Police to involve public in regulating traffic 
By Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — The police is contemplating a novel scheme of involving the public in regulating the city traffic which has assumed an unmanageable proportion.

The need for educating the public and streamlining the road traffic has been felt since long. The immediate provocation for such a move comes following a Punjab and Haryana High Court direction to book those violating its directions with regard to use of car seat belts, helmets and mobile phones while driving.

Though the exact details of the scheme are being worked out, broadly the plan is to ensure strict implementation of the High Court's orders and to educate the public about the traffic rules in order to minimise road accidents.

Disclosing this to Ludhiana Tribune, Mr Kuldip Singh, SSP, said: ‘‘The police will encourage active participation of the public in controlling and prevention of traffic snarls occurring at several points in the city.’’ He said there was a move to shift more policemen to the traffic section.

He said the police had been strictly complying with the High Court's order regarding challaning of people found guilty of violating traffic rules. He said special education would eliminate use of mobile phones while driving cars and riding without helmets. Another significant area was the need to fasten the strap of the helmet worn by two-wheeler drivers.

The SSP said that when the traffic policemen challaned such violators, an unnecessary argument followed. This was expected to be avoided after the special education drive.

So far, over 40,000 challans were pending in the local courts, he said while stating that the police was religiously enforcing traffic rules. Despite this, the police was facing a serious shortage of manpower while dealing with persons violating traffic rules.

The SSP said it was found that though the traffic lights had helped in regulating the traffic flow, due to shortage of staff the traffic police could not keep vigil at persons breaking rules at these points. He said at least 100 more police personnel were required for deployment on traffic duty.

Under the public participation plan, the police will shortly organise a workshop for educating the public. Non-government organisations, social workers and schools would be specially invited for such a programme. Separate educational programmes would also be organised in the schools.

The police is also working out the feasibility of distributing pamphlets or stickers listing traffic rules and the punishment for violation. One interesting component of the scheme being weighed is that at the time of issuing a traffic challan to a traffic rules violator, the police may also give him a pamphlet about the traffic rules or stick a sticker on the vehicle.

The SSP said the police was also finalising a plan to distribute stickers carrying the message that ‘‘Yes, I obey traffic rules.’’ These would be issued to persons educated after the special drive being launched by the police.

Govt scraps Sahir memorial
From Kuldip Bhatia

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — When the legendary Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi wrote in one of his poems “Kal koi mujh ko yaad kare, kyon koi mujh ko yaad kare, masroof zamana mere liye, kyon waqt apna barbaad kare”, may be he was foretelling the kind of shabby treatment his native city (Ludhiana) was going to give him.

The poet who provided an identity to this city in Urdu poetry and later carved a niche for himself in the highly competitive film industry, might even today be living in the hearts of his admirers and lovers of good and meaningful poetry in the city and elsewhere, but a cultural centre, planned to perpetuate his memory here, has virtually been scrapped by an apathetic administration and indifferent government agencies. The site, earlier allotted for Sahir Memorial, was recently put to auction by Improvement Trust for the construction of Super Deluxe Residential Flats.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr. S.L. Kler, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, confirmed that a bank draft of a sum of Rs 75,38,030, which included interest on the principal amount of Rs 60 lakh, was sent to the Director, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Punjab on July 9, 1998, which for all practical purpose, marked the burial of the Sahir Memorial in his native city.

That efforts were made in real earnest, way back in 1992 and were vigorously followed up thereafter to establish a ‘Sahir Ludhianvi Cultural Centre’ (SLCC) in the city, reveals Dr Kewal Dhir, secretary of now defunct Sahir Ludhianvi Cultural Society. The Improvement Trust had decided in principle, in 1992, to allot land at reserve price to the society for the construction of the centre and the state government had approved the proposal for the allotment of 6900 square yard piece of land in Model Town Extension scheme of the trust in 1996.

At one time (in 1995) the project of SLCC appeared all set to become a reality and the then Chief Minister Beant Singh, not only laid the foundation stone of the proposed cultural centre at the proposed site, towards March 1995, but belying the general impression that the governments hardly deliver what they promise, arranged the release of a Rs 60 lakh grant in less than a week’s time, since the end of the financial year was just a few days away.

While the Sahir Ludhianvi Cultural Society, with the then Deputy Commissioner as its ex-officio president, moved into action to chalk out plans and have the building plans and other details ready for an elaborate cultural centre, the then state government went a step further and announced a plan to have similar cultural centres in all the district of Punjab. The then Punjab Governor Surendra Nath unveiled the plan in his address to budget session of Punjab Assembly and the then finance minister also made a mention, saying Rs 2 crore had been earmarked for the cultural centre in Ludhiana, to be named after Sahir Ludhianvi and that Rs 60 lakh had already been released for this purpose.

But it was too good to last and the death-knell sounded for the project in 1997 when the Improvement Trust, acting in an abject commercial manner, decreed that there was no need for such a cultural centre and already, several other institutions existed in the city for this purpose. It further decided that the site for the SLCC would be better utilised for the construction of a ‘commercial complex’, as it would fetch much-needed revenue.

The kind of poet — more revolutionary than romantic — Sahir was, Mr Dhir observes in a dejected manner, he (Sahir) would not have been surprised over the way, an elaborately planned cultural centre was sacrificed in favour of a ‘commercial complex’ just to earn money by a combination of several government agencies. In a way, the authorities had literally proved that what Sahir wrote about monarchs, rulers, tyrants and the plight of the common masses was absolutely true, to its last detail, commented another admirer of the poet.

Rather than taking up the matter at the appropriate level and asking the improvement trust to reconsider its decision, the then Deputy Commissioner Arun Goel, who also headed the society set up to raise the SLCC, sought the permission of the state government for transfer of the Rs 60 lakh grant to Guru Nanak Bhawan Trust, one of his dream projects at that time. The government, however, disagreed and ultimately in July 1998, the funds lying in the bank in the name of the Sahir Ludhianvi Cultural Society, were returned to the government as unutilised.

Dr Dhir, who in his small way, is still keeping the memories of the poet alive by holding annual ‘mushairas’ (poetical symposium) under the aegis of Sahir Cultural Academy, that he has set up, says he has not given up. “Ludhiana city has boundless lovers of Urdu poetry and fanatic admirers of Sahir, whose poetry is cherished all over the world (His poems have been translated in English, French, Arabic, Persian, Czech and Russian, besides many Indian languages). Indifference and reluctance on part of the government notwithstanding, we shall see that Sahir Memorial becomes a reality one day.”

Rues Mr Puran Talwar, an ardent lover of Urdu poetry and a college mate of the contemporary poet, the city has always been unfair to Sahir. Earlier in his youth, he was rusticated from the college. Other than giving lip service, the Ludhianvis did not give him his due, even after he attained name and fame and was profusely decorated and accorded worldwide recognition. “He has given so much to the city, to Urdu poetry and literature that he definitely deserves a better deal,” Mr Talwar commented.

Afternoon water supply restored
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — Relenting to the widespread resentment among all sections of people in the city and the vehement criticism of the move by the councillors belonging to various political parties, including the ruling SAD-BJP combine, the municipal corporation has decided to restore water-supply in the afternoon, with immediate effect. 

The MC had stopped the daytime water supply from November 12, giving effect to a resolution adopted in the general house meeting in September. The move was initiated as a conservation measure in view of the fast depleting ground water sources in the city and was supported by a majority of the councillors, who did not anticipate that the step would evoke protests and criticism from the city population.

Once the water supply in the afternoon was discontinued, even those parties, which had supported the resolution in the general house, took an altogether different stand fearing the wrath of the people and termed the MC decision as unjustified. The group leader of the BJP in the civic body, Mr Pran Bhatia, has said that the BJP would oppose the decision in the next meeting of the general house and would seek restoration of water-supply during the day.

The MC in a meeting, convened last evening, to review the decision on water-supply timing, decided to restore water supply for one-and-a-half hour during the day from 12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m. At the same time, the timings of water supply in the morning and evening have been slightly curtailed. The city will get morning water-supply from 5 a.m to 9 a.m and in the evening from 6 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

The meeting presided over by the city Mayor, Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, however, made an appeal to the people to use water with restraint and to avoid its misuse. The MC has further asked the city residents not to waste water on washing cars and floors and to leave some uncemented area in their houses for ground water recharging. On its own part, the civic body will make sure that roads were not constructed wall to wall and provision for water body structures, like harvesting wells, harvesting pits and injection wells, were made in storm water drainage projects.

Among others, the MC Commissioner, Dr S.S. Sandhu, and group leaders of all parties in the civic body attended the meeting. 

Nine robbers arrested
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — With the arrest of nine persons in two separate raids, the city police hopes to solve at least two dozen cases of theft, robbery and murder that have taken place in the city in the recent past.

Besides recovering a huge quantity of stolen goods and vehicles the police has also found vital clues regarding the sensational murder of a Punjab Police constable Jasbir Singh in Sector 32, Urban estate, here in the first week of this month.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that all the nine persons belong to one same gang although they were arrested from separate places. Five persons were arrested by the Focal Point police here and other four by the Basti Jodhewal police .

According to Mr Pramod Ban, SP(city), the four persons arrested by the Jodhewal police had confessed of being involved in 18 cases, including a car snatching incident that took place on Ludhiana-Chandigarh road last month and the murder of a constable.

Confirming the finding of vital clues regarding the murder of a constable ,SSP Kuldip Singh said the case had virtually been solved, only some verification of certain facts was pending. A gold ring of the murdered constable was stolen from his body and was later sold. The ring has since been recovered confirming the interrogation report. He said the police will name the accused only after verifying the sale and some other clues which provide the otherwise missing link to the murder.

The constable Jasbir Singh was shot dead by suspected armed robbers early this month in urban estate. The constable had caught hold of one of the fleeing robbers in the colony, but was shot dead by the other robbers. The police had earlier been working on other theories, including family dispute and suicide.

The police said four persons, Varinder Kumar Vicky, Gulshan Kumar, Swaranjit and Naresh Kumar, were caught red-handed while looting a liquor vend near the city . The other five persons namely, Monu, Aman, Varinder Singh, Vikram Singh and Akshay Kumar were arrested when they were planning to attempt another robbery.

Paying fees a test of patience
From A Correspondent
LUDHIANA

Time: 11.30 a.m.
Place: Government College for Women
Problem: Paying of college fees
Background : The students of BA IInd year will roll numbers beginning from 1800 have to deposit their fees by the afternoon, or else they will either have to pay Rs 100 as fine or they will not be allowed to take the terminal examinations. The problem is compounded because another series beginning from 1900 is also added. A hundred students of the first series and a hundred students of the second series have to deposit the fees. Since the students of the 1900 series were not aware of the fact that they had to pay the fees, they had to go home and get the money. The students formed the line at 7.30 a.m., much before the counter opened. The clerk taking the fees opened the window at 9 a.m. Till 11 o’clock hardly a few students had paid the fees for the clerk kept on shutting the window and disappearing every a few minutes. Hence, the line moved at a snail’s pace.

Reactions : The students of IInd year were exasperated. Neeru said, “I do not know how long we will have to wait to pay the fees.” Kanav, Shilpa and Shobha said, “We have been here for two hours and I think we will have to spend two more hours before our fees is deposited. Every time, it is the same story.” Nivi Jaswal also reacted very sharply to the inordinate time the depositing of the fee took. She said they had to miss a lot of periods in order to pay the fees. Rohini corroborated her statement and said there were many windows, but only one clerk was employed to collect the fee. If more windows were opened and two more people employed, the whole job could finish within two hours. Some of the students were eating their lunch standing in the line itself. They reported that it was a regular feature and they were sick to their teeth about this mode of depositing their fees.

This correspondent also stood in the line and finally after one hour reached the counter window. The clerk irritably told her she would be able to take the fees of everyone by 3 o’clock. When this correspondent broke this news to the students they were very skeptical, for by experience they knew that counter window would close by 1.30 for lunch and it was already 1 o’clock.

Solution : There should be 3-4 counters for the collection of fees so that the time of the students can be saved. So far, all the requests to the Principal to simplify this procedure have had no effect. She has shown her helplessness in this matter.

The Principal could not be contacted as she was busy in a farewell party hosted by the staff to bid farewell to one of their staff members.

COMMUNITY

Youth Congress protest against J&K killings
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — Hundreds of Youth Congress activists, led by Mr Pawan Dewan, national president of the Indian Youth Congress Urban Development Cell, today staged a demonstration to protest against the killings of innocent people in Jammu and Kashmir. They also submitted a memorandum to the President, demanding resignation of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister for their “failure to provide security to the people” and also said that the Jammu and Kashmir Government led by Dr Farooq Abdullah should be dismissed.

Shouting slogans against Pakistan and demanding that it should be declared a terrorist state, the Youth Congress activists started from the District Congress Committee office and concluded at Clock Tower, where they burnt an effigy of Pakistani military ruler General Parvez Musharraf.

Voicing the concern over the increased violence in the state, particularly after the announcement of the ceasefire, the memorandum said, “this is to bring to your notice the serious problem arising out of the increased terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Of late, the terrorists have intensified their campaign not only against the security personnel and the army but also the innocent and unarmed civilians. Surprisingly, our government at the Centre, has been committing one mistake after another. The recently announced ceasefire by the Prime Minister is a grave blunder. The militants have already taken advantage of the situation. By announcing unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir, the Government of India has committed a serious blunder. The militants recently killed five truck drivers and five innocent civilians in Kishtwar area and the security personnel have their hands tied.

While condemning the militants for their dastardly acts of targeting innocent civilians it also criticised the National Democratic Alliance government for its weak approach towards the problem. The memorandum noted with concern, “that the BJP had always claimed to adopt a tough stance against militancy. But when they came to power they have proved the most weak and inefficient for running the country.

The IYC demanded that the Governors rule should be imposed in Jammu and Kashmir as the state government had failed in its duty to ensure safety and security of the people. It said, “The security forces should be given full powers. The Government of India may be asked to withdraw the unilateral ceasefire, as it may have serious repercussions on the morale of the security forces who are putting at stake their life for the security of the country”.

Prominent among those who participated in the dharna included secretary Pradesh Congress Committee Mr K.K. Bawa, Akshay Bhanot, chairman DYC Urban Develop-ment, Nirmal Kiara, Rockey Bansal, Ashwani Garg, Sudhir Sayal, Kran Kalia and Raj Kumar Sahota.

SPEAKING OUT
Are present-day kids brighter?
From Minna Zutshi

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — It is a familiar sight to see tiny tots starting a computer game at the click of a mouse. They can operate the latest electronic gizmos with ease. They can access information at the press of a button.

Are the techno-savvy kids of the present generation more intelligent? (It may be mentioned here that intelligence refers to the mental ability, including learning ability, problem-solving ability and the capacity for abstract thinking).

Ludhiana Tribune spoke to a cross-section of the people to know their views on the issue.

Dr Mahli, a PAU scientist, says: “Today’s children are definitely more intelligent. Just take a look at the way they operate electronic gadgets of different kinds. There is no awkwardness in their movements. Nothing seems to unnerve them. Kids as young as four years “chat and make net pals” with astonishing ease. I think that technological advances have a lot to do with this. What were considered to be unique innovations for the older generation are just ordinary things for the present generation.

In the opinion of Mr Kulwant Singh, a retired engineer, “Children these days are more knowledgeable. There are no two views about it. But if you say that they are more intelligent, I have my reservations about it. Today, children are bombarded with a host of messages from diverse channels. Where is the time for them to assimilate those messages? And knowledge, unless understood and assimilated, remains at best half-baked. The new generation has neither the time nor the inclination to stop and savour, to reflect over what they receive passively through different media channels. For them, it is just a non-stop jamboree into the world of technology.”

Mr Singh added emphatically: "A modern child is just a passive recipient of collated information and not a discerning knowledge seeker.”

According to Prasad T, an export manager, “Nowadays the trend is towards small families in which child is the nucleus around whom the entire family revolves. In fact, marketing research has shown that children are the major decision makers.”

Ms Vineeta Sood, a home-maker, is of the view that our society is undergoing a metamorphosis. Parents take keen interest in the development of their child’s mental faculties. Authoritarian parents belong to a bygone era; today’s parents are friendly and understanding. This makes possible the full flowering of a child’s personality. That is why the children of the present times are better informed and more intelligent.

“When I look at my school-going cousins, I feel as if aeons separate us, even though our age difference is just of a few years. My cousins are better acquainted with facts and figures. But I would surely score over them in creativity and understanding,” remarks Marzeena, a postgraduate in English.

Dr Achla Seth thinks that children these days are a lot more intelligent as compared to the children of the 70s and 80s. She gives the whole credit for this to the media and technology. She says: “Children nowadays not only have a higher IQ (intelligence quotient), they also have a much higher EQ (emotional quotient). They are adept at managing relationships. They appear confident even while dealing with elders."

Jasbir Singh, a driver, says: “I am amazed to see my employer’s three-year-old daughter rattling off names of different cars at one go. Yes, children are more intelligent today. But I feel that there is a public school bias in the whole thing. Why is intelligence so skewed in favour of public school educated, rich middle class children?”

Alarming rise in road mishaps
From Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — Three persons are killed in road accidents every week in the Ludhiana police district. Besides, four others are seriously injured in these mishaps.

In the first 10 months of the current year, as many as 136 persons have lost their lives while 155 others have been injured. As many as 145 persons were killed and 186 were injured between January 1 and October 30 last year.

These figures are alarming and indicate that road accidents alone account for more than four

times of all other unnatural deaths covered by the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

Interestingly, there are fewer deaths in road accidents in the old city which is congested. More fatal accidents take place on State and National Highways passing through the city.

Though traffic police has identified vulnerable points, the incidence of serious accidents has either decreased slightly or remained the same. If the number of such cases was 264 in 1999, they came down slightly to 231 this year. Of these, 138 cases pertained to fatal accidents in 1999 and 129 in 2000. These fatal accident cases are registered under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code. The remaining cases, covered under Sections 279, 337 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code numbered 126 in 1999 and 102 this year.

In almost the entire old and walled city and some of the busy areas, including Old GT Road, Civil Lines, the movement of vehicular traffic is very slow thus eliminating chances of any fatal or serious accident.

Vulnerable to road accidents in general and fatal accidents in particular are the new localities along the state and national highways. For example, a stretch of GT Road from Sherpur byepass chowk to Sahnewal chowk on one side and new Sabzi Mandi Road on the other and Ferozepore Road from Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar intersection to Mullanpur.

A look at the figures reveals that August, September and October witness a steep increase in road fatalities. Last year 57 persons died on the city roads while 48 others were injured in the mishaps while during the same period this year, 43 persons lost their lives while 41 others were injured on roads in Ludhiana.

Ludhiana has witnessed a major explosion in vehicle population. The district has now 5.20 lakh vehicles registered. In the absence of any local public transport system, three- wheelers, in Buses and maxicabs meet the transportation requirements of the commuters.

Most of the 15,000 autorickshaws in the town are unauthorised or do not conform to the safety norms prescribed under the Motor Vehicles Act. None of the autorickshaws in the district is fitted with a fare meter.

A survey revealed that most of these "cheap mode transport vehicles" run on indigenously designed diesel engines and are also a major source of pollution and traffic hazards on the road for they can stop anywhere even in the middle of a road, to pick or drop a passenger, at the cost of the movement of the vehicular traffic.

Another major contributor to road accidents is cycle rickshaw. In the absence of any municipal enforcement of law governing plying of rickshaws within the municipal limits, their number has been multiplying. According to rough estimates there are more than 35,000 cycle rickshaws in Ludhiana city alone. None of these vehicles conform to redundant rickshaw bylaws. None of them carries any reflector or lamps at night. There are no licenses for rickshaw drivers or pullers.

Both police and municipal authorities admit that cycle rickshaws and autorickshaws are a major indirect cause of accidents but in the larger public interest, no action could be initiated against them until an alternate, reliable and safe public transport system was in their place.

The Ludhiana Police chief, Mr Kuldeep Singh, maintains that action against cycle rickshaws could be taken only by the Municipal Corporation. "A proposal to close certain roads to slower traffic," he said," was discussed at various district level meetings but no decision has been taken as yet."

He says that the district is expecting an additional strength of 200 policemen for manning vehicular traffic in the city. "The city has been growing rapidly and new localities are coming up. The population of vehicles, too, is multiplying," he says, agreeing that the system of grant of driving license needs to streamlined and tightened.

The Commissioner of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, says that a number of steps have been taken by the civic body to ease congestion on roads by constructing new flyovers, widening of existing roads besides starting of work on several new projects.

Dr Sandhu said that a major traffic bottleneck was location of bus stand in the town. A 654 m long flyover with a carriage-way width of 7.5 m on either at a cost of Rs 9.51 crore is now under construction at Dhuri Rail Line. Another flyover from national Highway 1 to Focal Point at Dhandari Kalan, which will be 982 metres long with a carriageway width of 12.86 metre is under construction at a cost of Rs 12.84 crore.

Work on the proposed elevated road, the first of its kind in North India, from Jagraon Bridge to Chand Cinema, intersection will begin in January next year. The elevated road, with two separate carriagways of 7.5 m width each, would be supported on single pier of 4 m width, would be 2.5 km long and would cost Rs 38 crore, Dr Sandhu said.

Similarly, work on the construction of flyover in place of existing "Lakkar Pul", which has been pending for the past several years, and construction of bridges on Sidhwan Canal at Gill Road intersection, on Pakhowal Road intersection and on backside of Guru Nanak Public School, Sarabha Nagar, have been undertaken to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic as existing bridges were for one-way traffic only.

All roads linking Ludhiana with other cities — Ferozepore, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Patiala — besides Pakhowal Road and Gill Road have been converted into dual carriageways, Dr sandhu added.

SPEAKING OUT

Mr Shamsher Singh Atwal, a leading lawyer, wants that "causing death by rash and negligent driving" be made non-bailable for professional drivers and for other category of drivers,say amateur drivers, it should continue to be "bailable".

For drivers of commercial vehicles like trucks, matadors and buses and those who earn their livelihood through driving, it should be made "non-bailable offence", opines Mr Atwal, saying that an amateur driver should not be covered by this suggested amendment, for many of the accidents involving "amateur drivers" are unintentional and at times because of factors not under the control of the driver of the killer vehicle.

Mr Atwal, however, supports the police contention that power of compounding offences should be given to it. "The courts are overcrowded with work. The State Government can notify the quantum of fine for various offences. Once this is done, those challaned can go to the Traffic Police Lines, pay the fine and get their documents released. It is a welcome step and must be approved," adds Mr Atwal.

CROREPATI POLICE

The Ludhiana Traffic Police is "crorepati". In the first 10 months of the current calendar year, it has realised a crore of rupees as fine from various traffic violations in the city, says Mr S.S. Bhatti, Superintendent of Police (Traffic).

Following directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the police has launched a drive to challan all those four-wheeler drivers who do not use "safety belts" while driving their vehicles. This direction came in the first week of October.

"Initially we tried to educate people and convinced them it was in their interest to wear the safety belt while driving. Afterwards we started challaning those who refuse to wear safety belts. So far we have challaned 540 people for not wearing safety belts," said M Bhatti.

At present, Ludhiana Traffic Police has a strength of 200, including a Superintendent of Police, one Deputy Superintendent and one Inspector.

"If the proposal of the district police comes through", says Mr Kuldeep Singh, its Senior Superintendent , "we will get additional 200 men and officers for regulating traffic in the district. Once we get additional manpower, we will be able to do much better and minimise fatalities on the road."

Space beneath flyover is virtually a dustbin
From Shivani Bhakoo

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — The Ludhiana bus- stand flyover has been operational for more than eight months, providing relief to the people from traffic jams, but the filth accumulating beneath the flyover has virtually converted the entire area into a huge dustbin. Heaps of dirt and filth can be seen all around.

On the other hand, encroachments have already started in the area, even though it is less than a year since the flyover became operational.

The underside of the bridge has been converted into an auto-stand, rickshaw-stand and mini bus-stand, with a variety of rehris all around. It is a place where one can see variety of animals, drug addicts, eve-teasers and beggars all together.

Sham Singh, who drives an autorickshaw since 1986, said that the auto-stand has been approved by the government. However, it is not maintained. “It is the laparvah attitude of the Municipal Corporation and we cannot do anything” he added, while expressing his resentment over non-maintenance.

Sham Singh pointed out that the bus-stand is the most crowded place in every city, but here in Ludhiana poor maintenance has further added to the difficulties of the people. The facilities are negligible. There are no signboards anywhere. They are not even aware of the main gate of the bus-stand due to lack of any sign-post. Everything is messed up — autos, rickshaws, mini-buses and pedestrians. He revealed, “You are not sure where from a huge bus will emerge in front of you and you will need to apply emergency brakes”.

Jagtar, another auto driver complained that the place was surrounded by building material all around. There are bricks, sand, dirt and garbage everywhere. He said: “We stand here for more than ten hours. I am used to the dirt and filth. One usually suffers with push-ups and jerks while driving”. He said, “these are the busy roads and should be well maintained”.

Jagtar also said that more than 4000 people visit the place everyday. People have set up dhabas, which are surrounded by dogs and cows. Neta Ram (not his real name) has a tea stall and sells some eatables also. When asked whether the eatables were hygienic, he retorted: “If I will close down my business, someone else would come. But the main problem is that of the dirt and filth all around, for which we should not to be blamed. Ask the authorities. Why are they not maintaining it properly?”

Sanjay Kumar, who works at a juice shop, said: “Sometimes there is so much smell that it even affects our clientele. You can see people relieving themselves everywhere. They are not even bothered that it is a public place”.

Small children begging at every nook and corner add to the prevailing chaos. The drivers of the vehicles coming and going out said, they had to drive meticulously to ensure that no untoward tragedy takes place as one never knows where from these children may come.

Chrysanthemum show begins
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — An exhibition-cum-sale of chrysanthemum, known as autumn queen, started here today. The exhibition is being organised by the Landscape Division of Estate Organisation, Punjab Agricultural University, in collaboration with the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping in the Open Air Theatre of the university. Hundreds of people thronged the venue to puchase flowers.

About 3,000 flowers of over 52 varieties belonging to different classes of chrysanthemum were displayed in the exhibition.The prominent varities included snowball(white), kikubiori(yellow), cassa grande(white), yellow delight (yellow), queen of temlec (yellow), monteneir (yellow), pink giant, pink parasole, kango-ku-kango, pink cloud, Punjab gold and ratlam.

The exhibition was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr G S Kalkat. Giving details of the exhibition, Mr Raghubir Singh, Estates Officer, PAU, briefed the audience on the background and the objectives of the chrysanthemum exhibition. Dr H. S.Grewal, Assistant Landscaping Officer, explained the propagation methods and production technology of the chrysanthemum. Dr J. S. Arora, Head, Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, gave details of the commercial background of chrysanthemum in Punjab.

The exhibition will continue for two days.

Employment office refutes charges
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — The District Employment Officer, Mrs Daljit Inder, has condemned certain functionaries of the Nationalist Congress Party who had levelled allegations of irregularities in the employment exchange through a press note, carried in these columns November 26.

Terming the charges as false and baseless in a rejoinder issued today, she said the working of the department was transparent and immediate action would be taken if specific complaints were received.

CRIME

Wife, lover arrested for man’s murder
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — The Basti Jodhewal Police today arrested a woman and her alleged lover on the charges of killing Joginder Singh , the woman’s husband, about four months ago.

Joginder Singh was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in Subash Nagar.

The police worked on several theories and later investigation by the CIA wing found that the man’s wife Bhajan Kaur and her alleged lover Parkash Aulanga had conspired to kill Joginder Singh.

Though no post-mortem was conducted the police says it has concrete evidence of the crime. A case under Sections 302 has also been registered against the two accused.

Mangal Singh brother of the deceased had also lodged a complaint with the police alleging the hands of his sister-in-law and her alleged lover in the mysterious death of his brother.

In his complaint he said the couple used to fight over objectionable relationship sister-in-law. 

Four injured in attack
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 29 — Four persons were injured, one of them seriously, when about 12 persons armed with sharpedged weapons attacked the office of a coloniser near Chhuharpur Road in Haibowal area of the city here today afternoon.

The injured have been admitted to the DMC Hospital. Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, they have alleged dubious role played by the police. Tejinder Singh, one of the accused, alleged that his uncle, Captain Singh, owner of the Rajan Estate property dealers shop, was attacked by some persons last night. Strangely the attack on the shop occurred when the owner was present in the Haibowal police station to lodge a complaint against the attackers. He also alleged that though they had named the attackers yet no persons had been arrested so far.

He said the attackers had been constantly threatening him and his uncle, but the police have yet to take action against any of them. He alleged that due to the laxity of the police, the guts of the alleged persons had grown considerably which ultimately made them bold enough to attack.

Mr Harmanbir Singh, DSP, said the police was investigating the case and assured that due action would be taken against the culprits.