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| Thursday,
April 26, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Power cuts irk residents Ludhiana, April 25 With irregular power supply, officials of the PSEB express their helplessness while giving out any schedule for power cuts, claiming that power is being regulated directly from Patiala and the district officials have no clue about the power cuts. Officials at the Patiala head office maintain that the state is passing through a severe power crisis. “We are producing not even 2000 MW of power against the capacity of 2500 MW daily. There are no chances of improvement in power supply as the temperature has just started rising,” says a PSEB official. The district PSEB officials maintain that they have no control over the power cuts that are applied from Patiala. Citizens fail to buy the argument. Mr Amarjit Walia, a businessman, says the power cut lasts between 4 and 6 hours and is imposed when the public need is at the highest. The traffic jams at the crossings are unmanageable, he adds. The industry representatives say they are facing power restrictions during peak hours and also during daytime, resulting in production losses and profit margins. Industrialists add that frequent power cuts and breakdowns have virtually pushed the industry on the verge of collapse. They have demanded withdrawal of the monthly minimum charges with retrospective effect or to ensure 24-hour power supply to all categories of consumers. |
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‘Sale’ of degrees banned Ludhiana, April 25 In a letter written to the State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, Dr S.P.S. Bakshi, president, CCH, said that awarding BHMS degrees for Rs 5,000 could not be termed as “proper and legal”. Dr Bakshi said that under his direction, Dr Lalit Verma, secretary, CCH, addressed a letter to the Registrar, CHSM, which said that no state act/rule/regulations could overrule the provisions of the Central Act or the regulations made under the same. The Punjab Council was also, in the said letter, asked to withdraw the advertisements and to stop the award of honorary BHMS degrees. The president said that CCH had passed a resolution, terming the action of CHSM as ‘unlawful’, during a meeting of CCH on March 29 and 30, where the two members
representing Punjab, Dr P.S. Ranu and Dr Tejinder Pal Singh were also present. The CCH has also asked the Punjab Government about the line of action being taken by it on the matter. Meanwhile, the Homoeopathic Doctors of Punjab, in a memorandum given to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on April 22 at Ludhiana, have alleged serious irregularities in the working of the Homoeopathic Council of Punjab and have demanded an inquiry. It may be mentioned that the matter is already before the Punjab and Haryana High Court and a division bench comprising Justice J.L. Gupta and Justice N.K. Sud, have issued a notice of motion for September 13. The court also passed an order which said that “any order passed by the state council would abide by the final decision”. |
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Dullo takes govt to
task Mandi Gobindgarh, April 25 Launching a scathing attack on Mr Badal, he said the state government had failed to fulfil its promises. Mr Badal had levelled false allegations against the Congress, but had failed to get the matter inquired during his tenure, alleged Mr Dullo. Militants Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala and Amrik Singh Kauli had been provided shelter by Mr Badal and Tohra, respectively, he added. Mr Dullo demanded an inquiry by Supreme Court Judges into this matter. He was critical of the role of the BJP in the Vidhan Sabha, which favoured the resolution on Operation Blue Star and the 1984 killings in Delhi. The government did not pass any resolution condemning the killing of 25,000 innocent persons in the days of militancy, he stated. Militant Wassan Singh Zaffarwal was moving about in government vehicles and had openly supported the SAD(B) candidate in the Majitha byelection, he further said. |
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Rules flouted in Ranjit’s release Ludhiana, April 25 While special concessions were provided to him after turning and twisting the rules all through his period of conviction, he was released although the gates had already been closed and the attendance of the inmates had been marked. According to the jail manual, once the gates are closed, usually after the sun-set no person is allowed to enter into or exit from the jail. Nor can anyone be released after the gates are closed. Usually the gates are closed at sunset and the attendance is marked at that time. As the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court about his acquittal from murder charges reached the jail authorities at around 8.30 p.m. he was released instantly However, the jail authorities maintained that they received the orders before 8 p.m. much before the gates were closed and the attendance was marked. It is not for the first time that the rules were flouted. In fact his entire stay was made as comfortable as anyone can have at home. He was allowed to carry a cellular phone. And he was released on parole regularly. In fact the Punjab Government reportedly issued a special ordinance thereby extending the time of parole, which was done with obvious motives to favour him. |
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Priti Sapru unfolds her future plans Ludhiana, April 25 She attributes her success to Almighty and feels that she gets power and peace from the ‘Devi’. She has done many Punjabi films and has been the favourite of Punjabi film producers. She is actively involved in producing Punjabi
serials. Talking to the Press, she said her new serial ‘Phulkari’ was on the patterns of a news magazine and every episode would deal with different issues. She, her co-producer Jagdarshan Samra and director Pankaj Rana plan to bring the happenings of Bollywood before Punjabis in their mother tongue. The first episode of ‘Phulkari’ will go on air on May 3 and will feature Punjabi pop singer ‘Daler Mehndi’. The following episodes will show the recording of on location ‘shooting of different songs and movies.’ Her another serial ‘Sade Virse-Sade Log’ depicts the culture of Punjab and its people. She said,” Our children have good knowledge of film stars like Hrithik Roshan and other popular heroes, but it is sad that they do not know about their real heroes and their rich heritage. So through this programme, with active co-operation of persons like Parminder Sandhu , Paramjit Singh Sidhu, Prof Rajpal G. Singh and Harvinder Singh Khalsa and Pammi, I want to make Punjabis aware of their ‘virsa and log’. Ms Sushma Swaraj, Communication Minister, is doing promos of this serial which will be aired soon. She said, “I was very desirous of acting with Hema Malini. So I took up a role in ‘Maa Shakti’. I have already acted in 10 episodes” Her musical ‘Sur Sangam’ is also doing well. In a short span of time it has gained the 4th position in popularity chart. She is happy that her programmes are aired through Punjabi Doordarshan channel as she wants her programmes to reach to the rural people. Her another project aims to reach to the Punjabi women through a programme where Dr Trassi, a famous beautician, will answer the queries of women. Different episodes will deal with social problems , health, marital problems etc. She wants to stage ‘Loha Kut’, a famous play by Balwant Gargi in Mumbai. She says, “It is sad although the film industry is dominated by Punjabis, yet hardly any good Punjabi movies are being produced. I am vice-president of the IMPPA and people asks me why Punjabi movies are not being produced so frequently. There are many reasons. The Punjab Government does not give any subsidies, or tax exemptions. The saddest part is that the Punjab Government has not started any state awards to encourage actors. More over the producer does not get enough money when his film is shown on the television.” She said Mr Beant Singh had invited the doyens of film industry like
B.R. Chopra, Dharmendra, Raj Babbar and promised subsidies and monetary support, but unfortunately he died. The present government summoned K.D. Shourie, secretary of the IMPPA, from Mumbai and promised to give financial assistance by March 31, but did not live up to its promise. “Punjabi cinema is in doldrums and both government and Punjabi actors should contribute their mite to bring it up or it will perish,” she said. |
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Divergent views on proposed elevated road Ludhiana, April 25 Several associations of traders, shopkeepers and other commercial establishments in the commercial centres of Clock Tower, Mata Rani Chowk, Chaura Bazar and Railway Station Road have been vociferously opposing the project, describing it as ‘wasteful expenditure’ and one that would adversely affect the trade and commerce. Mr Mohinder Aggarwal, an electronic goods dealer and general secretary of Punjab Beopar Mandal, says that the elevated road is not needed and the MC should rather spend the huge amount of nearly Rs 40 crore on further expansion of the basic civic amenities like water supply and sewerage. The construction of the elevated road, he added, was bound to create more problems than it will solve, besides making a big dent in the scarce civic body funds. Mr Subhash Singla, Mr Ramesh Thapar and Mr Amarjit Singh, all shopkeepers in the Clock Tower area, agree with Mr Aggarwal. “All business and commercial activities will come to a total standstill during the period that construction work will continue, which will be disastrous for the shopkeepers.” Mr Singal said it appeared that the MC administration had a vested interest in the project due to which the top officials and the city Mayor were not prepared to see reason and to listen to the genuine problems of trade and commerce as a whole. However, Mr Gopal Syal, another businessman in the Bhadaur House Market does not feel the way others do. “The chaotic traffic conditions in the city call for radical changes and long-term planning and construction of flyovers is one way to bring some semblance of order.” The MC should go ahead with the project but at the same time the work should be completed in a time-bound and expeditious manner so that the problems faced by shopkeepers in the area should be curtailed to the bare minimum. He observed that the apprehension of shopkeepers over the project were misplaced and on the contrary if people had easier access to places like Clock Tower and Chaura Bazar after completion of elevated road, the business activity would get a boost. Mr Naresh K. Aggarwal, a tractor parts dealer in Chowk Mata Rani, expresses almost similar views. He also pleads that there should be easy access through stairs or ramps between the proposed elevated old and the Old GT Road beneath at reasonable distances for the use of shoppers and pedestrians. |
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MC’s garbage dump plan trounced Ludhiana, April 25 While two such garbage dumps have already been erected near PAU on Ferozepore Road and near the Khalsa College for Women in Ghumar Mandi, work is in progress, despite a court order restraining the civic body from doing so, in the main market of the posh Sarabha Nagar locality here. Ignoring the stiff resistance to the move by residents and shopkeepers, construction on the garbage dump was going on by the MC administration at a hectic pace when the ‘Ludhiana Tribune’ team visited the spot today. The private contractor, raising the structure, was not only violating the stay order granted by the court of Mr H.J.S. Tiwana on April 20, but his workmen had also arranged for a ‘kundi connection’ for a welding set from a nearby electric pole. The same was detected by PSEB employees, who seized the electric cable and welding set during the time ‘The Tribune’ team was at the spot. A large number of residents from nearby houses and members of Sarabha Nagar Shopkeepers Association had, in a memorandum, urged the MC authorities not to set up a garbage dump right in front of the market, on a stretch of green belt, which was earmarked for development as a park, with fountains and other accompaniments. The place selected for the garbage dump was most inappropriate, according to Mr Ajay Bector, who owns an ice-cream parlour in the market, since, for a number of eating joints in the vicinity, the garbage dump would become a permanent nuisance. Maj O.P. Anand, a resident, whose house faces the site of the garbage dump, was both upset and agitated. He said residents, as well as shopkeepers were being “punished” by the MC administration. “The garbage dump, is right in front of houses and shops, many of them eating houses, and will become a potential health hazard and a source of infection.” “Repeated pleas by shopkeepers to utilise the garbage containers, lying in another parking space a short distance from the market, for the camouflaged garbage dump, fell on deaf ears. The MC administration did not even respond to the offer by the shopkeepers that they would arrange for lifting of garbage from the market to the container and for the development of the green belt as a park on their own,” lamented Mr Bector. Another shopkeeper questioned the concept of setting up ‘garbage dumps’ with private participation. He said even though the MC was not spending any money on the project, the private contractor was allegedly making a lot of money for putting up advertisement boards. They also alleged that the contractor must be keeping MC officials in ‘good humour’ for having given him a “free hand”. Several residents of the area pointed out that using garbage dumps for putting up huge posters and publicity messages was also in gross violation of the rulings of the Apex Court on hoardings and advertisement sign-boards. |
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Traders block traffic Mandi Gobindgarh, April 25 It is worth mentioning that yesterday a steel rolling mill owner Gurdial Singh had died on the spot and two persons, including an ASI Manvir Singh, were seriously injured when a speeding truck hit them. Blockade was lifted after an assurance by Mr Inderjit Singh Randhawa, SP(H) and the SDM, Amloh, Mr Rakha Singh Jangu ,that in future the police and the District Transport Department would not check the vehicles in crowded city areas. Mr Ashok Singhi, president, Steel Chamber of Commerce, said that due to the checking in the crowded areas by the traffic police, drivers of the vehicles tend to increase the speed of their vehicles so as to evade checking which had increased the numbers of accidents in the city many fold. |
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Forum wants old city to be developed too Ludhiana, April 25 Mr K.K. Sharma, chairman of the forum, said that recently the foundation stone of a leisure valley project was laid by Mr Sukhbir Badal, which will develop an open area of 22 acres along Sidhwan Canal from Ferozepore Road to Pakhowal Road and from Pakhowal Road to Dhuri railway line. While the people in the new city will have a leisure valley where they will have walking and jogging tracks, splash pools, skating rink, children’s house, ornament lights and water effects and benches, the residents of old city have been deprived of all this. The members of the forum have asked the authorities concerned to do
development work for people residing in the interior parts of the city also, as they too needed open spaces and projects like the leisure valley. Mr Sharma said that Daresi Ground in the city was an open space, split in two parts which can be developed and turned into a beautiful park. It can also have walking and jogging tracks, lush green lawns, children’s park. The pavement can be constructed all around in the Ram Lila ground with trees and benches for the comfort of public and senior citizens, they suggested. The chairman added that there were various places for walks in the Civil lines, Rakh
Bagh, Rose Garden, besides many parks in newly constructed colonies like Model Town, Sarabha Nagar and Randhir Singh Nagar. But the Daresi Ground in the old city was a neglected lot with no public amenities, toilets, parks and lights. The forum appealed to the authorities concerned to prepare a workable project for the beautification of Daresi Grounds as the dwellers of the old city also had the right to breathe fresh air. |
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Where eve-teasers
have a field day Ludhiana, April 25 Young boys in groups park their vehicles outside the main gate of the college. Some of the boys sit on the two-wheelers of the students and give them a tough time with their stares and comments. Ms Anita Mahajan, a resident of the colony opposite KCW, said that most of these eve-teasers were from well-to-do families. The road, which is visited by them daily, has become a dating place for a number of couples. Boys wait for their girl friends for hours in their cars outside the college. Mr Amrit Lal (not his real name), a shopkeeper, holds girls equally responsible for encouraging eve-teasing. He said, “Girls come and stand near the cars and scooters, giving the boys “opportunities” to pass comments. Some of them even call their boyfriends from the nearby PCOs.” It may be mentioned that several school vans and buses are also parked opposite the college because there is a school in that area. The ‘romeos’ jam their vehicles between the buses and vans and create nuisance for the tiny-tot too. “We can not take out our buses and vans from the parking place because of the vehicles parked by the boys. Children have to sit for a long time in the vans in this scorching heat”, complained one of the drivers of these vans. |
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WOMAN POWER Ludhiana, April 25 Her success story is full of sheer hard work. Not only did she practice as a committed gynaecologist but she also support four daughters. She says,” After working in the DMC Hospital, my friends persuaded me to start private practice. I did not know whether I would be successful or not, but within a month my practice started picking up. I joined Krishna Charitable Hospital. The hospital just paid me house rent and offered me some share from the private patients that got admitted. Looking back on those days, I feel that my endless hours of work has been amply rewarded. My three daughters are MDs and my youngest daughter is an architect”. She had clear priorities in her mind. Her daughters and their education was of prime importance. So she started a nursing home at her residence. “My pledge with myself was that I will give my children, whether a girl or a boy, the best possible education. I think girls are as good as boys, no rather better as they are more loving and caring. Moreover, the sons-in-law are like sons. I am proud of them. I would rather advise the parents to treat the girls on a par with boys. They are worth it,” she said. Talking about the growing menace of female foeticide, she said, “We strongly decree this practice. I am glad to say that we refuse point-blank to indulge in these tests and do not undertake termination of pregnancies. Being very God fearing, we can’t take away the lives by destroying foetus.” Armed with courage and fortitude, she has moved forward and her advise to the women is to select their priorities, not to waste time. She says, “I never had time to go to kitty parties or movies, but I really haven’t missed much. Your children are your wealth, take care of them, and you will reap a rich harvest”. |
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Revision sought in interest rate Ludhiana, April 25 At a meeting held here, the
association has demanded that the government should implement the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations at the earliest. There was no point in delaying the implementation. |
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Water-level reduced to recover shells Sahnewal, April 25 According to reports, 13 to14 shells have become visible as the water-level is reducing. Bomb-defusing experts and divers of the Army along with district police officials had recovered two such shells from under the bridge, yesterday. “The military has again been contacted and informed,” said Mr K.S. Bajwa, SHO, Sahnewal, and added “The shells have most probably been brought into the country from foreign countries with the scrap filled in containers being unloaded at Dhandhari Kalan and might have been dropped, into the Sirhind Canal, on the way to avoid any complications”. The presence of these shells has, however, become the talk of the day in the whole area. People are alarmed by the sudden appearance of these explosives and want those to be cleared soon. It may be noted that thousands of such shells were recovered by the police near Doraha from the same canal in 1994. Unaware of what the thing was, the children playing and swimming in the water, caught hold of one of those and playfully threw it away, which exploded and
as a result four children died on the spot and three others were injured. |
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New tubewell leaves residents
high and dry Ludhiana, April 25 According to the area councillor, Mr Sunil Mehra, officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board attributed the failure of the tubewell to choking of some of the underground pipes. They wanted to dig open the cemented floor at various places to detect the choked portion for repairs. Unmindful of the plight of the area residents, who had to make do without any water supply, certain officials of the engineering wing of the MC refused to allow the use of machines to dig holes. Mr Mehra threatened to stage a dharna if MC officials “came in the way” of speedy rectification of the snag. |
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‘Rs 8.57 lakh
given under shagan scheme’ Samrala, April 25 Talking to newsmen at his residence, Mr Khirnian informed that important roads, which were in a bad shape, would be repaired before June and all link roads would also be repaired in due course. The road from Khanna to Nawanshahr (via Machhiwara) would be widened this year and the over-bridges at Khanna would also be completed along with the bridges at Budha Nullah, Sirhind Canal and Sutlej bridge in the next financial year. The bridge at Sutlej would reduce a distance of about 55 km between Khanna and Nawanshahr and a substantial part of traffic would be diverted to this route, he added. Mr Khirnian also stated that Rs 1.09 crore had been distributed among the panchayats of this constituency without any discrimination, Rs 20 lakh had been given for various schemes and many link roads had also been constructed in this constituency. Among others, Jathedar Tehal Singh Dhande, Jagjeewan Singh Khirnian, chairman, Land Mortgage Bank, Mrs Nachhattar Kaur, MC, Mr Amar Nath Tagra, MC, Mr Kuldeep Khullar, former MC and Mr G.C. Bedi, MC, also attended the conference. |
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Parshuram Jayanti celebrated Fatehgarh Sahib, April 25 Addressing the gathering at the function, Mr the R.N. Sharma, president, Brahman Sabha, urged the people to follow the teachings of the gurus. A havan was performed and a community kitchen was organised. Mr Hari Krishan Sharma, Mr Varinder Rattan, secretary, Brahman Sabha, and Mr Naresh Sharma, former president, municipal council, also addressed the gathering. A ‘shobha yatra’ was taken out on the occasion. |
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Most phones out of order Ludhiana, April 25 Dr Malwinder Singh Toor, a resident of the village, complained that whenever they made a call, it got disconnected after a minute or so. “It becomes difficult if the phone is disconnected while we are talking something important. We are not able to get back to the person,” he said. Ms Jaswinder Singh of the same village complained that there was no dial tone in her telephone. The phones in the area had been dead for the past ten days. “The dial tone came yesterday but when the number was dialled, the phone got disconnected. The regular disruption in telephone lines is normal routine now,” she added. Mr Pyara Singh, another resident, complained that the villagers had
approached the persons concerned several times, but there was no satisfactory reply. A resident of the village, who had retired from the same department, said officials and linemen were not helpful and they did not care
for public grievances. Several telephones in the city under the Mata Rani Exchange were out of order yesterday. The complainants had been repeatedly bringing the matter to the notice of the authorities, but to no avail. Some officials maintained that they were helpless and could not do anything because the problem was with the Mata Rani Exchange. |
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1 killed in mishap Mandi Gobindgarh, April 25 The ASI, Traffic Police, Mr Manvir Singh, and Manjit Singh of Nasrali village were injured, while Gurdial Singh, owner of Kalley Steel Rolling Mills, here killed on the spot. |
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