staff, Amritsar rural police, raided the accused's residence at Akalgarh Dhapiya village when the incident took place. On August 5, a police team came under attack when it raided the house of Jagjit Singh, who was wanted in connection with a criminal case registered at the Jandiala police station in the Amritsar (rural) police district. On June 15, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and his team were attacked when their team went to nab a drug peddler. The police had received a tip-off that notorious drug peddler Ali, a resident of Peeli Colony, in Chheharta, was selling drugs and was coming to Vikas Nagar. On April 25, a police party came under attack by a group of persons when they were taking an alleged drug peddler to court from the Chheharta police station. Three of the accused were later arrested by the police while the remaining accused fled. On April 2, four car-borne youths allegedly fired at a police party near the Dhapai-level crossing after it signalled the vehicle to stop. Two youths were arrested on the spot while the rest managed to escape. On February 23, a police team that raided a residence while searching for a theft accused was attacked. The team raided the house belonging to Ram Parvesh, who had been booked by the B-division police in connection with a theft case. On February 17, policemen were allegedly manhandled by three persons when they had gone to arrest an accused in a fraud case. They had gone to arrest Manpreet Singh against whom a case was registered at the Gate Hakima police station. "The accused usually try to escape by resorting to assault on policemen. Sometimes, the family members of the accused also attack the raiding police parties. Secondly, criminal elements have become fearless due to political patronage they enjoy in one way or the other," said Jasdeep Singh, SP (D) Amritsar rural police. "We are briefing our officials at the police station level that they must be in uniform while conducting raids on suspects. Besides, they should also be in sufficient number so that they are not overpowered by criminal elements. We have also been instructing our staff to take some respectable residents of the area concerned into confidence before conducting raids," he added. Recent cases of assault
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No arrest yet in Chandigarh jeweller robbery case
Amritsar, August 21 The victim, a resident of 40-C, Chandigarh, told the police that on August 18, he asked the way from two youths who were on a motorcycle. He said the accused, on the pretext to guide him to the dera, sat in his car. The accused allegedly drugged Gaurav and took him to their residence and offered him cold drink laced with some intoxicant. Then, they robbed him
of jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh. They took all of his jewellery, including a gold chain, a gold bracelet, two diamond rings, two gold rings, besides two mobile phones and cash worth Rs 60,000, which he had kept in his car. Later on, the accused took him towards Baba Bakala and to give it the shape of an accident, they hit his car against a footpath and fled away. The victim sought help of the passersby and called his family members who took him to their home in Chandigarh. The incident came to light when Gaurav fully recovered and went to Sathiala village with his friend to trace the residence where the crime was committed. The police has registered a case of robbery under Sections 382, 328, 427, 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the accused identified as Ranjit Singh and Rajbir Singh. Lakhbir Singh, the investigation officer, said raids were conducted at the suspected hideouts of the culprits who have been on run since. Further investigations in the case are on, the investigation officer said.
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Overloading rampant in animal-drawn carts
Amritsar, August 21 It is a common scene on roads that overloaded and over-worked animals of animal-drawn carts are subjected to merciless treatment. These animals are kept in an utterly deplorable condition and when it comes to serving them fodder, they are released to loiter on roads at night, said social activist Harpinder Singh Walia. He stated that though the number of vehicles had gone up in the merchandise transportation, there were some spheres where horses, donkeys, mules and male buffaloes were being employed in a large number. Donkeys and mules are being widely used in transporting garbage and debris of demolished buildings from narrow serpentine streets of the walled city to outside locations. Since no other vehicle can enter these streets to bring out garbage and debris, these animals are being used as these were centuries ago. He said tongas are being used for leisure rides for tourists. However, overloaded tongas are a common sight and the administration must curb this practice by educating their owners. Meanwhile, the district chapter of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Animals (SPCA), at a meeting held here recently, noticed the prevalence of overloading of vehicles on city
roads. SPCA executive members Varinder Sehdev, Mahinder Kewlani, Kiran Kanojia, Vineet Randhawa and SPCA inspector Ashok Joshi announced that the SPCA would act legally against the offenders
who overloaded animal-drawn carts.
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MC's drive to demolish unsafe buildings brings cheer to landlords
Amritsar, August 21 For, the owners could now plan afresh to raise new building on their vacant plots once these structures were grounded by the MC free of cost. These properties were of little value to their owners as they were getting a meagre sum as rent. Scores of such properties, occupied by old tenants were entangled in legal issues with their landlords who wanted them to evacuate the buildings. Scores of cases are lying pending in courts. Municipal Commissioner DPS Kharbanda said these are the privately owned properties and the owners were trying hard to get them vacated. "Now, it would be the discretion of the owners to utilise their vacant plots, the way they want it to be. Definitely, they would be glad to have them vacant," Kharbanda said. Around 132 buildings have been identified to be unsafe during the survey conducted recently. This list was sent to the Tourism Department, which was given the task of identifying and preserving those century-old buildings which had heritage significance. The Tourism Department has given a go-ahead to demolish around 100 buildings. So far, the Municipal Corporation has successfully demolished around 30 such structures. The MC has given a target of demolishing 20 buildings to each of their officials of Municipal Town Planning Department and the drive has to be completed within a span of 10 days.
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City girl among 42 students to win coveted pre-doctoral fellowship in US
Amritsar, August 21 It has won her a privilege to be the only student from Punjab, as the other Indian student Meetu Seth is from South India. The award would further support her as she completes her graduation in a US university. The highly competitive fellowship provides funds to the tune of $43,000 per year for up to three years. As many as 61 PhD-granting institutions were eligible to nominate graduate students for the fellowship this year. Harleen, a student of University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), was selected among the 377 students representing 19 different countries, who had applied for this fellowship. The aspirants were reviewed by a panel of top scientists and educators. HHMI had created the programme because it recognised a problem: International students in US graduate schools often have difficulty getting funding to support their studies. For example, they are not eligible for federal fellowships or training grant support or other governmental opportunities that are generally reserved for the US citizens. Harleen would now be associated with the lab of Melissa Moore, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Eleanor Eustis Farrington Chair in Cancer Research and professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology. Delighted over the success of his daughter, Dr Avtar Singh, a gynaecologist at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Institute of Medical Science & Research, said, "I feel fortunate to have daughter like her. This fellowship will support her graduate research and provide her an opportunity to develop new associations with the scientific community abroad." Recalling Harleen's earlier academic achievements, her mother Harpal Kaur said she had been a bright student since her school days. "She was adjudged the Ms Sacred Heart in Amritsar. This competition was based on brilliance, academics and over all behaviour of a student," she said. A former student of GNDU, Harleen did her M.Sc in human genetics in 2008 and moved to Baltimore in US to practice with John's Hopkins Medical Institute. After two years, she was selected by the University of Massachusetts in Boston where she pursued Ph.D in neuro-immunology and thereafter she won this international students' fellowship. Her brother Dr Manpreet Saini, associated with St Stephen's Hospital, New Delhi, said, "She has the credit of being the first author of research article in American Journal of Neuro-immunology which too was a rare accomplishment by her."
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Amritsar, August 21 Though the officials concerned at the office denied having received any written instructions for the transfer of the said employees, sources in the department confirmed that orders have been passed. Presently, the district transport office has earned notoriety for its employees having nexus with agents and touts. These agents and touts are operating openly in the vicinity of the office. The general public has often complained that the employees in the office do not listen to them unless they go through one of the agents. DTO Angrej Singh, however, denied that transfer orders for any of the employees have been received. — TNS
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500 gm of heroin seized
Amritsar, August 21 The accused, identified as Satbir Singh, a resident of Ibban Kalan village, was arrested from adjoining Ibban Khurd. The police authorities said he was intercepted while he
was escaping from the spot after seeing the police party. A case under Sections 21/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against him, while further investigations have been launched to know the source of the contraband. Meanwhile, the police has arrested another person, identified as Baljit Singh of Nangali Kalan with 250 gm of narcotic powder. He was arrested from near the Nangali Khurd drain. Further investigations are under progress. The Mehta police nabbed another alleged notorious drugs peddler Jasbir Singh from near village Buttar Kalan drain and confiscated 260 gm
of narcotic powder from his possession.
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second marriage
Amritsar, August 21 The police has also booked her second husband, Sarbpreet Singh, a resident of Patti Sohan Di, Verka. Balwinder Kaur, a resident of the same area, stated to the police that her daughter Navpreet Kaur was married to Upinderjit Singh, who had gone to the USA after two months of marriage. She alleged that the accused lured her daughter, who married him in court without giving divorce to Upinderjit. The police has booked Navpreet Kaur and Sarabpreet Singh under Sections 494 and 120-B of the IPC in this regard. Jagdish Kumar, in charge, Verka police station, said the case was under investigation and no arrest had been made till now.
— TNS
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