The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Jain faces suspension; case referred to Centre
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — Chandigarh Home Secretary NK Jain, whose police remand was today extended until May 15, faces suspension.

According to Civil Service rules, any official who remains in police or judicial custody for 48 hours is deemed to be suspended. But in this case, the Administration has decided to refer all documents, including extension of police remand of Mr NK Jain, to the Union Home Ministry, for further directions.

There are some speculations as to who would issue order for suspending the Home Secretary — the Union Home Ministry or the Chandigarh Administration?

The process to repatriate him to his parent state of Haryana has already been set in motion after the Union Home Ministry consented last week.The final approval has to come from both the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office.

In the past there have been instances when repatriations of the officials of the rank of the Secretary to the Administration were ordered in a day in as recent case as last year. But in this case, the repatriation proceedings have been pending for more than two months now.

It is for the first time that an official belonging to the Indian Administrative Service and serving as a Secretary to the Administration has landed in such a piquant situation. There are different versions available.

Some argue that once Mr NK Jain is placed under suspension, the process of reversion would come to a standstill. Once suspended, his headquarters have to remain at Chandigarh as the proceedings are being held for the period for which he has been on deputation with the Chandigarh Administration.

Senior officials, however, did not agree with this view point. They maintain that any official on deputation with the Administration can be reverted to his parent state even when he has been placed under suspension.

In the previous cases, the Administration ordered reversions of officials facing such disciplinary charges and recommended the parent departments to place them under suspension for cases or enquiries pending against them in the Administration. It happened in some cases of the Engineering Department.

The only case in which a Secretary to the Administration was involved was that of the Chief Engineer-cum-Secretary, Engineering, Mr K.K. Jerath, who after remaining suspended for some time was finally dismissed from service in March last year. But in that case, it was slightly different as he belonged to the UT cadre and was not on deputation as has been the case with Mr NK Jain.

Gets 5-day remand
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — UT Home Secretary N.K. Jain, who surrendered before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here yesterday, was remanded to police custody for a period of five days by the city Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash. Mr Jain was booked for corruption here on April 6 along with Mr K.B. Goel, Superintendent, UT Secretariat. It was alleged in the FIR that Mr Jain operated in tandem with Mr Goel to receive money from parties interested in settlement of their cases pending with the Administration.

Although the CBI requested for a 14-day police remand for Mr Jain, the court granted a five-day remand and directed that the accused be produced again on May 15. Mr Jain was produced in the district courts following his yesterday’s arrest.

While arguing over the application for police remand, CBI counsel stated that many recoveries had to be effected from the accused who was facing serious corruption charges. He also stated had the accused wanted to cooperate with the investigating agency he would never have filed an anticipatory bail plea which was declined upto the Supreme Court. It was added that the accused surrendered because he had no option left.

Meanwhile, the application for police remand was opposed by the defence counsel who raised three points before the court. One was that there are no direct allegations on Mr Jain and that money was received by Mr K.B. Goel. The counsel argued that there was no link which established that the money received by Mr Goel was further paid to the accused.

It was also submitted that the matter was pretty old and many months had passed since the charges of illegal gratification were actually levelled. It was stated that although the CBI wanted to effect recoveries, it did not specify which money it wanted to recover. Counsel stated that there was nothing to show that the money paid was actually paid to the accused.

Taking up the issue of “favourable orders passed by the accused to benefit some interested parties”, the defence counsel stated that these orders, which the accused passed by virtue of his position, had already reached finality and had not been challenged by the CBI at any stage. He submitted that the said orders could be assessed by a higher authority and not through the judicial process. He submitted that the challenge to these orders should come in the form of a civil case.

In the FIR, it was stated that Mr K.B. Goel was collecting money from people whose matters were pending with the Chandigarh Administration. It was alleged that Mr Jain had dropped a chargesheet against Mr Goel who paid him Rs 25,000 for the purpose.

Further allegation was that after Goel’s retirement, Mr Jain asked him to get in touch with people interested in settlement of their cases. He also allegedly passed favourable orders in all such cases, which indicates that the concerned parties were accommodated by breaking rules. The FIR states that as per evidence Mr Goel was collecting money from people.

About Rs 2 lakh was allegedly collected from one Mr Baljit Singh who was promoted from sectional officer to assistant secretary, State Transport Authority. Similarly one Amarjit Singh, driver in Weights and Supplies Department, paid money for being promoted as inspector in Weights and Measures Department.

The FIR also mentions that Mr Goel admitted to these transactions before SDM, Chandigarh.

Mann has record of helping people
By Poonam Batth
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — For seven survivors of Lalru accident, Mr A.S Mann, is not just a good samaritan. He is a ‘messiah’ sent to their rescue. Mr Mann, a local businessman, does not agree. “I am just a human being who cannot close his eyes to misery of the helpless”, he insists.

Folding long artistic hands, he murmurs humbly, “I have no motives behind the social good I do. It is my earnest desire to help the poor and downtrodden in their hour of need”.

Thirtyfour year-old, Mr Mann, who hails from Doraha village in Ludhiana district, has in the past also saved many precious lives in road accidents. “I just cannot pass by a person in distress. I must help him to the best of my ability,’’ he says.

Mr Mann had recently helped a family involved in an accident on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway. Though four had died on the spot, the remaining seven were brought to the city and admitted in the PGI and GMCH-32 for treatment.

It was an endless struggle for Mr Mann till he was able to arrange medical help for them and inform his family back home in Sundernagar about the mishap. He had to literally force the indifferent motorists to stop and help him in carrying the survivors to GMCH-32.

Even then he had to cope pay someone to avail the services. In the hospital here, he had to cope up with the indifference of the doctors and para-medical staff on duty in the emergency, who were not helpful in arranging an ambulance in transporting these seriously injured patients to PGI. His concern for them did not finish after getting them admitted but till date he has been providing them and their attendants meals in the hospitals. While four of them have been discharged, three are admitted in PGI. Earlier on, he had ensured that the bodies of those four who had died on the spot were handed over to the family members and also Rs 16,000 cash and jewellery.

In 1988, when he was working as a sports coach in Ludhiana he had taken a seriously injured victim of a jeep accident to Dayanand Medical College or treatment. The person in the jeep was driving at a high speed, when the vehicle overturned in his bid to save a scootersist ahead of him. He had also come to the rescue of some car accident victims near Pipli in 1994 when he was driving back from Delhi. He not only picked them up from the highway and got them admitted to the Pipli hospital but after obtaining the address of their family, he went and brought them so that they could be with them. “I drove nearly 40-50 km through the village tracks before I could locate their family,’’ he said.

In 1995 Mr Mann did the painful task of informing the parents of two boys about their deaths in an accident with a speeding truck near Chattbir on the Patiala road. Since he was coming from Patiala, he was an eyewitness to how the truck crushed them and eventually threw them across a bridge. Both had got married an year back and had new born sons. Owners of medico shops, they were returning back to Patiala on a scooter after making the purchases. Mr Mann took out the driving licence from the pocket of the deceased and asked some of the passers-by to inform their parents about the accident. But when no one agreed to do this, he went to Patiala, brought along their fathers and left them only after taking the bodies to Rajpura hospital for the necessary postmortem. “I broke the news about their death in the car. And it sure was not easy to handle them for they were inconsolable,’’ he recollects. He even offered to become a witness in their motor accident claim case.

His good deeds are not just confined to accidents, for, while in Bangkok in 1997, he gave monetary help to the tune of Rs 15,000 to help two boys come back to India. Hailing from village Basrawa, the two boys who had been taken illegally by a travel agent would have been duped and arrested, had they stayed on.

Back home in 1988 he was able to save a tenant from the clutches of a landlord. He not only took the profusely bleeding man to the hospital, even as the on-lookers watching the tamasha were afraid to do so fearing his influence, he also got the landlord and his associates arrested. In 1999, he was once again bringing an injured motor cyclist to GMCH-32 but he died on way to the hospital

A religious person, he has lot of support from his family in such ventures. He has been generously donating for blood donation camps and to various other social and charitable organisations for the cause of the needy. In the first three months of this year, he has already donated Rs 1.41 lakh. “God has given me plenty. And I just wish to put it to proper use,’’ he says. Being a sportsman, he also keeps donating for sports activities. He also wishes to buy an ambulance and provide round-the- clock services to the residents of the city and the neighbouring areas so that in the times to come nobody dies for want of medical help.

His compassion extends to animals also. A cow in his locality in SAS Nagar would have died after delivering a calf in the month of December last year had he not made adequate arrangements to look after her. He not only arranged fodder for her, but also entrusted her care to a chowkidar. He also took up cudgels with the police who were trying to take away the cow from the chowkidar on the basis of a complaint made by a few gwalas.

His mission is to help many others in distress. He can be contacted on his mobile 98141-16395. His appeal is that more people should come forward to help people and not be afraid of being harassed by police and other factors.

Doctors in dock for not attending to mishap cases
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — Doctors on emergency duty in the surgical emergency ward of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, have been prima facie found guilty for not properly handling the cases of Lalru accident properly on the night of May 3. Disciplinary action is likely to be taken against the doctors for their callousness, says Dr V.K. Kak, Director Principal of GMCH-32.

Dr Kak has recommended this action following the submission of an inquiry report by the Medical Superintendent, Dr D.P. Mehta. The recommendation has been sent to a senior official of the Administration for approval, it is learnt. A proper inquiry may also be conducted before taking action against them.

Dr Mehta, who had conducted the inquiry investigated into the reasons responsible for callousness and indifference on the part of doctors on duty. He has observed that the doctors had not made admission cards of the three seriously injured patients before referring them to the PGI. Though the emergency treatment was administered as soon as they were brought in, but neither their cards of unknown patients were made nor the treatment administered recorded for the benefit of PGI doctors. "This is a grave mistake, which cannot be overlooked at any stage. We have simply no medical record to produce before the police, if needed," said Dr Kak. Even though administering treatment takes precedence in such cases, the question of a card not being made in case of any patient who comes here just does not arise. However, the cards of the other four persons who were admitted to GMCH-32 for treatment were made.

Dr Mehta also found that the doctors had not provided the patient the required help for arranging an ambulance to go to the PGI middle of the night. Dr Kak maintains that both the vehicles on duty after 10 p.m. are ambulances. So, if one had gone to leave a patient in Sector 47, the other could have been pressed into service to immediately leave these patients to PGI.

As regards their not allowing the sole attendant with these patients to make a call from the emergency to summon an ambulance from the Red Cross or the police, it has been observed that the exchange of the hospital was down till 2 pm. Even the two direct lines made available to these doctors were not functioning, says Dr Mehta.

Dr Kak said that he has already issued instructions asking doctors on emergency duty to be more vigilant and helpful to patients in distress. Henceforth, the card of any patient who is even brought in here has also to be made.

Industrial policy repealed for allotment of sheds, plots
Bid to promote IT units
By Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — In a bid to promote information technology (IT) and related industries, the Chandigarh Administration has repealed industrial policy for the allotment of industrial plots and sheds.

Under the proposed new policy, the plots and sheds will now be allotted to the industrial houses for the promotion of IT, precision equipment, manufacturing, electronic industry-related projects, according to a notification issued by the Home Secretary, Mr M.P. Singh. The plots and sheds would be allotted at the reserve price close to the market rates or by way of auction for which the modalities would be worked out soon.

The industrial policy for the allotment of plots came into being on December 10,1990, and all cases in which the possession of plots, allotted in early eighties to over 300 entrepreneurs, were to be covered under this policy.

The repeal of the policy would mean that a substantial number of allottees would stand to lose their plots and sheds since the Administration would give preference to IT-related industries under the new policy. And this decision of the administration was likely to come for severe criticism at the hands of the Industries Association, which has for a long time been pressing for the early possession of the plots to the allottees.

The notification said that the physical possession of the plots could not be given because the proposed area came under the reserve forest and the non-construction zone in 900 square metres of the Air Force Station.

“The guiding principle for the allotment of the industrial plots and sheds has been the feasibility of the project proposal and the entrepreneurial capability of the applicant. After a lapse of nearly two decades, neither the viability of the project, which formed the basis for the allotment of land can be justified at this stage nor the entrepreneurial capability can remain the same.

It was thus felt that for a city like Chandigarh vacant plots can best be utilised by reaping the benefits of the IT boom,” the notification reasoned.Another reason for repeal of the policy can be that with major IT giants setting up shop in the city, the IT-related industries could lead industrial revival in Chandigarh.

It may be recalled that the Industries Department had earlier mooted a proposal to allow the use of residential premises for the IT-related industries as they were comparatively pollution-free and occupied less space.

The notification makes in clear that it had become necessary to repeal the existing industrial policy and other industrial policies, schemes and decisions under which the industrial plots and sheds may have been offered for the allotment by way of sale, lease and rental and by any other method.

COMMUNITY

MCC panels elect chairpersons
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — A nominated councillor, Mr Harish Bhanot, is the Chairman of the Environment and City Beautification Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC).

Mr Bhanot was elected at the meeting of the seven-member committee held here today. Ms Harjinder Kaur (SAD) is the Deputy Chairperson of the committee.

While Mr Raghuvir Lal Arora (BJP) heads the Arts, Culture and Sports Committee, Maj-Gen Rajinder Nath (retd), a nominated councillor, is its Deputy Chairman. And Mr Rajinder Kumar was elected Chairman of the Slum Development Committee and Mr Bachan Singh its Deputy Chairman.

It may be recalled that after the mandate of the House, the Mayor, Ms Shanta Abhilashi, was entrusted to constitute the nine committees consisting of seven members each.

Notices issued: As many as 60 persons, who were found violating water supply byelaws, issued notices today by the MCC.

Residents’ civic body to maintain developed parks
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, May 10 — The developed parks in the town will soon be maintained by the local residents welfare association thanks to a scheme mooted by the Local Government Department of Punjab. The cost of maintaining the parks will be shared mutually by the SAS Nagar Municipal Council and the Resident Welfare Association concerned.

The offer was made by the Administrator of the council, Mr Jaipal Singh, at a meeting of the representatives of the local Residents Welfare Asociations. The scheme, started on the pattern of mohalla sanitation scheme, envisages that the gardeners for the parks would be hired by the respective association but their salary would be shared on a half-half basis between the civic body and the association.

The Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, has also written to the Executive Officer of the civic bodies of Ropar, Kurali, Morinda, Anandpur Shaib, Nangal, Kharar and SAS Nagar to implement the scheme. The maximum cost of maintaining a park has been fixed at Rs 1000 by the Local Government Department. An official of the department said that due to paucity of funds with the government the maintenance of parks suffered.

In case of new parks the government has asked the officials of the civic bodies to involve big industrial houses. In the town the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) has already involved private business houses in developing and maintaining rotaries.

Under the scheme the Administrator of the local council today asked the representatives of the associations to come up with the list of parks and suggestions in a week’s time period. He said efforts would also be made to hand over the parks being maintained by PUDA.

UT powermen to join stir today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — Powermen from Chandigarh will join the nationwide one-day token strike from midnight tonight in protest against the economic policies of the NDA government.

Sources in the Chandigarh Administration say that all arrangements have been made to handle the situation arising out of the day-long strike. According to Mr J.N. Sachdeva, Superintending Engineer, Electricity Circle, all senior functionaries of the circle will be on duty throughout the day tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Workers said in a press note that the employees would hold rallies at various places in the city before converging on the Sector 18 Power Sub-Station where they would organise a massive rally between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. against the privatisation of power sector. After the rally, a procession would be taken out.

The UT Electricity Department has, in an appeal issued here today, asked the residents of the city to bear with them in the event of any failure or breakdown of power supply during the strike period.

Though every effort will be made to rectify the fault, in certain cases it may not be possible to restore power supply.

Residents have been advised to keep some reserves of drinking water as its supply may be affected because of the strike.

The public can contact the following control rooms on the telephone in case of an emergency: for Sectors 1 to 17 — 703242 and 22 to 26; for Sectors 18, 19, 21, 27, 28, 31, 47 and 48, Industrial Area Phases I and II, Ram Darbar and Mani Majra — 655531 and 651656; for Sectors 20, 30 and 32 to 61 — 602967 and 668376.

Women seek Bibi’s ouster
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — Various prominent women’s organisations of Punjab and Chandigarh demanded a CBI inquiry against Bibi Jagir Kaur at a march to protest against the mysterious death of Harpreet Kaur and the killing of her foetus.

Agitators from various parts of the state assembled at the Parade Ground in Sector 17 and later sat on dharna near the Housing Board roundabout. They also tried to break the security cordon but were held back by a strong posse of policemen.

Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, President, Punjab Pardesh Mahila Congress, said,’’ If women start doing injustice against our own children, then nobody will have faith in this community. The mysterious death of Harpreet Kaur and the way her final rites were carried out prove that something is definitely suspicious about the whole incident. An inquiry should be carried out by the CBI,” she demanded.

Ms Krishna Dahri, President, District Mahila Congress, Patiala, said,’’ This heinous act by the SGPC chief is very shameful for the entire Sikh community. She, as head of the premier institution of the Sikhs, is supposed to be an idol for others. She should resign from the post since she has lowered its dignity. The fact that no post mortem was conducted and ashes were immersed within a few hours of the cremation, arouses doubt in the mind of the people.’’

The protesters raised slogans against Bibi Jagir Kaur. They alleged the entire state machinery is on her side which is the major impediment to justice.

Members of the Mahila Congress, Punjab Istri Sabha, Sarv Hind Istri Akali Dal, and Janwadi Istri Sabha were also present in the demonstration.

Mrs Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary, NFIW, Mrs Manpreet Kaur Dhaliwal, President, District Mahila Congress, Rural, Ludhiana, Mrs Krishna Pyaari, President, District Mahila Congress, Mullanpur, and Mrs Gurpal Kaur Executive Member, Punjab Mahila Congress, were among those who addressed the gathering.

Mrs Lakhwinder Garcha, General Secretary, Punjab Pardesh Mahila Congress, said, “if this act had been committed by a common person, the culprit would have been arrested and put behind bars. But due to her political influence, she is being shielded. If the Punjab Government does not initiate action against her, we will continue agitating,’’ she declared.

Later, a memorandum, addressed to the President, was submitted to an official of Punjab Raj Bhavan.

CRIME

Held for submitting false affidavit
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — The police has arrested a tenant of Sector 15 on the charges of submitting a false affidavit claiming himself to be the owner of the house.

According to police sources, Mrs Karamjit Kaur, the landlord, lodged a complaint that her tenant, D R Jindal, reportedly submitted a false affidavit in the office of the Public Health Department claiming himself to be the owner of the house. He had received a bill for the supply which needed a correction.

A case under Sections 420 \ 467 \ 468 \ 471, IPC, has been registered .Complaint lodged

Mr Harsh Goel, who runs a computer firm in Sector 34, lodged a complaint regarding a shipment of computer parts from a firm in Delhi worth about 3.50 lakh. The parts had been packed in 25 boxes but when he opened two of these he saw that the boxes were filled with bricks and stones. He did not open the remaining consignment and informed the police.

A case under Section 420, IPC, has been registered .

Vehicle thefts: Two cases of vehicle thefts were reported from various parts of the city.

Mr Gose, a resident of Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, reported that his motor cycle CH-O1-E 9989 had been stolen from his residence. Similarly, Mr O P Miglani reported that his scooter, CH-OI-A 6137 was stolen from the Sector 22 market Cases under Section 379, IPC, have been registered.

Children’s park in police station
From Our Correspondent

LALRU, May 10 — A children’s park will come up within the Lalru police station premises within one-and-a- half months. The equipment such as merry-go-rounds, see-saws and other infrastructure in the park will be provided by the district police.

This statement was made by Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu, SSP, Patiala, while hearing the grievances of the residents at a police-public meeting in Lalru police station here today.

Apart from installing traffic lights, wherever necessary, on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway at Lalru, traffic police personnel will also be deployed as per the requirement to control the traffic on this busy highway, he claimed.

He also talked about a complex which was constructed at Patiala with a sum of about Rs 15 lakh out of the Employees Welfare Fund.

Mr Sidhu appealed to the residents to join hands with police to maintain law and order situation in the subdivision. ‘‘Police could show its efficiency only if the public came forward without any fear about their problems,’’ he added.

Earlier, he laid the foundation stone of 1420 feet long boundary wall of the police station.

BUSINESS

Nose pins a hit with teenyboppers
By Ambika Kumar

CHANDIGARH, May 10 — Once a signature of marriage, glittering nose pins today dazzle onlookers as teenyboppers trot down the market corridors.

Women have been getting their nose pierced since ages. Everywhere you look, you see girls with small pins on their noses.

The process is simple. Go to a jewellery shop and within minutes the nose will be pierced with a gun or by pushing in a silver or gold wire. City jeweller Paramjeet Mittu says, "A stud too can be used. Gun is being employed increasingly as it is convenient, though expensive."

If you do not wish to get it done by a jeweller, you can go to a doctor or a beautician. "Doctors use sterilised surgical thread. Chances of getting infected are less," says Zoya Singh, a city-based fashion designer.

Do not get the nose pierced during the monsoon as it may take longer time to heal and can get sore. Take good care after the job is over, lest you land up with a swollen nose. "One is recommended to apply a blend of desi ghee and haldi or some medicated ointment," says Ashima Kaushal, a beautician.

Do not worry if you are scared of the wire passing through your nose or if your father is against it. You can use a clip-on or go in for a wire ring or a tiny kokka. "Even stones of alluring hues, cheerful beaded wires, plastic rings and pearl studs look good. The cost varies between Rs 10 and Rs 1,000," says Mr Paramjeet, a jeweller.