The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Power cable theft plunges 22 villages in darkness
Power supply restoration to take two days
By Nishikant Dwivedi

PERCH (Kharar), Jan 18 — Twenty-two Punjab villages adjoining Chandigarh with a population of about one lakh, including Nayagaon, Janta Colony, Karoran, Nada, Perch and Kansal, were plunged into darkness when a gang of thieves stole 1250 metres of aluminum overhead electric high-tension cable, worth Rs 1.5 lakh, late last night.

It was only this morning that villagers realised the reason for their ordeal. Water supply was also disrupted. Normalisation of power and water supply might take a couple of days, sources in Punjab State Electricity Board said. At least 10 poles were damaged and 3 were uprooted. Sources said it would take three days to restore power supply.

The thieves were reportedly 8 to 10 in number and had come on a Tata 407 truck covered with a dark-coloured tarpaulin. They reportedly first switched off the 11,000-volt power supply from an electric pole. Then they cut the aluminum cable with a cutter and bundled the cable in their truck.

One of the eyewitnesses, an employee of Swaraj Tractors, who was returning from his place of work, said, “I saw a Tata 407 truck covered with a dark-coloured tarpaulin parked near the electricity pole near the road where it gets divided into two, one going to Jayanti Devi temple and the other to Perch village. It was dark, but with the headlight of my motorcycle on, I saw at least eight persons. When my motorcycle neared them, they boarded the truck and the truck started moving towards Jayanti Majari village. The moment I turned towards Perch, the truck returned to its original position. Being alone, I did not dare to ask them about their activities and moved towards my village.”

The other eyewitness, a resident of Jayanti Majari village, said, “One of the thieves climbed up the pole and switched off the power supply. He probably cut the cable with a cutter. In the meantime, three of them ran towards another pole about 1500 feet away. The next moment the cable fell on the ground, with two poles falling along with it. One of them cut the cable on the other end, dragging it to one place. They made a roll of it and were gone in the truck within minutes.”

Asked how such a long cable could be rolled in a few minutes, an electricity department official said, “The wires are stretched very tight between two poles and if one cuts the wire on one pole, the impact is so large that next three to four poles give in to the impact.” There were marks of the cable in the nearby fields, showing that the wires were dragged to a common point.

The Mullanpur police has registered a case under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code. The police said the theft was possibly committed by persons who had technical knowledge about power supply and also knew how to save themselves from the being electrocuted. A few days ago, a person was electrocuted while trying to steal a transformer in Dhanas village, about 10 km from the site.

This is the second such incident in the area in six months. In a similar incident six months ago, thieves had stolen power cable from the 66 KV substation at Mullanpur village. Punjab police sources said an organised gang was engaged in such thefts.

Facts at a glance

* 1,250 m of cable worth Rs 1.5 lakh stolen

* More than 1 lakh persons affected

* Water supply disrupted

* Technical staff baffled

Ex-SP’s son kills man
Political rivalry alleged
By Bipin Bhardwaj

ZIRAKPUR, Jan 18 — A 62-year-old resident of Nabha village, situated on the Zirakpur-Patiala highway, was reportedly shot dead from a close range by son of a retired Superintendent of Punjab police in broad daylight, here today. “Old political rivalry” between the two families is being cited as the reason behind the crime.

The victim, Swaroop Singh, had gone to the village flour mill at about 5.15 p.m. when he was allegedly fired upon by Tarlochan Singh of the same village. Tarlochan Singh, claim sources, is an employee of Punjab National Bank’s branch in Sector 22, Chandigarh.

Till the filing of the report, no case was registered by the police against the accused. Agitated villagers, according to sources in the Police Department, were not allowing the police to remove the body till the FIR was lodged and the accused arrested.

Retired from the Punjab State Electricity Board as a lineman, Swaroop Singh had gone to the chakki.

The residents who had gathered at the spot said that heated arguments took place between Tarlochan Singh and Swaroop Singh resulting in the shootout. This all happened because of political rivalry between the two families, they alleged.

Narrating the sequence of events, the residents on the condition of anonymity, said after the arguments Tarlochan Singh, accompanied by some other persons, threatened the victim with dire consequences before rushing to his house. He then picked up his double barreled gun.

After chasing the victim, who was riding a bicycle, Tarlochan found Swaroop Singh, hiding in a fodder shed in front of the house belonging to Mr Niranjan Singh.

Mr Jasbir Jassi, son of the victim, alleged that the accused dragged his father who was hiding behind bags of fodder from the shed and fired shots on the right side of his chest. The bullet pierced the chest and he died on the spot.

He said that his father had been fired upon eight years ago also due to some dispute. He added that a court case was also pending against the accused.

Soon after the incident, message was flashed to the Banur police station and police reached the spot after about two hours of the incident. Mr R.K. Sharma, DSP, Rajpura, reached the spot and directed the cops to collect blood samples and search for the cartridges.

The Tribune team visiting the spot found the body in a pool of blood. Swaroop Singh’s relatives were consoling the grief stricken family. Hundreds of the villagers had also gathered at the spot.

Meeting deferred decision on all vital issues
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — The proposed enhancement of supervision charges of water meters in the amended water bylaws was not passed following objections raised by members at the first meeting of the Finance and Contract Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh under the new Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal. However, the proposal with regard to extending the last date for replacing defective water meters to march 31, 2001, and waving the penalty of double charges till then was passed.

Besides this, various issues, including the controversial issue pertaining to relocation of nurseries, review of the policy on operation of the cable network, management of community centres through public participation, privatisation of public toilets and streetlights and granting land adjoining hotels on annual lease, were deferred. The meeting, which lasted three hours, however, is reported to have discussed some of these issues.

It is pertinent to mention that the proposal to extend the last date for replacing defective water meters to March 31 in view of the public demand was recommended by Ms Ranjana Shahi, former Chairperson of the Water Supply and Sewerage Disposal Committee, last year. She had sought that the penalty of imposing double charges on those who failed to do so should also be waved till then.

Ms Shahi opposed the proposal of enhancing the supervision charges for water meters and the same was subsequently not passed. She pointed out that for a half-inch meter, which is the normal size of domestic meters, the proposed charges are Rs 2.50 against the existing 50 paise and this would on an average increase the service charges by nearly five times. It may be recalled that the Mayor had, on taking over the charge, specified that he would strive to reduce the water charges in public interest and the proposed enhancement of service charges is contrary to the same. The proposal with regard to reducing the installation charges for tubewells was also deferred.

On the issue of relocation of nurseries a consensus was almost reached by members that the nurseries should be vacated from the acquired land, but the Mayor deferred the same without giving any specific reason, it is learnt. The UT Administration had almost 10 years ago acquired about 60 acres for nurseries between the rail track and the road leading from Railway Chowk to Kishangarh. Ms Shahi said that while, on one hand, a proposal was being mooted to exempt them from vacating this prime land worth crores, thousands of poor people were being rendered homeless on the other hand. This was also affecting the development and planning of Mani Majra.

Sources revealed that since the Chief Engineer, Mr Puranjit Singh, left the meeting for over an hour to attend another meeting, technical issues pertaining to privatisation of streetlight, revision of the cable network policy and fixing of ground rent charges, and management of community centres through public participation were deferred. On the issue of transfer of maintenance and operation of public toilets and mobile toilet vans, it was decided in principle that the same be handed over to the sanitation consultancy service since it had offered the best terms, but the same was also deferred for want of some information by a member, Mr R.K. Aggarwal.

The members, however, approved the proposal to provide built-up booths to taxi-stand owners in accordance with the policy of the Administration. However, the same were to be provided, subject to the availability of funds. Taking up the issue of poor response to the auction of taxi stands, Ms Shahi pointed out that this was due to the fact that the taxi operators had not been evicted from these stands and that adequate measures should be taken to ensure the success of the auction after getting the same evicted at the earliest.

The committee also passed provision of streetlights on the newly constructed central verge on the V3 road between Sectors 21 and 22 at an estimated cost of Rs 3.58 lakhs. The draft bylaws, CMC (Regulation for the sale of meat and meat products, fish and fish products and poultry and poultry products), had been approved. By making it mandatory for them to obtain a licence and imposing a penalty, the MC will now be able to tighten its noose on all those engaged in the business.

The issue whether the land adjoining the hotels in the city could be given to the owners on annual lease was also discussed, but was deferred since legal opinion was sought on the same.

The members appreciated the efforts of the enforcement staff who work on Sundays and holidays to remove encroachments, collect festival and other charges from the scooter/car bazars.

The expenditure of Rs 32,000 incurred by the MC on the farewell lunch of the former Adviser, Mrs Vineeta Rai, was approved even though some member expressed reservations of the same being on the higher side. The purchase of a hydraulic boomladder at an estimated cost of Rs 14,65,000 was also passed for the repair of streetlights in the city. However, all this is subject to the final approval of the House.

Besides this, the condemnation of MC vehicles was approved and allotment of about half-an-acre land to the Nirankari Mandal for its bhavan was referred to the House. However, the agenda items pertaining to fixation of reserve price of commercial property to be auctioned in Mani Majra and widening of the road north of Ram Darbar would be taken up at the next meeting.

The meeting, which started at 3.10 p.m. with all the seven members present, had only three by the time it finished a little after 6 p.m. Besides the Mayor and the Commissioner, Mr M.P. Singh, Ms Ranjana Shahi was present till the very end. While Mr R.S. Kailey and Mrs Surya Pandit left at about 4.30 p.m.; Mr O.P. Goyal was the next to leave at about 5 p.m. and Mr R.K. Aggarwal left at 5.30 p.m.

Defacement issue
No ban on banners: Bassi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — Ending the controversy over the defacement issue, the Chandigarh police today clarified that action would not be taken against shopkeepers hanging banners in front of their establishments.

Denying the allegations of harassment to shopkeepers and traders, the Inspector General of Chandigarh Police, Mr Bhim Sain Bassi, when contacted, said the cops had no objection if the banners in front of the shops were not hiding vital public information.

Giving details of the drive recently launched by the police, the IGP claimed that action was being taken only against advertisers sticking circulars, notices and handbills on sign boards, road signs, sector guide maps, besides bus stops and other places where public information had been scribbled.

Claiming to be serious about enforcing the West Bengal Prevention of Defacement of Property Act as extended to Chandigarh, the IGP added that the police was empowered to book the defacers.

Refuting the allegations of the police and the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh to be at loggerheads, the IGP said the MC authorities had no objection in their carrying out the drive.

A controversy, it may be recalled, was triggered after the Traders’ Association complained to the city Mayor that they were being harassed by the cops. The traders had alleged that they were being booked even though permission to hang banners had been granted by the authority concerned.

Taking up their complaint, the Mayor had reportedly asked the police not to interfere and to proceed only after consulting the MC and the UT Estate Office.

Certain BJP councillors had, however, criticised the Mayor for levelling allegations of harassment against the local police. Speaking in favour of the drive, former Mayor and BJP councillor, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, had reportedly claimed that checking defacement was in the interest of the public. The police should, however, be more careful, he had reportedly asserted.

The senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Gurcharan Dass Kala, on the other hand, had insisted that the Mayor, being the “first citizen of the city” was “empowered to comment on issue of public interest”.

The decision to act against the defacers is significant as the police had received a “large number of complaints” against the concealment of information under the posters and bills.

Several letters terming as “eye sores” the worn and torn handbills, glued to the market pillars all over the “City Beautiful”, had also appeared in the newspapers.

The violators, according to sources in the Police Department, were liable to be fined Rs 500 to Rs 1000 or sentenced to simple imprisonment for three months in default of payment.

13 persons died of AIDS last year
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — Thirteen persons with full-blown AIDS died in the three city hospitals — PGI, GMCH, and General Hospital, Sector 16 — during 2000. Out of these, 11 were males and two females. In 1999, eight persons (six males and two females) had succumbed to the killer disease in the city hospitals.

Incidentally, the three medical institutions admitted 125 full-blown cases of AIDS, last year. A state-wise break-up showed that 56 belonged to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh had 18, Haryana 21, Chandigarh 8, Uttar Pradesh 8 and 14 to other states. In the past six years, the number of HIV positive cases have almost trippled in the city.

From the first HIV positive case detected in 1987, the sero positive cases detected under the voluntary testing and counselling in the UT, in 2000, has risen to a staggering 1894. Out of these, 130 are from the city itself.

Compare it to the official surveillance data available till August 31,2000. Till mid-2000, the number of HIV positive cases from Chandigarh was 110. During the past six months, 20 new cases were added to the existing figures.

The figures were revealed by the Project Director of the State AIDS Control Society, Dr N.M. Sharma, in an ongoing nurses’ training programme in the General Hospital. Experts felt that these figures were not the true representative of the situation as at times people preferring anonymity registered false addresses. Moreover, Chandigarh figures represents, part of the cases, from the neighbouring states as well.

The state-wide break-up of the HIV positive cases found by the surveillance centre of the PGI revealed that out of these 346 cases, 186 were from Punjab, 57 from Haryana, 41 from Himachal Pradesh and 23 from Chandigarh. Forty cases were from other states.

HIV infects 3.7 million Indians and no state is free from the most complex epidemic that the world has ever faced. However, compared to the states like Tamil Nadu, which according to the figures released by the National AIDS Control Programme (NACO), recorded 8570 cases of AIDS in 2000, Maharashtra (3726), Manipur (726) and Madhya Pradesh (620), the northern states recorded lesser cases.

In Chandigarh, 238 cases were reported, Punjab (131), Haryana (48), Himachal Pradesh (40) and Jammu and Kashmir (2). NACO has reported 16722 cases of AIDS in India in the year 2000.

The global estimates of the HIV/AIDS as of end of 2000 showed 5.3 million people were newly infected with the virus as compared to 5.4 million in 1999. Incidentally, figures revealed that western countries including parts of Africa as well, had now achieved a plateau with almost the same number of people being infected by the virus every year.

Number of people living with HIV/AIDS from 34.3 million in 1999 has now increased to 36.1. There million deaths were recorded the world over last year, taking the total number of deaths since the beginning of the epidemic to 21.8 million. The dreaded disease has left as many as 13.2 million orphans.

Civil-military liaison must: Badal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today emphasised the need of effective coordination and synergy between the Army, civil administration, paramilitary forces and police for combating internal and external threats and to ensure peace, security and wellbeing of the people.

Inaugurating the Civil Military Liaison Conference-2001 (CML) at Chandi Mandir near here today, Mr Badal said Punjab was the most important state with very sensitive towns close to the international border and our adversary was continuously making efforts to vitiate the atmosphere.

CML is held annually to discuss matters of mutual interest and to sort out any differences which have cropped up between the Army and government agencies. Unlike as in the past, this year separate conferences are being organised with each state falling within the geographical jurisdiction of the Western Command. Top functionaries from the Western Command and the Punjab Government, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director-General of Police, Corps Commanders and senior BSF officers attended the conference.

Mr Badal recalled that he had accompanied the Prime Minister to Lahore and inspite of promise of friendship and establishment of cordial relations, Pakistan had betrayed our country. Referring to the Kargil conflict, he said our jawans performed magnificently and many jawans from Punjab sacrificed their lives, he said, adding that many more had died in the aftermath of Kargil due to the proxy war. The Chief Minister said his government was committed to the welfare of these brave sons and making sincere efforts to look after their families.

The Chief Minister said Pakistan, knowing very well that it could not match our economic or military power, has been continuously on the lookout for weakness in our social structure and has exploited these in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country. He said that joint and concerted efforts were, therefore, very essential to cope with the challenges posed by the neighboring country.

Mr Badal said India was on the threshold of becoming an economic and military power and “we must ensure peace and stability both externally as well as internally”. He said Punjab was one of the most progressive and dynamic states of the country and the defence forces and civil administration must ensure that all threats, like external enemy or internal elements or even against situations like poverty, fundamentalism, drug trafficking and communalism, be dealt with effectively.

Lauding the role of Western Command in the past years, the Chief Minister said the officers and jawans of the command were in the forefront in many activities to help civilian agencies in situations like train disasters, tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa, construction of bridges to connect remote border areas and preserve ecology at Harike wetlands. He appreciated the voluntary participation of the Western Command in development activities in the state.

Describing the Army, civil administration, paramilitary forces and police as extremely important pillars of a democratic society, Mr Badal said that perfect coordination and harmonious functioning amongst them is of paramount importance. A good rapport presently exist between them and hoped that “our relations will further improve to create an environment of total trust and cooperation”.

Mr Badal, while promising all possible help and support from the state and its people, assured the Army that all longstanding and unresolved issues between military and civil administration, including notification of field firing ranges, would be resolve through mutual dialogue in this conference.

Lt Gen Surjit Singh, GOC-in-C, Western Command, while welcoming the Chief Minister said the civil military liaison conference was aimed to discuss various issues relating to emerging security threats, disaster control, natural calamities and law and order situation. Giving a background of the security and geo-political environment and delving on Pakistan’s hostile agenda towards India, he said that “our defence forces are fully prepared to met all challenges of external threat from across the border and proxy war”.

He lauded the efforts of the Punjab government for looking after the wellbeing of the serving ex-servicemen and retired soldiers and families of the brave jawans who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country.

The Army Commander said that the Army had nearly completed the work on the Harike wetland to restore its glory. He urged the Chief Minister to raise an ecological Territorial Army unit to preserve the environmental heritage of the state.

Four police Inspectors shifted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — In yet another reshuffle, four Inspectors of the Chandigarh Police were today transferred within the city. The orders, passed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr B.S. Bassi, came into effect today itself.

According to the orders, Inspector Arjun Singh Jaggi, Station House Officer of the Sector 11 police station, and Inspector Satbir Singh, Station House Officer of the Sector 17 police station, have swapped places.

Inspector Jaswant Singh, with the Police Lines, has been transferred to the traffic, while Inspector Harbail Singh has been made in charge of the Guard after being transferred from traffic.

Inspector Om Parkash, posted at the Police Lines, has now been sent to the Law and Order Wing.

CRIME

Scooterist crushed to death
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — A 45-year-old employee of the UT Electricity Department, Gulshan Kumar Chopra, was crushed to death this evening when the scooter he was riding was hit by a speeding truck outside Colony Number 5.

Sources in the police department said Gulshan Kumar was a resident of Sector 45-D. They added that the driver of the truck, (HPK-5377) managed to escape from the spot leaving the vehicle behind.

Confirming the accident, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr S.C. Sagar, when contacted, said further investigation into the matter was on and the cops were on the lookout for the driver. He added that the accused was likely to be arrested soon.

Eve-teasers held
In a special drive, two city residents were arrested by the Chandigarh police for eve teasing at the Sector 17 Inter-State Bus Terminus. According to sources, the two have been identified as Narinder Singh of Sector 39 and Phuman Singh of Phase II in Ram Darbar. Two cases under Section 294 of the IPC have been registered against them.

Liquor seized
The Chandigarh police seized 24 bottles of rum, along with 98 pouches of country liquor, after arresting two persons from different parts of the city. According to sources in the police department, the rum was recovered from the possession of Surinder Kumar of Siwan district of Bihar, while the country liquor was recovered from the possession of Om Pal of Janta Colony in Sector 25. Sources added that two cases under the Excise Act had been registered against the two.

Theft from car
A Mani Majra resident complained to the police that a stereo, an air-conditioner and a battery were stolen from his car while it was parked in Neelam Cinema parking in Sector 17. The police has registered a case under Section 379 of the IPC and is investigating.

4 killed in road accident
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR, Jan 18 — Four persons were killed in a road accident involving a Contessa car and a truck on the Kharar-Morinda road, near Khanpur village, last night.

According to information received here, the car (CH-01P-7516) was coming from Morinda side, while the truck (HR 37A-0133) was going towards Morinda from Kharar side. According to the FIR, the accident occurred when the truck driver hit the car.

Residents of Khanpur reached the spot immediately and the police was informed.

All the four persons in the car died on the spot. The dead have been identified as Jang Singh, a resident of nearby Halalpur village, Dilbag Singh, head constable posted with the SP (Headquarters, Khanna), Didar Singh of Sector 26, Chandigarh, and Didar Singh of Kharar.

The Kharar police has registered a case under Sections 279 and 304-A, IPC, against Sanjiv, driver of the truck, who has absconded.

Duplicate mattresses seized, 2 held
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — Two shopkeepers, accused of selling duplicate mattresses, were booked by the Chandigarh police under the Copy Right Act late this evening.

The two — Ashok Kumar of Sector 39 and Naveen Aggarwal of Phase 4 in SAS Nagar — were booked on the complaint of Kurl-On Limited’s Area Sales Manager, Mr Sinish Pal Singh.

According to sources in the Police Department, the two were allegedly selling duplicate mattresses from kiosks in the furniture market situated on the road leading to Madanpura Chowk in SAS Nagar.

Sources added that a raid was conducted by the police and as many as 13 mattresses were allegedly sized from the possession of the two accused.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr S.C. Sagar, when contacted, said four mattresses were seized from Ashok Kumar, and nine from Naveen Aggarwal.

One held for stealing car
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 18 — In just over a week after a car was stolen from Sector 45, the Chandigarh police has reportedly caught the “thief” and recovered the “stolen” vehicle.

According to sources in the police department, Gurdeep Singh alias Dimple of Sector 45 was arrested on Wednesday and the car (CHK-3370) was also recovered. They said the case regarding the theft of the vehicle had been registered under Section 379 of the IPC on January 10.

A senior police official, when contacted, said the accused owned an electrical-goods shop in Burail village. He said the investigations were on and the police was likely to recover more stolen vehicles on the basis of the statement of the accused.