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Two arrested with 1 kg of heroin
Jalandhar, December 11
Clearly spelling out that a drug mafia was operating from Modern Jail, Kapurthala, by using mobile phones, the Rural Police have arrested two persons, including a woman with 1 kg of heroin and are in the process of bringing the third accused for interrogation on production warrants.


Policemen show the recovery of 1 kg heroin, cash and a pistol from a gang in Jalandhar on Wednesday; and (right) the two accused, arrested with 1 kg of heroin, in police custody. Tribune Photos

Teenaged girl found abandoned
Jalandhar, December 11
Sumandeep, a lanky girl in her mid teens, who can’t remember where she came from, the city-based Pingla Ghar is going to be her new home from today. Found holding up traffic on the Jalandhar-Kartarpur highway in the wee hours this morning, she was brought to the local Pingla Ghar by Kartarpur policemen between 1 to 2 am on Wednesday. She is a sad addition to the mentally disabled girls and women found abandoned on the streets.


EARLIER STORIES



Over 7,000 children fail to benefit from Right to Education Act
Jalandhar, December 11
A whopping 7,392 children in the district are currently robbed of their right to education due to a classic education and labour department mix-up. In a stark contrast between the out-of-school children statistics thrown up by the labour and education departments, the out-of-school children target for the education department (as per a survey conducted by the department) is a mere 968 across the district.

smoke free-district plan
Vendor shows the way, shifts to new trade
Jalandhar, December 11
Until a few days ago, his hands were trembling due to weakness, his pale face was an evidence of his struggle with poverty and ill health. But 45-year-old Ramu, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, seems to be a happy man nowadays, as he has become the first one to respond to the district administration’s call to quit smoking.

Community Police Officer appointed
Jalandhar, December 11
To dispense services in a better way under the Right to Service Act, the city police have appointed ADCP Sukhdev Singh as District Community Police Officer. The officer will supervise the functioning of five Sanjh Kendras and ensure that all 25 services listed under the Act are delivered properly to applicants.

Panel to curb sexual harassment at workplace
Amritsar, December 11
After postponing it once, the all-women member "Gender-Sensitive Committee" eventually held its maiden meeting at Circuit House today. Led by its Chairperson, Amandeep Kaur, Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), members of the committee deliberated on the implementation of the norms which will be implemented equally on government and private institutes.

From schools & colleges
Blood group testing camp organised
Jalandhar, December 11
The youth organisation 'PAHAL' organised a special camp for blood group testing and HB testing at Government Senior Secondary School, Mand village in connection with AIDS Day. Dr Rajeev Sharma, District TB Officer, Dr Ashwani Gupta, District Leprosy Officer, Mohit Vij, District Coordinator, AXSHYA were present at the occasion.

Non-payment of salaries
PIMS doctors strike work yet again
Jalandhar, December 11
The Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) here today again put scores of poor patients to hardship, with its doctors resorting to a two-day pen-down strike due to the non-payment of their salaries for the past over six months. Nearly 40 doctors observed the strike by sitting in the main lobby outside the OPD and lodged their protest.

Doctors of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences on strike due to the non-payment of their salaries for the past six months by the management in Jalandhar on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: Malkiat Singh

Computer teachers hold demonstration
Jalandhar, December 11
Computer teachers held a protest demonstration in the district ahead of their huge protest rally against the government to protest against the non-addressal of their long-pending demands here today.

Bridge collapse: GRP arrest truck driver
Amritsar, December 11
The Government Railway Police have arrested the driver of the truck which had fallen on the railway track after a portion of the Bhandari Bridge caved in a few days ago. The accused has been identified as Ajay Kumar, a resident of Kattowal village, Gurdaspur, while the owner of the truck is Sukhwinder Singh of Pathankot.

Linesman caught by Vigilance Bureau for taking Rs 60,000 bribe
Jalandhar, December 11
The Vigilance Bureau today arrested an assistant linesman of the PSPCL, Shahkot, for allegedly taking a graft of Rs 60,000. The Vigilance sleuths said the accused, Harjinder Singh, had been asking for the amount for tampering with the meter registered in the name of Asha Rani at Shahkot.

The assistant linesman of the PSPCL who was arrested by a Vigilance Bureau team for allegedly accepting bribe in Jalandhar on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

One arrested for cheating
Phagwara, December 11
The Phagwara police have arrested Ashwini Sharma on the charges of cheating his brother Sunil Sharma. Sunil Sharma, in a complaint to the police said the accused stole his four cheques and presented them in the bank with his fake signatures. The cheques were bounced due to zero balance in his account. Later, the accused filed a case against his brother Sunil, who claimed that he had closed this account six years ago. The police have arrested the accused under Sections 380,420,465,467,468,471, of the IPC, and sent him in judicial custody for 14 days. — OC

 





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Two arrested with 1 kg of heroin
Use of mobile phones in Modern Jail, Kapurthala, comes to light

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
Clearly spelling out that a drug mafia was operating from Modern Jail, Kapurthala, by using mobile phones, the Rural Police have arrested two persons, including a woman with 1 kg of heroin and are in the process of bringing the third accused for interrogation on production warrants.

The police arrested Piara Lal of Talwan village and Nimmo of Lakhanpal village during a naka at Nakodar. Besides drug haul, there has been a recovery of Rs 1.9 lakh, a Tata Ace (PB-08H-8204) used for drug supply and a pistol. Both were booked under Sections 21-61-85 of the NDPS Act at the Nakodar City police station and 25/54/59 of the Arms Act at the Bilga police station.

SSP (Rural) Jaspreet Singh Sidhu said it had been found that the kingpin of the racket was Shinder Pal, alias Binder, operating with the use of his phone from Kapurthala Jail through his conman Prem of Gumtala. Sidhu said Shinder Pal already had four cases against him under the NDPS Act and had been jailed for 10 years. He said the entire matter as to how he had been running the racket from the jail, how he had been managing to use his phone from there and who all were in his contact would be thoroughly probed once he was brought for interrogation.

The four cases against Shinder Pal include two registered at Ludhiana in 2004 and 2005 and two at the Bilga police station, Jalandhar, in 2008 and 2009. Prem, too, has a case for running a fake currency racket against him under Section 489 ABC of the IPC at the Ladowal police station, Ludhiana.

Piara Lal arrested today, too, has four cases against him for fake currency racket, Excise Act and possessing illegal weapons. He had earlier remained behind bars for two and a half years and is out on bail. The second accused arrested today, Nimmo, too, has two cases already registered against her under the NDPS Act in 2007 and under Sections 323/341/349 of the IPC in 2009. Her husband Deepa is in jail in a case of smuggling of poppy husk at Adampur.

The police said Prem of Gumtala and Sarabjit, wife of Dalwara of Lakhpur village of Nawanshahr, were yet to be arrested in the case.

5 motorcycles recovered

The CIA Staff of the Rural Police have arrested two persons and recovered five stolen bikes from them from near Raipur Ballan village. A case has been registered against Vijay Kumar of Prithvi Nagar, Division Number 8, and Anil Kumar of Pharala village in Nawanshahr under Sections 379, 411 and 482 of the IPC at the Maqsudan police station. The twosome had earlier also remained booked in a similar case. The police have said that those people who had their Discover Bajaj and Hero Honda bikes missing could take them after showing proofs for the same.

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Teenaged girl found abandoned
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
Sumandeep, a lanky girl in her mid teens, who can’t remember where she came from, the city-based Pingla Ghar is going to be her new home from today. Found holding up traffic on the Jalandhar-Kartarpur highway in the wee hours this morning, she was brought to the local Pingla Ghar by Kartarpur policemen between 1 to 2 am on Wednesday. She is a sad addition to the mentally disabled girls and women found abandoned on the streets.

SHO Karatrpur police station, Surinder Pal Singh, said, “We received a call from a person who told us that a girl on the highway was repeatedly squatting on the road and causing traffic to stop. We reached the spot and tried to take her with us, but she kept running away and did not listen to us. Then we brought in some women personnel, who brought her along with great difficulty. She is mentally upset. When we found her, she smelt very bad and it was difficult to stand next to her. We took her to a hospital.”

Blankly looking at whoever asks her where her home is, there were only a few things she mumbled with a lot of effort when questioned about her home and family.

Constantly shaking, sitting on the first floor of the women’s ward of the home, she squatted in a cool corner of the building, unwilling to move into the sun even when asked to, as most of the fellow inmates sat outside.

Her name Sumandeep, her brother’s name Gora her village’s name incomprehensible and a violent shaking of her head on who and where her parents were, is all one got out of her.

She mostly expressed her unwillingness to talk by silently staring at whoever asked her something.

Attendants also said that while she was unwilling to speak to anyone, she does not let anyone touch or hold her.

The doctor at the home who checked her said there were no injuries on her body, but since she seemed to had been out for long and was weak, proper treatment was being undertaken. The doctor also said that she had been found to be suffering from schizophrenia, for which a local doctor was treating her.

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Over 7,000 children fail to benefit from Right to Education Act
Mix-up on the out-of-school children statistics between the education and labour departments reason for this
Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
A whopping 7,392 children in the district are currently robbed of their right to education due to a classic education and labour department mix-up. In a stark contrast between the out-of-school children statistics thrown up by the labour and education departments, the out-of-school children target for the education department (as per a survey conducted by the department) is a mere 968 across the district.

As per a September 2012 survey conducted by the National Child Labour Project, the total number of child labourers (and out-of-school children) in the district had been pegged at 9,710. In contrast, the target set by the education department is a mere 968 - which is 8,742 children less than the labour department numbers.

These 968 are currently receiving education in schools.

The labour department, in turn, is educating 1,350 child labourers - in 27 National Child Labour Project schools (each with a capacity of 50 children).

In total, the collective labour/out-of-school children being educated by both departments is a mere 2,318, while 7,392 are still left to be educated.

This, even as the RTE Act stipulates that the provision of education of all children between ages 6 to 14 is the responsibility of the government.

These 7,392 are very discreetly being disowned by both departments.

The education department officials say they had sent a collective list of their and the labour department surveys (968 along with the 9,710 children) to the state government, but they have been asked to stick to the 968 - because the rest fall under the labour department - to avoid duplication.

The labour department, however, says that the education department has much better infrastructure and means to provide proper education to children and there are no set guidelines which say these children have to be educated by the labour department only.

DEO (primary) Kuldeep Sharma said, “We keep rehabilitating children from time to time after conducting surveys. Right now about 968 children who were out of schools, are undergoing education under our special training programme. The remaining will be covered by the labour department.”

Meanwhile, survey coordinator from the education department said, “While the student targets were earlier 876, they were upgraded to 968. They are being provided education under our special training segment wherein 6 to 7 years old or older students (who never went to school) are being educated at regular government schools.”

Notably, while until last year these students had special trainer teachers (STRs) appointed to educate them, this year, the government has done away with those teachers as well and now the students receive education in normal classes with other children.

Inderjit Singh, project director, NCLP, said, “We have 27 labour schools which are not enough to educate all these remaining children. The education department, however, has enough infrastructure to do so. All these children belong to BPL families. We have detailed information - addresses etc of these students. We would be happy to provide it.”

“There was earlier talk of more NCLP schools coming up in the district, but that will happen from the centre. Until then, these students await education,” he added.

While a residential school in the district has been promised by the state government, sources say there is no telling when it might actually come up.

Kids languishing

Edu dept target is only 968 children even as an additional 7,392 languish out of school or as labourers in blatant violation of RTE Act

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smoke free-district plan
Vendor shows the way, shifts to new trade
Rachna Khaira
Tribune News Service


Ramu attends to his new business at the Ladowaali Road in Jalandhar. The closed tobacco stall can be seen in the backdrop. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Jalandhar, December 11
Until a few days ago, his hands were trembling due to weakness, his pale face was an evidence of his struggle with poverty and ill health. But 45-year-old Ramu, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, seems to be a happy man nowadays, as he has become the first one to respond to the district administration’s call to quit smoking.

Until now, he had been running a stall selling all sorts of tobacco products on the Ladowaali road, near Government Polytechnic for Women, for the last 18 years. But recently, he has closed the stall and instead started selling bread-omelette.

“When I came to the city 18 years ago, I didn’t have much resources. I started selling cigarettes on the Ladowaali road, housing many private and government offices. Most of my clients included young ones. I wanted to change my source of earnings, but the final call came through The Tribune team, on whose motivation, I finally decided to switch to some healthy option,” said Ramu.

The Tribune team, on one of its visits to the stall, had advised Ramu to think of some better option to earn his living. He was suggested options like selling fruits or stationery items to students studying in the schools and colleges nearby or even selling a handy breakfast. Acting on their advice, Ramu is now contended for making his living by selling bread-omelette.

Unfortunately, his new business has not taken off well, as most of his clients are the same people, who used to buy tobacco products from him. But he is determined to make kick the habit by not selling them any more cigarettes.

“Sometimes, they come and pressurise me to adopt the old business. Some of them also ask me to keep some products hidden under the wheel cart, but I simply refuse. Most of them leave without buying anything. The situation will change,” said a determined Ramu.

He is happy with the government decision to make the district a ‘smoke-free’ zone. But he feels that it is a Herculean task to get 100 per cent success in this effort. “At least, the government has finally taken a stand on this. People will now think twice before smoking in public place,” said Ramu.

Some of his old customers are now planning to write to the district administration to announce a suitable reward for Ramu.

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Community Police Officer appointed
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
To dispense services in a better way under the Right to Service Act, the city police have appointed ADCP Sukhdev Singh as District Community Police Officer. The officer will supervise the functioning of five Sanjh Kendras and ensure that all 25 services listed under the Act are delivered properly to applicants.

The ADCP held a press conference, explaining his role and efforts being made in this direction.

He said, “We have got 10,000 handouts printed for proper dissemination of details about services offered, with timeframe and fee levied in each case. We are also in the process of putting up stalls for the same at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium tomorrow on the occasion of World Kabaddi Cup to disseminate information regarding the same. We will hold similar programmes at other public functions.”

Asked about a complaint by the people regarding the policemen illegally levying Rs 500 instead of the prescribed fee of Rs 100 for passport verification, the ADCP said that such complaints would be looked into by him.

25 services under RTS

The ADCP said while 23 services, including those for arms licences, passport verification, registration of foreign tourists, copies of FIR, verification of tenants, NOCs for use of loudspeaker, holding fairs etc and NOCs for opening petrol pumps, cinema houses and marriage palaces, had already been started in 2011, two more had been added. These include giving a receipt for complaints the same day and knowing the status of DDRs, FIRs and closing of complaint within a 15-day time frame. Both the services are to be delivered free of cost.

New outreach centres

The ADCP said other than the existing Community Policing Resource Centres at subdivision levels, there would six new outreach centres for easy approach. He said six centres would be set up at Police Station Division Nos. 2, 7, 8, Bhargo Camp, Basti Bawa Khel and New Baradari.

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Panel to curb sexual harassment at workplace
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 11
After postponing it once, the all-women member "Gender-Sensitive Committee" eventually held its maiden meeting at Circuit House today. Led by its Chairperson, Amandeep Kaur, Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), members of the committee deliberated on the implementation of the norms which will be implemented equally on government and private institutes.

Amandeep said the rules wouldbe implemented sternly in private hospitals, Shopping Malls, factories and other private establishments. She said wherever 10 women were working a sub-committee must be constituted to resolve women issues and problems. In case of non-resolution of the problem, it should be taken up at the district-level Committee.

She instructed private establishments, where women were working till late night, to make arrangements to drop them safely at their houses. DC Ravi Bhagat had constituted the committee to deal with issues like sexual harassment at workplace besides directing all departments to form such committees on December 3. The committee has 10 women officials as its members. Besides, other departments were directed to form committees to curb instances like sexual harassment at work place.

Taking a cue from the infamous Tehelka case of Tarun Tejpal who allegedly assaulted his subordinate woman journalist, the district administration moved into action.

In the light of the Supreme Court judgement delivered in the case Vishakha versus Rajasthan governemnt 1997 and on the directions of the Finance Commissioner Vigilance Inquiry and Nodal Officer (women employees) Sujata Dass, a 10-member committee was formed.

Other members of the Committee are Anjana Mahajan, Superintendent at the DC's office, who is its secretary. Other office-bearers are Ruchi Kalra, Gurinder Jeet Kaur Grewal (Programme Officer), Vinay Sharma (secretary, Red Cross), Sunita Kiran, DEO (Elementary), Prabhjit Kaur, Kanwaljeet Kaur, ACP, and Prabhdeep Kaur, SHO, Women Cell.

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From schools & colleges
Blood group testing camp organised
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
The youth organisation 'PAHAL' organised a special camp for blood group testing and HB testing at Government Senior Secondary School, Mand village in connection with AIDS Day. Dr Rajeev Sharma, District TB Officer, Dr Ashwani Gupta, District Leprosy Officer, Mohit Vij, District Coordinator, AXSHYA were present at the occasion. Dr Rejeev Sharma delivered a lecture on TB and HIV/AIDS and appealed for investigations if symptoms were seen. Dr Ashwani Gupta told about the symptoms of leprosy. Prof Lakhbir Singh, president, ‘PAHAL’ told that anemia is becoming the cause of many health problems of young population.

Eklavya School

The 11th annual sports meet of Eklavya School was held recently. Seema Handa, (director, Eklavya School) was the chief guest.

The programme started with presentations of yoga by girls of Class V and VI. Students of Class III performed mass drill and performance of aerobics was done by girls of Class IX. The best player award was bagged by Rishabh Ganesh of Class IX and Prahlad House was announced the best house. Winners were awarded with medals and certificates. Chief guest Seema Handa and principal Sapna Bakshi congratulated all the students.

Display board inaugurated

The department of history, Kanya Maha Vidyalaya, had put a display board in the library of the college. The inauguration of the board was done by principal, Atima Sharma and faculty members of the college. Each department of the college would put up a theme of the month on this board. Principal of the college congratulated the history department for this innovative gesture.

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Non-payment of salaries
PIMS doctors strike work yet again
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
The Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) here today again put scores of poor patients to hardship, with its doctors resorting to a two-day pen-down strike due to the non-payment of their salaries for the past over six months. Nearly 40 doctors observed the strike by sitting in the main lobby outside the OPD and lodged their protest.

With the doctors suspending the work, the working of the entire hospital came to a standstill, as there was no registration of patients. The patients were not attended by the doctors and even there was no teaching work at the hospital.

The protesters complained that a majority of them were not given salaries for the past over six months, while some had been even waiting for their salaries for seven months.

Not only the teaching faculty, even paramedical and other staff members of the hospital was forced to quit their jobs because of the non-payment of salaries.

The irate doctors warned to go on an indefinite strike if their salaries were not paid.

Meanwhile, PIMS director-cum-principal Dr Kulbir Kaur said that the salaries of the striking staff would be released by December 20.

This is the first time that doctors have come forward after suspending their work openly.

Earlier, students, paramedical staff, scavengers, contractors of mess, canteen and even security staff had been on strike for days together due to the non-payment of their salaries for months together.

The PIMS has been in controversy right from its beginning after the SAD-BJP government leased it out for 99 years to a society headed by a Patiala-based senior Akali leader Surjit Singh Rakhra at a throwaway price.

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Computer teachers hold demonstration
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
Computer teachers held a protest demonstration in the district ahead of their huge protest rally against the government to protest against the non-addressal of their long-pending demands here today.

The Computer Teachers Union members said even after three to eight years since they started working, they never got their salaries on time. Their two years' increment had been left unaccounted for by the government. They said the newly appointed teachers had not even received the basic benefits. They said civil services rules were blatantly being ignored in their case and that was the cause of their ire against the government.

They said the services of the computer teachers should be regularised and all valid allowances and increments of the 7,000 computer teachers should be given to them.

There is a call for 7,000 computer teachers and their families from across the state to hold a protest on December 14.

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Bridge collapse: GRP arrest truck driver
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 11
The Government Railway Police have arrested the driver of the truck which had fallen on the railway track after a portion of the Bhandari Bridge caved in a few days ago. The accused has been identified as Ajay Kumar, a resident of Kattowal village, Gurdaspur, while the owner of the truck is Sukhwinder Singh of Pathankot.

The investigations revealed that the accused entered the pedestrian way, which was being used for three-wheelers or two-wheelers.

“He told that he saw an auto-rickshaw in the extended lane of the bridge and unknowingly, he also entered the same lane. As the extension was meant only for pedestrians, which was used for lighter vehicles in view of heavy rush of vehicles, the bridge could not bear the burden of the sand-laden truck and therefore collapsed and fell down on the railway track,” said Kashmir Singh, investigating officer.

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Linesman caught by Vigilance Bureau for taking Rs 60,000 bribe
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 11
The Vigilance Bureau today arrested an assistant linesman of the PSPCL, Shahkot, for allegedly taking a graft of Rs 60,000. The Vigilance sleuths said the accused, Harjinder Singh, had been asking for the amount for tampering with the meter registered in the name of Asha Rani at Shahkot.

The police said while the linesman removed the meter, took it off with him and threatened the complainant that there had been some tampering with it and that they might have to pay up Rs 2 lakh if it was sent to laboratory.

The deal was struck at Rs 60,000 and the police reportedly managed to arrest him red handed.

He has been booked under Sections 7, 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act by the police department. Further investigations are on.

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