Jalandhar, October 21
Garbage burning continues in various parts of the city despite a ban imposed on the practice by the administration. Garbage burning creates a lot of inconvenience to the public as it poses a health hazard to them.

Surprisingly, some sweepers and residents prefer to burn garbage instead of properly disposing it of. It causes a lot of pollution as carbon dioxide and toxic smoke emerge from the burnt garbage.

The problem is further aggravated when even non-biodegradable waste, including plastic and tyres (especially in winter to remain warm), are burnt.

Some safai karacharis and shopkeepers burn the garbage even during the wee hours while cleaning their areas and shops, respectively, which creates a lot of nuisance for the morning walkers.

During a tour of the city, The Tribune team found that garbage was being burnt in various parts, including Sodal road, Surya Enclave, BSF Colony, 66 Footi Road in Basti Area, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar and Globe Colony.

Interestingly, the team also found that the fallen leaves of various trees were being burnt by some safai karamcharis right outside the Jalandhar divisional commissioner R Venkatratnam’s office a few days ago.

The DC has issued orders at regular intervals for imposing a strict ban on garbage burning, but these are openly being flouted right under his nose.

“Instead of properly disposing of garbage and dry leaves, they are being burnt openly due to which some dangerous gases are emitted, which pollute the already contaminated environment,” said a social activist Gaurav Jain.

Jalandhar, October 21
A man and his two sons were convicted here today for the murder of a youth at Santokhpura two years ago.

Ashok Gir, alias Billa, and his two sons, Sajan Gir and Sunny Gir, were convicted by District and Sessions Judge JS Klar for the murder of Gagan Gir of the same locality on the November 18, 2011, night. The trio had reportedly attacked him with a knife after they had a fight over the share of alms collected in the day.

An FIR had been lodged in this connection with the Division Number 8 police. The victim's aunt, Banarso Devi, had filed a complaint against the three accused. She had said that her sister’s son Gagan used to drive a Sumo vehicle while also going about begging.

She had said that the victim got serious injuries on his chest and was taken to Metro Hospital on Hoshiarpur Road and then Civil Hospital, where he died. The accused had fled from the spot with the weapon, but were arrested later.

Jalandhar, October 21
Levelling allegations of being harassed by a youth and his cousin, a 33-year-old married woman tried to end her life by setting herself on fire at her place in Lasoori Mohalla here this morning.

The victim, Pooja, sustained serious burns on her body and is struggling for life at the Civil Hospital here.

The woman had reportedly even got lodged a complaint against the youth Sonu, who had been stalking her for six years and had been insisting for a physical relation now, with the Division Number 5 police station on October 17. The police officials claimed that they had called Sonu at the police station at 5 pm for interrogation, but before they could act, Pooja took the extreme step.

Pooja has given a statement before the magistrate that Sonu used to visit the house of his cousin Geeta, who used to live in her neighbourhood. She said it was at Geeta's house that she met Sonu and ever since, the youth had been chasing her and trying to entice her with wrong intentions. She said the youth had been blackmailing her, saying he would commit suicide and blame her for the same in case she did not concede to his demand.

Pooja's husband Baldev Billa had gone to his job for selling utensils and her son was in school today when she attempted suicide. Her husband, too, has confirmed that his wife had confided that she was being harassed by Sonu.

ACP (West) said the woman had lodged a complaint. Even after the incident, the police has not been able to arrest the accused, who has been booked under Sections 354-D, 109, 306 and 511 of the IPC. Geeta, who too is an accused in the case, however, has been arrested under Sections 306, 511 and 109 of the IPC.

Jalandhar, October 21
A Ludhiana-based minor girl, who had come to meet her maternal aunt at Mithu Basti area and lost her way, was allegedly raped by an auto-rickshaw driver and an elderly man on Saturday night.

The incident, however, came to light today after the 16-year-old girl reached her home in Ludhiana and told her about the incident. The parents took the girl to a hospital and lodged a complaint with the police.

After the incident, the girl was left near Tagore Hospital from where she somehow managed to return.

The police has arrested Jarnail (26), auto-driver and an elderly man Harnam and booked them under Sections 376 and 363 of the IPC at Basti Bawa Khel police station.

ACP West Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu said a police party was immediately rushed to Ludhiana to record the girl’s statement. He said the girl, who is studying in Class VI and is the daughter of a labourer, had come to Jalandhar after having a fight with her mother. He said the accused would be produced before the court tomorrow. — TNS

Jalandhar, October 21
Taking a serious note of a report on nine deaths of schoolchildren taking treatment for various ailments, including thalaessemia, cancer and heart problems, Deputy Commissioner Varun Roojam today told the doctors working under the School Health programme to review each of the death case and highlight lapses that might have occurred.

The matter came to light at a monthly meeting for the review of Sarv Sikhya Abhiyan programme at the DC office here today. On being asked reasons for improper follow-up in each case, the staff lamented that they had been insisting upon parents to take their children to the PGI, but they had been expressing unwillingness, saying they found it extremely difficult to leave their house and stay put there during a long course of treatment.

The report had mentioned that there had been nine deaths, including six after undergoing surgeries and three prior to the treatment. The matter pertaining to the denial of cancer treatment of two children under the scheme by a private hospital in Jalandhar was also taken up.

The DC asked the DEO (elementary) to respond to a story that appeared in Jalandhar Tribune regarding schools being run in unsafe buildings at Ram Nagar, Basti Peer Daad and Fatehpur localities. He asked the Block Primary Education Officials to visit schools of their areas and report to him. At this, the BPEOs jointly took up the issue that just five of their 20 posts had been filled and they were all overburdened.

The BPEOs also raised a demand that a new policy be framed for giving more cylinders at subsidised rates to schools having more strength. “There is no strength criterion for cylinder distribution. A school with 40 students gets nine cylinders at subsidised rates on a par with another school with 400 students,” they rued. At this, the DC told them that a solution would be sought at the government level.

Taking a meeting of the District Social Security Department, ADC (D) Harminder Singh pulled up the staff for not doling out old-age pension amount timely. “The elderly are dying of hunger and you are sitting on their files. I do not want to see such negligence. Report to me about up to date crediting of the pensions by tomorrow,” he said.

He was also taken aback as Sukhdeep, district programme officer, told him that the children at anganwadis had not been fed for 15 days, as there was no grant and no feed available for them. She said the staff was depending on public contribution, if any. The ADC said he would talk to the Principal Secretary in this connection.

She added that 6,812 of total 12,792 bicycles for distribution to girls of classes XI and XII had reached Government Senior Secondary School, Nehru Garden.

Jalandhar, October 21
The CIA staff of the rural police today arrested a man with 100 gm of heroin, worth Rs 50 lakh in the international market.

The accused, Vishal Arya, alias Sonu Nepali, of Model House was arrested under the NDPS Act at the Maqsudan police station.

The police said Sonu Nepali, SK and Shanky of Ali Mohalla had formed a gang, which had taken the supply of heroin from Rakesh Kumar, a proclaimed offender in a murder case, who had reportedly been giving supplies to youths of surrounding villages.

Sonu has been booked under 14 cases of murder, clash and drug smuggling. He had suffered a paralytic attack and was out on bail. Later, he had again started committing crime. The police is on the lookout for the other two in the case.

Jalandhar, October 21
In a plenty of cases as one witness the government infrastructure playing along to major inadequacies in the provision of schemes to the needy and the deserving, the civil society can play an aggressive role in furthering causes and reminding the government of its own policies which lie forgotten.

Activists of a Jalandhar-based NGO CHITRA have written to CM Parkash Singh Badal, asking him to intervene and provide help to the needy family in Chuhrwali, the plight of which was first highlighted by The Tribune in these columns on September 23.

While the residents, sarpanch and local do-gooders have showered help and support for the family, with work in full swing on the construction of the house, the activists of the said NGO have highlighted the issue that the family along with the 33 to 34 other BPL families in the village is sans any support or help (except the civil society’s).

The NGO activists have requested the CM to provide financial support to the family to ameliorate their sufferings. The NGO has also made a request to the CM to ‘equalise the marginalised segment of the society through people oriented development programmes and their active participation.

Notably, the said family comprises teenagers Rekha (14) and Raman (16) who live along with their 80-year-old visually impaired grandfather Gurdev Singh and grandmother Kartar Kaur.

The family is living on a mere Rs 1,000 as collective pensions and 20 kg wheat and some kerosene per month under the atta dal scheme.

Notably, while the Chuhrwali family has received some help since their story got space in a newspaper, one of the sorry truths about the region is that a number of BPL families in and around Chuhrwali and elsewhere in villages, live in similar circumstances due to the lack of awareness of schemes and monetary help.

Jalandhar, October 21
Bustling bazaars brimming over with excitement, girls and women making a beeline for mehndi stalls and decked up women purchasing bangles and other stuff remained the highlights for the city pre-Karva Chauth celebrations today.

For the party enthusiasts, however, some special pre-Karva Chauth bashes were also reserved for the ladies at high end hotels and clubs.

Chal Baliye-a pre-Karva Chauth celebration for couples took place at Hotel Cabbana. Organised by Gaba Organisers, the event started with a floral welcome followed by an activity ‘Bolti Band’ for couples wherein they had to answer constantly about each other to the questions being asked by the anchors, RJ Sandy and RJ Priyanka, who hosted the event.

The couple who performed well was given prizes by the event sponsor, Tanishq. Then the event flow directed towards a ramp walk by couples wherein they showcased their talent.

On the basis of rounds like modelling, questionnaire and ‘making a mummy of husband’, couples were awarded with Mr and Mrs Balliye, first runners-up and second runners-up.

Jalandhar, October 21
Deficiency of iodine in pregnant women may lead to abortion, premature or still born delivery. Intake of less iodine may also causes blindness, low grasping power and even children could be dwarf, revealed Dr Aruna, Assistant Family Welfare Officer.

Dr Aruna said this while addressing the girl students of Government Senior Secondary School for Girls, Abadpura, during a camp organised to observe the Global Iodine Deficiency Disorder Prevention Week, near here today.

She also educated the students that deficiency of iodine cause physical and mental disorder among children besides goiter.

Jalandhar, October 21
MTV Roadies fame artist Raghu Ram, Saubhagyavati Bhav and Jhalak Dikhla Ja fame actor/dancer Karanvir Bohra, Harry Anand, and actress Teejay Sidhu, enthralled crowd on the opening of a three-day National Open Fest- ‘YOUTH VIBE- 2013’, at Lovely Professional University (LPU), today.

On the first day of the festival, participants from 150 universities and colleges across the country reached the university campus to participate in 35 diverse competitions.

The students exhibited their best in light vocal singing, stage plays, technical events like bridge construction, film making, dress designing and literary events.

Each event saw a great level of competition as, in addition to a national-level participation frame, prizes worth Rs 18 lakh were given to the winners.

Chancellor Ashok Mittal in his welcome address encouraged the participants and their guides to reveal their best skills and talents.

Jalandhar, October 21
In a one-sided match the Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, Shimla, defeated AMU, Aligarh, by 37-01 scores in a match played on the second day of the Inter-University Basketball (Women) Championship-2013 being held at Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus, here today.

Twelve matches were played from four pool of teams, today.

Kanwarjeet Singh, a referee, said participating teams exhibited their best play to bring surprising and interesting results.

Results of other matches played today are as: LPU defeated Thapar University Patiala by 28 -06; PAU, Ludhiana, defeated Kumaon University Nainital by 31-09; JMI, Delhi, defeated PTU, Jalandhar, by 55-38 scores; BRAU, Agra, defeated ISUT Srinagar by 57-09; PU, Chandigarh, defeated MJPU, Bareilly, by 42-06, and MDU, Rohtak, defeated CDLU, Hissar, by 27-12. — TNS

Jalandhar, October 21
Sukhmanjot Singh, a student of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, at the GND varsity regional campus, Ladhewali, has bagged the ‘Heaven and Earth Award’ in the Sikhnet Film Festival in United States, for his path-breaking documentary titled the ‘Turban Girl’.

The 18-and-a-half minute documentary depicts the change, degeneration and ultimate revival of religious and spiritual sensibilities in a Sikh family and the final redemption when a curious granddaughter has an enlightening dream which makes her see the ‘right path’ that her grandmother always talked about.

Of the six films shortlisted for the festival, three won prizes and three awards. Sukhmanjot’s film bagged the ‘Heaven and Earth Award’ under the ‘vote for cry’ category (which asked viewers to vote for the film which makes them cry). The film was also the one to receive the second most hits on YouTube, for all the films featured in the festival.

Presently, a first year student in the MJMC Department, for Singh (21), the journey of making films started in January 2011, when he started his first documentary ‘Ankahi Awaaz’ in January 2011, based on the issue of dowry.

Made for the media festival of his college, the first attempt brought initial disappointment as he won no prizes. But not the kind to get disheartened, Singh asked the judge to inform him about his weaknesses so that he could improve his work for the second attempt.

Reworking on the project, he then sent it to the documentary festival held at a local university where it then bagged the first prize. He also sent the documentary to a Film Festival held at JIMS in New Delhi.

Sukhmanjot said, “I was really inspired from the work of Satdeep Singh, director of ‘Proud to be a Sikh’ and ‘Empty Inside’. Then, in 2012, I started making short films. My first short film was ‘The Untold Story’ and I later also made a documentary titled ‘Sehyog’.”

In May 2013, he was planning to make a movie based on the story of Khuswant Singh. “But, I took the advice of Satdeep Singh and my friend Sukhmani Kaur who advised me to make a movie for Sikhnet Film Festival. The topic this year was ‘Sikh Women’. So, I began penning Turban Girl’s script. Narrations to my colleague Sukhmani helped me polish and better the film.”

A final narration of the script to my brother Birpal Singh and his motivation to me to start shooting, act as the trigger to finally start work on the project.

The eager filmmaker has already started work on another project about poverty and hunger.