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| Wednesday,
June 28, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Confusion upsets transfer policy ‘Scams
worth crores’ in Improvement Trust Where bride bazar thrives Tohra asks
Badal to seek autonomy Akali MLAs’
case: hearing on July 18 Conflicting reports on Ropar bus mishap Inform about tax evaders, get reward
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Mann writes to UN, alleges genocide Save life mission Wine contractors granted 7 days Expert predicts spurt in diabetes Punjab allows
red lights on MLAs’ vehicles Wrong drugs case: probe ordered
Fraud detected in plot sale ASI dismissed from service
Rape victim’s journey to motherhood
Concordia University to open India
office
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Confusion upsets transfer policy CHANDIGARH, June 27 — Confusion at the top levels of the Punjab Government has upset the efforts to have a rational transfer policy in both Health and Education. Early this month, the government after a lot of dilly dallying finally came out with a policy, with the objective of posting doctors in rural areas and specialists in hospitals. Over staffing was to be checked and a rational policy implemented. In education, there was a similar attempt. In health the government transferred 730-odd doctors. Over 200 posts in the ESI hospitals were found surplus and these doctors were posted to rural and urban areas. Similarly, a detailed study was conducted by the Minister for School Education Mr Tota Singh. He was keen to see that the rural areas were not without teachers. Some schools in the rural areas did not have teachers and even if the teachers were posted, the teachers really did not attend to their duties. In certain schools even proxy teachers — raw graduates were found teaching. As against this, urban areas had a large concentration of teachers. The teacher-taught ratio, a universally accepted criteria — was not being followed. The Akali leaders at all levels cried for a rational policy. So there was some attempt. What has happened in the matter of health? Powerful association of doctors, influential MLAs and Ministers and others intervened and nearly got the transfers stayed. The Minister for Health, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, was flooded with the requests. He had hoped that the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who had virtually authored the transfer policy, would withstand the pressures. But Mr Badal bowed to the pressure and the whole operation was stayed. In the case of Health, the Secretary of the Department, Mr P.K. Verma, had gone on leave. The Minister was keen to have his views before he could reconsider the transfers. Mr Verma, it is learnt, had put in a lot of labour to help design the new policy and effected the transfers after getting the clearance from Dr Chawla and Mr Badal. Official sources agreed that in some cases there could be genuine problems with the doctors, but the government was keen to have a rational policy so that the villagers could benefit from their services. In fact, what the doctors’ associations, the leading bodies of the PCMS doctors, say and what the government had done, there was a large area of disagreement. At one stage, the government did ask the PCMS associations to suggest a rational wholesome policy, and some note was also sent, but what finally came of this is not clear. The PCMS association leaders assert that their policy document was rational and should have helped the government. But officials deny any such document from the doctors. ‘‘We will still welcome support from the doctors. After all they have to work and deliver the results’’, one senior officer commented. ‘‘They could suggest a proper rational policy’’, he added. In the case of schools, the mess is as big as in the Health Department. One saving grace is that as yet the minister has not effected any large-scale transfers. But once he does it, his colleague, MLAs and of course unions and whosoever count in Punjab will be after his neck. ‘‘It is indeed scary’’, an Education Department officer admitted. He also conceded that the government and particularly the ministers are more busy in transfers than in laying down policy guidelines and implementing development projects. At one level, there is overstaffing and at another level, the right person is rarely put at the right place. In urban areas schools have more teachers and in rural areas, there are more students. The student-teacher ratio is upset. It has taken three years for Mr Tota Singh to devise a policy and now the political leaders are developing cold feet at the time of implementation. |
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‘Scams
worth crores’ in Improvement Trust AMRITSAR,
June 27 — The newly appointed Chairman of the local Improvement
Trust Mr Bakshi Ram Arora, claims that, he has detected bunglings
worth crores of rupees in several cases in the trust. Giving details
to the mediapersons here today he said two cinemas located opposite
bus stand, had failed to pay arrears worth over Rs 7.51 crore since
the past 30 years. Mr Arora, while presenting the case files to the
mediapersons, pointed out that the plots of the two cinemas — Sangam
and Suraj-Chanda — were sold way back in 1970 for Rs 16 lakh and Rs
10 lakh, respectively. But the owners had failed to pay even a single
instalment of the price after depositing the initial among (25 per
cent of the total). The Chairman alleged that the cinema owners in
connivance with trust officials had managed to obtain stay orders from
courts and later got their cases transferred to Tarn Taran tehsil
during militancy. Mr Arora alleged that some officers of the trust’s
legal cell were involved with the cinema owners and had deprived the
trust of its lawful dues, including the interest. He added that the
entire amount was outstanding even after 30 years and the court
judgements in these cases had also gone in the favour of the cinema
owners. Mr Arora said after considerable efforts, the trust had managed to file a case now with the Deputy Director, Local Bodies, and he was confident that the trust would be able to get its due amount very soon. Mr Arora said during his last two month long tenure as Chairman in spite of tremendous political pressure he had transferred more than 10 senior superintendents for involvement in such cases. He added that he was determined to revamp the working of the trust. In another case of forgery and impersonation, a widow and a lawful owner was deprived of her valuable commercial plot in Ranjit Avenue commercial area. Mr Arora alleged that with the active involvement of a trust officer, Mrs Gurcharan Kaur was not only denied legal rights of her plot but it was also sold to an NRI. The Chairman after ascertaining the facts of the case wrote to the SSP today to register a case under Section 420, IPC. After the death of her husband in 1989, she made several rounds of the office but no one apprised her of the real situation. Another
case involved the sale of a 3000 sq yards plot, earmarked for school,
as residential plots in Shastri Nagar, Lawrence Road. Mr Arora said
this land scam had been “buried” in the files in connivance with
“some trust officials. The Chairman alleged that he had even been
threatened by a senior minister on phone. The minister had sought his
help in letting his brother encroach upon 2000 sq yard plot in the
trust truck stand scheme on the GT Road. Mr Arora asserted that the
had warned the minister not to indulge in the illegal activity. But in
spite of his warning the brother of the minister had constructed
boundary wall which he (Mr Arora) got demolished last week. The
Chairman claimed that his efforts had led to the vacation of 8000 sq
yard commercial area in the Civil Lines from the police last week. The
trust now plans to auction it as a prime hotel site very soon. |
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Where bride bazar thrives NAWANSHAHR, June 27 — Are you a marginal young farmer on the wrong side of twenties or more and want to marry? Nothing to worry about, just go to a number of villages in this district, locate a “dalal”, pay anything between Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 to him and come back happily as married man. That is what is being done by a considerable number of small farmers, overaged people or those who have failed to tie the nuptial knot at a proper point of time of their life. And to the rescue of such dejected people come certain gangs of middlemen, who indulge in illegal trafficking of women, especially poor young girls, who are either lured on one or the other pretext or are brought from certain areas of Shimla, Hamirpur and Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh on the promise of marriage with an affluent Punjabi guy. The business of illegal trafficking of women has flourished to such an extent that these gangs, including women members, have established their permanent network in their areas of operation in Himachal Pradesh and certain parts of Doaba region, especially in villages of Nawanshahr districts. After the girls are brought from Himachal, they are kept in houses of the middlemen, shown to prospective buyers, and are sometimes sold to them in a sort of “open auction”, in which eight to 12 bidders may take part. One such “auction” was conducted in Chahl Khurd village last week, despite protests by residents who have started raising their voice against the practice. Confirming the incident, Tarsem Kaur, a woman panch of the village, said everybody in the village knew about the auction. She said by indulging in such a practice a group of people was spoiling the atmosphere of the village. “We are going to take strict action against such people since we feel humiliated when someone from the surrounding villages laughs at us on this account,” she said. She revealed that in her village 10 to 12 women had been sold during the past one year. All of these were in the age group of 16 to 23. While talking to this correspondent on condition of anonymity, one such woman said she had been brought to this area by a young person, who had promised to marry her. But all her dreams had been shattered when after a few days she was sold by him to a middle aged person. “Now I cannot even think of going back to my village near Rohru in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh,” said the hapless woman, who said she had accepted what had happened as her fate and accepted the middle-aged person as her husband. Similarly, another woman, who was allegedly brought by the gang members from a village near Shimla, married one of the close relatives of the middlemen after she refused to be sold. “Though I had come here with a Punjabi boy without informing my parents. I snubbed him when he tried to sell me off for Rs 10,000 and married one of his close relatives, with whom I had fallen in love,” said the 23-year-old woman, now residing in Chahl Khurd village. She said her parents had accepted her fate and often visited her since she had refused to accompany them when they had come to take her back. Another girl, Debi, from near Chirgaon in Himachal Pradesh had reportedly come here in search of greener pastures, but was taken back by her parents from Phagwara last month. Though no one from the area had ever sought police intervention in the matter, Mr Shaukeen Singh, also a panch of Chahl Khurd village, said the village panchayat was going to do something in this regard as the situation had become alarming. “How can we allow this to happen?” questioned Mr Shaukeen Singh who said the “business” had been going on in the area for more than five years. Ms Babita and Ms Manjit Kaur, social workers affiliated with the Phillaur-based People’s Vigilance Committee on Bonded, Child and Migrant Labour, said Anju (name changed), one such girl, was beaten up by some people at Dosanjh Kalan village. Anju, according to them, had tried to escape from the custody of those who had allegedly brought her from Himachal Pradesh and later sold her to a person for Rs 9500. Ms Babita alleged she was being threatened by people who had “abducted” Anju. Mr Jai Singh, chairman of the committee, has urged the Nawanshahr SSP to take action against those indulging in trafficking of women in the area. Meanwhile, it was learnt that certain persons were picked up by the police on this account but were let off later on. Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, said the police was looking into the matter and the guilty would not be spared. |
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Tohra
asks Badal to seek autonomy CHANDIGARH, June 27 — The former SGPC President, Mr
Gurcharan Singh Tohra, today demanded greater autonomy for Punjab . Reacting
to the resolution adopted by the J and K Assembly, he told newsmen
here today that what Kashmir was demanding now was first mooted by the
Shiromani Akali Dal in the late ’70s when it adopted the Anandpur
Sahib resolution seeking the setting up of a federal structure in the
country with an inbuilt provision for greater autonomy for the states. He
emphasised that giving more powers to the state would not in any
manner pose a threat to the country’s unity and integrity nor would
it mean that disintegration was being made out by certain political
parties. Punjab was within its rights to demand such autonomy and he impressed upon the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, that as the President of the SAD he should move a similar resolution in the Vidhan Sabha in tune with the long-pending demand of the party . Mr Tohra, however, added that the Kashmir resolution would only be meaningful if the same was to be endorsed by Parliament. He also criticised the Congress and the BJP for opposing such a resolution and blamed the Congress for many of the ills that afflict Kashmir today. Even Punjab suffered because of the wrong policies of the Congress, he added. The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal President, Mr Tohra said let the Centre should retain only three portfolios, namely, currency, communication and defence and give more powers to the state which would mean faster development. Besides
this issue, he also referred to the constitution of an experts’
committee by Mr Badal to present Punjab’s case before the
Constitution Review Commission and said one could not expect men like
Mr Surjit Singh Barnala and Capt Kanwaljit Singh to forcefully
represent Punjab’s case on the autonomy issue. “My party will
present its own case”, he added. Mr Tohra criticised the Centre’s
decision to effect hike in the price of fertilisers and said this
would further add to the debt burden of the farmers. He chided Mr
Badal as to what had he secured from the BJP government at the Centre
which had only paid lip sympathy. He ridiculed the projects which were
in a state of limbo. |
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Akali
MLAs’ case: hearing on July 18 CHANDIGARH, June 27 —- In the disqualification of 11
Akali MLAs’ case before the Punjab Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh
Atwal, the next date of hearing was fixed for July 18, when arguments
will start with petitioners,11 all ministers, will also supply list of
witnesses. It may be recalled that all 11 stand expelled from the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and have been charged that they had joined the new outfit of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. At
the last hearing the SAD General Secretary , Mr Balwinder Singh
Bhundar, MP, had filed a statement on behalf of the party President,
Mr Parkash Singh Badal. At the last hearing, the petitioners and the
respondents had filed issues to be framed. The speaker had accepted
just two issues from either side, rejecting two of the respondents.
Even today the respondents argument was that the onus of proving that
they had joined the other Akali Dal lay with petitioners |
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Conflicting reports on Ropar bus mishap ROPAR, June 27 — The two agencies, which were asked to investigate into the circumstances that led to Ropar bus accident, in which 26 passengers lost their lives last month, have given conflicting reports regarding the cause of the accident. The expert team of the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) headed by their Chief Automobile Engineer, has blamed the driver of the bus for the accident while the investigation by another agency, Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) Pune, has revealed the tyre burst as the cause of the accident. A magisterial inquiry into the accident of the Punjab Roadways bus, PB-02-S-9914, of the Amritsar I depot, which fell into the Sirhind Canal on May 14,2000, was announced on the same day by Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Punjab. Mr Shiv Dyal Singh Dhillon, SDM, Ropar, was appointed the inquiry officer into this probe. Mr Shiv Dyal in his inquiry report submitted to the Deputy Commissioner Ropar, Mr G.S. Grewal, has quoted the two agencies, the PRTC and CIRT, which were asked to investigate the incident independently. The expert team of the PRTC had concluded that a tyre of the bus busted after strongly hitting pillar number 11 and 12 of the bridge. According to them while taking the turn the bus driver couldn’t control the vehicle due to high speed and poor judgement due to which it hit the side railing. The tyre busted due to the penetration of an angle iron fitted on the backside of the front bumper after the bus hit the pillar. The longitudinal cut was due to the rotational movement of the tyre while the angle iron was in it the PRTC team noted. To substantiate their claim that the bus was overspeeding they said that as per norm any bus should cover 1 km in 90 seconds. So, the bus should have taken 75 minutes to reach the spot of the accident, whereas the accidental bus took just 50 minutes to reach the spot, they alleged. They also said that the marks of the bumper on pillar 11 and 12 were at a height where it could come only if the tyre was in inflated condition. The CIRT team has, however, contested the claim of the PRTC team. According to them the tyre did burst first and then the bus moved towards the right hand side leading to its fall from the bridge. The burst could have been caused due to a sharp object entering the tyre, on the turn, when the pressure on the tyre is more. This sharp object led to the bursting of the tube and tyre subsequently, they added. Though the CIRT team had ruled out any manufacturing defect in the tyre but it had added that the exact cause of the tyre. However, a few points have been left untouched in both of the inquiries. The layers of the busted tyre of the bus were separated from each in such a fashion, which gave the impression that the tyre might be having
manufacturing defect. The theory of the PRTC team doesn’t seem plausible as the railing of the bridge was too weak to sustain the impact of the high speeding bus and had the bus hit railing first it would have directly fallen into the river without giving it the time struggle with the railing and sustain a cut 5 inches in length and
inch wide. Moreover, as the report states that none of the eyewitness support this theory the eyewitnesses say that they just heard huge bang and then saw the bus drifting to the right hand side. To ascertain if the bus tyre had any manufacturing defect the laboratory examination of the bus tyre was a must which even the CIRT team has stressed in its report. Moreover, none of the inquiries has commented on the use of 14 ply instead of the more powerful 16 plytyres justified on the front of buses. The team of the CIRT has also suggested that the bridge should be widened, as it did not fulfil the norms of the Surface Transport Ministry. According to these norms any two lane bridge should be 7.5 metres wide whereas the present width of the bridge is just 6.7 metres. The Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, told that he had written letters to the department concerned to widen the bridge and to strengthen it’s railing according to the norms of the Surface Transport Ministry. |
Inform about tax evaders, get reward CHANDIGARH, June 27 — The Punjab Government today evolved a novel scheme for detecting tax evasion in the state under which any person giving information about sales tax evasion would be rewarded up to Rs 2 lakh or 10 per cent of the tax and penalty imposed on the tax evaders. A spokesman of the Excise and Taxation Department said the identity of the informers would be kept secret in all cases. The spokesman further said under the scheme the person giving information about the smuggling of liquor or illicit distillation in the state would also be rewarded up Rs 20,000. The information regarding any such unlawful activity may be given either to any Assistant Commissioner Excise and Taxation at the district level or the state Excise Taxation Commissioner, Chandigarh, at phone numbers 741044 and 740897. The Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner would also be available at Patiala on phone numbers 212066, 201782 and 212067. The Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioners at Patiala, Jalandhar, Ferozepore and Faridkot could also be informed about such activities. |
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Mann writes to UN, alleges genocide JALANDHAR, June 27 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann has urged the UN to try all Prime Ministers of India for committing “genocide” and destruction of culture of Sikhs by not returning their historical documents and other material taken into custody by the Army from the Golden Temple library during the Operation Bluestar in 1984. The party has also alleged that the RSS ideology had coloured the minds of all Prime Ministers after 1984 and an example of it was the dilly-dallying of the successive Central governments on the issue of return of holy scriptures and documents belonging to Sikhs. He also alleged that the CPI, CPM, Janata Dal and the Congress had become irrelevant and had virtually bowed before the “anti-minority” forces like the BJP and the RSS. Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, MP and president of the SAD (A), said his party had urged the UN to try all prime ministers for not handing over their historical documents to Sikhs which amounted to a war crime as per its charter, according to which people responsible for such crimes could be tried even posthumously. “What we think they have done is nothing but destruction of a religion and the UN can take action in such cases,” said Mr Mann, who said his party has already written a letter to the UN in this respect. He said under a conspiracy, the BJP government had stopped Sikh “Jathas” from going to Pakistan for paying obeisance at Gurdwaras there, but his party had decided to send “jathas” on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. He said SGPC Chief Jagir Kaur and the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had preferred not to take up such an important issue with the Centre. “Similarly, Mr Badal has become silent on the issue of inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar into the Uttaranchal state. Will he speak after the area is included and Sikhs are ruined there,” asked Mr Mann. He said his party favoured autonomy for Kashmiris and restoration of pre 1953 status in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Expressing concern over the raising of an ‘armed force’ by the Bajrang Dal, Mr Mann said this force would be used to coerce minorities and not against extremism. “ Do a country which has world’s second largest Army need such an arrangement?” questioned Mr Mann. Earlier, he addressed an “anti-BJP” rally at district court complex here yesterday. |
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Save life mission NAWANSHAHR: The Blood Donors Complex, constructed by the local Blood Donors Council, a social organisation of blood donors and motivators from the country and abroad, is a beacon of blood donation and safe blood transfusion movement in the State. The council has opened charitable blood banks in other parts of the State. Two devoted persons — Mr Gurinder Singh Toor and Mr Pushap Raj Kalia, in 1987 constituted the Blood Donors Council. They addressed rallies of college students and organised blood-donation camps to motivate them. In due course Dr Vishav Mohini, Mr Sulakashan Sareen, Capt Inderjit Sareen, Mr Jaspal Gidd, Mr Parvesh Kumar, joined Mr Toor and Mr Kalia. The council has been laying emphasis on ‘safe blood transfusion’ and elimination of professional blood donors, to check the spread of diseases like AIDS, VDRL, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C etc. The Coucnil plans to set up a high-tech blood bank. A social worker, Mrs Saroop Krishan, laid the foundation stone of the complex in July, 1991. On April 13, 1992, Bhagat Puran Singh, founder of Pingalwara, Amritsar, inaugurated it. The Blood Donors Council has so far organised about 225 blood donation camps. It also held Jagriti rallies’ and demonstrations and distributed literature. The Council has more than 800 regular blood donors and 51 life members. It has been collecting and transfusing more than 600 units of blood per month and has done free blood grouping and haemoglobin test of more than 30000 school children. Under its blood donation motivation drive, the Council has also been organising blood donation camps on the auspicious occasions like birthdays, gurpurbs, and melas etc. It has been organising camps at Ananadpur Sahib and Khatkar Kalan on the occasion of Hola Mohalla and martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, respectively. It has also been working on the increase haemoglobin project. The Council in collaboration with the local Doaba Ladies Club and the district police, has adopted four schools in the bet area of the district. The Punjab government has provided a pathologist for the blood bank being run by it. Mr Gurinder Singh Toor and Mr Pushap Raj Kalia, founder president and secretary of the BDC, have also been made president and secretary of the Punjab State Blood Donation Committee. Mr Toor has also been nominated as the member of State Blood Transfusion Council, Punjab. |
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Wine contractors granted 7 days CHANDIGARH, June 27 — Directing the continuation of proceedings pursuant to a notice issued to Ludhiana based wine contractors Messrs Mann Singh and others for cancelling their licence for allegedly charging less price for liquor, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today further directed that orders, if passed against the petitioner, shall not be implemented for seven days “to enable him to challenge the same”. Seeking the quashing of the notice, the petitioner had earlier contended that the same was issued on June 20 by the Collector-cum-Excise and Taxation Commissioner of Patiala Division on the allegations of their selling a liquor bottle for Rs 50 on credit — at a price lower than the fixed. Terming the action as “unconstitutional and violative of the principles of natural justice”, the petitioner had added that “a trader can sell at any price which might be on the lower side by reducing his profit margin”. Today, pronouncing the orders in the open court, Mr Justice V.K. Bali observed: “Mohan Jain, counsel representing the petitioner vehemently contends that the impunged notice has been issued only for selling one bottle of liquor at the rate of Rs 50 instead of Rs 80”, the minimum price fixed by the department”. Mr Justice Bali also observed: “He further contends that the petitioner may violate some provision of law if he is to sell the liquor for more than the price fixed by the department, but as long as the price does not exceed the maximum price fixed by the department, there can not be any violation of law”. Mr Justice Bali added: “...it is the case of the petitioner that in matters of this kind, the department is passing orders on Friday and closing the vend for three or four days and, thus, giving no breathing space even to challenge the order. Let proceedings pursuant to the notice go on but order if passed against the petitioner shall not be implemented for a period of seven days enabling the petitioner to challenge the order as well”. The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed Punjab Director-General of the Police to provide “adequate security” to a couple married against the wishes of the girl’s parents. Pronouncing the orders on the petition by Ashwani Kumar of Ludhiana, Mr Justice Nirmal Singh also directed the Sessions Judge there to decide their application for anticipatory bail within seven days. The petitioner was apprehending arrest in a kidnapping case registered at the Basti Jodhewal police station under Sections 366 and 363 of the Indian Penal Code. Claiming to have been implicated, he had stated that the first information report (FIR) had been registered “for pressurising him into breaking the matrimonial alliance”. Expressing apprehension regarding their safety, the counsel for the petitioner had stated on his behalf that the wife’s parents and brother-in-law “were bent upon liquidating them”. The wife, he had added, was pregnant. Going into the background, the counsel had stated that the two, belonging to the same locality, had tied the knot, according to Hindu rites, on January 18 after falling in love. Both the husband and the wife, he had added, were majors. Today, pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice Nirmal Singh observed: “The petitioner has not approached the Ludhiana Sessions Judge for anticipatory bail. The petitioner can file the bail application before the Sessions Judge if so advised. The Judge will decide the bail application within seven days”. The Judge also observed: “The counsel for petitioner contends that there is danger to the life of the petitioner and his wife. The petitioner has placed on record the photographs showing the marriage of the petitioner with Seema”. The Judge added: “Seema is present in the court. She has admitted that she was married to the petitioner. In the interest of justice, the DGP Punjab, is directed to provide adequate security to the petitioner and wife Seema”. |
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Expert predicts spurt in diabetes AMRITSAR, June 27 — The Medical Fraternity forsees an alarming spurt in cases of diabetes in India. At present there are more than 20 million people afflicted with the disease and the figure is likely to go up more than three times by 2025. Giving these statistics, diabetes specialist from PGI, Chandigarh Mr Anil Bhansali said that the most astonishing part of this surge was that people in the age group of 35-40 were getting diabetes, while in the other countries diabetes onset is at a much later age. Mr Bhansali, talking to mediamen here last evening, said that although, the level of awareness was quite high, a special campaign was needed to control this
incurable disease’s spread. He was here to address a seminar ‘Errors in the management of type II diabetes’ organised by the Indian Medical Association. He said diabetic patients could suffer from many related complications like heart problems, damage to kidneys, blindness, etc and urged those with a family history of diabetes to be extra careful as they were more susceptible to the disease. Dr Bhansali said that the sedentary lifestyles and change in eating habits, especially non-vegetarian diets containing high fat content, were basically responsible for the spread of diabetes in the country. People with fat around the stomach were more prone to the disease. The diabetes expert said the only way to avoid this dreaded disease was to take 45 minutes walks and change eating habits away from high-fat diets. |
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Punjab allows
red lights on MLAs’ vehicles CHANDIGARH, June 27 — The Punjab Government today issued a notification regarding the use of red light on private vehicles of the MLAs. According to the new notification, an MLA is allowed to use red light on one private vehicle only. A spokesman of the Punjab Transport Department said earlier MLAs could use the red light on government vehicles only. The spokesman further said every MLA would submit the registration number of his or her private vehicle to the Director-General of Police for issuing of a sticker as per the instructions given by the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the use of red lights on vehicles. |
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Wrong drugs case: probe ordered CHANDIGARH, June 27 -- An inquiry has been instituted into the incidence of wrong administration of drugs to some patients in Rajindra Hospital , Patiala, which led to deaths and brain damage. Sources in Patiala told TNS that a three-member team of senior doctors, comprising the Professor of Surgery , Dr Bhola Singh ,the Professor of Medicine, Dr Prem Arora (both from Government Medical College , Amritsar) and the Professor of Anaesthesia, Dr Vijay Sharma from the Government Medical College , Patiala, has been asked to probe the incidents and report to the Director of Medical Education and Research by the weekend. The inquiry follows a report that appeared in these columns recently. Meanwhile, the sources said student nurses on duty reportedly responsible for giving wrong medicines to patients stood withdrawn. The inquiry was begun on Monday.
The doctors have been told to complete the same without a break. 107 trainees clear
police course HOSHIARPUR, June 27 — Mr H.S. Dhillon, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ferozepur range, took salute from 107 trainees of capsule course (No.10) and batch No. 221 and ex-servicemen who participated in a very impressive passing-out-parade at Police Recruit Training Centre, Jahan Khelan, 8 km from here. Speaking on the occasion Mr Dhillon urged the jawans to perform their duties with honesty and dedication. He also gave away the prizes to Cdt. Jaswinder Singh, (all round Ist) Balwinder Singh, (all round 2nd), Jaswinder Singh, (Ist in PPW) and Nirmal Singh Jull (Ist in turnout). |
Fraud detected in plot sale AMRITSAR, June 27 — A fraud with the purported connivance of an ex-Improvement Trust Amritsar (ITA) chairman and a local bank involving a plot of land of the trust with a current market value of more than Rs 60 lakh has come to light. The fraud was detected when a woman, Gurcharan Kaur, was served a notice by the improvement trust asking her to explain why her plot should not be resold and her registry cancelled as she had not undertaken any construction on the site since its allotment. The notice came as a surprise to Gurcharan who had not deposited a single paisa towards the plot. She claimed she had been turned away by the improvement trust authorities on the plea that it would take time for the money to be deposited. It all started when Gurcharan Kaur’s husband Sewa Singh, a resident of Kot Mit Singh village applied for a commercial SCO plot in 1986 under the lucky draw scheme of the district shopping complex Ajnala Road (currently Ranjit Avenue area). Sewa Singh won the draw in 1988 and plot No 19 was allotted to him. A year later he died. His widow then approached the improvement trust to ask that the ownership of the plot be transferred to her by the ITA. Since then she has regularly visited the office to deposit the money and take possession of the plot, but the ITA authorities put her off on one pretext or the other. It has now come to light that the alleged plot of land was “claimed” by some other person posing as Gurcharan Kaur. The “person” deposited the money, got the registry done in Gurcharan’s name and even sold the plot while Gurcharan waited to pay the initial deposit on it. The money was paid via a draft from Oriental Bank of Commerce, Civil Lines branch and the draft issuing authority certifies the identity of the depositor after verification and the registry was made. The sale deed of the plot was executed in the tenure of Mr Karam Singh Grewal (from 1990-1993) on December 12, 1991 and complete payment of Rs 2.50 lakh made in 1992. The plot’s current market value is around Rs 60 lakh. The connivance of the then improvement trust chairman, Mr Karam Singh and banking authorities seems evident in that the sale deed was executed during his tenure and the bank provided false verification to certify the registry. All the correspondence of the person who committed the fraud complete with thumb impressions is with the improvement trust authorities. An FIR will be lodged in the case today. Meanwhile bank officials have been summoned by the chairman for an explanation. |
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ASI dismissed from service JALANDHAR, June 27 (UNI) —An Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Punjab Police was dismissed from service yesterday on the charge of making a false entry in the police station’s daily diary, popularly known as’ roznamcha,” and for remaining absent from duty since July last year after the Nawanshahr police had registered a case against him for his alleged involvement in smuggling of poppy husk. Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Yadav said today ASI Gulshan Kumar was wanted by the Nawanshahr police in a case of smuggling of the narcotic which was registered under Section 15 of the NDPS Act against him on July 20, last year. The SSP said in order to evade arrest in the case Gulshan Kumar absconded on July 22 after making a false entry in the “roznamcha,” claiming he was not feeling well and was going to the civil hospital. An Inquiry, however, revealed he never went to the hospital and instead had been absent from duty since, apparently to escape arrest in a case of serious offence allegedly committed by him. Mr Yadav said ASI Gulshan Kumar was suspended from service last year and departmental inquiry initiated against him. He said since the ASI did not join the inquiry, it was conducted ex-parte and it found him guilty of having made the false entry in the daily diary. Subsequently to the inquiry report, the SSP issued him a show-cause notice which was served on his brother and also published in a newspaper. Mr Yadav said since the ASI did not reply to the notice the dismisal order was issued against him yesterday under the Punjab Police Rules 22.50.
JAGRAON, June 27 — The 16-year-old rape victim in the infamous DSP Ashok Puri rape case, after delivering a baby boy on June 24 at Civil Hospital, Jagraon, is now trying to graple with her new responsibility and is trying to pick up the threads of her life. Though a child herself, she is now learning to manage her baby on her own with the help of her three brothers — Gurbachan Singh, Mohan Singh and Mandeep Singh — and the family in their neighbourhood of an Assistant Lineman in the P.S.E.B., Mr Bir Chand, who first urged the siblings to expose the former DSP of Jagraon after the girl was repeatedly raped by him with the connivance of her mother, Mohan Kaur and stepfather, Darshan Singh. Says the 16-year-old,” I am happy and yet sad after the baby’s birth. I am proud of the child as any mother would be after suffering both mental and physical stress during my pregnancy. At the same time, the moment I think of the circumstances that led to my conceiving the baby I am filled with repulsion and a strange feeling of hopelessness sweeps over me.” She, however, admits that being a mother, even at this young age, is the best thing that can happen to anyone.” But now I also worry about not just about my future but also the future of the child. When I sit back, I only think of how my child will be affected when he grows up and finds out about his father and how he was born," she tells this reporter. Her brother, Gurbachan Singh, who sits next to her holding his nephew as a prized possession, nods sympathetically. He laments that from the time they decided to take the accused DSP to task they have become social outcastes with almost all their relatives and neighbours disowning them. “Strangely, we are the ones who have been ostracized. All our relatives, including paternal uncles and a paternal aunt, advised us to reach an agreement with the accused and not to go ahead with the case as did all those living in the vicinity of our house but we did not relent. How could we, considering that he has spoiled the life of our sister and also scarred her conscience?” he asks. Ask them about their mother and stepfather who had literally handed over the victim to satisfy the lust of the DSP and in turn wanted to get a favour from him in the shape of a plot of land being allotted and the siblings begin swearing at their parents”. Says Gurbachan Singh, “They never gave a damn about us and tried to sell our sister for money. We met them during a court hearing in the case when they were brought from Ludhiana Central Jail. Our stepfather, Darshan Singh, threatened us there itself that he would teach all of us a lesson when he came out of jail. On the other hand, our mother tried to lure us by offering to give us a share in the house that she owns if we did not testify against her.” Says the victim,” Mrs and Mr Bir Chand have proved to be much better parents than our parents and have taken care of us in our hour of need.” She says that she can never forgive her parents or the accused DSP for what has become of her life. The siblings also say that they were approached several times with offers of money by the family of the accused DSP. “We just tell them that we are willing to let go of him if they can return my sister’s lost childhood and bring the smile back on her lips,” says Gurbachan Singh. The children are also all praise for the Sangharsh Committee that was formed to help out the victim and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Jagraon, Mr Jaskaran Singh, for standing by them.” SSP sahib has also promised to look for a suitable match for my sister,” informs Gurbachan Singh. What is admirable about the children is that in spite of seeing such a turbulent time they are still hopeful that happy days are round the corner. “We have been told by Baba Kundan Singh of Nanaksar Gurudwara that everything will be back to normal soon and we have full faith in this and are hoping for the new dawn to come soon,” they say.
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1 held for human
trafficking GURDASPUR, June 27 — The police yesterday arrested Ajaib Singh, a resident of Dhannaundr village in the district, for his alleged involvement in a human trafficking racket for the past four years. Two of his accomplices identified as Raj Singh, alias Rajinder Singh resident of Model Town, Jalandhar and Balwant Singh, resident of Driwal Kiran in this district, had already been arrested on April 8, 2000. A girl identified as Sandhya who had been brought from West Bengal was recovered from their possession from Gurdaspur. |
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Vehicle thieves’
gang busted AMRITSAR, June 27 — The Majitha police claims to have busted another gang of vehicle thieves active in the Punjab and Chandigarh area. This gang had stolen half a dozen vehicles. A motor cycle and three scooters were recovered from Paramjit Singh, alias Raju, son of Bakshish Singh, resident of Sector 26, Chandigarh, and Joga Singh, son of Parkash Singh, resident of Jejeani, Majitha. |
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Police remand for 4
in dowry death case BARNALA, June 27 — Four suspects involved in the death of Meenu, a school lecturer, were produced before Duty Magistrate in the local civil courts today and were remanded to police custody till tomorrow. Meenu was found dead on Sunday morning at her in-laws’ house here under mysterious circumstances. The parents of the deceased had lodged a complaint with Barnala police alleging that Meenu had been killed by her in-laws for bringing inadequate dowry. A case under Sections 304-B, 498 of the IPC had been registered. Following autopsy of the body of Meenu by a two-member board comprising Dr Suresh Kumar and Dr Neera Seth at local Civil Hospital on Sunday. Viscera had been sent to Govt Rajindra Hospital, Patiala for chemical examination. |
Concordia University to open India
office PATIALA, June 27 — The US-based Concordia University of Wisconsin has decided to open its India office in collaboration with the Guru Harkishan College for Management and Technology, Patiala. Mr Jagjit Singh Dardi, Chairman of the Guru Harkrishan College, had led a delegation to the USA and signed an agreement with the President of the Concordia , Dr Patrick Ferry, on June 22. Concordia University has offered graduate as well as undergraduate courses in computers, business management, law, nursing, economics and information technology. In the second phase, the university will soon begin distance learning courses with live video conferencing. Finally, the campus of the university shall start in a very short span of time. This agreement also incorporates provisions for faculty, student and technology exchange programme. Under agreement it was decided to establish a mutually beneficial co-operative exchange between the US based university and the local college. The local college will provide students to be enrolled at the US university. |
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